Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
WrestleMania is only a couple weeks away and the hype continues to build for the Women’s matches. Last week saw the Tag Team Championship match confirmed with a Fatal Four Way Match, on top of the already announced bouts for the Women’s World and IC titles. So what’s next for the women of Raw as we head along the last stops on the road to ‘Mania? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos included IYO SKY and RHEA RIPLEY.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
AJ LEE had a promo video with lots of old school footage. That then led into a sit-down interview with Lee, but one that was soon interrupted by BECKY LYNCH who levelled the usual insults. Before Lee responded that she’d shattered the glass ceilings that Lynch soared through and broke down the doors Lynch ran through.
Singles Match
BAYLEY w/h LYRA VALKYRIA defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion LASH LEGEND w/h NIA JAX
In a rare move, the WWE acknowledged that Nikki Bella had suffered an ankle injury, claiming she was rehabbing in order to make it to ‘Mania. Legend easily controlled the opening lock-up, using it to toss Bayley out of the ring as Bayley briefly shoved Jax who mocked her. Bayley slid back in and tried to cut off Legend chasing her, but Legend blocked a stomp with her hands and shoved Bayley back while still on the canvas. Legend would miss a corner charge, allowing Bayley to hit clubbing blows to the back then Forearm shots before getting shoved off. A missed Shoulder Thrust through the ropes allowed Bayley to hit Knee Strikes then a Running one.
Bayley went for the Elbow Drop from the middle rope, but Legend cut her off mid-air with a big Forearm shot. A Pump Kick sent Bayley out of the ring as the show went to ‘commercial’. Bayley got roughed up ringside, slammed into the announce table then the ring post. Moments later, in the ring Legend landed a Splash for a near fall. Bayley got bent through the ropes to take some clubbing shots, then yanked back to snap off the top cable. Later, Bayley tried for a Roll-up off the corner vault-back but Legend’s strength blocked it, leading to Legend hitting repeated Mat Slams. Legend hit a trio of Short-Arm Shoulder Knockdowns for a near fall.
Back to ‘live action’, and Bayley hit the Stunner through the ropes and it looked like she was going for a follow-up Knee Strike but when Legend tumbled back into the ring, Bayley just hit some Stomps instead. Bayley tried for the Sunset Flip Bomb spot but Legend’s power blocked, carrying Bayley on her shoulder to back her into a corner before marching around into a Spin-out Backbreaker for a two count. Bayley would punch her way out of a Powerbomb attempt, hitting a Headscissors counter but Legend cut her off right after with a Running European Uppercut for another near fall.
Legend would haul Bayley off the ropes with an Alley-oop, but missed a Splash and soon after missed a Pump Kick, leaving her caught on the ropes to take a wild Running Dropkick from Bayley then another in a corner. A Running Knee set up the Elbow Drop off the middle rope for a two count. Nia Jax would trip up Bayley as she ran the ropes, somehow missed by the referee, but Legend couldn’t take advantage as her corner charge only hit the ring post. Valkyria tried jumping off the ring steps but the flying nothing was easily caught as Jax drove her into the apron.
ALEXA BLISS and CHARLOTTE FLAIR ran out, attacking Jax with a Back Sleeper by Bliss and Flair sorta helped out with slaps of her jacket to Jax. Bayley would hit a Crossbody off the middle rope to take out the trio at ringside, but was cut off at the corner trying to climb up. Legend hit a Superplex but Valkyria messed up the timing as it seemed like she was supposed to grab Legend’s foot, but completely missed the moment. Bayley managed to cover the spot, turning the Superplex into a Crossbody and Valkyria, despite being a face, leaned into the ring and held Legend’s foot down to ensure Bayley stole a win. The announcers covered for the cheating claiming it was ‘fight fire with fire’ because of Jax’s interference.
STEPHANIE VAQUER had a promo video, translated when she spoke in her native tongue, mocking Liv Morgan about her insults and actions as of late.
There was an odd music video-like scene that briefly played which seemed to end with a whispery version of Liv Morgan’s Watch Me catchphrase.
In a follow-up to a moment a few weeks back, as Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley were hyping each other up backstage in the far background MAXXINE DUPRI could be seen talking with Austin Theory of The Vision.
CATHY KELLEY would interview Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Valkyria bragged about getting everyone’s attention now including the GM, saying tonight was just a taste of what’s to come. Bayley said tonight showed that they’d do whatever it took to get the tag titles and that the rest of their opponents could call them the future Champions.
ASUKA had a promo video, heeling it up and accusing rival Iyo Sky of tearing apart their ‘family’ and claiming she paved the way for her and Kairi Sane before Sky took advantage of her ‘kindness’. Vowing to take everything away from Sky.
Women’s Tag Team Match
IYO SKY & RHEA RIPLEY defeated B-FAB & MICHIN w/h WWE Women’s Champion JADE CARGILL
B-Fab and Michin came out during Cargill’s entrance with her. B-Fab and Ripley started off, and B-Fab tried to take advantage of Ripley mouthing off at Cargill but Ripley caught the boot attempt, taking B-Fab down with a Clothesline then follow-up punches. Ripley hit her strike combo on B-Fab then hauled Michin into the ring when she mouthed off, decking her with a Big Boot. The distraction of Ripley sending out Michin in front of Cargill allowed B-Fab to hit a Pump Kick then some mount punches. B-Fab hit a round of Back Elbows in a corner and soon after hit a slightly messy Float-over DDT for a near fall. The announcers making perhaps an AEW reference about calling B-Fab and Michin Cargill’s ‘baddies’.
Ripley escaped a rest hold of a Chinlock with a Snapmare, and barely caught an out of place B-Fab with her counter kick off the mat. Tags on both sides led to Iyo Sky hitting the Wheelbarrow into a Double Stomp spot on Michin. Soon after, Sky hit a Missile Dropkick to take out both opponents before she kipped up and DID THE THING. Sky hit a Suicide Dive to both opponents as the show went to ‘commercial break’. In the ring, Michin escaped a Slam attempt and then countered a Hurricanrana into a Sit-Out Powerbomb for a near fall. Moments later, B-Fab was tagged and the heels hit a Double Team Suplex to give B-Fab a two count. B-Fab hit short-range Running Knee Strikes into opposite corners but a third was dodged as Sky got a near fall off a Roll-up. A wild Back Elbow got B-Fab a two count.
Michin was tagged for a Double Team as Michin applied a Tarantula on the ropes, leaving Sky’s head open to take a boot from B-Fab, giving Michin a near fall. B-Fab got a tag, leading to chokes in the Heel corner before B-Fab hit a Sliding Clothesline. Back to ‘live action’, Sky hit a Chinbuster but trying to tag B-Fab cut her off with a Clothesline, then drew in Ripley with a cheap shot that allowed the ‘baddies’ to stomp away at Sky as the ref ordered Ripley out. Then the heeks intentionally got caught attacking Sky together, as with the official’s back turned Cargill yanked Ripley off the apron and into the ring steps to prevent another tag.
Sky would beat the odds despite this, avoiding a Michin charge that sent her into a corner before countered a throw by B-Fab with a Samson Clutch to get the flash pin win.
After the match, Cargill decked Sky from behind before all the heels beat down Sky. Michin got a Kendo Stick and while Ripley managed to deck all the heels one by one, she got taken down by Pump Kick from Cargill. Michin and B-Fab held Ripley in a corner, forcing Ripley to watch as Cargill sent a message by punishing Sky with Kendo Stick shots. Then planting Sky with Jaded before taunting again before she and her ‘baddies’ left the scene, leaving Ripley to cradle the hurting Sky to end the segment.
Backstage in the clubhouse of The Judgement Day, RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ and LIV MORGAN along with JD McDonagh tried to reassure Dominik Mysterio about the threats from former member Finn Balor. When the men left, Morgan had Rodriguez leave to talk with ROXANNE PEREZ so Morgan could press Perez about her loyalties since she had been brought in by Balor. Before Perez could explain herself, Stephanie Vaquer charged in and made Morgan absolutely crash into Perez to knock them both down hard. Vaquer then drove Morgan head-first into the wide screen TV that was gimmicked to spark up and shatter from the impact. Vaquer making one last insult in her native tongue before she left the scene.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A little bit of hype is better than nothing, and we’ve seen a lot of brawls between Morgan and Vaquer lately. I would assume next week we get Perez against Vaquer in a match or at the very least another fight between Morgan and Vaquer. The sit-down segment with AJ Lee and Becky Lynch was a miss since it’s all been stuff we’ve heard before from them, and it screams again that the WWE had planned the match for just ‘Mania and having to run a first match at Elimination Chamber has left them scrambling for ideas. Bayley stealing a win over Legend protected the champs and gives Bayley and Valkyria a much needed win, especially after losing on Smackdown to Bliss and Flair so that all worked out. Lastly, the tag match was solid but the post-match beatdown worked even better. Putting over the threat Ripley has to deal with against the numbers game. It’s a shame that it seems the Iyo Sky against Asuka match won’t happen at ‘Mania but you never know if they’ll try and shove the match in last-minute before Mania so we’ll wait and see.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!
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