Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
After going months without a challenger, Liv Morgan now faces two threats for the Women’s World Championship. The returning Stephanie Vaquer and also Becky Lynch have their sights set on Morgan. Will Lynch and Vaquer’s quests for the gold lead to them clashing, or can the numbers advantage of The Judgement Day help them to dispatch the future challengers? And who will emerge on top as IC Championship hopefuls Sol Ruca and Lyra Valkyria do battle? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos included SOL RUCA.
STEPHANIE VAQUER went to the ring to kick off Raw. Vaquer spoke in a mix of English and her native tongue, saying she was here for only one reason and that’s her title. Saying she didn’t want to talk, and called out Morgan. Answering the challenge, LIV MORGAN came out but with ROXANNE PEREZ and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ as well. Morgan ran her mouth from the stage as she mocked Vaquer for wanting to fight, claiming she didn’t usually address ‘accusations’ before she took shots at Becky Lynch, saying she didn’t care about she thought and didn’t care of all the Champions before. Getting cheap heat for saying she wasn’t a Champion for any of the fans, only for herself.
The insults continued as The Judgment Day approached the ring as Morgan bragged about beating Vaquer at WrestleMania then ‘injuring’ her and eventually doing her ‘of all time’ line. Vaquer mocked Morgan for ranting for afar, but Morgan only went to the ring with her crew. While Vaquer got one shot on Morgan, she was decked by the numbers. Managing to escape off the shoulders of Rodriguez before she tossed Perez out and used a Low Bridge to send Rodriguez to the floor. Morgan tackled Vaquer and hit some punches before Vaquer reversed and hit some Headbutts. Vaquer hit a Superkick to Morgan but got caught by a Perez Chop Block.
Just as Vaquer was held for Morgan, BECKY LYNCH rushed out. Pulling Morgan to the floor and driving her to the barricade before decking Perez and tossing her into a barricade. In the ring, Lynch would hammer into Rodriguez at the ropes, but when Lynch was shoved off, she bumped into Vaquer before Vaquer would hit a wild swing at Rodriguez, sending her out. Lynch cut off Perez coming in at the ropes before Vaquer turned Lynch around, leading to a face-off and mouthing off. That allowed Morgan to haul out Lynch and drive her into the ringpost, before Vaquer hit a Crossbody off the apron. Only to be decked by a Rodriguez Big Boot. In the ring, Morgan hit a Codebreaker to Vaquer to set up Perez hitting PopRox. The Judgment Day stood tall over Vaquer to end the segment, with the announcers putting over that Lynch and Vaquer being at odds hurt them, as it looked like Morgan had suffered a bloody nose during the brawl.
Backstage, CATHY KELLEY interviewed Stephanie Vaquer as Kelley said Vaquer said she’d face Roxanne Perez in a match next week (a match that I think had been advertised last week as happening tonight). Vaquer complained about Morgan hiding behind her crew, and said she hadn’t forgotten what Perez did. Becky Lynch interrupted and mocked Vaquer for getting beaten down. Vaquer warned Lynch to keep out of her way, but Lynch (still acting and talking unlikeable and as a Heel) warned Vaquer that as long as she still went after the title, Lynch would be her biggest problem. Then mocking Vaquer for heading into what obviously wouldn’t be a one-on-one match next week.
LYRA VALKYRIA had a promo video, going overboard with crazed expressions. Complaining that she was getting nothing for her past accomplishments while Sol Ruca got all the glory, claiming she could do everything that Ruca could but didn’t do it ‘because I’m smart’. Valkyria claimed Ruca was out of her mind thinking she could ‘surf past her’.
Singles Match
SOL RUCA defeated LYRA VALKYRIA
Valkyria got the better of the opening lock-up, taking Ruca down to the mat but she kipped up, leading to a Valkyria Headlock into a Takeover before Ruca escaped a second Takeover with a grounded Headlock of her own. Valkyria got the Headscissors counter, which Ruca escaped with a handstand but Ruca’s attempt for a Headlock was countered with a Hammerlock. Ruca controlled with a Wristlock, grounding it and roughing up Ruca’s face with the free hand, eventually using a hair pull to slam Ruca down for a two count.
Ruca countered being whipped to a corner with a backflip off the top rope, then hitting a Dropkick after the vault. Ruca did more flips on the apron, using a handstand counter and then a cartwheel to avoid being tripped up before hitting a kick along the apron. Ruca hit her running up the corner Moonsault to the floor, and sent Valkyria back in. Valkyria hid at the ropes to get a break, trying for a cheap shot but Ruca ducked it and then ducked an attempted Enzigiri when she held Valkyria’s foot. As Ruca went for a Springboard move, Valkyria kicked the middle rope, sending Ruca crashing down.
Valkyria hit mounted shots then stood on Ruca’s face as the show went to a ‘commercial break’. Toying with Ruca and choking her on the ropes before hitting a Guillotine for a near fall. Ruca hit a Legsweep then a Legdrop across the back of Ruca’s head for a two count before working a resthold of a Surfboard. Mocking the fans by clapping her hands during the grip, before breaking the hold to hit some Elbows before locking it back in. The show returned to ‘live action’ as Ruca hit a counter Neckbreaker, only to take a Hot Shot on the ropes before Valkyria slammed Ruca’s head into the mat a few times.
A flying nothing from Valkyria ate a Knee Strike from Ruca. Ruca went House on Fire with Back Elbows, then a Release German Suplex out of a corner. Ruca hit a Dropkick off the middle rope, kipped up and hit a Running Knee Strike for a near fall. Ruca hauled Valkyria up and hit another Release German that sent Valkyria out, and it appeared like Ruca was going for a Sasuke Special but Valkyria got to the apron, hitting a Neckbreaker to drop Ruca onto the ropes for a great counter. Valkyria hit a Legdrop across the back of Ruca from off the top rope for a two count.
Valkyria went for Nightwing but Ruca escaped, getting a roll-up pin for a two count but off the kick out was sent into the middle turnbuckle. Soon after, Ruca tried for Sol Snatcher but Valkyria yanked a leg, leaving Ruca hung up in the middle ropes to take a Backbreaker over the knee. Ruca escaped Nightwing again, flipping to her feet and hitting a Superkick and she went for a move off a Handspring but was captured on Valkyria’s shoulders. Just to counter into a Tornado DDT.
Ruca would hit the Sol Snatcher clean for the victory.
Cathy Kelley would interview The Vision with MAXXINE DUPRI. Dupri praised Theory for how she’s been beating down Alpha Academy but the group remained backstage as Bron Breakker went to ring for a segment with Oba Femi.
The match between Stephanie Vaquer and Roxanne Perez was made official for next week.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A good match between Ruca and Valkyria with the expected outcome. The WWE is trying hard to get Valkyria’s insane character over and she’s getting booed of course but now she’ just gone from losing to heels to losing to faces. We can’t exactly call that an upgrade for someone who has seen their career fallen after the bad SummerSlam match against Lynch last year. Meanwhile the numbers game storyline with the World title worked well, putting over that Lynch and Vaquer being at odds only hurts their chances. Lynch is basically still the same heel character as before, insulting everyone and burying them verbally and it’s not helping anyone here including herself. The WWE needs to smarten up otherwise the whole story will backfire on everyone, and perhaps even worse if Lynch ends up winning the title out of this all.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in two weeks’ time for the next regularly scheduled edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!
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