Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Last week saw shocking backstage events be (in rare fashion) openly admitted to, as Women’s Tag Team Champions Naomi and Sasha Banks walked out of Monday Night Raw before the show began. Resulting in show changes that saw Asuka defeat Becky Lynch to become Number One Contender, and later in the week the WWE suspending Banks and Naomi, stripping them of the Women’s Tag Team titles. So what’s going to happen this week as he head closer towards the Hell in a Cell event? Let’s get into it, and find out…
DANA BROOKE complained to Adam Pearce that she wanted a piece of Carmella when she was ‘cleared’ to compete again. BECKY LYNCH then barged in, and demanded last week’s loss to Asuka was wiped from the record books. Pearce instead made a rematch of last week’s main event between Lynch and Asuka for this week. If Lynch won, she’d be added to the Hell in a Cell title match.
RHEA RIPLEY was alongside The Judgement Day as they cut in-ring promos. Ripley mocking Liv Morgan, telling her to start thinking for herself to ‘save herself’ and saying the offer to join them was still open.
Mixed Tag Team Match
The Judgement Day (RHEA RIPLEY & Damien Priest) w/h Edge defeated LIV MORGAN & AJ Styles
The men started off. Ripley tagged in, and tried to shove Styles but Morgan came in, and Styles lifted her up to toss into a Headscissors on Ripley. A Shotgun Dropkick set up Ripley in the corner for the Jumping Back Elbow, but Ripley blocked a Sunset Flip off of a Crucifix. Hauling Morgan up for a Headbutt then tossing Morgan across the ring. Moments later, Morgan tried for a Crossbody off the middle rope but Ripley easily caught her. Lifting Morgan up for a Delayed Suplex as Morgan tried to counter with a Small Package roll down but was blocked and lifted up again. The second time Morgan escaping and hit a Backstabber. Priest pulled Ripley to the floor but Morgan boldly hit a Suicide Dive to take Ripley down.
Back in the ring Morgan got caught with the Kick off the canvas by Ripley. Ripley hitting the Suplex for a near fall. Moments later Morgan snapping off a Headscissors from a middle rope leap to get barely a count of one. Morgan tagged out and it brought the men back in. Ripley provided a brief distraction to allow Priest to cheap shot. After a commercial break, Styles made a hot tag to bring the women in as Morgan hit her trio of kicks. Getting the Knee Strike in the corner then moments later hitting the Springboard Dropkick. Morgan hit the Springboard Side Codebreaker but going for the pin, Edge put Ripley’s foot on the ropes to save her. Moments later, the referee didn’t see Edge holding onto Ripley’s tights, blocking an ObLIVion attempt as Ripley stacked Morgan up to the steal the win. The Judgement Day beat up their rivals after the match with Ripley hitting a Riptide on Morgan.
Women’s Singles Match
ALEXA BLISS defeated NIKKI A.S.H. w/h DOUDROP
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed Bliss before the match, as Bliss poked fun at Sonya Deville over her ‘rough’ couple of weeks. Then mocking her former friend A.S.H. for continuing to dress up like a superhero. During Ash’s entrance, the announcers took another shot at Sasha Banks and Naomi to push the WWE’s side of the story about the walk-out. They traded Arm Drags before Bliss unwisely offered a friendly handshake, which Ash used to hit a cheap shot. Bliss came back with a slap then the big punch, sending Ash to the floor. Doudrop tried to coach her friend before Bliss pulled Ash back in, only for Ash to tackle her former friend down and hit some mounted strikes.
A hard Irish Whip spot of all things got Ash a two count before she applied a Cobra Clutch. Bliss fought back with a Jawbreaker counter, setting up for a Low Dropkick than a unique Blockbuster to a seated Ash. Bliss tried for the DDT but Ash shoved her back into the corner where Lily was perched. Setting Bliss up top but wasted time taunting the doll, allowing Bliss to shove her down. Hitting Twisted Bliss moments later to get the win.
ASUKA was interviewed by Schreiber, mocking Lynch for her crybaby antics and vowed to make Lynch into ‘Big Time Baby’.
Lacey Evans was advertised as returning to action next week on Raw.
Women’s Singles Match
BECKY LYNCH defeats ASUKA to be added to the Hell in a Cell Raw Women’s Championship Match
BIANCA BELAIR once again came out to watch the match at ringside, much like last week. After shoves and smacks to start with, Lynch was mowed over by an Asuka charge. Lynch got a one count off a roll-up after another case of referee obsession with shoulders having to be down. Lynch got in a couple of slaps, and got charged into a corner for some shoulder thrusts for her trouble. Lynch came back with a Side Kick, but the second was caught for a leg sweep counter before Asuka applied her version of a Dis-Arm-Her! Lynch made it to the ropes before a Head Kick sent Lynch to the floor. After avoiding a kick off the apron, Lynch shoved Asuka into the ring post as the show went to commercial.
Lynch tried to win the match with count out, forcing Asuka to get in the ring at nine before using Baseball Slides to send Asuka out then down at the floor, before tossing her in to the barricade and making the official count again. Asuka got in at nine, only to be tossed out at another side of the ring before Lynch hit a Forearm after jumping off the apron. Asuka was sent into the ring steps, then back into the ring as Lynch went to the middle rope for a Leg drop that got a two count. Both women went for Clotheslines and dropped one another in the process.
There were dualling chants for both women as Lynch absorbed a Clothesline, but only to soon after get sent over with Asuka’s German Suplex. Asuka got the corner Hip Attack, and moments later a trio of strikes finished with a Spinning Backfist to set up the Sliding Kick for a near fall. Aftyer sending Asuka face-first into the middle pad, Lynch tried to steal the win off a Roll-up with feet on the ropes but only got a two count. Lynch leapt off the middle rope into a Codebreaker counter, then off the following kick-out Asuka locked on an Arm Bar but Lynch rolled to the ropes. Moments later Asuka hit a Superplex but still only got a two-count.
Lynch managed to avoid a Hip Attack, and applied a version of the Dis-Arm-Her on the ropes, only for Asuka to answer back with a Dragon Screw into the middle rope. Lynch was sent down to the floor near to Belair with a Hip Attack, then hit with a kick along the apron. Asuka shoved Lynch into Belair’s lap, but a Head Kick meant for Lynch nailed Belair instead. Asuka raced back into the ring to beat the count again, only for Lynch to roll her over into a Sunset Flip to get a flash victory.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A nice selection of matches tonight with the mixed tag continuing The Judgement Day storyline, while Bliss seems to be being billed as making her comeback by racking up wins. As I speculated last week, the end of last week’s main event left the door open for Lynch to sneak into the title match as she has done. A Triple Threat match adding more interest than a regular one-on-one would have, and keeping the issues between Lynch and her rivals going strong. So all in all, a fine show all around. And how sweet was it to have women in the main event once again? More of that please!
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!