Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
We’re heading towards the Elimination Chamber event with the Qualifying Matches for the Raw side beginning tonight. Who will punch their ticket to get a Championship Match at WrestleMania? And what will happen when former friends collide when Maxxine Dupri faces the woman who betrayed in her ‘Nattie’ Natalya? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos featured the big, but also rather casual surprise, of AJ LEE being seen with CM Punk, a sight that left BECKY LYNCH in the background furious about her rival’s return. Also featured were Women’s Tag Team Champions RHEA RIPLEY and IYO SKY, and The Judgement Day of LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ.
A fuming Becky Lynch went to the ring for a promo. Complaining about AJ Lee being back and, of course, Lee herself would quickly interrupt. Lee claimed she was only here to support ‘her girl’ Maxxine Dupri, but Lynch snapped, claiming that Lynch had ‘ruined her life’ (living rent-free in her head). Lee gloated about having beaten Lynch twice and costing her a title, before Lynch went on a rant about Lee wanting a match against her for Elimination Chamber, not exactly effective with her forcing in the Sports Illustrated line. Lee began goading Lynch in, saying that she should get a title shot after beating her before. Lynch yelled no, refusing it but Lee said no title match, no match at all. Lynch easily fell for it and and accepted the match, and finished the segment with her Big Time line which also didn’t full work, while Lee grinned at the outcome.
Liv Morgan, with Dominik Mysterio, went to the ring for a promo. Mysterio kept up the on-screen relationship by giving Morgan flowers and a box of chocolates as they each proclaimed themselves as the greatest of all time. Morgan claimed the Women’s Champions were all scared of her. Mysterio got spooked by STEPHANIE VAQUER‘s pyro as she came down to the ring. Morgan gave Botchamania a new ‘You Talk Too Much’ clip before speaking in her native tongue, and Mysterio refused to translate what she said before cutting a promo back to her in Spanish. Vaquer claimed that Mysterio claimed called himself a ‘little bitch’.
Liv said a low-brow insult, claiming Vaquer didn’t deserve to wear her ‘hot girls love Dominik’ T-shirt, but was left fuming when Vaquer said she hoped she got to kick her ass at ‘Mania. Morgan claimed she wasn’t going to ‘rush’ her decision and yelled ‘Cry About It, PUTA!’ to Vaquer (which ain’t no compliment, that’s for sure!). Vaquer would end up decking Mysterio with a slap before she left the scene, leaving Morgan furious as she checked over her man.
Rhea Ripley, IVY NILE and LYRA VALKYRIA were all part of the same hype video about their Qualifying Match.
Triple Threat Match – Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Women’s Tag Team Champion RHEA RIPLEY defeated IVY NILE & LYRA VALKYRIA
Nile decked Valkyria with a Forearm strike and sent her out of the ring, before trying for a go-behind, having to eventually settle for a Forearm shot but right after, a flying nothing off the middle rope was cut off mid-air by a Ripley Dropkick. Valkyria got a near fall from a Small Package. They did some rope work, before Nile managed to German Suplex both women at once when he hauled back Valkyria as she held Ripley! On the outside, after ducking shots from each other, Ripley used the Front Electric Chair Drop to drive Nile into the ring apron. Before Valkyria did a new version of her through the ropes spot, but this time snapping off a Headscissors to Ripley.
During the advert break, Valkyria hit a top rope Crossbody to Nile in the ring for a near fall, the hit her combo of a handstand, Legsweep then a Basement Dropkick. Followed by a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Nile was hauled out by Ripley, sent into the announce table before Ripley avoided Valkyria’s Dropkick through the ropes to then hit a Superkick on the outside. Inside the ring, Valkyria avoided the Clothesline of Ripley’s strike combo and would then lock Ripley into the Swinging Pendulum. Nile broke it up, hitting a nice Half-and-Half Suplex but Ripley broke up the pin attempt. Nile would escape a Razor’s Edge attempt and sent Ripley rushed into the ring post shoulder-first.
Nile flipped from a Tilt-a-whirl to snap off a Gutwrench Suplex on Valkyria for a near fall. Nile would smartly send Valkyria into the ropes, making Ripley lose her balance up top and being stuck on the ropes. Back to live action, and we got a Tower of Doom spot as Nile, lifting up from being in a Tree of Woe, hit a Super German Suplex to Valkyria as she hit a Superplex on Ripley! Nile hit Running Corner Kicks to both opponents, but would miss one to Ripley who then hit her House on Fire combo of the Short-Arm Clotheslines, Ripcord Superkick then Kindom Falls to set up a Basement Dropkick. A Wheelbarrow into a Samson Clutch gave Valkyria a near fall, before Valkyria escaped a La Magistral attempt by Ripley to lock on a version of one of her own for a two count.
Ripley tried to muscule up Valkyria with one jump for an Electric Chair, but it got botched and they instead got Valkyria on the shoulders off a vault-back from the corner. Another botch soon came when they tried for an unplanned Double Team spot of Nile hitting a Steiner Bulldog off the ropes to Valkyria being held up, but the timing was off so when Ripley dumped Valkyria down, Nile ended up hitting a flying nothing but still went for a pin anyway. Which was broken up by Ripley. Things continued to be messy when Nile hit a Release German Suplex and it sent Ripley flying back almost crashing into Valkyria’s skull. Nile got another two count on Valkyria.
Valkyria got a near fall from a counter Small Package on Nile then hit an Enzigiri on Nile. A nice spot happened when Nile tossed up Valkyria by the leg as she held Ripley in a Neckbreaker position, resulting in a flip over to nail a DDT. Nile tossed out Valkyria, trying to steal the win but could only get a near fall on Ripley. Valkyria hit a slow version of her kick combo but Nile ducked the last shot and hit a Head Kick, before hitting her Spinning Uranagi for a near fall, turning the kick out into her Dragon Sleeper hold. Ripley broke it up with a Headbutt, and looked for Riptide but Nile escaped and hit a Backstabber.
In rather slow motion, Valkyria rolled through a Sunset Flip attempt, rolled back over and musculed Nile up to hit Nightwing. Ripley broke up the pin with a Sliding Kick, then hit Valkyria with Riptide to get the win and advance to Elimination Chamber.
Backstage in the Judgement Day’s Clubhouse, Mysterio complained to Morgan and Rodriguez about getting slapped and there was more drama with tension between him and Finn Balor.
Singles Match
NATTIE Vs MAXXINE DUPRI ended in a double count out.
Dupri came out to new, individual music instead of just the Alpha Academy theme. Nattie tried for an amateur takedown right away but Dupri countered into an Ankle Lock. Nattie escaped from it with the roll-through counter, and decked Dupri with a Forearm shot, but wasted time toying with her and soon ate an Arm Drag then a Roundhouse Kick. Dupri went for the Ankle Lock on the outside but Nattie kicked her off into the ring steps before Nattie sent her into the ring steps then the announce table. With the count still going on, Nattie got both women counted out as she pummelled Dupri on top of the desk. Nattie locked on the Sharpshooter to Dupri on top of the table (showing not much has changed about her at all).
AJ Lee would run out, and that chased off Nattie who backed away through the crowd. However, as Lee helped Dupri to the back she was attacked from behind by Becky Lynch at ringside, shoving her into the ring post. A hit-and-run attack as Lynch gloated and fled the scene, mouthing off in the aisle.
BAYLEY and Lyra Valkyria were interviewed, as Valkyria objected to being questioned about losing. Bayley hyped her up her friend saying she didn’t give up, and vowed to win next week against Asuka and Nattie in her qualifying match. Vowing to make up for missing WrestleMania last year, and vowing that she and Valkyria were the best tag team around.
That Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match between Asuka, Bayley and Nattie was made official for next week, along with the announcement that AJ Lee would appear to talk about her IC title match at the Chamber event.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
An awkward Triple Threat Match that started great, got very rough towards the end and that resulted in a flat finish. A shame as before the botches, it had been a good showing that gave Ivy Nile a nice time to shine, but everyone’s going to remember the mishaps. Ripley being a Tag Team Champion and going for a singles title (Sasha Banks must be furious right now) isn’t any bad thing since she’d be a rank outsider to win the Chamber, even with being a top star. It’s hard to see anyone but Tiffany Stratton winning but you never know who else will get into the match. Sure, Morgan hasn’t officially announced who she’s taking on yet but all signs point to challenging Vaquer after this week’s events. Elsewhere, AJ Lee versus Becky Lynch being announced right out of the blue and for the Chamber event all screams not just rushed booking, but dragging things out further for the feud until Mania. A screwjob finish, or maybe bringing in Nattie and Dupri to change things for a tag match at Chamber could all be possible but we’ll wait and see. Hopefully the women can make up for the lack to time to build, not counting the months with breaks this has all gone on for, with a fine match. Lastly, there was no follow up to last week’s Women’s World title match. Rodriguez was all smiles and acting like everything is fine after she’d been screwed over by her teammate Morgan’s action. A major missed opportunity there.
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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