Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
Backlash is in the history books and it saw Lyra Valkyria emerge victorious to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over Becky Lynch. Valkyria paid for it with a beatdown afterwards, so will the issues between these two be over? And who will emerge victorious as top Raw stars Rhea Ripley and Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky take on ‘NXT upstarts’ Giulia and Roxanne Perez? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos featured RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ (who this week had her Women’s Tag Team Championship belt) with The Judgement Day, Women’s World Champion IYO SKY, GIULIA and ROXANNE PEREZ.
IVY NILE accompanied Chad Gable as he lost to rival Penta. Nile would also accompany American Made later when Gable ranted about the events of the night.
Roxanne Perez and Giulia had a hype video.
Raquel Rodriguez was with The Judgement Day in their clubhouse as Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio had issues again.
CATHY KELLEY and JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Iyo Sky got a hype video.
BECKY LYNCH went to the ring for a promo. She was in denial that she didn’t get beaten at Backlash and bragged that she didn’t get sent to the hospital. Lynch bragged that Valkyria has mattered more now than at any time in her life thanks to her. She ranted that she’d been manipulated by all the fans and claimed it was all their fault she left for a year and called all the fans failures who couldn’t relate to a winner like her. She lost the fans a bit and got the WHAT treatment as the promo went long and she vowed to hold the rest of the roster down and stay on top.
MAXXINE DUPRI and NATALYA were in Adam Pearce’s office with Akira Tozawa as Tozawa’s request for a match was turned down for now.
It was announced that Money in the Bank qualifying matches would take place from next week.
Tag Team Match
Women’s World Champion IYO SKY & RHEA RIPLEY defeated GIULIA and ROXANNE PEREZ
Perez and Sky started off. Perez tried to bail immediately but was pulled back in by Sky. Perez kicked Sky off and kipped up, just to be taken down with a Lou Thesz Press with punches. After and exchange of grounded punches, Sky yanked Perez off the ropes for a slam and got a two count. Sky controlled with a Headlock and used a hairpull to keep a grip before Perez slapped her. A brief distraction by Giulia allowed Perez to hit a cheap shot and stun Sky got get in stomps in the heel corner. Giulia was tagged in and she was sent into the corner for a Back Elbow before she whipped Perez in for a Running European Uppercut.
Giulia choked Sky on the ropes and when the ref backed her up, Perez hit a cheap shot boot along the apron. Ripley came in illegally but went after the also not legal Perez and hauled her into the ring which unintentionally (and not planned either I don’t think) crashed Perez into Sky. Ripley wiped out Perez with a Dropkick but was ordered out of the ring while Giulia hit a Neck Twist to Sky. Sky would soon do her counter flips and hit a Dropkick and went to tag Ripley but Perez hauled her off the apron before Giulia hit a Chinbuster on Sky.
Perez slapped Ripley and lured her into a chase around ringside. Giulia went for a Crossbody off the apron and was caught, but Perez used a Dropkick that sent Ripley crashing into the ringpost and sandwiched by Giulia. Sky nailed a Suicide Dive on Perez but Giulia hit Sky with a Dropkick on the floor. Back in the ring, Giulia hit chops and Forearms to Sky against the ropes and got a near fall. Perez was tagged as Giulia held Sky to take Bang Kicks then a Superkick, before Giulia hit a Snapmare so Perez could get a near fall. Perez hit a corner European Uppercut and right after the Headscissors into the Side Russian Legsweep for a two count.
Ripley got the hot tag and went House on Fire with Clotheslines, a Short-arm Bang Kick and a Release German Suplex. Ripley hit the Razor’s Edge then a Basement Sliding Kick for a near fall. Perez hit a couple of counter kicks and tried for a double bounce Springboard, only to be caught for a short Electric Chair drop into the corner. Ripley set Perez up top and tried for a Super Razor’s Edge but Perez escaped and hit Ripley with a Frankenscreamer for a near fall. Giulia was tagged to hit a Headbutt that set up a low Superkick, before Perez was tagged again as a Giulia Suplex set up Perez’s double bounce Lionsault for a two count.
Perez hit a Running European Uppercut to Ripley in a corner, rolled out but when she went for a second Ripley caught her and planted her with Kingdom Falls. Tags on both sides made Sky and Giulia legal. Sky hit a Shoeti and moments later a Missile Dropkick with the flips up. Perez cut off a Sky charge and then hit Ripley with a Tilt-a-Whirl Tornado DDT. Sky hit a Basement Dropkick to Perez and Gilulia tried to take advantage of the distraction with a Small Package but only got a near fall. Giluia tried for the Glorious Driver but Sky escaped and hit the Wheelbarrow into a Double Stomp spot.
Sky hit Over the Moonsault but Perez broke up the pin. Sky blocked Perez going for another Russian Legsweep before Ripley tossed Sky for a rocket Dropkick that was meant for Perez but hit Giulia instead. Perez couldn’t land PopRox on Ripley and got hit with a Springboard Missile Dropkick from Sky. Sky tried to keep Ripley on the same page to do her head point taunt, but that only distracted them both as Giulia tripped up Ripley along the apron. Giulia hit a Double Underhook Superplex and then her Northern Lights Bomb finisher but Ripley broke up the pin.
Perez hit a Basement Dropkick to Ripley, who answered with her counter kick from the apron only to take a Low Knee Strike from Giulia. Sky hit the Double Underhook Backbreaker to Giulia but Ripley made a blind tag, and that allowed Ripley to shove Giulia so a Crossbody by Perez meant for Sky hit her tag partner instead. Perez took a Buzzsaw Kick from Sky, before Ripley hit a Headbutt to Giulia before she nailed Riptide to win the match clean.
After the match Ripley clearly stared at the Women’s World Championship while she and Sky held their arms in victory and Sky noticed it, not being pleased either.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A great tag team match in the main event of Raw, which was only expected with the top stars in the match. A loss is a loss, but this was Giulia’s first appearance and against lead stars like Ripley and Sky it was only to be expected. Things will no doubt turn around quickly and do so with the Money in the Bank qualifiers next week. We got a tease of another clash between Ripley and Sky which while done twice before WrestleMania wouldn’t be so bad this time with Bianca Belair not there to mess things up. Perhaps that will be a clash at MITB too which the potential for a cash-in to throw a wrench in the works? The Lynch promo was a miss that went too long. They might just keep the feud with Valkyria going for a while longer. Perhaps costing another MITB qualifiers?
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!