Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
The historic Evolution 2 event has come and gone, and it saw a shocker in the main event for the Women’s World Championship . Naomi cashed in her Money in the Bank contract to steal the title from Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley. What’s next for Naomi now that she’s on top of the red brand? And will we see challengers step up to IC Champ Becky Lynch or the Women’s Tag Champs The Judgement Day after they retained at the PLE? Let’s get into it, and find out…
The new Women’s World Champion NAOMI kicked off Raw with an in-ring promo. Naomi shut down the attempts by the fans to chant ‘You Deserve It’ mocking them for not ‘Feeling the GLOW’ in the past but wanting to support her now. She said she was finished with her drama on Smackdown and claimed that she’s outgrown Bianca Belair. She said that Jade Cargill might have won at Evolution but she got the upper hand.
RHEA RIPLEY would interrupt. Ripley was, of course, furious and said Naomi had made it onto her ‘to do’ list along with getting the title back and beating Sky. IYO SKY next came out, but a little too happy during her entrance until her mood switched when she entered the ring. Sky told Ripley to get in line, and vowed to get back her title from Naomi. As things devolved into a shouting match, GM Adam Pearce stole the heat and came out. Announcing that at SummerSlam there would be a Triple Threat Match between the three for the Women’s World title. Naomi was a little too happy about the announcement, not selling the low odds to retain, but held up her title to her opponents to end the segment.
The WWE all too casually announced, without any prior hype before the show, that a Two-out-of-Three Falls Match between Bayley and Lyra Valkyria would determine Becky Lynch’s SummerSlam challenger.
In The Judgement Day’s clubhouse Finn Balor heaped praise over RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ and ROXANNE PEREZ. Balor voiced concern about the Kabuki Warriors and suggested that Dominik Mysterio accompany Perez and Rodriguez to make sure things worked out.
Non-Title Tag Team Match
The Judgement Day (RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ & ROXANNE PEREZ) w/h Dominik Mysterio defeated The Kabuki Warriors (ASUKA & KAIRI SANE)
Rodriguez and Sane started off. Sane used her quickness to evade and tried for a Tilt-a-Whirl move but was blocked, shoved down and hit with a Shoulder Knockdown. Asuka tagged in and tried going after an arm, before she locked on a Back Sleeper but Rodriguez backed herself into the heel corner so Perez tagged in. Perez would hit her Tilt-a-Whirl Side Russian Legsweep for a near fall. Perez hit a slap, and took a round of strikes followed by some Kawada Kicks for her trouble. Sane got a tag as the Warriors attacked Perex with strikes, finished by a Basement Dropkick by Sane for barely a one count.
Sane hit some chops then hit a jumping style Sliding D to Perez in a corner. Sane tried for her vault-back Headscissors but Perez sent her to the apron, and blocked a slide in Sunset Flip attempt by holding the ropes before she stomped Sane. Rodriguez tagged in but got caught with a flying-style Triangle Choke while Asuka cut off Perez with a Flying Armbar. Rodriguez used the classic Deadlift Powerbomb spot to drive Sane into Asuka to break that hold, but kept the grip to lift up Sane again for a Stun Gun-like shot. Rodriguez locked on a resthold Chin Lock and slammed down Sane by the hair when she fought up. Perez got a tag and got sent into Sane in a corner for a Back Elbow, before she whipped Rodriguez in for a corner Splash. A Double-Team of a Russian Leg Sweep by Perez boosted by a Big Boot from Rodriguez got a near fall.
Perez hit the European Uppercut to Sane’s back on the ropes, and then the Double-Springboard Lionsault for a two count. Rodriguez was tagged and roughed up Sane, blocking tag attempts until Sane hit a Stundog Millionaire. Perez tagged in but got hit with an Enzigiri then tagged Asuka. Asuka hit a Hip Attack to knock Rodriguez off the apron and hit kicks to both opponents. Perez took the Pop-up Knee Strike then a Sliding Kick for a near fall. Sane was tagged, perhaps trying for the Double-Team finish but when Perez escaped the grip, Asuka just held her to take a Flying Forearm from Sane. Rodriguez broke up the pin but Asuka used a Low Bridge to get rid of Rodriguez.
Asuka would tag in, just to be tagged out when Perez sent her into the faces’ corner. The Warriors this time hit the Double-Team finish of the InSane Elbow-Reverse DDT combo but Dominik Mysterio got on the apron to distract, allowing Rodriguez to pull Sane out of the ring from the cover. Asuka went after Rodriguez on the floor and countered a Powerslam by pushing Rodriguez into the ring post. Asuka got a tag and hit a Missile Dropkick, followed by a flurry of strikes then a Release German Suplex. Mysterio got on the apron again and took a Spinning Backfist from Asuka. Perez pounced with a Roll-up, and Rodriguez barely assisted with a foot on Perez for cheating leverage in time to help steal the win.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties. That included one with LYRA VALKYRIA about the match with Bayley. Valkyria complained about being asked about Bayley, and BAYLEY interrupted and said whoever loses went to the back in the line.
Two-out-of-Three Falls Match – Winner gets a Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match at SummerSlam
LYRA VALKYRIA defeated BAYLEY two falls to one.
Valkyria controlled with Headlocks before she was backed into a corner and Bayley taunted with pats on the head. Valkyria hit Arm Drags before a leapfrog sent Bayley out of the ring. Bayley got back in and took a Hip Toss, and got a pat on the head. Bayley answered with a slap and got in a deep Roll-up to get the first fall.
Valkyria targeted the arm with some holds before Bayley used a Snapmare to set up the Back Elbow to the back then the Sliding Clothesline for a near fall. Valkyria got a Samson Clutch for a two count but Bayley would hit a Snake Eyes-style shot in a corner before she rammed Valkyria’s head into the top turnbuckle. The two traded blows before Bayley ran into an Enzigiri. Valkyria went house on fire with Clotheslines then strikes finished with a Roundhouse Kick. Bayley shoved away a Tornado DDT attempt but soon after took a Shotgun Dropkick to send her into a corner. Valkyria rolled through the Tornado DDT to hit a messy Fisherwoman’s Suplex for a near fall.
Valkyria took a whip into corner but sold it like she was shot, then Bayley hit a Crossbody to the back for a two count. Valkyria kicked away Bayley to send her out, hitting the Dropkick through the ropes spot. On the apron, Bayley hit a Back Suplex to drive Valkyria onto the Hardest Part of the Ring. Back inside, Bayley hit the Victoria Spin-out Side Slam for a near fall. Valkyria blocked a slam attempt and countered La Magistral for a counter pin to get the second fall. Evening up the match one fall a piece.
Bayley hit a Running Knee for a near fall. Later, the action went to the floor as Bayley tried for her old Dropkick across the gap at the ringpost spot. Valkyria caught the legs and drove one repeatedly into the apron before she swung the leg into the post. Back inside, Valkyria double stomped both legs in a Romero Special grip and hit another shot to the leg to get a two count. Valkyria hit a Dragon Screw to focus on the leg then another out of a corner but Valkyria was caught coming in to the ropes, sent through as Bayley hit the Stunner spot. Bayley rolled through a Roll-up attempt and hit a Knee Strike.
Valkyria countered Bayley-to-Belly, only for her Monkey Flip to be countered. A leaping nothing by Valkyria was countered into Bayley-to-Belly for a near fall. Moments later, Bayley was hit with a form of Iconoclasm from the corner, followed by the Sit-out Doctor Bomb (wrongly called a Nightwing by the commentators) for a two count. The action went to the apron, as Bayley tried for another Back Suplex but Valkyria held the ropes to block, then hit Bayley’s bad leg with a few shots before she landed a Fisherwoman’s Suplex on the apron. The women exchanged pin holds for near falls inside, just to go to the floor again as Bayley went for the corner Dropkick spot again, got caught but this time kicked Valkyria away. A Sunset Flip Bomb sent Valkyria into the ring steps then back inside, hit the Top Rope Elbow Drop across Valkyria’s back for a near fall.
Bayley locked on a form of Crossface but when Bayley used the ropes to kick away and keep the hold applied, Valkyria rolled through, lifted Bayley up (no selling the targetted back) and hit Nightwing to win the third and final fall.
After the match BECKY LYNCH (deliberately dressed in Hogan-like red and yellow) came out to face off with her challenger.
Jackie Redmond interviewed STEPHANIE VAQUER who spoke in her native tongue first, and vowed to become Champion at Clash in Paris. CHELSEA GREEN and her Secret HERvice interrupted, saying she should represent WWE at Paris. Vaquer dared Green to take a shot but the HERvice got in the way.
SCARLETT was part of a Karrion Kross hype video.
Singles Match
NIKKI BELLA defeated CHELSEA GREEN w/h ALBA FYRE & PIPER NIVEN
Bella got the better of lock-ups, tossing one into an Arm Drag. Green hit a big slap then fled to a corner like a coward, before she hit a cheap shot. Bella hit a Headscissors then a slap, followed by a Suplex that made Green flee the ring. Bella went after her but the Secret HERvice blocked her path. Back inside, Bella blocked a kick and hot a few strikes but going up on the ropes Green kicked the leg away, hitting a Backstabber off the ropes. Bella was tossed into the barricade then back inside a Sliding Complete Shot for a near fall.
The men in the crowd chanted for Green and the women called for Bella. Bella hit a Facebreaker across her knee, then went House on Fire with Clotheslines then one in a corner then her Backwards Kick off the ropes for a near fall. Green escaped aTKO then hit a Neckbreaker for a two count. Green tried for I’m Prettier but Bella countered and nailed a Bella Buster. Piper Niven got on the apron to distract but when Alba Fyre tried to attack, Bella sent her into the ringpost. Niven was then knocked off but Bella countered another I’m Prettier. Things got messy and it led to a rough attempt at the Rack Attack 2.0 to get the win.
After the match, the Secret HERvice decked Bella as Niven hit a Black Hole Slam. Stephanie Vaquer then came out and took out Fyre with a Superkick on the floor then a Dropkick to Niven to send her out of the ring. Before Frye took a Double Underhook into almost a G2S. Vaquer raised Bella’s arm to close the segment.
Adam Pearce confronted The Judgement Day with Rodriguez and Perez before they tried to leave, telling Mysterio he’d be medically evaluated next week.
IVY NILE and The Creed Brothers were interviewed about the ‘new’ El Grande Americano. Nile admitted that his new Americano was Ludwig Kaiser but cut off any questions about Chad Gable being the old Americano. Nile claimed that Vaquer was still on notice like the rest of the women’s division.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It’s great to see multiple women’s matches on the show. The Green versus Bella match was a little chunky but it’s only to be expected from someone basically fresh out of retirement. The other matches were great and while it’s a shame that Bayley is now out of the title picture, if they can finish the story between Lynch and Vakyria that won’t be a bad thing. We’ll have to see if the Kabuki Warriors get another chance at the tag titles now or if we’ll see Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair get a shot at SummerSlam. Lastly, the ongoing saga of Ripley never beating Sky carries on with a Triple Threat at SummerSlam. The women were all far too happy about this match considering the odds are against everyone, but we’ll see if that changes with the build towards the show now.
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!