Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The year is almost at an end and ahead of the Royal Rumble in the new year we have the ongoing Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament. There’s another First-Round match this week, so who will advance? And what’s next between Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley as their never-ending feud continues? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘arrived earlier today’ videos featured The Judgement Day including Women’s World Champion LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ. Later on, Morgan would intentionally rub it into Balor’s face about his plans as leader of the group unravelling as the strain between the group’s members was obvious.
CATHY KELLEY and JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Morgan, Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio would go to the ring as Morgan had a megaphone. Morgan used the megaphone, claiming the fans didn’t hear her because of their boos to Mysterio, and bragged about being the greatest Women’s World Champion. She claimed that she had been dominant this year and would lead the company into the future.
RHEA RIPLEY, unsurprisingly, interrupted things. Ripley got into Morgan’s face, with a telling remark about how their issues had gone on for long enough, before she said that she’d been named at Number One Contender for Morgan’s title. Ripley ended it by calling Mysterio a ‘chicken tendies slut’.
SCARLET was a part of a segment with The Miz and The Final Testament.
Triple Threat Match – Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament First-Round Match
ZOEY STARK defeated KAYDEN CARTER & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ
Rodriguez was already in the ring and didn’t get an entrance, but that somewhat made sense since the show had moved on from the segment with her, Morgan and Ripley. Carter went after Stark from the bell, but Rodriguez pounced to haul Carter back then use a big toss on Stark to set up a corner Splash to both opponents. Carter escaped being on Rodriguez’s shoulders but her kicks weren’t effective and Rodriguez delivered a Clothesline but Stark broke the pin attempt up.
Stark managed to flip out from a Carter Monkey Flip to land on her feet and hit a Superkick. Followed by a Tilt-a-whirl counter DDT to Rodriguez. Carter gripped Stark’s hand to climb the rope for a little lucha flash before she bounced off the ropes to snap off a Headscissors on Rodriguez. Stark pounced to hit a rolling Death Valley Driver followed by a low kick for a near fall. The action went to the apron as Carter ducked a Superkick so the shot nailed Rodriguez, before a Big Boot from Rodriguez meant for Carter instead nailed Stark. Carter hit a sweet Corkscrew Suicide Dive to both opponents before the show want to a commercial break.
Back to live action, and Carter did her spot to hit a Dropkick to Rodriguez and land a Splash onto Stark after it. She faked going for a pin and rolled away to Rodriguez’s Elbow Drop hit Stark. Carter tied up Rodriguez’s legs but managed to block a Stark attack to then hit a Fisherwoman’s Spiral to Stark, and at the same time twist Rodriguez with a grounded Dragon Screw of sorts with the legs. Rodriguez had to pull herself to the ropes and out to escape from the Indian Deathlock-like hold. Carter hit a Facewash to Stark then the bottom rope Springboard Legdrop but Rodriguez pulled Carter off from the pin and out of the ring.
Stark would hit a Springboard Plancha onto both opponents, but soon after Rodriguez hit a Pounce that sent Stark over the ropes and to the floor. Carter tried an O’Conner Roll but off the kick-out, she hit a Springboad Dropkick off the bottom rope for a near fall. Carter tried for punches on the corner to Rodriguez but Stark came up from behind for a nice Release German Suplex. Rodriguez hit the Rewind Clothesline to Stark for a near fall. Carter tried for a Roll-up on Rodriguez but she blocked, and then hit the Fallaway Slam to set up the Vader Bomb Elbow.
Rodriguez went for the Tijana Bomb but Stark hit Like A Sniper. With Rodriguez out, she hit Carter with a Superkick but then Z-360 was completely botched to ruin what had been a great match as Stark got the win. Stark had to flee the ring when a furious Rodriguez tried to go after her. Stark will face Dakota Kai in the Semi-Finals, a predictable outcome with the low-level feud between PFC and Damage CTRL that’s still going on.
MAXXINE DUPRI and IVY NILE were part of a war of words segment between American Made and Alpha Academy.
Pure Fusion Collective of Stark, SHAYNA BASZLER and SONYA DEVILLE had launched a sneak attack on KAIRI SANE backstage. They left the scene before DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY rushed in to tend to their friend.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It was a real shame about the botched finish to the Triple Threat as it had been a great match prior to it, and it allowed all of the women a chance to shine. Stark’s victory was obvious to add a heel to the next round and continuing the Damage CTRL and PFC feud in the ring so no complaints there. The Ripley and Morgan segment achieved little and this never-ending feud is long overdue coming to an end. I’d assume we either get the match on Raw’s Netflix debut or the Royal Rumble but I’d hope sooner rather than later.
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!