Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
Rumours are swirling about Women’s World Champion Naomi and her ‘medically uncleared’ status. Will she be forced to vacate the title this week as she makes an announcent? And who will leave with the Women’s Intercontinental Championship as Becky Lynch defends against Natalya? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos featured Women’s World Champion NAOMI.
Backstage as IYO SKY was ready for her match, ASUKA and KAIRI SANE approached as Asuka claimed she was sorry about last week (a recap of which had been shown before the segment). Sane once again offered assistance, but Sky turned them down politely and said, just like Asuka once did, she needed to do this on her own.
BAYLEY had a shorter version of the video from last week, sending with the heel Role Model laugh again. Later, we got a new video which quickly took a twisted turn as that old unhinged Role Model voice spoke and mocked her ‘new’ self and about recent failures. The video ended with the scary voice saying ‘How about a Hug?’.
Singles Match
IYO SKY defeated RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ w/h ROXANNE PEREZ
Sky got a Wristlock early, but Rodriguez easily countered with a Body Slam. A toss across the ring led to some corner Back Elbows by Rodriguez before Sky used misdirection to trip up Rodriguez. Sky tried for a Buzzsaw Kick but it was ducked, and an attempt at a Crucifix by Sky was countered into a Side Slam for a near fall. Sky got roughed up with clubbing blows and more corner Back Elbows. A double-handed Choke Lift would set Sky to sit up top, but Rodriguez took too much time taunting the fans and Sky hit a slap, soon followed by a Flying Headscissors off the ropes.
Sky would do her flips and hit a wild Dropkick that set up a Buzzsaw Kick. When Sky went for a dive, Perez interfered by grabbing the leg out of the sight of the referee. The distraction allowed Rodriguez to nail a Big Boot. Sky got choked on the ropes and Rodriguez would distract the official and allow Perez to get a cheap shot in of another rope choke that would lead to a two count for Rodriguez. A Cobra Clutch resthold was applied by Rodriguez and Sky escaped with a Chinbuster, only to be flattened by a Shoulder Knockdown.
Rodriguez hit a Fallaway Slam for a near fall, then a Chinlock. Later, she would hit a corner Splash and then Diesel-like Back Elbow shots from both sides. Rodriguez went for the Vader Bomb Elbow but Sky rolled out of the way. Sky hit a couple of Shotei strikes, a Basement Dropkick to the knee and then one to the head of a downed Rodriguez. Moments later, Sky hit a Missile Dropkick, kipped up and DID THE THING! Sky went for the Bullet Train Attack but Rodriguez blocked it and muscled up Sky to her shoulders for a Samoan Drop. The Vader Bomb Elbow followed for a near fall.
Rodriguez would briefly pay for mouthing off as Sky hit a Hot Shot on the ropes, but an attempt to do a Springboard was grabbed by Rodriguez who hauled Sky back into the ring. Only for Sky to use her Wheelbarrow into a Double Stomp spot. Sky went for the Moonsault but had to land on her feet when Rodriguez rolled away, and Sky would get turned inside out by a Running Clothesline for a near fall. Sky would get a two count off a Roll-up after a missed Boot by Rodriguez at the ropes, and right after Sky leapt off the ropes for a Tornado DDT.
Sky faked running the ropes for a dive and instead just vaulted out to wipe out Perez with a Suicide Dive to not make the same mistake from earlier on. However, the break allowed Rodriguez to roll through when she took the Dive from Sky and powered Sky up to a Lawn Dart into the ringpost! Back inside, Sky would counter a Tijana Bomb attempt with a Headscissors to send Rodriguez into a corner, setting up for a Bullet Train Attack. Sky would land Over the Moonsault for the victory.
After the match, Perez hit the ring and attacked Sky as The Judgement Day worked her over with Rodriguez holding Sky to take a Superkick from Perez. RHEA RIPLEY would storm out and levelled Perez with a Running Boot, before she and Rodriguez traded blows and Sky hit a Missile Dropkick to Rodriguez. Another Ripley Running Boot dumped Rodriguez out as the faces held the ring and the heels fumed at ringside.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Backstage Rhea Ripley checked over Iyo Sky but The Kabuki Warriors appeared, and Asuka was instantly angry about the fact that Sky was happy to get help from Ripley but not from her. Ripley pointed out that Asuka was no where to be seen, and Asuka countered that she’d been told to stay out of it. A shouting match followed that was broken up when Sky yelled in her native tongue and stormed off in a fury. Asuka warned Ripley to stay out of her business before she left, eventually followed by a once again torn and saddened Sane.
BECKY LYNCH was interviewed about her actions last week. Lynch rambled and claimed she cheap-shotted Natalya last week in self-defence and claimed that Natalya competing in ‘other promotions’ proved she knew she doesn’t belong in the same ring as her.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion BECKY LYNCH defeated NATALYA w/h MAXXINE DUPRI & Akira Tozawa
Natalya controlled things early with a Headlock Takeover then soon after a quick Roll-up for just a count of one. Lynch tried to get a cheap shot boot but Natalya blocked and swept the leg, trying for a Sharpshooter but Lynch pushed away. Lynch countered the Discus Clothesline and tried for the Man-Handle Slam but Natalya escaped and hit a Release German Suplex. Natalya hit a Baseball Slide and sent Lynch back in, but was caught with a kick coming back herself before Lynch sent her into the ring post.
Natalya sold the arm being hurt, and Lynch went on the attack on the outside with a toss into the barricade, then slamming the arm into the top of the announce table followed by a throw into the ring steps. Back inside, Lynch slammed the arm into the mat and then pulled the hurt arm on the ropes. The corner Jumping Forearm followed before Lynch slammed her body straight down onto the bad arm a couple of times. Lynch locked on a version of a Million Dollar Dream for a rest hold, broken up with a Mat Slam and a two count.
Natalya tried to fight back but sold the arm like death, so Lynch easily blocked a Suplex attempt before rolling through and going for an Arm Bar. Natalya rolled over for the pin counter but only got two, and Lynch changed into the Triangle Choke. Natalya escaped with a short muscle up and a Powerbomb-like blow. Natalya mounted a comeback with a Snapmare that set up the classic step-over spot then a boot to the head. Natalya tried for a Sharpshooter but Lynch took advantage of the bad arm with a kick. Natalya landed the Discus Clothesline for a near fall.
Natalya tried to pull Lynch back into the ring and Lynch yanked the bad arm on the ropes. When Dupri checked over her friend, Lynch hit a cheap shot boot to wipe Dupri out and then hit Tozawa with a Baseball Slide for the Hell of it. Natalya tried to take advantage of the distraction with a Crucifix for a two count before Lynch got a near fall with a counter pin. Lynch snapped the hurt arm on the ropes, then pulled Natalya in for the Dis-Arm-Her for the glorified Squash Match win.
After the match, Dupri tried to help Natalya out and got decked from behind and got the Dis-Arm-Her locked in. NIKKI BELLA ran out and the two traded blows before Bella hit the Rack Attack 2.0. Standing over Lynch and mouthing off to end the segment.
Raw General Manager Adam Pearce introduced Women’s World Champion Naomi or the in-ring announcement. The rumours were confirmed as Naomi threw it up to a clip of Stephanie McMahon’s special podcast as Jimmy Uso and Naomi announced that Naomi was pregnant. (Yes, the WWE really had McMahon get to steal the heat of an announcement like this.) Naomi kept herself a Heel and buried Pearce, saying she wasn’t handing him “shit” and ordered him out the ring. Even getting the fans to chant the Hey-Hey-Goodbye song. Naomi got her rightful solo moment and stayed in character, telling them they should be thanking Big Jim because no one in the roster would be able to beat her. Bragging about how she enjoyed ‘Netflix and Chill’ and now The Bloodline was going to continue. Naomi laid the title on the canvas, symbolic of vacating it, and vowed to come back and pick up where she left off. Warning whoever was Champion to Proceed with Caution.
The announcers implied that there will be an announcement next week about the fate of the Women’s World Championship. It was also confirmed that on Raw from the UK next week Rhea Ripley would face Roxanne Perez.
Nikki Bella would be interviewed. Bella said she attacked Lynch because she didn’t stand for her friends being beaten down, and claimed Lynch soon wouldn’t be holding anyone down because she would be holding nothing, including the IC title. Bella said she would be at Raw next week and challenged Lynch to see her face-to-face next week, but it wasn’t clear if it was for a match or just a confrontation.
The Judgement Day would be together leaving the arena but looked less than thrilled with Dominik Mysterio talking with El Grande Americano II.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The worst kept secret was confirmed tonight with Naomi out of action with pregnancy. Congratulations to her and her husband! Did the WWE really need to hijack such a big announcement by slapping it onto Stephanie McMahon’s podcast? We’ll have to wait and see what’s next for the title, and it’s bad timing as it’s all majorly hurt Stephanie Vaquer’s momentum after Evolution to be on the outs like this. Sky and Rodriguez put on a fine match and the drama with Sky and her former friends continues with Ripley now involved, as expected. Lastly, the Lynch and Natalya match felt like a dud and a glorified Squash with all the focus on the hurt arm that really left Natalya unable to do anything. It didn’t help either woman and felt like a burial for Natalya who has done great work it seems everywhere else outside of on WWE TV. The beatdown from Bella after the match got her some heat back and we’ll see if the feud with her and Lynch leads to a sudden title match at Clash or at a show down the line.
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!