Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
This week sees two Qualifying Matches for Money in the Bank to see who will join the Women’s Ladder Match along with Alexa Bliss. This comes after Giulia ditched Roxanne Perez after last week’s Raw and became an official part of the Smackdown roster. While Perez has joined Raw officially in a long overdue signing. So who will emerge victorious and join the all-important MITB match? Let’s get in to it, and find out…
In this week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ was with The Judgement Day.
Videos recapped last week’s main event, the backstage fallout and ROXANNE PEREZ officially signing with Raw.
CATHY KELLEY interviewed Women’s World Champion IYO SKY about the upcoming MITB match. Sky claimed she was ready for anything but BECKY LYNCH interrupted and pointed out that Sky had never beaten her, but Sky again said she’d be ready for anyone.
Triple Threat Match – Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
ROXANNE PEREZ defeated BECKY LYNCH & NATALYA
Lynch tried to get Perez to work with her to team up on Natalya, only for Lynch to instantly turn and try to toss Perez out. Lynch got tossed instead and Natalya got a Roll-up for a near fall. Perez did an evasion and slapped Natalya, but her kick attempt got caught. Lynch on the outside tripped up Natalya and hauled her out to send her into the barricade. In the ring, Perez countered a Man-Handle Slam into an European Clutch but Lynch kicked out and turned it into the Dis-arm-her attempt. Perez countered that with a Crossface before there was an exchange of counter pins before Lynch went for the Dis-Arm-Her again. Perez would finally lock on a Crossface but Natalya returned to the ring to break things up with a Basement Dropkick to both opponents.
Natalya hit some Suplexes but barely got a one count. Natalya locked on a Romero Special and tried later for The Sharpshooter but Lynch countered into a Dis-Arm-Her. Perez broke it up with a Headscissors Driver but her attempt at the Satomura Special missed. Natalya tried for a Sharpshooter on Perez but was kicked away, and Natalya countered a Man-Handle Slam attempt with an Arm Drag. Natalya used the rope-bounce Atomic Drop toss on Perez to set up the step-over run then a Running Boot to Perez.
There was an unplanned spot when Lynch slid out of the ring and had to yell at Perez to get back in. Natalya hit a Baseball Slide to Lynch before both women were taken out by a Suicide Dive from Perez. Back in the ring, Perez hit the Whirlybird Headscissors on Natalya before she charged into both opponents in opposite corners with Running European Uppercuts. Lynch tried to chase after Perez but she ducked and the Forearm shot hit Natalya instead. Perez went for the Tilt-a-whirl into the Side Russian Legsweep but Natalya hit the Discuss Clothesline to Lynch for added impact (but Perez sold it like she’d been hit too).
Natalya went for a Sharpshooter on Lynch and blocked Perez’s kick before she tried to double up and apply the hold to both Superstars but she was kicked away. Perez landed Superkicks to both opponents and then hit the double bounce Lionsault onto both women, getting a two count on Natalya. Perez countered the Man-Handle Slam with an Arm Drag into a clutch pin for a near fall. Lynch avoided PopRox, hit the Man-Handle Slam at last but Natalya broke up the pin and she only got a near fall over Perez.
Natalya and Lynch exchanged strikes and Clotheslines up against the ropes. A struggle at the corner allowed Perez to pounce and hit a version of PopRox onto Natalya which in turn made Natalya toss Lynch over with a Release German Suplex! Lynch was left on her feet from the momentum and broke up Perez’s pin with a Running Kick. Perez and Lynch exchanged strikes and Lynch got the better of it, but took a Release Northern Lights Suplex. Lynch tried for a Superplex on Perez but Natalya pounced and clutched Lynch in a Powerbomb position to first drive her into Perez still up top then landed a Sit-out Powerbomb to Lynch for a near fall.
Natalya hit a Superplex to Perez for a two count, then locked on The Sharpshooter on Perez. Lynch broke it up but took a Discus Clothesline for her troubles. Natalya locked on a Sharpshooter again to Perez but also managed to apply a version of it on the other side of her to Lynch as well! Lynch would escape the ring and Perez tried to counter her way out, only to be locked back into the hold.
Lynch returned and broke the hold with a messily hit Man-Handle Slam but LYRA VALKYRIA appeared and dragged Lynch out to get payback for Backlash. Pummelling Lynch around ringside (all legal in a No DQ Triple Threat Match) before Lynch shoved her away and got back inside. Natalya tried for a Sharpshooter but Valkyria hauled Lynch back out to attack her some more. That allowed Perez to pounce and hit PopRox to score the three count over Natalya and qualify for MITB. Lynch and Valkyria still brawled up the aisle while Perez celebrated in the ring.
MAXXINE DUPRI was with Akira Tozawa for moral support as he demanded a match with Rusev before Chad Gable and IVY NILE interrupted.
Triple Threat Match – Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
RHEA RIPLEY defeated KAIRI SANE & ZOEY STARK
Stark charged Sane into a corner for some Shoulder Thrusts and when she was pulled away by Ripley, Stark got a Crucifix pin for just a count of one. Sane got a Sunset Flip pin on Stark but Ripley hauled her off and tossed her with a Release German Suplex. Stark hit a Dropkick on Ripley then some clubbing blows but soon got knocked down with a Shoulder Check and not longer after Ripley hit a Dropkick. Moments later, Sane used her vault-back spot to avoid a Stark charge and then hit a Headscissors on Ripley.
Stark attempted the Like a Sniper Dropkick but landed badly (perhaps a rope slip or Sane being too far away for the move) and suffered an instant leg/knee injury that made the ringside doctor slide in to check. That obviously took Stark out of the match as the Doctor had to pick up Stark to carry her to the back.
The match resumed as an effective singles contest. Ripley caught a Crossbody off the middle rope attempt by Sane and hit a Fallaway Slam. Ripley applied the Prism Lock and eventually Sane escaped with the roll-through that sent Ripley into a corner. Sane tried for a Flying Forearm from the top but Ripley (barely) hit a Dropkick mid-air to counter for a near fall. Sane escaped a Riptide attempt and hit the Cutlass Backfist. A Basement Dropkick set up the Sliding D in the corner. Ripley countered the InSane Elbow with both boots up.
The Women exchanged blows before Ripley ducked a Cutlass, hit a Headbutt then Riptide to win the impromptu singles match clean.
Backstage at The Judgement Day clubhouse, Finn Balor brought along Roxanne Perez (a follow up to last week’s backstage skit where Balor was seen talking to Perez). Balor tried to claim Perez would be back-up for the group but not a full member yet. Perez sweetened up things with some chicken nuggets for Mysterio and apples for Carlito, but Rodriguez threatened and ordered Perez out, before vowing that Liv Morgan will hear about this.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A very unfortunate situation for Stark to suffer not just an injury but live on TV. Her career has had constant setbacks with injuries before and the failure that was Pure Fusion Collective. This might be one more setback that she might recover from but her career might not. Sane and Ripley impressively adjusted quickly and finished things off solidly. The other Triple Threat was solid, if not chunky at parts. Natalya’s main attack was going for Sharpshooter spots and thankfully it paid off in the end with the double hold spot. Valkyria getting involved was only expected to continue the feud with Lynch and give Lynch an out for losing, even though she wasn’t pinned. It’s a loaded MITB so far with Ripley and Alexa Bliss involved so far so we’ll see who else gets entered from Smackdown’s next matches and next week’s final Women’s Qualifier for Raw.
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!