Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Royal Rumble is only a few days away with only a small number of Superstars declared so far for the Women’s match. Who else will announce their participation for the all-important match? And who will emerge on top as the Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Naomi take on The Judgement Day’s leading ladies in Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez? Let’s get into it, and find out…
BRANDI RHODES appeared alongside her husband Cody as part of the ‘arrived earlier today’ videos. As did Women’s Tag Team Champions BIANCA BELAIR and NAOMI and their opponents tonight LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ.
CATHY KELLEY and JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
ZELINA VEGA and the LWO accompanied Rey Mysterio as he faced Xavier Woods. During the match, the announcers casually announced that Vega (and only her) had been traded to Smackdown.
Women’s Intercontinental Champion LYRA VALKYRIA was interviewed but casually brushed past who would step up and challenge her to instead announce she would be entering the Women’s Royal Rumble despite already being a champion. American Made with IVY NILE interrupted as Gable vowed Nile would take the title, to which Valkyria mocked that them standing there would be the closest that Gable would get to any IC title. Nile vowed to eliminate Valkyria and ‘clip her wings’. American Made would walk off and take a moment to mock Alpha Academy and MAXXINE DUPRI for filming a dance.
Non-Title Tag Team Match
LIV MORGAN & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ defeated Women’s Tag Team Champions BIANCA BELAIR & NAOMI
They recapped Morgan scoring the win over Belair during the six-woman tag from Smackdown before the bell. Belair and Morgan started off and Belair went for a KOD right away but Morgan escaped, just to be charged with a tackle into the corner followed by mounted punches. Morgan would use a pull of the braid to escape, and then did the same to escape a Bodyslam attempt to hit a Mat Slam with the hair. After Belair kipped up, Morgan tagged out to Rodriguez to lead to a test of strength between Belair and Rodriguez before Rodriguez hit a knee strike. The two traded Suplex attempts before Belair escaped and made the mistake to try and go after Morgan, which left her open for a corner Splash from Rodriguez.
Belair escaped a corner charge and tagged in Naomi, and the two hit a Double-team Russian Legsweep on Rodriguez, followed by the classic babyface Double-team Elbow Drop to give Naomi a two count. Rodriguez would shut down a whip attempt with a clubbing blow and set up Naomi in the heel corner to tag in Morgan, whipping her to hit the Back Elbow, rolled out to then whip Rodriguez for another corner Splash to give Morgan a near fall. Naomi hit a Jumping Heel Kick to stun Morgan, allowing a tag to Belair as the champs hit a Double-team Hip Toss that set a combo Standing Moonsault by Belair and Legdrop by Naomi for a near fall.
Naomi was tagged back in, but a Double-team Suplex attempt on Morgan was stopped when Rodriguez came in to pull her down before things broke down with shots traded. Naomi hit a second rope Crossbody to Morgan and Belair did a top rope one to Rodriguez. Back in the ring, Morgan hit a Jawbreaker to stun Naomi and made a tag to Rodriguez but moments later Naomi did her corner ‘stink face’ counter spot. After a distraction by Morgan, Rodriguez tossed Noami up and hit a kick to the gut when she fell down.
A Suplex by Rodriguez got a near fall. Morgan was tagged and hit a rough Facebuster from the middle rope for a two count. Rodriguez was tagged back in as Naomi took stomps then a choke before being muscled up for a Bearhug and while Naomi did escape, she got flattened by the Rewind Clothesline for a two count. Rodriguez showed off her strength with a Front Choke Big Swing, and then a Lawndart on the outside to send Naomi into the ring post. Naomi got choked on the ropes while on the apron, but used the position to then hit a Head Kick and then hit her rope-aided Piledriver spot to drive Rodriguez into the apron.
Rodriguez tried to stop a tag but took an Enzigiri and that allowed tags on both sides. Belair hit Shoulder Knockdowns, a Dropkick then a Delayed Suplex. A Shoulder Charge to a corner led to Mounted Punches, and Belair flipped over Rodriguez when she charged in. Belair hit another tackle to both women in the corner then about 15 punches before she tossed Rodriguez out. Morgan took a Spinebuster that set up the Handspring Moonsault for a near fall. A leaping nothing by Belair rolled through and ate a Dropkick from Morgan. Rodriguez tagged in and hit a Baldo Bomb before she tossed Morgan with a Powerbomb onto Belair to hit a Senton, but only got a two count.
A Tejana Bomb attempt was escaped as Naomi got a tag and caught Rodriguez with a Lucha Kick that set up a Vault-in X-Factor. Belair was tagged back in but Rodriguez fought the numbers, catching a Naomi Crossbody attempt to hold her, kick Belair away and hit a Fallaway Slam on Naomi. Morgan was tagged in a moments later hit a Codebreaker on Belair. Belair blocked an ObLIVion attempt and muscled up Morgan to hit a KOD, but at that moment Dominik Mysterio ran out and distracted the ref so the pin attempt wasn’t seen. Belair tagged out and took out Mysterio with a Plancha!
Naomi hit a Split-Legged Moonsault to Morgan but Rodriguez pulled her off the pin and hit a Tejana Bomb onto the apron! That gifted Morgan the victory for a tainted non-title win over the reigning Tag Team Champions.
RHEA RIPLEY was interviewed and bragged about beating Nia Jax again. Ripley said it didn’t matter who won at the Royal Rumble as she’d win regardless if they faced her at Mania. BAYLEY interrupted at reminded us all that she not only won last year’s Women’s Royal Rumble but converted it into a title win at WrestleMania. Ripley mockingly wished Bayley good luck, but Bayley’s mood changed when she had a tense faceoff with former Damage CTRL ally and Mania title opponent IYO SKY who coldly said she’d see her at the Rumble.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A great tag team match with a finish that somewhat protected the champs but also fit perfectly for a heel team getting a tainted win, so no complaints either way. Belair and Naomi’s run as tag champs (especially in Belair’s case) has gone on for quite enough and it’s high time for a change. The WWE won’t let an NXT team get the titles so putting Morgan and Rodriguez as the team would work great (and it’s been a long time since they were champs during their babyface days). Sure, it’s a shame all the other teams can’t get a look in but put the blame on the WWE for being too focused on The Big Three/Two being title holders for too long. Elsewhere we got drip hype for the Women’s Royal Rumble. It remains to be seen who will win but likely a surprise entrant/return might take the victory.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the post-Rumble edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!