Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by the REVELLEUTION!
Post-Crown Jewel there have been injuries and storyline turns, but during the week a social media video from Bayley has led to the Women’s Tag Team Champions defending on Raw. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair will take on the at-odds duo of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. How will The Kabuki Warriors respond after they made clear last week that they were coming for the tag titles? And what’s next between The Judgement Day and the new friends of Nikki Bella and World Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos included Women’s Tag Team Champions ALEXA BLISS and CHARLOTTE FLAIR.
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ and ROXANNE PEREZ were with The Judgement Day in their clubhouse. Rodriguez mocked Dominik Mysterio potentially facing two challengers because he cheats in matches all the time, and Rodriguez stopped Perez from going after Mysterio when he left, telling Perez to focus on the match tonight.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
ASUKA got a hype video celebrating her ten years since first arriving in WWE/NXT.
Singles Match
ROXANNE PEREZ w/h RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ defeated NIKKI BELLA
After a roll to avoid a lock-up, Perez acted like she wanted a handshake of respect. Bella didn’t buy it and swatted the hand away, getting slapped by Perez for it. Bella charged and was sent through the ropes to the apron, and Bella hit a Shoulder Thrust through the ropes that set up a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Perez took a slap and oversold it so much the referee thought she had been concussed for real, but she quickly got back up and took a Single Leg Dropkick from Bella. A Firewoman’s Carry of all things by Bella led to an arm hold, countered by a Perez Headscissors but Bella escaped to get a Headlock.
Perez escaped with a Hairpull Mat Slam, then hammered away with her Windmill strikes. After an exchange of Headlocks, Perez tried for her Side Russian Legsweep but Bella blocked and escaped with Back Elbow Strikes. Bella hit a Snapmare Driver across her knee, and Perez tried to bail to the floor and use Rodriguez as a distraction but the cheap shot was blocked. Bella sent Perez into the barricade and back in the ring, drove Perez into a corner a few times. Perez managed to stop a Disaster Kick attempt but was kicked away, and distracted the ref so Rodriguez could illegally hit a Hot Shot on Bella. Perez hit a Guillotine on the ropes before the show went to commercial.
Back live, Perez hit her Running European Uppercut to the back, then the Double-Springboard Moonsault for a near fall. Perez applied a neck rest hold that had an awkward shove down finish. Perez taunted by doing push ups, like Bella used to do, and Bella responded with a takedown then mounted punches. Bella hit Forearm Strikes before both women took each other out with flying hair pull Facebusters, right out of the Divas Era. Bella went House on Fire with Clotheslines, a Single Leg Dropkick , a corner Clothesline and then the Disaster Kick for a near fall.
Bella tried for Rack Attack, and while Perez escaped and got a Back Sleeper, she was tossed off by Bella but still managed to haul Bella into the ropes. Perez ran the ropes for another European Uppercut but Bella cut her off with a Spinebuster for a near fall. Rodriguez got on the apron to try and distract but Bella knocked her down. Perez tried to steal the win with a Roll-up and feet on the ropes but the referee saw it, and right after Bella for a Roll-up for a two count. Bella blocked a Bang Kick and hit a Nikkisawa Elbow, and tried for Rack Attack but Perez escaped again.
Perez lured Bella in and avoided a corner charge, hitting PopRox from the corner for a clean victory over the Hall of Famer.
After the match, Rodriguez decked Bella with a Clothesline. STEPHANIE VAQUER rushed down and the heels fled the ring briefly as Vaquer checked on Bella. Rodriguez returned to stare down Vaquer but backed away when Bella also got in her face. The heels celebrated in the aisle while Vaquer hugged Bella to comfort her.
Backstage, ASUKA and KAIRI SANE confronted LYRA VALKYRIA and complained about not getting a title shot tonight. Asuka ranted in her native tongue and yelled, of course, for Sane to follow her. BAYLEY showed up right after and got Valkyria all fired up, talking about how this was a chance for her to rewrite history. Valkyria finally seemed to be at least a little bit on the same page with Bayley and the two managed to nail a tag team handshake.
Backstage, Adam Pearce told MAXXINE DUPRI she was getting another title shot for the Women’s IC Championship. Dupri pointed out that she didn’t want to waste the chance and claimed she needed to ‘call a friend’ to confirm she was ready. Pearce said for her to call when she was ready for the match.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair were interviewed backstage. Bliss claimed they never backed down from a challenge. Flair said they were two defences away from breaking the defence record. The Kabuki Warriors showed up and Asuka complained about not being in the match. Flair bragged about how much she’s beaten Flair in the past and was up for the challenge. The segment ended with Sane threatening with an open umbrella before Asuka yelled for her.
It was announced that next week Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella would team up to face The Judgement Day of Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez.
Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions ALEXA BLISS & CHARLOTTE FLAIR defeated BAYLEY & LYRA VALKYRIA
Bayley and Bliss started off, and Bliss got a Roll-up for just a count of one before she applied a Headlock. Flair got a blind tag and decked Bayley with a Clothesline, and tagged in Bliss who soon snapped off a Headscissors then hit a Basement Dropkick. Tags on either side brought in Valkyria and Flair and the two did Wristlock work and counters. Flair got a takedown slam and there was more counter work as Valkyria did a cartwheel flip, soon followed by a Legsweep then a Basement Dropkick. Valkyria hit a Back Elbow Counter but Flair answered right back with a Knee Strike to the head. Flair would be whipped to the challenger’s corner and did the Flair vault to land on the apron to deliver a boot through the ropes to Valkyria then decked Bayley on the apron with a Big Boot. Flair rolled through the ropes trying for a Roll-up, but Valkyria rolled through and hit her strike combo finished with an Enzigiri.
Valkyria hit the Dropkick through the ropes to Flair. After a commercial break, Bliss and Valkyria were legal and Valkyria locked on a Pendulum hold, dropped and turned into a Crucifix pin for a near fall. Bliss fought out of the challenger’s corner but Valkyria blocked the escape, allowing Bayley to tag and cut off Bliss. A Double-Team of a Samoan Drop by Bayley aided by a Valkyria Flip Neckbreaker got a near fall. Valkyria was tagged but Bliss countered being Double-Teamed and hit a Double DDT on both opponents.
Flair got the tag and hit a top rope Cross Body to both challengers then Chops for each. Flair hit her Flip Clothesline then a Fallaway Slam to Valkyria, then one for Bayley. Flair hit a Moonsault on both opponents but Valkyria kicked out. Flair took out Bayley on the apron with a Big Boot and Valkyria hit a Spinning Heel Kick. Bayley had snapped into angry mode and got the tag. Hitting a flurry of a Running Knee Strike, the Stunner through the ropes, another Knee Strike to a draped Flair then the Elbow Drop across the back off the middle rope. Bayley took out Bliss with a Dropkick but then ran into a counter Knee. Bayley hit Bayley-to-Belly but only got a near fall.
Bliss got a blind tag after Flair hit a counter boot at the ropes, but Bliss was knocked from the apron and right after, Valkyria tagged herself in. Valkyria hit a top rope Legdrop across Flair, and running the ropes was caught by Bliss who hit the Sister Abigail DDT but Bayley broke up the pin. Flair decked Bayley with a Big Boot. Bliss went up top, caught briefly but when she went for a Crossbody Valkyria caught her and turned it into Nightwing. Awkwardly, Valkyria’s hair was caught in Bliss’ laced top so after Flair broke up the pin, the two had to struggle to free the hair from the clothing.
Tags on both sides as Bayley got a Thesz Press but Flair rolled it over and the two exchanged blows, before Bayley got the better of Chops, just to take a Big Boot. Flair locked on Figure Eight and Valkyria, rather than break the hold, just grabbed the arm to block a tap. Which left her open to take Twisted Bliss from Bliss. Bliss would hit a Blockbuster to Valkyria while Flair planted Bayley with Natural Selection for the clean victory to retain.
After the match, The Kabuki Warriors jumped the champs as they celebrated. Sending Flair into the ringpost and mugging Bliss. Valkyria was taken out by an Asuka Buzzsaw Kick before Bliss was sent into a ringpost, then Flair took a Buzzsaw. Flair took the Warriors Double-Team of the Reverse DDT-InSane Elbow combo. Curiously, as they attacked Valkyria, the Warriors suddenly backed away when a furious Bayley slid in. Seemingly not wanting a part of the former leader of Damage CTRL in at least this fury mode as they taunted from the entrance way while Bayley checked on Valkyria.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A fantastic main event Tag Team Championship match and a great singles bout on the show too. I’ve been very critical about Nikki Bella and how she’s lacked in the ring lately, but she wrestled great tonight and likely did so with a point to prove, using classic and basic moves along with her top spots. We’ll see where the partnership with Vaquer goes next. The tag match was top tier as only expected from four of the WWE’s very best and Bayley won’t be hurt with a loss. The Warriors got some heat with the cheap attack, and it will be interesting to see what if, if anything, comes from the Warriors intentionally not going after their former Damage CTRL ally.
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!