Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
Night of Champions has come and gone, and it saw Iyo Sky not only become Queen of the Ring, but immediately call her shot and announce that she’ll face the woman she defeated, Liv Morgan, for the Women’s World Championship at SummerSlam. What’s next for Sky and Morgan now that the match is set in stone? And will we see clashes between Sol Ruca and Raquel Rodriguez after Morgan ordered Rodriguez to go after the Women’s IC title? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Backstage, RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ ranted to General Manager Adam Pearce about being bigger and more powerful than others on the roster, demanding an IC title shot. She completely dismissed the idea of Maxxine Dupri being a worthier challenger, calling her a bottom-shelf Barbie and wasn’t fazed at all when a match was made between her and Dupri for tonight. LIV MORGAN and ROXANNE PEREZ showed up once Pearce had left and very quickly Rodriguez and Perez looked far from thrilled when Morgan ranted about her problems like losing Queen of the Ring. Morgan was all smiles when Rodriguez said she had her back but patronisingly hugged both her allies.
CATHY KELLEY and JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
The new Queen of the Ring IYO SKY went to the ring with her crown for a promo. Saying she was grateful about being the Queen, and Sky vowed to beat Liv Morgan again at SummerSlam. That, of course, brought out Morgan to interrupt and she complained about Sky bragging about her win, and trying to claim that she lost because of being ‘cursed’ by Danhausen. Morgan even mentioned the injured Stephanie Vaquer as she listed people she’s hurt for being on her bad side. Morgan vowed to destroy Sky at SummerSlam and remain champion.
It was a set-up, with the rest of The Judgement Day appearing to surround the ring. Despite the numbers being against her, Sky defied the odds, preventing Perez from getting in with a Dropkick and using the Low Bridge to sent Rodriguez out. The title rivals faced off, before Sky decked Rodriguez from the apron. Morgan tried to take advantage to hit ObLIVion but Sky dodged, hitting Morgan with a Release German Suplex, followed up with a Buzzsaw Kick. The numbers finally caught up with Sky when Rodriguez pushed Sky when she went up top for the Moonsault, leaving Sky stuck in a Tree of Woe so Perez could stomp away at Sky’s knee while on the ropes. Sky took some stomps, then got laid out by ObLIVion before Morgan locked in a Half Crab that the announcers called her new finisher, making Sky tap out symbolically until agents and referees finally came in to break it up. Morgan posed and left with her group as Sky was left hurting in the ring.
LYRA VALKYRIA had her first comments since her Heel turn and attack on Bayley in a promo video. Looking unhinged with her hair down and messy looking, claiming both her and Bayley were at fault for losing last week and saying it was unfair that she’s being criticised for letting her anger out ‘one time’. She said she wasn’t losing any sleep, and claimed she was the one carrying the load of the team and put her career to the side to help her. She admitted it felt good to ‘close the gap’ between herself and Bayley with the attack last week.
Backstage, as MAXXINE DUPRI headed to the ring she crossed paths with Chad Gable, stopping to talk with him and saying she meant every word she said last week, but perhaps could have handled it differently. Gable said that Dupri didn’t owe her an apology and encouraged her to focus on her match tonight.
Singles Match
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ defeated MAXXINE DUPRI
Dupri used a nice Matrix evasion to avoid a charging Big Boot, then hit a trio of strikes finished with a Head Kick that set up a Headscissors Takedown, sending Rodriguez out of the ring. Dupri tried for a Baseball Slide but Rodriguez missed, and while she didn’t get a Clothesline, Rodriguez used a hair pull to slam Dupri into the ringside floor. Back in the ring, the announcers finally referenced the story between Dupri and Austin Theory while Rodriguez hit the Tully Suplex for a near fall. Moments later, Rodriguez hit the Diesel Elbows then locked in a Torture Rack. Dupri fought out, trying for a Sunset Flip but Rodriguez blocked it, hauling Dupri up and then nailing the Rewind Clothesline for a two count.
Rodriguez went for a second Tully Suplex but this time Dupri countered with a DDT. Durpi would hit counter blows to charges, then tried chopping Rodriguez down with a couple of Clotheslines before a Roundhouse Kick did the job. A Step-up Legdrop across the back of Rodriguez’s head got a near fall. Rodriguez blocked a Fisherwoman’s Suplex attempt and shoved Dupri off.
When Dupri tried for a second Roundhouse Kick, Rodriguez blocked and used the grip to muscle Dupri up for the Tijana Bomb and the clean victory. The announcers said that Rodriguez had earned herself a future Women’s IC title shot with the win.
Backstage in Danhausen’s lab, Liv Morgan bragged that this is what Danhausen deserved for taking The Judgment Day’s money and cursing her. Later in the show, when Danhausen got back a gifted sports jersey, Raquel Rodriguez would attack him from behind to steal the jersey back for The Judgement Day.
Backstage, Austin Theory walked up to Dupri who was holding ice to her neck and called her out on what she said to Chad Gable earlier. Theory bluntly said that if she wanted to go back down that road, then him and her weren’t going to work out. He walked off, and while Dupri’s guys in Otis and Tozawa came up to check on her, a frustrated Dupri walked off and left them behind.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A quick match between Dupri and Rodriguez that did it’s job nicely. No complaints there. Ruca needs a proper challenger for her title and hopefully she’ll get that from Rodriguez and we’ll see how the numbers game story plays into that. While Dupri treading the line of being a tweener looks set to finally pick a side so to speak, and with other angles on the show Dupri becoming the manager/leading lady of The Vision looks more likely now. The Morgan-Sky segment and beatdown also worked fine to set things up. The knee injury story is likely to give the match a different element, and possibly protect Sky, since this is a direct rematch from Night of Champions. The WWE has dropped injury storylines before so we’ll see if this one sticks. Lastly, Valkyria showed off a new character that seemed partially unhinged but mre hypocritical. It was a minor hit but she’ll need to deliver more in this feud with Bayley than this if it’s going to work out.
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!
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