Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Elimination Chamber has come and gone and Bianca Belair emerged victorious, booking her ticket to WrestleMania and a Women’s World Championship Match. Her opponent will be decided tonight when Rhea Ripley defends her title against former Champion Iyo Sky. Will Ripley dominate as usual, or will we see an upset on the Road to WrestleMania? And who will leave with the Women’s Intercontinental Championship when Lyra Valkyria defends against Ivy Nile? Let’s get into it, and find out…
The ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos featured RHEA RIPLEY, Damage CTRL’s DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY, BIANCA BELAIR, and IVY NILE (doing drills in the ring with The Creed Brothers).
MAXXINE DUPRI accompanied Alpha Academy as Otis lost to Gunther.
In The Judgement Day’s clubhouse, LIV MORGAN bragged about how she’s beaten Belair, Ripley and Sky before, while RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ said she’d keep an eye on the Women’s IC title match tonight.
There was a hype video for the Ripley versus Sky match.
JACKIE REDMOND interviewed BAYLEY who put over Belair winning the Chamber and said she would make her own way to WrestleMania, but did mention that she beat Valkyria to get into the Chamber Match.
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match
Women’s Intercontinental Champion LYRA VALKYRIA defeated IVY NILE
Valkyria started off hot with a Shotgun Dropkick, leading to stomps in a corner before she hit Cravate-hold Knee Strikes. Valkyria did some evasion and hit a Hiptoss Takeover for a count of one. Valkyria went for another counter flip but when she landed Nile decked her with a Clothesline. Moments later, Valkyria did more flips, hit a Legsweep and a Basement Dropkick before a Northern Lights Suplex got a near fall. The Dropkick through the ropes spot soon followed, but when Valkyria went to the middle rope Nile caught her and hit a Dragon Screw off the ropes, followed up by a regular one.
Nile worked over the leg with a kick on the outside and then driving the limb onto the apron. In the ring, Nile hit another Dragon Screw and then stomped on the leg before she set Valkyria in a Tree of Woe and hit a running kick to the leg to get a near fall. Valkyria got a Headlock but Nile soon countered and applied a Single Leg Crab but broke the hold herself to slam the leg down. Nile went for a second shot but Valkyria countered with a Roll-up for a two count as did a Backslide right after.
Valkyria tried for a Crossbody off the middle rope but Nile rolled through and powered up, thinking about her Spin-out Slam but Valkyria escaped and hit her Gutwrench Sit-out Powerbomb. Valkyria rallied with House on Fire Clotheslines and a trio of kicks that ended with a counter Enzigiri to block a Dragon Screw. Valkyria tried for a Tornado DDT but Nile’s power blocked and she hit a Suplex. Nile tried for the Slam again but got countered with a Small Package for a two count. Valyria hit a Spinning Neckbreaker but when she went for Nightwing her bad leg gave out and Nile clubbed her from behind.
Nile hit a Shinbreaker then hit a Powerbomb (but almost botched it with too much of a lean back) with a stacked pin but still only got two. Nile applied an Ankle Lock but Valkyria got to the ropes. Valkyria rolled through a Shinbreaker for a Sunset Flip pin for a near fall but Nile hit a Release German Suplex. Nile tried for a Running Boot in the corner but Valkyria avoided it and hit an Orton Backbreaker. Nightwing followed as Valkyria won clean to retain the IC Championship.
Dakota Kai was interviewed and said she still had the IC title in mind but wanted some payback on Nile. Kai put over Sky in her title match and said she looked forward to seeing Sky reclaim her top spot.
Bianca Belair was interviewed (as Maxxine Dupri and NATALYA in their story that’s been going nowhere were seen in the background talking). Belair refused to talk about the issues about Naomi and Jade Cargill, and said she wanted to focus on WrestleMania.
WWE Women’s World Championship Match
IYO SKY defeated Women’s World Champion RHEA RIPLEY to become the NEW Champion
Bianca Belair came out before the match to watch from ringside. Ripley controlled early with a waistlock takedown and then a Shoulder Check after a quick misdirection. The Basement Dropkick by Ripley got a near fall. Sky flipped out of a Back Suplex attempt and used a Roll-up for a count of one before a somewhat messy Sunset Flip pin after that got a two count. Sky ducked a Big Booy and tried for a Headscissors Takedown but Ripley almost botched the block, nearly dropping Sky on her head with a Piledriver before Ripley recovered. Sky countered the Electric Chair with a Samson Clutch for a near fall.
Sky hit a Head Kick but took too long posing so Ripley slipped out to the floor when Sky went for a 619. Ripley dragged her out and swung Sky’s head into the ring apron a couple of times before she hit a Suplex on the floor and got a near fall back in the ring. Sky countered a charge with a boot, and sat up top to block Ripley’s strike before she choked Rhea on the ropes with a Japanese Stranglehold. Sky hit a double stomp to Ripley’s arm but only got a count of one before she tried for an Arm Bar. Ripley powered up with the Powerbomb counter and appeared to lose a couple of nails.
Sky snapped out a Headscissors Takedown but moments later Ripley hit a Missile Dropkick for a near fall. Sky managed to lure Ripley in and captured her hands, and used the clutch to hit a Codebreaker with the Stranglehold grip. Sky hit a Shotei, a low kick and a Basement Dropkick and moments later hit a Missile Dropkick. Ripley avoided the Bullet Train Attack and then hit a round of strikes into the Short-Arm Clotheslines. Ripley’s attempt at Kingdom Falls was countered as Sky turned the Samson Clutch into a Double Stomp to the gut for a two count.
The Superstars traded strikes and while Sky avoided a Head Kick, her attempt at a Wheelbarrow was countered as Ripley hit Kingdom Falls for a near fall. Ripley tried to lock on the Prysm Lock but Sky rolled through to send Ripley to the apron. Ripley dragged Sky out and tried for a Suplex but Sky countered with an Arm Wringer to drive the hurt arm onto the apron. Moments later a counter Big Boot to a Sky charge got Ripley a two count. Ripley went for Riptide but Sky snapped off a DDT to counter. Sky borrowed her stablemates’ moves with a Dakota Kai-like Running Corner Kick to a downed Ripley, before she used Kairi Sane’s InSane Elbow but only got a near fall!
Sky locked on the Asuka Lock but Ripley powered up and backed into the corner, but smartly Sky released the grip herself so Ripley just drove herself into the turnbuckle the second time. Setting things up for the Bullet Train Attack before Sky went up top, but Ripley swept the legs to block the Moonsault. Ripley hit a Super Back Suplex but only got a near fall. The Prysm Lock was applied but Sky again rolled through and sent Ripley shoulder-first into the ring post. Ripley got on the apron and Sky pounced with a Hiromu-like Sunset Flip Powerbomb that sent Ripley into the crowd barricade!
Sky hit Over The Moonsault but to Ripley’s back and when Ripley was rolled over, she managed to get her foot on the ropes to break the pin. Ripley went to the floor but took a Suicide Dive Crossbody. Sky went to the apron but this time Ripley grabbed her for an Electric Chair Drop to the apron and then one to the announce table. Sky beat the count but Ripley looked frustrated that Belair seemed to play favourites and encouraged Sky to get back into the ring, so Ripley went back out and mouthed off before she shoved Belair. As Ripley went to get back in, Belair put her hands on Ripley for a back-and-forth shoving match which technically should have been an instant disqualification. Instead, the referee just got between them and yelled to back down and the match continued.
Ripley mouthed off in the ring and told Belair Sky would pay because of her. Ripley muscled up Sky in the corner, going for a Super Riptide but Sky countered with a Frankenscreamer that allowed Sky to nail the Over the Moonsault and become the NEW Women’s World Champion. Bianca seemed thrilled by her new WrestleMania opponent and the announcers put over that Ripley being distracted cost her. Sky got a pyro celebration while a destraught Ripley screamed at ringside.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A new Women’s World Champion is Hell of a twist on the Road to WrestleMania with Sky becoming Champion on the Raw after Elimination Chamber. Unless Ripley has been throned because of injury or something similar, the finish with the distractions and shoving could give an out for Ripley to be involved at Mania in a Triple Threat Match against Belair and Sky. We’ll seehow events play out next week but regardless, it was a great match even with the early hiccups. The Women’s IC title match was a solid bout but will we see anyone step up to be challenger at Mania for the overlooked gold? Morgan and Rodriguez talking about singles gold while being tag champs won’t help matters when there could be a few teams at least who could face them at one of the nights of Mania. The WWE will need to put the work in to bring attention to the Women’s division as we fast approach the biggest show of the year.
That’s your lot for this week! Se sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!