Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
WrestleMania is only a few weeks away and the hype continues to build, with matches for the Women’s World and IC titles confirmed for the shows and a stacked field for the Tag Team Championships too. That’s confounded with the Tag gold being on the line on Raw this week as the defending Champs of The Irreestable Forces defend against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Who will emerge with the gold on the road to ‘Mania? And what’s next between title rivals Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer, and AJ and Becky Lynch? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s Arrived Earlier Today videos included Women’s Tag Team Champions LASH LEGEND and NIA JAX.
STEPHANIE MCMAHON was a part of a lengthy in-ring promo segment with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes for his ‘Mania feud with Randy Orton, at one point slapping Rhodes.
LIV MORGAN went to the ring for a promo. After doing her usual ‘Greatest of All Time’ line she got serious, telling Vaquer bluntly that “You’re done for, bitch!” and objecting to Vaquer having attacked her family (Judgement Day) and boyfriend Dominik Mysterio, and claiming Vaquer was scared to take her on face-to-face. Getting personal by claiming Vaquer’s mother taught her badly (with an insult in Spanish) but again laying it on obviously thick about Vaquer coming out to face her when Morgan was all alone.
STEPHANIE VAQUER took the bait and stormed to the ring, kicking off a brawl that Vaquer got the better of with a Superkick. Vaquer went out and got a chair, but when she got back in and looked ready to strike ROXANNE PEREZ made her return, attacking Vaquer from behind. Leading to a two-on-one beatdown of Vaquer, leading to Perez holding up Vaquer so Morgan could hit ObLIVion onto the chair. Perez raised Morgan’s arm as she posed over Vaquer before the two hugged and Morgan posted with the World title to end the segment.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Irresistible Forces (LASH LEGEND & NIA JAX) defeated BAYLEY & LYRA VALKYRIA by DQ
Bayley and Legend started off the match. Bayley dodged a Pump Kick attempt but was soon taken down by a Shoulder Knockdown. Jax was tagged as Bayley got whipped into a Clothesline, but Bayley escaped a Slam attempt and tagged in Valkyria who hit a Dropkick, then one off the middle rope. Jax, of course, no sold and charged Valkyria into the heel corner for Legend to tag in. Moments later, Legend would catch Valkyria on the ropes with a double-handed choke, leading to a toss into the opposite corner and a Corner Splash. Legend missed a second, and it allowed Valkyria to tag in Bayley before the challengers hit a Double Team Dropkick off the middle rope. Legend kicked out just at one.
Valkyria was tagged but her and Bayley couldn’t whip Legend together as she sent the duo off, giving a Clothesline to Bayley and decking Valkyria after with a Back Elbow. Jax was tagged but Valkyria avoided a Slam by Legend, shoving her away before getting her strike combo on Jax. Bayley got a blind tag as Valkyria hit a Running Dropkick on Jax, sending her out to set up for a Suicide Dive by Bayley. Bayley used the Low Bridge trick back in the ring to send Legend out (but it was botched as Bayley held the middle rope, but Legend sent herself over the top). Valkyria got a tag as Bayley hit a second Dive to Jax, and Valkyria did the Dropkick through the ropes to Legend.
During a ‘commercial break’, back in the ring Jax countered a Crossbody by Valkyria with a short Front Slam for a two count. Legend got a tag as she hit an open-hand Chop in the heel corner, and then held Valkyria in the Front Slam position to bounce her head into the top rope while between the top and middle cables. The announcers seemed to semi-accidentally coin the move ‘Whip Lash’ as she did it at two other sides of the ring before hitting a rather messy Backbreaker off the Slam grip for a near fall. Legend applied an elevated Stretch Muffler that Valkyria escaped from by powering up to go for a Sunset Flip, but Legend’s power blocked and she’d yank Valkyria up for a Clothesline. Jax was tagged to hit a Headbutt then sent Valkyria into a corner as Valkyria seemed to Lawn Dart herself into the middle turnbuckle pad.
Back to ‘live action’, and Jax missed a Hip Attack attempt while on the apron, hitting the ring post, but Jax got back in anyway and knocked Bayley off the apron. Jax hit a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Valkyria would fight out of the heel corner, and even countering Legend with an Enzigiri when she was tagged and tried to hold her back from a tag. Valkyria would counter a Delayed Suplex by Legend with a rough DDT.
Bayley got the tag and hit the Elbow Drop off the middle rope to Legend’s back, getting a near fall. Legend would nail a Pump Kick, then tagged in Jax who hit a Leg Drop for a two count. Jax went for The Annihilator but Bayley cut her off, and impressively walked Jax out from the corner to nail a Powerbomb! Valkyria was tagged and hit a Moonsault from the middle rope but Legend broke up the pin. Legend took out Bayley with the big Forearm shot, and would hit Valkyria with a Spinning Back Elbow off the rebound from taking Valkyria’s Spinning Heel Kick.
With all the women down, BRIE BELLA and NIKKI BELLA made their way down to ringside, soon followed by ALEXA BLISS and CHARLOTTE FLAIR as those teams got into a shouting match. Valkyria made the mistake of going outside, yelling for them all to go away and Jax took advantage, sending Valkyria into Bliss and Flair to knock them all down. Legend decked Brie from behind and drove Nikki into the ringpost with a Slam grip. A leaping nothing from the apron by Bayley was caught by Legend, who drove her into the apron. In the ring, Jax hit a Spinebuster on Valkyria but Flair stormed the ring, hitting a Chop Block to Jax before Bliss joined the beat down as the referee threw the match out from the interference.
Bayley, Brie Bella and Valkyria would gang up on Legend while Jax was taken out by a Flair Big Boot then an assisted Dropkick by Bliss. Legend took a Running Enzigiri from Valkyria, a Running Knee Strike from Bayley and then one from Brie to send her out. The segment ended with the contender teams holding the ring but Bayley and Valkyria were furious at their tag title match ending like that.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Singles Match
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ defeated IYO SKY
Sky would use quickness early to avoid shots, before Rodriguez used her power to toss Sky off to escape a Headlock then a corner charge followed by Shoulder Thrusts. Sky escaped a shoulder carry, trying for a Sunset Flip but got hauled up, and right after Rodriguez’s power blocked a Tilt-a-Whirl Headscissors attempt, then another Headscissors but that time Sky brought her legs together to clap the ears to break free. Sky used misdirection for her Leg Trip then the Basement Dropkick. Rodriguez was sent out, but managed to catch Sky’s attempt at a Suicide Dive and while Sky fought free, Rodriguez hit the Rewind Clothesline on the floor. It got a near fall back in the ring.
Rodriguez applied an elevated arm ringer, then a Shoulder Knockdown. Rodriguez went for another ringer but Sky countered with a Triangle Choke. Sky would take a Big Boot but countered Running Powerbomb with a Headscissors to send Rodriguez into the corner. Sky would hit a Moonsault off the ropes to Rodriguez on the floor as the show went to a ‘commercial break’. Back inside, Sky was cut off going up top and Rodriguez hauled her off the ropes for a Fallaway Slam. A trio of Elbow Drops got Rodriguez a near fall before she applied a Cobra Clutch rest hold, with Sky fighting out just to take a Shoulder Knockdown. The Diesel Elbows followed in a corner then a Delayed Slam for a two count. Rodriguez hit another Fallaway Slam but going for the Vader Bomb Elbow Sky rolled out of the way.
Back to ‘live action’ and Sky rallied with Shotei strikes, a Dropkick to the knee then the Wheelbarrow into a Double Stomp. A counter Hot Shot by Sky set up the Springboard Missile Dropkick, the kip-up flips and DOING THE THING! Sky hit the Bullet Train Attack but spent too long pointing at the ‘Mania sign as Rodriguez got the feet up to counter the Moonsault. Rodriguez landed a Pounce for a near fall. Moments later, Sky used a counter Headscissors to hit a Double Stomp for a two count.
ASUKA and KAIRI SANE would appear, with Sane clearly being ordered down to ringside as she had to get onto the apron. A Rodriguez Big Boot aimed at Sky ended up knocking Sane off the apron to wipe out Asuka, and Sky got a near fall off a Roll-up. Sky hit a leaping Tornado DDT then another Bullet Train Attack, but again got distracted by the Kabuki Warriors drama at ringside. Trying for a Suicide Dive but looking more like Sky planted her head into the ringside floor more than properly hitting Asuka.
Rodriguez took advantage of the distraction, grabbing Sky when she got back in and hitting the Tijana Bomb to steal the win.
It was officially confirmed that the Women’s Tag Team Championships would be defended at WrestleMania in a Fatal Four-Way Match with The Irrestable Forces going against The Bella Twins, Bliss and Flair, and Bayley and Valkyria.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A passable segment with Vaquer and Morgan. It’s good to see Perez back after her injury, even if the return was spoiled by the return being leaked over the weekend but ultimately, she’s just taking the role that Rodriguez already had so it doesn’t change the story that much. The tag match was solid but there’s not much to work with when you have both tag champs not selling much at all (and for different reasons). The four-way title match has been obvious for a while so it’s good to finally get the match official. Iyo Sky versus Asuka has been a rumoured match so Sky being robbed of a win here will only add into that. Lastly, there was no hype at all tonight between AJ Lee and Becky Lynch with neither seen on the show. It feels a lot like their match was originally only meant for ‘Mania and having a first match at Elimination Chamber really saps the special feeling of the ‘Mania clash. I have big doubts about whether they can deliver not just the same kind of match but the feeling and emotion behind it at the biggest shows of the year.
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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