Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Amid rumours that Becky Lynch is now a free agent in the wrestling world, her ‘last’ match in WWE was a losing effort as (with some great help from outside schenanagans) Liv Morgan retained the Women’s World Championship in a Steel Cage Match. After the bout, Morgan planted a major kiss onto Dominik Mysterio. So what’s next for the women of Raw, and who will step up to challenge Morgan? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Women’s Tag Team Champions BIANCA BELAIR and JADE CARGILL were shown arriving to the arena earlier on, and their appearence seemed to be duly noted by ALBA FYRE and ISLA DAWN in the background of the shot.
LIV MORGAN kicked off Raw with an in-ring promo. Bragging about injuring Rhea Ripley and claimed she put Becky Lynch “into early retirement”. Just as Morgan was about to brag about all the social media views about her smooch last week, Dominik Mysterio interrupted. Eventually speaking through all the boos to warm Morgan that Ripley wasn’t playing the same games as her and she’d “kill” Morgan when she came back.
Morgan countered by saying Ripley would probably “kill” Mysterio too before she began to shamelessly flirt with him and claimed he came out last week just to get closer to her. Bluntly stating she wanted to take everything from Ripley and that included Mysterio, going as far to back him into a corner, stroke his face and run her hand down his chest. Oh my! The moment was shattered when Mysterio’s Judgement Day ally Finn Balor rushed in to make Morgan back away. Balor claimed that neither Mysterio nor The Judgement Day wanted anything to do with her (a reference to Morgan’s previous discussions with the group’s members over the past few weeks). Morgan teased and claimed that maybe Mysterio didn’t want her to go, but relented and said she’d leave “for now” before she messed with Mysterio again before she left.
JACKIE REDMOND and CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
MAXXINE DUPRI was once again involved in the storyline between Chad Gable and Sami Zayn as she and The Alpha Academy went to the ring so Dupri could deliver a pre-written message from Gable. The statement insulted herself, calling Dupri “A knockoff Barbie that nobody wanted” before Gable attacked Zayn from behind. This week’s abuse had Gable force Dupri to get on her knees and beg for Gable to stop smacking Otis and Tozawa around. The segment led to Dupri being knocked off the apron when Zayn was deliberately tossed into Otis and he ended up colliding into Dupri and Tozawa, and Otis attacked Zayn thinking it was deliberate.
Backstage Gable ignored the injuries that Durpi and The Alpha Academy had suffered to praise them and vow that together they’d win back ‘his’ IC title.
ZELINA VEGA and Rey Mysterio calmed down a mad Dragon Lee backstage after his match earlier on.
Singles Match
KIANA JAMES defeated NATALYA
James was interviewed before the match and showed some of her businesswoman character, saying a win tonight would prove that she’s in the 1% and would be her first step to rise to the top. The match started quick with a Natalya Headlock Takeover that James quickly got out off. Both women traded rollout and flip out counters to a Wristlock before Natlaya hit a clutch-style Suplex for an one count. Moments later, Natalya got a back-roll Clutch pin for a near fall.
They showed off lots of quick ring basics as James kept up with the veteran. Natalya would counter a Roll-up into an Arm Bar but James was able to counter with a pin for a two count. James lured Natalya in, faking an arm injury just to pull Natalya to send her into the middle turnbuckle before James hit some stomps. James hit a round of Shoulder Thrusts, finished with a backflip out into a charging Thrust. Natalya was sent to the far corner but bounced out and hit the Discus Clothesline.
Natalya would counter a kick, sweeping the leg and then did the step-over spot to hit the Basement Dropkick for a near fall. James was able to flip out from a Back Suplex attempt but shortly after took a Release German Suplex. Natalya tried for The Sharpshooter but James got to the ropes, and managed to kick Natalya away. Moments later James hit 401K, a floatover DDT-like move and got the clean upset win.
Backstage a disgruntled Natalya met with SONYA DEVILLE and dropped the famous Owen Hart line about “It’s time for a change”. Deville would then try again to sweet talk ZOEY STARK and SHAYNA BASZLER but they didn’t want to hear it (and in the background Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre were hanging around). Baszler cut down Deville and claimed that she was the one who didn’t respect the two of them.
Liv Morgan would be a human shield, deliberately getting between Braun Strowman to prevent him from attacking Dominik Mysterio and that allowed The Judgement Day to attack Strowman. Morgan tried to put the moves on Mysterio again but just like earlier, Balor got between them to make Morgan back away.
Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill went to the ring with a combined entrance that might have been longer than the Natalya-James match. Belair didn’t say anything of importance, and Cargill called out Baszler and Stark who of course came out. Stark mocked the champs for appearing on Raw for the first time since they won the titles and claimed the champs were deliberately ducking us. Belair did a weak line about how the titles would be on Raw if Baszler and Stark were the champs, and Baszler instantly mocked her for it. Cargill tried to call the bluff of the challengers and dared them to take the title match tonight but Baszler accepted. The moment was ruined when Adam Pearce stole the heat to ‘confirm’ the title match and send a referee down.
Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL versus SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK ended in a no-contest.
Belair and Baszler started things off, and Baszler tried to target an arm but got a Body Slam then a Shoulder Knockdown by Belair. A charge to the corner missed by Belair who then took a round of stomps. Belair did a flip counter then charged Baszler into a corner for some Shoulder Thrusts. Belair carried Baszler to the champ’s corner so Cargill could tag in, and then be sent by Belair to hit a Splash. Another tag made Belair legal, and Cargil hit a Body Slam before she hoisted Belair up to send her down onto Baszler with a Dominator for a near fall.
Stark was able to get a blind tag, and Baszler held Belair in place so Stark could hit a Springboard Missile Dropkick. The move sent Belair back so Cargill could tag in and she hit a Release Gordbuster to Stark, followed by strikes then a Superkick after Stark managed to escape out of a Powerbomb attempt. Moments later, Cargill pulled Stark off the top and marched around for a Delayed Suplex but Baszler pulled Stark down to safety. Only for the champs to then both hit Delayed Suplexes on the challengers and kip up.
After a commerical break, Cargill hit a Fallaway Slam on Baszler. Tags on both sides led to House on Fire as Belair hit a couple of Shoulder Knockdowns to Stark then a Single Leg Dropkick. Baszler was cut off with a Back Suplex before Stark took a Suplex and Belair kipped up. 12 punches in a corner followed to Stark before Belair flipped out to avoid Baszler and then she hit Baszler with a Backbreaker. Stark was hit with a Spinebuster then the Handspring Moonsault but Baszler broke up the pin. Belair sent Baszler out but got caught with a Superkick by Stark, who then tagged out as Baszler hit her Low Knee Strike for a two count.
Stark was tagged back in, but seemingly going for the Alley-Oop double team was counted as Belair Backdropped Stark. Cargill pulled Baszler out and tossed her into the ring steps, only for Baszler to move so Cargill’s charge just hit the steps. Stark got a Roll-up for a two count, and hit a couple strikes but Belair ducked a Superkick and hit the KOD.
Only for the match to be thrown out when The Unholy Union rushed the ring and attacked Belair and while Cargill tried to attack, the numbers of four heels soon overwhelmed the tag champs. The two heel teams had a stare-off but Baszler and Stark backed away.
LYRA VALKYRIA was interviewed but it was all about Becky Lynch rather than her. Just as Valkyria was talking about Money in the Bank, IYO SKY jumped her and slammed her into an equipment case. Assulting her and tossing her into another case before Sky stormed off, still yelling in a rage.
SCARLETT accompanied The Final Testament as AOP faced The New Day. Scarlett provided a distraction that led to AOP stealing the win.
Jackie Redmond got some answers from Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. Fyre complained that Belair and Cargill just handed out title shots (Baszler and Stark were actually the number one contenders) and they didn’t get the same oppertunities. Dawn specifically mentioned that Clash at the Castle didn’t seem to have any sign of them being on the show, and vowed that Belair and Cargill wouldn’t look so pretty without their titles.
It was announced that Lyra Valkyria and Iyo Sky would face off next week on Raw.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The sudden women’s tag team title match ending in a no-contest worked fine as now there’s new interest with two teams after the gold, and a Triple Threat could be an easy way to take the titles off of Belair and Cargill without them taking a fall. It might be a little too soon for take the straps from them but it’s not like they’re really elevating the titles by holding them. The match was solid enough but still felt like Belair just played the hits. Elsewhere, James looked like gold in her quick but technical match with Natalya to put her on the map. Her character might take some getting used to by the fans but the in ring skills are clearly there. And I can fully expect the WWE to drag out the story between Morgan and Dominik Mysterio for a long while until Ripley is cleared to come back. It clearly gets views and people talking so the WWE won’t stop it any time soon.
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!