Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
The Night of Champions event is just days away, with the Finals of the Queen of the Ring between Iyo Sky and the current Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan set to face off. Alongside a Women’s US Title match between former Women’s Championship rivals Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill. Before all that, the Women’s Tag Team gold is on the line as home country hero Paige teams with Brie Bella to face challengers Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Will the ‘hometown’ curse strike, or will we see issues between Bayley and Valkyria after a few weeks of odd behaviour from Valkyria come to a boil? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos featured IYO SKY, and the Women’s Tag Team Champions BRIE BELLA and PAIGE.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions BRIE BELLA & PAIGE defeated BAYLEY & LYRA VALKYRIA to retain
Before their entrance, Bayley and Valkyria were interviewed by JACKIE REDMOND but Valkyria immediately looked overly off and nervous. Valkyria lamented about losing in the past, and said they needed this. Bayley said some obvious foreshadowing when she put over their friendship, trust and said this was an all-or-nothing moment.
Valkyria jump started the match against Paige with a Running Enzigiri, followed by a Dropkick after a whip to the challengers’ corner. Bayley got a tag, hit a corner Jumping Back Elbow then a Small Package for a two count. Bayley made the mistake of gloating about the London fans doing the ‘Hey Bayley’ chant, and got slapped when bragging that ‘This is my house’. Paige hit a Headbutt, sending Bayley down to the Champs’ corner and Bella got a tag, hitting a Codebreaker after Bayley managed to vault over a Paige charge. Paige and Bella hit a Double Team Bulldog but Valkyria broke up the pinfall.
Paige would counter being sent out by Valkyria, which led to Paige hitting her Knee Strikes to Valkyria through the ropes while in the ring, Bella tried to hit Yes Kicks to Bayley but only got in one before Bayley ducked the next and hit a Back Suplex. Bayley caught Paige with a Knee Strike to cut her off coming in, and then hit the Stunner through the ropes to Bella. Bayley landed the Bayley-to-Belly but Paige pulled Bella out of the ring just as Bayley went for a pin. Valkyria used a wild tackle around the head on the outside to take down Paige. Bayley sent Bella back in and got a near fall as the show went to a ‘commercial break’.
Bella would shove away another Stunner attempt from Bayley, but got caught with a basic Drop Toe Hold. Valkyria got a tag and hit a Double Team Suplex with Bayley to get a two count. Valkyria would hit a Headbutt to the gut of Bella running in, but Bella countered an attempt at a second with a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Valkyria hit a Clothesline, then tagged in Bayley who stomped away at Bella then tagged back out for Valkyria to hit some stomps. Valkyria hit a Suplex but Bella kicked out at two. Bayley took a tag, hit a Snapmare into an arm resthold. Moments later, Bella countered being whipped into a corner with a step out, hitting a counter Clothesline and then a counter Russian Legsweep soon after.
Back to ‘live action’, Bella hit Yes Kicks as Bayley held the wrist to prevent a tag. Bayley would roll Bella back for a stacked pin, and off the momentum of the kick out she’d manage to knock Paige off the apron. Bella would fight out of the challengers’ corner, knocking Valkyria off with a Back Elbow then hitting a Missile Dropkick off the middle rope to Bayley. Tags on both sides made Valkyria and Paige legal, with Paige going House on Fire with Clotheslines to both challengers then German Suplexes followed by Release Fisherwoman’s Suplexes then Side Kicks. Paige went for Paige Turner, but Valkyria countered and hit a sudden Nightwing but Bella broke up the pin.
Bella would counter a Bayley-to-Belly, using a Roll-up grip to send Bayley tumbling through the ropes to the floor, setting up for a Running Knee Strike off the apron. Valkyria would take out Bella with the Dropkick through the ropes. Paige and Valkyria exchanged near falls of pin holds, before Valkyria hit a Fisherwoman’s Buster. Rolling through, she went for a second but Paige countered, hitting RamPaige for the clean victory to retain the Tag Team titles for herself and Bella.
After the match, Bayley attempted to comfort Valkyria, telling her they’d get them next time. However, Valkyria finally snapped as she attacked Bayley off of a hug, sending her throat-first into the ropes. Stomping and hitting mount punches and some slaps, then another toss of a throat shot into the ropes. Valkyria would be dragged off by agents, just to hit another cheap shot, planting Bayley with a Nightwing before finally leaving the scene, snapping at the officials not to touch her. During the following ‘commercial break’, the cameras followed Bayley being helped to the back as she sold the attack, clutching her neck.
Jackie Redmond would try to get an explanation from Valkyria about her actions, but Valkyria refused to speak and stormed off. Later in the show, Bayley would be seen in a Trainer’s room, holding ice to her neck but declining to talk about what happened to her.
Chad Gable in the ring would attempt to apologise to his old stable Alpha Academy. However, MAXXINE DUPRI, acting as a Heel, refused to accept it, reminding Gable how he once made her beg on her knees to not hurt her friends. Complaining that this was all about Gable, and she said her group didn’t need Gable then or needing him now. Saying they were leaving him along and ordering her men away, but Otis hesistated before eventually leaving.
SOL RUCA had a promo video, seemingly taking shots at her online critics saying she ‘loved to fail and get back up’, and enjoyed the feeling of ‘getting back up and proving everyone wrong’.
Jackie Redmond hosted an in-ring interview with Iyo Sky. Sky boasted about beating Rodriguez last week, and vowed to do the same to become Queen. Of course, LIV MORGAN interrupted and did her usual ‘Of all time’ lines, claiming everyone knew she was better than Sky, vowing to win and embracing Sky’s old friend Rhea Ripley. Sky mocked Morgan, saying the crown wouldn’t fit on her big head. Sky ranted in her native tongue, and got cut off by a Morgan sneak attack. It led to Sky hitting a Lucha Kick, then a Springboard Dropkick to send Morgan packing. The segment ended with Sky posing in the ring as Morgan fumed on the floor.
In the Clubhouse of The Judgement Day, ROXANNE PEREZ and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ weren’t happy at all as Perez lamented bout them both having nothing to celebrate. Before looking rightly worried when Dominik Mysterio brought in JD McDonagh who was frazzled to say the least after being ‘electrocuted’ in an earlier segment with Danhausen. Liv Morgan stormed in, ranting about what happened with Sky and Rodreguez had to snap and shut her down, pointing out the obvious of the rest of the group not doing so well. Morgan tried playing nice, telling Rodriguez to go after Sol Ruca and the IC title, something that didn’t seem to sit fully well with her. When Perez complained about being left out, Morgan again changed the topic to hurry away with McDonagh and Mysterio, just leaving Rodriguez and Perez more frustrated than before.
Later, Morgan would be with Mysterio and McDonagh again as they confronted Chad Gable, setting up a match between McDonagh and Gable for next week.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The Queen of the Ring segment was short but did the job, so no complaints. The Women’s Tag Title match felt rushed, particularly at the start with getting quick spots and shots in. Overall it was a solid bout but wasn’t the blowaway match expected. Perhaps, given the post-match turn, that was part of the reason why to make sure the attention when on Valkyria turning on Bayley. Which was completely expected with the spoiler of Bayley talking about friendship before the match, which always is a early sign of being set up for a fall, but also had the set up of Valkyria going into business for herself the past few week. The duo had run its course and we’ll see if a singles feud advances either of them going forward. It does mean there’s once again one less tag team in the division, so there’s very few who could become champions right now unless they simply run back matches we’ve already seen Paige and Bella take on.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the post-Night of Champions edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!
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