Well hey there RAW Reviewers, after a little break I’m back – Zaddy gotta pay them bills! Thank you to the lovely Josue for taking over. With the Women’s Money In The Bank line-up finally complete, it’s time for our Superstars to start staking their claim as to why we should put their money on them to win.
Ahead of this week’s RAW it’s revealed that we’re gonna get a first – with Natalya taking on RAW Women’s Champion Nia Jax!
Ronda Rousey is quickly seen backstage practicing strikes with Natalya before their match. Rousey joins commentary as we see quite a weird match between Jax and Natalya. Unlike most, Natalya is booked quite evenly to Jax and even floors her with her discus clothesline. However, she goes for her signature running leg drop, Natalya buckles as she lands, apparently injuring her knee. Jax takes advantage, finishing Natalya off with a Samoan Drop for the pin.
As Natalya is tended to by the official, Rousey makes her way to the ring to check up on her friend. Jax also looks concerned and also looks over Natalya, but keeps getting pushed away by Rousey. Eventually, Natalya is helped up the ramp as an apologetic Jax looks on.
Backstage, Natalya is still working her injury in the medical room with Rousey, once again Jax approaches them trying to apologize. After some squabbling, Natalya tells them both to leave her alone and get some time to herself.
Next up, we’re treated to a tag match featuring the rest of the RAW Women’s MITB challengers- Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks and Ember Moon taking on The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan). Did the Riott Squad win? Course not… or did they?
In this match, Alexa Bliss stayed true to her heel routes and walked out of the match apparently injuring her knee. With Banks and Moon taking most of the beatings throughout the match, the outnumbered duo were saved by Bayley! Bayley runs to the ring, gets the tag and gets the victory over Sarah Logan after the Bayley-to-belly. The referee rings the bell and confusingly raises their hands in victory…
…not so fast though, Baron Corbin the so-called “eyes” of RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon is seen talking to RAW General Manager Kurt Angle backstage. He reminds Angle that technically Bayley wasn’t a legal competitor in the match; meaning The Riott Squad should have won via Disqualification.
Moon, Banks, and Bayley seem happy backstage, with the Boss and Hug Connection about to hug it out… until Angle interrupts them. He reverses the match decision, making both Moon and Banks walk off in anger, seemingly annoyed at Bayley’s I’ll-fated gesture of supposed kindness.
Finally, it is revealed that Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey will come face to face next week. While MITB contenders Sasha Banks, Ember Moon, Alexa Bliss and Natalya competition in a Fatal 4 Way match – but who knows if both Natalya and Bliss will be able to compete?
Thoughts: You know what… a couple weeks out and I’m going to say it… I’m over Natalya. Now don’t get me wrong, she is an amazing talent, she has been one of the hardest workers over the years, dealt with a lot of crap creative pitfalls, she’s stayed a solid performer throughout… but she’s not getting me on the edge of my seat anymore. I had to really delve back to remember that she used to once look equal to Beth Phoenix, since seeing her booked so strongly against Nia Jax just didn’t click for me. Added to how I really didn’t want her to turn face, sure there may be a heel turn on the horizon again, but this weak booking of her knee blowing out every week does nothing for me.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of her move to RAW and when the division is so stacked, I’d much rather see one of the newer girls getting involved. I might be jumping the gun (as I’m prone to do), because she is probably going to play an important cog in this Rousey VS Jax feud but I’m really not clicking with her as a face at the moment.
Speaking of jumping the gun, well the complete opposite goes for the ongoing Sasha Banks and Bayley tension. Again, I’m pretty over this. I get slow building feuds, but this is going on at the stake of seeing the rest of the roster progress. The Riott Squad are just foddering in this feud, much like what Absolution was. Ember Moon barely stands out since all the focus is on Sasha and Bayley. I don’t know where this feud is going, might lead to a nice interchange at MITB but it’s a bit like an annoying child now. The child was cute at first, but now it’s just turning into an annoying pre-teen.
And finally, Alexa Bliss – you know what, she’s not the best wrestler, she was shoved down our throats for most of this year, but last night showed that she probably has the strongest and most consistent character. She’s not a weird tweener like most of the roster, she’s sticking to her sneaky ways and I’m starting to warm up to the idea of her in the MITB match. My main thing is that she better sell properly!
Did you enjoy last night’s action? Do you think Natalya and Alexa Bliss will be kept in the MITB match? Do you even care about Sasha Banks VS Bayley anymore? Let me see your comments below!
