Two weeks away from ‘the biggest event in sports entertainment’ and there’s still no clear path for the RAW Women’s Division. With everyone jockeying for a position on the card, it was only a matter of time until Nia Jax came into the picture. Will she make it? Let’s take a look at the RAW Redux.
First up, we’re treated to developments within the division’s ‘B’ story between the former Mentor and Protege relationship between Charlotte and Dana Brooke. Following last week’s breakdown between the two, they’ve both been given a chance to take it out on each other in a singles match this week!
Dana Brooke is on fire throughout this match and pretty much on the offence for a change. It’s a nice dynamic since we’re so used to see Charlotte taking control of most matches and similarly, we’re used to see Dana as a punching bag. However, the roles are switched and Dana is swinging those blows, stomping her former Mentor in the corner and hitting some stiff clotheslines. It’s all quite short-lived though, as Charlotte nails Dana with a big boot out of nowhere, which is enough to score a victory and affirm why she’s still the more dominant between the two.
Speaking of dominance, RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon catches up with RAW Women’s Champion Bayley backstage. The Champ is a little down after seeing her friend and the person who brought her to the main roster, Mick Foley, being fired from the show. Stephanie offers a hug, but Bayley rejects it because she’s surprised at how Stephanie has abused her power despite being a strong woman. Before she can continue, Steph mentions how it takes a strong woman to be in her position, much like what it takes to be Champion… which she feels Bayley hasn’t proved yet.
She warns Bayley that she has to earn Stephanie’s respect… and since Nia Jax left Bayley unable to compete last week, she is back in the title discussion. This week, Nia will take on Bayley and if she wins, she’ll be added to the WrestleMania match making it a Fatal-4-Way… and since she got disqualified last week, this week the match will be no disqualification.
This week’s Bayley and Nia Jax encounter is… as you guessed it… much like their recent RAW matches. I mean, there were a couple cool spots with Nia ragdolling Bayley against the outside ring barricade and having a steel chair get booted into her face. There are frequent cutaway shots of the other match contenders Charlotte and Sasha Banks watching the monitors backstage (erm… surely they would have wanted to interfere to not have another person added to the match, but I’ll just let that slide).
The Brooklyn crowd are pretty brutal towards this match and really distract from the in-ring action by starting random chants and doing a Mexican wave. Bayley does get more offence than she usually does, hitting a nice top-rope crossbody, but that comes to a crashing halt when Nia tosses Bayley off the turnbuckle and finishes her off with a Samoan Drop! Nia Jax is going to WrestleMania!
Backstage, the triumphant Nia Jax celebrates her victory, stating that at WrestleMania she’ll live up to her entrance music and show why she’s “not like most”.
Finally, the WWE paid tribute to Hall of Famer, Mae Young, celebrating her career with a video package to highlight women’s history month.
Thoughts: Oh RAW… I’m really trying, but the booking has got so rushed that each of these women have REALLY suffered, meaning that this WrestleMania title match has nowhere near the prestige and excitement that it should have! This week only furthered how weak the division is and how predictable everything is.
Dana Brooke’s face turn has come to an end already, if I’m honest. She turned on Charlotte, she’s had the match and lost cleanly, Charlotte will go to WrestleMania… and Dana disappears. I’m not even the biggest fan of Ms Brooke, but what an absolute WASTE of ending a 10+ month partnership for a 2 week breakaway feud. I mean, I’d like to say she’d get involved at WM, but I’d fear she’d botch something.
You already know how I feel about Nia Jax, so I won’t lie, I’m pissed she’s been added to the match. The match on paper now has dropped straight down in ratings. She is BORING: Her attire is boring, her entrance is boring, her finisher is boring, her in-ring work is boring. I was really thinking that they’d stick to the triple threat, but hey get ready guys, we’re going to see Nia Jax hit her 4 moves at WrestleMania. I can be positive and say we might get some really cool spots, but she’s not done anything exciting ring wise since her feud with Alicia Fox.
Next up, we have Charlotte who is slowly losing momentum. To be fair, she has been at the forefront so it is nice to see her take a backseat, but let’s remember that they ENDED her 16-0 streak… for this? She should be on a rampage trying to reclaim her stakes as Champion, not messing around with Dana!
Then we have Sasha Banks… so a couple weeks ago she was able to interfere in a match and help Bayley win the Championship, but this time she wants to chill and watch TV even though this time it was a no DQ match which would have helped her chances at WM? Oh WWE, I do hate your writers sometimes. Even Sasha coming out and causing a botched interference to cause tension between the faces would have been cool… but nope, none of that. The inevitable Bayley/Sasha face-off will be interesting, but they should have been putting those feelers in alreddy.
Finally we have the Champion Bayley, who is probably going into the match the best booked… but still not the best. There’s a big chance she’ll get overshadowed by Sasha on the big stage, but I do have faith in her that she’ll have tricks up her sleeve as she always delivers during big matches. I just feel that her WrestleMania moment could have been so much bigger, so here’s to hoping that she pulls something out the bag!
How do you feel about Nia Jax being added to the WrestleMania match? Do you think Dana Brooke will get involved in the match? Should someone have interfered? Send us in those comments below!
