RAW this week was very par for the course on what it has been. The booking continues to be questionable at best, however, there was the slightest bit of progression. Charlotte Flair and RAW Women’s Champion Asuka certainly aren’t a tag team any longer.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defeated Asuka & Charlotte Flair
Nia Jax has now pinned the SmackDown Women’s Champion and the RAW Women’s Champion in consecutive tag team matches. She pinned Sasha Banks at Elimination Chamber and Asuka on this week’s RAW.
The breakdown at the end of the match saw a dissolving partnership between Flair and Asuka which we knew was coming. This makeshift tag team was honestly just put together when Flair returned from her hiatus to capture the tag titles.
Asuka had a hold on Baszler when Flair missed her opponent and delivered a boot to her tag team partner instead. This allowed Jax to deliver a leg drop for the victory.
After the match, Flair went to go help Asuka up and she wasn’t having it as she swatted away her hand. The Queen then gave up on her concern and left the ring.
The second match of the night, if that’s what you want to call it, lasted all but a blink of an eye.
Naomi & Lana defeated Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
It is good to see that Naomi & Lana are still on course towards the Women’s Tag Titles. The booking of this is all over the place as the number one contenders have been pushed to the third in line for a title match.
The match was rather quick, no entrances, obviously a last-minute concern to have a second women’s match on the three-hour show. It ended with a double facebuster by both Lana and Naomi leading to Naomi getting the pin on Mandy Rose.
Perhaps the only highlight of the night personally was the promo seen between Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair. They have both been in a storyline lately which has involved Lacey Evans but after this promo, it may signal the end of it. Evans did announce last week that she was pregnant.
The story isn’t anything new. Charlotte and her father have been at the opposite end of a storyline in the past. What was great was the delivery of the promo from her.
From her telling her father to go home and what happened at the end the tag team match, Charlotte vs. Asuka seems to be what is coming for WrestleMania. However, what could put a wrench in that is Rhea Ripley.
One thing that could make WrestleMania a whole lot better is if Rhea Ripley is involved. Ripley facing Flair last year with the NXT Women’s Title on the line was an incredible match despite most people being upset with the outcome.
Finally we get a video teasing the arrival of Ripley to the RAW brand. It says “coming soon” which hopefully won’t be weeks on end. Having Ripley in a RAW Women’s Title match will make the WrestleMania match that much better. She should also get the win.
Let’s get into the Winners & Losers of the week
WINNER: Charlotte Flair
For the one shining moment of the night, Charlotte comes off as a winner with her promo she delivered. As I said prior, the story itself isn’t anything new and that isn’t the fault of her at all. She has made the most of it.
WINNER: Rhea Ripley
Finally, we have someone to hopefully save us from the terrible booking and perhaps give a clear picture moving forward. It is way overdue for her to be on the main roster and I am confident and hopeful that they do right by her as well. Come save us, Rhea – Please!
WINNER: Nia Jax
Nia getting a pin on both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champions in back-to-back nights is pretty big for her. Why they couldn’t give one of them to Shayna, not sure. Jax is a champion herself so it isn’t a complete surprise that she can pin a champion but at the same time it does land her with some big victories.
LOSER: Asuka
Hopefully, this is the last week that Asuka is on the loser side of things but something tells me her booking is going to continue to go downhill. One can only hope to start next week that the build towards WrestleMania gets better for her. For months now she continues to get the short end of the stick and her title reign is often forgettable. I honestly can’t even remember the last time she had an actual feud surrounding the RAW belt.
LOSERS: Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
I can’t help but feel bad for these two. They certainly have gone to the bottom of the barrel when it comes to a title shot. Although I would love Naomi and Lana as champions, Mandy and Dana really should have been next in my opinion.
What did you think of this week’s RAW? Who were your Winners & Losers? Do you see the show getting any better less than two months away from WrestleMania? Discuss below!
