Rapid Recap:
- Kurt Angle announced that Ronda Rousey will officially sign her RAW contract at Elimination Chamber
- Bayley defeated Sasha Banks but both women were attacked by Nia Jax
- Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville defeated Mickie James and Alexa Bliss
The Rundown:
Bayley goes for a roll up early on, but Sasha slides out. She goes for a backslide, but Sasha rolls over. Bayley tugs on Sasha’s arm and then proceeds to roll her up, but ‘The Boss’ kicked out again. Sasha Banks got Bayley into the corner, but ‘The Huggable One’ managed to counteract Sasha’s intentions and hit Banks with an arm drag from the second rope, then with a dropkick. Sasha then rammed Bayley into the corner and forearmed her face. Bayley was able to hold Sasha back and hit her with a shoulder tackle, but Sasha went for the Bank Statement, which ended up into a pin of her own.
Bayley wiggled out and Sasha hit double knees to her moments later. Sasha then forearmed Bayley before tossing her outside the ring and taunting her to get back in. Once Bayley got onto the apron, Sasha quickly knocked her off and tossed her back into the ring. Bayley rammed Sasha into the corner, but Banks pulled Bayley’s arm along the top rope and jumped off the apron, forcing Bayley’s arm to bounce with impact.
Back from commercial and Sasha has Bayley trapped in a straight jacket hold. Bayley tried to get out, but Sasha jumped down and forced Bayley’s arm to clash with her knees. Once in the corner, Sasha began yelling into the hometown favorite’s face before trying to dig her knees into Bayley’s stomach. However, Bayley caught her in midair, but Sasha squirmed out and pushed Bayley back into the corner.
Sasha ran and hit her with double knees before going for another attack, but Bayley jumped out of the corner and clotheslined her out of nowhere! The two fired back with fists and a slap until Bayley leaped onto Sasha, hitting her with right hands. Sasha clocked her with a forearm, but that angered Bayley, who tackled Sasha into the corner and hit her with a back suplex. Sasha tried to escape, but was met with the canvas as Bayley hit the rope hung stunner. ‘The Boss’ tried to stop her with a jawbreaker, but Bayley nailed her knee into her best friend’s jaw.
She then went up and tried to finish Sasha off with the elbow, but Banks rolled away and locked in the Bank Statement after Bayley landed onto the canvas! The referee forced the break as Bayley grabbed onto the ropes. She then pushed Sasha face first into the turnbuckle. Sasha stopped Bayley for a moment with a kick, but Bayley was ready when Sasha went to the top rope. Bayley caught Sasha and hit a Bayley-to-Belly off the second rope! Bayley got win in her hometown!
The two had a lengthy and chilling stared down, nobody knowing if they were going to hug or brawl. However, neither happened as Bayley and Sasha got pummeled over by the destructive force of Nia Jax! She picked each up and hit them with incredible Samoan drops.
Nia headed to the back as Charly Caruso stopped her and asked her why she attacked both women when Nia has nothing to do with them. Nia states that it has everything to do with her. She says that both Bayley and Sasha took Asuka to her limit, and she just destroyed them in seconds. She then said there’s only one women that will break Asuka’s streak, and that’s her.
A video package for Asuka and her accolades air and a transition for their Elimination Chamber match shows and states that if Nia wins, it will become a triple threat at WrestleMania for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Alexa Bliss was seen walking backstage as she approached her tag team partner for the night, Mickie James. Mickie investigates Alexa’s intentions and wonders why they’re teaming. Alexa says she thought Mickie would want redemption against Absolution and that she wants to clear the air. Bliss goes on to apologize to Mickie for what she’s said in the past and says she said it because she’s jealous. She praises Mickie’s looks and ability to be a superstar and mother at once. She says regardless, they’re screwed if Absolution wins because they’ll keep the title with them and they won’t fit in the picture. Mickie tells Alexa they can team tonight, but come Elimination Chamber, she’s coming for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Mandy Rose and Mickie James started off and the two went back and forth until Mickie stopped Mandy’s momentum…or so she thought. She went to toss Mandy, but Rose drilled Mickie with an elbow and tagged Sonya Deville in. Sonya whipped Mickie over with a wrestling hold, but James battled back and hit Sonya with an elbow, a few kicks and a clothesline. She tagged Alexa in, and Bliss nailed Sonya with Insult To Injury and then wrenched her back before screaming into her face and throwing her onto the mat.
She proudly stood atop Sonya’s hair as she tagged Mickie back in. Alexa held Deville’s head as Mickie kicked her across the face. The rage of Sonya kicked in as she speared James numerous times into the corner. Mickie was able to get her foot up and hit the former MMA fighter with a hurricarana. She then leaped onto Sonya, but Mandy got into her face. The 6 time champion knocked Rose off the apron, but Sonya kicked Mickie to the ground. She then tagged Mandy in and the two beat Mickie down in the corner. Rose then locked Mickie in an abdominal stretch, but Mickie got out.
She went for the running knee, but Mickie ducked and hit a neck breaker. Alexa began arguing with Paige. allowing Sonya to run to the opposite end of the ring and pull Bliss off of the apron. Mandy kicked Mickie in the stomach and finished her off with the Bed Of Roses (sitout lifting double underhook facebuster). Per instruction by Paige, the two Absolution members began beating Mickie until Alexa ran in and clocked Sonya with a wicked fist. Mandy ran to Paige at ringside and Alexa helped Mickie back up.
RAW Talk:
Bayley versus Sasha was cute, but they were holding a lot back, perhaps for WrestleMania. I’m not sure, but it could have been much better than what we were given. Nia’s after match attack was probably my favorite part about it.
I’m so happy with Mandy’s progress on the main roster. She’s pinned Mickie numerous times and she looks better and better each week (if you haven’t seen this past weeks MMC with RoseGold versus Naomi & Jimmy USO, you must! It was so entertaining and Mandy and Goldust have chemistry out of this world). I’m also hoping that Alexa goes fully face in the near future, she’s much more likable to me.