WWE RAW RESULTS: Bayleys Tandem Rocket Forward in Newest Tournament, but Outside Tag Team Battles Await (August, 8th 2022)
Welcome all to this weeks RAW report. Just days after the first womens match was scheduled for Clash at the Castle, another is to follow as Bayleys latest attempt to boast about her debuted stable leads to a six woman confrontation. Plus, Bayleys comrades, that being Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, put their skills as a team to the test, as they compete in the first round of the kickstarted and new Womens Tag Team Championship tournament.
Opening the latest RAW are Bayley, Iyo and Dakota, making their way to the ring. Bayley brings back her “Ding Dong” taunt to greet the audience, but they boo back to her dismay. She adds that while they are booing them, she, Dakota and Iyo are actually excited to see their dumb and smiley faces. They didnt want to be here but they know the fans NEED them, that the fans came to see what they do next, to see them salvage an uninspired division. Dakota asks if she means Summerslam where they showed up and shook everyone up, and Bayley replies that thats exactly what she meant. Bayley blasts the crowd for seemingly wanting to watch Becky play dress up and for cheering Bianca every week. Bayley claims Bianca would be nothing without her and that is why they had to make a statement last week, making sure to take care of Beckys shoulder and light a fire in the womens division as well as bring out the fighting spirit of Bianca herself. They are bringing back the hunger, the hunger of a womens division starving for more. She doesnt blame the womens division though, because they are little sheep who are lost without her and dont know what to do, how to ask for more. But Bayley has learned when you dont have the answers, ask better questions and her question is for the idiots in the WWE Universe. How is Bayley the only one to realise what a lethal weapon Iyo Sky is, to know the benefits of bringing in someone like Dakota? The fans dont know how angry and boiling they are. Dakota calms down her captain and informs her she doesnt need to inform the fans, because they will. They will show them when they enter the womens tag team tournament tonight and win.
Suddenly the entrance music of former RAW Womens Champion Alexa Bliss and out comes Bliss herself, and with no Lilly in sight. Shes not alone as joining her too is Asuka, another half of the women who had Bianca’s back last week. Speaking of Bianca, the current RAW Womens Champion also joins the duo. They head down to the ring as a trio, and come face to face with their fellow trio. Bliss is first to speak from the babyface side, telling Bayley and company not to get too ahead of themselves. Shes going to give them a ding dong heads up that they, that being Iyo and Dakota, are not winning the tournament. Even if they win tonight, they get Bliss next, and her partner, Asuka. After what the others pulled last week, it only gives Asuka and Bliss even more of an incentive to beat the hell out of them and win the Womens Tag Team Championships. Bianca butts in and gestures to Bayley, making it clear to the opposing stables leader that she shouldnt even think Bianca is done with her. She is hungry to get back in the ring and finish what she started with Iyo last week, but if they’re playing the numbers game, the three of them have no problem dealing with Bayley and her two right now. Bayley tells them to relax, but she also foresaw them being worked up over last week. They call the shots so they can do a three on three where it counts, but thats not in Cleveland. She suggests her, Dakota and Iyo vs Bliss, Asuka and Bianca at Clash at the Castle, and it is soon accepted. Bianca, however, isnt leaving the physicality with Bayley until then. She sees Bayley trying to keep control right now, but tonight, her former and future opponent feels like losing it. She throws a forearm at Bayley and another brawl breaks out between the sides, and rather reminiscent of last week as officials have to rush out to try and separate the scrapping women. Its taken to ringside, into the crowd, and ends when Bliss takes everybody out with a crossbody off the barricade and officials having to go right back to separation tactics right after.
We see more from the troublesome female member of Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley, this week. She shows up on the stage amid Finn Balors one on one match with Rey Mysterio, and shes not alone, as she drags an evidently beaten Dominik Mysterio. Rey takes notice, and may just be about to come rescue Dominik, but Finn pulls Rey back in the ring, lays him out via 1916 and connects with Coup De Grace for the three count, scoring him the win, and Judgment Day, the momentum.
Later in the night, Sarah Schreiber interviews 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke and her tag team partner, her on and off nemesis, Tamina, as the two have been selected to compete in the Womens Tag Team Tournament, both women set to go up against Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai in the first round of the tourney. She asks both what it means to be in the tournament, and Dana is first to give an answer. What it means to her is the opportunity to become a double champion. She knows with it being a tag title tournament, she needed a partner, and that person is someone shes defended her current title against a lot, her biggest challenge, Tamina. Bayley walks in on the scene with Iyo and Dakota, and Dana looks like she wants to throw hands already. Bayley suggests Dana relaxes, because shes not aiming to roll her up for her title. Their eyes are on bigger titles that suit them, and the womens tag team titles suit them because Bayley was one of the two women to hold them first, something Dana wont know anything about. Tamina reminds Bayley that she knows what its like to hold a womens tag team championship, and if Bayley keeps yapping, she has no problem taking out her and her little friends right now. Dakota steps up and tells Tamina she will see her out there, and Iyo tells Dana additionally that she doesnt like her before the opposing stable make their exit.
Not long after is the first match in the womens tag title tournament. Bayley emerges on the stage, soon joined by Iyo and Dakota, who get own entrances before joining Bayley. However, soon do their opponents, as Reigning 24/7 Champion (and Cleveland Native) Dana Brooke and former Womens Tag Team Champion Tamina get their own entrances as they come out as a tandem.
Dana and Dakota lock up to begin what is also Dakota’s in ring debut. A lock up turns into Dana seizing Dakota by the waist, but not for long as Dakota reverses and applies her own waistlock. Dana twirls into a headlock counter then hip tosses Dakota down to the mat. She sends her fully to the mat with a kick then proceeds with a pin attempt early on, but to the champs dismay, Dakota kicks out at one, making the early spring out.
Dakota goes for a forearm, but Dana is quicker and blasts Dakota in the jaw with one of her own. With Dakota knocked back, Dana advances to her own corner and she tags in the powerhouse veteran, Tamina. Dakota looks in fear at first, but proceeds to advance only to get clapped in the face. Tamina strikes Dakota a few more times at the side of her face then paces to the heels corner and knocks Iyo off the apron. Dakota gets back up and goes for a forearm to Tamina, but Tamina ducks her move and knees her in the midsection right before connecting with a vertical suplex. After Tamina’s show of ferocity, Dana is tagged in and she takes things right to the outside, diving onto Iyo and Dakota. The heels are laid out and Dana is amped up in front of her hometown audience heading into the commercial break.
When we return, its a reverse of earlier on, as the heel side is in control, as Dakota has Dana in the ring, a stretch hold applied to the 24/7 Champion. The momentum switch is due to Iyo hurling Dana back first into a barricade at ringside during the break. Dana tries to turn momentum over by getting Dakota’s shoulders to the mat for a pin attempt, but Dakota breaks off at one again. Dakota kicks Dana down and goes for a pin attempt of her own, but Dana escapes at one due to the referee noticing one of Dana’s shoulders being up.
Dakota brings in Iyo as she tags her in, and they work together to send Dana to the ropes. Dana runs back and collides with Dakota’s knee. Iyo trips her up, then Dakota dishes a stomp to the back before Iyo finalises with a basement dropkick, though the show of teamwork only manages to get Iyo a near fall. Iyo carries on with offense afterward, whipping Dana into the heels corner and splashing her against it. Iyo roughs up Dana with a few boots then moves onto a foot choke followed by double knees, and after that show of offense, the Joshi Judas covers for a second time, but she again gets a near fall to conclude.
Dakota is tagged in and she slides over and instantly snatches Dana into a headlock. Dana tries to find her way out but Dakota slings her back to the mat before she can fully do so. Dakota covers, but is left screaming when Dana kicks out of another pin attempt, and at two. As if Dana’s resilience wasnt enough for Bayley, Bayley Sucks chants soon come her way. Dakota re-gathers her focus and runs the ropes but is hauled up by Dana and powerbombed. With Dakota meeting the mat, a pin attempt follows and ends with Dakota kicking out at two.
Dana tries to reach to Tamina, but Dakota starts crawling to her own side, also clenched to Dana, dragging her along with her. She tags back in Iyo, who tries to stop Dana’s last leap of faith to Tamina, but to no avail as despite having Dana held, she successfully makes the tag. Iyo is seized by her hair by an incensed Tamina, who drives her face multiple times into a far top turnbuckle. Iyo rolls back and is taken down by an entering Tamina’s clothesline. Tamina also low kicks Dakota to keep her on the outside, then returns to Iyo, back elbowing her against another corner over and over. Tamina whips Iyo towards her but it soon backfires as Iyo kicks Tamina, starting a barrage of forearms before palm striking the veteran. Tamina makes her pay with a superkick, but Iyo doesnt crash to the mat, tumbling over to the ropes instead then stumbling forward into the samoan drop. Tamina proceeds in covering the Joshi Judas but just after the count of two, in comes Dakota and she crashes in on that pin attempt, cancelling it out.
Dana tries to hurl Dakota out of the ring but Dakota counters and Dana is taken to ringside instead. Dana gets a measure of revenge as she grasps Dakota and pulls her out before forearming her in the face. Seeing Dakota up against the barricade, Dana tries her handspring elbow but Bayley comes to the rescue of her comrade and pulls her out of the target zone, and Dana collides with the barricade as a result. Bayley plays up innocence while Dana reels from the impact of the collision on the floor, all while Iyo weak slaps Tamina on the ropes. Iyo meets Tamina on the ropes and some forearms are dealt, all while Dakota sneaks a tag. Shes kept out a little longer though as Tamina fends her off, booting her to the floor. Tamina rises to the top rope after knocking Iyo down, and she goes for the Supafly Splash but lands on the mat, holding onto Iyo’s raised boots. Dakota swoops in during the altercation to scorpion kick Tamina, followed with a facewash boot before a final tag in from Iyo leads to her ending moonsault and Tamina being pinned. Iyo and Dakota win the match, advancing to the next round in the Womens Tag Team Championship Tournament.
A little later are two promos from two of the teams also competing in the tournaments first round, Nikki ASH and Piper Niven and Alexa Bliss and Asuka, who are due to meet next week. A more serious Nikki ASH is shown backstage, declaring that next week there are no more almosts. They will be one step closer to the Womens Tag Team Championships. Piper adds that they will crush the hopes of dreams of both Bliss and Asuka, and she starts laughing. However, Bliss, shown with Asuka, says Nikki and Piper have it all wrong. They will not crush their dreams, but help them manifest them. Asuka chimes in, with Bliss’s permission, that no one is ready for Alexa Bliss and no one is ready for Asuka. Right on cue after the Empress’s Signature Saying, in walk Dakota, Iyo and Bayley. Bayley informs the babyface team that no one cares, then shares a joke about Lilly. She wonders where Lilly is, unless Asuka is her new toy? Asuka’s jaw drops and the stable head off.
(Dakota Kai, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Alexa Bliss, Asuka and Bianca Belair Segment)
(Finn Balor w/ Damian Priest vs Rey Mysterio feat Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio)
(Tamina, Dana Brooke, Dakota Kai, Bayley and Iyo Sky Backstage Segment)
(Dana Brooke and Tamina vs Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai w/ Bayley; WWE Womens Tag Team Championship Tournament First Round Match)
(Piper Niven and Nikki ASH Promo; Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Dakota Kai, Bayley and Iyo Sky Backstage Segment)
Thoughts On:
Opening Promo: A solid opening promo and confrontation that laid the groundwork for the Clash at the Castle announcement and ended with a crowd amping brawl to keep them hot to start off. To say its a big PPV, the six woman tag feels like the filler heading into an actual championship match, like Battleground was the catapulting of Team PCB before Charlotte’s title reigns kicked off. The six woman tag is probably going to be where Bayley pins Bianca to get her title shot to mark a successful in ring return. I do feel like that could happen in simple fashion or they could have Bliss turn on Bianca, and it does make sense. Bliss is slowly reverting to her old self, the Goddess, and she announced intent to go into the womens title picture. Bayley has claimed she has lit a fire under the division so Bliss should make it known that shes not there to simply listen to commands, that she wants the title and turning on Bianca should re-cement that, and her old self, heck, her track record of not being trustworthy as the Goddess speaks for itself. Sure, it gives Bianca more than one feud but with more returns potentially happening to spruce up the roster, she could get help easily outside of Asuka. Alternatively, the PPV would be the best place for Tegan Nox to return and cost Dakota Kai, rekindling old issues.
Dana/Tamina vs Iyo/Dakota: I liked this match. No 24/7 title based shenanigans, Dana and Tamina were verbally and physically presented as serious competitors to the point where Dakota sold fear of Tamina, and Tamina, even in the partners hometown, was the reliable veteran with the hot tag and the chance to make the save for her team. I felt like Dana and Dakota worked well as opponents, as did Tamina against Iyo in what are fresh match ups. If Dana and Tamina arent to team from here on, im all for Tozawa being repackaged as a serious manager for Tamina, and in ring competitor at times. Meanwhile, Dana could feud with Reginald and someone brought in to be his new associate and/or girlfriend. Moving onto the tournament, considering the momentum around them, i fully expect Dakota and Iyo to win it, probably beating Nikkita and Zoey in the final round which also gives NXT some exposure to a newer audience, and because i doubt Triple H of all people would book them to be eliminated early.
– Catherine
Cattie's Womens Wrestling 