We see footage from last week of Rhea Ripley’s altercation backstage with Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan, and how this led to the two losing their WWE Women’s Tag-Team Championships to Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green.
Back live, we see Byron Saxton who is joined by Liv Morgan. He asks her about Rodriguez’s injury. Morgan says she’s a big tough girl and she’ll be back soon to handle Rhea. She says for tonight, Rhea is all hers. Morgan points out she’s the last person to beat Ripley.
Before Saxton can send it back to Patrick and Graves, up walks the new women’s champs. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green ask how he can worry about interviewing Liv instead of them.
Rhea Ripley walks up and they kiss her butt and pretend they were just talking about how everything should be about her. They nervously walk off. Ripley tells Saxton she warned Liv and Raquel to get out of her way. She says she handled Rodriguez last week for ignoring this and now she’s about to handle Morgan. We head to another commercial break.
Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green are backstage and they run into Xia Li. They ask her to sign something. They approach Johnny Gargano, Candace LeRae, and Indi Hartwell. They say it is a petition for a WrestleMania rematch. They refuse to sign it. Gargano says the family is back together.
Sonya and Chelsea are backstage and Liv says they will sign their petition. Raquel says all they had to do was ask for a rematch. She says they will see them next week after they beat Damage CTRL. Sonya says they planned on Damage CTRL beating them and then the will face Damage CTRL.
Bianca Belair vs. Chelsea Green
Now we return inside the show venue for this evening where we hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme music of “The EST of WWE” Bianca Belair. As the Raw Women’s Champion heads to the ring, we head to a pre-match commercial break.
When we return from the break, we see Belair settled into the ring and her music dies down. The theme for her opponent plays and out comes Chelsea Green accompanied by Carmella. We hear the commentators joke about how many times Green has texted Adam Pearce today alone.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this non-title women’s showdown. We see Belair jump off to an offensive lead coming out of the gate while Graves talks on commentary about Twitter getting on his case for talking too frequently about how hot his wife, Carmella, is.
As Green starts to take over, she goes for a cover and nearly gets the win, but Belair hangs on to keep this one alive. She yells at her off-mic that close wasn’t close enough as she starts to take over on offense. On that note, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the match continues.
We return from the break and see Belair taking it to Chelsea. Green is shown on the apron outside of the ring ropes. Belair rolls her up from there as she crashes through the ropes into the pin attempt, but kicks out at two. She gets back up and takes over control of the offense. Belair takes back over and hits her K.O.D. for the pin fall victory.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Chelsea Green approaches Adam Pearce in his office. She says he knows who she is by now, she’s not just some clown who deserves to be humiliated on national TV. She sent a strong-worded letter to Pearce’s manager after what’s happened in recent weeks. Pearce says the letters came to him because he runs both shows, he’s the one who responded and said he would take her complaints under advisement. Green says then she’s sure Pearce will treat her like the star she is. She says she wasn’t ready for Asuka last week and wants a re-do. Green says she deserves to be in the Elimination Chamber so why not put her in tonight’s Triple Threat main event. Pearce says that’s not happening. Green says she’s not leaving his office until he puts her in. Green warns Pearce she will scream if he touches her because she feels very threatened right now. Pearce walks off and Green asks where he’s going. Come back, hello?
Back from the break and tonight’s Progressive Match Flo looks back at how Natalya qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber last week by winning a Fatal 4 Way. Sonya Deville is backstage now complaining to Adam Pearce about how she’s not in the Chamber. Chelsea Green walks up and she’s looking for the SmackDown manager to file a complaint on the RAW manager. Pearce says that’s him, the same guy. Green says he’s being rude. Green says she has facial amnesia, then asks if Pearce is discriminating against her. Pearce says no. Green asks Deville if she can believe how Pearce is talking to them. Deville says there is no “us” and never will be. Pearce says they both want special treatment but around here you have to earn your opportunities. Pearce says they both have so much in common. Pearce books Green and Deville vs. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for tonight. Green protests but Pearce says it’s official, then he walks off. Deville isn’t friendly with Green as she rolls her eyes.
Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville vs. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez
We go back to the ring and already out are Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. The music hits and out comes Raquel Rodriguez, then her partner Liv Morgan. They head to the ring together.
The bell hits and Deville takes control of Liv with a headlock. Deville drops Liv with a shoulder, then poses over h r. They run the ropes and Liv dropkicks Deville. Liv keeps control and hits a back corner splash, then a high knee.
Liv goes on but runs into a big knee strike from Deville for a 2 count. Green tags in and takes control of Liv. Green works her over and tags in Deville for the double team. Liv with a big back elbow to Deville. Deville prevents a tag, sending Liv back to their corner. Liv fights Deville off and keeps hitting Green on the apron. She drops Deville and knocks Green off the apron to the floor.
Raquel tags in and runs wild on Deville. Raquel with a big fall-away slam, then the corkscrew elbow from the corner. Deville kicks out at 2. Deville kicks Raquel off from the corner. Green tags in but she’s not ready to deal with Raquel. She stalls and Raquel slams her in over the top rope.
Green charges but accidentally knocks Deville off the apron. Raquel follows-up with the Texana Bomb to Green in the middle of the ring. Liv tags in and hits Green with Ob-Livion. Raquel then powerbombs Liv on top of Green for the pin to win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan
Cathy Kelley is backstage with Adam Pearce, who has two announcements. He confirms Becky Lynch vs. Bayley in a Steel Cage for next week. He also announces that we will figure out the WrestleMania 39 opponent for RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will be determined in a Women’s Elimination Chamber Match. The first 4 competitors have qualified as they were the final four competitors in the Women’s Royal Rumble – Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, Nikki Cross, Asuka. One of the final two competitors will be determined next week in a Fatal 4 Way with Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, Piper Niven, and the returning Carmella. Chelsea Green taps on Pearce’s shoulder and asks if he’s the manager. She wants to talk about the unacceptable accommodations she’s been given. She’s not just any returning Superstar, she’s Chelsea Green. She asks where her private locker room is, and where is the fresh spring water with Swiss chocolates. Green wants this resolved immediately. Pearce tells her to let’s go get you some Swiss chocolate.
Gallery: Screencaptures > World Wrestling Entertainment > Monday Night RAW > 2023 > January 30th
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match:
Back from a break and Samantha Irvin announces the rules for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. The music hits and out comes Rhea Ripley at #1. We see what happened with Ripley and WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Beth Phoenix during the Men’s Royal Rumble. The winner of this match will earn a title shot at WrestleMania 39. Out next comes Liv Morgan at #2.
The bell rings and Liv points at the WrestleMania 39 sign. They go at it now. Ripley beats Liv down and smiles. Ripley tosses Liv into the corner. Liv fights back but Ripley rocks her and runs over her with a big boot. Liv blocks a suplex and drops Ripley, then hits the hip attack in the corner. Liv leaps off the top but Ripley catches her for a big suplex right as Dana Brooke comes out at #3. Brooke has been in every Women’s Rumble now. Brooke goes to the top with a double missile dropkick.
Brooke goes to work now. She launches Ripley shoulder-first into the ring post. Brooke slams Liv and basement dropkicks her. Liv goes to the top but Brooke cuts her off. Brooke climbs up and they fight. Brooke with a superplex. The #4 entrant is Emma to make her Rumble debut. Ripley grabs Brooke for a slam but it’s countered, or botched and they fall to the mat. Emma attacks Ripley and they tangle. Emma with a takedown. Emma and Liv double team Ripley in the corner. They all three try to dump Ripley but she hangs on. The #5 entrant is Shayna Baszler.
Baszler drops Emma, then fights off Ripley by bending her fingers back. Liv attacks Baszler from behind but Baszler drops her and nails a roundhouse kick. Baszler blocks Brooke and nails a backbreaker. Baszler drops Brooke and stomps the elbow. Ripley works on Emma while Baszler works on Brooke. Liv attacks Baszler to save Brooke. The #6 entrant is Bayley. Bayley dances to the ring and enters but Liv catches her with Ob-Liv-ion. Liv tries to dump Bayley but she hangs on. Bayley fights Liv off and mounts her with kicks and a right hand in the corner. The #7 entrant is “B-Fab” Briana Brandy in her Rumble debut. B-Fab blocks Emma and drops her, then fights of Liv and Baszler. B-Fab slams Brooke, then side-steps Bayley and superkicks her. B-Fab tangles with Ripley but gets dropped. Ripley eliminates B-Fab.
Ripley taunts B-Fab after the 36 second elimination, and Ripley has blood on her face. WWE NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez is out next at #8. Perez leaps off the top with a crossbody to Brooke. Perez runs wild on Baszler and Emma at the same time in the corner. Brooke fights off Ripley and launches her with a scissors. Perez is fired up to the home state pop. Perez keeps control and tries to dump Bayley. Emma and Liv and Brooke help her but Bayley hangs on. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Dakota Kai is out next at #9. Kai saves Bayley, then delivers a backbreaker to Perez. Brooke and Liv attack the Damage CTRL members, and now others join in.
The #10 entrant is WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion IYO SKY. Bayley and Kai are about to be eliminated but SKY hits the ring and nails a double missile dropkick to Liv and Brooke. SKY keeps delivering offense, taking out Baszler and others to a pop. Damage CTRL tries to dump Emma but she fights back in. also kicking Brooke. Damage CTRL eliminates Brooke, then they laugh at her. Kai eliminates Emma. Damage CTRL eliminates Perez now. Natalya makes her return at #11, coming back from the broken nose caused by Baszler, who looks shocked. Natalya decks Bayley, then Kai, then SKY, then Liv. Baszler nails her from behind. Baszler unloads on Natalya in the corner. Candice LeRae is out at #12.
LeRae hits the ring and attacks Kai, then launches SKY to the apron. LeRae sends Bayley into them both as she charges, but they hang on after being sent to the apron. Baszler levels LeRae with a big knee to the jaw. Natalya works on Liv. Natalya and Baszler have words again. Natalya slaps her, then nails a big German suplex off a counter. Baszler sends Natalya to the apron but she hangs on. Natalya ducks a kick and sends Baszler to the apron but she hangs on, only one foot touched. Baszler with the Kirifuda Clutch. Damage CTRL eliminates Natalya and Baszler at the same time. NXT’s Zoey Stark is out next at #13.
Stark rushes in and levels Bayley, then superkicks Liv, then takes out Kai with a kick. Stark launches SKY onto her head. Ripley sends Stark to the apron but she hangs on and fights back in. Stark works on dumping Ripley but she hangs on Damage CTRL works on LeRae and Liv in the corner. The timer goes off and the #14 entrant is Xia Li. Bayley begs Cole for help as she hangs on. Li hits the ring and unloads with kicks to her opponents. Li climbs Ripley in the corner and elbows her, then drops her again. SKY and Kai double team LeRae but she spikes them both to the mat. Bayley decks LeRae. LeRae fights Damage CTRL off again. SKY shoves LeRae off the top to eliminate her.
Becky Lynch is out at #15. Damage CTRL is worried. Lynch marches to the ring to a pop. SKY and Kai meet her at ringside but she drops them. Becky enters the ring and unloads on Bayley, beating her down in the corner to a pop. Lynch goes through the second rope but she’s not eliminated. She pulls Bayley out and sends her to the barrier. Becky fights Damage CTRL at ringside but they triple team her, sending her into the barrier. Officials order them to get back in the ring but thy toss Lynch over the announce table. The #16 entrant is Tegan Nox. Nox flies off the top and goes to work on the other competitors. Nox with a Facebuster to Li. Nox with a knee to Kai’s face. Liv leaps off Nox’s back to deck Stark. Nox with a Shiniest Wizard to Stark.
The #17 entrant is Asuka to a massive pop. Asuka is wearing a new Japanese Namahage mask. She removes the mask and has new face paint on. Asuka enters the ring and everyone is terrified. Asuka levels Nox, then Liv. Stark attacks but Asuka nails a German suplex. Bayley charges but Asuka dodges her elbow drop. Asuka and Bayley go at it now after Bayley slaps her. Asuka just laughs and smiles after the slap. Asuka yells out and unloads with strikes. Asuka tosses Bayley but she hangs on. Bayley decks Asuka and hangs her over the top rope. Nox attacks Asuka and thy tangle. Nox kicks Asuka down. Asuka eliminates Nox with a big kick.
Asuka blocks an elimination by Bayley. The #18 entrant is Piper Niven, no longer being called Doudrop, and making her return from heart issues. Niven drops Bayley, then Nox, then Stark. Niven with a big corner splash to Stark. Niven catches Li in mid-air, slams her and hits a senton. Niven drops Liv and Bayley, then splashes them both at the same time. The #19 entrant is Tamina Snuka. Tamina rushes in and stares Niven down. They face off in the middle of the ring as fans pop. They’re attacked by others but they fight them off. Niven and Tamina go at it now. Tamina superkicks Niven down. Damage CTRL beats Tamina down but Lynch makes the save as she re-enters the match. Lynch with double inverted DDTs to Kai and SKY. The #20 entrant is Chelsea Green making her return to WWE.
Green talks trash and enters the ring but Ripley immediately tosses her out for the elimination. Green throws a fit at ringside. Becky eliminates Kai, then SKY. Bayley eliminates Lynch and fans boo. Liv comes from behind to eliminate Bayley. Damage CTRL triple teams Becky at ringside now. Lynch and Damage CTRL brawl through the crowd now. The #21 entrant is Zelina Vega, who is dressed as a Street Fighter 6 character. Cole says Vega will be doing commentary for the game. Vega hits the ring and hits a big Destroyer to Ripley. Niven scoops Vega and places her on the apron. Vega fights back and drops Niven. Vega points at the WrestleMania 39 sign. Li attacks Vega on the apron and they go at it. Vega catches a kick and slams Li on her face. Vega eliminates Li with a kick. Vega spikes Niven and kicks her.
The #22 entrant is Raquel Rodriguez to a big home state pop. Raquel runs wild with power moves, and takes down Ripley with a big shot. Raquel also takes Asuka down. Vega attacks but Raquel fights her off. The timer goes off and the #23 entrant is Mia Yim. Yim rushes in and fights Stark off, nailing a big tornado DDT. Yim dropkicks Tamina down in the corner. Yim keeps fighting and drops Ripley with a tornado DDT. Niven decks Yim and tries to eliminate her but she hangs on. Raquel works on eliminating Stark but she also comes back in. Vega and Yim, and Asuka, triple team Niven.
The #24 entrant is Lacey Evans. Evans rushes in and levels Niven with a kick, then she kicks Tamina and Liv. Tamina tosses Evans to the apron but she fights back in. Stark drops Evans on the apron but Evans kicks her down. Evans launches herself in from the apron with a big elbow drop to Stark. Evans stands tall and salutes. Tamina clotheslines Evans from behind. The #25 entrant is Michelle McCool.
McCool is still at ringside with her daughters. She removes her jacket and comes over the barrier. Tamina meets McCool at ringside but McCool sends her into the ring post and steel steps. McCool comes in and drops Ripley, then Niven, then catches Vega in mid-air with the Faithbreaker. McCool continues taking people out and poses for a pop. Tamina comes back in and attacks but McCool sends her to the apron. McCool eliminates Tamina. McCool works on Niven in the corner now. The #26 entrant is Indi Hartwell of NXT.
Indi hits the ring and mounts offense. A lot of people are down and suffering as the match goes on. The #27 entrant is Sonya Deville. Stark and Yim trade offense now. Yim hits Eat Defeat. Deville enters and levels Stark. Deville eliminates Stark, telling her to go back to NXT. Deville drops Raquel but Asuka attacks. Asuka and Deville go at it now, dropping each other with kicks. Vega fights off Evans. Raquel unloads on Liv in the corner. Evans chokes Vega out with the Cobra Clutch, then launches her to the floor. Vega has been eliminated.
Shotzi makes her return at #28, riding her TCB Tank. Shotzi rushes the ring and goes to the top, then flies at Raquel and Niven with a double crossbody. Raquel tosses Shotzi into the ropes but she fights back. Shotzi sends Evans to the apron but she hangs on. Deville tries to eliminate Shotzi but she hangs on. Indi fights Deville off from the apron. Deville eliminates Indi. The #29 entrant is Nikki Cross. Cross sprints to the ring and nails Shotzi, then fights off Deville, Liv, Asuka, Yim, McCool, Niven, Ripley Evans, Raquel. Cross is fired up as she removes her jacket and points to the WrestleMania 39 sign. Cross and Evans go at it now. Asuka works on dumping Liv. Niven works on McCool.
The timer goes off and the #30 entrant is Nia Jax. Everyone stops and watches Jax march to the ring. Jax is all smiles. She enters and dares anyone to attack. They all attack her but she explodes out. Jax starts dropping opponents now. Raquel and Jax face off in the middle of the ring to a big pop. Raqul can’t scoop Jax and she gets dropped. Liv jumps on Jax’s back but gets slammed. Jax screams out about being back, bitch. Everyone takes turns on Jax now, stunning her. Ripley beats Jax down. Ripley manages to hit a Riptide on Jax. Ripley then orders everyone to eliminate Jax. Jax has been eliminated.
Jax remains at ringside and she’s not happy. Cross and McCool fight in the corner. Niven and Liv go at it. Ripley kicks Raquel away. Deville works on Asuka. Evans and Raquel go at it. Raquel eliminates Evans. Asuka and Raquel go at it now. Asuka blocks the Texana Bomb and takes Raquel down in a submission. Raquel powers up and slams Asuka to the apron. Deville attacks Raquel. Raquel sends Deville to the apron but she hangs on. Deville and Asuka double team Raquel from the apron. Asuka knees Deville but Deville kicks her. Asuka kicks Deville to the floor an she’s eliminated.
Ripley eliminates McCool. Yim works on Shotzi, then eliminates her with Eat Defeat. Niven eliminates Yim. Niven with big power moves to Raquel to put her down in the corner. Raquel sends Niven tot he apron and eliminates her with a big boot. Raquel celebrates but Ripley attacks. They tangle and Ripley eliminates Raquel with a boot. Cross and Asuka fight Ripley off after she tries to dump them. Cross and Asuka fight on the apron now. Liv eliminates Cross.
It’s down to Liv, Ripley and Asuka now. Asuka fights them both off. Asuka is double teamed. Ripley is sent to the apron by Liv but she fights back. Liv is pulled to the apron and kicked down by Ripley. Asuka with a Hip Attack but Ripley blocks it. Asuka is also pulled to the apron, and all three are out. Asuka spits her mist but Ripley ducks and it hits Liv. Ripley eliminates Asuka.
Ripley smiles and taunts Asuka while Liv is blinded by the mist. Ripley grabs Liv but Liv nails Ob-Liv-ion. Ripley slips off the apron but she hangs on. Liv still can’t see but Ripley pulls herself up and grabs her with a scissors, then launches her to the floor for the final elimination to get the win.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
After the match, Ripley sits up and bites the ropes as the music hits. She is all smiles as Asuka and Liv look on from the floor. Ripley hits the corner to pose, and she points up at the WrestleMania 39 sign s the pyro goes off. We see more pyro going off outside of The Alamodome. We go to replays. Ripley continues her celebration while sitting on the top turnbuckle.
Gallery: World Wrestling Entertainment > Digitals > Pay-Per-View > 2023 > Royal Rumble
