WWE Monday Night Raw continues. We get a card rundown for Backlash culminating in hyping Asuka vs. Nia Jax – this is actually Jax’s first mention on the show as far as I recall even though Asuka has appeared plenty. I presume we’ll see her in this closing segment as Asuka comes out for this main event match against Charlotte Flair. Right as the bell rings, Sasha Banks and Bayley come out once again and join the commentary booth I suppose.
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair (Non-title)
As Asuka is distracted, Charlotte catches her with a clothesline! Asuka out to the apron, Flair rushes in but Asuka with a kick to the head and another to the back of the neck. Into the ring, Charlotte takes over and shoulder thrusts her in the corner. Asuka with a boot up off a charge, Flair sidesteps a dropkick. Asuka catches a kick, turns it into a German attempt but Flair with a back elbow breaks it up, running kick to the face! Pulls Asuka to the floor, tosses her over the broadcast table! Commercial break.
We come back to see Charlotte attacking Asuka on the floor. Asuka fights back with a roundhouse kick to the head, rolls back into the ring. Flair with a boot from the apron, enters the ring, ducks a clothesline, Hip Attack but Charlotte catches her out of the air and tries for a German Suplex, but Asuka cinches her into an Octopus Stretch! Charlotte breaks it though, double leg into a Basement Dropkick! IIconics are watching from the crowd. Charlotte trips her facefirst into the mat. Hooks both arms, stomps her back. Grinds the knee into Asuka’s back. Flair takes her to the apron, knee lifts to the chest until she falls to the floor! Wants a Baseball Slide, Asuka evades it and re-enters the ring – Dragon Screw Legwhip across the rope!
Flair sells that big as she crumples to the floor, Asuka with a big hip attack sends her into the barricade! Flair reverses a whip to send her into the barrier as well though, clothesline into the plexiglass! Throws Asuka into the ring and follows her inside. Pulls down a knee pad! Drives the point of it right into her face repeatedly, side headlock cinched! Charlotte hooks her for a suplex, Asuka reverses into an inside cradle for 2, big clothesline from Charlotte for a nearfall! Takes her to the floor and says this is your Raw Women’s Champion. Boasts about being in the main event two nights in a row. Baseball slide from Flair, the two of them exchange shots, Asuka with a series of leg kicks! Takes her into the ring, goes up top! Charlotte with a charging big boot takes Asuka to the floor! But in that moment, the IIconics attack Sasha Banks and Bayley at the booth! They drive them into the barrier! Double team to toss Bayley atop the announce table right before the commercial break!
Flair with a series of knife edge chops as we come back, last one takes Asuka to the mat! In the corner, Asuka with a boot up, driving hip attack for a nearfall! Couple of roundhouse kicks, Flair ducks one for a roll-up but Asuka with a Cross-Armbreaker now! Flair rolls over, raining down forearms until the hold is broken! Looking for a bodyslam, Asuka escapes behind her, ducks a clothesline and wants another hip attack but this time Charlotte catches it and turns it into a Back Suplex for a nearfall! Flair grinds the back of Asuka’s neck against the top rope as she demands the people cheer for their champion.
She takes Asuka to the mat with a chinlock. Asuka fights to her feet and tries for a jawbreaker but Flair blocks it and takes her back down. Asuka back up to her feet, Charlotte takes her down Backslide style, knee to the face and just puts a foot on her to cover for an easy kickout! Off a whip, Asuka bounces off the middle rope for a lovely missile dropkick! Blocks a big boot, German Suplex nailed! Hip attack in the corner takes her to her knees, roundhouse kicks to the back! Hits the ropes, hip attack sends her to the floor! Charlotte throws her into the ring but Asuka rebounds for a driving knee from the apron that nails her flush in the face! Takes Flair up to the apron, hooks for a suplex, Flair blocking it… big boot sends Asuka onto the apron!
Charlotte sends her to the floor again. She pulls her towards the barrier, scales it and flips off for a moonsault press! Takes Asuka into the ring. A very tired “This Is Awesome” chant sounds and it’s actually kinda sad to listen to but this is legitimately a really good match. Charlotte driving Asuka’s leg into the ringpost repeatedly. Asuka pulls Charlotte facefirst into the post! Pulls her up by the hair, Charlotte with a forearm. As she’s hooked in the ropes, Charlotte hits a charging big boot to the face! Looking for the Figure Four for surprisingly the first time in the match, Asuka kicks her away – Charlotte wants a spear but Asuka surprises her with a high knee to the face mid-dash! Nearfall!! Looking for the Asukalock, Flair flips to turn it into a cover, Asuka rolls her over, there’s a wild variation of the Octopus Stretch! But Flair escapes, grabs the ankle, Asuka kicks her away.
Flair gets the Spear this time and covers for a narrow nearfall! Exchange of forearms as they rise, Asuka blocks a shot and looks for an armbar, trying to transition to an Asukalock but Flair drives her into the corner to break it! Asuka with a roundhouse kick to the head! Finally out comes Nia Jax to appear on the apron, Asuka kicks her to a knee and hip attacks her to the floor! But Flair catches her with a big boot off the distraction, it looks like Asuka kicks out at the last second but the ref counts three on the pin!
Winner: Charlotte Flair
Strong match and I have to think this is setting up Asuka’s next feud post-Backlash. Interestingly on the replay they cut away right before the three count, not sure if the kickout was on purpose or not. Nia Jax then pulls Asuka up and plants her with a Samoan Drop.
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