A Tag Team Turmoil match has been announced for WrestleMania 37 on April 10, with the winners facing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions the following day on April 11.
It was announced on tonight’s Raw that Lana & Naomi, Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose, The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan), and Tamina and Natalya will compete in a Tag Team Turmoil match. The winners of that match on Saturday will advance to the second night of WrestleMania, where they will face WWE Women’s Tag Team champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax for the titles.
Jax and Baszler appeared on tonight’s show, defeating Asuka and Rhea Ripley after Ripley abandoned her tag team partner. After the match, the champions were confronted backstage by all of the aforementioned teams.
The team of Billie Kay and Carmella was also brought up as possibly taking part in the match. Jax asked Kay if she even had a partner for the match. Kay mentioned that Carmella was looking at her resume, which she gave to Carmella this past Friday.
This will be the first time Asuka has wrestled since teaming with Charlotte Flair in a loss against Baszler & Nia Jax on Raw three weeks ago. Dave Meltzer reported in last week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Asuka suffered a concussion when she was kicked by Baszler in that tag team match. Asuka also lost a tooth when Baszler kicked her.
Charlotte cut a promo on Raw two weeks ago declaring that she wants to challenge for Asuka’s Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37.
Baszler & Jax are defending their WWE Women’s Tag Team titles against SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair at this Sunday’s Fastlane pay-per-view. Ahead of the PPV, Banks will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Jax on Friday’s SmackDown.
Two title matches have been announced for tonight’s Raw. The Hurt Business (Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander) will defend their Raw Tag Team titles against The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods), while United States Champion Riddle will defend his title against Mustafa Ali.
Belair & Banks also challenged for Baszler & Jax’s titles at Elimination Chamber last month but lost when Banks was distracted by Carmella’s sommelier Reginald. Reginald is infatuated with Banks in storyline and tried to give her a champagne bottle to use as a weapon, but Banks refused and was then pinned by Jax after Jax hit a Samoan drop.
Belair was the winner of this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match. It was officially announced last week that Belair is challenging for Banks’ SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37.
This Friday’s SmackDown will also feature Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso in a steel cage match. If Bryan wins, he’ll get a Universal Championship shot against Roman Reigns at Fastlane. If Uso wins, Bryan has to acknowledge Reigns as the tribal chief, the head of the table, and the best wrestler on the planet.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair are set to team up again on the road to their title match at WrestleMania.
WWE has announced that Banks & Belair will challenge for Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s Women’s Tag Team titles at Fastlane on Sunday, March 21. The pay-per-view will stream live on the WWE Network and Peacock.
This is the first match that’s been announced for Fastlane.
Jax & Baszler retained their titles against Banks & Belair at Elimination Chamber last month. The finish of that match was Jax pinning Banks after Banks was distracted by Carmella’s sommelier Reginald. Reginald, who is infatuated with Banks in storyline, tried to give Banks a champagne bottle to use as a weapon, but Banks refused to use it. Jax then gave Banks a Samoan drop to get the win.
Women’s Royal Rumble winner Belair officially declared on SmackDown last week that she’s challenging for Banks’ SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37.
Jax & Baszler are two-time Women’s Tag Team Champions. They regained the titles by defeating Charlotte Flair & Asuka on January’s Royal Rumble pre-show. On NXT this week, Jax & Baszler retained against Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez after WWE authority figure Adam Pearce got involved in the match. Following a ref bump, Pearce brought a Raw referee out to the ring. Despite Kai not being the legal person, the Raw referee called for the bell when she passed out in Baszler’s Kirifuda Clutch.
Naomi & Lana are also in line to get a Women’s Tag Team title shot at some point.
A singles match between Belair and Baszler has been announced for this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler are headed to NXT for a title defense tonight.
The Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line as Jax & Baszler defend against Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez on tonight’s show. Kai & Gonzalez got the title shot by winning the first-ever women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Kai & Gonzalez defeated Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in the women’s Dusty Classic finals at TakeOver: Vengeance Day last month.
Men’s Dusty Classic winners MSK were supposed to challenge for Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch’s NXT Tag Team titles tonight, but that match won’t be taking place on the show due to MSK’s Wes Lee suffering a broken hand. Instead, Lorcan & Burch will face Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher in non-title action.
Lee suffered the injury when MSK defeated The Grizzled Young Veterans in the men’s Dusty Classic finals at TakeOver: Vengeance Day. In storyline, the injury was said to have happened when The Grizzled Young Veterans attacked MSK last week.
Dexter Lumis defeated NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano in a non-title match last week after Austin Theory refused to hit Lumis with a steel chair. Due to the Stockholm syndrome Theory has shown since returning from being abducted by Lumis, The Way will attend therapy tonight.
WWE will also follow up on last week’s show-closing angle that saw Adam Cole turn against Roderick Strong, there will be a special look ahead to next week’s Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm NXT Women’s Championship match, and LA Knight will appear. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show is opening with a tag team bout.
NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defeated Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher in a non-title match
Lorcan pinned Thatcher, and the champions won.
Burch and Thatcher started the match for their teams with some chain wrestling. Ciampa and Lorcan each tag in, and they square off. All heck breaks loose and the champions are reeling. Lots of uppercuts from both teams.
Lorcan is grounded by Thatcher, but he used a fish hook to escape Thatcher’s grip. A chopblock targets Thatcher’s knee. Thatcher answered back with a belly-to-belly suplex, but then came a spot teasing an injury. That spot led into a commercial break.
Thatcher took a clothesline, and he looked to have landed on his neck. He immediately rolled out of the ring while clutching his neck. He laid on the floor, and pointed to his neck. He was moving his left hand as if to check for feeling in that arm. The show then cut to commercial, but Thatcher was back in the match when the show returned from the break.
Ciampa in after a hot tag. He ran wild as he mowed down the heel champions with lariats. Ciampa was fired up! Thatcher tagged in to pummel the heels. The champions were taking a beating when they managed to turn the tide.
All four went down selling right before they went home. Imperium appeared on the top of the stage watching the match. The champs spiked Thatcher with an DDT, and Lorcan pinned him.
Finn Balor & Roderick Strong brawl
After a commercial break, Roderick Strong was in the ring. He was clearly pissed off. Strong demanded Adam Cole come to the ring. NXT Champion Finn Balor was out to confront Strong instead.
Strong was angry with Balor, and Strong blamed Balor for Undisputed Era breaking up. Strong said they were fine until Balor showed up in NXT. Balor scoffed. He said the group fell apart over the NXT Championship.
Balor said he had a way to get Cole to show his face. Balor challenged Cole to a championship match next week on NXT. Balor went on to tell Strong he would never be a leader, only a follower.
Strong needed to become selfish and greedy, accordinng to Balor. “Until you get a killer instinct like ‘The Prince’ you will never,” Balor was saying when Strong decked him with a right hand. A brawl erupted, leading to them being pulled apart.
The Way goes to therapy
Up next was a skit with The Way going to therapy. They were all at the Central Florida Psychiatric Center. Austin Theory remarked, “This doesn’t look like Chuck E. Cheese.” Johnny Gargano reassured him. The group was meeting was a clinical psychiatrist named Dr. Linda Nicolu.
The doctor said she normally sees patients one-on-one. Gargano said it was okay because Theory needed his family there for support. The Dexter Lumis “problem” was hurting them all. Theory said there was no problem. Gargano said that is the problem. Theory was kidnapped by Lumis, but Theory claims he was on vacation.
Theory said was just two dudes hanging out. Indi Hartwell was doodling on a notebook “Mrs. Indi Wrestling Lumis,” and Gargano freaked out. He yelled about giving her the “Wrestling” name. He torn up the notebook and said she ruined Christmas.
The doctor said it seemed Gargano’s hostility towards Lumis is exposing deeply rooted isuues within Gargano. He scoffed at the notion. Gargano made a pee joke out of “thera-pee.” He got out of his seat, and he contiued to scream at everyone.
Dr. Nicolu got up from her hair, and yelled at him to get out of her office. He screamed the office was his now because he is the North American Champion. She was having none of it, and she slammed the door in his face. To be continued later in the show.
Cameron Grimes tried to buy his way out of it, but William Regal booked him in a match against Bronson Reed. Also booked for later tonight is Finn Balor vs. Roderick Strong
Ember Moon (with Shotzi Blackheart) defeated Aliyah (with The Robert Stone Brand)
Moon pinned Aliyah in a short match. Moon looked strong, but this felt like filler to pass time.
Robert Stone apparently has PTSD related to Blackheart. Jessi Kamea tried to interfere, but Blackheart made a save with a dive on Kamea and Stone. Moon then delivered The Eclipse.
A great video package hyped the NXT Women’s Championship bout for next week with Toni Storm challenging Io Shirai.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defeated Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai to retain their titles
Baszler submitted Kai to win the match, but the challengers have an out. Kai was not the legal woman in the ring.
Baszler and Kai revisited their history with a call back spot. Kai had much more fight this time around. Both team squared up for a standoff that led into a commercial break. The challengers were in control when the show returned from the break.
Jax tagged in to ragdoll Kai. Jax applied a stretch muffler, and she bounced Kai’s face off the middle turnbuckle. The champs with double team moves.
Gonzalez cleaned house after a hot tag. She was a house of fire, leading to a near fall on Baszler. The challlengers with a double team, and they got another near fall.
Kai went for her finisher, but the knee worked over earlier gave out on her. She buckled. Baszler countered to apply a Kirifuda Clutch. Kai was able to tag Gonzalez despite being trapped in the hold.
The ref got bumped, and he went down. Gonzalez and Jax brawled on the floor, and they crashed onto the announce desk. Baszler again applied her rear naked choke. Adam Pearce sent another ref to the ring. He checked Kai’s arm, which was limp. The ref called for the bell, and the champs retained. However, Kai was not the legal woman in the match.
The Way goes to therapy (cotinued)
The therapy session continues as Theory, Hartwell and Candice LeRae are on the couch. Thoery insists Lumis not who they think he is, and Hartwell still has a huge crush on him. LeRae got caught reading text from Gargano. The doctor kicked everyone out expect Theory.
The doctor told Theory this was a safe space. She asked him what really happened with Lumis. To be continued…
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott was in a recording studio making music. He took a break to cut a promo on Leon Ruff. This was great. Best non-wrestling segment with Scott since he came to NXT.
LA Knight came to the ring for a promo. He was putting himself over when he mentioned TakeOver. Knight said he was better than Tom Brady. He was a trendsetter, and he didn’t come here to do something fancy. He claimed to be the last of a dying breed. Don’t call him the GOAT, just call him LA Knight.
Bronson Reed with his entrance interrupted Knight’s segment. Knight did clear out of the ring, but not before glaring at Reed.
Cameron Grimes defeated Bronson Reed
Grimes pinned Reed after interference by LA Knight. Fun match while it lasted.
Grimes at the start tried to buy off Reed, but Reed punched him in the mouth instead. The handful of cash in Grimes went flying, and it rained down in the ring. Reed manhandled Grimes, and Reed squashed him like a bug after an attempted sunset flip. The show cut to a commercial break with Reed in complete control.
Grimes after the break fought back to execute a one-man running Spanish fly for a two count. Reed hulked up into a comeback. He mowed down Grimes.
Reed flew through the ropes to wipe out Grimes with a dive. Grimes had put on his top hat, and he was leaving when Reed dived onto him. LA Knight came to ringside. Grimes hat had fallen off. He slid it until the ring to distract the ref. Knigth then interfered by tripped up Reed.
Grimes followed with the Cave In for the 1-2-3.
William Regal and Adam Pearce were arguing backstage.
Kayden Carter challenged Xia Li to a match next week on NXT.
The Way goes to therapy (the conclusion)
Theory thought Lumis was a nice guy. The doctor told him that Lumis only brought Theory back because he was tired of him. She said the truth was Lumis couldn’t wait to get used to him. Lumis basically buried Theory to the doctor. Theory broke down crying, and he ran out of the office into the waiting arms of Gargano.
The rest of The Way left the office with Theory. Gargano stayed behind to give the doctor a piece of his mind. Instead, he paid her off. Gargano said she earned every bit of that money, but he took back a $100 bill. Arcade money, he said. Gargano yelled to Theory they were headed to Chuck E. Cheese.
After everyone left her the office Dr. Nicolu concluded the segment with a remark: “What a bunch of idiots.”
Legado del Fantasma attacks
Ever-Rise was in the ring for a match. The were supposed to face Breezango. El Legado del Fantasma attacked Breezango before the match could start. Breezango were spoofing astronauts during their entrance when they were attacked by Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde. Tyler Breeze was not wearing a helmet, but Fandango was wearing a motorcycle helmet. It never came off so that might not have really been Fandango.
Ever-Rise fled the ring when Wilde & Mendoza stormed into the ring. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar came down to ringside, and he cleaned house on Ever-Rise. He laid them both out. This segment seemed to rehab Legado del Fantasma after the loss to Karrion Kross last week. Escobar in a promo even said to not mistake last week for weakness.
Announced for next Wednesday:
Kayden Carer vs. Kayden Carter
NXT Women’s Championship: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm
NXT Championship: Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole
William Regal says has an announcement next week “that will change the landscape of NXT.”
NXT Champion Finn Balor defeated Roderick Strong in a non-title match
Balor pinned Strong to win the match. This was a great match.
Great grappling at the start, and they fought through a commercial break. Balor targeted an arm. Strong came back to work Balor’s back. Backbreaker for a two count, but Balor soon fought back with a series of Irish whips.
Strong answered back with a lariat. Strong rallied into some of his signature spots, and he got a near fall on Balor.
Balor hits Strong with a slingblade, but Strong still caght him in a Boston crab. Strong went for a his falling backbreaker, but Balor countered into a foot stomp. Balor soon struck with a shotgun dropkick, and he followed with a Coup de Grâce. Balor then delivered the 1916, and he covered Strong for a pinfall.
Adam Cole appeared on the stage after the match. He had a staredown with Balor as the show went off the air.
Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair and her potential WrestleMania opponent are set to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team titles.
WWE has announced that Belair & SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks will challenge for Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s Women’s Tag Team titles at this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. The match was announced after Belair, Banks & Carmella’s sommelier Reginald defeated Jax, Baszler & Bayley in a six-person tag match on SmackDown tonight.
Belair & Banks were confronted by Jax & Baszler on SmackDown last week. Jax & Baszler tried to attack Belair & Banks but were sent packing. Tonight, Jax & Baszler appearing on Bayley’s “Ding Dong, Hello!” talk show led to the six-person tag match.
WWE has yet to announce which title Belair will be challenging for at WrestleMania 37. WrestleMania 37 is taking place over two nights on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11.
Jax & Baszler became two-time Women’s Tag Team Champions by winning the titles from Raw Women’s Champion Asuka & Charlotte Flair on last month’s Royal Rumble pre-show.
The team that wins Sunday’s Women’s Tag Team Championship match will be in line to defend their titles against Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez on the Wednesday, March 3 episode of NXT. Kai & Gonzalez got the title shot by winning the first-ever women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Naomi & Lana are also set to receive a Women’s Tag Team title shot at some point. They defeated Asuka & Charlotte and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke in a triple threat match on Raw earlier this month to get an upcoming shot at the titles.
Here’s the updated card for Elimination Chamber:
Elimination Chamber match: WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends against Sheamus, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, and Kofi Kingston (Sheamus will enter the Chamber last)
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against winner of SmackDown’s Elimination Chamber match
United States Champion Bobby Lashley defends against Riddle and Keith Lee in a triple threat match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defend against Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair
Elimination Chamber match: Kevin Owens vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro vs. Jey Uso vs. Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin (winner challenges for Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship later in the night)
Naomi & Lana are the new number one contenders to the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles.
Naomi & Lana defeated Charlotte Flair & Raw Women’s Champion Asuka and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke in a triple threat match on Raw tonight to become the number one contenders to Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s Women’s Tag Team titles. When Naomi & Lana will be getting their title shot hasn’t been announced.
Charlotte tagged out near the end of the number one contender’s match and walked out of the match as Ric Flair and Lacey Evans were coming out to the ring. Asuka then turned around into a Rear View from Naomi. Naomi pinned Asuka to get the win.
Charlotte & Asuka lost the Raw Tag Team titles to Jax & Baszler on Sunday’s Royal Rumble pre-show due to interference by Ric Flair and Evans. Ric gave Evans brass knuckles, then Evans used them to lay Charlotte out with the Woman’s Right.
Naomi and Lana both made their returns as entrants in the women’s Royal Rumble. Lana eliminated her rival Jax in the match.
New Women’s Tag Team Champions were crowned on tonight’s Royal Rumble pre-show.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler regained the Women’s Tag Team titles by defeating Charlotte Flair & Asuka on the Royal Rumble pre-show. Charlotte was pinned by Jax after interference by Ric Flair and Lacey Evans. That interference included Evans pulling Charlotte out of the ring as she was putting Baszler in the Figure Eight. Ric then gave Evans a foreign object to use as she laid out Charlotte with the Woman’s Right while the referee was distracted by Jax
Jax then tagged in, gave Charlotte a leg drop, and pinned her to get the win. Asuka had been thrown over the announce table by Baszler leading into the finish. Asuka checked on Charlotte after the match.
This is Jax & Baszler’s second reign as Women’s Tag Team Champions. They had lost the titles to Charlotte & Asuka at December’s TLC pay-per-view.
Charlotte, Jax, Baszler, and Evans will all be entrants in tonight’s women’s Royal Rumble match.
Asuka currently holds the Raw Women’s Championship. She isn’t defending that title tonight.
One of the matches set for tonight’s Royal Rumble event is now taking place on the pre-show.
Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair & Asuka will defend their titles against Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler on tonight’s Royal Rumble pre-show. The match being moved to the pre-show was first reported by PWinsider and has been confirmed by our Dave Meltzer.
Charlotte, Jax, and Baszler will be pulling double duty at the Royal Rumble, with all three also taking part in the women’s Royal Rumble match.
Charlotte & Asuka won the women’s Tag Team titles from Jax & Baszler at December’s TLC PPV.
Asuka also currently holds the Raw Women’s Championship. She isn’t defending that title at the Royal Rumble tonight.
Tonight’s pre-show begins at 6 p.m. Eastern time. The main card then starts at 7 p.m. Eastern. Here’s what’s been announced for the card:
Men’s Royal Rumble match
Women’s Royal Rumble match
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends against Goldberg
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defends against Carmella
Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair & Asuka defend against Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
The Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line at Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
WWE has announced that Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair & Asuka will defend their titles against former champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler at the Royal Rumble this coming Sunday. Charlotte & Asuka won the Women’s Tag Team titles from Jax & Baszler at December’s TLC PPV.
Jax, Baszler & Lacey Evans defeated Charlotte, Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke in a six-woman tag match on Raw’s go-home show for the Royal Rumble tonight. Charlotte vs. Baszler first took place on the episode but ended in a disqualification when Jax attacked Charlotte as she was going to put Baszler in the Figure Eight. The six-woman tag match had to be restarted after it initially ended in a countout when Baszler didn’t get back into the ring in time.
Charlotte, Jax, and Baszler have all declared for the women’s Royal Rumble match and will be pulling double duty at the PPV. There’s been dissension between Jax and Baszler over them both being entrants in the Royal Rumble.
Asuka also currently holds the Raw Women’s Championship.
The Royal Rumble main card will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday. There will be a pre-show starting at 6 p.m. Eastern.
The Royal Rumble will also feature the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches, Drew McIntyre vs. Goldberg for the WWE Championship, Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match for the Universal Championship, and Sasha Banks vs. Carmella for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Plus, Bad Bunny will perform his hit song “Booker T” live.
Riddle will face The Hurt Business’ Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, and MVP in a gauntlet match on Raw this Monday. If Riddle wins, he’ll earn a shot at Bobby Lashley’s United States Championship. WWE hasn’t announced when Riddle will be getting his title shot.
Benjamin will be Riddle’s first opponent in the gauntlet match. Benjamin & Alexander are the Raw Tag Team Champions.
On Raw two weeks ago, Lashley retained the United States title against Riddle after attacking him before the bell rang.
WWE has also announced that Charlotte Flair will face Shayna Baszler in a singles match on this Monday’s Raw. Charlotte & Asuka won the Women’s Tag Team titles from Baszler & Nia Jax at last month’s TLC pay-per-view.
Charlotte and Baszler were the final two in last year’s women’s Royal Rumble match. Charlotte, Baszler, and Jax have all declared for this year’s women’s Royal Rumble.
Here’s the updated lineup for Monday’s Raw.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and Goldberg return ahead of their title match at the Royal Rumble
Raw Women’s Champion Asuka defends against Alexa Bliss
Hurt Business gauntlet match: Riddle vs. Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, and MVP (if Riddle wins, he becomes the number one contender to Bobby Lashley’s United States Championship)
Former Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler are the first two wrestlers to declare for the 2021 women’s Royal Rumble.
During a promo on Raw tonight, Jax announced that she’s entering the women’s Royal Rumble match. Baszler then said she likes that idea, announcing that she’ll be in the match as well.
Jax said her resolutions for 2021 are to end Charlotte Flair’s climb to the top before it begins, regain the Women’s Tag Team titles, and win the women’s Royal Rumble match and go on to WrestleMania and face the champion.
Charlotte defeated Jax by disqualification in a singles match on Raw tonight. Baszler interfered as Charlotte was going to put Jax in the Figure Eight. Jax and Baszler tried to attack Charlotte after the match, but Asuka made the save.
Charlotte returned at TLC earlier this month, teaming with Asuka as they defeated Jax & Baszler to win the Women’s Tag Team titles.
The 2021 Royal Rumble is taking place on Sunday, January 31. There will be women’s and men’s Royal Rumble matches at the pay-per-view. Daniel Bryan and Bobby Lashley have declared for the men’s Royal Rumble match thus far.
After six months away, Charlotte Flair returned to WWE programming at tonight’s TLC pay-per-view.
Charlotte & Asuka defeated Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler at tonight’s PPV to win the Women’s Tag Team titles. Charlotte pinned Baszler after hitting Natural Selection.
Lana was originally announced as Asuka’s partner for tonight’s Women’s Tag Team title match, but there was an angle on last week’s Raw where Lana was taken out of the match after being attacked by Baszler & Jax. WWE said that Asuka would still be challenging for Baszler & Jax’s titles at TLC but would instead be teaming with a partner of her choosing.
An attack by Jax this June was the storyline reason for Charlotte being off TV.
Dave Meltzer had reported earlier today that Charlotte was expected to return at TLC and team with Asuka. “Flair has been out of action since June 22 when they rushed her into a title match with Asuka on Raw and did an injury angle with Jax afterward,” Meltzer wrote. “She had taken time off for surgery and to pursue some acting gigs, which included recently filming an episode of the remake of Punky Brewster alongside fellow WWE star Alexa Bliss.”
Ric Flair also made an appearance at tonight’s PPV and was shown watching the Women’s Tag Team title match and Charlotte & Asuka’s post-match celebration from backstage.
This is the first time Charlotte has been a Women’s Tag Team Champion.
Asuka, who also holds the Raw Women’s Championship, is now a double champion. She previously held the Women’s Tag Team titles with Kairi Sane.
WWE has announced that Lana is out of TLC following an angle that took place on Monday’s go-home episode of Raw.
It was said on Monday’s Raw that — due to being attacked by Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax earlier in the show — Lana won’t be able to wrestle at TLC. Raw Women’s Champion Asuka and a partner of her choosing will now challenge Baszler & Jax for their Women’s Tag Team titles at the pay-per-view.
Who Asuka will be teaming with at TLC hasn’t been revealed.
Lana defeated Jax on this week’s Raw, pinning her after fighting out of a Samoan drop attempt from the second rope. As Asuka celebrated Lana’s win backstage, she was ambushed by Baszler. Jax then attacked Lana in the ring. Baszler and Jax beat Lana down and ended the attack with Baszler bending Lana’s leg back and Jax giving it multiple leg drops. Asuka then recovered and ran out to make the save.
WWE said that Lana had been taken to a local medical facility and had “devastating injuries to her elbow and leg.” Later on Raw, Baszler vs. Dana Brooke ended in a disqualification when Jax interfered and pushed Brooke off the top rope. Mandy Rose ran out with a kendo stick to make the save for Brooke after the match. She attacked Baszler and Jax with the kendo stick, but Baszler was able to get it away from her. Asuka then attacked Baszler and helped Brooke and Rose clear the ring.
TLC is taking place on Sunday (December 20). Here’s the updated card for the show:
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends his title against Kevin Owens in a tables, ladders, and chairs match
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends his title against AJ Styles in a tables, ladders, and chairs match
SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defends her title against Carmella
Randy Orton vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defend their titles against Asuka and a partner of her choosing
Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) defend their titles against The Hurt Business (Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander)
After getting two non-title wins against the champions, Raw Women’s Champion Asuka & Lana are set to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles.
WWE has announced that Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax will defend their titles against Asuka & Lana at TLC on Sunday, December 20. A stipulation for the match hasn’t been announced as of now.
Asuka & Lana have defeated Baszler & Jax in non-title matches on Raw each of the past two weeks. In their first win, Lana avoided a charging Jax and Jax went over the announce table. Asuka then rolled up Baszler as Baszler was focused on Lana. Baszler had Lana in the Kirifuda Clutch at the end of this week’s tag match, but Asuka broke it up with a kick. Lana then pinned Baszler to get the win.
Lana was the sole survivor for Team Raw in the women’s elimination match at Survivor Series last month. After Baszler and Jax ordered her not to tag in, Lana was the only person left standing after Jax and SmackDown’s Bianca Belair were counted out at the end of the match.
Baszler & Jax have been Women’s Tag Team Champions since winning the titles from Sasha Banks & Bayley this August.
Here’s the updated card for TLC:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends his title against AJ Styles
Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defend their titles against Asuka & Lana
