On a stacked Monday Night Raw, it was the qualifying match for the final women’s Elimination Chamber spot that provided a reminder of the strength and depth of the women’s division.
The bout between the Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez and NXT’s Roxanne Perez was a real mismatch of styles and size. On paper, the towering Rodriguez posed the compact Perez a real problem. Yet, it was the NXT starlet who emerged with a shock victory.
The bout was entertaining, the cat and mouse style pursuit allowing both Rodriguez’s strength and Perez’s versatility to shine. Importantly, it is a result that that benefits both Perez’s momentum and Rodriguez’s ongoing narrative and feud.
Distractions Prove Deadly for Raquel Rodriguez
In recent weeks, Rodriguez and Liv Morgan have been concerned with the tag team champions Bianca Belair and Naomi. Rodriguez and Morgan are owed a shot at the titles following their recent win over the champions. That, and the ongoing investigation into the attack on Jade Cargill, left Rodriguez feeling distracted – a weakness that Perez exploited.
The intervention of Bianca Belair and Naomi provided Perez with a window of opportunity. Storming the match from both the stage and the audience, Morgan soon found herself pinched between the tag team champions, distracting Rodriguez in the process. Roxanne Perez took full advantage, dropping Rodriguez with an emphatic Pop Rocks and booking her first trip to the Elimination Chamber.
A Result With Serious Storyline Ramifications
The tag team champions’ intervention heaped more fuel on the feud which will resume next Monday with a long awaited tag team championship match. With a feud dating back to Jade Cargill’s attack in November, that will be the biggest headline to come out of this dramatic final qualifier. Speculation continues to grow regarding Cargill’s return to action.
How she’ll greet both Belair and Naomi and Rodriguez and Morgan is another point of debate within the WWE Universe. Her attacker’s identity remains unknown, with a number of female superstars in proximity to the incident when it occurred.
Assuming that Cargill knows her attacker, a return next Monday could have major consequences for both the champions and challengers.
Vengeance continues to occupy Belair and Naomi which could be exacerbated if they lose the tag titles next Monday. Either way, Morgan will be vulnerable to Belair and Naomi in the Chamber now that Rodriguez has failed to qualify. As for Roxanne Perez, she too will have an eye on a formidable foe. Her feud with Bayley will is sure to be amplified when they come to blows within the Chamber.
Another Tough Night for The Judgment Day
For the Judgment Day, it’s been an abysmal episode of Raw. Three losses from three matches will only increase the tension in an already fraying dynamic. Rodriguez and Morgan have the opportunity for redemption next Monday but even a win could be viewed sourly by the agitated Finn Bálor.
As a solo star, Rodriguez has played a big part in the success of Morgan’s recent world title run. Their bond runs deep, having already won the Tag Team Championships together twice.
However, Rodriguez has done enough in recent months to suggest she’s capable of a significant singles push. If it’s at the expense of her alliance with Morgan or her position in the Judgment Day, it will surely prove damaging for the already troubled stable.
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