RAW: Becky’s Choice
Stephanie McMahon and Triple H kicked off this week’s RAW from Grand Rapids in the center of the ring, announcing both Elimination Chamber matches at this Sunday’s pay-per-view. Stephanie also mentioned that Ronda Rousey will be defending her RAW Women’s Championship at the pay-per-view, against Ruby Riott—and if Ronda is successful in this defense, she’ll be going to WrestleMania and defending the title against Becky Lynch.
“Or,” said Triple H, “that was the plan,” before last week’s RAW (where Becky punched Stephanie and Stephanie kicked her in the injured leg) and SmackDown (where Triple H said “Becky Lynch fears Ronda Rousey,” so she slapped him). But Stephanie said they’d “do what’s best for business,” despite all the personal drama. Apparently, Becky finally did go see a
Becky Lynch, of course, interrupted Stephanie before she could continue. (She also made a promise to hit Stephanie “harder next time,” which is probably something she’ll be thinking about even more post-RAW.) Surprisingly, Triple H apologized to Becky for everything he said last week. Even more surprisingly, he said that Becky’s doctor spoke to WWE’s doctors, and she’ll be perfectly good to go after a few weeks of physical rehab. So the suspension is lifted, and the match at WrestleMania is back on. Triple H even shook Becky’s hand to seal the deal.
But then Stephanie said the match will actually take place “if and only if” Becky can do one little thing, because “every action has a consequence.” Triple H elaborated: “All you have to do is apologize.” To both of them. (“We apologized to you,” Stephanie added, and while Triple H clearly did, Stephanie clearly didn’t.) Becky seemed (or at least pretended to seem) unsure what she should apologize for since she saw the doctor like Stephanie told her to, but Stephanie told her not to be “stubborn.” To that, Becky told her to “shut your face,” because she doesn’t trust the McMahon-Helmsley family, especially after their decades of screwing Superstars. She had a point. And she also made a promise to fight Stephanie, Triple H, and even Vince McMahon. But she would not be apologizing:
“Take your apology, and shove it up your arse.”
Becky was officially done with this “conversation,” but Stephanie blocked her from leaving the ring, and then Triple H decided to tell both women to “calm down”—a bold choice—telling Becky “this is not the hill you want to die on.” In fact, it was time for a new tactic, so Triple H dangled Becky’s WrestleMania opportunity—and the potential of throwing it all away—in front of her. He gave her a “choice”: Becky had until to the end of this week’s RAW to choose between the main event of WrestleMania (which meant apologizing) or to “throw it all away.”
Throughout the night, Becky Lynch got advice from a few Superstars about the situation. First up, Finn Balor spoke with Becky before his match against Drew McIntyre (and two other consecutive matches). Balor surprisingly told Becky not to let her pride get the better of her. “It’s better to wait and bide your time,” he said. “I’ve seen pride get the better of many a man. Don’t let it get the better of ‘The Man’.” Becky thanked him for his advice… and complimented his abs, as you do when you’re talking to Finn Balor and his abs.
Later, during the Ruby Riott vs. Nikki Cross match, Ronda Rousey approached Becky, as this whole situation of course directly affects the RAW Women’s Champion too. Ronda told Becky to apologize to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon even if she doesn’t mean it because if she doesn’t apologize, she’d just be admitting to the WWE Universe (and really, the world) she’s “too much of a coward” to the champ at WrestleMania. Simply put?
“It’s time for ‘The Man’ to man up.”
Last but not least, Alexa Bliss had a moment of Bliss for Becky to think about. Unlike Becky’s friend and Becky’s rival, Alexa—certainly no friend of Becky’s—told “The Man” not to apologize. In fact, she told her: “The moment you apologize is the moment you show weakness.” She noted how a lot of the women in the locker room actually look up to Becky, and that wouldn’t be the case if she fell in line.
But come on, Becky knows Alexa, and she quickly pointed out how if she doesn’t apologize, it means Ronda wouldn’t have an opponent at WrestleMania… and Alexa could worm her way into the spot. (While this foretold the end of tonight’s RAW, Becky was worried about the wrong blonde.) Alexa told Becky she just wanted to see her “be true” to herself, but Becky fired back with (a pretty truthful), “There is not a genuine bone in your body.” With that, Alexa actually turned off the sweet attitude, but she still sticks stuck to her guns when it came to what she was telling Becky: Everyone would think Becky’s a chump if she apologized.
In between the moments of advice, Charly Caruso interviewed Becky Lynch, asking her what she would say to her fans if she didn’t apologize and ended up out of WrestleMania. Becky told her quite simply: “Charly, that’s none of your damn business.”
So after The Revival became the new RAW Tag Team Champions, it was decision time for “The Man.” Stephanie McMahon had one question for her:
“Are you going to say those two little words or are you gonna throw away your moment in history?”
Triple H told Becky to shut out the WWE Universe—who didn’t want her to apologize—saying “their opinions don’t matter.” (And here I thought the WWE Universe was “The Authority” now.) Becky finally spoke up. If all that was keeping her from living her dream were “two little words, she’d say ‘em. What words? Well, the WWE Universe had two words they wanted her to say to Triple H and Stephanie, but she ended up actually saying “I’m sorry.” She didn’t shake Triple H’s hand this time though. But she made clear she didn’t want any more roadblocks:
“No one is taking my dream away from me.”
Triple H congratulated Becky, letting her know she’s going to WrestleMania, and he and Stephanie left the ring. No muss no fuss, so Becky decided to officially call out Ronda, now with the confidence that this match was going down. (Provided Ronda successfully defends at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, that is.)
And Ronda headed right to the ring just as quickly as Becky called her “Ron-Ron,” ready to face-off. But before they could talk it out or fight it out or arm-break it out, out came Vince McMahon to stop them from doing “something silly.” He said Stephanie was right earlier, that the match between Ronda and Becky “could be” the greatest main event in WrestleMania history.
But he also pointed out that both Becky and Ronda seem to think they’re too big for WWE and that they run things around here. And unlike Triple H and Stephanie, he doesn’t forgive Becky. According to Vince, he’s the only one in WWE who can be considered“The Man.” So he suspended Becky Lynch again—this time for 60 days, ending five days after WrestleMania—and replaced her with someone who, according to him, knows how to stay in their lane, Charlotte Flair.
Becky was obviously incensed, but so was Ronda, who’s definitely had her own issues with Charlotte. And Vince made clear he was 100% rooting for “The Queen” of WWE, as he raised Charlotte’s arm and let the RAW Women’s Champion know that image would be how WrestleMania would end. It’s like Becky had been saying: You can’t trust a McMahon.