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WWE moved on from the WrestleMania Backlash event and started to focus on the upcoming Hell in a Cell pay-per-view on this week's episode of RAW. The show saw some of the upcoming feuds being determined, as Bobby Lashley addressed his defeat at the hands of Kofi Kingston the previous week.
Team R-K-Bro were also put through their paces as Riddle faced off against Xavier Woods after his interference last week cost Orton a match. Meanwhile, Sheamus, after having put away Ricochet last week, tried to find a new contender for his WWE United States Championship.
Things were in motion for Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and plenty of other stars as well. All around, WWE started to put the spotlight on the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, which is about a month away.
The following are five superstars who managed to stand out on WWE RAW this week, thanks to some amazing performances.
#5 Riddle defeated Xavier Woods on RAW
Ever since he came to the main roster, Riddle has not had a single unimpressive match. That streak continued on RAW this week in a bout against Xavier Woods.
Last week, Woods' distraction cost Riddle's partner, Randy Orton, his match against Kofi Kingston. This week, Riddle faced Woods in an attempt to make things right. In the process, he showed a different side of himself.
Riddle appeared vicious in the ring as he seemed ready to do anything it took to come away with the win. He hit Woods with move after move, but the New Day star persevered. Woods showed his own strength by hitting a sudden vertical suplex, and he also displayed his athleticism with dropkicks and clotheslines. The bout quickly became the match of the night on RAW.
But every time Riddle tried to hit the Bro-Derek, Woods kept escaping the maneuver. Riddle grew increasingly frustrated because as he was unable to hit his finishing move. But he had a crucial trick up his sleeve; he took a page out of Randy Orton's book on RAW and hit the RKO to get the win.
It'll be interesting to see how Orton's influence continues to rub off on Riddle. For now, the former NXT star can simply celebrate a remarkable victory.
#4 Tamina and Natalya retain their WWE Women's Tag Championships on RAW
The WWE Women's Tag Team Championships were defended in the main event of RAW this week, where Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax challenged for the titles again.
This week, Baszler was determined that Reginald would not act as a distraction at ringside, so she instructed him to stay backstage. Unfortunately for Reginald, he chose not to listen.
He caused a distraction that prevented Baszler from pinning Natalya, and he would ultimately cause the decisive diversion again when the mysterious pyro went off again. Natalya took advantage of the situation to pin Baszler and retain the titles.
The match as a whole showcased Tamina and Natalya's abilities in the ring. This week, "The Queen of Harts" showed off her prowess, as she looked better in the ring than she has in almost a decade. Her forceful and aggressive fighting style in this impressive match brought to mind that of the Hart Family.
With so many wins over Jax and Baszler, it might be time for Natalya and Tamina to move on and find new opposition for their WWE Women's Tag Team titles. RAW has some notable contenders waiting in line, so the champions shouldn't be left without challengers for too long.
#3 Drew McIntyre opened RAW in style
Drew McIntyre competed against Kofi Kingston in the first match of the night on RAW.
In doing so, McIntyre hoped to be added to the WWE Championship Match at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. The former champion has not had the best success over the past few months. Despite some incredible performances, McIntyre came up short the two times he faced Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship.
No matter how much he tried, Lashley managed to keep the title. Still, McIntyre is aiming to reverse that trend with another shot at the gold.
During the No.1 Contender Match on this week's episode of WWE RAW, McIntyre pushed Kingston to the limit. But it was obvious that Lashley's presence at ringside was weighing on his mind, and he was more distracted than fans had come to expect of him.
McIntyre was unable to win the match due to interference from Lashley, but the contest was still one of the best on this week's episode of RAW. The bout was so good that many fans are already looking forward to the rematch.
The two superstars will compete again next week to determine the next challenger for the WWE title, and they'll have a hard time surpassing this week's bout.
#2 Kofi Kingston pushed Drew McIntyre to his limit on RAW
Kofi Kingston tried to get another WWE title opportunity this week on RAW. After an huge win against Bobby Lashley last week, Kingston tried to claim his right to the title match that he thought he was competing in previously.
On this week's episode of WWE RAW, the fan-favorite superstar got a No.1 Contender Match for the WWE title instead, and Kingston pushed Drew McIntyre to his limit.
Kingston brought out his best as he attacked McIntyre in a variety of ways. He didn't just survive powerbombs, spinebusters, and suplexes from the former WWE Champion; he often managed to reverse them. He hit McIntyre with everything he had, as he connected with the Frog Splash and even dove on McIntyre on the outside. Kingston came close to securing the win with the SOS before Lashley interfered.
After the match had to be called off, Kingston was still not done. He defended himself against Lashley and MVP by blasting the champion with the Trouble in Paradise. Coming off this strong performance, Kingston will look to make his bid for a title match once again next week on WWE RAW.
#1 Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka on RAW
Charlotte Flair and Asuka were very familiar with each other as they headed into their match on WWE RAW. The two stars have faced each other multiple times over the years. This time around, both Asuka and Flair were looking to get a chance to face Ripley for the title.
"The Queen" also hoped to send a message by proving that the champion has not gotten into her head. With a win, Flair wanted to prove that she was still the best competitor in RAW's women's division.
Both stars brought everything they had to this match to the ring, as Charlotte decided to focus on Asuka's leg while Asuka tried to target Charlotte's arm.
During this week's episode of RAW, Asuka showed impressive resilience by surviving Flair's attacks. "The Queen" hit her with everything, and while she missed two Moonsaults, she changed course and hit a standing version of the move on her opponent. Throughout the bout, she appeared frustrated with Asuka's refusal to lose, but in the end, Flair used her experience to get the win.
When Asuka tried to lock in her signature submission, Flair flipped around to pin her opponent's shoulders to the ring. That was all it took as she came away from the night with the win.
With the victory, Flair gained some needed momentum ahead of her RAW Women's Championship match with Ripley at Hell in a Cell.
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