August 22nd 2022. Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus came to Monday Night RAW to rock and roll only to find herself face to face with Damage Control. They even rubbed it in her face. Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY acknowledged that Toronto's own was a name of the past lauded from Japan to New Zealand. But Damage Control made it clear they are all about the present and future and Trish is no longer needed. IYO pointed out she doesn't like Trish to which Stratus needed not take offense because we all know one simple truth: IYO doesn't like anyone.

Bayley pointed out the disrespect Trish Status showed Damage Control by riding their coat tails all weekend long at house shows. Fair point: Hall of Famer comes back when there is a hot new act people are paying to see to feed off it. RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair came to the ring, taking offense to the way Bayley asked Trish who the hell she is. Hey, there was a time when Trish was hardly respectful to her fellow competitors. Bayley could have read off a list of such moments but chose not to force Trish to remember the sins of her past.

Speaking of sins. Trish made the cardinal wrestling sin of teasing coming out of retirement again for a match against Bayley. Not that it wouldn't be a banger but she would be breaking her word. Bayley humors Trish, taking her jacket off ready for a fight. Two against three isn't perfect odds but hey, it's the EST and Trish. The RAW Women's Champion and a Legend. Surely they could handle themselves. But nope. They summoned forth Asuka and Alexa Bliss who in moments would face Kai and SKY in the first semifinal match of the WWE Women's Tag Titles Tournament.

Four versus three is hardly a fair fight. Not to forget that Bayley is The Role Model and wanted to set a good example by not forcing Trish to break her word. And it's Trish's hometown; you know bad things often happen to wrestlers in hometowns. So Bayley let Trish slide for tonight. Damage Control had to focus on the tag match set to begin within minutes. One wonders if Bianca actually came down to 'defend Trish' or if she actually just wanted to come down to heckle Dakota and IYO, perhaps hoping they'd not focus on their important match.

Trying to refocus on their opponents after the bell rang, Dakota and IYO performed The Art of Strategicness. Once focused, they would take it to their opponents for a bit including Asuka receiving Kawada kicks from Kai. Asuka fought back with a knee strike, Kawada kicks of her own and even Kai's favorite snap-of-a-kick. Bliss tagged in for a double team whip and bulldog. Kai would take back control for her team striking Bliss with a pump kick to her head draped over the apron. Once Bliss could tag in Asuka, IYO and Asuka engaged in a hard hitting exchange.

Dakota provided a distraction and snapped Asuka's head over the top rope to put an end to Asuka's flurry. IYO followed with double knees to the back and a springboard dropkick. Bliss saved the match for her team on a pin attempt only to get tossed to the floor by Our Captain. Dakota tagged in and won a back and forth striking Asuka with the scorpion kick. Kai tried to follow up with a pump kick but Asuka evaded. Asuka charged at Dakota for a hip attack but Kai evaded then nearly loped her opponent's head off with a charging kick.

Dakota tried Roll of the Cap but Asuka caught her with a spinning backhand. Asuka connected with a sliding knee before tagging Bliss in. IYO hoped to save Kai from getting a DDT but instead Bliss delivered it to both. She followed with a neckbreaker to Kai as Asuka did a leg sweep. Asuka cinched Kai in the Asuka lock. Kai would hold her own until IYO clobbered Asuka to force a break. Bliss tossed IYO to the floor and tagged in. She climbed to the top and went for Twisted Bliss but Kai got her knees up. IYO struck Bliss with a basement dropkick.

Asuka had tagged in while Bliss climbed up for Twisted Bliss and superkicked IYO before putting her focus on legal competitor Kai. The Empress unleashed a succession of violent backhanded strikes on Kai who came back just as hard with a single forearm shot that knocked Asuka to the corner. Kai charged at Asuka intending the Kaio-Kick but Asuka evaded. IYO tagged herself in while Kai's foot was stuck over the top rope. Asuka applied the Asuka lock to Kai not aware. Kai tapped to trick Asuka into thinking she had won the match for her team.

That gave IYO the chance to cleverly roll Asuka up, more than earning a pinfall victory after a hard-fought nearly twenty minute war. They fought their hearts out and were cohesive from start to finish. Next week on RAW they will meet the winners of the Smackdown side of the bracket to determine the new Women's Tag Team Champions. In a bit of a bonus by defeating Asuka, Dakota Kai taught her a lesson in vengeance for that green mist The Empress spewed at her back in NXT on October 30th 2019.

That was not the last we saw of our favorite ladies. Smackdown wrestler Aliyah was graced by the future Hall of Famers as she addressed the Women's Tag Team Tournament. If you recall on Friday night, Toxic Attraction of NXT advanced to the semifinals. But Gigi Dolin was injured and cannot compete. So now the four teams who were eliminated during the first round will compete in a Second Chance Fatal Four Match this Friday on SmackDown to determine who will face Raquel and Aliyah in the second semifinal match.

Bayley wanted to make sure Aliyah was taking notes during Dakota's and IYO's match. Raquel is notable by her absence which Damage Control pointed out. They had a point; wouldn't Raquel want to be there for her partner? But Raquel has been known to be off in her own little world in the past so nothing new there. Aliyah defiantly told Damage Control Raquel's whereabouts are none of their business. Dakota strongly disagreed because everything involving the Women's Division is their business.

IYO pointed out that Aliyah was either brave or stupid to show up on RAW is Damage Control without her muscle. Trish Stratus decided to come to her fellow Torontonian's side, choosing to baby her instead of letting Aliyah learn a hard lesson of wrestling life. Aliyah goaded Bayley -- who was trying to focus solely on the six woman tag team match at Clash at the Castle -- into accepting a match against her. Being the leader she is Bayley accepted without hesitation.

Bayley came to the ring alone to face Aliyah, proving to any doubters that she didn't need her allies at ringside for moral or otherwise support. Aliyah put up a good fight, having one of the best matches of her career. Nevertheless, Bayley still scored the hard-earned pinfall victory after delivering the Rose Plant. Dakota and IYO would come out to celebrate with their friend. But Damage Control was not done just yet. They would once again give their time to appear on the WWE Network post show The Control Center... uh I mean RAW Talk.

Dakota was bossing it. IYO and her are an unstoppable well-oiled machine. She stated firmly her trio are Damage Control. Dakota would also point out the fact that anything anyone else thinks they can do, Damage Control can do better. Kevin Patrick who was respectful to them last week on RAW Talk had a hiccup when he pointed out Dakota and IYO could be the new Women's Tag Team Champions at Clash at the Castle. Offense was taken to his choice of the word 'could' since they don't need that type of negativity. They'll be the next champions and that's just a fact.

Additional Information | Dakota Kai & IYO SKY defeated Asuka & Alexa Bliss (18:30) in the semifinal round of the tournament to crown new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions on the August 22nd episode of WWE Monday Night RAW at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.