Nia Jax makes a statement, but taps to the Banks Statement as Sasha becomes #1 contender

The women of Raw held court for more than a half hour to close the June 26 episode, as General Manager Kurt Angle booked a gauntlet match to determine who would face champion Alexa Bliss at the Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view (PPV) in two weeks.

Bayley and Nia Jax drew entry numbers one and two, starting things off. The Hugster put up a fight, but was felled by a Samoan Drop.

From there, Jax ran through the next three competitors, even seeming to toy with Mickie James, Dana Brooke and Emma at times. It looked like she would run the table in one of her best ever performances.

Then came Sasha Banks.

The Boss didn’t fare much better than the four women who’d come before her, but refused to stay down for a three count or out of the ring for ten.

An increasingly frustrated Nia kept wailing away at Sasha, who continued to look for any opening she could find. Eventually she found one, locking on her submission finisher as a counter while her much larger opponent was on her feet. The Banks Statement eventually brought her to her knees, and a few seconds later, Jax was forced to tap.

It was a bit of a strange ending to a match which looked like it was designed to make Nia as an unstoppable force. And it probably did make her as a big star, just one who tapped out and will not get a title shot in Dallas on July 9.

Angle came out to raise Sasha’s hand, and Bliss followed for a staredown - that the Boss ended with a drop kick.

Excited for Bliss vs. Banks at Balls?