WWE Raw: First loss for Ronda Rousey as Sasha Banks takes pre-Royal Rumble victory

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Sasha Banks forced Natalya to tap out, meaning Ronda Rousey was on the losing side for the first time in her WWE career

Ronda Rousey was consigned to the first loss of her WWE career as Sasha Banks secured major momentum ahead of their Royal Rumble title match.

While technically Rousey was not pinned or forced to submit, she was on the losing side as Natalya tapped out to the Banks Statement as The Boss and her tag-team partner Bayley scored a huge psychological blow ahead of Sunday's event.

Banks and Bayley - known collectively as the Boss n Hug Connection - even had Rousey in position for their double-team finisher, only for the Raw women's champion to counter the Bayley-to-belly with a deep armdrag.

It looked at one point as though Rousey would pick up yet another win when Natalya had Banks in her Sharpshooter finisher, only for Bayley to break up the hold.

And moments later the roles were reversed as Sasha forced Natalya to tap to make the first entry in the loss column for Rousey, who had previously never been on the losing side.

Finn Balor had victory in his grasp against Braun Strowman - until Brock Lesnar intervened

Balor secures big win over Strowman

Like Banks, Finn Balor also has a title shot at the Royal Rumble, and - like Banks - he goes into his championship challenge as the underdog.

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Finn Balor sent a message to those who doubt his ability to defeat Brock Lesnar and become Universal Champion at Royal Rumble

But he also collected a major win in the final Raw before Sunday's Box Office event, beating Braun Strowman by disqualification when Brock Lesnar dropped him with a huge F5.

Such an intervention was necessary because Balor had Strowman beaten after a Coup de Grace and was about to register the pin when the Universal champion made his presence felt.

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Lacey Evans stole Alexa Bliss' thunder as both women declared their entries for the Royal Rumble

Evans, Bliss declare for Royal Rumble

Last week's Moment of Bliss was interrupted by NXT call-up Otis Dozovic and this week saw another recent addition from developmental make a surprise appearance.

With the entire Raw women's roster first staking their claim to win the Rumble and then erupting into a multi-woman brawl which spilled to the backstage area, the stage was clear for Bliss to declare she will compete in the match after several months out with concussion-related injuries.

And then Lacey Evans arrived, with a scathing attack on Bliss and a Royal Rumble declaration of her own.