Women's Wrestling Weekly Recap & Review: 7/22/2017 | Smark Out Moment

Women's Wrestling Weekly Recap & Review: 7/22/2017

Posted by Gabby Velasquez Saturday, July 22, 2017
Welcome to another edition of WOMEN'S WRESTLING WEEKLY—a rundown of the events which have transpired in the world of women's professional wrestling over the past several days not just with the Superstars on WWE programming, but with GFW's Knockouts, Lucha Underground's luchadoras, and even a glimpse at the women on the independent circuit.

logo for Divas Debrief Women Wrestlers weekly rundown

WWE Monday Night Raw

Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley

After Bayley scored a pin on Bliss in last week's tag match, she was granted another match with the Raw Women's Champion. Bliss and Bayley tangled solo for a brief while until Nia Jax arrived on the scene to provide backup for her new best friend Bliss. Bliss controlled the match until Bayley managed to reverse her way back into control. Bliss retreated from the ring to avoid being pinned by an elbow from the Hugger. Jax provided a distraction that allowed Bliss to blindside Bayley until Sasha Banks arrived to even the odds, allowing Bayley to score a second pinfall on Bliss in two weeks.

Following the match, Kurt Angle set next week's match: Sasha vs. Bayley for the chance to wrestle Bliss for the title at SummerSlam.

I'm glad to have finally gotten a break from the usual suspects' tag matches. One-on-one matches do more to further storylines and enhance conflicts than messy, five-minute tag matches. Bliss and Bayley have worked together many times and it's clear in the way they wrestle. While the match was not a classic by any means, it was fun and well-paced as usual, and Jax and Banks did not interfere with the actual in-ring action too much.

However, we cannot forget that the women of Raw are still woefully underutilized. I don't understand why they couldn't have had Bayley or Sasha face Mickie James, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox or Emma instead of tag matches. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a columnist.

Winner: Bayley
Rating: 2.5/5


WWE SmackDown

Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch

Best friends sometimes make the best rivals.

Flair and Lynch put on the best (in this writer's humble opinion) match of the night, wrestling each other with technical prowess and the kind of physicality that I feel only comes with a good friend. The match was like a classical duel of sorts as Lynch and Flair felt each other out, looking for weaknesses in their defenses and working almost like it was a submission match. Finally, though, Lynch managed to lock Flair into the Dis-Arm Her for the victory by submission.

Recall my earlier comment about singles matches doing more to advance storylines than tag matches? I stand by that statement. This match introduced the friendly competitiveness that can drive both Charlotte and Becky forward as characters and potentially lead to a heel turn from either Superstar. These two are some of the best SmackDown has to offer, and their dynamic is certainly something to dig into whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Winner: Becky Lynch
Rating: 3.5/5


GFW Impact Wrestling

Sienna vs. Amber Nova

Sienna had to fight back from some early offense from Nova, but soon planted Nova with an AK-47 for the pinfall. And while the match was quick, what happened after was far more interesting.

Sienna grabbed a microphone and cut a scathing promo about how she defied everyone's expectations... especially Karen Jarrett. The lady herself came out, asking what Sienna wanted, and Sienna told her to get on her knees. Jarrett refused, and the champion bullied her into a corner. Allie came out, girly kendo stick in hand, to come to Jarrett's assistance. The group was then joined by Laurel Van Ness and finally, the legend herself: Rosemary. They brawled, and the heels got the upper hand until Gail Kim arrived to level the playing field.

Jarrett then made a match for next week: Sienna and Rosemary for the title. Last Knockout Standing.

I enjoyed Sienna's promo immensely. She continues to develop and grow as a character every week and is doing well as champion. Rosemary, of course, is a testament to what character commitment can do for a wrestler.

Elsewhere, Laurel Van Ness and Grado's story continued...but it remains to be seen if it's going to amount to anything or fall flat.

Winner: Sienna
Rating: 1/5


WWE NXT

Ember Moon vs. Ruby Riot

SHIMMER fans rejoice! Ember Moon and Ruby Riot showed exactly why WWE has been going to the indies more and more to scout talent in a match that felt like it could very well have taken place in Berwyn, Illinois.

The match was a masterclass of competitive and compelling storytelling. Ember Moon seems to be falling into a Finn Balor-esque characterization, which is a good thing. The wolf, as it were, is something she only calls upon int he most dire of circumstances, similar to Balor's demon. Moon and Riot both looked utterly fantastic, working together with intensity and the fast-paced style that indicates a history on the independent circuit.

It goes without saying that Ember Moon is a star in waiting. She has a compelling character, a unique look and a dynamite finisher that will take her far in NXT and possibly even on the main roster. But Ruby Riot cannot be overlooked. She's WWE's new punk rocker, and her matches with Nikki Cross and others show that she can tell a great story int he ring with any kind of opponent.

Winner: Ember Moon
Rating: 4/5


International Corner:

This section includes recaps of matches from around the world in various lesser-known independent promotions throughout the week.

STARDOM

Match: Mayu Iwatani vs. Yoko Bito (World of Stardom title match)
Winner: Mayu Iwatani

Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA)

Match: Sexy Star vs. Big Mami vs. Faby Apache vs. Goya Kong vs. Lady Shani vs. La Hiedra (Reina de Reinas title match)
Winner: Sexy Star
More Information: Taya Valkyrie, also known on the indies as Ivelisse, previously held the Reina de Reinas title, but it was declared vacant for the event. Valkyrie was allegedly not informed, and no longer works for AAA, claiming Vampiro screwed her out of her title.

SHINE

Match: Priscilla Kelly vs. Candy Cartwright (SHINE Nova Title match)
Winner: Priscilla Kelly

MATCH OF THE WEEK:
Ember Moon vs. Ruby Riot

A highly physical affair that had fun storytelling and that made both the winner and loser look absolutely fantastic, the clash of NXT's rising faces will be one I watch over and over. The strikes, the exciting finish, everything about this match just worked, and showed why NXT is the place to be for women's wrestling in WWE.

WOMAN OF THE WEEK:
Ember Moon

She won a match that will propel her to the top of NXT's women's division, which is hers for the taking when Asuka moves on to the main roster. What else needs to be said?

So there you have it, the breakdown for the week in women's wrestling. What were some of your favorite and least favorite moments from these women? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!


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THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY A GUEST WRITER

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