Smark Out Moment

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.


Mickie James vs. Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Well, let's start by tackling the elephant in the room: no Paige. She'll be back somehow, but not in Survivor Series. Or, at least, not OFFICIALLY in Survivor Series for Team Red.

Mickie James was dominant most of this match, imposing her will on both Bayley and Dana Brooke, who managed to break one of her pins. However, Bayley managed to reverse a schoolboy attempt to hit the Bayley to Belly and secure her spot on Raw's Survivor Series team.

Good for Bayley. First off, it would have been very strange to leave Bayley off one of the Big Four pay-per-views. Secondly, there's a lot of internal story to be told, especially considering any time the Horsewomen are in the same match, things are a lot of fun. The match itself was very James-heavy, but if this means we'll be seeing the return of scrappy underdog Bayley, then I'm here for it.

Meanwhile, Alexa Bliss cut a promo backstage virtually tearing SmackDown's ladies apart. She's a delight.

Winner: Bayley
Rating: 3/5



Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women's Championship match)

Charlotte wasted no time in going for a roll-up pin, but Natalya escaped, throwing the Nature Girl into the turnbuckle. Charlotte survived that and then managed to escape a wicked powerbomb and Sharpshooter, but only just barely. Finally, Flair locked in the Figure Four into the Figure Eight, and she captured the SmackDown Women's Championship.

I loved absolutely everything about this match. Charlotte sold Natalya's offense brilliantly. And frankly, these two, who have faced off for almost every title imaginable, continue to have insane ring chemistry. The storytelling, the physicality, everything about this felt like a money match.

Charlotte cut a heart-wrenching and emotional promo after, thanking her hometown crowd before being surprised by her father in a moment that I am not ashamed to admit made me cry. Charlotte will now face Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series.

Speaking of which, Raw invaded SmackDown today and the ladies got their revenge for "under siege" a few weeks ago. Bliss/Flair will be awesome.

Winner: Charlotte
Rating: 4/5



Ember Moon vs. Mercedes Martinez

SHIMMER fans, rejoice! This match is a gift from the wrestling gods, so just DRINK IT IN, MAN and enjoy it! Mercedes Martinez controls much of the match with her brutal, brawling style, but even she isn't immune to the blinding power of Ember Moon's Eclipse.

After the match, Kairi Sane, Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross all came out for a very awesome staredown, and wow, can we appreciate how far Peyton Royce has come? She feels like a legitimate opponent for NXT's biggest stars. Kairi Sane remains absolute money, Nikki Cross is vicious as ever and Ember Moon's star shines bright.

WarGames, here we come!

Winner: Ember Moon
Rating: 3/5



Gail Kim relinquishes the Knockouts Championship

Gail Kim thanked all of the women who helped her shape a groundbreaking career and said she is proof that hard work and big dreams can pay off before relinquishing the title she won last week.

It's hard to imagine where Impact would be without gail Kim. Gail left a less than ideal situation at WWE and turned her struggles into a history-making career of amazing matches and inspiring devotion to her craft.

Thank you, Gail!



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

Pro-Wrestling: EVE

Match: Meiko Satomura vs. Emi Sakura
Winner: Meiko Satomura

Match: Nicole Matthews vs. Kay Lee Ray
Winner: Nicole Matthews

STARDOM

Match: Bea Priestley, Kelly Klein & Yoko Bito vs. AZM, HZK, Io Shirai & Momo Watanabe
Winner: Bea Priestley, Kelly Klein & Yoko Bito

SHIMMER

Match: Candice LeRae vs. Jessica Troy
Winner: Candice LeRae

Match: Mercedes Martinez vs. Nicole Savoy (SHIMMER Championship match)
Winner: Nicole Savoy


Physicality. Emotion. History. This match had it all, and for once, the right woman won!


WWE's newest Grand Slam champion shines brighter than almost everyone in WWE, regardless of gender. She is every bit her father's daughter and every bit her own woman. Bring on Sunday for the Second Nature gold collector.

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! Also, come back next week for a full breakdown of the Mae Young Classic's first round of episodes and matches.