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.


Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce

Everyone had a moment to shine in this fast-paced, highly physical match that wisely kept most of the action one on one. Peyton Royce continues to prove why she deserves big spotlights, and Nikki Cross remains fun as ever. However, Kairi Sane and Ember Moon proved sensational with their high-flying stunts and undeniable charisma.

Moon finally won her first NXT Women's Championship after planting Cross and Peyton Royce with an Eclipse AT THE SAME TIME. I kid you not, that ending actually changed my life. It's great to see Ember Moon at the top of the ladder in NXT. She's put in a ton of work, and her story has been building for a long time. Kairi Sane's time will come. For now, Ember Moon is in control. It's her division at long last.

Winner: Ember Moon
Rating: 4/5

WWE Survivor Series

Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss

There are few talents in WWE whose confidence can carry them to the heights that it has carried women's division juggernauts Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Size was a story in this match, as Charlotte ultimately overpowered the wily Bliss in an incredible show of storytelling and athleticism. 

Not much to discuss story-wise in this one other than the fact that let's face it: the right woman won.

Winner: Charlotte Flair

Rating: 3/5

Alicia Fox, Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley & Nia Jax vs. Becky Lynch, Natalya, Tamina, Carmella & Naomi

Eighteen minutes is a lot of time. It's roughly half of what the men were given, but that's to be expected. What is "equality," anyways? My snark aside, this was a very good match plagued by wildly confusing booking. Becky Lynch survived for less time than it took for Triple H to get to the ring. Bayley was out first, and Sasha soon followed. And yeah, I get that WWE was trying to build up the likes of Natalya and Tamina, but those eliminations took their toll on the crowd's energy.

Nia vs. Tamina was awesome, and I want it again. But let's be real, the real star of this was Asuka, who finally got to be the dominating, terrifying ball of fury we got to know in NXT by pinning Natalya and Tamina to be Raw's sole survivor. No more illusions of being an underdog: this is a competitor's worst nightmare. It's Asuka's world, and we're all living in it.

Winner: Team Raw (Sole Survivor: Asuka)

Rating: 3.5/5

Asuka vs. Dana Brooke

Dana Brooke was not ready for Asuka.

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 2/5

Bayley vs. Mickie James vs. Alicia Fox vs. Sasha Banks

PAIGE IS BACK! AND SHE BROUGHT MANDY ROSE AND SONYA DEVILLE WITH HER!

Okay, freakout out of the way. How did we get here? Well, a match for the No. 1 contendership was made, and Paige invaded, milking in the roar of the crowd before announcing that she didn't come alone. The three laid out everyone in the ring, and later beat down Alexa Bliss backstage.

Raw's women's division just got wildly crowded and loaded at the same time. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose have been quietly refining their game in NXT at live shows, and both show a lot of promise and uniqueness. Paige's presence will be a big boost for them. Paige herself looks fantastic, and it's such a relief to have her back in WWE after everything following her neck injury. Welcome back!



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

Similar to last week, Natalya attacked with ruthless aggression (I had to) but Charlotte survived long enough with her usual mix of underdog resilience and just absolute dominance.

Earlier in the night, we were introduced to SmackDown's newest hires: RUBY RIOT, SARAH LOGAN AND LIVE MORGAN! It's an NXT invasion! They attacked Naomi during a backstage interview before running out and attacking Natalya , giving her the victory by disqualification and then Charlotte.

These three are stars. They don't need an established star like Paige to introduce themselves; they're defined as individuals already. Ruby Riot and Sarah Logan have years of experience between them and Liv Morgan is learning quickly. Here's hoping SmackDown's crowded roster doesn't try to turn this into team warfare...again.

Winner: Natalya
Rating: 3/5



Ruby Riot vs. Sonya Deville

In what turned out to be their last NXT matches, Ruby Riot and Sonya Deville put on a fun, albeit short, show, with the more-experienced Riot coming out victorious.

Winner: Ruby Riot
Rating: 2/5



Thanksgiving...

Look, all you need to know is that Allie and Laurel Van Ness were involved in a tag match where the loser had to wear a turkey suit. Happy holidays, I guess.



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

PROGRESS

Match: Jinny vs. Dahlia Black
Winner: Jinny

STARDOM

Match: Queen's Quest vs. Oedo Tai
Winner: Queen's qUEST

WrestleCade

Match: Ivelisse vs. Taya Valkyrie
Winner: Ivelisse


A story in the works for the better part of a year finally reached its climax as Ember Moon hoisted her first ever NXT Women's Championship. This match was ON from start to finish. Every competitor looked like a star, and Kairi Sane remains unpinned. What a time to be alive!


Paige overcame a lot to get back to WWE. But that's not the reason why I'm so glad to have her back. She's an enthralling character whose charisma and hard-hitting style will only benefit from having great competition. Hopefully, this won't be another Divas Revolution, and Paige will get the chance to shine like she was always meant to.

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.