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 Impact Wrestling's Knockouts, Lucha Underground's luchadoras, and even a glimpse at the women on the independent circuit.

WOW! 200 weeks of Women's Wrestling Weekly! It's been such a joy to cover the growth of women's wrestling in mainstream wrestling every week for you, and I would be remiss not to mention everyone else who has written this column throughout the years, including Callum Wiggins and Jordan Chaffiote.

Thanks for reading, everyone! What a cool milestone to commemorate, and how fitting that there is SO MUCH to discuss! Let's get started.


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

Okay, okay, I've had a week to pick my jaw up from the floor and I still haven't been able to. Good lord, you guys. WWE actually did it. They actually took the leap. Becky Lynch is a champion again.

This match was a fantastic, physical and emotional back-and-forth slugfest where both women really brought their A-games.The crowd ate up every tease of the Dis-Arm Her. But as it turns out, it wasn't the Dis-Arm Her Flair had to worry about. After escaping that submission, Flair attempted a spear, but Lynch countered it into a pin, winning the title in a shocking finish.

What a wonderful surprise it was to see her hoist that title. Here's hoping it becomes a familiar sight. Chaotic neutral Becky Lynch is the hero we all need in this day and age. And no, she may not be Stone Cold, but she's Straight Fire, and honestly? I like it just as much.

Winner: Becky Lynch
Rating: 3.5/5

Brie Bella & Daniel Bryan vs. Maryse & The Miz

So, this match was fairly standard as far as mixed tag matches go: Maryse avoided the ring as much as possible, shenanigans, etc...

But man, Brie Bella beat up the Miz, and i'd love to see it happen again. What a delight.

Despite getting kicked by Daniel Bryan and his wife at the same time, the Miz survived long enough to "flee" with Maryse, before the two, upon returning to the ring, rolled Bella and Bryan up for the win.

Winners: The Miz and Mrs (Get the joke? Get it?)
Rating: 2/5

Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship match)

A lot went down in this match. Bliss had Mickie James and Alicia Fox present to run interference for her, but Rousey came armed with the Queen of Harts herself. Natalya fought off a good portion of James and Fox's shenanigans while Bliss and Rousey duked it out in the ring.

Despite all of her cleverness and her allies, Bliss could only delay the inevitable for so long. Rousey hit a wicked swinging Death Valley Driver, applied the deadly armbar, and Bliss tapped as soon as Rousey got it locked in.

Winner: Ronda Rousey
Rating: 2.5/5


Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

For some reason, Dana Brooke is no longer affiliated with Titus Worldwide, which is sad. Perhaps this new direction of hers was a bad idea, however, as Bayley wasted no time in going on a roll offensively, hitting the Bayley to Belly for the pinfall victory.

Sasha Banks was there too. If that means...anything.

Winner: Bayley
Rating: 1.5/5

Squad Up

Ronda Rousey came out and congratulated Alexa Bliss on actually proving to be good competition for her before opening up an open challenge of her own. Natalya's music hit, but when Nattie came out, her unconscious body was being dragged onto the entrance ramp by the Riott Squad. Ooooh, fun. A furious Rousey charged the group, but the numbers game proved too overwhelming for the baddest woman on the planet.

Well, until the Bellas arrived.

Yeah, you heard me.

 The Bellas evened the odds, and they hit a swinging Death Valley Driver on Riott to end the segment. The setup for the Australia show has begun.

Ember Moon & Nia Jax vs. Alicia Fox & Mickie James

Ember Moon started off hot, taking out the heels with a fantastic suicide dive. However, when she attempted to climb the post, Fox stopped her so that Mickie could land a kick for a near-fall. Jax entered the match hot and wore the heels down, so that once Ember hit her Eclipse, it was lights out for Mickie James, leaving Fox wide open to be taken out by Jax's Samoan Drop.

Cool match! Too bad it means literally nothing!

Winners: Ember Moon & Nia Jax
Rating: 2.5/5



Asuka vs. Billie Kay

Billie Kay was not ready for Asuka.

(Where did that magnetic aura go? I miss actual terror Asuka.)

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 1.5/5

A New Queen in Town

Paige hosted a championship celebration for Becky Lynch, who hoisted her title with gratification. She said that she didn't need every member of the roster present for her celebration, just one woman. Charlotte Flair came to the ring, and Lynch goaded her on before Charlotte said she wondered if there was anything of her best friend left. Becky then told Charlotte that she only really wanted one thing: to be called Queen...

...bitch.

Charlotte attacked and the pair brawled, but Lynch got the better of Charlotte, locking in the Dis-Arm Her and then hitting an exploding suplex. She stood tall to end SmackDown.



Faby Apache vs. Alisha Edwards

If you don't recognize Faby Apache, don't feel bad. She's made a name for herself in the lucha scene in Mexico, and wrestles a very fun style. She's the new girl in town, and she made a statement with a win over Alisha Edwards. This match was almost all Apache's, and she iced it off with a sit-out powerbomb.

After, Apache went all "we ant Bama" and challenged Tessa Blanchard. That should end well.

Winner: Faby Apache
Rating: 2/5



The New Girl

Okay, so there's a new woman in Marty the Moth's life, and because of her, Marty the Moth is not only Gift of the Gods Champion, but also Lucha Underground Champion.

This was a busy episode, folks. Elsewhere, Melissa Santos is worried about Fenix, but what else is new?

Who the hell is Spider Lady?!



Dakota Kai & Deonna Purrazzo vs. Lacey Evans & Aliyah

Purrazzo matched evenly with Evans, but Kai tore Aliyah apart. Guess she isn't all aboard Team Kick? Nevertheless, Lacey Evans took advantage of a blind tag to hit her Women's Right on Kai for the victory.

I still don't know if Aliyah has any direction, but I'll say this: it's amazing seeing Purrazzo and Kai doing well in NXT. And don't sleep on Evans either. She's got growing to do, but her progress is truly amazing.

Winner: x
Rating: x/5



Well, Total Bellas is back, which means my blissful few weeks of covering just wrestling are over. Bare with me, folks. The non-reality fan is back to watching reality television. Let's dive in, shall we?

This episode is a bit of a tough watch for me as a fan of Paige, who's back in the Total Divas mix. When we find her, WrestleMania is in full swing and Paige is dealing with very little time on her hands because her ongoing neck injury is proving to be a career ender.  She takes some of this stress out on Nia Jax, who is anxious about her Mania title match. The two make up, but poor Paige is likely going to be dealing with the prospect of a scary and daunting future without wrestling for the rest of this season.

There's some other Natalya-related drama, but it doesn't really matter. Something about the Bellas' clothing line, I think?



Kaitlyn vs. Kavita Devi

What a joy it is to see Kaitlyn, edgy look and all, back in the squared circle. She brimmed with confidence in her match against the Indian powerhouse Kavita Devi, who started off strong and aggressive. However, Kaitlyn is no fawn. She powered back and beat Devi down, winning the match with a spear.

I'm so happy. I loved her when she was facing off against AJ Lee back in the day, and THIS Kaitlyn is even more exciting to watch.

Winner: Kaitlyn
Rating: 3/5

Toni Storm vs. Jinny

Oh, sorry, I can't really see what's going on, there seems to be a Progress in my eye...

Ah, yes. The cold-hearted fashionista versus the rockstar with a chip on her shoulder. These two familiar foes always put on a show, and their first round match was no exception. It was full of the kind of intensity and physicality that only comes with history, of which these two have plenty. This match built into a wildly aggressive battle, but in the end, Toni Storm emerged victorious, hitting Jinny with a Tiger Driver for the victory.

Winner: Toni Storm
Rating: 3.5/5

Karen Q vs. Xia Li

Xia Li was a happy surprise for me in last year's Mae Young Classic, so I was excited to see her back with a bit of a revised look and another year's worth of experience under her belt. Karen Q is no joke, to be sure, coming in with a storied resume in Ring of Honor.

After a slap from Karen Q early on, Xia Li went on a tear, fighting the seasoned veteran with plenty of passion and physicality. It paid off in the end, and Xia Li advanced to the next round with a wicked roundhouse kick.

Winner: Xia Li
Rating: 3/5

Mia Yim vs. Allysin Kay

You might know Allysin Kay as Sienna. She and Mia Yim have a history together from Impact, back when Mia was just Jade. WWE has broken down their history to a grudge from a broken nose, which amuses me greatly.

This match was, in a word, stunning. Mia Yim adopted a new attitude for this year's tournament, and her cocky swagger looks brilliant on her. This match was long, brutal, and incredibly exciting. Momentum swung like a pendulum, and both women had moments of brilliance, but in the end, Mia Yim emerged victorious, sealing her victory with a Sole Food outta nowhere.

Winner: Mia Yim
Rating: 3.5/5



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

Beyond Wrestling

Match: Lu Fisto vs. Viper
Winner: Lu Fisto

STARDOM

Match: Mayu Iwatani vs. Hazuki
Winner: Mayu Iwatani

Dynamo Pro

Match: Savanna Stone vs. Tootie Lynn Ramsey
Winner: Savanna Stone


This match tore the house down. It had everything you could want: a cohesive story, intensity, and Sole Food: one of the most interesting and painful-looking finishing moves out there. Mia Yim made a statement in her win over Sien-Allysin Kay. She's going to be a blast to watch against Kaitlyn.


I have a thing for good girls gone bad, it seems. With their brazen new attitudes, Becky Lynch and Mia Yim have taken badassery to a brand new level. Their take-no-prisoners approach to their craft has caught on with audiences, and the results are clear: it's working, and working well.

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!