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



Ruby Riott vs. Sasha Banks

A match between two of the very best wrestlers on Raw was never going to be a bad thing, and both Ruby Riott and Sasha Banks delivered strong performances here. But, it was a match marred by overbooking and interference. While Banks was close to trapping Riott in the Bank Statement, Bayley, Natalya, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan began to brawl outside the ring, and this distraction proved enough to cost Banks the match.

It was a good match, but it served as a sad reminder of what both ladies have coming up at WWE Evolution when they both deserve much better. Which is true of all the women in this meaningless Six-Woman Tag, and a lot of others throughout the PPV card as well.

Winner: Ruby Riott
Rating: 2.5/5


Ronda Rousey & Nikki Bella Contract Signing

Compared to the fiery, controversial nature of their last promo war, this was more subdued in nature between Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins. A rare WWE contract signing that didn't break down into violence, Nikki instead tried to get into Rousey's head by claiming she's a disappointment to her mother, and that a Diva will beat her for the championship at Evolution.

A slap to the face followed to Rousey, who simply smiled, signed the contract, and promised to end Nikki Bella on Sunday. This was fine for what it was, and they've generated a lot of animosity and intrigue for this match in a short space of time. Hopefully what they deliver in the ring matches the intensity of much of their promo work leading up to Sunday.


Ember Moon vs. Nia Jax vs. Dana Brooke vs. Tamina Snuka

No seriously guys, it is Evolution this Sunday and WWE decided to put on a minute-long match to hype up the Battle Royal on the show. Honestly, at this point I'm not even surprised, every action they take makes it clearer that this is a publicity stunt, not a revolutionary step forward.

After some pretty ugly and uncoordinated brawling between Dana Brooke, Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka, Snuka kicked Jax down and was caught by the Eclipse by Ember Moon. If you'd have blinked, you'd have missed it, and it did nothing to build up these competitors for Evolution or anything else going forward. A complete waste.

Winner: Ember Moon
Rating: 1.5/5



Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair Brawl

First and foremost, kudos to WWE's creative team for thinking outside the box for once. Holding this brawl between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair at the Performance Center in front of the NXT superstars was a fresh change of scenery and helped flavor their already hot feud. But, I still feel uneasy with how desperately their presenting Flair as the ultimate babyface against Lynch's petulant heel - the crowd won't be swayed in their love for the Lass Kicker.

The promo following this by Flair is as you'd expect - few people can perform in a way that is both so melodramatic and so wooden as she can. But once the bell rings at Evolution, I doubt anyone will be disappointed, and hopefully they are given time to put on one hell of a Last Woman Standing Match.


SmackDown Live Women Brawl

Didn't think WWE could be any more lazy in promoting Evolution's Battle Royal than Raw's minute-long Fatal Four-Way? SmackDown Live showed you how it's done by going back to the most basic scenario - every woman in the Battle Royal comes out, talks a bit of trash on the mic, brawl in the ring, people get thrown out of the ring, Asuka stands tall at the end by throwing out Zelina Vega.

It's just so pitiful how badly Evolution has been booked in several areas. And the fact that this was the final selling point for the show on main roster television this week goes to show how fundamentally WWE has fumbled a PPV they've had months to prepare. Again, just a big waste of talent and energy.



Before getting into the women's match on NXT this week, I must commend how the brand has utilized Nikki Cross as part of the main event angle in recent weeks. Cross has transcended the point where she ever needs to be NXT Women's Champion, with the energy and conviction of her character enough to make her an integral component in the main plot that is driving NXT right now. Truly phenomenal stuff.


Mia Yim vs. Aliyah

After a couple of good showings in the second Mae Young Classic, Mia Yim made a long deserved full-time debut on NXT, taking on one of its rosters stalwarts Aliyah. I used to have very little time for Aliyah as a performer, but she has improved to become a solid hand in the division, and slotted into the role of "veteran new stars beat when they first join NXT".

It's not the most glamorous duty but someone has to do it, and it can be a very cushy number for Aliyah in the long-term. Yim looked impressive in her comeback, using her variety of kicks to wear down her opponent and score a debut win with Eat Defeat.

Winner: Mia Yim
Rating: 2.5/5



Su Yung vs. Kiera Hogan

People that have heard me talk Impact Wrestling will know I'm not a fan of Su Yung. Her character is great and has led to some eye-catching segments with Allie, Rosemary and more, but I don't believe she's a good wrestler. This match with Kiera Hogan did nothing to change that opinion, as it was slow, sloppy in places and featured a dangerous looking powerbomb spot.

Towards the finish Allie tried to stand up for her hurt friend Hogan, but she was scared to the back by the glare of Su Yung, as if she'd been petrified. Hogan tried in vain to fight back, but was wrapped up in the Panic Switch and pinned.

Winner: Su Yung
Rating: 2/5



Yeah, got to say I'm not the biggest fan of this fake reality TV bullshit, so I don't think I can give the latest episode of Total Divas the best review imaginable. To cut a long story short, six of the Total Divas went on a trip to Miami together to celebrate Natalya and Nia Jax's birthdays.

While there they ate sushi off a naked man, got hounded by paparazzi, competed in a 3-on-3 dance off and had other shenanigans. You know, normal stuff people genuinely get up to in reality.



Toni Storm vs. Meiko Satomura

This was undoubtedly my favorite WWE women's match of 2018 so far, and the pinnacle of what has been a fantastic second edition of the Mae Young Classic. Everything Toni Storm and Meiko Satomura did was high impact and had the crowd gripped from the opening bell onwards.

There was just so much to love about this match - the false finishes, the duelling boots to the chest, the fast suplexes, the dives. This has given me greater impetus to watch more of Satomura's matches, as she has arguably been the MVP of the entire tournament. But, it was a second Storm Zero by Toni Storm that secured her place in the final at Evolution.

Winner: Toni Storm
Rating: 4.5/5


Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley

Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley had a tough act to follow in the second semi-final of the Mae Young Classic, and while this certainly didn't live up to the previous bout, it was still a very strong performance by both. They played off the significant size difference to tell a classic David vs Goliath story, with Shirai relying on dropkicks and high-flying maneuvers to fend off the far more powerful Ripley.

In the end, Shirai survived a Superplex and fought back against Ripley, charging at her in the corner before connecting flush with her Moonsault to advance to the finals against Toni Storm. Given a good amount of time and with the right crowd behind them, that could definitely be a showstealer.

Winner: Io Shirai
Rating: 3.5/5



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

Tokyo Joshi Pro
Yuki Aino vs. Raku
Winner: Yuki Aino


Yuna Manase vs. Miu
Winner: Yuna Manase

Hinano & Nodoka Tenma vs. Hikari & Yuki Kamifuku
Winners: Hinano & Nodoka Tenma

Ito Respect-gun (Maki Ito & Mizuki) & MiraClians (Shoko Nakajima & Yuka Sakazaki) vs. Hyper isao, Miyu Yamashita, Reika Saiki & Yuu
Winners: Ito Respect-gun & MiraClians

Shimmer

Sierra vs. Allie Kat
Winner: Sierra

Kiera Hogan defeats Solo Darling
Winner: Kiera Hogan

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Hyan
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart

Jinny vs. Leva Bates
Winner: Jinny

Zoe Lucas vs. Ashley Vox
Winner: Zoe Lucas

Britt Baker vs. Indi Hartwell
Winner: Britt Baker

Dust (w/Rosemary) (c) vs. Willow Nightingale (Heart Of SHIMMER Title Match)
Winner (and still champion): Dust

Tessa Blanchard vs. Kay Lee Ray
Winner: Tessa Blanchard

Nicole Savoy, Shazza McKenzie, Vanessa Kraven & Viper vs. Cheerleader Melissa, Kimber Lee, LuFisto & Mercedes Martinez
Winners: Nicole Savoy, Shazza McKenzie, Vanessa Kraven & Viper

AAA

Keyra, Lady Maravilla & Star Fire vs. Faby Apache, La Hiedra & Vanilla
Winners: Keyra, Lady Maravilla & Star Fire

Progress

Isla Dawn vs. Millie McKenzie
Winner: No Contest



A truly fitting match to sum up an exceptional Mae Young Classic, Toni Storm and Meiko Satomura went all out to bring the crowd to its feet, and produced one of the best matches all year. Both women deserve to be extremely proud of their showings through the MYC, and Storm could be celebrating even more on Sunday night if she can overcome Io Shirai.



While both Toni Storm and Meiko Satomura deserve huge credit for their tremendous match, Storm will get more opportunities down the line to win this award. For now, I'd like to commend a true veteran and legend who we may never see on WWE TV again, but has undoubtedly left a fantastic impact with her performances in the Mae Young Classic. Congratulations Meiko Satomura, you've found yourself a new fan.

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!