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, ROH's Women of Honor, and even a glimpse at the women on the independent circuit.



Becky Lynch & Charlotte vs The Kabuki Warriors

The Kabuki Warriors had the opportunity to underline their dominance of the women’s tag team division, as they faced off against Charlotte and Becky Lynch, 2 of the strongest women to have won the Raw Women’s Championship.

Charlotte and Lynch both posed a real and dangerous threat throughout the match, however Asuka and Kairi Sane always had an answer to this threat. As it turned out, Shayna Baszler and Bayley would get involved in the match as part of their ongoing storyline going into Survivor Series, which allowed Asuka to roll up a distracted Lynch for the pinfall victory.

This match was exciting, with all 4 women putting on a great performance. The finish managed to protect Lynch, whilst also further cementing the fact that The Kabuki Warriors are happy to take advantage of any situation in order to win.

Winner: The Kabuki Warriors
Rating: 3/5



Bayley vs Nikki Cross

Unfortunately, this match never really developed into anything meaningful, as Shayna Baszler interrupted, scaring off Bayley. This in turn brought out Rhea Ripley, Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox and Mia Yim, which was responded in kind by a number of representatives from SmackDown’s women’s division. This resulted in a tag team match instantly being initiated.

It was a shame we didn’t see Nikki Cross directly take out Bayley, but it was a smart booking division to avoid putting her over Bayley to look strong.

Winner: No Contest
Rating: No Rating

Sasha Banks, Carmella, Nikki Cross & Dana Brooke vs Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Dakota Kai & Mia Yim

Sasha Banks attempted to use this match to prove how the NXT wrestlers were not in her league, however Rhea Ripley, Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox and Mia Yim all looked strong. The same cannot be said of Carmella and Dana Brooke, who simply looked as though they were there to make up the numbers.

Nikki Cross used this match as evidence she should be on the SmackDown women’s team at Survivor Series, pinning Kai with a Purge following a rather interesting and even match.

Ripley was the standout performer in this match, however Banks and Cross were able to display their talents. This was a good match to whet the appetite for Survivor Series.

Winner: Sasha Banks, Carmella, Nikki Cross & Dana Brooke
Rating: 2.5/5



Kay Lee Ray vs Xia Brookside

Kay Lee Ray has been a decent NXT UK Women’s Champion so far, and her undoubted talent was clear in this match against Xia Brookside. Despite Brookside being the younger wrestler, she was more than able to take the battle to Ray.

Ray was expected to steamroll Brookside, but Brookside was determined to show she was not there to simply provide Ray with an opponent to squash. The match finish had Brookside attempt to follow up her Head Scissors with Double Knees, however she missed, instead allowing Ray to get back into the match. A Superkick and Gory Bomb followed which gave Ray the pinfall victory.

This match was a great way to showcase the talents of Ray, whilst also elevating Brookside. Brookside’s face character has potential, which means we could see a future NXT UK Women’s Championship match between the pair at a future show.

Winner: Kay Lee Ray
Rating: 3.5/5


Xia Li vs Aliyah

Aliyah has struggled on NXT since she debuted, and unfortunately for her, she once again struggled as she competed against Xia Li. However, the performance of Li was just a disappointing, as she seemingly injured Aliyah.

The match finish had Li kick Aliyah in the face, which was followed by the pinfall. The issue is Li may have genuinely busted open Aliyah’s nose, which is a real shame if true. The match itself was disjointed and poorly set out, which means it struggled to entice fans.

Winner: Xia Li
Rating: 1/5


Mia Yim vs Io Shirai

The winner of this match would gain the advantage at NXT TakeOver: WarGames for their team, and this match did not disappoint. Io Shirai represented Shayna Baszler’s team, whilst Mia Yim represented Rhea Ripley’s team.

Both Shirai and Yim were determined to win this match for their respective teams, and it showed in how hard they were hitting each other with their respective moves. The match felt like a real battle, with Shirai seemingly meeting her match.

Both teams interfered in the match, however, rather than take away from the performance, it added to the intrigue of the match. This also includes Kay Lee Ray arriving to signal she was the final member of Baszler’s team. Once Ray took out Dakota Kai, Shirai was able to put Yim through a ladder bridge, allowing her to unhook the briefcase to win the match.

This match was incredible, with Shirai and Yim putting on the best match of the night. There are many reasons to watch NXT at the moment, but the women’s division may be the strongest reason to tune in. Shirai, in particular, is a cornerstone of the division alongside Baszler, and their skill is unmatched by any woman on the main roster.

Winner: Io Shirai
Rating: 4.5/5



Nyla Rose vs Danny Jordan

Nyla Rose has been unable to fully establish herself within AEW’s women’s division, however this match allowed her to show just how dominant she could be.

Danny Jordan entered the match with a game plan, however this was quickly proved pointless as Rose destroyed Jordan in less than 2 minutes, finishing her off with a destructive Beast Bomb.

Although this doesn’t mean Rose will immediately be thrust into a match for the AEW Women’s Championship, it does bring her back into contention. This was a squash, albeit an enjoyable squash that served it’s purpose well.

Winner: Nyla Rose
Rating: 1.5/5

Madison Rayne vs Alexia Nicole

Madison Rayne is a capable hand within Impact Wrestling, and this match was the prefect example of how she can get a serviceable match from most wrestlers.

After what felt like a fairly even contest against Alexia Nicole, the presence of Kiera Hogan in favour of Rayne proved to be too much for Nicole to handle. Rayne kicked out of a Cradle attempt, only to follow this up with an Enziguri and a Cross Rayne for the pinfall victory.

Nicole looked good in defeat, however Hogan and Rayne looked stronger. This was a fun little match that restored some hope that Impact Wrestling can learn to book its Knockouts division better.

Winner: Madison Rayne
Rating: 2/5


Havok vs Krystal Moon

Havok has struggled to put in a good match for quite a while, and this match was no different. She defeated Krystal Moon in about 4 minutes, however that 4 minutes felt like an eternity.

After toying around with Moon, Havok extinguished all hopes of a comeback by hitting Moon with a Chokeslam and a Tombstone for the pinfall victory. This match did nothing for either wrestler, other than reinforce how uninteresting Havok currently is.

Winner: Havok
Rating: 1/5



This ladder match had it all. Great moves, intrigue and most importantly, a compelling storyline narrative. This was the perfect match to close out this week's episode of NXT.


Io Shirai can do no wrong at all. She is perhaps the best female wrestler in WWE, and puts on better performances than most male wrestlers. Her heel character is a breath of fresh air, and every week is an opportunity for her to put on an even better match than last week. Well done Shirai. Well done.

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!