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.



Deonna Purrazzo vs Asuka

Following The Kabuki Warriors successfully retaining the Women’s Tag Team Championship at TLC, Asuka took it on herself to stamp her authority over the Raw women’s division. This resulted in the surprise debut of Deonna Purrazzo.

Purrazzo tried in vain to make an impact, but the overall strength of Asuka shone through. After Purrazzo had hit Asuka with some decent kicks, Asuka responded with a series of stiff kicks before locking in the Asuka Lock for the submission victory.

This was a good match, with the surprise debut of Purrazzo being one of the very few highlights of Raw. It is not clear if this was a one shot deal or something long term, but Purrazzo didn’t harm her chances of being called up at all.

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 2.5/5



Carmella vs Sonya Deville

This was an opportunity for both wrestlers to gain some momentum as we move towards the Royal Rumble, but it was only Carmella that took the opportunity and ran with it.

Sonya Deville hit a series of kicks, only to be taken down by a Clothesline. Carmella responded with a Superkick and a Code of Silence for the submission victory.

This was essentially a squash match to give Carmella some momentum, however this did nothing for Deville as she once again looks weak and inept.

Winner: Carmella
Rating: 2/5


Dana Brooke vs Bayley

Dana Brooke had a second opportunity to put in a great performance against Bayley, and to her credit, she looked strong in defeat.

Brooke took the fight to Bayley, hitting her with her signature moves such as the Swanton Bomb. Bayley countered a Batista Bomb attempt, stunning Brooke in the ropes, which led to a successful Rose Plant for the pinfall victory.

This was a great match which made Brooke look strong. After this series of matches she has had with Bayley, she should be promoted as a much stronger wrestler than she has been as of late.

Winner: Bayley
Rating: 2.5/5


Lacey Evans vs Sasha Banks

This was not much of a match, as it was about giving Lacey Evans another reason to hate Sasha Banks. After a rather ineffective match, the action spilled to the outside, with Banks taunting Evans’ daughter. This led to a double countout, and Brooke had to pull Evans off Banks to prevent her from beating Banks up even more.

Evans is starting to suit her new face role, and this match was a great way to highlight this. Family is a strong connection in WWE, and Evans using her family to strengthen her connection with the WWE universe is a great move.

Winner: No Contest (Double Countout)
Rating: 1/5



Jinny vs Amale

Jinny competed against Amale, with neither wrestler having a positive 2019. This is why it was a surprise to see Jinny defeat Amale in a squash match, as she has not been presented as strong all year.

After a match in which Jinny was the dominant wrestler, she kicked Amale away before hitting a Senton Atomico, and followed up with a Make Over for the pinfall victory.

Post match, dissension was teased between Jinny and Jazzy Gabert as she refused Jinny’s instructions to hit repeated post match Clotheslines on Amale. Admittedly, it will be interesting to see how this is developed in 2020.

Winner: Jinny
Rating: 1/5


Santana Garrett vs Io Shirai

Io Shiarai has had a strong 2019, and in facing Santana Garrett, she wanted to underline how much of a threat she will be in 2020.

Garrett looked better here than she previously did against Taynara Conti, however she was no match for Shirai. Shirai escaped a Muta Lock and hit the Double Knees on Garrett, before connecting with a beautiful Moonsault for the pinfall victory.

This was a fine match, with Shirai shining as much as she has done in every single match this year. I predict big things from her in 2020, and this match was proof of just how much of a threat she poses.

Winner: Io Shirai
Rating: 2/5


Shayna Baszler vs Rhea Ripley

This match was the culmination of months of action between Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley, with Ripley having the edge in matches they have both been involved in. Baszler has been the all conquering NXT Women’s Champion, whilst Ripley has been tearing it up in both NXT and the main roster.

Both wrestlers had periods of dominance in this match, and Baszler arguably looked stronger as she nearly put Ripley away numerous times. The DDT onto a chair by Baszler looked like it was a guaranteed victory for Baszler, but miraculously, Ripley was able to kick out.

The climax of that match had Baszler and Ripley compete on the top rope, only for Ripley to hit an Avalanche Riptide for the pinfall victory, crowning the new NXT Women’s Champion.

This was an incredible match, with Ripley being anointed as the new champion, whilst the Queen of Spades showed exactly why she has been so dominant. Both wrestlers are true stars, and this match was proof of this.

Winner: Rhea Ripley
Rating: 4/5



Awesome Kong vs Miranda Alisay

This was quite simply an Awesome Kong squash, which only served to highlight how dangerous Kong is. Flanked by Brandi and Melanie Cruise, Kong instantly brutalised Miranda Alisay, hitting the Implant Buster for the swift pinfall victory.

Post match, Kong took a lock of Alisay's hair as another trophy, which not only humiliated Alisay, but made Kong look even more dangerous. This squash match served it's purpose well, highlighting the strength of Kong and by extension, Brandi herself.

Winner: Awesome Kong
Rating: 2/5


Britt Baker vs Kris Statlander

This was a match to determine the number 1 contender to Riho's AEW Women's Championship. Britt Baker arguably entered the match as the favourite as she is the more established wrestler within AEW, but Kris Statlander wasn't prepared to roll over and give Baker the victory without a fight.

In what was a fairly even match, both Baker and Statlander had periods of dominance, with Statlander in particular looking strong. Her moves seemed more impactful, and she also seemed to be more wary of Baker's offense. This led to the finish, as Statlander was able to counter a Lockjaw into a Big Bang Theory for the pinfall victory. This was a great way to end a quality match.

Brandi arrived post match, praising Statlander for her victory whilst asking if she wanted to be a part of the Nightmare Collective. Statlander refused, which led to Awesome Kong and Melanie Cruise arriving. Brandi took advantage of this distraction to hit Statlander in the eye with her spiked shoe. This angle allowed for Statlander to garner sympathy, whilst underlining how dangerous Nightmare Collective is.

Winner: Kris Statlander
Rating: 3/5



Tenille Dashwood vs Jordynne Grace

Tenille Dashwood has arguably been underwhelming since she started wrestling for Impact Wrestling, and unfortunately for her, this match didn’t feature a great Dashwood performance.

Jordynne Grace and Dashwood both had opportunities to exert their dominance over the match, however Grace was able to counter Dashwood’s offense into a cradle for a swift pinfall victory.

Neither wrestler looked strong, but Grace’s offense looked a lot crisper than Dashwood’s. As an opening match, it wasn’t offensive, but both wrestlers are capable of much better.

Winner: Jordynne Grace
Rating: 2/5



This match was everything that it needed to be. Shayna Baszler looked as strong as she has been throughout her entire NXT tenure, whilst Rhea Ripley was the face with such overwhelming support from the fans in attendance at Full Sail. The near falls were befitting of the main event slot at any NXT: TakeOver, and this contest highlighted the importance of the NXT Women's Championship.


Rhea Ripley has perhaps been the best performing wrestler in 2019, at least in terms of achievements. She defeated Shayna Baszler in an epic match to set her up as the strongest female wrestler going forward in 2020, whilst also proving that she was able to back up the hype that surrounds her. Her Avalanche Riptide was the perfect way to end Baszler's reign, and the emotion on show once she was crowned NXT Women's Champion was off the charts. Well done Ripley. You truly do deserve your success.

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!