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.



Natalya vs Asuka

Natalya is once again being pushed on Raw, which is something that I hoped would not happen in 2020. Asuka was in dire need of a strong victory after her recent defeat to Becky Lynch, therefore a matchup against Natalya was the perfect tonic.

Asuka rightly dominated the majority of the match, however Natalya was not prepared to go down without a fight. Natalya managed to rock Asuka a couple of times, showing more fight and heart than what we are accustomed to. The Empress of Tomorrow resorted to a distraction from Kairi Sane to allow her to lock in the Asuka Lock, a move which Natalya could not escape from. After attempting in vain to escape, Natalya submitted to give Asuka the victory.

Asuka looked as intelligent as ever due to once again utilizing her tag team partner effectively. The Kabuki Warriors' partnership has allowed Asuka and Sane to reach new heights in WWE, and this match was proof that whilst Asuka is an extremely talented wrestler, she is also a wily and smart competitor. This match was interesting, and contributed to a great episode of Raw.

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 3/5


Liv Morgan vs Lana

Liv Morgan and Lana had an atrocious match last week, and this week's offering was no better. The action was insipid, with the botches and poor selling turning the match into a farce. Thankfully, it seems their feud is now over as Ruby Riott made her long anticipated return to in ring action, immediately taking out her former stablemate.

Riott initially looked happy to see Morgan, only to take her out and send a message to the rest of Raw's women's division. Riott looked strong and motivated, and hopefully this feud will be the validation that Morgan's new character sorely needs.

Winner: Liv Morgan
Rating: 0/5


Honourable Mention: Rhea Ripley Challenges Charlotte Flair

Rhea Ripley confidently stepped out on Raw to challenge Charlotte Flair to a match at WrestleMania 36, which is quite the tantalising prospect. Ripley declared her NXT Women's Championship would be on the line, however Flair walked off rather than provide Ripley with the answer she desired. This was an amazing segment as Ripley looked like Flair's equal, whilst also underlining the importance of the NXT Women's Championship.



Alexa Bliss vs Naomi vs Carmella vs Dana Brooke

This match would crown the number 1 contender to Bayley's SmackDown Women's Championship, with Naomi arguably positioned as the favourite to win. However, Naomi did not have control over the match, with Alexa Bliss, Carmella and Dana Brooke all putting in an impressive performance.

The match became a fun and fast flowing free for all, with all 4 wrestlers getting spots to shine. Bliss in particular looked strong, nearly winning the match when she went for a Twisted Bliss on Naomi, only for Naomi to get her knees up to counter. Carmella took advantage of this by hitting Naomi with a Superkick to steal the pinfall victory.

Bayley immediately took out Carmella following the match finish, sending a message to everyone in the women's division that she is not to be underestimated. This was a good match, however the post match angle was even better, and I cannot wait to see how well Carmella does against Bayley.

Winner: Carmella
Rating: 2.5/5



Piper Niven vs Dani Luna

The booking of Piper Niven in NXT UK is baffling at times, as she should be presented as an all conquering monster. This is not the case however, and some of this may be related to the fact her performances in the ring have been lacking for a while, which was the case once again this week.

Niven took control early on, with Dani Luna offering a determined resistance. The overwhelming power of Niven became too much for Luna to handle, with Luna succumbing to a Michinoku Driver as Niven secured the pinfall victory.

This match was disappointing as both wrestlers are capable of much better. There was an uneven nature to the match, whilst it never had any real heat to engage fans. Hopefully the next time these wrestlers compete against each other will be better.

Winner: Piper Niven
Rating: 2/5


Kacy Catanzaro vs Mercedes Martinez

Kacy Catanzaro has experienced a troubled NXT tenure so far, therefore it was lovely to see her feature on NXT programming again. In Mercedes Martinez, she had an opponent who would make her look good, which is exactly what happened.

Catanzaro started the match well by using her speed to confound Martinez, only for Martinez to take control and ground Catanzaro. Martinez's strength advantage was on show as she slammed Catanzaro into the barricade, before hitting a Fisherman's Buster in the ring to secure a swift pinfall victory.

Martinez looked strong, as she continues to impress since she made her NXT debut. Catanzaro looked plucky in defeat, which made the match enjoyable.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Rating: 2.5/5


Honourable Mention: Charlotte Flair Responds to Rhea Ripley's Challenge

Bianca Belair initially called out Rhea Ripley as she was perturbed Ripley declared herself as Charlotte Flair's WrestleMania 36 opponent, despite the fact she will be challenging for Ripley's NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: Portland. This brought out Flair who dismissed Belair as an option, which prompted Ripley to come out and declare her temporary alliance with Belair to take out Flair. This was a compelling segment, and hopefully this leads to a triple threat match at WrestleMania 36.



Britt Baker vs Yuka Sakazaki

Britt Baker has adopted a heel persona recently which is refreshing to see. It completely reinvigorates her character on AEW television, whilst allowing her to focus her efforts on capturing the AEW Women's Championship. She had previously been a competent wrestler, but there wasn't much outside of that.

Yuka Sakazaki was not ready to roll over and give Baker the respect she so clearly deserves, hitting Baker with some high impact and flashy moves. Sakazaki took the match to Baker by grounding her, only for Baker to lock in her patented Lockjaw, which Sakazaki countered into a cradle for the surprise pinfall.

Understandably, Baker was irate. She took Sakazaki out after the match, hitting her in the head and knocking out a tooth, which made Baker look dangerous. The victory elevated Sakazaki, whilst the post match angle reinforced how strong Baker is. This was a good match, with an even better storyline narrative.

Winner: Yuka Sakazaki
Rating: 3/5



Rosemary vs Suzie

Quite frankly, this was an angle that masqueraded as a wrestling match, as it went to a no contest due to both Rosemary and Suzie brawling to the back. This led to an angle in which Su Yung was supposedly resurrected, which was intriguing, if not slightly confusing. This wasn't much of a match, but at least it led to an angle.

Winner: No Contest
Rating: 1.5/5



This was a great match which underlined how good Britt Baker actually is, with Yuka Sakazaki receiving quite the rub from winning. The post match angle was great, which ensured the match as a whole was memorable.


Rhea Ripley had perhaps the best 2019 out of any women's wrestler in WWE, and this week she reaffirmed just how strong she is as she challenged Charlotte Flair to a match at WrestleMania 36. Ripley looked like Flair's equal, which should make the build to their potential match compelling viewing.

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!