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.



Liv Morgan vs Asuka

Asuka was determined to put the disappointment of WrestleMania 36 behind her, with Liv Morgan her opponent this week. Morgan was coming off a victory at WrestleMania 36, therefore her confidence was at an all time high.

Morgan put in a good shift against Asuka, with the match lasting longer than fans would have expected. Asuka’s ultimate dominance prevailed however, as she locked in the Asuka Lock to secure a submission victory.

This was a rather entertaining match, with Asuka once again shining. Morgan looked strong, which is positive considering the lack of attention she has received since she was repackaged.

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 3/5


Bianca Belair vs Zelina Vega

This match marked the apparent promotion of the EST of NXT, Bianca Belair. This wasn’t a bad way to bring her up, however the fact she was unable to beat Zelina Vega almost immediately is a mark against her.

Rather than Belair go over clean, the match ended with a DQ due to the interference of Angel Garza and Austin Theory. The Street Profits, with whom Belair is now aligned, played their part too, however the DQ finish left a bad taste in the mouth. Belair deserved better than this for her Raw debut.

Winner: Bianca Belair (via DQ)
Rating: 2/5


Nia Jax vs Deonna Purrazzo

Nia Jax made her long awaited in ring return against Deonna Purrazzo, and she swiftly proceeded to remind fans of how dominant she can be.

A Clothesline, Samoan Drop and Cradled DDT were devastating enough for Jax to secure the pinfall victory. This made Jax look strong, however Purrazzo continues to be devalued on the main roster.

Winner: Nia Jax
Rating: 2.5/5



Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs The Kabuki Warriors

This was a rematch of their incredibly frenetic WrestleMania 36 match, with The Kabuki Warriors aiming to reclaim the Women’s Tag Team Championship.

This contest was nearly as good as the WrestleMania 36 offering, however the lesser occasion affected the importance of the match. Regardless, Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss put on another strong performance, with Cross picking up the victory following a Purge on Kairi Sane.

Cross once again showed how much she has improved as a character and performer, whilst The Kabuki Warriors looked strong in defeat. This was a fun match to highlight the importance of the Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Winner: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
Rating: 3/5



There were no women's matches this week.


Io Shirai vs Mia Yim vs Dakota Kai vs Tegan Nox vs Candice LeRae vs Chelsea Green

The winner of this ladder match would become the number one contender to Charlotte Flair’s newly acquired NXT Women’s Championship. Dakota Kai and Io Shirai seemed to be the best picks for the victory, and that is exactly how it played out.

The action was hard hitting, with most wrestlers getting an opportunity to shine. Tegan Nox looked strong, whilst Kai continued to look dangerous. It was Shirai, however, that managed to claim the victory through pulling the briefcase down.

Shirai vs Flair is a true dream match, and one which will be be hard to predict. This ladder match was a good effort, but it lacked drama over who could potentially win.

Winner: Io Shirai
Rating: 3.5/5



Hikaru Shida vs Britt Baker

Hikaru Shida and Britt Baker have collided many times before, yet this match was their best contest in AEW. Shida started the match riding the momentum from her recent wins, whilst Baker was determined to show her heel character is the real thing.

Baker’s nose was bloodied during the match, however she didn’t let this hold her back. If anything, the bloody nose added to the match, with Baker looking strong for continuing. Shida was not to be denied though, securing the pinfall following a Knee Strike.

This was a fabulous match, with Shida continuing to gain momentum. It’s surely only a matter of time before she captures the AEW Women’s Championship.

Winner: Hikaru Shida
Rating: 3.5/5



Madison Rayne vs Havok

This was a brief Knockout’s match, which was in the match’s favour as Havok is not a strong wrestler when it comes to longer matches.

Madison Rayne tried in vain to assert her dominance, as Havok controlled the match with ease. Havok caught Rayne and finished the match with a Tombstone Piledriver. It was short, sweet and not as bad as most Havok matches.

Winner: Havok
Rating: 2/5


Kiera Hogan vs Suzie

Kiera Hogan continued to rise up the ranks in the Knockout's division, as she convincingly defeated Suzie. Hogan has been one of the better Knockout’s performers over the past few months, and she showed why here.

Hogan dominated this contest, hitting a Purge to secure the pinfall victory. This match puts Hogan into consideration for a shot at Jordynne Grace's Knockout’s Championship.

Winner: Kiera Hogan
Rating: 2.5/5



Natalya vs Aliyah

A Natalya match on Main Event means only one thing. A mediocre and uninteresting contest.

Aliyah has been struggling on NXT, therefore it was surprising to see her on Main Event. Both Natalya and Aliyah tried hard to put on an interesting match, but neither are capable of doing so without a top quality opponent. After what felt like an eternity, Natalya locked Aliyah in a Sharpshooter, with the NXT prospect left with no other option but to submit.

This was a bad match, and hopefully we don’t have a series of rematches between them. One and done is enough for me.

Winner: Natalya
Rating: 1/5


This was quite the impressive match, with Britt Baker putting on her best performance yet in AEW. Yes, the impromptu bloody nose will have helped, but Hikaru Shida and Baker put on a match worthy of any high profile pay-per-view.


Britt Baker’s heel character finally feels complete, with her performances finally catching up with her quality promos. Baker rolled with her bloody nose and used it as part of the narrative of her match with Hikaru Shida, which shows she is becoming a more complete wrestler.

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!