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.



Peyton Royce vs Billie Kay

Both Peyton Royce and Billie Kay came out to the ring with new personas, however it was Royce who looked stronger here.

Despite being billed as a Femme Fatale, Kay's offense was rather insipid. I enjoyed how both wrestlers countered each other due to the fact they have tagged with each other for years, but Royce was able to overcome this and hit a Spinning Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

This was a surprisingly competitive and interesting bout, with Royce looking strong in victory. It appears she will be pushed harder than Kay, which means the Femme Fatale needs to come up with something soon to stay relevant.

Winner: Peyton Royce
Rating: 2/5


Asuka & Mickie James vs Natalya & Lana

This tag team match was poor, with the only point of it being to advance to Asuka vs Mickie James.

Natalya and Lana offered no real competition, whilst the level of dissension between Asuka and James was laughable at best. Lana tapped out to the Asuka Lock, securing the win for the face team.

This was poor, but it was no real surprise with Lana being involved.

Winner: Asuka & Mickie James
Rating: 2/5


The Riott Squad vs Shayna Baszler

Despite the numbers advantage, The Riott Squad had to work hard for their victory over Shayna Baszler.

Superb tag team work allowed The Riott Squad to wear down The Queen of Spades, as Liv Morgan rolled Baszler up for the pinfall victory.

This was a shocking win which did wonders for The Riott Squad, whilst also ensuring Baszler remained strong in defeat.

Winner: The Riott Squad
Rating: 2.5/5


The Riott Squad vs Nia Jax

Unfortunately, Nia Jax vs The Riott Squad was awful. Not only did Jax look rough, the finish to match was terrible as it only served to build to RETRIBUTION and their debut promo. Definitely one to avoid.

Winner: No Contest
Rating: 1/5



Alexa Bliss vs Nikki Cross vs Tamina vs Lacey Evans

The winner of this match would become the number one contender to Bayley's SmackDown Women's Championship.

Alexa Bliss started the match well, but she attacked Nikki Cross with a Sister Abigail and left the match in a trance. This allowed Cross to ultimately prevail against Lacey Evans and Tamina by rolling up Tamina for a three count, making her look like a sympathetic character in the process.

It was an interesting match, but Bayley vs Cross does not interest me in the slightest. Bliss vs Cross is where the real money is.

Winner: Nikki Cross
Rating: 3/5



Rhea Ripley vs Mercedes Martinez

This was an absolutely fantastic match, highlighting the sheer strength in depth of NXT's women's division.

Despite being a Cage match, a litany of weapons were available for both Rhea Ripley and Mercedes Martinez to unleash hell upon each other. They fought like warriors, but it was Ripley who secured the pinfall victory following a Top Rope Riptide.

The finish of this match left Ripley standing strong, however Martinez has now left The Robert Stone Brand. Both have the potential to challenge Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship.

Winner: Rhea Ripley
Rating: 4/5



Nyla Rose vs Tay Conti

Tay Conti celebrated her new AEW contract with a match against Nyla Rose, although she had nothing to celebrate about the result. Despite the match lasting longer than I would like, Rose was able to hit a Beast Bomb for the pinfall victory.

This match did not serve its true purpose of making Rose look strong for a future fight with Hikaru Shida. Conti looked good, but in all fairness, she should not have gone so long with Rose.

Winner: Nyla Rose
Rating: 2.5/5



Tasha Steelz vs Taya Valkyrie

Unfortunately for Tasha Steelz and Taya Valkyrie, this match was not given the time it deserved. Both women are capable of putting on a strong match, yet neither of them were afforded enough time to achieve this.

The action we were treated to was average, with neither wrestler standing out. A Road to Valhalla secured the victory for Valkyrie, but the result was largely underwhelming.

Winner: Taya Valkyrie
Rating: 2/5



This was a fantastic match, with both Rhea Ripley and Mercedes Martinez putting on a strong show. Robert Stone even got involved, but this only added to the importance of the match. It was certainly a contest that deserved to be the main event of this week's episode of NXT.


Rhea Ripley reminded fans how much of a star she is this week. She looked utterly dominant, and surely she uses this victory to challenge for the NXT Women's Championship.

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!