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.



Mickie James vs Zelina Vega

The problem with this match was the simple fact we were meant to accept Zelina Vega as a threat, despite only appearing as a competitor in the Royal Rumble and other multi women matches.

Unfortunately for Mickie James, she was defeated by Vega, who didn't really show any offense that would suggest she would be a threat to Asuka at Clash of Champions. A Backstabber was all it took for Vega to secure the pinfall victory.

Although not a thrilling contest, it was at least watchable. It was a shame to see James reduced to this, however.

Winner: Zelina Vega
Rating: 2/5


Asuka vs Peyton Royce

Simply put, this was an exercise in futility. Peyton Royce posed no threat to Asuka, with the match only functioning to give Zelina Vega an excuse to attack Asuka.

As a match, this was poor. As angle advancement, it was just ok. Which is terrible, as Asuka deserves so much more.

Winner: Asuka (via DQ)
Rating: 1/5


Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax vs Natalya & Lana

Similar to Asuka vs Peyton Royce, Natalya and Lana posed absolutely no threat to Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax. In less than a minute, Baszler submitted Lana with a Kirifuda Clutch.

This contest was only used to advance The Riott Squad vs Baszler and Jax. And it even failed to excite in that regard.

Winner: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax
Rating: 1/5



Alexa Bliss vs Lacey Evans

Alexa Bliss once again entered a trance, allowing her to supposedly tap into the strength of The Fiend. This resulted in her losing by disqualification as she attacked Lacey Evans with too much vigour.

This match was interesting for the decent wrestling, but moreso for the absolutely stellar character work by Bliss.

Winner: Lacey Evans (via DQ)
Rating: 2.5/5



Women's Battle Royal

The winner of this women's Battle Royal would become the number one contender to Io Shirai's NXT Women's Championship.

Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai and Candice LeRae were the standout stars of this match. Despite only being a Battle Royal, a number of storylines were incorporated into this contest, notably including the issues between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez. LeRae was able to slyly overcome Blackheart to secure the victory as they fought on the steel steps.

As a Battle Royal, this was interesting. There was a lot on the line, with the match succeeding thanks to being well paced.

Winner: Candice LeRae
Rating: 3/5



Kay Lee Ray vs Piper Niven

Kay Lee Ray's NXT UK Women's Championship was on the line in this match against Piper Niven, with the bout given some decent build via promos from last week's show.

The action in this match was quite frenetic and exciting, with Niven underlining how dominant she can be. She came close to winning the title, but she was undone by an exposed turnbuckle as she Cannonballed into metal, allowing Ray to pin her and retain.

This was exciting, with an interesting finish to boot. It appears Jinny is being positioned as Ray's next opponent, so it will be interesting to see how she fares against the longest reigning NXT UK Women's Champion.

Winner: Kay Lee Ray
Rating: 3.5/5



Brandi Rhodes vs Anna Jay

AEW put on an extra hour of Dynamite this week, with this match featuring smack bang in the middle.

Both Brandi Rhodes and Anna Jay tried hard to put on a quality contest, but it came across as too sloppy at times. Jay took advantage of a distraction to hit a Queen Slayer, winning by submission.

For what it was, this was a decent match to entice new viewers to AEW.

Winner: Anna Jay
Rating: 2.5/5



Hikaru Shida & Thunder Rosa vs Ivelisse and Diamante

This was a surprisingly competitive match, with Ivelisse and Diamante putting up more resistance than I anticipated.

Thunder Rosa put the disappointment of failing to capture the AEW Women's Championship behind her to team up well with Hikaru Shida, with the faces both putting on a wrestling clinic. A Running Knee from Shida was enough to secure the pinfall victory.

As part as a strong show overall, this was a stunning match.

Winner: Hikaru Shida & Thunder Rosa
Rating: 3/5



Kimber Lee vs Susie

This was your standard Knockouts fare, with neither wrestler putting on much of a show to make them stand out.

Deonna Purrazzo interfered in the match, swinging at Susie, but she ended up accidentally hitting Kimber Lee, which allowed Susie to hit a Panic Switch for the pinfall victory.

As a match, it existed. However the Su Yung storyline is not something I am enjoying.

Winner: Susie
Rating: 2.5/5


Jordynne Grace vs Tenille Dashwood

This was a better Knockouts match, with Jordynne Grace and Tenille Dashwood both putting on a good performance.

Dashwood's return to the company meant she needed the win here, but as Grace is such a star, a loss would not have hurt her. Dashwood was able to steal the pinfall victory following a Spotlight Kick off the ropes.

This was good, but both women are also capable of better. Therefore, a rematch is certainly worth watching, should they be given another opportunity soon.

Winner: Tenille Dashwood
Rating: 3/5



Bianca Belair vs Liv Morgan

The EST of WWE is also seemingly the EST of Main Event. It was a shame to see her relegated to the D show yet again, but she at least put on yet another strong performance.

Liv Morgan offered little in terms of offense, with Belair ending the match with a stiff KOD. She looked strong, but please WWE, put her on Raw!

Winner: Bianca Belair
Rating: 2.5/5


Asuka vs Zelina Vega

Zelina Vega impressed me here as she put on a better performance than I believed she was capable of. She wasn't fabulous by any means, but she at least bumped around the ring sufficiently to make me interested in the outcome.

Asuka was the clear favourite, which she evidenced by retaining her Raw Women's Championship by submitting Vega to the Asuka Lock.

This was harmless fun, and clearly there is more to explore with this storyline. If you can even call it that

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 2.5/5


Bayley vs Asuka

As Nikki Cross was unable to compete due to suspected COVID-19, Bayley issued an open challenge. Asuka answered the call, but the match was over quickly as Bayley struck her with a steel chair.

Serving no real purpose on the card, this was just disappointing.

Winner: Asuka (via DQ)
Rating: 1.5/5



This was a great match to remind fans of the talent at NXT UK's disposal. Kay Lee Ray's heel character continues to shine, whilst Piper Niven came so close to winning the title. Overall, this was a solid and enjoyable bout.


Candice LeRae booked her spot at NXT TakeOver: 31 to compete against Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship. The last time they fought on NXT's biggest show, it was an unforgettable classic. LeRae looked strong here, especially as her stock continues to rise in NXT.

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!