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.



Asuka vs Lana

This match was for the Raw Women's Championship, however the expectations were as low as possible. This was due to the fact that Lana is a terrible wrestler, therefore it was insane to believe that she would be able to put away the dominant Asuka.

Asuka won by submission following an Asuka Lock, however this didn't feel like a win as she should never have been in this match in the first place. This was dire.

Winner: Asuka
Rating: 1/5


Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke vs The Riott Squad vs Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce

After delivering a promo to explain how dominant they are, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler were placed into an impromptu Fatal Four Way match against three teams desperate to prove how they deserve to be Women's Tag Team Champions.

The issue here is that the match was given very little time, with no single team coming across as a threat to Jax and Baszler. One Samoan Drop was all it took for them to win, completely undermining the supposed threat of their opponents. This was just simply not good enough.

Winner: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
Rating: 2/5



Bianca Belair vs Zelina Vega

What flavour squash do you like? I like the EST flavour of squash, which is exactly what was served up this week on SmackDown.

Bianca Belair absolutely dominated Zelina Vega, allowing her to make a clear impression on the rest of the women's division on the blue brand. A stunning KOD gave Belair the victory, and thus a beautiful squash was complete.

Winner: Bianca Belair
Rating: 2.5/5



Ember Moon vs Jessi Kamea

Another match to allow Ember Moon to shake off any lingering ring rust, she swiftly defeated Jessi Kamea with a hybrid STF / Camel Clutch. Kamea made no impression, but Moon looked strong here.

Winner: Ember Moon
Rating: 2.5/5


Kacy Catanzaro vs Xia Li

Another week, another poor Xia Li performance. Kacy Catanzaro looked fired up, winning the match quickly following a pinning combination. The victory leaves Catanzaro with momentum, whilst Li continues to look ineffective.

Winner: Kacy Catanzaro
Rating: 2/5



Nina Samuels vs Amale

I find it noteworthy that people were tweeting Paige about Nina Samuels winning with her own finishing move. That says a lot about the rest of the match, which was as bland and uninspired as it could be.

Amale and Samuels didn't really blend well, which made for a disappointing contest. It was also a shame to see very little storyline development for either woman, outside of having a match for the sake of having a match. Samuels won with a Swinging Neckbreaker, but she won't be challenging for the NXT UK Women's Championship anytime soon.

Winner: Nina Samuels
Rating: 2/5



Britt Baker vs Kilynn King

Rather than be a competitive outing for both women, this was a squash match to show how Britt Baker is on the road to the AEW Women's Championship.

The match never really had any exciting moments, but the finish had Baker hit a Fisherman's Neckbreaker into a Lockjaw, which was at least interesting.

Winner: Britt Baker
Rating: 2.5/5



Havok vs Rosemary

This was bad. Just plain terrible. Rosemary won with two consecutive Spears, however there was very little to enjoy. Stay away from this match.

Winner: Rosemary
Rating: 1.5/5



Deonna Purrazzo vs Su Yung

Deonna Purrazzo was originally scheduled to defend her Knockout's Championship against Kylie Rae, however she experienced reported personal issues before the show and was replaced by Su Yung. I hope she recovers both physically and mentally, as she is a solid hand in the Knockout's division.

Susie's darker alter ego took the fight to Purrazzo, who was perhaps unprepared for this matchup. Yung hit a Panic Switch after a fun back and forth contest, winning the title in the process.

The title change came off poorly as it should have been Rae who won it, but at least this was an interesting alternative.

Winner: Su Yung
Rating: 3/5


Bayley vs Sasha Banks

This was an absolutely hellacious match, fully living up to the pressure and expectations that come with a Hell in a Cell match.

Sasha Banks started with real fire, however it wasn't too long before Bayley took control and slowed the match down to benefit herself. Banks fought valiantly, eventually locking Bayley into a steel chair assisted Banks Statement, finally ending the record reign of the champion.

The action was hard hitting, violent, and oh so satisfying. Banks coming out on top was great, but I do hope she is allowed a strong run with the belt. By far, this was the best match of the week.

Winner: Sasha Banks
Rating: 4.5/5



This contest was everything that I wanted it to be. It was as violent as a male Hell in a Cell match, whilst incorporating a solid and entertaining storyline. Great wrestling indeed!


Sasha Banks underlined how strong she is by dethroning Bayley this week. It was by far the best performance of the week, and I hope she uses this as a springboard to a strong reign as SmackDown Women's Champion.

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!