With the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event one week from Sunday, let’s go back to a sibling rivalry from 2014 for Free Match Friday. As a result of Nikki Bella’s betrayal of her sister Brie at SummerSlam, the two started a brief rivalry.
The stipulation of this match included the loser becoming the other personal assistant for 30-days. If the loser of the match refused to do this then they would be “fired” from WWE. Their feud could have arguably been much more, but this was the culmination of what we received.
Go ahead and re-watch this moment in the video shown above. You can also catch Total Bellas Season 6 that will air on Nov. 12.
Check in with Diva Dirt next Friday for another Free Match Friday.
This week’s Free Match Friday is from a TakeOver event to celebrate as we are about to hit TakeOver 31 this Sunday.
This was over three years ago as the third TakeOver to rush into Brooklyn. It had a The Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka, in her unprecedented undefeated streak as NXT Women’s Champion. This would also end up being her last match on NXT at that time. She would debut on the main roster shortly thereafter.
Feel free to enjoy the match that is listed above. Discuss in the comments what you thought of this match. Would you like to see Ember vs. Asuka again in the future? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
WWE’s most recent pay-per-view event Clash of Champions took place over the weekend. An event that focuses on every championship being defended. Unfortunately for The Riott Squad, they were not able to go for the gold as the Women’s Tag Team Champions could not compete.
On the Clash of Champions Kickoff show, it was announced that the current Women’s Tag Team Champions, Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler, were not medically clear to compete. This led to many fans showing concern and automatically thinking that one or both may have tested positive for COVID-19. Although them not being medically cleared could have been many reasons or even precautionary due to the current health pandemic, it still raised some concern.
Both Jax and Baszler responded to fans on Twitter. Baszler confirmed she does not have COVID and Jax says that she is healthy as well.
Girl….I could not be better ? I apologize that the announcement scared some, but all is great and healthy on my end & my tag partner’s end as well (not that I speak for her, but I kind of just did ?) https://t.co/8eQXodGAdN
There has been no official word about the status of the tag champs at this time from WWE. They mentioned when calling off the Clash of Champions match that this will discussed further on Monday night during RAW.
Check back in with Diva Dirt for further news and a Winners & Losers from tonight’s RAW.
For this week’s Free Match Friday with Clash of Champions coming up this weekend on Sunday, Sept. 27, let’s travel back a few years to 2016. In that year, the RAW Women’s Title was on the line as the champion Charlotte Flair had to defend her title against two women she knew very well – Sasha Banks and Bayley.
This match came after a SummerSlam event where Flair would regain the RAW Women’s Title from Banks. At that time Banks suffered a back injury in which was questionable on whether or not she would be able to have a rematch at Clash of Champions.
Bayley entered this match by defeating Banks and Dana Brooke in a Triple Threat. This secured her spot after she also defeated Flair one-one-one on an episode of RAW previously.
Check out the video above and relive this match and see if Flair was able to hold onto the title.
Check in with Diva Dirt this weekend as we will have coverage of any news, rumors, and results that have to do with Clash of Champions.
Current matches for the Clash of Champions card this Sunday are:
RAW Women’s Title – Asuka (c) vs. Zelina Vega – Kickoff Show
Women’s Tag Team Titles – Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) vs. The Riott Squad
SmackDown Women’s Title – Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross
Abadon may be a newer talent to AEW as she just signed with the company in June, however, she is already turning heads. Having a veteran pay you a compliment also can go a long way in this industry and she is receiving that praise from Chris Jericho.
Since officially joining the company, Abadon has been racking up wins on AEW Dark. Although she hasn’t been seen on Dynamite since her debut, Jericho feels that she is still to be on the lookout for.
“Abadon is this really creepy gimmick and she signed with us and she’s going to be a huge, huge force in women’s division because this looks like some kind of zombie from Evil Dead combined with Train to Busan, or something like that. So, it’s really cool stuff.”
He continued, “So if you have not seen Abadon on AEW Dark, go look for her because she’s got a great look and it’s really believable. It’s really creepy and it’s actually really scary and I’m a big fan of hers.”
What have been your thoughts on Abadon so far in AEW? Would you like to see more of her? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
As a Free Match Friday, let’s go back 14-years to the last match Trish Stratus had on RAW before retiring. Granted, the word “retire” is a term used loosely in wrestling, this was the last official match on RAW before Stratus hung up her boots for a bit.
She would make sporadic appearances in the coming years after, mostly in tag team action. Then there was of course her recent appearances in the past couple of years with the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match along with her SummerSlam match against Charlotte Flair in 2019.
This match in particular wrapped up one of her more popular feuds with Mickie James in a nice little bow. The dynamic between Stratus and James was always one to watch and the two worked very well together. The pair would put on another exciting match between them. Lita would attempt to cause a distraction to Stratus, however, she was still able to pull out a victory.
She would then face Lita at Unforgiven just a few days later, which would be her final match with the company at the time.
Check out the video above to watch Stratus’ final match on RAW from 2006. What did you think of this match? Leave your comments below.
This week’s RAW was a good showing for the women’s division. A total of four matches were on display. Although we do not know any matches just yet officially for Clash of Champions that will take place later on this month, we received a title match set for next week. Mickie James will go one on one against Asuka for the RAW Women’s Title on the Sept. 14 episode of RAW. This week? The two had to be on the same side of the ring as they took on the team of Nataly and Lana.
The matches on this week’s show were as follows:
Peyton Royce vs. Billie Kay
Mickie James & Asuka vs. Natalya & Lana
The Riott Squad vs. Shayna Baszler – 2 on 1 Handicap Match
The Riott Squad vs. Nia Jax – 2 on 1 Handicap Match
The first match was between the two former teammates. The IIconics were forced to break up last week following their loss to The Riott Squad. Now we have new entrances, new music, and two singles competitors in that of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay.
The two would face each other as the rest of us awkwardly looked on. There would be a hint of animosity as Royce blamed Kay for their break up. As expected due to a constant rumor that Royce was seen as high on Vince McMahon’s list, she would come out with the win.
After the match, Royce would help up Kay and hug her.
Initial thoughts:
Both of their new music is rather generic. I did enjoy the graphics for Billie though and her gear, it set her apart some from The IIconics. Peyton, however, for the one they seem to want to push more had the same gear she has been wearing. The match was okay, but I know they could have gone harder. Generally in my opinion, good friends can put on high caliber matches.
I could be wrong, but this seems to be a one-off match as the hug signified the end of the duo. As I half expected Peyton to attack Billie after the match, she didn’t.
EXCLUSIVE: Throughout a difficult time on #WWERaw, @PeytonRoyceWWE still has a lot of emotions to process. pic.twitter.com/45WPZskIiF
Next up we had the tag team match between Mickie James and Asuka as they face Lana and Natalya. James and Asuka played up the tension between the two with them tagging themselves in. Asuka steals the win from James at the end of the match as a result. She gets the win via submission via the Asuka Lock on Lana. James kept Natalya from saving Lana by delivering a Mick Kick on the outside.
Initial Thoughts:
It was a solid match – good storytelling between Mickie and Asuka. Seeing as they are both technically babyface, the build-up needs that much more effort. I am really enjoying the team of Lana and Natalya and I am glad Lana is getting back in the ring more. Assuming Lana and Natalya will likely cost Mickie her title match next Monday, this will lead up to what the Clash of Champions match will be for the RAW Women’s Title.
Lastly, we have two matches that involve The Riott Squad. First, we had Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott having to face Shayna Baszler in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. The dynamic between Baszler and Nia Jax as tag team champions continue to show that they are far from friends. Baszler arguing with Jax who was at ringside would ultimately do her in. Morgan would secure a win on Baszler for The Riott Squad as they go up 1-0 for the night.
The second match was the second 2-on-1 Handicap Match as The Riott Squad faced Nia Jax. Morgan and Riott did a fantastic job through the match with constant tags in order to keep Jax down as much as possible. The duo knew that they had to focus on keeping Jax off her feet if they wanted to pick up this win.
The Riott Squad was close to another victory as the lights started to flicker and go out signaling the emergence of RETRIBUTION. Morgan went for the pin on Jax and at the count of two the lights went out and the RETRIBUTION stable had their first promo. So that being said, the match ended without a result.
Initial Thoughts:
Personally, I do not like handicap matches. I think they show little creativity and are pointless. These two matches, however, I understood the point. With Shayna and Nia still not fully on the same page, and how they took out Sasha Banks and Bayley – this made sense. Shayna beat both Sasha and Bayley to win the titles and Nia pinned both of them in order to retain the titles.
I wish the second match had a result and wasn’t interrupted by RETRIBUTION, but that gives Nia a leg to stand on saying she wasn’t “defeated.”
As far as RETRIBUTION, the women of the stable didn’t say anything in the promo. However, I am convinced that the two women in the group are Mia Yim and Vanessa Borne.
Let’s get into the Winners & Losers of the week:
WINNER: Liv Morgan
Liv getting a pin on Shayna was a nice surprise. These handicap matches were tricky, but it did make more sense for Shayna to lose. I am happy that the Riott Squad are back together, and Liv is continuing to shine as a result.
WINNER: Peyton Royce
Peyton is clearly the one receiving the push out of the artists formerly known as The IIconics. Her new music and entrance however I feel was way less impressive than Billie’s. I can only assume that Peyton may end up going to SmackDown though. Her going after the SmackDown Women’s Title just makes more sense.
WINNER: Asuka
Asuka was able to still squeak out a win even while being on a team with Mickie who is gunning for her. The way she won as well is reminding me of her initial heel turn, so she may end up being the heel in this scenario between the two. Her getting the win continues to make her look strong.
LOSER: Billie Kay
Unfortunately for Billie, Peyton’s win solidifies that she is favored as rumored. Personally I am worried about what is next for Billie. I wouldn’t mind a nice feud between the two, but with this randomness that was their break-up, I can see them now being on different brands. I just feel that Billie is going to get lost in the shuffle and not used.
What did you think of this week’s RAW? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!!
Io Shirai is still the NXT Women’s Champion after her successful win at TakeOver: XXX. What can be said though is her win certainly wasn’t easy. Dakota Kai took the Joshi Judas to her limits and even with the help of Raquel Gonzalez it wasn’t enough.
In a match that lasted over 17-minutes, saying that Kai pulled out everything in her arsenal is an understatement. There were many moments throughout that the challenger almost won her first title in WWE. She pulled out her kicks, the Kairopractor, and even had an armbar locked in so tight that it was shocking that Shirai was able to force a break and not tap out.
Towards the end of the match, the referee was knocked out. This allowed the equalizer of Gonzalez to enter the ring and layout Shirai. She pulled Kai on top of her and pulled the referee up to make the count. Somehow, Shirai was able to kick out. She eventually was able to hit her moonsault and get the three-count to retain her title.
After the match, Gonzalez re-entered the ring and went on the attack. Rhea Ripley’s music would then hit and The Nightmare made her way to ring. In an interesting turn of events, instead of Ripley going after her old foe Shirai, she instead would lock her eyes on Gonzalez. The two stared at each other face-to-face before Gonzalez left the ring with Kai.
As Shirai then celebrated her win, Ripley was seen watching her from the ramp.
What did you think of the title match? What did you think of the aftermath between Ripley and Gonzalez? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!!
In a controversial moment, Mickie James loses her in-ring return match. James returned in a backstage interview last week from her knee injury that had her out for over a year.
Thinking back to the last time I was actually seen in a @wwe ring… #wrestlemania over a year ago? This was my 1st surgery from an injury of my entire 20+ career. The #Comeback was a way longer road than I could’ve… https://t.co/TtDYiAjbSn
She came back saying that she was ready to get some gold around her waist before Natalya and Lana entered the picture. As a result, we receive a match between two in-ring veterans.
During the match, instead of WWE focusing on the women, it focused on Seth Rollins confronting Samoa Joe at the announce table. If that wasn’t aggravating enough for fans of the returning six-time champion, after waiting for so long to see James back in the ring, she loses via count-out.
After the match, James would get “the last laugh” and hit Lana at ringside with a Mick Kick. Both James and Natalya would comment on the result from their match on Twitter. James also takes to a WWE Exclusive to share her frustrations.
It was truly an honor getting to share the ring with @MickieJames, a 6 time Womens Champion and one of the best women wrestlers on the planet. BUT I am disturbed that Mickie assaulted @LanaWWE after our match. Very PETTY! Joy, and I have your back, Lana! ???? #WWERawpic.twitter.com/Umn8nu0Smy
What did you think about this return? Were you among the many who wanted better for Mickie? Do you think she will be put into a title picture soon? If so, which title? Leave your thoughts below!!
The feud over the past number of months between Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose has definitely been one to watch. These former best friend and tag team partners have attacked each other every chance they get. They went toe to toe back in May with Deville coming out with the win.
Since then, Rose has been seething at the chance to get back at the woman who has continued to make her life a living hell. These led up to a couple of weeks ago when Deville attacked Rose backstage and took scissors to her hair during a brutal beat down. Now, on this week’s SmackDown, a shorter-haired Rose has challenged her thorn in her side to a Hair vs. Hair match.
Later on, Deville accepted Rose’s challenge. She applauded the aggression that she has pulled out of Rose since giving her the original cut. She feels that Rose is going to look great bald and will destroy her once and for all.
Get out the ?? 'cause we're going to the ? at #SummerSlam…
Bayley has now been SmackDown Women’s Champion for 300-days and has defeating several opponents in that time frame. She is also a dual champion as both her and Sasha Banks are the Women’s Tag Team Champions. That’s not all, but with Banks holding the RAW Women’s Champion, the duo is dominating WWE.
Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon had to step in and rectify the situation of the unclear winner of the RAW Women’s Championship match from Extreme Rules. She put into action a foolproof plan to determine the rightful titleholder of the RAW brand. In that, Bayley and Banks found the loophole that cost Asuka the title as she had to race to her best friend Kairi Sane’s aide after Bayley’s attack. This caused a count-out which McMahon had stated would still cause a title change in the stipulations.
This did not sit well with McMahon as she graced the big screen once again to deliver a message to the Golden Role Models on SmackDown. She explains that for SummerSlam, Banks will be defending her RAW Women’s Title. It may just be against Asuka if the Empress of Tomorrow can take out Bayley this Monday on RAW. As for Bayley, she too will be defending her SmackDown Women’s Title.
But who will be her opponent?
McMahon congratulated the duo on holding all the gold and that they have successfully made their way across all three brands. So as a result, she wants to help those that the duo have wronged by giving them a chance for some retribution.
Next week, there will be a Triple Brand Battle Royal that will include women from all three brands. The winner of that match will go on to SummerSlam and face Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Title.
It’s been a while since we did a Free Match Friday and why not have one involving the women of NXT UK. Much like the absence of Free Match Friday’s comes the hiatus of the NXT UK Women’s Division.
Since it has been on hiatus, why not look at a past match to reminisce. Here is Nina Samuels attempting to knock off Toni Storm as NXT UK Women’s Champion. Storm held the title heading into the match and throughout her entire tenure as champion she went 230-days.
Enjoy this match!!
Who would you like to see back in the ring once NXT UK starts back up again?
On this week’s Friday Night SmackDown, Nikki Cross won another shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship. She faced her tag team partner and best friend, Alexa Bliss, in a one-on-one match.
Cross picked up the win with a cradle after she seemed to be in trouble due to her injured ribs. The idea of the number one contender match was Bayley’s saying that if Cross wanted another shot at her title then she would have to earn it.
She recently had a title match against Bayley at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view last weekend. With SummerSlam, a month away, will Bayley still be SmackDown Women’s Champion heading into that event? Could we maybe move on for a feud between Cross and Bliss if Cross is able to take down the longest-reigning SmackDown champ?
What are your thoughts on seeing this match happen, again?
This week we are going with the SHIMMER promotion who recently posted a battle between Hikaru Shida vs. Evie. Evie, now known as Dakota Kai in NXT, spent time in several events for SHIMMER. Shida also had multiple matches with the company where she faced Mia Yim, Mercedes Martinez, Kimber Lee, and Athena (Ember Moon) – just to name a few.
In April of 2019, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling co-produced an event called G1 Supercard. From that event came a dark match which we have decided to make this week’s Free Match Friday. It is to highlight the late Hana Kimura.
Last weekend, Kimura tragically left this earth. At such a young age of 22, Kimura was a bright star and her talent was unmistakable. Her appearance along with Oedo Tai (Kagetsu and Hazuki) highly represented Stardom.
It is clear that Kimura was the next big thing. She is loved and missed by many.
Please enjoy this match and discuss what you thought of it in the comment section below.
If you are a Stardom fan, discuss other favorite matches of Hana’s that you enjoyed as well.
This week’s Free Match Friday is brought to you by SHIMMER. As a result of indie shows not being able to perform at the moment, it is good to recall past matches that stole the show.
Credit: SHIMMER
This match featured a big name for the SHIMMER promotion and that is MsChif. She eventually became a SHIMMER Champion, but before the title was brought forth she feuded with the likes of Cheerleader Melissa and Daizee Haze. She would eventually go on to become SHIMMER Champion for an impressive 715-days.
This particular encounter though she had her hands full with a formidible foe – Amazing Kong.
The two put on quite the match in which MsChif showed just how determine she was to never quit. Enjoy this week’s match to see who took away the victory.
Leave your thoughts on this match in the comment section below.
IMPACT Wrestling has been providing exciting new talent to their Knockouts roster in the past several weeks. This has created a fresh take on the division that already shines through with their amazing talent. There were two matches that took place and both had a debut.
First, was Tasha Steelz making her debut facing Kylie Rae and then we witnessed Kimber Lee who showed up last week facing Havok. As reported earlier, Steelz had an impressive first outing, but she was no match for the red hot Rae. Rae has been on a winning streak since debuting for the company and she continued it when she applied her submission, the STF, on Steelz.
After the match, Rae had a unique confrontation with Susie who was confused with her last name. Once she realized that Kylie’s last name was Rae as in a ray of sunshine she seemed to comprehend. The interaction between these two should lead to something interesting, to say the least.
The next match was one that was built from last week’s debut of Kimber Lee on Madison Rayne’s Locker Room Talk. She confronted Havok by saying that the two know each other and that she is looking forward to climbing the Knockouts division in being the Crown Jewel. Havok is coming off of a loss from Rebellion against Rosemary and would like nothing more than a win against someone from her past.
Lee isn’t the only new Knockout that has familiarity with Havok. Nevaeh showed up at Rebellion to watch Havok’s match. These two know each other from other promotions as well and are currently the Guardians of RISE Champions for Rise Wrestling. Nevaeh showed up mid-match between these two as she stood off to the side of the ramp in the back watching intently. It is not fully known what her intentions are at this point.
Unlike Steelz who was unable to pick up a win from her debut, Lee was able to punch out a win with some brass knuckles. While the referee was chased off by an angry Havok, she turned around to Lee who was perched up on the top turnbuckle. We saw that she was equipped with the weapon unbeknownst to Havok herself.
This video hypes up Hogan stating that for the past five years she has been in the passenger seat watching others guide her. She hasn’t just been watching however as she has been learning and seeing her mistakes. Now it is about her and to prove that she is the hottest flame.
Let’s get into the Winners & Losers of the week:
WINNER: Kimber Lee
Kimber pulls out a big win from her debut. It isn’t clear if Nevaeh is going to be working with Havok or Kimber at this point, but we do know the common thread and that is that she has been watching Havok closely. I am very interested to see how all of this will pan out. Winning dirty in her first match is a nice touch as well.
She was impressive through the match and being no stranger to gold since she is the current SHIMMER Champion, I can see her heading up the ladder quickly.
WINNER: Susie
I don’t know why, but I love the Susie character. To me, it is strangely more creepy as this then her Su Yung persona. The news earlier in the week that she has re-signed with the company is a huge win as well for not only her but the fans of the Knockouts division as well. I hope to see her feud with Kylie because I think it would be fun to see it play out, especially if she goes back and forth as Yung during the feud.
LOSER: Havok
Havok hasn’t been picking up many wins lately. Coming off of a loss from Rebellion and now this loss to a debuting Kimber isn’t helping her. If Nevaeh is going to be with her instead of against her this could drastically change her recent course for the better. It doesn’t seem like she has done well though since she is being watched.
What did you think of this week’s IMPACT? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
A RAW many soon will never forget, came with huge news provided by ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch that has changed the landscape of the women’s roster on the red brand. The 400-day reign of Lynch is over as she announced that she had to pass on the title due to becoming a mother as she is with child. As a result, Asuka is the new RAW Women’s Champion because her winning the Money in the Bank briefcase on Sunday was actually her winning the title. For a full review of this, you can check the prior article by clicking here.
After this kicked off the show it was hard to concentrate on anything else, however, a much needed return was right around the corner. The IIconics returned and originally challenged the Women’s Tag Team Champions to a title match. The title ended up not being on the line against Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, but the returning duo did pick up a win as Peyton Royce pinned Bliss. That full report can be found here.
The second match of the night involved Shayna Baszler and Natalya. Nattie wasn’t very amused by Baszler’s reaction to Lynch’s baby announcement. She couldn’t fathom why someone who was at the top of their career. Nattie challenged Baszler to a match as a result of her inconsiderate response. Baszler then informed Nattie that she will never be a mother and the Hart Dynasty will end with her.
The match between the two was much expected with a win going to Baszler. She attempted to stomp the arm of Nattie as she has been doing lately to her opponents. Nattie was able to counter and avoid the move that has taken many women out. After a knee strike, The Queen of Spades gets the pin.
It seems that Baszler will be going for Asuka next as she is still determined to become champion.
Let’s get to the Winners & Losers of the night as this is pretty obvious this week:
WINNER: Becky Lynch
She may have had to relinquish the title that she has held for 400-days without losing it in a match, but she still has had one hell of a past year (plus). It was quite an emotional moment and I am glad she was able to share it with Asuka. Out of all the women in that Money in the Bank match, Asuka was the one that has the most history with her and the reaction was pure.
I just hope that Becky comes back afterward. She has had a great career with a lot of accomplishments but she is still young with a lot more to go. We will miss you Beckasaurus.
WINNER: Asuka
She just became a Grand Slam Champion, how could she not be a winner? Asuka certainly deserves it. Not only has she put in the work leading up to this from her days in NXT to main roster but she has carried the shows since they have been put on without an audience.
She definitely has Hall of Famer written all over her and in several years when that times come she deserves a standing ovation.
WINNERS: The IIconics
A big return capped off with a big win. They earned a title shot next week as a result. It is very refreshing to see them back. They provide that comedy that we all could use right now. Their first reign with the tag titles wasn’t treated the correct way, especially since their win at Mania was so powerful.
Knocking off the tag champs is a great thing that shows promise for them possible winning back the titles. It would be rather poetic also for them to win them back from the team that beat them.
LOSERS: Alexs Bliss & Nikki Cross
There time could be numbered as champions. They have only held the titles since they beat The Kabuki Warriors at WrestleMania last month. They did defeat a makeshift team of Carmella and Dana Brooke a couple of weeks ago.
They could still retain after they face The IIconics next week, but as of this week it didn’t look good for them.
What did you think of this week’s RAW? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
With the Money in the Bank pay-per-view this Sunday, most of the women on this week’s show were preparing for the event – except two. Two women who perhaps have the best storyline going between all brands during this strange moment in wrestling. They are the former Fire & Desire tag team, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.
At this time Rose and Deville do not have a match on the MITB card. This doesn’t mean they still won’t, but one thing is for sure this feud is far from over. Tonight was the first the two have gone one-on-one since Rose made the first slap at WrestleMania.
The match was good for a first fight. The storytelling is tremendous and both women are selling it so much that most of us are buying in bulk. Between Deville pulling out Rose’s eyelashes telling her she is going to make her ugly to Rose slamming Deville into the announce table saying, “who is the bitch now bitch?” everything was entertaining.
Deville was able to pick up the win in this first match with a hand full of tights as she runs up the ramp from a scathing Rose. In a WWE Exclusive, Deville reiterated that she will ruin Rose and that she is nowhere near finished, she is just getting started.
The second match of the night focused on the SmackDown Women’s Championship match that will take place at MITB. Tamina and Lacey Evans teamed up to face on Bayley and Sasha Banks. The match mostly focused on Tamina and Bayley which makes sense as they are the two that will battle on Sunday. The match was okay, it had its spots and did what it was meant to do.
Tamina picked up with the victory with a pin on the champion after a super kick followed up by a Samoan Drop. Evans will be involved in the MITB Ladder Match on Sunday along with Dana Brooke and Carmella. Brooke and Carmella would have a quick interview backstage with both of them basically pumping themselves up as potential winners.
Let’s go over the Winner’s & Loser’s of the week.
WINNER: Sonya Deville
It is so funny how times have changed. For so many Winners & Losers columns, I would have to put Fire & Desire in the Loser section. Mostly it was due to their booking. I wasn’t too sure how I would feel about them being split up. I wasn’t too crazy to see them split up when there are only literally three tag teams in the division that I want to be better so bad. This combined with the fact I did want them to win as a team. But….this has been great.
Sonya has really shined. Mandy is doing great also, but it is Sonya that is really showing her chops as far as promos and storytelling. Mandy was more of a voice before, so it is good to see Sonya take a lead with this. I can’t wait to see how far this will go.
WINNER: Tamina
Tamina is looking strong heading into MITB with a win. Not only a win but a pin on the champion. If she finally wins a title (other than 24/7 of course) over Bayley who is the longest-reigning SmackDown Champion would be a big boost to her career. She doesn’t even need a long reign, just something to solidify her career. I am ready for it although it is still a long stretch.
LOSERS: Carmella & Dana Brooke
I feel like the MITB participants were put on the back burner. Sure Lacey had a match and she was talked up about her placement in the match, but the three women should have been given more. They could have even had the RAW participants show up and all six of them interact. I don’t know, I just felt there should have been more of a push for them.
What did you all think this week’s SmackDown? Who were your Winners & Losers this week? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check back in with Diva Dirt for coverage on Money in the Bank this Sunday, May 10.
Two big names on the indie scene took to the ring for SHIMMER Vol. 62 in the names of Ivelisse and Kimber Lee. Lee is currently the SHIMMER Champion and was just recently signed by IMPACT Wrestling which was announced from her appearance this past week.
For this match, Ivelisse was the current SHINE Champion at the time during her first reign. Since then she has become a three-time champion and currently holds this same title today. This match was Ivelisse’s first match with SHIMMER.
With the current landscape of indie shows not taking place at the moment we will feature indie matches on Free Match Fridays to recognize them. Hope you enjoy this match.
Check back in with Diva Dirt next Friday for another match.
The field is finally set as we have our sixth and final participant in this year’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Carmella defeats Mandy Rose with a lot of help from Sonya Deville. This means that the first Ms. Money in the Bank has a chance to become the first two-time (or three-time according to Mella) briefcase winner.
Credit: @DynamiteSkye on Twitter
After a kick to the face to Rose from Carmella, she was able to pick up the pin. Midway through the match, Deville’s music hits and she takes to the mic for the remainder of the match taunting her former Fire & Desire teammate.
At this time last year, @SonyaDevilleWWE surrendered her #MITB spot to @WWE_MandyRose … and she doesn't want her former best friend to forget it. #SmackDownpic.twitter.com/kRERSyLOdA
Deville takes a trip down memory lane as she recalls last year’s MITB event where she gave up her spot in the ladder match so that Rose could participate. She then helped her during the match by hoisting her up the ladder to grab the title shot and Rose still ended up losing.
Rose does what she can in order to concentrate on the task at hand and not let Deville in her head. She even is able to get a near fall and hits a massive right to Carmella. Instead of covering Carmella, Rose is completely distracted at this point by Deville who tells her to “karma is a bitch, bitch…bring it on.” Mella is then able to hit that kick and pick up the win.
After the match, Deville becomes unhinged and attacks Rose. She starts with several forearms and then follows it up outside of the ring. She runs Rose into the ring post and then into the steel steps. She follows it up with a knee to Rose that drives her back into the steps. The officials come out to separate her from Rose as they ask for medical. Deville is held back by the referee as she screams that she will end Rose.
Backstage after the loss and the attack, Rose is seen with medical. Otis shows up and is rightfully concerned for her well being. She lets him know that she will be fine. He leaves and is approached by Dolph Ziggler who asks him if Mandy is okay. Otis doesn’t reply as he is seething with anger.
Carmella joins Lacey Evans, Dana Brooke, Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, and Asuka for the MITB opportunity coming up one week from Sunday.
What did you think of what transpired? Now that all six women are announced, who do you think will take the briefcase on May 10? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
This week’s Free Match Friday takes an almost 15-year jump in our time travel machine to the very first SHIMMER event. SHIMMER Vol. 1 was just the start of a company who focused on many of the great women we have seen throughout the years.
In this match we witness Mercedes Martinez facing Sara Del Rey. Del Rey, who eventually became the first SHIMMER Champion, takes Martinez to the limit in this match.
Del Rey has become the assistant head coach for NXT since 2015 and signed with the company as a trainer in 2012.
As of January, Martinez has been signed to WWE after being a 20-year veteran in the ring.
Enjoy this week’s flashback to 2005 and let us know what you think of the outcome of this match. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
You can check out and purchase SHIMMER Volumes by visiting their website here.
Another SmackDown is in the book and again we have been treated with many of our favorite women from the blue brand. All eyes are set on Money in the Bank and we need to start building the women of SmackDown for the event.
There were two matches tonight. The first was Naomi vs. Dana Brooke, the winner joins the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The second match was Tamina vs. Sasha Banks. If Tamina wins then she gets as SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Bayley.
As previously reported, Dana Brooke walked away with a surprising victory. I would go on record by saying that most people expected Naomi to win this. She has been in two prior ladder matches compared to Brooke’s one. However, perhaps with her being removed from the WrestleMania SmackDown Women’s Title match has allowed her to get this OPPORTUNITY.
Another reason why some may have thought she wasn’t going to qualify was because she also has a Women’s Tag Team Championship match next week. Her and Carmella will be facing the champs – Nikki Cross & Alexa Bliss. Could Brooke maybe actually be getting a push towards getting her first gold in some form?
The second match as stated above was between Tamina and Sasha Banks. The match itself wasn’t much, but it did serve its purpose. Lacey Evans coming out to provide the assist made sense to continue her rivalry with Banks. More than one storyline intertwining is nice to see.
Tamina was able to pick up the win and get her shot one-on-one against Bayley at Money in the Bank. This will be her first one-on-one title shot in recent memory.
It was also announced that Evans vs. Banks will take place next week to take the second blue brand spot for the MITB match.
Now let’s take a minute to talk about the masterpiece that is Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. This storyline is probably one of the most entertaining across the board. I am truly heartbroken that this isn’t happening in front of a crowd, because the reactions would be amazing.
The purpose of this segment was for Deville to explain to Rose why she has done what she has done. She starts with the tears and how much she loves Rose and how she is a sister to her. This turns once she says, “you are the most selfish human being I have ever met in my entire life.”
Deville opens up to flood gates on who she feels is an eye candy with no talent. According to her, Rose is a dime a dozen who looks like she was created in some sort of lab just like any other typical blonde.
The range of Deville here was amazing. Rose bounced off of it great as well. This broke down when Ziggler and Otis came out, but I feel that this should lead to Mandy vs Sonya at MITB. I am pretty sure it will be a mixed tag match, which is fine, but I really want the women to go one-on-one.
Here are my Winners & Losers of this week’s SmackDown:
WINNER: Dana Brooke
Everything may be coming up Dana. I know I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, however, I have a good feeling about this. I think it would be an utter shock if Alexa and Nikki lost the titles this early next week to Carmella and Dana. Then again, The Kabuki Warriors had a long title reign and this may have just been the quick way to transition the titles. Either way there isn’t a solid tag division so that still remains the problem.
Dana has more of an odds at winning the tag titles then winning MITB. With Shayna and Nia in that match, I am not expecting an underdog to win.
WINNER: Sonya Deville
Sonya freaking Deville gave me my life and something I didn’t even realize I needed. Her mic work has improved leaps and bounds to what it used to be. The levels she was able to portray. I also love how it built up. She started low with her voice and then she built that volume up. As I have mentioned earlier, THIS should have been in front of a crowd, but I am glad it is happening.
Mandy sold it as well, and the fact they are such good friends in real life gives me big hopes for the future of this storyline. I hope WWE doesn’t mess it up.
LOSER: Naomi
Although Naomi will be fine from her not making it into the MITB match, it will be a miss for the fans. She thrives in these types of matches. I am very glad that Dana is in it, but Naomi should be as well. With Shayna and Nia in the match we need every athletic person we can get to make sure it doesn’t stay slow. With that being said, the way they are doing the match this year makes me excited regardless.
Final Thoughts:
Overall it was another good SmackDown highlighting the women. In fact, for the past several weeks, all shows have done a nice job for the ladies and given us all a lot to talk about.
The “climb the corporate ladder” version of the MITB match this year intrigues me. I am looking forward to it. My big fear is that it may open the gates for Shayna Baszler to dominate much like she did at Elimination Chamber. If that is the case, then that will make this a waste of time. Regardless, I am very impressed with these alternate ways WWE is planning to do matches without having a crowd.
What were your thoughts on SmackDown this week? Who were your Winners & Losers? Leave what you are thinking in the comment section below.
In honor of Sarah Logan (Rowe), this Free Match Friday goes to her. Prior to joining WWE, she was a frequent on the independent scene known as Crazy Mary Dobson.
This match in particular is from the now defunct Resistance Pro Wrestling (RPW) from their Death Proof show. Dobson was defending her RPW Women’s Championship against Jessicka Havok.
This was a title that Dobson held for 539-days and vacated it once she moved on to WWE. Other notable women that held this title were Awesome Kong, Rachael Ellering, and Melanie Cruise (who has most recently been seen as Mel in AEW).
Please enjoy this match and hopefully we will see more matches from Rowe in the future in another promotion.
What were your thoughts on this match? Leave them in the comment section below. Check back next week for another Free Match Friday.
Tenille Dashwood has not been in action for the past several months. She returned on tonight’s episode of IMPACT in what was being coined as a rematch from Bound for Glory. She faced former Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie in the in-ring main event reigniting their rivalry from last year.
Valkyrie felt like she had Dashwood’s number throughout the match as her associate John E. Bravo would attack Dashwood as much as he could while the official wasn’t looking. She would eventually hit her Road to Valhalla, which normally takes out her opponents. Instead, Dashwood’s ring awareness shows no ring rust as she was able to grab the ring rope for a break.
Valkyrie introduced a steel chair to the match, but was unable to use it as the referee was on top of the situation. This distraction caused enough for the former Knockouts Champion to take her eye off of her opponent. Dashwood hit a sunset flip on a surprised Valkyrie and picked up the pin for the victory.
After the match was an onslaught from Valkyrie as she became unhinged. She would utilize several weapons including burying Dashwood in a pile of steel chairs. Luckily before things got worse, Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace emerged with a kendo stick to take out her upcoming challenger for Rebellion.
WWE’s first openly gay signee Jake Atlas recently sat down with DS Shin from Ring the Belle to divulge his top five women that have inspired him. Atlas recently made his debut on NXT in a losing effort to Dexter Lumis. Just like most gay men growing up, Atlas idolized the women of WWE through admiration and intrigue. He spoke to Shin about how it was the women of the company that inspired him to become the wrestler that he is today.
Generally from a young boy you would hear them say idols such as The Rock, The Undertaker, and Stone Cold influenced them to want to become a wrestler. For Atlas, and many gay youth, this was quite the contrary.
Let’s go through Atlas’ top five and see if these women were ever inspirations to you.
5. Maryse
Credit: WWE
Atlas starts off his list with the French Kiss herself, Maryse. Maryse was definitely a powerful heel during her mainstay with the company. He praised the fact that she came in green without wrestling experience and turned herself into not just a Diva but an in-ring presence. She also came into this without knowing English very well. Atlas explains how when he has been a heel character, Maryse’s portrayal is one he admired.
“I’ve always been a fan of heels. I’ve always been about the bad girls, the mean girls. It just looks so effortless for her. So sometimes whenever I have done a heel character I have done the hand gesture, like get out of my face, and it has always been a tribute to her.”
4. Gail Kim
Credit: TNA/IMPACT Wrestling
Atlas believes that Gail Kim is one of the best women’s wrestlers to exist. He mentions her move to TNA and is glad they were able to show why she is one of the best.
“I’m glad that TNA gave her the platform to acknowledge that she is one of the best. Her match with Tessa Blanchard was phenomenal. You know, I think I saw this on Twitter. Gail Kim vs. Tessa Blanchard was what Trish and Charlotte was for WWE at SummerSlam. That’s just generational. Gail Kim was ahead of her time, she was so good, I enjoyed her work at WWE. It was really awesome to just see her win the Women’s Title in her debut, because she is just so good,”
3. Sasha Banks
Credit: WWE
Atlas attributes Sasha for his psychological aspect of wrestling. Her sayings and thought process behind the art of wrestling is what he admires from her. He has adapted this into his own career and his own way of thinking about loving what he does.
“Again, just the heel character in her is what really drew me to her, but more than anything, she is just so passionate about this…..The one line I always say when I am about to go through the curtain is ‘I was born to do this.’ And maybe other people have said this in the past, but I got it from Sasha.”
“Another quote that she says is ‘be so good that they can’t ignore you.’ And that can’t be anymore truer for her. Mentally she is just so good at wrestling and you see that through her matches. Through the psychology of what she does. The Sasha and Bayley match, one of the best matches I have ever seen.
2. Aj Lee
Credit: WWE
Aj Lee is one female wrestler that Atlas believes was relatable to him. Through her advocacy on mental health and from her passion she showed for wrestling. He talks about her book and how she was meant to do this. He also recalls her FCW days and how he enjoyed her matches with Naomi.
“I remember at Payback when she won the Divas Title and when the referee handed her the belt, you could just see her face as she is receiving the belt. This was her moment. This was her crowning moment. Her whole life’s work into finally winning the top championship of WWE. I just connected to her from her FCW days when she would have the matches with Naomi, they would kill it.”
1.Trish Stratus
Credit: WWE
Let’s be honest, Trish Stratus was an idol for many people. She predominately was an idol for all of the gay youth growing up, myself included. She was also that way for Atlas. He recalls the story of not being able to see her main event match on RAW against Lita when it took place because he was punished by his mother. He recalls a funny story of how he blamed his mother for Trish losing the title that night.
He had the following to say on why she means so much to him:
“I remember before I came out, I would always say she was my girlfriend and that I would marry her one day. I just wanted to be her. She is the best of all time I think of the women. When it comes to the overall package. She had it. She was a superstar. She was the standard of what you needed to be.”
“She just made me feel everything about pro wrestling. She made me feel it all. She made me cry, I cried at her retirement match. I cried in her return, I cried for the Trish and Charlotte match. This was my person, my go to wrestler. You made me feel this about wrestling.”
Voices like Atlas’ are good for the community. Him speaking on his top five women’s wrestlers who have inspired him to do what he does is inspiring of itself. The women that we have grown to idolize whether it is in WWE or any other organization means a lot to those who feel as though they don’t have a voice.
What did you think of his list? Do you share any of the same women? Who makes your top five? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Thank you to Ring the Belle for this exclusive content.
