A number one contender match for the NJPW STRONG Women’s Title will take place at the NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed event in November. The title is currently held by AEW’s Mercedes Moné.
The match will be a four way and so far AEW’s Anna Jay has been added, leaving three spots open.
Moné defeated Stephanie Vaquer for the NJPW STRONG Women’s Title at AEW x NJPW Forbidden door crossover event in June. Since then, she has defended it one time in NJPW against Momo Watanabe. Moné is also the AEW TBS Champion.
We will update as more names are added to the four way bout.
First details are set for Fighting Spirit Unleashed!
You ready to get down in the kitchen? Well Lash Legend is about to show you what’s cooking as she starts her Dash of Lash series on Oct. 17. It will air on her YouTube page.
The trailer includes many guests to help her out. They include the rest of Meta Four, Roxanne Perez, Ava, The Family, Wendy Choo, Trick Williams, the Creed Brothers, and more!
WWE has confirmed a women’s match for this Monday’s Raw. It will be Lyra Valkyria taking on Zoey Stark.
Valkyria has been having troubles against the Pure Fusion Collective. She has strapped herself to Zelina Vega and Natalya as back up to even the numbers.
Natalya has gone ahead and defeated Stark, Valkyria defeated Stark on Main Event last week, and all three have teamed up to defeat PFC. It seems as though the odds are in Valkyria’s favor.
Despite what rumors may be swirling about out there, WWE’s Charlotte Flair is not cleared nor in their creative plans as of yet for a return.
Flair, who went on the injury list last December, is still on that list. She suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus and has heavily been putting in the work to get back in the ring. However, a source within WWE has shared with Fightful that she is not ready to compete and creative hasn’t started talking about her return yet. This was clarified after rumors that she would be put in storyline with Tiffany Stratton and current WWE Women’s Champion, Nia Jax.
Charlotte tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus in December 2023. As of the start of the year, WWE sources said that they didn’t expect her to wrestle in 2024, but said if anyone was capable of beating that timetable, it’d be Charlotte Flair. By February she was said to be ahead of schedule, but also way ahead of putting a time on a return.
A WWE source said that until she’s clear, it’s unlikely creative will be put in place. As of now there have not been conversations between the two sides.
There were incorrect aggregations saying that we reported that Charlotte would definitely be out until 2025. We did not report that.
Flair injured her knee in a match against Asuka on SmackDown’s Tribute To The Troops.
Paxley has been featured weekly on NXT TV and also has been utilized in the NXT/TNA crossover matches. As for Bernal, he has been out with an injury since June.
Bayley has a tall task against her as she is set to face the very woman who took the WWE Women’s Title from her and that is Nia Jax. After defeating Naomi on SmackDown to become the number one contender, Bayley knows what lies ahead of her at Bad Blood. Face to face with the irresistible force.
On Saturday’s SmackDown LowDown, Bayley was interviewed by Byron Saxton. She mentions she may have to pull out some new moves to beat Jax. Watching back their match at SummerSlam where Bayley lost the title, she doesn’t feel like it was her best performance. So she may just have to go deep into the well to showcase some new moves.
Bayley, and even Jax, will have to be looking over their shoulder as well for Tiffany Stratton who is still carrying that Money in the Bank briefcase.
Who do you think will walk out of Bad Blood as WWE Women’s Champion?
Something we rarely see in the women’s division is a “best of” series where two wrestlers go for either five or seven matches to determine who wins the most matches. NXT Women’s North American Champion Kelani Jordan would like to partake.
Jordan defended her title against Sol Ruca back at Heatwave in July. A match, Jordan has now said is one of her favorites in her young career. Now she states she would love to have a best of series with Ms. Ruca.
While speaking with MuscleMan Malcolm, she states:
“I would love to have a best of seven or five, whatever, with Sol. I think because of Heatwave, it was like one of my favorite matches. So then I would say her,” said Jordan. “Then, for just in general, I would love to have maybe a tie between Bianca and Naomi and Charlotte. I can’t pick. I love them.”
Jordan became the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion in June. Since then she has defended against Michin, Sol Ruca, Tatum Paxley, Wendy Choo, and Wren Sinclair.
With the deck stacked against her, Jamie Hayter was victorious against Saraya in a Saraya’s Rules match on Saturday’s AEW Collision.
Saraya even went old school during the match pulling out a VCR, which most under the age of 18 probably don’t remember. The match very quickly became a two-on-one affair as Harley Cameron did was she could to try and help Saraya. Cameron would receive her fair share of bumps as she landed on the tables (covered in die cast toy cars) on the outside with Hayter.
Lyons has been out of action since January. She had returned at the beginning of the year after an ACL injury, just in time for another knee injury that has kept her out again. Her return had her team with Dante Chen in a win over Izzi Dame and Jasper Troy.
WWE’s Shotzi has been out of action due to injury since February. During a match with Lyra Valkyria in February on NXT, Shotzi tore her ACL after a weird landing outside of the ring.
Since her injury, Shotzi has updated fans on her recovery to include stem cell treatment which she has also accredited to helping prior injuries.
Former WWE Tag Team Champion Mideon spoke on a recent podcast Six Feet Under with The Undertaker, he confirmed he has been working on an “American Psycho” gimmick for Shotzi.
“I was asked by a couple of people to ‘help them out’ on their returns, ideas for stories. So I really kind of got this ‘American Psycho’ thing working for Shotzi, who I love. I see her as a roller derby…did she not fit the roller derby thing? Although I’ve kind of went in an ‘American Psycho’ thing, where she’s kind of been sitting at home, and see the video of her, and there’s two TVs, there’s a TV in front of her, and she’s watching the current women’s stable wrestle, and there’s a TV next to her with the ending of ‘Texas Chainsaw’, where all you hear is chainsaws, so she goes kind of insane a little bit. Then she’s just obsessed with horror movies, which she already is, and then we kind of influence that, and we can even use certain famous tropes or scenes from horror movies as set-ups, like when the Wyatt Sicks dusted through Gorilla and left everybody down. You can do smaller versions of that with her. Tied to a chair made of human bones, have her opponent tied to a chair and have her reciting crazy poetry.”
It has recently been reported that WWE trademarked Shotzi’s former ring name, Shotzi Blackheart.
There is no confirmation on when Shotzi will retun. An ACL injury generally requires nine months to a year to recover.
Former WWE Women’s and Divas Champion Layla would participate in a LayCool reunion.
The other half of LayCool, Michelle McCool, has appeared several times since her in-ring retirement. Mostly in Royal Rumbles. Layla, on the other hand has remained very retired. Now she’s coming around to a one-off (or two) appearances.
We talk Diva Search, that ‘incident’ with Rosa ?, we talk being the last women’s champ, the injury, Divas title, Michelle vs Lay, Royal Rumble, HOF + so much more, @mslayel – it’s HERE ????
While speaking in an interview with They Made Their Way To The Ring, Layla responded the following ways –
“I would like to do a LayCool reunion. Even if it’s just for one night. I really was done, but I feel like Michelle and I owe it to each other and we owe it to the LayCool fans who would like to see us one more time. If it’s possible, I would.”
“I was asked but at that time I was completely shut off. I haven’t watched Evolution, I will look at it. I watched the Royal Rumble that I was asked to be part of when Kelly Kelly & Melina came back. I did watch that one.”
Layla also said she would be up to appearing in the Royal Rumble. She says she had been asked prior but was unable to do it.
Bayley earned her shot at the WWE Women’s Title as she defeated Naomi on this week’s SmackDown. She will face Nia Jax on Oct. 5 at Bad Blood. Jax is the woman who defeated Bayley to become champion.
Following a decision that couldn’t be made last week as a tag team took to singles action this week. Bayley defeated her friend by pinfall off of a flying elbow drop.
Prior to this match, the champion Nia Jax, was backstage with Tiffany Stratton. Jax was choking Stratton and enraged that she was nowhere to be found when both Naomi and Bayley pinned her last week. Stratton apologized, but Jax still let her know if this ends badly for her it ends badly for the both of them.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions of Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill are announced as the hosts of Bad Blood.
Another “dumpster training” video for Chelsea Green was shown. She will have her dumpster match with Michin next week. But this week, Michin went one-on-one against Piper Niven. Michin was victorious with Eat Defeat.
Lastly, a backstage segment between Bayley and Naomi was interrupted by Stratton. Naomi took this opportunity to say she will go to General Manager Nick Aldis to get a match booked against Stratton for next week.
As of Oct. 1, NXT has a new home on the CW Network and the women are kicking things off!
Roxanne Perez will be defending the NXT Women’s Championship against Giulia in the first match of the night. Perez is currently pushing 175 days as champion in her second reign. She has outlasted her first reign which came to an end at 108 days.
The current Ms. Money in the Bank has no qualms saying she is the future in WWE.
Tiffany Stratton sees herself with the business for at least the next 10 years. While speaking with the Daily Star, Stratton was asked if she saw herself as a threat to the women’s locker room.
“Yeah, I definitely think I have grown a lot in the past year, as far as wrestling, as far as promos, as far as everything that this business takes. I definitely think that I am a threat to the women’s division right now, and I’m probably the future, I’m gonna be here for the next ten years, so yeah, I definitely think that I’m a threat,” Stratton said. (Fightful)
She continues, “I feel like I am the future, I am the now, and I wouldn’t say that right off the bat, I kind of earned everybody’s respect. I would say that it took a while, but I think right now, it’s such a good time to be a women’s wrestler and be in the WWE, especially with going to Netflix and all these tours that we’re doing all around the world, so I’m very blessed,” Stratton said.
Stratton is currently sitting next to the WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax on SmackDown.
On this week’s episode of ROH, the record-breaking ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and Billie Starkz were in action. They defeated the team of Christina Marie and Little Mean Kathleen. Abadon was also in action with a win over Liviyah. What really turned the page was what took place outside the matches.
Athena and Starkz continued the attack on Marie and LMK. Abadon made the save and continued to have eyes on Athena as they have the past number of weeks. However, Athena left the ring which allowed Abadon to take their anger out on Starkz.
The ROH Women’s TV Champion Red Velvet had backstage words with Diamante. They both agreed to a match but it wasn’t mentioned when and if the title would be on the line.
A second women’s match has been added to the Sept. 27 episode of SmackDown. Ahead of her Dumpster Match against Chelsea Green next week, this week, Michin will take on Piper Niven.
Michin is set to battle Chelsea Green in a Dumpster Match. As Michin commented on her plans for Green during SmackDown LowDown, Piper Niven launched a sneak attack on the unsuspecting Superstar with a trash can. As a result, Michin and Niven will now battle one-on-one.
The other women’s match that was already confirmed is Naomi vs. Bayley. The winner takes on Nia Jax at Bad Blood on Oct. 5.
As we start the road towards Bound For Glory, TNA Impact! looks to gain the credibility of some fresh faces and continue the rivalries within the Knockouts Division.
Tonight’s Impact immediately kicks off with WWE NXT’s Wendy Choo teaming up with Rosemary to take on TNA Knockouts World Champion, Jordynne Grace, and a mystery partner. The NXT and TNA liason, Arianna Grace, announces that Sol Ruca will be on the side of our Knockouts Champion.
Grace and Ruca immediately get off to a strong start with Ruca hitting a moonsault to the outside and Grace hitting a dive to the outside, all before the opening bell. The bell finally rings, but Rosemary and Choo immediately begin their assault on Ruca and isolate her in their corner.
Ruca reverses the double suplex with a neckbreaker, and hot tags in a fresh Grace. Grace takes down both opponents and Ruca’s athleticism make for a thunderous pairing against the demonic duo. Ruca hits the Sol Snatcher on Rosemary, and victory is in their eyes until Tasha Steelz interrupts the match.
Steelz interruption is put to a halt as Masha Slamovich comes in to make the save. Choo, Rosemary and Steelz retreat, but the grudge held between these Knockouts is far from over.
The two lock up and Hyan tries to get in a little shove to start off the match. But, immediately regrets it as Lee confidently gets the best of Hyan. Hyan tries to slip out of the ring to avoid aerial contact but is met with a running kick from the apron. Hyan attempts to put a stop to Lee’s momentum, but it’s just not enough as Lee takes complete command and spin-kicks Hyan in the head for the win.
Next, Heather Reckless is in action tonight against Xia Brookside. Reckless has been looking to gain the interest of one Ash By Elegance and looks to prove herself worthy of a makeover.
Brookside hasn’t forgotten the trouble Reckless has put her through and gains the quick advantage in true Texas fashion. Reckless has had enough and starts hammering on Brookside, meanwhile Ash and her personal concierge show up to get a closer look at this match.
The “Angel of The Ring” comes back and takes out Reckless to the outside. She catches the eye of Ash and also a couple of hair extensions. Ash taunts Brookside to get her throat caught on the top rope, allowing Reckless to hit Rarified Air from the top rope for the win.
.@Heathereckless hits Rarified Air to secure the win on iMPACT!
Backstage, Iceman tells Reckless that she’s missing some extensions, but is also missing a lot of Elegance as well. Iceman takes her away looking to fix these problems.
What did you think about tonight’s TNA Impact? Did Lee impress in her debut? Did Reckless finally get the makeover she’s looking for? And where does the Knockout title scene go from here? Let us know your thoughts below!
Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp has learned that former AEW World Champion Saraya has re-signed with AEW on a one year agreement.
After the match with Jamie Hayter that has been taped for this Saturday’s Collision, she and AEW have had conversations regarding her future. AEW had an option year on Saraya, but it was implied to Fightful that this could have been a separate agreement from the deal she was originally on.
The current contract runs until September of 2025.
SummerSlam 2025 has been confirmed to be the first year the event will be two nights. It was already confirmed that SummerSlam 2026 would be two nights and take place in Minneapolis at the U.S. Bank Stadium. However, fans have been wondering about 2025.
Next year’s event will take place in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. WrestleMania took place at this stadium in 2013 and 2019. The event in 2019 marked the first time that women main evented the show which was a Winner Takes All Match for both the Raw and SmackDown Titles. Becky Lynch emerged victorious against Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey.
Rapper Cardi B helped make the announcement in a video with Bianca Belair.
Between Alexa Bliss herself teasing a return on social media posts and even seeing Lily the doll in the background on this week’s Raw, it is being reported that Bliss isn’t in any immediate plans.
Per PWInsider – “Alexa Bliss is not currently scheduled for any immediate return as of now. One source also remarked that they didn’t expect her to return until after the holiday season.”
It was also noted that there is “no rush” to add her to any storyline at the moment. This is with the thought that she may or may not eventually join the Wyatt Sicks.
Bliss has been out of action since January 2023 when she lost to Bianca Belair at the Royal Rumble event for the Raw Women’s Title. She went out of action due to becoming pregnant and had her first child in November.
AEW Dynamite is in New York City tonight for Grand Slam, and the women of AEW are looking to defend some gold and take their grudges to new avenues.
The AEW Women’s World Champion, Mariah May, is set to defend her title against Yuka Sakazaki. Sakazaki has been back on the AEW scene recently and has caused some ruckus especially for “The Glamorous” champion. May has yet to have her championship celebration but looks to maintain the gold in the city that never sleeps.
Before May can even get to the ring Sakazaki takes a leap of faith and takes her out before the opening bell. Sakazaki is in control for a moment, that is until May hits her with a hard dropkick ringside.
Both competitors come with immense Joshi prowess and start nailing each other with stiff moves and some near falls. Sakazaki takes May for a ride of pinfalls and attempts to go for her Magical Knee, but the fun is cut short as May hits the Storm Zero for the win.
Post-match, May wants to take out Sakazaki for good. But, Willow Nightingale comes in to make the save for her friend. Nightingale eyes out May’s World Championship for a moment, but here comes Mina Shirakawa.
Shirakawa arrives, but this inadvertently allows May to knock out Nightingale from behind. May rushes to hug Shirakawa and celebrate, but her Rose Gold tag team partner looks conflicted with the situation at hand.
What did you think about tonight’s Grand Slam edition of Dynamite? Where do all these four women go from here? Will Shirakawa do what’s right? Let us know in the comments below!
Candice LeRae is the last woman to advance to the semi-finals of the WWE Speed Tournament. She defeated Piper Niven on Sept. 25 which aired on X. LeRae will be facing Kairi Sane in the semi-finals.
The other semi-final match will be IYO SKY vs. Naomi.
One of these four women will become the first WWE Women’s Speed Champion.
Mercedes Moné is arguably the biggest women’s star currently in AEW. She is currently a double champion with both the TBS Championship and the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship. Her career as Sasha Banks in WWE spanned nearly 10 years before she left the company in 2022.
lWhile speaking with The Breakfast Club, she was asked on if she saw herself back in WWE one day.
“After the way that AEW has been treating me, I don’t know. I don’t think so. I feel like I have the best relationship with AEW right now, and it’s legit, I’m living my dreams and it’s the best place I’ve ever been mentally and physically. To be able to have new dreams after being in the industry for 14 years, it’s the best feeling in the world, so AEW is my home right now,” Moné said.
She also comments in the same article that she left WWE for many reasons including personal stuff happening between her and the Chairman.
“I left for many different reasons. A lot of personal stuff happened with myself and the Chairman at the time. I didn’t like how he talked to me and how I was talked down to. I was like, ‘It’s time to listen to your soul and your heart.’ There was a light that came to me and I left WWE. A guide told me.”
