Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Rousey & Baszler Return On Raw; Rhea Ripley Gives Warning To Natalya

Nick Wilkinson
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Rousey & Baszler Return On Raw; Rhea Ripley Gives Warning To Natalya

For those that may have missed the May 15 episode of Raw, here is what took place.

Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler return on Raw now that they are drafted to the red brand. The team has not been seen since WrestleMania where they won the WrestleMania Showcase. Rousey has been injured prior to that match and that is what has kept them off TV since.

They made their return after one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez defeated Chelsea Green. A match that was supposed to be for the gold that had to be changed last minute due to an injury that Liv Morgan suffered on SmackDown. As Rodriguez was celebrating her victory up the ramp and to the stage, Rousey appeared and kicked her followed by Baszler appearing as well.

Rousey and Baszler tell Rodriguez that they are tired of waiting for a title shot and that Rodriguez can defend the gold with or without Morgan. However, if she chooses not to defend the titles then she will continue to get the same beating week after week.

For more on Liv Morgan’s injury you can click here.

Outside of the tag team division, Becky Lynch challenged Trish Stratus for a match at Night of Champions. More on that here.

Backstage Zoey Stark continues to harass Nikki Cross until Candice LeRae appeared. The two would verbally get into it as Stark mocks LeRae’s “weirdo” family. A match between the two has been made for next week.

Lastly, as the promo ended for Lynch, we witnessed the SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley backstage watching it on the monitor. She was approached by Cathy Kelley who asked Ripley about Natalya‘s addition to Raw and how she came down last week to confront her.

Natalya told Ripley that she is the most dominant woman who has ever held the SmackDown Women’s Title. And that she doesn’t need to continue to kick people when they are down like she did to Dana Brooke last week. She deserves respect which she isn’t going to get running through the division.

Ripley says that Natalya came down to the ring last week not because of Dana Brooke but because she wants everyone to care about her again. Ripley warns her if she ever interrupts her again, she isn’t going to help her career but she will end it.

Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus Set For Night Of Champions

Nick Wilkinson
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Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus Set For Night Of Champions

The first women’s match at Night of Champions has been confirmed and it will be Becky Lynch taking on Trish Stratus.

Still dealing with the betrayal of Stratus, Lynch took to the ring on the May 15 episode of Raw to confirm this match. Lynch started the segment by explaining even while being The Man there are times when one needs to reach out for some guidance and help. She states she did that with two legends in that of Lita and Stratus. While Lita was a pleasure, Stratus..not so much.

Lynch would go on to thank Trish, but not in the way the Hall of Famer expected. She would thank her for badness that is in the head of The Man that now has a face and a target to go after. She vows to kick the head in of Status at the event on May 27 at 1PM ET from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A contract signing between both women is set for next Monday on the go-home show.

Check back in with Diva Dirt for more news and results from the women of Raw.

Liv Morgan Sidelined With Undisclosed Injury

Nick Wilkinson
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Liv Morgan Sidelined With Undisclosed Injury

One-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan had been sidelined with an injury.

Originally rumored prior to Raw and then confirmed on the show, Morgan is unable to compete but a specific injury or length of time was not disclosed. Her injury was said to take place during the tag title match against Damage CTRL on the May 12 episode of SmackDown.

As for the May 15 episode of Raw Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez was planned to defend the belts against Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. After a backstage confrontation that involved Adam Pearce, Green and Deville didn’t believe that Morgan was really injured.

Rodriguez would then challenge Green to a singles match.

Raw is currently ongoing, result of this match will be updated.

Raw Discussion Post: 05.15.23

Nick Wilkinson
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Raw Discussion Post: 05.15.23

Tonight’s Raw will have a Women’s Tag Team Title match where the champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will defend against Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green.

Becky Lynch is also advertised as she will be responding to Trish Stratus.

DD Power 15: May 07 to May 13

Gary Baird
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DD Power 15: May 07 to May 13

Welcome to this week’s Power 15 Rankings curated by us here at Diva-Dirt. This week we are reviewing women’s action across several companies.

As well as the 15 women featured, two wildcards will be featured each week chosen by Nick and Gary. These wildcards are for women who didn’t quite make the ranking but are ones to watch for the week ahead. Without further ado, let’s get in to it.

Please Note: This list is subjective to us at Diva Dirt. We encourage our readers for respectful and enjoyable conversations.

Gary’s Wildcard – Tegan Nox

The last time Tegan Nox was drafted from Smackdown to RAW, she never appeared again and was ultimately released but I am really hoping this doesn’t happen again.

Nox hasn’t fully found her stride since return last year as one of Hunter’s rehires but recent live events have seen Nox facing off against Rhea Ripley for the Smackdown Women’s title in a series of matches.

While live events don’t have much bearing on televised events, it can sometimes be a precursor of what is to come so hopefully Nox will be appearing on RAW sooner rather than later.

Nick’s Wildcard – Brooklyn Barlow

In the recent string of NXT Live Events, Brooklyn Barlow made her return to in-ring action after an ACL injury.

Barlow last appeared on the July 22nd 2022 episode of NXT LvL Up in a loss to Thea Hail.

With several superstars leaving NXT, there is room for more superstars to start stepping up on the brand and with Barlow making her return, she could be one of the fresher faces to appear, perhaps in a Breakout Tournament if NXT decides to bring this back?

NXT’s Brooklyn Barlow Makes In-Ring Return At Live Event

Nick Wilkinson
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NXT’s Brooklyn Barlow Makes In-Ring Return At Live Event

If the name Brooklyn Barlow doesn’t ring a bell yet it is because she has been sidelined for nearly nine months early in her career.

Barlow, who has had several appearances on NXT Level Up, was taken out of action last July due to an ACL injury. Now she is back and took on Kiana James at the NXT Live show in Davenport, Fla. on Friday in a losing effort.

Barlow has had Level Up matches against James, Fallon Henley, Thea Hail, and Ivy Nile.

While Barlow makes her return, Harleigh White makes her debut. This is Harleigh’s real name and has not been given a ring name yet. She teamed up with Cora Jade in a losing effort against fellow newcomer Kelani Jordan and Thea Hail.

White is a Clemson University track star – 2022 ACC triple jump champion. She joined NXT with the fall class that also included Kelani Jordan.

Ivy Nile was also in action as she defeated Lola Vice.

Check back in with Diva Dirt for more news and results from the women of NXT.

Asuka Returns On SmackDown; Morgan & Rodriguez Retain

Nick Wilkinson
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Asuka Returns On SmackDown; Morgan & Rodriguez Retain

Asuka is back and is on her new home of SmackDown.

Asuka hasn’t been seen since her loss against Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Title at WrestleMania six weeks ago. Now she is back and still not over her loss.

Bianca Belair went to the ring for a celebration in her hometown. But before Belair could even grab a mic, the Empress was on her way to the ring. Asuka extended her hand to congratulate Belair for becoming the longest reigning woman’s champion in the modern era. Reluctant at first, Belair shook Asuka’s hand but was greeted eith the blue mist right to her face.

Belair sold the mist perfectly as officials came down to the ring to help her and keep Asuka away.

Elsewhere on SmackDown this week, the tag titles were on the line as the champs Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defended them. Their opponents were Bayley and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL. IYO SKY was at ringside.

The match was solid between the two teams. The final moments had Bayley instructing SKY to grab a title belt for her to use while Kai was laid out on the outside. Rodriguez caught it and played tug of war with the belt as SKY was on the ring apron. Bayley inadvertently knocked SKY off the ring apron as Rodriguez gave a boot to Kai by the timekeepers area.

Back inside Morgan took advantage as she stacked up Bayley to get the three count and retain the titles.

Throughout this match, the newest SmackDown Superstars and the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre looked on backstage.

On NXT Level Up, Kelani Jordan made her TV debut as she faced Wendy Choo in a losing effort. But an impressive debut nonetheless.

Check back in with Diva Dirt for more news and results from the women of SmackDown.

SmackDown Discussion Post: 05.12.23

Nick Wilkinson
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SmackDown Discussion Post: 05.12.23

Tonight’s SmackDown will have the Women’s Tag Team Titles on the line. The champs Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will be defending against Bayley and Dakota Kai. Whichever team wins sill go on to face Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville on Monday.

Also, SmackDown is in Bianca Belair’s hometown so expect the Raw Women’s Champion to be present for tonight’s show.

Emma vs. Roxanne Perez On Main Event; Kelani Jordan To Debut On Level Up

Nick Wilkinson
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Emma vs. Roxanne Perez On Main Event; Kelani Jordan To Debut On Level Up

This week’s episode of Main Event saw Emma in action against former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez.

Emma picked up her first televised win since returning to WWE. She landed the Widows Peak to get the three count.

On NXT Level Up which will be taking place tonight, we have a newcomer Kelani Jordan who will be making her debut against Wendy Choo. You can catch that match on Peacock at 10PM ET following SmackDown.

Jordan’s real name is Lea Mitchell and she joined the company in the fall class of 2022. She is from Michigan State University – Boynton Beach, Fla. She is a gymnast three-time MVP, and four-time team captain

Dani Luna To Appear At IMPACT Under Siege

Nick Wilkinson
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Dani Luna To Appear At IMPACT Under Siege

Former NXT UK talent Dani Luna will be appearing at IMPACT’s Under Siege event on May 26.

She will be joining her Subculture stablemates (Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews) as they go for the men’s tag titles.


The trio known as Subculture used that name while in NXT UK. Since her release last August when NXT UK closed its doors, she has been working for RevPro Wrestling. She became Southside Women’s Championship after defeating Kanji. She dropped the title in March to Skye Smitson.

Perhaps we will see Dani Luna joining the Knockouts down the road?

Diva Dirt will have the results of Under Siege after the event.

The Coven Retains, Trinity Makes The Save On IMPACT

Colby Applegate
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The Coven Retains, Trinity Makes The Save On IMPACT

This week’s IMPACT kicked off with Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly clashing in a singles match that was postponed following their participation in Hardcore War at Rebellion.

They stayed evenly matched to start until Slamovich grounded Kelly with a Camel Clutch while raking her nose and biting her forehead. When Masha tried to apply a sleeper hold, Kelly backed her into the corner to break it.

They took turns driving each other into the mat before Kelly applied her Killer Clutch. Slamovich was able to roll back and stack on top of her for the three-count. However, Kelly kept the clutch applied and made Masha tap out. Despite losing, Kelly was the one who left on her own two feet.

Later, Trinity was interviewed by Gia Miller when Jai Vidal interrupted to take a selfie. Trinity asked who that was, and Gia informed her that he works here.

In the main event, The Coven defended the Knockouts World Tag Team Championship against the unlikely duo of Deonna Purrazzo and Jordynne Grace. The tandems took turns double-teaming each other, which produced some fun offense for Purrazzo and Grace.

The Coven then spent several minutes picking Purrazzo apart until she was able to secure the hot tag. Grace cleaned house against both women, but King was able to break up pinfall attempts on Wilde. In the end, Grace accidentally bumped Purrazzo off the apron, which allowed The Coven to double team Grace, and Wilde scored the pinfall.

After, The Coven continued attacking Grace until Trinity made the save. Trinity and Grace side-eyed each other but shook hands before the show went off the air.

What did you think of this week’s IMPACT? Sound off with your thoughts below!

Check it out! Ring Post Journal’s 2022 Women’s Wrestling Year in Review is now available on Amazon in digital, paperback, and hardcover formats internationally. Relive the entire year in one book with a news timeline, detailed results, and win-loss records for WWE, AEW, IMPACT, NWA, and more!

Julia Hart Wins No Holds Barred Match; Thunder Rosa Appears

Colby Applegate
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Julia Hart Wins No Holds Barred Match; Thunder Rosa Appears

The May 10 episode of AEW Dynamite featured a No Holds Barred match between Julia Hart and Anna Jay.

The bout aired shortly after the second hour started, and time was not wasted. During Hart’s entrance, Jay attacked her from behind with a chair shot. Despite that, Hart was able to control the pace outside of the ring going into the commercial break.

Jay made her comeback by dropping Hart face-first onto a pile of chairs at ringside. She went for a cover back inside, but Hart kicked out. They did a trash can spot for another nearfall as Hart withstood the blow. Hart retaliated by locking Jay in Hartless on a pile of chairs to ultimately make her tap out.

Additionally, Thunder Rosa made a surprise appearance backstage as both she and Miro were shown walking into Tony Khan’s office at different points. Khan then followed it up by teasing a “huge announcement” for next Wednesday, which will seemingly be the addition of AEW Collision.

Next week’s Dynamite will feature a big trios match as The Outcasts take on Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, and Hikaru Shida. But before that, Toni Storm will take on Allysin Kay for the first time on Friday’s Rampage.

Check it out! Ring Post Journal’s 2022 Women’s Wrestling Year in Review is now available on Amazon in digital, paperback, and hardcover formats internationally. Relive the entire year in one book with a news timeline, detailed results, and win-loss records for WWE, AEW, IMPACT, NWA, and more!

Two Names Advance To Semi-Finals Of NXT Women’s Title Tournament

Nick Wilkinson
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Two Names Advance To Semi-Finals Of NXT Women’s Title Tournament

Tiffany Stratton and Lyra Valkyria are one step closer to possibly becoming NXT Women’s Champion. They both advance from their first round matches to make it to the semi finals on their respective side of the brackets.

Stratton defeated Gigi Dolin while Valkyria took out Kiana James. You can view the matches below.

Other women on the May 9 episode of NXT also included Ivy Nile and Ava who got physical at ringside during the Dyad vs. Gallus tag team bout.

We also received a video of the attacker who has taken out Nikkita Lyons, Wendy Choo, and Sol Ruca.

For next week we will have the other two first round matches as Cora Jade takes on Fallon Henley while Roxanne Perez battles Jacy Jayne.

Check back in with Diva Dirt for more news and results from the women of NXT.

NXT Discussion Post: 05.09.23

Nick Wilkinson
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NXT Discussion Post: 05.09.23

A new NXT Women’s Champion needs to be crowned and the process to that starts tonight.

A tournament of eight women is in place with two first round matches taking place.

NXT Women’s Title Tournament Brackets Revealed

Nick Wilkinson
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NXT Women’s Title Tournament Brackets Revealed

With Indi Hartwell being called up to Raw during the WWE Draft this has left the NXT Women’s Championship vacant. With many women in the locker room wanting a shot at the gold, there are eight women who have been included in the tournament that will begin on the May 9 episode of NXT.

Those women are: Gigi Dolin, Tiffany Stratton, Roxanne Perez, Jacy Jayne, Lyra Valkyria, Kiana James, Fallon Henley, and Cora Jade.

One of these eight women will become the new NXT Women’s Champion when the final match takes place on May 28 at NXT Battleground.

The matches that will take place on May 9 are:

Who do you think will be the new champion? Discuss below.

Natalya Steps Up To Rhea Ripley; Becky Lynch Returns

Nick Wilkinson
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Natalya Steps Up To Rhea Ripley; Becky Lynch Returns

The May 8 episode of Raw had a new challenger step up to the SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. At first it was Dana Brooke.

In a non-title match, Ripley made short work of Brooke only after a few minutes. Brooke had some offense early on in the match but it would take a Riptide and then locking her in the Prism to make her tap out. Post-match, Ripley wasn’t done with Brooke as she landed another Riptide and locked in the Prism submission again.

Natalya’s music would hit as she made her way to the ring. She stepped up to Ripley face to face but the champion would make her way out of the ring before things got physical.

The second women’s match of the night had the Raw debut match for Zoey Stark. She had a confrontation backstage with Nikki Cross which led to the match. Stark picked up a win in her debut after delivering the Z360.

Trish Stratus had a promo after handing out “Where is Becky Lynch?” flyers back stage. The promo continued to mock Lynch with Stratus saying we are never going to see her again. Lynch’s music hits but it was just a plan by Stratus to fake out the crowd as she laughed at how gullible everybody is.

Moments later, Lynch’s music hits again much to Stratus’ confusion as that wasn’t the plan. This time Becky was back and she was behind Trish in the ring. Lynch delivered a ManHandle slam which made Stratus roll out the ring and retreat up the ramp.


Lastly, we had Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville going around backstage collecting signatures. The signatures are to have them get a tag title shot even tho that’s not what they were telling some people. Xia Li first signed it as they them approached Candice LeRae, Johnny Gargano, and Indi Hartwell.

Hartwell asked Dexter Lumis if they should sign it as he gave the thumbs down.


Later in the night, they ran into the tag team champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Morgan stated if they wanted to have a rematch all they had to do is ask. Regardless the champs signed the petition and said they would face them after they retain against Damage CTRL on Friday. Green and Deville laughed because they had the intent on facing Damage CTRL and not the current champions.

What did you think about this week’s Raw? Discuss below.

Raw Discussion Post: 05.08.23

Nick Wilkinson
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Raw Discussion Post: 05.08.23

Tonight’s Raw is not only the fall out from Backlash but the first day the recent draft takes into effect. The SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley is on Raw as the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair is on SmackDown.

We now have Indi Hartwell, Zoey Stark, and Kayden Carter/Katana Chance on Raw from NXT.

Trish Stratus is being advertised for tonight’s show. At the time of this writing they haven’t advertised a woman’s match for tonight.

As always, feel free to discuss tonight’s show below.

DD Power 15: April 30 to May 06

Gary Baird
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0
DD Power 15: April 30 to May 06

Welcome to this week’s Power 15 Rankings curated by us here at Diva-Dirt. This week we are reviewing women’s action across several companies.

As well as the 15 women featured, two wildcards will be featured each week chosen by Nick and Gary. These wildcards are for women who didn’t quite make the ranking but are ones to watch for the week ahead. Without further ado, let’s get in to it.

Please Note: This list is subjective to us at Diva Dirt. We encourage our readers for respectful and enjoyable conversations.

Gary’s Wildcard – Zoey Stark

While she did not appear this week on NXT, I am picking Stark as my wild card with the new rosters now in effect.

I expect Zoey to make a quick impact on RAW and could see her serving as a thorn in the side and worthy competitor to our Women’s Champion, Rhea Ripley.

Nick’s Wildcard – Dani Palmer

Making NXT TV debut this week was Dani Palmer with an impressive victory over Tatum Paxley.

Palmer has an established partnership with Sol Ruca whose recent injury may have changed plans for the pair but Palmer would still make her debut this week. The frequent LvL Up competitor would literally spring in to action with a flurry of moves to rival even The KC’s.

At the end of the show, Palmer would also be seen alongside most of the roster, brawling over the vacated title.

Trish Stratus Set For May 8 Raw

Nick Wilkinson
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Trish Stratus Set For May 8 Raw

Trish Stratus will be in attendance on the May 8 episode of Raw set for tonight.

The Hall of Famer was drafted to the red brand during the recent WWE Draft and she was last seen explaining her actions against Becky Lynch. Lynch has not been seen since she lost the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.

According to WWE.com –

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus is set to appear on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw just weeks after costing Becky Lynch and Lita the Women’s Tag Team Championships. 

Stratus shocked the WWE Universe by savagely attacking and berating her supposed friends and continuing the verbal assault on social media. 

After the attack of Lynch, Stratus appeared on the red brand and surprisingly demanded an apology, believing Lynch has taken all the shine from pioneers like herself. 

What will Stratus say when she hits the ring and grabs a mic? 

Come chat live with Diva Dirt tonight in the Discussion Post.

Trinity Set For A Match At Under Siege

Nick Wilkinson
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Trinity Set For A Match At Under Siege

IMPACT Wrestling’s newest Knockout, Trinity, is set for a match at Under Siege.

The event will be taking place on May 26 and already has Deonna Purrazzo defending the Knockouts World Title against Jordynne Grace. If Grace loses she can’t go for the gold again as long as Purrazzo is still the champ.

Trinity made headlines everywhere last week as she debuted in the IMPACT Zone in the main event slot. She made her intentions clear that she wants the Knockouts World Title, but she won’t be able to get it just yet.

An opponent for her match at Under Siege has not been confirmed at the time of this writing.

Who do you want to see face Trinity?

Alicia Fox Hints At An In-Ring Return Outside Of WWE

Nick Wilkinson
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Alicia Fox Hints At An In-Ring Return Outside Of WWE

Former WWE Divas Champion Alicia Fox, real name Victoria Crawford, has hinted that she may be returning to the ring.

Last week, Crawford commented on her social media that she was no longer under any contract with WWE and that she was “employable.” Now she has taken to social media again to tease a potential return by posting a door with “Vix” on it and “Knock Knock Knock” as the caption #ForbiddenDoor


The next Forbidden Door event for AEW x NJPW takes place on June 25. Could we see the former Foxy pop up in a ring sometime soon? The last we saw her was in the 2022 Royal Rumble.

Bianca Belair Marks Longest Reigning WWE Women’s Champion Of The Modern Era

Nick Wilkinson
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Bianca Belair Marks Longest Reigning WWE Women’s Champion Of The Modern Era

Following her victory at Backlash on Saturday, Bianca Belair is now officially the longest reigning Raw Women’s Champion. And not just that, but the longest reigning Women’s Champion in general from the main roster of the modern era. That accolade was previously held by Becky Lynch.

At Backlash, Belair had her toughest competition yet as she opened the show with a stellar performance against IYO SKY. SKY was receiving a huge response from the crowd in San Juan who were rooting her on. The challenger focused throughout the match on the injured arm of Belair and would spend the back half of the match avoiding and countering the KOD.

Despite not having the rest of Damage CTRL ringside for the majority of the match, Bayley and Dakota Kai would eventually make their way down. They did everything they could to distract the referee including Bayley holding down the braid of Belair but she got caught by the official.
Finally, Belair was able to execute the KOD and win the match. Fantastic match between both women.

The second women’s match was for the SmackDown Women’s Title. Rhea Ripley was in her first defense since winning the belt from Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. Her opponent? Zelina Vega who got to wrestle for the first time in front of her family and friends in Puerto Rico. Her entrance, her gear, everything was a special moment for Vega as she was very emotional to start the match.

The match itself was short but effective. Much as SKY was trying to avoid the KOD in her match, Vega tried to stay away from the Riptide. Vega climbed to the top rope and hit a diving Meteora on the champion, but only got a near fall. Vega tried to stay on Ripley with two forearm stikes, but the champ responded with a kick before hitting the Riptide for the pinfall.

Post-match, Ripley made her way up the ramp and to the back as Vega stayed in the ring. She would make her way to her feet as the crowd gave her a standing ovation. Vega dedicated this match to her father who passed away in the 9/11 attacks.

What did you think of Backlash? Discuss below.

Backlash Discussion Post: 05.06.23

Nick Wilkinson
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Backlash Discussion Post: 05.06.23

Welcome to the Backlash Discussion Post where you can talk live throughout the show.

There’s two women’s matches on the card –

SmackDown Women’s Title
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zelina Vega

Raw Women’s Title

Bianca Belair (c) vs. IYO SKY

For Diva Dirt’s predictions you can click here.

Enjoy.

Backlash Preview & Predictions: 05.06.23

Nick Wilkinson
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Backlash Preview & Predictions: 05.06.23

Tonight, WWE will have its first premium live event since WrestleMania. Backlash will have two women’s matches and they are rather fresh match ups.

Bianca Belair (c) vs. IYO SKY – Raw Women’s Title

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zelina Vega – SmackDown Women’s Title

After this event Bianca, IYO, and Zelina will all be on SmackDown while Rhea will be on Raw.

Below are the predictions from the Diva Dirt staff-

Raw Women’s Title

COLBY – I’ve been patiently waiting for IYO to get a singles moment on the main roster, and here it is! Her run as NXT Women’s Champion was one of my favorites, and there’s no doubt SKY and Belair will tear the house down if given the time to do so. I would love to see IYO shock the world here, but I don’t think Belair’s reign is ending on this night. IYO’s moment is still coming, though.

WINNER – Bianca Belair

NICK – I think with Belair about to break a record it would be silly for her to lose here. I do think she will retain and then drop the belt in her next defense. Likely at the end of the month at Night of Champions.

WINNER – Bianca Belair

GARY – I am hoping for this to be the first match in a series for these women! I feel like Bianca has been subtly planting seeds in IYO’s head that will lead to her stepping away from Damage CTRL which may see that implosion continue over on to Smackdown. I do not expect IYO to win here, perhaps due to outside shenanigans backfiring and leading to a rematch with Damage CTRL banned from ringside down the line? Regardless, Belair gets the win and remains as the RAW Women’s Champion… on Smackdown. Hopefully that all gets cleared up soon too!

WINNER – Bianca Belair

SmackDown Women’s Title

COLBY – The women’s division hasn’t exactly been on fire since WrestleMania, but hopefully that changes following Backlash now that the draft is over. Despite those feelings, I am happy to see Zelina Vega getting a spotlight in Puerto Rico. She rarely challenges for a singles title and she can go in the ring with just about anyone. Also knowing that Ripley works well with smaller competitors helps reassure me that these two could blow us away with what they produce. I have no doubt Ripley will retain, but this should be fun.

WINNER – Rhea Ripley

NICK – I am going to go out on a limb and go with Zelina. Her winning the SD title and staying on SD just makes the most sense. Which is probably why it won’t happen. However, I can see Rhea then taking Bianca’s title off of her and that will fix the Raw and SD Title on the wrong brand issue.

WINNER – Zelina Vega

GARY – With Vega staying on Smackdown, the easiest way of handling the title situation would be to have her win here but there is no way Ripley loses the title this early after such an incredible showing at Wrestlemania. I expect/hope this will be a fantastic showing for Vega so she can remain in the championship conversation on Smackdown while Ripley goes in to the post draft RAW as champion and looking for a new challenger!

WINNER – Rhea Ripley

WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match Added To May 12 SmackDown

Nick Wilkinson
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WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match Added To May 12 SmackDown

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships will be defended on the May 12 episode of SmackDown. The champs Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will be defending against Bayley and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL.

Damage CTRL earned this opportunity after Bayley pinned Morgan in a tag team match on the May 1 episode of Raw. On the May 5 episode of SmackDown, Morgan and Rodriguez came out to save the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair from a 3 on 1 attack. Belair will be defending her Raw Women’s Championship and potential longest reigning champion accolade at Backlash against IYO SKY.

Will Damage CTRL have all the gold by the end of next week?

Zelina Vega & Rey Mysterio Win Main Event Heading Into Backlash

Nick Wilkinson
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Zelina Vega & Rey Mysterio Win Main Event Heading Into Backlash

Zelina Vega has some huge bragging rights heading into her SmackDown Women’s Championship match on Saturday. Along with Rey Mysterio she defeated her upcoming opponent Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio in the main event of SmackDown. Can she carry that momentum into Backlash and score an upset over Ripley to become champion?

Vega and Ripley showed great chemistry during this mixed tag team match giving us a preview of what we will see this weekend. In the end it came down to the men as Rey pinned Dom with an inside cradle.

Also on this week’s SmackDown, Bianca Belair showed up to her new home. The Raw Women’s Champion explained that when she defeats IYO SKY at Backlash she will become the longest reigning women’s champion of the modern era as she surpasses Becky Lynch. This prompted Damage CTRL to emerge.

Bayley would state that Belair is where she is at now because of her. She also considered Belair quite selfish to be focusing on herself so much.

To no surprise the interaction led to a 3-on-1 attack to where the tag champs Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez made their way out for the save.

We also saw Michin lay out Valhalla during the Good Brothers vs. Viking Raiders match. Nothing will continue from this as Valhalla will be moving to Raw.

Check back in with Diva Dirt to chat about Backlash live.

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