Welcome to this week’s round-up of all the action from WWE’s women’s divisions. Everything main roster is focused on Money in the Bank. NXT seem to have taken a different approach and they’re just throwing out title matches right left and centre. Charlotte Flair has her first title defence next week, but this week saw her first NXT match as champion. We got the final competitor added to the Money in the Bank Ladder Match this week on SmackDown. And on RAW, one of the Money in the Bank competitors made her intentions very clear.

 

RAW

Liv Morgan def. Ruby Riott

 

Nia Jax vs Shayna Baszler vs Asuka was advertised and it sounded great, but it never even started. Asuka came out first and did a little promo. Nia Jax was out next and started arguing with Asuka. When Baszler arrived she pulled Asuka out of the ring and started beating on her while looking at Nia Jax.

Jax got out of the ring, threw Baszler into a barricade and kicked off. Asuka had a moment, Baszler had a moment, then it was Jax’ turn. Asuka had already thrown Baszler back into the ring. Jax levelled Asuka and threw her in to join her then tossed a ladder in as well. Nia Jax used the ladder to wipe out both her competitors then held it over her head as her music played.

It was all just a bit odd and nonsensical, to be honest. A match would have been much more fun.

Later in the show, Charly Caruso tried to interview Nia Jax backstage. I say tried because she got as far as telling Jax a lot of people were talking about her actions in the ‘match’ tonight, before Jax cut her off and asked what various people could do about her actions, screamed ‘Nothing’ in her face, and walked away.

 

Ruby Riott vs Liv Morgan

Ruby Riott was unhappy that Morgan beat her last week, so we got a rematch. She was still out there trying to prove Liv Morgan would never be more than a follower, but might have started to reassess her opinion when Morgan kicked out of the Riott Kick. Riott started with the trash talk after that, which had the effect it usually does. She got pinned with the off the ropes flatliner Morgan is calling Oblivion.

After the match, Byron Saxton asked Liv Morgan if this was a new chapter for her. She said there will be lots of new chapters for her, but right now she’s just trying to figure out who she is and what that means. She’s confident she’ll figure it out though.

 

There was also an extended trailer for Becky Lynch’s WWE 24. I haven’t watched it yet, but the WWE 24 series tends to be excellent, and this one looks like it will be too.

 

 

NXT

Candice LeRae def. Kacy Catanzaro

Charlotte Flair def. Mia Yim

 

Candice LeRae vs Kacy Catanzaro

This was the first opportunity to see the new Candice LeRae, and there’s a lot of new. New tagline, ‘The Poison Pixie’, new hair, makeup, gear, attitude and an alteration to her moveset. Johnny Gargano accompanied her to the ring, gave her an enthusiastic and elaborate introduction, and stayed at ringside to cheerlead.

The match was good. Catanzaro’s speedy high flying style was perfect to showcase the new more methodical and vicious style of Candice LeRae. LeRae has a new finisher as well. It’s called The Wicked Stepsister and it got her the win.

After the match LeRae came back to the ring and locked Catanzaro in the Gargano Escape while Johnny Gargano looked on proudly.

Backstage, later in the show, Kacy Catanzaro was getting her neck assessed, with Kayden Carter keeping her company. Candice LeRae, with Johnny Gargano, interrupted her giving an update to say, ‘From now on this is the new NXT. Get used to it’.

 

Charlotte Flair vs Mia Yim

Mia Yim was Flair’s hand-picked challenger for this non-title match. Something which undoubtedly meant a lot more to her before Flair patronised her last week. Another good match. Mia Yim delivered a massive DDT for a credible chance at pinning the champ, but Flair kicked out. Charlotte Flair also took Seoul Food and a code blue, and still kicked out. Those were Yim’s best, but not only, chances. It would have been a bad look for the champion to lose her first NXT match though. Mia Yim tapped out to the Figure Eight.

As Flair was leaving the ring, Io Shirai’s music started up. Shirai appeared and yelled ‘Next week, you are mine’ at Flair. There was a lot of staring, but it didn’t get physical. The title match was later confirmed.

 

Scarlett Bordeaux will arrive on NXT next week, alongside Karrion Kross (Killer Kross). It is not clear yet whether she’s just there with him or if she’ll be diving into the women’s division.

 

 

 

NXT UK

Toni Storm def. Deonna Purrazzo

Shayna Baszler def. Isla Dawn

 

Deonna Purrazzo vs Toni Storm

This week’s NXT UK was unseen matches. This one came from Download, during Toni Storm’s title reign. It was a good match, a little bittersweet considering Purrazzo was released in the tidal wave of releases, but good. Toni Storm offered a sportsmanlike handshake mid-match after an exchange, Purrazzo kicked the hand away and kicked Storm in the stomach. That was the end of ‘nice Toni’, and the start of a bad time for Purrazzo.

Storm couldn’t deliver Storm Zero due to some damage to her arm which nearly cost her the match more than once. Purrazzo had a few good chances, including coming close to making Storm submit, but Toni Storm’s second attempt at Storm Zero was successful and she got the pin.

It’s sad that one didn’t make tv. It was decent and longer than the majority of women’s division matches on NXT UK. Deonna Purrazzo could have lifted NXT UK’s women’s division if she’d become a regular part of it.

 

Shayna Baszler (C) vs Isla Dawn

Another Download match and it was a title match for Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship. Isla Dawn got the first and second pin attempts, and managed to take Baszler’s legs from under her. In fact, she had so much control, Baszler took a break on the outside. Following her was Dawn’s big mistake, Baszler threw her into the steps, then back into the ring. Isla Dawn refused to give up after Baszler stamped on her arm, and even tried to come back briefly, but once Baszler had a target limb she worked it mercilessly. Credit to Isla Dawn, she made Baszler work for it, but inevitably, she tapped to the Kirifuda Clutch.

Another match that was better than most of the women’s division matches on NXT, probably my favourite Isla Dawn match, and longer than most of the tv matches as well.

 

Next week’s show is devoted to the rise of Imperium, so the women’s division is unlikely to feature.

 

 

 

SmackDown

Carmella def. Mandy Rose

 

What Sonya did hurt her but she’s looking forward not back and focusing on Carmella. Carmella is a former champion and a former Money in the Bank winner, but Rose isn’t going to let her moonwalk all over her.

Mandy Rose vs Carmella – Money in the Bank Ladder Match qualifier

This might have been good had it not been ruined by Sonya Deville’s appearance. She stayed on the stage and talked about how she gave Rose her Money in the Bank slot last year, and generally did her best to be distracting. When that didn’t work, she turned to asking Rose if she wanted to fight her and took a couple of steps towards the ring. That got Mandy Rose’s attention, which gave Carmella the opportunity to superkick her in the face and pin her.

While Rose was laying on the mat, Deville ran down and pounded on her while screaming that Rose will never be better than her. Then she threw her out of the ring and flung her into the ringpost and steps, finishing with a knee to the back of Rose’s head which sent her face-first into the steps.

As Deville was being dragged away she screamed that she would end Rose and ruin her life.

Mandy Rose later tweeted a picture of her injured leg.

 

Corey Graves and Michael Cole confirmed that the men’s and women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Matches will happen at the same time. That means there will be twelve superstars

 

Tamina had an interview with Kayla Braxton about her upcoming championship match against Bayley at Money in the Bank. Sasha Banks interrupted the interview and tried to convince Tamina she was there peacefully, but Tamina was ready for the sneak attack by Bayley. She thwarted the initial attack but Banks hit her from behind and together they threw her onto a packing case. Lacey Evans stepped in to help and it turned into a pull-apart brawl.

Next week they will have a tag match.

 

 

That’s it for another week of WWE women’s division action. Join me next week for whatever there is to round-up. In the meantime follow @ArnFuriousCom to make sure you never miss a review. You can also follow me @manda_why. Please stay safe.