Seven Days in Women’s Wrestling: March 17 to 23, 2024

I’m late and we have another week for the women to discuss… let’s discuss!

Quick note: that’s Jaida Parker in the header. I knew the questions were coming. Go research Jaida and thank me later.

Monday – WWE Monday Night Raw

Matches: 2 women / 4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 20:30 min women / 39 men

Representation: 6 women / 14 men

Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell d. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance in 1:56.

Becky Lynch d. Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match in 18:33.

Our big story this week was Becky and Nia hopefully ending their battles with the Last Woman Standing Match. It was an enjoyable match in the main event spot, getting plenty of time and with Becky winning and Nia taking some great bumps. Rhea Ripley came out to give us that face-to-face after the match. Liv Morgan also wished Becky luck backstage as these four continue circling each other.

In the tag division, Candice is still just a big meany head as she and Indi get the quick win. And that’s really all the women get this week.

As always, I’ll preach you can do more than two matches in three hours with the women, especially if one is two minutes. I know it’s Mania season and we have to cram all the dude stories in, but we could’ve done more tonight (main event spot not ignored!). C-.

Tuesday – WWE NXT

Matches: 2 women / 4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 7:30 min women / 37:00 men

Representation: 4 women / 12 men

Roxanne Perez d. Tatum Paxley in 4:03

Sol Ruca d. Brinley Reece in 2:30

Edgy Roxanne takes down Tatum pretty quickly in their match, which I’m not a fan of. Tatum’s good enough for more than four minutes, especially since she just challenged the Kabuki Warriors. This sets up Lyra Valkyria, sling and all, coming out after the brawl with Roxanne and getting in a Crossface of her own. Lyra would later successfully issue a challenge to Roxanne for Stand & Deliver.

Ruca gets the big quick win and an attack by Blair Davenport postmatch to further their issues.

Lash Legend doesn’t have much to say about her kiss with Trick Williams last week. Arianna Grace gives Gigi Dolin – renamed Georgina by Arianna – her Miss NXT-in-Training sash as the makeover begins. Thea Hail asks Riley Osborne if they can still be friends. Thea also gets an upcoming match with Jazmyn Nyx.

Speaking of reconciliations, Fallon Henley checks on Brooks Jensen. Kelani Jordan appears to complain about Kiana James and Izzi Dame to her.

The women took the backseat to the men as far as matches and time, but as usual they were still all over the show. Lots of stories building! B-.

Wednesday – AEW Dynamite

Matches: 1 women / 5 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 7:30 min women / 56:00 men

Representation: 4 women / 8 men

Thunder Rosa & Deonna Purrazzo d. Toni Storm & Mariah May in 7:10.

We start off as we do with Mercedes Mone, who says some things before being attacked by Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander make the save with chairs, but Mercedes turns around to Willow with a chair and DRAMA.

We get a backstage segment with Willow, Kris and Stokely Hathaway interrupted by Mercedes. Stoke tells Willow she’s said enough and tells Willow that she broke Mercedes’ leg.

We get the big Toni/Mariah vs Rosa/Deonna match, and by big I mean they get the mandatory eight minutes or less with a commercial break in the middle of the match. Rosa rolls up Toni for the pin, setting up a future challenge there. They looked great in the time they were given.

Of course, the time they were given is the usual problem. Sure Mercedes had a ten minute segment, but we’re still getting eight minutes and one match for the women while some of the guys get triple that time for one match. D.

Wednesday – AEW Rampage

Matches: 1 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 11:30 min women / 20:30 men

Representation: 4 women / 8 men

Julia Hart & Skye Blue d. Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander in a Street Fight in 11:26.

Rampage came to Wednesday this week as a third hour of sorts for Dynamite. The good news is that they women had a hot main event (insert “more than two matches in three hours” argument I throw at Raw here).

Big, violent, fun brawl for the women here as they always bring it in street fights. Hart gets the submission win over Willow, which continues setting them up on a pre-Mercedes collision course. A really fun match.

That’s all the women for the hour of Rampage, but I’m not mad at it. Main event and maybe the most hyped match of the card. B.

Thursday – ROH on HonorClub

Matches: 4 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 33:30 min women / 9:30 men

Representation: 8 women / 4 men

Billie Starkz d. Mercedes Martinez in a Women’s World TV Title Semifinals Match in 11:32

Queen Aminata d. Red Velvet in a Women’s World TV Title Semifinals Match in 9:24

Hikaru Shida d. Rachael Ellering in 7:29

Mina Shirakawa d. Anna Jay in 5:56

The women take the forefront of ROH this week, which works since they’re often the most interesting part (and the only ones whose belts appear on the show).

Our big news is that thanks to the two semifinals matches, we have our finals for the TV Title tournament with Billie Starkz and Queen Aminata. Billie was almost a given, while Aminata has been a nice surprise considering her cool AEW and hot ROH concurrent runs.

In preparation for SuperCard of Honor, Shida shows up to beat up Rachael Ellering in a good match. We also get a rare ROH appearance for Anna Jay, here to lose to Stardom’s Mina.

In backstage news, Kiera Hogan issues a challenge to Diamente for another match and tells her if not, she’ll see her at home (an allusion to their real-life relationship). Diamente accepts. Athena is upset about facing Shida, nothing a loss to her years ago she still isn’t over.

This show worked for me. The women were represented very well and there wasn’t a lot of the “extra” that ROH throws in sometimes. The matches all built to something, whether it be SuperCard of Honor or the new relationship with Shimmer. A.

Thursday – TNA Impact

Matches: 2 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 12:00 min women / 34:50 men

Representation: 4 women / 12 men

Ash by Elegance d. Seleziya Sparx in 2:35

Jordynne Grace d. Tasha Steelz in a Knockouts World Title match in 11:15.

TNA remembered they have women this week! Jordynne defended her belt successfully against Tasha. It was a good match but the result was never in doubt. That’s a problem they have had with Jordynne as nobody has been built up as someone who can beat her since Trinity was around.

Ash by Elegance seems to be next in line by proxy as the only other woman appearing regularly. This week she got another quick win over Sparx. I’d tell you more about Sparkx, but according to Cagematch her profile has been removed at the request of the worker. Xia Brookside runs in after to save Sparx from further attack.

MK Ultra interrupt Decay as they ask for their rematch against Spitfire for the Knockout Tag Titles, setting up a contenders match.

Well, it’s a vast improvement over last week for sure. There is still work to do to build up challengers for Jordynne, but they continue introducing Ash and the tag titles are there. B-.

Thursday – WWE Main Event

Matches: 1 women / 1 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 5:00 min women / 7:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 2 men

Zoey Stark d. Natalya in 4:40.

It’s your usual Main Event, but sadly without Main Event Queen Chelsea Green. Zoey getting a quick win over Natalya is surprising but not the wrong result. B as usual.

Friday – NXT Level Up

Matches: 1 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 5:30 min women / 13:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 4 men

Jaida Parker d. Lainey Reed in 5:15.

This was Lainey’s third match ever and first televised. All of that said, she didn’t look bad against Jaida. Jaida is clearly the star here and Lainey has time to work through the NXT system. B-.

Friday – TNA Xplosion

Matches: 1 women / 0 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 7:00 min women / 0:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 0 men

Rosemary d. Masha Slamovich in 6:48.

I like to think my constant complaining made this happen, though I doubt anyone in the TNA Corporate Offices reads this. I enjoyed this match as I’ll enjoy anything involving a member of MK-Ultra, but it was nice to see a match on the B-show that furthers stories. A+.

Friday – WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Matches: 1 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 9:30 min women / 29:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 10 men

Iyo Sky d. Naomi in 9:16

Were continuing towards Bayley and Iyo at Mania as well as maybe a Damage CTRL tag match. With her match coming later in the show, Naomi is thanked by Bayley for saving her last week. Bianca Belair interrupts to say she doesn’t buy it. After a commercial, Naomi and Bianca continue the discussion on their own with Naomi telling B she needs her help.

We get the Naomi/Iyo match and it’s pretty great, though Iyo gets the win as the Damage CTRL numbers overwhelm. Bianca does try to save Naomi postmatch but the numbers are still too much.

Backstage later, Tiffany Stratton mocks Naomi as she is getting Asuka’s mist cleaned. We also learn that Jade Cargill has officially signed a contract with SmackDown. And don’t miss out on Michin, who was beating up the men in defense of the OC.

A good night for the women’s storytelling despite being crammed with the Cody/Roman stuff and the tag matches. B-.

Totals for the Week:

WWE/NXT: 7 matches over 48 minutes with sixteen different women represented

AEW/ROH: 7 matches over 52:30 minutes with twelve different women represented

TNA: 3 matches over 19 minutes with six different women represented