Seven Days in Women’s Wrestling – June 9 to 15, 2024

The supercards are all over this week for wrestling, with NXT’s Battleground, TNA’s Against All Odds and WWE’s Clash at the Castle all falling in this calendar week. That means more for the women! How much more? Let’s check it out.

Sunday – NXT Battleground

Matches: 3 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 38:00 min women / 36:00 men

Representation: 10 women / 8 men

NXT Women’s North American Title Ladder Match: Kelani Jordan d. Fallon Henley, Jaida Parker, Michin, Lash Legend & Sol Ruca (12:23)

NXT Underground: Lola Vice d. Shayna Baszler

NXT Women’s Title: Roxanne Perez. Jordynne Grace

It’s the first NXT event in the UFC Apex and the sound quality is poor! However, the women had a good night, having just as much time – a little more actually!) – than the men.

The show starts with the ladder match to determine the first NXT Women’s North American Champion, a much-needed secondary title for the enormous NXT women’s division. The match was actually a little faster than I thought it would be, but it was relatively safe. Kelani gets the win by actually being smart – seeing nobody else was there and running up the ladder.

NXT Underground fit the weird sound vortex of the Apex a lot better, with the “fans” beating on the ring apron and screaming the entire match which was picked up by the ringside microphones. You either like Underground or you don’t – I do. It’s fun. It’s a good spotlight for Lola Vice as well, who is an actual badass. Some would argue “how could you have Shayna lose this” and I love Shayna and get it, but winning this does a lot more for Lola than it would for Shayna.

The main event for the women (and should have been for the entire show) was TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace crossing through the Prohibited Portal to challenge Roxanne Perez. They had an enjoyable match, one with Rox wrestling with Jordynne’s earring stuck in her leg and Jordynne wrestling missing the chunk of her ear. Tatum Paxley appears to steal Jordynne’s title, only to be thwarted by former WWE/NXT talent and current TNA Knockout Ash by Elegance, both which are taken down by Jordynne. This leads to Rox getting the win. There was a lot of “WHY DANA BROOKE” on the interwebs, but Ash has been a pretty fantastic performer since going to TNA and is in a story with Jordynne, so it makes sense.

A fantastic night for the women of NXT. A.

Monday – WWE Monday Night Raw

Matches: 2 women / 5 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 13:00 min women / 50:30 men

Representation: 6 women / 16 men

IYO Sky d. Lyra Valkyria (10:25)

Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark d. Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre (2:34)

Liv Morgan and her Revenge Tour are still one of the A-stories of Raw, and this week she’s further tormenting Dominik Mysterio. This involves her giving him a hotel room key, which goes missing as the show continues. Gasp.

IYO and Lyra have another really good match. The other members of Damage CTRL are ringside and interfere a bit. Post-match, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance make an appearance to even the odds. Later in the show, we get a backstage segment with IYO being angry.

Elsewhere in the tag team division, the two teams facing Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair at Clash at the Castle are facing each other with the champs watching. This doesn’t go very well for Isla & Alba and doesn’t make their case exactly strong.

A lower-key Raw for the women tonight. As always, there is room for more than two matches in a three hour show, especially when the men get triple the time. We’re rolling along with Liv’s story, building a tag team race and Damage CTRL are starting to crack (again). C.

Tuesday – WWE NXT

Matches: 2 women / 4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 12:00 min women / 31:00 men

Representation: 4 women / 12 men

Michin d. Jaida Parker (9:42)

Wendy Choo d. Brinley Reece (1:44)

The show starts with Kelani Jordan, our new Women’s North American Champion, vowing to make a legacy for her new title. Jaida Parker interrupts her and wants the title after she defeats Michin. She and Michin have a match I really enjoyed, with Michin pulling out the win. This sets up a match between Kelani and Michin as well as possible future mixed tag action with Michin and Jaida’s crews.

Wendy Choo has returned and apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bed, coming out with a demented remix of her theme, dark pajamas and nightmarish makeup. She looks pretty cool, really. Marketable! The fans are into her and she gets a dominant win, using a variation of the Million Dollar Dream. There are legs to this for sure.

Other backstage stuff: Thea Hail puts the rest of Chase U in their place regarding Ridge Holland. We take a look at Sol Ruca training. Special guest Cody Rhodes gives Jacy Jayne a paper bag with his infamous Undashing mask.

Just like it opened, the show closes with the women. Roxanne Perez discusses her next challenger, which brings out numerous women. It ends with her brawling with Lola Vice, which is a logical choice.

The women keep on shining on NXT. B.

Wednesday – AEW Dynamite

Matches: 1 women / 6 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 10:00 min women / 44:30 men

Representation: 2 women / 18 men

AEW TBS Title: Mercedes Mone d. Zeuxis (10:09)

It must be Wednesday, which means we get one match! Mercedes Mone, who has been a fighting champion, is in action again tonight against Zeuxis. For those who don’t know Zeuxis, she’s a standout in CMLL and a regular partner of Mone’s Forbidden Door opponent Stephanie Vaquer. It’s a good match. That said, it’s the usual Forbidden Door problem of a challenger a lot of the audience doesn’t know, and then that challenger’s friends that they also don’t know appearing. Props to them though, Mone is on a roll.

There is a super adorable video package for Mina Shirakawa, as well as a backstage segment with Mariah May promising Toni Storm they’ll get through Toni’s contract signing with Mina next week.

Kris Statlander hangs out with bad guys now, and Willow Nightingale thwarts her from helping said bad guys attack after a match.

And that’s our women’s action for Dynamite. Yep, room for two matches on a two hour show. You know the deal. They’re attempting to build up our two matches for Forbidden Door as well as Willow/Kris, so there’s some effort. C.

Wednesday – WWE Speed

Matches: 0 women / 1 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 0:00 min women / 2:00 men

Representation: 0 women / 2 men

Andrade has won himself a title shot, while the women have not appeared in the first twelve episodes of this show unless you count the voices of Samantha Irvin and Alicia Taylor.

Thursday – ROH on HonorClub

Matches: 4 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 23:00 min women / 20:00 men

Representation: 12 women / 20 men

Proving Ground: Billie Starkz d. Sandra Moone (5:00)

Red Velvet d. Viva Van (5:09)

Alex Windsor, Diamente & Marina Shafir d. Abadon, Lady Frost & Leyla Hirsch (7:20)

Harley Cameron d. Trish Adora (5:47)

Somebody’s been listening, because I’ve been bitching about the women not getting time on ROH and here we are (yet they still found a way to shove eight more men than women on the card).

It’s Proving Ground time as always on ROH, this time with Sandra Moone. We last saw Sandra in February, losing a first round TV Title Tournament match to Red Velvet in only her second match on ROH TV. Billie rolls along.

Red Velvet, who looks to be the one getting the next title shot against Billie (assuming some random person doesn’t actually win a Proving Ground match, of course) rolls through Viva Van. Viva’s a good hand and I’m glad she’s getting some time.

Harley Cameron, fresh off a run on AEW before falling here into the ROH hole, gets the win over Trish Adora. As always, they should be doing more with trish.

ROH’s favorite trope, the multi-person match, jumps to the women’s side this week. This is the ROH debut for Alex, having lost a tag match weeks back at Willow & Stat on AEW TV. Alex also has a match upcoming against Toni Storm, which we will pretend this is setting up for and not just that AEW has the same local women wrestle multiple times instead of using their actual roster. As far as the actual match, it’s fine.

Taya Valkryie has some words backstage as well for Queen Aminata. Overall, they did the women right here. A-.

Thursday – TNA Impact

Matches: 3 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 18:30 min women / 29:30 men

Representation: 6 women / 6 men

Marti Belle d. Masha Slamovich (4:35)

Dani Luna d. Tasha Steelz (11:56)

Ash by Elegance d. Jada Stone (3:53)

We are knocking on the door of Against All Odds as well as a return to the Hardy Compound, and the women are actually getting some TV time tonight! TNA isn’t that bad, maybe.

First, Marti Belle takes on and defeats Masha Slamovich. As TNA usually does, this is their setup to Marti & Allyin Kay getting their tag title match at Against All Odds. Masha’s partner, Alisha Edwards, is a little distracted by the upcoming visit to the Hardy Compound.

Dani Luna vs Tasha Steelz have a good, extended match. It’s largely foreshadowing a match between their teams as well.

And then there’s Ash by Elegance, fresh off her surprise return to NXT. Rosemary watches in the rafters as Ash gets the win, as we continue to set her up as Jordynne’s next challenge. We get some words post-Battleground with Jordynne as well.

Okay, fine: Hardy Compound. At some point in all of it, Alisha Edwards encounters Reba Hardy and her piano before having things thrown at her by Gothic Baby. This leads to Alisha seemingly being decapitated by Reba. Well.

I’m not going to complain this week. The women had a good amount of time, advanced stories and were even involved in the weird Hardy stuff, even if they might have been decapitated. B.

Thursday – WWE Main Event

Matches: 0 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 0:00 min women / 12:00 men

Representation: 0 women / 6 men

Oooof. No women this week. F.

Friday – AEW Rampage

Matches: 1 women / 4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 8:00 min women / 25:30 men

Representation: 2 women / 12 men

Toni Storm d. Alex Windsor (8:01)

We actually open with the women this week. Ales gets some good stuff in against Toni, but of course the champ wins.

Harley Cameron declares for the Owen Cup. We get a preview of the Thunder Rosa/Deonna Purrazzo No DQ match on Collision as well. And that’s our Rampage. It’s not a lot, but it’s something. B-.

Friday – NXT Level Up

Matches: 1 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 4:30 min women / 12:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 6 men

Kendal Grey d. Izzi Dame (4:16)

Yep, it’s your usual Level Up! B.

Friday – TNA Against All Odds (and Countdown To)

Matches: 2 women / 8 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 18:00 min women / 93:30 men

Representation: 6 women / 22 men

TNA Knockouts World Tag Titles: Masha Slamovich & Alisha Edwards d. Allysin Kay & Marti Belle (7:59)

TNA Knockouts World Title: Jordynne Grace d. Tatum Paxley (11:14)

Good news, Alisha Edwards survived the beheading at the Hardy Compound. She and Masha also survive the challenge of the Hex in the preshow.

Jordynne Grace’s big open challenge is answered by NXT’s Tatum Paxley. Reaction varied from “Tatum is all they would send?” to people like me who think Tatum is the one. No other NXT interference as Jordynne wins but Tatum looks good in defeat. Ash by Elegance appears post-match and is laid out by Jordynne.

I’m glad we got what we got, but they’ve gotta figure out how to make the women’s side feel important again. With only one match on the main show (while there is room for over an hour and a half of men), it’s clear how low of a priority the women’s division is for the company. C-.

Friday – WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Matches: 2 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 12:00 min women / 26:00 men

Representation: 4 women / 4 men

Naomi d. Chelsea Green (9:26)

Nia Jax d. Michin (1:22)

We’re in Scotland this week and we’ve got that hot international crowd. I like that the SmackDown before a PLE has become almost an extension of the big show, with the same hot crowd and big matches happening. It gives room for things to breathe.

We’re lucky to be breathing the same air as Chelsea Green, who opens the show against Naomi. Chelsea has hometown girl Piper Niven in her corner. They’ve added a clip of Samantha Irvin’s “Chelsea Green” introduction to Chelsea’s music, which is doubled up with Sam being present and doing the intro live this week. Naomi has Bayley with her and both are very, very popular with this crowd. The match is good and Chelsea can go, something that she hasn’t gotten to or had to show off since her return.

Backstage, Bayley and Naomi come across Blair Underwood, then Chelsea Green, then get attacked by Piper. Besides that, there’s a very subtle moment when Naomi has her hand on Bayley’s belt to set that up.

Jax/Michin is quick but I’m glad to see Michin getting all the time lately and finally some respect. Tiffany Stratton is on commentary. We also hear from the tag title match participants through the show.

SmackDown continues to give women some time, and they’re excelling with it. B.

Friday – WWE Speed

Matches: 1 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 0:00 min women / 4:00 men

Representation: 0 women / 2 men

Championship Friday for Speed, with Andrade taking the belt from Ricochet. And we set up another round of men competing for a title shot. Triple H’s “I’d like to see women on Speed” hasn’t quite become a reality yet. F.

Saturday – AEW Collision (1 Year Anniversary)

Matches: 1 women / 5 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 11:00 min women / 48:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 20 men

No DQ: Deonna Purrazzo d. Thunder Rosa (10:41)

We celebrate the one year anniversary of Collision the only way we know – with a gigantic amount of men in action compared to the women. Rosa and Purrazzo have a great match, one that ends with Rosa KOed. Hopefully these two can move on from each other and onto other stories.

Shida declares for the Owen Cup. And that’s all we get. As always, there’s room for two women’s matches on a two-hour show. C.

Saturday – WWE Clash at the Castle

Matches: 2 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 26:00 min women / 73:00 men

Representation: 8 women / 6 men

WWE Women’s Tag Titles: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn d. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark (12:17)

WWE Women’s Title: Bayley d. Piper Niven (13:32)

That hot Scotland crowd hit big again for this show, making it seem even bigger than it was.

Alba and Isla won the tag belts in a surprise win in front of a hometown crowd. There were a few slips this match, and some of that seems to be the blame of loose ropes that caused chaos throughout the show. It was good to see the hometown girls get the win, and Jade and Bianca have plenty ahead of them. Props as well to Shayna, competing on three shows this week including two PLES.

The hometown crowd loved Piper, but they loved Bayley more. I get it. Bayley and Piper had a phenomenal match and Piper showed why she deserves a spotlight, but Chelsea Green was also perfectly Chelsea here, getting thrown out after throwing a fit and then returning in a luchadore match (Chelsea Verde).

A good showing for the ladies. B-.

Week Tallies:

Notes – Shayna Baszler worked three matches across the week, 2 under the WWE banner and one under NXT. Michin did the same, but with two matches on NXT and one on WWE TV. Tatum Paxley became the first NXT talent to compete on a TNA show. Alex Windsor also competed on two brands this week, AEW and ROH.

WWE – 6 matches over approximately 41 minutes, with 14 different women competing.

NXT – 6 matches over approximately 34:30, with 14 different women competing

AEW – 3 matches over approximately 29:00, with 6 different women competing

ROH – 4 matches over approximately 23:00, with 12 different women competing

TNA – 5 matches over approximately 36:30, with 10 different women competing