Seven Days in Women’s Wrestling – June 16 to 22, 2024

After a week of supercards. It is nice to get back to the regular television schedule. Of course, in 2024 that’s still quite the slate of programming. Let’s see what the women were given this week.

A few cheap plugs first! I reviewed WWE Rivals featuring Bret vs Shawn. If you’d like to read me write about men but without complaining about them, click here! Also with the Wyatt Sick6 murdering people, it’s a good time to review my look at the Bray documentary featuring Bo Dallas here.

Monday – WWE Monday Night Raw

Matches: 2 women /4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 11:00 min women / 42:30 men

Representation: 7 women / 9 men

MITB Triple Threat Qualifying Match: IYO Sky d. Kiana James and Zelina Vega (8:34)

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter d. Dakota Kai & Kairi Sane (2:28)

I know you expect me to say “eleven minutes and two matches in a three hour show isn’t enough” – and you’re right! That said, there was a lot going on with the women that weren’t in-match as well.

The close of the show has rightfully been the focus of discussion for a week, with the Wyatt Sick6 debuting. This all started with Nikki Cross, in a newfound spooky outfit, crawling out and pointing back to the chaos backstage. It ended with her and her new cohorts raising Bray Wyatt’s lantern and letting us know that they’re here. It’s had people talking and been a viral rage ever since, and I’m not mad at it. I’m intrigued to see where it goes, and I hope Nikki blasts into superstardom with it.

The Wyatt attack included the possible murder of Chad Gable (later upgraded to alive). Earlier in the show, Chad continued his assault of his Alpha Academy group, including taking poor injured Maxxine’s crutch and throwing it to the ringside area.

Speaking of leading women, it’s another week in the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour. She appears during the women’s triple threat Money in the Bank qualifying wearing Dominik Mysterio’s missing vest, also distracting Zelina Vega and causing her to lose. IYO advances, which is probably the right choice here. It breaks down later during a Dragon Lee vs Carlito match, with the two women brawling.

Even later, Dom meets Liv backstage and asks for his vest back. She says he can have it if he takes it off her, which is interrupted by Damien Priest. Man, Rhea Ripley is going to stab that woman.

Backstage, we set up a title match with Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn and Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark. The tag division does see a match, with Katana & Kayden defeating Damage CTRL in a three minute special, the true sign of a women’s tag division match. Again, not a fan of Damage CTRL losing so quickly. They meet up with IYO backstage, who says things have to change.

It was certainly an interesting match. Liv is carrying a women’s title feud with Rhea well despite Rhea being out and working well with the men’s division, much like Rhea did a year ago. Zelina is a good “for now” challenger for her. The Wyatt Sick6 story is undoubtedly huge and a boon for Nikki. I’m giving it a C.

Tuesday – WWE NXT

Matches: 3 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 24:30 min women / 32:00 men

Representation: 10 women / 29 men

Triple Threat: Lola Vice & Roxanne Perez d. Jacy Jayne & Jasmyn Nyx and Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson (9:59)

NXT Women’s North American Title: Kelani Jordan d. Michin (9:58)

Fallon Henley d. Carlee Bright (4:20)

NXT, as always, is where the women rule. Yes, 19 more men than women wrestled, but look at how the women still were not far from the same amount of time. With that, what’s going on with the women is treated just as importantly as the men and there is so much going on.

Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez teamed up with Lola Vice in a triple threat tag match. CAN THEY COEXIST? They could through the match, but Lola took down Perez after. This match took ten minutes and they looked good with it, with the Meta-Four girlies looking great and us getting Jacy back in the ring.

My thoughts on the North American Title match vary greatly from Thomas’ review here on the Doom Blog, but that’s pretty normal. Kelani has been establishing herself for a while, and seeing the fairly new face as champ is fun. Michin is a solid opponent and she’s been the workhorse lately, appearing on all three shows and showing out. Jaida Parker caused a distraction here, giving Kelani the win.

Evil cowgirl Fallon gets a win over newbie Carlee Bright. Carlee’s second Kendal Gray is taken out by the sudden appearance of spooky Wendy Choo.

Backstage stuff that happens: Izzi Dame promo video. Tatum Paxley on TNA promo video. Sol Ruca vs Arianna Grace is set up for next week.

Here’s the thing with NXT’s women’s division: everyone is involved. There are stories for both title pictures going on and more than a handful of stories going for the women in the title picture. So many characters are established. As usual, I’m going with a B.

Also yes, I believe in Joe Hendry.

Wednesday – AEW Dynamite

Matches: 1 women / 5 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 8:00 min women / 53:30 men

Representation: 2 women / 18 men

Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match: Kris Statlander d. Nyla Rose 7:50)

This Dynamite has gotten a lot of talk online for its low, low ratings. Let me take this moment to point out once again that there was one and only one segment that gained viewers. It involved women.

Mariah May hosted a contract signing between Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa. It’s the usual camp between these three – I mean that in the highest regards, this story is for ME – and leads to Toni telling Mariah she has to pick a side. The Outcasts, with new buddy Anna Jay, interrupt and we brawl. This is probably the story set up the best for Forbidden Door.

In-ring, we have our requited one women’s eight minute match, with Kris Statlander defeating Nyla Rose. Nyla got a good reaction and she has some crowd support behind her, however this is one of those uniquely AEW situations where you wonder why she’s suddenly getting this opportunity. She last appeared in an AEW-branded TV match in October, on the losing end of a tag match. She’s been a regular for ROH this year, but what qualifies her for this sudden tournament appearance compared to several women who have been regular (as much as you can be on AEW TV) and not in the tournament?

This isn’t a complaint against Nyla, for sure. I freakin’ love Nyla. She SHOULD be one of the centerpieces of the division. It’s just the usual illogical nature of the women’s division that she’s suddenly in this tournament.

Stat does get the win, and we get a video from Willow Nightingale saying she’ll see Stat in the second round. We also get a brief promo segment with Mercedes Mone saying she’ll be ready for Stephanie Vacquer. Again, I am completely baffled by Mercedes not being on the shows and advertised almost weekly.

It’s your usual Dynamite here. The women don’t feel like they’re on a separate island as they once did, and at times they’re carrying the show like Toni and friends. However, they still get such a small chunk of the show and they deserve better. The more women you actually build up, the more of a show they can carry. C.

Wednesday – WWE Speed

Matches: 0 women / 1 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 0:00 min women / 3:00 men

Representation: 0 women / 2 men

The usual. F.

Thursday – ROH on HonorClub

Matches: 2 women / 7 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 8:30 min women / 51:30 men

Representation: 4 women / 24 men

Marina Shafir d. Maggie Minerva (2:06)

Leyla Hirsch d. Diamente (6:24)

ROH spread back into a two hour show this week, so they definitely used this time to give their burgeoning women’s division some more time, right? You know the answer to this.

Our key story this week is the Minions Meeting with Athena and Billie Starkz. Athena is on crutches, says she has a torn ligament and will be out 4-6 months but plans to keep her title. Not a fan of her being injured or the title being shelved for half a year! We’ll see if they follow through with that. Queen Aminata and Red Velvet appear to cast doubt on the injury.

In-ring, Marina Shafir gets a quickie win over Maggie Minerva. Maggie’s previous appearance in an early 2023 Dark Elevation match, losing to Willow. Leyla and Diamente had a good match, but it’s hard to feel this is the one out of all the random ROH women’s matches that is going to get either one of them up the ladder.

ROH is a hard, hard show to support right now in general but as a fan of the women’s side. Just six months ago, it wasn’t. Now we have two titles and less women on the screen, even when we stretch back out to these two hour shows. It’s the show I’m having the hardest time sticking with. D.

Thursday – TNA Impact

Matches: 2 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 9:00 min women / 25:30 men

Representation: 6 women / 6 men

Dani Luna & Jody Threat d. Marti Belle & Alyssin Kay (5:59)

Ash by Elegance d. Heather Reckless (2:42)

Sure, there was a small amount of wrestling, but what hooked me this week was Steph De Lander. That’s nothing new, I love SDL. This week she had a date in-ring with PCO and it was a lot of wacky comedy and she handled it VERY well. She’s good at this. AJ Francis eventually chokeslammed her through a table, but she carried the segment.

Ash by Elegance picked up a quick win over Reckless, who we last saw losing to Red Velvet on ROH in January. Jordynne Grace appears after, being knocked down by Ash and getting us ever-so-closer to this match finally happening.

The tag match was nice, and the Hex are a talented team and Project: Reheat Spitfire continues. It wasn’t a bad show here, with both the quality sports-entertainment and some movement in the title scenes. B-.

Thursday – WWE Main Event

Matches: 1 women / 1 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 5:00 min women / 7:30 men

Representation: 2 women / 2 men

Zoey Stark d. Ivy Nile (5:05)

Our usual one match here, and poor Ivy can’t get off Main Event. They had a good little five minute match between two strong women. I’d like to see more.

Friday – AEW Rampage

Matches: 1 women / 4 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 11:30 min women / 25:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 10 men

Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Willow Nightingale d. Serena Deeb (11:34)

Willow told Statlander on Dynamite she’d see her in the second round, and she followed through with making that happen by defeating Serena. They had a really good match, though the result was never in doubt. Serena is again back on the cycle of not being able to stay ahead with wins.

That’s all we get for the women, but they had the main event and a match with some story at that. B.

Friday – NXT Level Up

Matches: 1 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 6:00 min women / 12:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 6 men

Karmen Petrovic d. Wren Sinclair (6:12)

The women got the main event spot of short lil’ Level Up this week, and both looked good in the match. As usual it’s nothing you aren’t missing if you’re not a completionist. B.

Friday – TNA Xplosion

Matches: 0 women / 2 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 0:00 min women / 8:00 men

Representation: 2 women / 6 men

Nothing for the women this week. F.

Friday – WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Matches: 1 women / 3 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 7:30 min women / 21:00 men

Representation: 3 women / 8 men

MITB Qualifying Triple Threat: Chelsea Green d. Bianca Belair and Michin (7:14)

In a show bookended by CM Punk and the Bloodline, there’s room for one women’s match which is sad for us. It is a good one though, with Chelsea sneaking out a surprise win after tossing Bianca out of the ring and pinning the downed Michin. Michin has again been a workhorse this week and Bianca is always great, but I am all for Chelsea in the Bank.

Blair Davenport visits Bayley backstage, saying she’s winning MITB and will take her title. Tiffany Stratton makes fun of Michin backstage, with Nia Jax attacking Michin.

Not a LOT happening here for the women timewise, but stories are rolling. Still a C-.

Saturday: AEW Collision

Matches: 1 women / 7 men

Approx. In-Ring Time: 8:00 min women / 61:00 men

Representation: 4 women / 26 men

Toni Storm & Mariah May d. Lady Frost & Leyla Hirsch (8:06)

Let’s get it out of the way: if you can make room for 61 minutes of mens and 26 different men on the two-hour show, you can make room for a second women’s match. This is the usual Collision problem.

The tag match was good for what it was, knowing that there was no way Frost & Hirsch were winning. We’re still building up to the big Forbidden Door match.

As far as the other Forbidden Door women’s match, we get footage of Mercedes Mone going to Arena Mexico and attacking Stephanie Vaquer. Serena also gets a moment to speak, issuing an open challenge to hopefully help her find the winning side of the page yet again.

I’m glad we got the tag match and it’s nice to see a little SOMETHING for Mercedes/Stephanie, though they really still haven’t given anyone outside of the sickos a reason to care about Stephanie. Still, the women deserve so much more on a show that gives the men – and so many more men – so much time week after week. D.

Week Tallies:

Notable – Michin wrestled two matches across brands, WWE and NXT. Leyla Hirsch also wrestled two matches against brands, ROH and AEW.

WWE – 4 matches for approx. 23 minutes combined, 12 different women in action

NXT – 4 matches for approx. 34:30 combined, 12 different women in action

AEW – 3 matches for approx. 27:30 combined, 8 different women in action

ROH – 2 matches for approx. 8:00 combined, 4 different women in action

TNA – 2 matches for approx. 9:00 combined, 6 different women in action