Toni Storm and Willow Nightingale battle over the AEW Women’s Championship at Forbidden Door. The Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament officially begins. WWE Crowns the Unified Women’s Tag Team Champions. Nightshade speaks with WrestleZone and more! Let’s break it down in this week’s Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tourney Begins
The 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments are officially underway.
Last week, AEW began its second annual Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments, with eight men and eight women competing in their respective tournaments. On the women’s side, three competitors have moved on to the semi-finals so far, with the last opening round matchup set to take place on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite.
Anna Jay and Skye Blue kicked off the action on Friday as the battled in the first quarterfinals matchup on AEW Rampage. The ending of the contest saw Jay apply her Queenslayer submission. As Blue began fading, she reversed the move by launching Jay into the corner turnbuckle. After stunning Jay with a superkick, Blue followed up with a Code Blue to secure the victory. She will now face Ruby Soho or Britt Baker in the semi-finals, depending on the outcome of their match on Dynamite.
Following Blue’s win on Friday, the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation continued on Saturday and Sunday. First on AEW Collision, Nyla Rose went one-on-one with NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Willow Nightingale. In the end, it was Nightingale who emerged victorious. After the match, though, The Outcasts (Saraya, Ruby Soho, & Toni Storm) surrounded the ring an attempt to intimidate Nightingale. Luckily, Skye Blue soon rushed down with a steel chair to even the odds.
The third opening round contest took place on the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Zero Hour show. There, ROH Women’s Champion Athena took on “Space Jesus” Billie Starkz. Starkz seemed to be closing in on victory when she set up for a senton. Unfortunately for Starkz, Athena wisely moved out of the way, causing Starkz to come crashing onto the ring apron. This opened the door for Athena to shift the tide in her favor and soon gain the pinfall on Starkz.
With this win, Athena will move on to face Willow Nightingale in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Toni Storm vs Willow Nightingale
Wrestling fans were treated to a collaborative event over the weekend as AEW and NJPW joined forces to produce the second annual Forbidden Door pay-per-view. The main card featured a plethora of notable matches, including an AEW Women’s Championship bout between Toni Storm and Willow Nightingale.
Storm, of course, regained the title last month as she unseated Jamie Hayter to begin her second reign. Nightingale also holds a title — NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship. For this occasion, though, only Storm’s title was put on the line.
Coming off a victory over Nyla Rose on Collision, Nightingale’s momentum continued to roll. After Nightingale thwarted some interference attempts from Saraya and Ruby Soho, the referee ejected them from ringside.
Nightingale later regained control of the matchup, delivering a spinebuster and an Indian Death Lock to Storm. In the end, though, Storm shifted momentum into her favor, landing a Storm Zero for the win. Therefore, Toni Storm remains the AEW Women’s World Champion.
Here is a recap of the AEW Women’s Championship match, courtesy our live coverage page.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) (with Ruby Soho and Saraya) vs. Willow Nightingale
Nightingale and Storm lock up and feel each other out. Storm leaves the ring early on and regroups with The Outcasts. Back in the ring, Willow gets a two count with a pin attempt. Nightingale continues to control the action. She argues with The Outcasts at ringside, and she bonks their heads together. Storm takes control and grounds Willow in the ring. The Outcasts interfere, and they get ejected from ringside. Willow drops Storm with a lariat and goes up top, but Storm gains the upper hand and gets a two count with a hip attack. Nightingale floors Storm with a spinebuster.
Willow traps Storm in the Indian Death Lock. She floors Storm with a Pounce, and the champion rolls to the outside. Willow drills Storm with a series of lariats. Storm gouges the eyes and hits the Storm Zero for the win.
Winner and still AEW Women’s World Champion: Toni Storm
Despite her loss, Nightingale must pivot her attention to STARDOM’s Giulia. During Sunday’s STARDOM Sunshine event, Giulia called out Nightingale and challenged her to a match. After wrestling Toni Storm at Forbidden Door, Nightingale finally responded to Giulia’s challenge. With a desire to defend the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship against the best, Nightingale accepted.
The date and location of this matchup has yet to be confirmed though.
RELATED: AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Results (6/25)
WWE Unifies Their Women’s Tag Team Titles, Liv Morgan Returns
As the trend of new title belts continues in WWE, the company recently opted to unify the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships with the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships.
As such, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler collided with the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre on the June 23 episode of SmackDown. Dawn and Fyre put up a valiant effort against their opponents, but it was no match for the double submission Rousey and Baszler unleashed at the end. As Baszler had Fyre trapped in the Kirifuda Clutch, Rousey rushed into the ring, locking Dawn into her signature armbar. Caught in a predicament, Fyre and Dawn both tapped out.
With this victory, Rousey and Baszler became the Unified WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Their celebration didn’t last too long, though.
After watching the match from ringside, Raquel Rodriguez approached the champions with a challenge — a rematch for the titles that she and Liv Morgan never lost. Last month, Rodriguez and Morgan were forced to vacate the Women’s Tag Team Championships when Morgan went down with a shoulder injury. With Morgan now recovered, she and Rodriguez set their sights on recapturing the titles.
When Rodriguez called for a rematch, she referenced a “we.” With the uncertainty surrounding her statement, Shayna Baszler asked her to clarify who “we” was. This prompted Liv Morgan’s music to hit, marking her first appearance in 6 weeks. Morgan then joined Rodriguez in the ring as the two stood face-to-face with Rousey and Baszler.
Following Morgan’s return, WWE announced that she and Rodriguez will challenge Baszler and Rousey for the Unified WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at Money in the Bank. Can Morgan and Rodriguez unseat the champions? Or will Rousey and Baszler continue their reign of dominance?
That all unfolds this Saturday at WWE Money in the Bank.
RELATED: Opening Betting Odds For WWE Money In The Bank Revealed
INTERVIEWS:
Known as “The Deadly One,” Nightshade speaks with WrestleZone’s own Ella Jay about the origins of her nickname, her previous stints in Japan, the unique layout of 7-Elevens in Japan, the inner dynamics of The Uprising stable, her ring gear inspirations, and more.
“The Pink Dream” Alex Gracia appeared on Women’s Wrestling Talk to discuss all things pink, her early days in the ring, superpowers, and more.
Former Warrior Wrestling Women’s Champion Kylie Rae joined The Wrestling Perspective Podcast to discuss working heel against Dana Brooke on WWE Main Event, training at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling, still training while pregnant, and more.
Independent star Deanna Diaz chatted with the TCWS Podcast about her aspirations for the future, solidifying herself as a main eventer in the wrestling world, returning to action after taking a break during COVID, and more.
The inaugural SSW Women’s Champion Angel Metro spoke with The Hot Tag Hooligans about training with Jimmy Valiant, inspiring her to learn her craft, deathmatches, and more.
