Roxanne Perez will defend the WWE NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Heatwave. Shayna Baszler is set to return to Bloodsport. AEW adds two new matches to the Forbidden Door pre-show. Tarlee chats with WrestleZone, and more!
Let’s break it down in this week’s edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice Set For NXT Heatwave
On July 7, WWE NXT will present the 2024 Heatwave premium live event in Toronto. Earlier this week, the brand confirmed two notable matches for the event.
Coming off her successful title defense against TNA’s Jordynne Grace, Roxanne Perez is now slated to defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Lola Vice at NXT Heatwave. This title match comes after Vice attacked Perez on this week’s episode of NXT and briefly stole her NXT Women’s Championship. Later in the night, Vice demanded that NXT General Manager Ava grant her a title shot. Ava obliged, confirming that Vice would challenge Perez for the title at Heatwave.
Elsewhere on NXT Heatwave, Kelani Jordan will defend the Women’s NXT North American Championship against Sol Ruca. This will mark Jordan’s third overall title defense, having retained the title in recent bouts against Michin and Izzi Dame.
For Ruca, this will mark her second shot at the Women’s NXT North American Championship. She previously competed in the six-woman ladder match to determine the inaugural Women’s NXT North American Champion, an honor that was, of course, claimed by Kelani Jordan.
RELATED: Roxanne Perez Is Already Building A Legacy In NXT, Will Take Over The Main Roster
AEW Adds Two Matches To Forbidden Door Pre-Show
On June 30, All Elite Wrestling collaborates with NJPW to bring forth the third annual Forbidden Door pay-per-view. AEW’s women’s division will be represented across four matches, two of which are for championships. Per AEW President Tony Khan, two non-title matches have recently been added as well.
Coming off her stunning betrayal of Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander will square off against her former friend in a tag team bout on the Forbidden Door pre-show. While Statlander will partner with former Wonder of STARDOM Champion Momo Watanabe, Nightingale has recruited former World of STARDOM Champion Tam Nakano.
Elsewhere on the pre-show, Saraya will face Mariah May in the opening round of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. May, along with Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa, picked up a victory over Saraya, Anna Jay, and Harley Cameron on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Now, May and Saraya will pivot their attention to singles competition, with the aim of advancing closer to the Owen Hart Cup.
On the main show of Forbidden Door, Toni Storm will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Mina Shirakawa. Meanwhile, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will battle NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer in a title-for-title match,
RELATED: Saraya: Toni Storm Is One Of The Biggest Things In AEW, She F*cking Did That
Shayna Baszler Returns To Bloodsport
July 2024 marks a unique month for WWE, as not one, not two, but three of its superstars will take a trip through the forbidden door, or rather prohibited portal.
Earlier this month, IYO SKY confirmed she’d be returning to Japan for a dream match against fellow former World of STARDOM Champion, Utami Hayashishita, at Marigold’s Summer Destiny event. Former WWE Champion AJ Styles will follow in a similar fashion, as he debuts for Pro Wrestling NOAH in a match against Noamichi Marufuji on July 13. Two weeks later, Shayna Baszler will mark her second appearance for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport.
News on the latter emerged earlier this week in a tweet posted by Josh Barnett himself.
“For her, the ‘debut’ in Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport was not that but in fact her stepping into the ring she was forged from – the crucible that has made her a champion in MMA and Pro Wrestling. This July, she returns to her birthplace to once again reign in blood and glory. “The Queen of Spades” Shayna Baszler returns to Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport,” Barnett wrote.
As of now, there is no word on who Baszler’s opponent for Bloodsport XI will be. During her previous outing, Baszler defeated TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion Masha Slamovich.
RELATED: Nick Khan, CM Punk, & More WWE Superstars Attend Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X
INTERVIEWS
Former FWA Women’s Champion Tarlee spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about her decision to move to Melbourne, her in-ring celebration with former WWE Women’s Champion Victoria at the HER event, being in her “Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne” era, bouncing back from a pinched nerve in her back, and more.
Former Dreamwave Women’s Champion Brittnie Books joined MuscleManMalcolm to discuss the recent leg injury she sustained, her goal to sign with WWE, winning a championship at 16 years old, her experience working at Dreamwave Wrestling, and more.
Artist of STARDOM Champion Mina Shirakawa appeared on Grapsody to talk about her upcoming title match against AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm, her relationship with Mariah May, her plans to party in New York, aspirations to win the IWGP Women’s Championship, and more.
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo chatted with DailyDDT about her 2024 return to All Elite Wrestling, wrestling Thunder Rosa on the AEW Double or Nothing pre-show, wanting to earn a main event spot, her desire to win more championship gold, and more.
