AZM dethrones Mercedes Moné at NJPW Resurgence. Mina Shirakawa earns a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship. Anita Vaughan chats with WrestleZone and more.
AZM Dethrones Mercedes Mone
Four belts Moné is no more as AZM now reigns as the NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion.
At NJPW Resurgence in Ontario, California, Mercedes Moné defended the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship against AZM and Shirakawa in a three-way, meaning she need not be pinned to lose the title. This dynamic proved to be Moné’s kryptonite as AZM unloaded her AZM Sushi pinning combination on Shirakawa, and after several attempts, secured her shoulder’s to the mat for a three count and win. Meanwhile, Moné recovered from being tossed to the outside of the ring, but not enough to break AZM’s pinfall in time.
With this, Moné’s reign as NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion came to an end at 313 days, while AZM begins her first with the title. Luckily for Moné, she still has possession of the AEW TBS and RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championships. Looking ahead, she also has potential to capture the AEW Women’s Championship, if she can first defeat Jamie Hayter and the titleholder at the time of AEW All In.
According to Moné, her recent title loss can be blamed on the referee. “I don’t lose, I got screwed! I hate that referee,” she wrote on Twitter/X.
I don’t lose, I got screwed! I hate that referee #njResurgence
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) May 10, 2025
On the heels of her win, AZM is already looking to her potential first challenger, Bea Priestley. Priestley returned to action on the NJPW Resurgence pre-show with a victory over Viva Van. Afterward, Priestley approached AZM and signaled her interest in challenging for the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship.
RELATED: AZM Responds To Bea Priestley’s Championship Challenge
Mina Shirakawa Earns AEW Title Shot
Five days after their NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship entanglement, Mina Shirakawa and AZM met again, this time at AEW Dynamite.
On this occasion, Shirakawa and AZM competed in an AEW Women’s Championship eliminator match also involving Skye Blue and the respective champion, Toni Storm. In the final moments, Shirakawa broke up Storm’s pinfall attempt on AZM. When Storm then attempted a Storm Zero, Shirakawa reversed and connected with a rolling elbow strike. From there, Shirakawa and Storm traded pinfall attempts on each other, with Shirakawa’s resulting in a three count.
By pinning Storm, Shirakawa earned herself an official shot at the AEW Women’s Championship at AEW Double or Nothing on May 25. This will mark the second Shirakawa-Storm title affair, as they previously battled over the AEW Women’s Championship at NJPW x AEW Forbidden Door.
.@MinaShirakawa has punched her ticket for an AEW Women's World Championship match against "Timeless" Toni Storm at #AEWDoN!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 15, 2025
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS & MAX pic.twitter.com/LGxGaFOskj
Following the eliminator match, AEW referees helped AZM to the back. Before she could reach the area, though, Mercedes Moné knocked her to the ground, then trapped in the Statement Maker submission. Jamie Hayter quickly broke up this submission and locked Moné in one of her own.
RELATED: Tony Khan Confirms Fan Backlash Led To This Immediate Change On AEW Dynamite
Kenzie Paige To Defend NWA Women’s Title Against WWE’s Natalya
At the NWA Crockett Cup, generations and promotions will blend as Kenzie Paige defends the NWA World Women’s Championship against WWE’s Natalya.
This match comes as part of “The BOAT’s” ongoing world tour, which has already led her to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. Now, Natalya will vie for Paige’s NWA title, with industry veteran Gail Kim as the special guest referee.
“I feel like it is still kind of a dream, right?” Paige told WrestleZone. “I started wrestling when I was 14. So, I just imagine telling like 14-year-old Kenzie, missing school every Friday and all that stuff, ‘Girl, keep going. You’re going to wrestle Natalya and Gail Kim is going to be your special guest ref.’ I don’t know if that part’s really registered because I’ve been so… I’m not going to say in over my head, but I’ve been so devoted to getting that respect from Natalya and all of that.
“I’ve almost not even [had time] to focus on the fact that this is a dream for me. This is my job now, right? So I’ve not even got to focus on the fact that this is a real-life accomplishment for me.”
“As the person who booked this very special match-up between the WWE’s Natalya and NWA World Women’s Champion Kenzie Paige, in a championship match no less, and given the bad blood between the two stars, which has only built since the Bloodsport event in Vegas and of course Ms.… pic.twitter.com/583vTML3C7
— NWA (@nwa) May 13, 2025
Last month, Paige surpassed 600 days as NWA World Women’s Champion. Meanwhile, her younger sister Kylie Paige is a former NWA Women’s Tag Team Champion, with Natalia Markova as her Crockett Cup opponent. In this case, Kylie and Markova will battle in a No Limits Match.
READ MORE: Kenzie Paige Picked A Fight With Natalya, Says It’s Much More Than A Dream Match
INTERVIEWS
EVE International Champion Anita Vaughan spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about her adventures at WWE Raw and SmackDown in London, friendship with Safire Reed, winning the International Championship and then throwing it in the bin, doing more heel work, taking a Pedigree from Will Ospreay and going viral, learning from Ospreay behind the scenes, Debbie Keitel’s ventures in Japan, a possible Gals reunion, and more.
NWA Women’s Champion Kenzie Paige also chatted with WrestleZone about facing Natalya at the 2025 Crockett Cup, Gail Kim as guest referee, creating her own opportunities in NWA, what she wants people to talk about more, Queen of the Ring, and more.
Former WWE Diva Joy Giovanni appeared on Developmentally Speaking to talk about her experience in the WWE Diva Search, signing with WWE, taking bumps, working with and learning from Fit Finlay, her release from the company, and more.
WWE Superstar Raquel Rodriguez talked with the Battleground Podcast about winning the WWE Women’s Tag Titles with Liv Morgan, chasing the Intercontinental Title, representing her Mexican-American roots, WWE x AAA dream matches, and surprising songs on her playlist, and more.
TNA Knockout Indi Hartwell sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss signing with TNA, her WWE release happening during SmackDown, keeping her WWE name, the Dexter Lumis romance storyline, winning the NXT Women’s Championship in a ladder match, wrestling in Australia, finally getting a match with Mercedes Mone and more.
WWE NXT star Jordynne Grace appeared on Busted Open After Dark to discuss her main event victory on NXT, her road from TNA Wrestling to WWE, what to expect in her match against Stephanie Vaquer at NXT Battleground, and more.
EVE Champion Nightshade joined A Wrestling Gal to discuss her crowning moment at Eve: Punkin’ Instigators, adventures in Las Vegas during WrestleMania 41 weekend, making her in-ring USA debut at Spark Joshi and Marvelous, sharing a ring with Aja Kong, her recent three month tour in Japan, training at the Marvelous dojo, and more.
