A massive six-woman tag team match has been added to the WrestleMania card. Ruby Soho pledges her allegiance to Saraya and Toni Storm at AEW Revolution. Ray Lyn speaks with WrestleZone, and more. Let’s break it down in this week’s edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
Stratusfaction Is Guaranteed At WrestleMania 39
A pair of WWE Hall of Famers have officially joined the WrestleMania 39 card.
After winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships last week, Becky Lynch and Lita celebrated their victory Monday’s edition of RAW. For Lita, it marked her first taste of championship gold in nearly 17 years. For Lynch, clutching the tag team titles solidified her place as a Triple Crown Champion in the company. Their win, of course, came with a little assistance from the other half of Team Bestie, Trish Stratus.
Lita and Lynch welcomed Stratus out to the ring as well last night. However, Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) cut their reunion short. Bayley described the trio as “selfish.” Stratus retorted, promising to silence Bayley and the former tag team champions. The solution? A six-woman tag team match at WrestleMania.
Much too the dismay of SKY and Kai, Bayley quickly accepted the challenge. As Kai and SKY attempted to ground their opposition, Stratus and Lita threw them out of the ring. This left Bayley to fend for herself. Lynch, Stratus, and Lita then surrounded Bayley and took turns throwing strikes at her until she was pulled to safety by her allies.
Following their brawl, WWE made the match official. Trish Stratus will now team up with Lita and Becky Lynch to battle Damage CTRL on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”
Aside from the six-woman tag match, two other women’s matches have been announced for WrestleMania 39 so far. “The Queen” Charlotte Flair will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley. Representing the red brand, “The EST” Bianca Belair will defend her RAW Women’s Championship against the Women’s Elimination Chamber winner, Asuka.
COMPETITOR HISTORY
WrestleMania 39 will mark Stratus’ first match on the grand stage since 2011. Lita heads into only her second match at the big event. In 2002, Lita made her WrestleMania debut in a triple threat match for the WWE Women’s Championship. There, Jazz retained the title against not only Lita, but Stratus well.
For Dakota Kai, 2023 will serve as her main show debut for WrestleMania. In 2018, Kai competed alongside several NXT and main roster talent in a Women’s Battle Royal on the kick-off show. IYO SKY heads into the match in similar fashion, getting her first taste of the WrestleMania spotlight in her official debut. Regarding the Damage CTRL leader Bayley, this year will mark her return to the WrestleMania competition since she last defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship in 2020.
Ruby Soho Turns Heel, Jamie Hayter Defends AEW Women’s Championship
A dramatic turn of events unfolded at AEW Revolution on Sunday.
Heading into her first pay-per-view title defense, Jamie Hayter laid her AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against two of AEW’s toughest women. Amidst a battle between the “AEW originals” and the “outsiders,” Hayter selected both Saraya and Ruby Soho to challenge her in the title bout.
Hayter brought her ally Britt Baker, while Saraya summoned Toni Storm to accompany her. Soho, on the hand, remained stuck between both sides. In the end, it was Jamie Hayter who emerged victorious after pinning Soho for the three count.
In an act of good sportsmanship, Hayter stood alongside Soho after the match, raising her hand as a sign of respect. Soho, though, had other ideas. As the crowd reveled in the tender moment, Soho stunned Hayter with a kick to the head. Shocked, Britt Baker then tried to charge at Soho, but found herself laid out into a Destination Unknown.
With her allegiances now clearly pledged to Saraya and Storm, Soho took ahold of a can of spray paint from Saraya, branding Hayter and Baker with the letter “L”.
Ruby Soho has now joined the dark side.
A brief recap of the AEW Women’s Championship match can be viewed below, courtesy of our live coverage page.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Jamie Hayter (c) (with Britt Baker) vs. Ruby Soho vs. Saraya (with Toni Storm)
Saraya brings the fight to Hayter. Soho takes Saraya down with a diving dropkick. The match spills into the crowd. Saraya gains the upper hand and grounds Hayter. Soho takes Hayter down with a diving crossbody. Hayter rallies with a lariat that takes both of her opponents down. Soho dumps Saraya with a Saito suplex. Hayter drops Soho with a backbreaker. Soho slams Hayter face-first into the mat. Saraya traps Soho in a submission, but Hayter breaks it up with a lariat. Hayter drops Storm with a lariat. Baker distracts Saraya, and Soho hits her with the Destination Unknown. Hayter breaks up the pin. Hayter gets a two count with a roll up and stacks Soho up for the win.
Winner and still AEW Women’s World Champion: Jamie Hayter
RELATED: AEW Revolution 2023 Results (3/5/23)
INTERVIEWS
BCW Tag Team Champion Ray Lyn spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about tag teaming with Heather Monroe (together known as Blonde Force Trauma), her “level up” moment in wrestling, her previous ventures in Los Angeles, how she’s grown as a woman and as an in-ring competitor, and more.
AEW star Ruby Soho appeared on Grapsody to discuss Taz, her theme music, blood in women’s wrestling, her booking in All Elite Wrestling, and more.
Former WWE Divas Champion Saraya spoke with The Mirror about her life after her neck injury, AEW’s upcoming UK show, leaving her Paige character behind, and more.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair appeared on The Dan LeBatard Show to discuss her journey to wrestling, her dad’s support, the motivation behind her career path, the way women’s wrestling has evolved, and more.
“The Glamour” Mariah May sat down with WrestlingNewsCo’s Steve Fall to discuss her work in STARDOM, wanting to wrestle Mercedes Mone, her previous WWE tryout, and more.
The “God Queen” Delmi Exo joined Denise Salcedo to discuss her decision to sign with MLW, her journey in professional wrestling, her mentors in the sport, and more.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Capital Championship Wrestling: Battle of the Throne – March 11
Girl Fight Wrestling: Gender Wars – March 7
