AEW hosts their last pay-per-view of 2023 — Worlds End. Ivy Nile challenges Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Championship. McKenzie Mitchell speaks with WrestleZone and more. Let’s break it down in this edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
AEW Worlds End: Toni vs. Riho, Julia vs. Abadon, Willow vs. Kris
Before ringing in the new year, All Elite Wrestling held one last pay-per-view in 2023. This event, titled Worlds End, took place on December 30, emanating from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on Long Island. Between the Zero Hour pre-show and main show, Worlds End delivered 13 total matches, with three of them featuring talent from AEW’s women’s division.
On the Zero Hour pre-show, the recently formed tag team of Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale faced off against each other in singles competition. Despite their close bond, Statlander and Nightingale were not afraid to lay into one another for this match. Toward the end of their battle, Statlander scaled to the top rope to deliver a 450 splash, to which Nightingale promptly moved out of the way to evade. Nightingale then nailed Statlander with the Doctor Bomb to secure the win.
Upon the main show, Toni Storm was tasked with defending her AEW Women’s Championship against Riho. AEW Worlds End marked only the second-ever singles match between Storm and Riho, where their first encounter taking place on AEW Dynamite in March 2023. While Riho captured victory in their previous singles affair, Toni Storm eventually evened the score.
After yanking Riho down from the top rope, Storm laid out Riho with a DDT to capture a three-count pinfall. With this win, Storm not only retains the AEW Women’s Championship, but she also extends her record-tying third reign with it.
Later in the evening, Abadon challenged Julia Hart for the TBS Championship. This match came a week after Abadon and Thunder Rosa defeated Hart and Skye Blue on AEW Collision.
As the match approaches its closing moments, Skye Blue emerged onto the scene in an attempt to distract Abadon. Blue’s efforts, however, were thwarted as Abadon hit her with a knee strike. In response, Hart slammed Abadon’s head into the steel ring steps. When both competitors returned to the ring, Hart nailed Abadon with a moonsault to seal the win, and retain the TBS Championship.
READ MORE: AEW Worlds End Results – December 30, 2023
Ivy Nile Challenges Rhea Ripley
On Monday, WWE held a special “Day 1” edition of RAW, featuring a stacked lineup of matches, including one for the WWE Women’s World Championship. For this occasion, reigning champion Rhea Ripley was tasked with defending her title against recent NXT call-up Ivy Nile.
Nile’s challenge to Rhea Ripley comes on the heels of Ripley’s dominant win over Nile’s ally Maxxine Dupri last month. And while Nile may be newer to the main roster, she was more than determined to dethrone “The Eradicator” — a move that Nile later came very close to achieving. Despite Nile’s strong efforts though, it was Rhea Ripley who emerged victorious after sending Nile crashing to the mat with a Riptide.
With this win, Ripley has now surpassed 275 days as champion. Should Ripley hold the title until the 2024 Royal Rumble event, she will officially elevate her reign to more than 300 days.
A full recap of this WWE Women’s World Championship match can be read below, courtesy of our live WWE RAW coverage page.
Women’s World Championship Match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Ivy Nile
Ripley drops Nile on the mat. Nile picks ups Ripley in fireman’s carry. Ripley escapes and lands a dropkick. Nile lands a crossbody off the top for a nearfall. Ripley lands a nasty boot to Nile’s face. Ripley tries a running kick, but Nile counters with a capture suplex. The crowd goes nuts. Ripley rolls out fo the ring and pitches a fit. After the break, Ripley tries an electric chair outside the ring. Nile reverses it into a German suplex out on the floor. Back in the ring, Ripley sends Nile into the ropes.
Tilt-a-whirl DDT by Nile. Ripley kicks out. Dropkick by Ripley. Nile kicks out. Nile rolls out of Riptide and land as head kick. Ripley kicks out. Atomic facebuster by Ripley. Nile kicks out again. Ripey sets up a superplex. Nile escapes and uses Ripley’s arm to slam her head into the top turnbuckle. Nile German suplexes Ripley off the second rope. Ripley somehow manages to kick out. Nile goes up top. Nile tries a crossbody off the top, but Ripley headbutts her out of the air. Knee trembler by Ripley. Ripley hits Riptide for the win.
Winner and STILL Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley!
Elsewhere on the RAW card, Nia Jax defeated Becky Lynch. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark also defeated Tegan Nox and Natalya in tag team action.
RELATED: Rhea Ripley Explains The Evolution Into ‘Mami’
Interviews
Former WWE backstage interviewer McKenzie Mitchell spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about the visions behind her jewelry business — Headline by MM, Chelsea Green’s return to WWE, her most storytelling-driven interviews, potentially returning to IMPACT/TNA Wrestling, her dream interview guests in the music industry, and more.
Former WWE Superstar Tenille Dashwood joined TMZ Sports to discuss her new YouTube channel content, traveling around the world with her fiance, what wrestling fans can expect next from her, and more.
AEW on-air personality Renee Paquette appeared on POST Wrestling to talk about her early days as a broadcaster in Canada, parenting on the road, producing AEW backstage segments, how she approaches her interactions with her husband Jon Moxley’s character on TV, and more.
Former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair appeared on The Collection with Brad Gilmore to discuss her historic reign as champion, her entrance at WrestleMania 39, the NXT women’s division, her upcoming reality series on Hulu, and more.
Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Chelsea Green chatted with Love Wrestling about her return to WWE, her reign as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, dressing as the Hart Foundation for a special Halloween-themed match, her backstage interaction with Gene Snitsky, and more!
