Mariah May turns on AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm. Tiffany Stratton claims the Women’s Money In the Bank briefcase. Aysha speaks with WrestleZone, and more. Let’s break it down in this week’s edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up! Interview
Mariah May Turns On AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm
Much like 1950’s All About Eve, All Elite Wrestling is now all about Mariah May.
In the main event of AEW Dynamite, Mariah May took on Willow Nightingale, with the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation title on the line. Thanks to some added assistance from Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway, May was eventually able to defeat Nightingale, and additionally secure herself an AEW Women’s Championship match at AEW All In.
The current AEW Women’s Champion, of course, is Toni Storm, who has notably served as May’s mentor for the last eight months. With a world title match now set between them, though, May made the decision to separate herself from Storm – a decision that was carried out in dramatic and treacherous fashion.
Following her victory over Nightingale, May headed up the entrance with Storm to seemingly celebrate. In a shocking turn of events, May then struck Storm in the head with the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation title, before repeatedly beating her with its strap (and later, a high heel shoe). Storm’s butler Luther subsequently found himself in a similar predicament, but with the added misfortune of being sent crashing through a table. As Storm knelt bleeding, May stood above her, a sadistic snarl plastered on her face.
Looking ahead, May will challenge her now-former mentor for the AEW Women’s Championship at All In on August 25.
RELATED: AEW Dynamite Results (7/10/24)
Tiffany Stratton Wins Money In The Bank
WWE seems to run on Tiffy Time right now.
On July 6, six of WWE’s fiercest women competed in the 2024 Money in the Bank ladder match, in which the winner guaranteed themselves a future title shot of their choosing. This opportunity was ultimately claimed by Tiffany Stratton, just moments after she sent Chelsea Green crashing through two tables.
Stratton’s victory was no easy feat, though, as all of the participants found themselves wounded by the carnage. In addition to the traditional assembly of ladders, competitors also utilized tables and the steel ring steps in their pursuit of the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase. In one spot, Green delivered a vicious Unprettier to Naomi that left both women rattled. Earlier in the match, Zoey Stark notably sent Lyra Valkyria crashing back first onto one of the ladders. IYO SKY followed suit shortly thereafter, although in this case, both SKY and Stark absorbed the damage.
In the match’s closing moments, Green ascended to the top of a ladder, mere seconds away from unlatching the Money in the Bank briefcase. Tiffany Stratton, however, had other plans. As Green frantically attempted to unhook the briefcase, Stratton zoomed up a nearby ladder to stop her. Seconds later, Stratton sat atop the ladder with the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase, while Green lay motionless after plunging through two tables.
With this win, Stratton has now earned herself a match, anytime over the next year, for any one of WWE’s women’s championships.
RELATED: Tiffany Stratton Wants To Face Rhea Ripley And Liv Morgan
Stephanie Vaquer Signs With WWE
On Wednesday, CMLL and NJPW released a joint statement, revealing that Stephanie Vaquer had removed herself from their rosters for personal reasons. As a result, Vaquer was stripped of both the CMLL World Women’s Championship and her CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship.
On the heels of this development, reports indicated (h/t Fightful Select) that Vaquer recently attended the WWE NXT Heatwave premium live event, which took place on July 7. Furthermore, Vaquer had reportedly signed with WWE.
WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, Shawn Michaels later confirmed these reports by officially welcoming Vaquer onto the WWE team on Twitter. “Welcome to the WWE Family, @Steph_Vaquer. See you in Orlando,” Michaels wrote.
Vaquer’s arrival to WWE comes in the wake her title-for-title match against Mercedes Mone at AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door. There, Vaquer raised her NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship, while Mone put up her TBS Championship. The latter ultimately emerged victorious, subsequently elevating her status to a double champion. Vaquer, on the other hand, will now begin the next chapter of her career in WWE.
RELATED: Stephanie Vaquer Comments On Leaving CMLL
INTERVIEWS
Melbourne’s “First Class” superstar Aysha spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about her experience in the first-ever Victoria Classic, reuniting with her former coach Shawn Spears last year, competing at NWA’s 2023 World Is A Vampire tour in Australia, her lengthy run as the
Renegades Of Wrestling Women’s Champion, a memorable title defense against Maki Itoh, and more.
Former WWE NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton chatted with The Wrestling Classic about the 2024 Money in the Bank event, her transition to WWE’s main roster, the differences between bodybuilding and professional wrestling, a potential run on WWE Total Divas, and more.
TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace appeared on Gigantic Pop to discuss who was responsible for her WWE Royal Rumble appearance, when her TNA contract expires, the recent TNA backstage departures, working with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, and more.
Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Chelsea Green joined Ten Count Media about her viral table spot from WWE Money in the Bank, her recent Canadian-inspired wrestling gear, her reaction to John Cena’s retirement announcement, wanting a match with WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, and more.
TNA Wrestling backstage interviewer, Gia Miller spoke with Denise Salcedo about her decision to re-sign with TNA, her secrets to being a standout interviewer, the buzz around TNA’s upcoming events, her favorite moment in the company thus far, the ongoing partnership between WWE and TNA, and more.
TBS Champion Mercedes Mone recently sat down with WFAN to discuss her title-for-title match AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, her transition between wrestling companies, the greatest matches of her career, her decision to leave WWE, and more.
