Mercedes Moné defends the TBS Championship on AEW Dynamite. The 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble takes shape. Lena Kross chats with WrestleZone and more!
Mercedes Moné Defends TBS Title In Dynamite Main Event
On last week’s episode of AEW Collision, Yuka Sakazaki defeated Deonna Purrazzo, Queen Aminata, and Serena Deeb in a four-way to secure herself a TBS Championship opportunity. That opportunity came in the main event of AEW Dynamite four days later, with Mercedes Moné as the defending champion.
For Moné, this marked her first AEW Dynamite main event. For Sakazaki, it served as her first-ever shot at the TBS Championship since its establishment in 2022.
At one point, Sakazaki seemed on the verge of victory when she rocked Moné with a rolling elbow strike and a German suplex. When she looked for a splash off the top rope, however, Moné blocked it with her knees. In the end, Moné planted Sakazaki with a powerbomb and the Money Maker for the win. As such, Moné not only retained her TBS Championship, but also earned her first Dynamite main event victory.
“Yuka, you were so cute. You tried so hard, but I am Mercedes Moné, four belts Mone to be exact,” Moné said in a post-match interview. “I know you tried to jump on the Moné Train, but you fell off. I got a lot more coming for any girl who’s ready to step up to Mercedes Moné because I can say konnichiwa, I can say hello, or you can say hello to your CEO. So I have a question for anybody in the locker room, who’s next to jump on the Moné Train?
READ MORE: AEW Dynamite Results: Review, Grades, Card For January 29
2025 Women’s Royal Rumble Preview
The road to WrestleMania 41 is upon us, with the 2025 Royal Rumble set as the first stop. This year’s premium live event will emanate from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Four matches have been announced for the PLE, including the annual Women’s Royal Rumble.
Per usual, 30 women will enter the over-the-top-rope match with the aim of securing a title match of their choosing at WrestleMania. Only one can claim that opportunity, however. As of this writing, 10 women have declared themselves for their respective Royal Rumble match. Those declarants are as follows:
- Nia Jax
- Bayley
- Charlotte Flair
- Naomi
- Bianca Belair
- Liv Morgan
- Raquel Rodriguez
- Lyra Valkyria
- Ivy Nile
- IYO SKY
“The Role Model” Bayley won last year’s Women’s Royal Rumble and subsequently challenged then WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY at WrestleMania 40. Meanwhile, Bianca Belair and Naomi enter this bout as the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Similarly, Lyra Valkyria heads into the field as the Women’s Intercontinental Champion. For “The Queen” Charlotte Flair, the February 1 premium live event will mark her official in-ring return, as she’d previously been sidelined with a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus since December 2023. Of the existing field, Flair is also the only other former winner of this match type.
Former TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace recently signed a multi-year deal with WWE, making her Rumble return a real possibility.
As for who this year’s winner may choose to challenge afterward, the two most likely options are Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton. While Ripley holds the WWE Women’s World Championship, Stratton reigns as the WWE Women’s Champion.
RELATED: CM Punk On Who He Wants To See In Women’s Royal Rumble: There’s A Big One That I Won’t Say
Two Women’s Title Matches Made For NXT Vengeance Day
While WWE’s main roster prepares for the Royal Rumble, the NXT brand looks ahead to Vengeance Day. This event will emanate from the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. on February 15, the same day as AEW Grand Slam Australia. Thus far, three matches have been confirmed for the show, two of which will see women’s championships defended.
Firstly, NXT Women’s Champion Giulia will put her title on the line against a pair of former titleholders, Bayley and Roxanne Perez. This development came after Giulia and Bayley defeated Perez and Cora Jade on this week’s episode of WWE NXT.
Elsewhere at Vengeance Day, Stephanie Vaquer will challenge Fallon Henley for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. Vaquer earned this title shot by previously beating Kelani Jordan, Lola Vice, and Cora Jade in a four-way. Shotzi, however, late bested Vaquer in singles competition, meaning the green-haired superstar would get a title shot first. Henley successfully defended the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Shotzi on this week’s NXT, after which Vaquer confronted her.
RELATED: WWE NXT Review: Hits And Misses For January 28
INTERVIEWS
Australia superstar Lena Kross spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about winning the Sendai Girls Tag Team Championships, learning from Meiko Satomura, partnership with Nina Samuels, challenging Rhio for the Progress Women’s Championship, PWA Tag Race, Charli Evans turning on Jessica Troy, and more.
WWE ID prospect Zayda Steel appeared on Casual Conversations with The Classic to talk about her tour of Japan wrestling for Marigold, WWE ID, her recent experience at NXT, returning to the independents after Japan, social media and more.
All Elite Wrestling star Deonna Purrazzo chats with MuscleManMalcolm about wanting to appear more on AEW Dynamite, starting The Vendetta with Taya Valkyrie, an AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship, AEW Women’s Continental Classic, the meaning of The Virtuosa, and more.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair joined the Battleground Podcast to discuss starring in Love & WWE on Hulu, being the cover star of WWE 2K24 alongside Rhea Ripley, the exciting crossover with Caitlin Clark, the growing influence of mainstream artists like Cardi B in WWE events, the future of the Women’s U.S. Championship, and more.
WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax spoke with the No-Contest Wrestling podcast about her personal journey from Sydney, Australia to WWE, what it meant to her to win her first belt in front of her family, the controversial moment in 2018 where she accidentally broke Becky Lynch’s nose, her go-to karaoke song to sing, and more.
AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May sat down with Going Ringside to discuss her career, AEW Collision at Daily’s Place, winning the title in her home country, AEW forming a partnership with MAX, thoughts on AEW CEO Tony Khan, and more.
