Lita returns to aid Becky Lynch in the main event of RAW. Jade Cargill improves her record to 50-0. NXT Vengeance Day sees new champions. Ashley D’Amboise speaks with WrestleZone, and more! Let’s break it down in this week’s edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
Lita Returns To RAW
WWE Hall of Famer Lita made a shocking return to RAW last night to aid a former foe.
The main event saw “The Man” Becky Lynch take on “The Role Model” Bayley in a steel cage. Earlier in the night, Lynch vowed she had a trick up her sleeve to ward off Bayley’s allies — Dakota Kai and IYO SKY. Evidently, that plan came in handy toward the conclusion of the bout.
As Lynch sat atop the cage, eager to escape, SKY made her way up the side, pushing Lynch back into the ring. Meanwhile, Kai supplied one of her crutches through the cage and into the hands of Bayley. The Damage CTRL leader immediately blasted Lynch with a crutch shot, but a surprising name rushed down to even the playing field.
The Orlando crowd erupted upon hearing “LoveFuryPassionEnergy” as WWE Hall of Famer Lita emerged, yanking Kai’s other crutch away to fend them off. As Lita pulled SKY off the cage, SKY then received her own crutch shot, followed by a Twist of Fate. Currently injured, Kai couldn’t do much but argue with Lita at ringside. The Hall of Famer then slammed the door shut, barring Bayley from escaping and allowing Becky Lynch to capitalize. After landing a Mandhandle Slam for the pinfall, Lynch celebrated her win with Lita inside the ring.
IT'S LITA!@AmyDumas is back on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/WXOij7r3D1
— WWE (@WWE) February 7, 2023
Lita’s spontaneous appearance comes nearly 20 years after the first women’s steel cage match in the company, which she competed in against Victoria. Last year, Lynch defeated Lita to retain the RAW Women’s Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber.
Final Elimination Chamber Qualifier
Elsewhere on RAW, four women competed to claim the final spot in the 2023 women’s Elimination Chamber match.
There, “Michin” Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, Piper Niven, and Carmella vied in a fatal-four-way match. Niven previously returned to the ring at the Royal Rumble, while Carmella wrestled her first match since last August. Regardless of any potential ring rust, these four women brought all the stops.
At one point, Niven took out all three of her opponents flattening them with a crossbody in the center of the ring. In the end, though, the “Princess of Staten Island” punched her ticket to Elimination Chamber, securing the pin on LeRae.
Carmella will now join Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Cross, Natalya, and Asuka inside the chamber structure on February 18. The winner of that will then earn a RAW Women’s Championship matchup at WrestleMania 39 against defending champion, Bianca Belair.
Mella is Money! ?@CarmellaWWE is headed to the Elimination Chamber! ?#WWERAW #WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/GaQ0oqR6ji
— WWE on TNT Sports (@wweontnt) February 7, 2023
RELATED: WWE Raw Results (2/6/23)
Jade Cargill Extends Her Winning Streak
Last week, Jade Cargill walked into AEW Dynamite with big stakes ahead of her. Scheduled to defend her TBS Championship against Red Velvet, a win would not only extend her undefeated streak, but also mark her 50th victory in AEW.
Former ally Red Velvet tackled Cargill early on, but in the end, Cargill emerged victorious once again — clinching the win with her signature move, Jaded. With this successful title defense, Cargill looks for some new competition next. Who will step up?
A full recap of the match can be read below, courtesy of our live coverage page:
TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) (with Leila Grey) vs. Red Velvet
Velvet goes the aggressive route and attacks Cargill. She catches the champion off-guard and sends her to the outside. Velvet hits a dropkick through the ropes. She gets Cargill back in the ring and gets a two count with a roll-up. Cargill dumps Velvet with a wheelbarrow suplex. Cargill takes control and floors Velvet with a fallaway slam. The champion catches a diving Velvet and slams her into the ring post. Cargill firmly has the upper hand, and she starts doing push-ups. Velvet rallies with a dropkick. Cargill drops her with a pump kick for a two count. Kiera Hogan attacks Grey at ringside. Velvet kicks Cargill, but the referee is distracted by Hogan, who is being escorted to the back.
Velvet goes for a sunset flip, and Cargill hits Jaded to get the win.
Winner and still TBS Champion: Jade Cargill
50-0!#AndSTILL TBS Champion @Jade_Cargill!!
Who can possibly dethrone her at this point?
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/Mqx05uY7h2— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 2, 2023
NXT Vengeance Day: New Women’s Tag Team Champions, Roxanne’s First Title Defense
On Saturday, NXT returned to the road for their Vengeance Day pay-per-view. On the card, a total of five championships were on the line. Included in the fold, Roxanne Perez defended her NXT Women’s Championship while Kayden Carter and Katana Chance raises their respective Women’s Tag Team Championships.
First, Carter and Chance put titles on the line against the newly formed team of Kiana James and Fallon Henley. The two teams valiantly battled back and forth, but some sneaky thinking from Kiana James heavily impacted the outcome.
As James pushed Chance off the top rope and out of reach, Henley shifted her momentum into a roll-up on Carter. Out of the referee’s, and Henley’s, vision, James then held down Carter’s feet, rendering her unable to kick out. With this move, Henley gained the three-count pinfall, awarding her team as the new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.
With this title change, the reign of Carter and Chance ended at 186 days.
What just happened?!@FallonHenleyWWE and @kianajames_wwe are the new #WWENXT Women’s Tag Team Champions ?#VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/QBbwVEcFd0
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 5, 2023
Later on in the evening, Roxanne Perez put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against some stiff competition.
Toxic Attraction members Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin dueled Perez in a triple threat match after simultaneously winning a battle royal to become the number one contender. Now, Perez’s first title defense required her to face not one, but two challengers.
As expected, Jayne and Dolin worked together to isolate Perez in the beginning, but eventually, the two would be forced to turn on each other. The closing moments saw Jayne and Dolin sync back up to superkick Perez, before headbutting each other.
The two muster up the strength to set up a table at ringside, with the intention of launching Perez through it. Perez, however, battled back, later sending Dolin through the table with a kick off of the ring apron. This opened the door for “The Prodigy” to land a Pop-Rox on Jayne from the top rope to secure the victory.
As a result, Roxanne Perez remains the NXT Women’s Champion.
EXCLUSIVE: With her first career title defense now under her belt, @roxanne_wwe is ready to make more history with the #WWENXT Women’s Championship. #VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/k3TOavvOZz
— WWE (@WWE) February 5, 2023
RELATED: WWE NXT Vengeance Day Results (2/4/23)
INTERVIEWS:
Ashley D’Amboise spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about her progress after two years in the wrestling business, how she ended up working with Deonna ,Purrazzo, her appearances on All Elite Wrestling and WWE TV, costume issues for her ballerina appearance on SmackDown and more.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez chatted with Under The Ring to discuss NXT Vengeance Day, the competition in NXT, learning and growing at the WWE Performance Center
Independent star JC Storm appeared on Talking Goddess to discuss Titan Championship Wrestling’s upcoming tournament, the year of Storm, other competitors in her bracket, and more!
“The Equal Opportunity Ass Kicker” Ruby Raze joined the Hot Tag Hooligans Podcast to discuss her career, traveling and learning the ropes with Bateman, passing along knowledge to the younger talents such as Savanna Stone, the power of social media in today’s sport, and so much more.
