411’s WWE This is Awesome Report: ‘Most Awesome Women’s Matches’

-Again, this show just pops up with new episodes and I only find them when scrolling for something else to watch. We had an episode earlier that focused on Most Awesome Women and we dip back into the well, with this episodes about Most Awesome Women’s Matches. Let’s get to it!

-Run Time: 51:52

-Greg Miller welcomes us to the show from the studio and he talks about the growth of the division from the days of Turkey Bowl Matches to Hell in a Cell and WrestleMania Main Events.

-Opening Nostalgia Package: Trish Stratus talks about the early days when they were used to cool down the audience or let them take a piss break. They have come so far and we see the recent classic between Trish and Becky inside a cage. Zoey Stark brings up The 4 Horsewomen and how they changed the game. Shayna was glued to the screen for the Iron Woman Match between Bayley and Sasha in NXT. Charlotte and Sasha had the first Women’s Hell in a Cell Match. Becky notes the women had the Match of the Night and stole the show at WrestleMania 32. They show some pioneers: Jackie, Sherri, Blayze, Jumping Bomb Angels, Beth Phoenix, Molly, Lita, etc. Now the future with Rhea ending Shayna’s title run in NXT. WrestleMania 37 history was made with Sasha and Bianca being in the Main Event, and Cole calls it one of the proudest moments he has ever had calling a match. He is amazed that he has had a front row seat to all the history the division has made.

SummerSlam 94: Alundra Blayze vs. Bull Nakano

-Props to them for giving Bull some credit here. They have recently started giving Alundra her flowers. Woods notes some of his favorite wrestling matches involve these two women. Their match at SummerSlam was the first Women’s Title Match in SummerSlam history. Graves: “They were beating the holy hell out of each other.” Truth! Was a wonderful match and Blayze gets the win to retain. I reviewed that show years ago and you can find my review of that match included, here.

Survivor Series 2002: Victoria vs. Trish Stratus

-Trish and Victoria knew each other before WWE as they were fitness models together. This was the early days of rebuilding the division behind Trish and company. This was a hardcore match and they beat on each other with whatever weapons they could find. Crazy stuff at the time! Victoria ended up with a bloody nose, but gets the win and the Championship. The current women gush over the match as it showed what women could do if given the chance. Good stuff!

WrestleMania 22: Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus

-This storyline rocked! Mickie was an obsessed fan of Trish and made advances towards here that may you think she loved Trish, but perhaps it was also mind games. The crowd took Mickie’s side because well, we are men and having the hot woman turn down our advances resonated with us. Prison Dom mentions he was watching as a kid and Trish had a shower scene and his mom wasn’t happy about it. Mickie finally snaps and kicks Trish in the head. “Do you love me now?” The match at Mania had crazy crowd heat as the fans in Chicago were solidly behind Mickie. Obviously they don’t show the spot here where Mickie licked her fingers after grabbing Trish’s crotch. I believe they cut that out of the DVD release and I assume they edited it off the Network as well. I did a review of that show many many years ago and you can find that here. Mickie says it was real emotion and she was kind of shocked that people were cheering here. Man.Soor: “There is a part of the male population that dig crazy chicks.” Truth! Mickie gets the surprise win with The Mick Kick! Trish doesn’t want to brag but she felt they blew the roof off the place. Again, match was pretty dope.

Unforgiven 2006: Trish Stratus vs. Lita

-They kind of hand to include a match between these and if we are talking most important I would have given the nod to their match that was the Main Event of RAW. Instead we get this match which was Trish’s last match (back then) as she notes her mom got sick and she needed to step away. The match was also in Toronto, so the crowd loved them some Trish. Wonderful match with great heat as they always seemed to produce the goods when the faced each other. Trish gets the win with The Sharpshooter to send Toronto into a frenzy. Trish becomes the first woman to win the WWE Title for a 7th time. A few months later, Lita had her final match (for the time) and she did not get the same happy send-off.

NXT Takeover Brooklyn: Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

-You can make a case that this match is the greatest women’s match in WWE history. The talking heads bring up The 4 Horsewomen and how Bayley was seen as the 4th one and was left behind in NXT. Becky, Charlotte, and Sasha all got called up to the main roster at the same time, but Sasha was still NXT Women’s Champion. This was the first Takeover to go on the road and set the template for what we expected from the show until it was revamped during the pandemic. They tore the house down and stole the show on a card that included Owens vs. Balor in a Ladder Match. That reverse rana off the top is crazy. Bayley hits the Bayley to Belly and the place explodes when she gets the three count. Just wonderful! We were so spoiled by Takeover shows. The 4 Horsewomen celebrate after the match in the ring and then Becky and Sasha get a standing ovation backstage. HHH is a proud papa as he curses and hugs them. We loved Papa H!

Royal Rumble 2018: Women’s Royal Rumble Match

-Stephanie McMahon has about a dozen women in the ring and makes the announcement that there will be an all women’s Rumble. Paige breaks down in tears and I feel bad as she got injured just after the announcement and couldn’t compete. It was a fun match as they did a great job of using the current roster and mixing in past legends that you knew were dying to compete in a Rumble. That first one had to have some nostalgia because you wanted to see the women who came first get a chance in the match. For you trivia buffs, Trish Stratus was the first #30 in Women’s Rumble history. The winner wasn’t much in doubt as I, like nearly everyone else, picked Asuka, and she dominated the match. She did not win the Title at Mania though as Charlotte ended her streak.

Evolution: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

-The first all women’s PPV in WWE history. Charlotte and Becky enjoy punching each other in the face and have had a great rivalry. Becky notes their relationship has been frayed as things have been said, but they both want to be the top dog. The match was Last Woman Standing and it was a hard hitting affair. This was Becky during his rise as The Man but before she got her nose broken by Nia. Lots of weapons and crazy spots off ladders and through table. Becky powerbombs off the ropes, and to the floor through a table for the win to retain her Title. Charlotte had tears in her eyes after the match as I assume she was selling the importance and probably proud of what they accomplished.

Survivor Series 2018: Charlotte vs. Ronda Rousey

-It was to be Ronda vs. Becky, but Nia happened as she breaks Becky’s nose. In the long run it benefited Becky as she became the man. Her pose in the crowd is rather iconic. Becky then picks her replacement to face Ronda from SmackDown and chooses Charlotte, They looked pissed fighting against each other and Shayna sums it up best, “I know you are going to hit me, so don’t be upset when I do it to you,” I remember the crowd turning on Ronda during this match. Ronda got lit up and then gets her ass beat with a kendo stick after the match. Charlotte also uses a chair to Pillmanize the neck. The crowd is cheering all of this as they want blood. I need to go back and watch this match.

Crown Jewel 2019: Lacey Evans vs. Natalya

-I mean, it was historic as Saudi Arabia survived seeing two women wrestle in a match. They had to be full covered, which I mean, I get as you want to be respectful. It was cool seeing the little girls in the crowd smile watching the match. Mansoor talks about his little sister in Saudi Arabia watching and how she reacted. It meant the world to him. Nattie gets the win as Lacey taps to the Sharpshooter. Mansoor is proud to see the progress and have something that historic happen in his lifetime.

WrestleMania 38: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch

-Remember when Bianca for SQUASHED by a returning Becky in 26 seconds and was buried for life? Bianca says people thought that was the end of her, but it was just the beginning and it became a redemption story. Both women got super special entrances, but I will give the edge to Bianca with the marching band. The match started like SummerSlam, but Bianca kicks out this time. Woods brings up that Becky hit one of his favorite moves ever, The Molly Go Round. Unfortunately, she kicks Bianca right in the face. Molly Holly: “Worst Molly Go Round I have ever seen.” She laughs so you know she is kidding. Bianca’s eye swells immediately and she is able to finish with what amounts to one good eye. Bianca credits Becky for pulling a lot out of here that people had not seen yet. Bianca gets the win to get redemption and pay off the story. She has been a Main Event star ever since as it cemented what she and Sasha accomplished the previous year. Seth calls it the greatest women’s match in the history of WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 39: Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley

-Now this is the match that many will peg as the best Women’s Match in Mania history and one of the best matches ever in Mania history. The match that finally made Rhea a top star for good. They bring up Charlotte/Rhea I at WrestleMania: No Fans! That had to suck, but was kind of cool the way it worked out and how they played off that match. Rhea wins The Royal Rumble and she has a reason to challenge Charlotte as she wants to make up for what happened three years earlier. The match was great and I know some felt it should have closed the show, but I was in the corner of Owens/Zanyn vs. Usos was bigger and needed to close. Again though they killed it out there and had the crowd rocking with them. Graves calls it one of the greatest WrestleMania matches he has ever seen and notes he didn’t limit it to just the women. Super Riptide gets the win and Rhea is a Superstar for life now. Priest calls Rhea his best friend and he was so proud to see her accomplish that. They show Charlotte giving props back to Rhea. Charlotte says it was authentic as Rhea pushes her and she hopes she pushes Rhea. They show the fans watching in Australia celebrating Rhea’s win.

-Miller wraps things up!

-Next time: Most Awesome Villains in WWE History! Cool!

-I enjoyed this one greatly as it was all about history and/or great matches, and that’s what we got. I did find it weird they didn’t have a feature on the first Women’s Match to Main Event WrestleMania. They also left off some other firsts, like Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber, and Money in The Bank Ladder Match. Still a fun list and worth a watch for the nostalgia and talking heads having fun. Thanks for reading!