WWE finalizes their Women’s WrestleMania Showcase. Mickie James sustains an injury, forcing major changes to her upcoming title defenses. Stacy Keiber will officially enter the WWE Hall of Fame this year. SoCal Val speaks with WrestleZone, and more! Let’s break it down in this week’s edition of Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up!
Finals Teams Added To Women’s WrestleMania Showcase
We have (almost) reached our final destination.
Last night on WWE RAW, Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville solidified their spot at WrestleMania 39. Vying for the final spot in the Women’s WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way match, Green and Deville battled the team of Candice LeRae and “Michin” Mia Yim. LeRae and Yim seized control early on, but in the end, Green and Devilled emerged victorious. After Deville delivered a cheap shot, Green landed an Unprettier on Yim to secure the pinfall.
As Green and Deville stand tall, they now head to WrestleMania to battle three other teams on the grand stage. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez punched their ticket first, securing a win over Tegan Nox and Emma on the March 17 edition of SmackDown. A week later, two more teams joined them.
On last Friday’s edition of SmackDown, Natalya and Shotzi defeated Lacey Evans and Xia Li in the second qualifier. Shortly after their win, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler made their return to the blue brand. To the dismay of the four women who had already qualified at that point, Baszler announced that she and Rousey had officially been added to the Women’s WrestleMania Showcase.
With the addition of the four-way tag team match, women will be represented across four different contests at WrestleMania 39. Below is the updated card of those respective matches:
- SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair (c)
- RAW Women’s Title Match: Asuka vs. Bianca Belair (c)
- Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, & IYO SKY) vs. Trish Stratus and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Becky Lynch & Lita
- Women’s WrestleMania Showcase: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville
WrestleMania 39 will begin on Saturday, April 1, before continuing onto night two the following evening.
RELATED: WWE Raw Results (3/27/23)
Mickie James Injured
Heading into IMPACT’s Sacrifice pay-per-view, Knockouts Champion Mickie James was slated to defend her title against former champion, Jordynne Grace. Unfortunately, the title match would have to be postponed, as IMPACT revealed that James sustained an injury.
The “Hardcore Country” legend later clarifed the nature of her injury and the status of the Knockouts Championship. After IMPACT World Champion Josh Alexander was forced to relinquish his title due to a torn triceps, many fans feared James would face a similar fate. Luckily, James’ injury wasn’t nearly as devastating.
During a backstage segment with backstage correspondent Gia Miller, Mickie James formally revealed her health status. Following her tag team match on Thursday’s edition of IMPACT, James admitted she felt off.
“I’m not good, Gia. More disappointed than anything. After the match, I didn’t feel good. I knew something was wrong,” she said. “I went to the E.R., and it turns out I have a broken rib. And it’s not going to be a long time, but it is going to be some time. And I certainly can’t defend the Knockouts World championship tonight. It’s kind of ironic because Jordan warned me about wrestling so close to our match tonight. But I certainly don’t want her to feel like I’m ducking her. I was really looking forward to tonight. Knew it was going to be something special, and I’m very disappointed that I can’t deliver that to her. I can’t deliver that to the fans, so I won’t be able to compete tonight.”
James continued on to reveal that, in addition, she wouldn’t be able to defend her title at Multiverse United this week either. Initially, James would’ve battled Grace at Sacrifice, and if she retained there, she’d go on to defend her title again at this Thursday’s Multiverse United event in a fatal-four-way match. Sadly, James will not be cleared in time to make that appearance, but she hopes to defend her Knockouts Championship at the subsequent pay-per-view, Rebellion — set for April 16th.
The Director of Authority, Santino Marella, then laid down a game plan. With James dropping out of Multiverse United, the original Knockouts Championship will become a contender’s match of sorts. The winner of the Multiverse United women’s match will now go on to face Jordynne Grace at Rebellion for the Knockouts Championship. Should James receive medical clearance by then, the title match will become a triple threat. If not, then IMPACT will crown a new Knockouts Champion.
Later in the Sacrifice broadcast, IMPACT revealed that Masha Slamovich will take James’ place in the four-way match at Multiverse United. She now joins Gisele Shaw, Deonna Purrazzo, and Miyu Yamashita, as the four will clash for the future title shot.
WrestleZone wishes Mickie James a speedy recovery.
RELATED: IMPACT Sacrifice Results (3/24/23)
Stacy Keibler Entering WWE Hall of Fame
After weeks of anticipation, PEOPLE broke the news that Stacy Keibler will officially join the 2023 Hall of Fame class. Keibler, of course, will be making her first WWE appearance since the 2019 Hall of Fame. There, she inducted her friend, and former Diva, Torrie Wilson.
“The fans are the ones that made it possible,” Keibler told PEOPLE. “I owe so much to them for getting me to this point in my career. I’ve spent time just reflecting, and I feel so lucky to have this extraordinary time with the organization, the community, but most of all the fans. And it’s shaped my life, and there’s nothing else that can get me more excited in the exact same way as being live in front of the WWE fans. Their passion is contagious. So I’m just so excited.”
Keibler first rose up in the wrestling scene in 1999, winning a contest to become the next WCW Nitro Girl. She later morphed into a valet and manager for various clients, including The Dudley Boyz, Test, and Scott Steiner after WWE bought out WCW in 2001. Inside the ring, Keibler stepped up to face the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita, and Molly Holly.
Now, Stacy Keibler will take her rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame. As of this writing, Rey Mysterio, The Great Muta and Andy Kaufman will join Keibler in the 2023 class as well.
INTERVIEWS:
Professional wrestling personality SoCal Val spoke with WrestleZone‘s own Ella Jay about GAW TV’s upcoming DressleMania III fundraiser, Mick Foley’s involvement in the event, WrestleMania 39, her first impressions of Mickie James & Lisa Marie Varon, and more!
GCW World Champion Masha Slamovich talked with Fightful’s Joel Pearl about her GCW Title Win, facing Nick Gage, her title defense against “Speedball” Mike Bailey, and more.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair chatted with SHAK Wrestling about her A&E Biography, her upcoming match against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 39, her husband Andrade El Idolo and much more.
Independent star Airica Demia joined the Hot Tag Hooligans Podcast to talk about her career, anime, developing her character, Brittany Jade and more.
“The Queen of Aerobic Style” Delilah Doom appeared on Women’s Wrestling Talk to discuss Santino Brothers upcoming “California Love” event, her dream opponents, 80s fashion inspiration, her acting background, and more.
Read More: DressleMania Goes Hollywood: GAW TV Teams With Mick Foley For Annual Fundraising Event
