Toni Storm is headed to AEW Grand Slam Australia. Cora Jade crosses the line at TNA Genesis. Tiffany Stratton defends the WWE Women’s Championship. Little Mean Kathleen chats with WrestleZone, and more!
WWE-TNA Partnership Reveals Potential Knockouts Championship Match
Last week, WWE and TNA formalized their partnership with a multi-year agreement allowing talents from WWE NXT and TNA to cross over into each other’s territories. Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Cora Jade quickly took advantage of this by confronting TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich at TNA Genesis.
Five days before Genesis, Slamovich and Jade exchanged glances on WWE NXT. On this occasion, though, the two also exchanged words.
“I said that title is going to be mine,” Jade told Busted Open After Dark, recalling her faceoff with Slamovich. “That TNA Knockouts Title is coming to me. I keep seeing all these things online and everyone thinks that I can’t hang with Masha because she is big and strong, and she is. She is one hell of a talented competitor. I’ve seen her hardcore matches. I’ve seen her have regular matches, all types of matches. I think she’s a very talented person, but I think people forget that before I got here, I was doing hardcore matches. I had a deathmatch right before I got signed.
“Masha thinks I can’t step up to her level and compete in that type of environment, I can and hell, I would love to,” Jade continued. “After I’m done whooping her ass, I’m going to take that TNA Knockouts Championship.”
As of this writing, neither TNA nor WWE has confirmed a Knockouts Championship match between Slamovich and Jade. Given Cora’s statement, however, it seems more than likely.
Elsewhere at Genesis, WWE NXT star Arianna Grace appeared on the pre-show, reprising her role as the liaison between the two companies. Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich successfully defended her title against Rosemary. Tessa Blanchard defeated Jordynne Grace. Spitfire additionally retained their Knockouts Tag Team Championships.
READ MORE: TNA Genesis Results: Review, Grades, Card For January 19
Toni Storm Is Headed To Grand Slam Australia
The “rookie” has done it.
Last week, All Elite Wrestling hosted the first ever women’s Casino Gauntlet, with seven women emerging as entrants. One of the notable participants was Megan Bayne, who returned to the promotion as an official roster member. Another standout was Toni Storm, who recently returned to AEW with an apparent case of amnesia. As such, she believes 2025 is her rookie year at AEW.
The closing moments of the women’s Casino Gauntlet saw Julia Hart blind Harley Cameron with black mist. Hart followed up with a kick to Jamie Hayter and a lariat to Cameron. Before she could cover Cameron, however, Storm surprised her with a roll-up for the win. With this, Storm is now on track to return to her home country for an AEW Women’s Championship against Mariah May at Grand Slam Australia.
“Honestly, I don’t know what my life is right now. This is so surreal,” Storm told Tony Schiavone on AEW Collision. “All I can say is my dreams are finally coming true because I’m going to Australia. I’m going to the building where I saw my phone first wrestling show. I’ll never forget my mom scraped up all she had just so we could sit in the back row and then she sold hot dogs so she could pay for my training. She made my first costume. Now I can call her and say ‘Mom, get ready because I’m coming home!’
While Storm may not realize it, Grand Slam Australia will mark a rematch between her and May. At AEW All In, May dethroned Storm for the AEW Women’s Championship after turning on her weeks before. Since then, May has successfully defended the title against the likes of Mina Shirakawa, Anna Jay, and Nyla Rose. Meanwhile, Storm disappeared from AEW programming for months.
RELATED: Toni Storm: Earning Title Match At AEW Grand Slam Australia Is The Biggest Deal Of My Life
Tiffany Stratton Retains WWE Women’s Championship
On the January 10 episode of WWE SmackDown, Bayley defeated Nia Jax, Naomi, and Bianca Belair to solidify a shot at the WWE Women’s Championship. One week later, “The Role Model” challenged Tiffany Stratton for the title, with Roxanne Perez looking on from ringside.
Bayley put forth a valiant effort against the new champion, notably taking her down with a Bayley-To-Belly and a sunset flip for near falls. In the end, however, Stratton countered a Rose Plant into a cartwheel Alabama slam. With Bayley laid out, Stratton followed up with a Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win and her first successful title defense.
Stratton claimed the title earlier this month by cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase on Nia Jax. Following her loss, Bayley is now looking to get herself back on track for another title shot, this time by entering the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble. Jax, the former champion, is the only other woman to declare themselves for the respective match so far.
RELATED: Bayley To Team Up With Giulia On 1/28 WWE NXT, Updated Card
INTERVIEWS
Former Live Pro Champion Little Mean Kathleen spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about marrying Sidney Bakabella at Beyond Americanrana 2023, her favorite wrestling wedding, the origins of GlizzyMania, teaming up with Teddy Goodz, her upcoming opportunity to regain the LIVE Pro Championship, the story behind her green, eyeballs ring gear, and more.
Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Raquel Rodriguez appeared on Casual Conversations with The Classic to discuss her earliest wrestling memories, being a second-generation superstar, working with Liv Morgan and Dirty Dom, maintaining balance with her skin condition, her dream match and more.
WWE Women’s United States Champion, Chelsea Green sat down with Virgin Radio UK to talk about WWE’s historic Netflix deal, which British show she illegally streamed, why it means so much for her to be a role model to women and girls, three standout moments from WWE history, and more.
Former AEW TBS Champion Julia Hart joined The Takedown on SI to discuss the development of her character over the years, her road back from injury, her future in the AEW Women’s Division, how to wrestle in front of a live TV audience, who’d she’d like to face next, and more.
WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline appeared on Ring the Belle to talk about making history as the first African American woman to win a WWF title, becoming WWE’s first female Cruiserweight Champion, working with Sable, her infamous “shoot match” with Luna Vachon, and her backstage altercation with Lita and Victoria, and more.
Independent star Myla Grace spoke with Fightful’s Corey Brennan about how her tour of Japan came about, working with Giulia in Marigold, interest in competing in more Japanese promotions, what comes next for her in 2025, showing new layers of herself, and more.
