Last Woman Standing
It started in NXT and now has taken the RAW and Smackdown Live shows by storm. The Women’s Revolution was so good that they had to bring up Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch all at once to make a big impact. WWE NXT featured Asuka vs. Nikki Cross in a Last Woman Standing match for the NXT Women’s Championship. Results below via WZ’s Lovell Porter and his live coverage:
Towards the end of this 25 minute match, Asuka tries to suplex Cross out of the ring onto a pile of chairs. Cross fights out of it and powerbombs Asuka on the pile of steel chairs! Asuka struggles and manages to get to her feet at the count of nine! Asuka tries to German suplex Cross off the ramp but Cross counters. Asuka knocks Cross off the stage with a right hand. Asuka hip attacks Cross off the stage! Cross gets to her feet. Asuka tries to kick Cross but Cross ducks. Asuka ends up kicking a light post. Asuka falls to the ground clutching her foot. Cross picks up Asuka and drapes her on the barricade. Cross hits a neck breaker off the barricade. Asuka somehow manages to get to her feet at nine! Cross screams in frustration. Asuka lands a spinning back fist. Cross picks up a ladder and hits Asuka in the gut with it. Cross sets up a table. Cross slams Asuka head first into the table. Cross sets up a ladder. Cross lays Asuka on the table. Asuka gets to her feet as Cross climbs the ladder. Asuka climbs the other side of the ladder. Cross and Asuka fight on the top of the ladder. Asuka suplexes Cross off the top of the ladder through the announce table! The referee counts both superstars as they both lay prone on the destroyed announce table. Just as the referee gets to 10 Asuka gets to her feet before collapsing.
Talk about intensity and a great main event between two excellent performers! I loved this booking and thought it made Nikki Cross an even bigger star in the eyes of everyone. Asuka brings the best out of everyone, but Nikki has proven to be just as good in the ring and even better in her gimmick than Asuka. The champion and the challenger showed us that they can still make the week about them. They might not have the controversy around them, but the talent and this overall story was built so well. It really helped keep a few down weeks from the men interesting and important. Cross’s three neckbreakers and being thrown into chairs showed her aggression, as well as Asuka taking a powerbomb and then delivering a suplex off a ladder and through the table, were some of the bright spots of the night. Say what you want about the women on RAW and Smackdown, but this match trumped what we have seen over the past month. Excellent night for these women and an excellent finish (possibly) for Asuka and Nikki Cross.