Tag: Natalya

WWE Main Event results: Chelsea Green vs. Natalya

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas before Monday’s episode of Raw.

Akira Tozawa & Otis defeated Sanga & Veer (w/ Jinder Maha) (4:56)

This was exactly what you would expect: Tozawa played babyface in peril until Otis got the hot tag and made everyone happy. It was a fun, basic tag match to kick off the show.

Sanga and Veer haven’t appeared on Main Event since November and, while dominant here, notched up their first-ever loss on this show.

The early going was Indus Sher essentially just squashing Tozawa. This is what Tozawa does so well and he threw himself all over the ring, making them look unbeatable.

They cut the ring in half and did the dirty on Otis whenever they could, even attacking them before the bell. But it was all about Otis getting the hot tag and the crowd loved it when it came.

Otis hit clotheslines before Tozawa joined in and came off the top. The ring filled until Tozawa rolled through and Otis used a clothesline to take Sanga off his feet to get the pinfall.

Chelsea Green defeated Natalya (7:42)

This was good, but went longer than it needed to. It’s always fun seeing Natalya on Main Event.

Chelsea Green continues to be an excellent heel on this show and has become something of a regular of late. She clearly relishes the role and Natayla is such a natural babyface at this point that this was a good pairing at the top of the show.

They went back and forth until Natalya grabbed a two-count after a dropkick. Green didn’t like it one bit and rolled out of the ring to take a walk. Cheap heat, but done well here, and we went to the commercial break.

The second half of the match was slow to begin with, with rest holds, but once they started to trade near falls, the crowd was more engaged.

Natalya kept looking for the sharpshooter, but her best chance came after a powerbomb when it looked like she had won it.

When Green rolled outside for the second time, Natalya was foolish enough to follow and came back in to meet a stiff kick and stomp. Green seized the moment and quickly used the UnPrettyHer for the win.

Natalya says Dungeon 2.0 is her ‘love letter to wrestling’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Natalya says that the Dungeon 2.0 is her and TJ Wilson’s “love letter to pro-wrestling.”

Their gym isn’t a wrestling school, Natalya recently told TV Insider. Rather, it is an invite-only wrestling workshop for those who are intermediate to advanced. It’s their way to give back to the industry. 

Natalya said:

TJ and I rented a warehouse. A little warehouse. There is no air conditioning, one small bathroom, and a wrestling ring. And the only thing you need is passion.

We have friends who work in every corner of the industry. We have friends from every promotion. Our ring is not a school where you can sign up, or pay a fee, or just drop in. It’s invite only. You have to know a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend. It’s kind of a wrestling workshop for intermediate to advanced people.

We rent the space, but “The Dungeon” is our way of giving back to the industry. It’s our love letter to wrestling. I love being able to give back from women of NXT to women in the independent industry to women who love this industry.

Liv Morgan, Angelo Dawkins, Ricky Starks, David Finlay and many others have trained at the Dungeon 2.0. Recently, Jade Cargill requested to train there, something Natalya says she was impressed by. 

Natalya continued: 

When Jade Cargill asked to train in “The Dungeon,” I was so honored because when she asked she had just lost her mother. I thought, ‘That shows me right there the women we are going to get in WWE. Someone who has such passion for this.’ Having just lost a parent and thinking, ‘You know what? This is a positive focus for me and a way to shift my focus to work hard.’ I have so much respect for her for wanting to train during that difficult time in her life. “The Dungeon” is our love letter to professional wrestling.

In recent interviews, Natalya has neither confirmed nor denied rumors of a possible movie on The Hart Family. While she wouldn’t admit to such a project being in the works, she did say Paul Walter Hauser is who she would choose to portray her father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.

I am working on something near and dear to my heart. I can’t confirm or deny what I’m working on, but it’s very special, and I’m really excited about it.

She continued:

If I were going to do a movie and could choose who I would personally want to play my dad, it would be Paul Walter Hauser. Paul is a huge wrestling fan. He just won the Emmy Award and called out [wrestler] Matt Cardona in his acceptance speech. I love Paul’s passion for the industry. I see old footage of my dad and think, ‘If there was a movie on the Hart family, call Paul Walter Hauser.’ I can’t unsee him as my dad. He has to be my dad. I love Paul. I think it’s so commendable that someone from his world has so much respect for us.

Natalya also gave her thoughts on The Iron Claw film based on The Von Erich family, as well as what her uncle, Bret Hart, had to say about it. 

I loved The Iron Claw. After watching I said to Bret, ‘Wow, this Von Erich movie is so inspiring and sad at the same time.’ Bret told me, and I never knew this, that Fritz Von Erich got into wrestling through my grandfather. He met my grandfather in Edmonton. My grandfather Stu said he should get into wrestling. So had Fritz not met Stu, the Von Erich family may not been in wrestling. Fritz and the family lived on my grandfather’s property, the Hart house. It was so cool because I never knew that. I met Kevin Von Erich and the grandkids and didn’t know this. They told me, ‘Yeah, your family is very special to us.”’The Von Erich family is very special to my family. My dad was one of Kerry Von Erich’s last matches, so watching that movie brought back different emotions.

WWE Main Event results: Apollo Crews vs. Bronson Reed

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Enterprise Center in St Louis, Missouri before Monday’s episode of Raw.

A good-to-fair episode this week with a fun tag bout to open and a battle of two giants to top off the show.

Tegan Nox & Natalya defeated Chelsea Green & Piper Niven (5:32)

This was an entertaining enough tag match to open the show and the crowd thought so too, but the ending felt a little confusing.

Niven and Green cut the ring in half, bullying Natalya in the corner. She gave as good as she got, but quick tags thwarted her attempts to tag in Nox.

Eventually, Nox got the hot tag and ran wild, knocking Niven off the apron and nailing Green with running European uppercuts, a cannon ball and a top rope cross body for two.

Natalya and Nox teamed up on Green, but Niven broke up the pin. Natalya then locked in the sharpshooter on Green but Niven grabbed her hand. When the referee broke the hold, Niven entered the ring and Natalya tried to put her in the submission hold too.

The finish was a bit messy here, but essentially Niven was sent packing and after a few moments, Green finally tapped to the sharpshooter.

It looked like they were expecting another distraction from Niven, but it didn’t happen so they just went home.

Bronson Reed defeated Apollo Crews (6:35)

This was a good hard-hitting match that gave Bronson Reed his third consecutive Main Event win of 2024.

The early going saw Crews take the advantage, leading to a standing moonsault off the apron to the outside. This meant that they took an early break for the ads.

After the commercials, Reed defaulted to some chin locks before using the ropes to nail Reed with a flapjack. He then got greedy and went for a senton but Crews rolled out of the way and they both stayed down.

Crews was up first and used two running clotheslines, an enzuigiri and a top rope high cross to finally get Reed off his feet. After battling, Crews then finally managed to hoist Reed up onto his shoulders, but Reed fought his way out.

Reed then seized the opportunity and knocked Crews down to leave him prone to receive the Tsunami.

The win for Reed made sense as the way they are booking him now makes him look like an absolute giant.

WWE Main Event results: Von Wagner vs. Edris Enofe

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio before Monday’s episode of Raw.

It was a tepid episode this week due to some mediocre in-ring work, but the work rate was good. The main positive is that the show doesn’t feel as stagnant as it has in the past because every week we’re provided with fresh faces.

Natalya defeated Elektra Lopez (5:44)

This was fine, but nothing special. Natalya is always excellent in these spots on Main Event.

This was the second appearance in as many weeks for Lopez, who worked against Gigi Dolin on last week’s episode. Natalya returned to the show here for the first time since August, to give her a much-needed win in what has been a lean year for her.

Just as her previous bouts have been on Main Event, this one was a hunt for the Sharpshooter for Natalya. It seems to be the thing that most of her matches are built around these days and, by the end, it was locked in on the fourth attempt.

Lopez was pretty wily here and she foiled most of Nattie’s attempts, but she locked in a long chin lock partway through which slowed things down and was probably the reason why the match ran at over five minutes.

After the third sharpshooter attempt, Lopez used a roll-up for a near fall which could well have been it had they wanted to send this one in a different direction.

After she missed a charge to the corner, Natalya finally got the submission hold locked in and got the victory to end a basic enough opener.

Von Wagner defeated Edris Enofe (5:47)

This was a little bit sloppy and not that entertaining all told, but they both certainly worked hard.

Edris Enofe made his first singles appearance on Main Event here, having only worked the show twice before in tag action with Malik Blade. He looks to be in supreme shape.

Von Wagner controlled the opening minutes, putting pressure on Enofe’s left arm. Enofe then worked his way out and nailed him with a dropkick to send him to the outside. He then ran the ropes and did a beautiful flip dive to the outside as we went to an early commercial break.

Enofe locked in a side headlock after the ads, but Von Wagner fought his way out. Enofe used a pretty horrible-looking fame-asser, where neither wrestler was at fault, before going up top.

Von Wagner had the move scouted and moved out of the way and, after Enofe tried to fight him, hit him with a powerbomb to get his hand raised.

It’s not clear what they plan to do with Von Wagner as Saxton was pushing his free agency throughout the match, but he probably needs a few more of these under his belt before he works the main roster regularly.

Two matches added to WWE Raw lineup

Posted on by Ian Carey

Two matches have been added to the lineup for this week’s WWE Raw. 

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Tegan Nox & Natalya, and The Creed Brothers vs. Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh are now scheduled for the show. 

WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce announced the news via Instagram on Saturday. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C0XpPQiJ3R7

One-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Chelsea Green, offered her thoughts in the comments section of Pearce’s post. 

“OHHH BLAH BLAH BLAAAAAAAH about these womens tag teams. The people care about US and only US,” Green wrote. 

Monday’s edition of Raw takes place from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York. Six matches and one segment have been announced for the show. 

WWE Raw December 4, 2023, announced lineup:

  • WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins defends against Jey Uso
  • Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn
  • Two-out-of-three falls: DIY vs. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci)
  • Shayna Baszler vs. Nia Jax
  • Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Tegan Nox & Natalya
  • The Creed Brothers (Brutus & Julius Creed) vs. Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh
  • Cody Rhodes to address Shinsuke Nakamura

Daily Update: Axiom, Natalya, Daniel Garcia

Posted on by Bryan Rose

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

One of our two traditional biggest issues of the year of the Observer came out this week, the 2023 Hall of Fame issue:

  • 2023 Hall of Fame voting standings for all candidates
  • Hall of Fame coverage, career highlights of the seven new inductees and one major feature story on a European legend, plus who is off the ballot next year, who will be added to the ballot next year, every first ballot Hall of Famer, every person historically elected with more than 75 percent of the vote and the top 30 in each category for reporters, historians, active pros and retired pros.
  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • A look at Full Gear and Survivor Series
  • UFC 295 full coverage
  • The end of an era with Bellator and MMA on Showtime
  • Coverage of DDT’s Ultimate Party with Chris Jericho, Hiromu Takahashi and a great title match on top
  • PWG on hiatus and its ever changing role in pro wrestling
  • The most complete ratings report, demo coverage, competition for the shows and segment-by-segment notes, plus comparisons with one year ago.
  • Notes on Flip Gordon becoming a regular in CMLL
  • Newcomers to watch out for including one spectacular newcomer at Arena Mexico
  • Stardom and All Japan tag tourneys
  • New Japan tag tournament notes and this week’s shows
  • Lone Star Shootout from New Japan
  • Women’s wrestling sets all-time attendance mark
  • Tony Khan’s Continental Classic
  • Lots of AEW stars in mainstream acting gigs
  • International TV ratings
  • Upcoming ticket advances for WWE & AEW
  • How times have changed greatly for UFC regarding Conor McGregor
  • Dana White gos on rampages about sponsors and critics of another sponsor
  • UFC’s greatest fighters of all-time
  • New UFC major fights
  • Bellator champion suspended regarding drug test failure
  • Fury-Ngannou PPV update
  • Retired star gets giant money offer to return from Middle East
  • More notes on Vince McMahon’s stock sale
  • Rey Mysterio update and angle update
  • WWE making production changes for Mania week
  • Dwayne Johnson claims he almost went to Pride
  • Why Raw could take a big hit this week

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Tegan Nox & Natalya earn WWE Women’s Tag Team title shot

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tegan Nox and Natalya have earned a WWE Women’s Tag Team title match.

Nox & Natalya won a four-way match on Monday’s Raw, defeating the teams of Kayden Carter & Katana Chance, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, and Maxxine Dupri & Ivy Nile. Nox scored the win after reversing a flying crossbody attempt by Dupri. With the win, Nox & Natalya have earned a future tag team title match against current champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven, who were at ringside during the match.

The four teams were seen arguing with Adam Pearce earlier in the night, making their case to be the new number one contenders. Raw GM Adam Pearce then made the four-way on Raw, with Green and Niven not being happy about the outcome.

Since October, Nox and Natalya have formed a partnership, feuding with Green and Nox. After Nox suffered an injury and was briefly sidelined, Natalya and tag partner Nikki Cross lost to Green and Niven. On the October 30 edition of Raw, Green defeated Natalya in a Trick or Street fight thanks to interference from Niven. Nox went on to defeat Niven on last week’s Raw.

Natalya vs. Chelsea Green Trick-or-Street Fight set for WWE Raw

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A Trick-or-Street Fight has been added to Monday’s Raw.

Natalya will meet Chelsea Green in a Halloween-themed street fight this Monday. She teamed with Nikki Cross this past Monday in a losing effort against the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Green and Piper Niven. Cross mostly stood catatonic on the apron and later walked out of the match, leaving Natalya to be pinned.

It was said on Monday that Tegan Nox, who has been associated with Natalya in recent weeks, was injured but would be back shortly, leading to Cross being Natalya’s partner on Monday. Green also competed on Friday’s SmackDown, where she was pinned by Shotzi.

Here is the updated card for this week’s Raw, which will be held at the Bon Secours Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. It will be the final Raw before the Crown Jewel premium live event next Saturday:

  • Seth Rollins vs. JD McDonagh
  • DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)
  • Trick or Street Fight: Natalya vs. Chelsea Green
  • Dominik Mysterio vs. Ricochet
  • Xia Li vs. Candice LeRae

WWE Main Event results: Natalya vs. Nikki Cross, Ricochet vs. Riddick Moss

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, before Monday’s episode of Raw.

Another good couple of matches on Main Event made this a watchable show yet again this week. Canadian crowds do seem to make this show better.

Ricochet defeated Riddick Moss (5:43)

This was all the better for the crowd liking the match and, particularly, Ricochet who continues to be wasted on Main Event.

Another week, another Ricochet match and another time where you can’t help but feel that he’s being a) wasted and b) that people in the company must be deaf when they hear the reaction he gets.

Moss was back on the show here for the first time in a few weeks, no longer flanked by Emma and looking as jacked as ever. It’s crazy to think that he was Madcap Moss back in April because this version suits him way more.

Moss pretty much took Ricochet out from the bell, using lots of big power moves and allowing Ricochet to look plucky and seem like he was fighting his way out of a corner all the time.

Moss hit his SOS slam for a near fall and a fallaway slam before trying for a suplex. Ricochet fought out of it, hitting the Recoil. 

His standing shooting star press, followed by an enzuigiri and Sliced Bread, got it done in the end to leave the fans happy in a solid curtain jerker.

Natayla defeated Nikki Cross (7:36)

This was a good match here, but nothing too remarkable. The crowd loved Natalya which made it have a way bigger feel that it would have had otherwise.

Two matches in two weeks on Main Event for Natalya and with the kinds of reaction she gets in front of home crowds, you would have thought they would have at least put her on the dark match after Raw went off air.

Regardless, she and Cross worked well together here, but as I said last week, Natalya’s matches have largely just become about her trying to find a way to win with the Sharpshooter…and I’m fine with that.

Cross has been used as a safe pair of hands on Main Event this year, up against the likes of Tegan Nox, Cora Jade and Kayden Carter, so it was interesting to see her up against a grizzled vet this week.

They did a bit of comedy and then ended up on the outside with Cross nailing Natalya with a shoulder barge tackle to head into the commercial break.

We then had a couple of chin locks from Cross after the break, but the crowd was into supporting Natalya trying to fight her away out. She did just that and fired up with her familiar moveset before using a stiff looking clothesline to try to get Cross in position for the Sharpshooter.

Cross got out of the hold quickly and threw Natalya into the corner. She used a neckbreaker for two and then took forever to go up to the top rope — so much so that she missed the splash. Natalya was then able to lock in her finisher to get the submission win.

WWE Main Event results: Ricochet vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, before Monday’s episode of Raw. This was a perfectly watchable show this week, with a very strong offering from Ricochet and Tommaso Ciampa at the top of the show.

Natalya defeated Tegan Nox (5:41)

This was a Natalya match by the numbers as far as her bouts go these days: a ton of selling before finding a way to win with the Sharpshooter.

Nox has had a flurry of appearances on Main Event over the last four months, but still only finds herself with one win in that time. She looks perfectly at home, but none of the matches have really dazzled yet.

Nox took pretty much all of this one, to the point of the result being a bit ridiculous. It was a slow, methodical and fairly dull affair in the first half including several chin locks. Nox looked like she was enjoying being the heel, though.

Natalya eventually fired back at Nox with a German suplex and basement dropkick for a near fall and then she started to look for the Sharpshooter. In the end, it was a pretty simple finish with Natalya dodging a charge to the corner so that she could lock in the Sharpshooter for the win.

Ricochet defeated Tommaso Ciampa (7:40)

By Main Event standards, this was an excellent match. They really went back and forth and put on a fabulous show for this pre-Raw crowd.

Ricochet’s Twitter (yes, I know it’s ‘X’, but I’m just not there yet) was full of promos for this one this week, including a sentence that pretty much said it as it is: 

They had a really strong match, but given longer, these two could really go. What was most entertaining about this was the pacing and the way they both gave each other plenty without it looking like a spotfest.

Before the ads, Ricochet was in charge, but they did a ton of intricate mat work. It culminated in a cat and mouse exchange outside, culminating with Ricochet eating a knee to the face as he tried to get back into the ring.

After the commercials, Ciampa used a chin lock, that at times became a cravat, as the crowd got behind Ricochet. When he finally got some separation, he hit a Codebreaker to leave them both laying.

Ricochet tried for a springboard off the top rope, but got knocked off which allowed Ciampa to plant him with a rope hung DDT for a near fall. The finish saw Ricochet avoid the Fairytale Ending twice before hitting the Sliced Bread for the win and to round out a really solid performance from them both.

WWE Main Event results: Indi Hartwell vs. Dana Brooke

Posted on by James Cox

This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, before Monday’s Raw.

The all-women’s edition this week didn’t quite deliver, but it was fun to see Natalya in action while Indi Hartwell is getting better all the time. JD McDonagh vs. Apollow Crews III has still yet to happen and would have been a way better curtain-jerker than either of these matches.

Natalya defeated Xia Li (5:20)

Although the crowd rallied to give this one some energy, it was a tepid affair that lost its way a few times toward the end. This was, according to Byron Saxton, Natalya’s 1517th televised WWE match.

Natalya sold and sold for Li in the early going. Li’s offense is pretty basic and there was a lot of clubbing and chops to the corner, as well as a rest hold. The idea was clearly for Natalya to allow Li to show off what she can do, but it didn’t translate into anything particularly interesting.

When Natalya made her comeback, she went for the Sharpshooter but got kicked off and then was nailed with a pop-up enziguri in one of the best spots of the match.

The crowd recovered here and when Li missed a running knee to the corner, they could sense the end was coming. Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter and that was all she wrote.

Natalya is so good at building tension. When she put Li in the submission hold, she paused and gave a long look to the crowd which they ate up. What a pro.

Indi Hartwell (w/ Candice LeRae) defeated Dana Brooke (7:56)

They lost the crowd and it dragged after a very early commercial break. However, Hartwell and LeRae are getting over while Brooke is increasingly well-appreciated by live crowds.

No offense to either of these two, but this is not the match to get a pre-Raw crowd hyped up for the show ahead. They should have given Brooke a partner and this would have reaped far better rewards as a result.

They worked hard for an audience that pretty much sat on their hands. Hartwell took the bulk of the offense, trying quick covers to get it done early.

LeRae kept shouting advice from the sidelines. Hartwell went for rest holds and a sleeper and the match slowed right down. Eventually, Brooke fought her way out by backing Hartwell into the corner.

They fought on the top rope, and teased a superplex, but Brooke came out on top and used a crossbody that led to them both being down. Just when it looked like Brooke was going to take this one, her plans got thwarted at the last minute.

Brooke used a handspring back elbow and went for a sunset flip, but Hartwell was too strong and stood still before sinking to her knees and hooking Brooke’s legs to steal the win.

WWE Main Event results: Apollo Crews vs. Riddick Moss

Posted on by James Cox

Last week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, before Monday’s Raw.

Good performances all around made for a solid show. I thought we would get the Apollo Crews vs. JD McDonagh rubber match, but Crews vs. Riddick Moss was a good placeholder and Madcap Moss seems a distant memory at this point. If they did this all over again next week, that would be fine by me.

JD McDonagh defeated Akira Tozawa (5:07)

This was a fine opener with Tozawa once again delivering a standout performance to put over an up-and-comer.

McDonagh tore the house down in his victory over Crews on the 6/29 episode, but this was more like an extended squash. 

The crowd was not as hot here as they were last week and seemed to be sitting on their hands for McDonagh’s offensive onslaught. They really only came alive when Tozawa fired up and started flying all over the place.

McDonagh is excellent in the ring, but his presentation needs some work. His entrance is a bit underwhelming and his music is quite generic. It would be good to see him have a program against a top babyface to give him something to sink his teeth into.

They did lots of mat work here with McDonagh bullying Tozawa and trying quick pin attempts. Tozawa landed a hurricanrana and top rope cannonball before he went for the senton. He flew into McDonagh’s knees who seized the chance to hit him with the Devil Inside for the victory.

Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss (7:30)

This was a good match between two strong individuals with Crews back on track after his loss to McDonagh last week.

As soon as the bell rang, Moss flew at Crews and nailed him with a spinebuster. He followed it up with two big spears to the corner. He tried a third but ran into a boot and then caught Crews’ crossbody attempt, throwing him away with a fallaway slam.

The first half of the match, before the commercials, continued in the same vein until Crews used a dropkick and a Stinger splash to get some separation. He then dumped Moss over the top rope and came off the apron with a moonsault leading into a commercial break. 

When we came back, they were fighting on the top rope and when Crews got the better of Moss, he hit him with a cross body for a near fall.

It was a bunch of near falls from then on but the crowd were definitely into it. They even got behind Moss with a chant despite him playing the heel.

In the end, Crews hit Moss with two high knees and got the win with a Samoan Drop, but this was a really good fight that never looked clear cut.

Natalya calls WWE Raw match vs. Rhea Ripley ‘one of the top three’ of her career

Posted on by Ian Carey

Natalya says the match she had with Rhea Ripley on Raw was one of the greatest of her career. 

She appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday and spoke about the match helping her regain confidence as a performer as well. 

Natalya said:

I went into that match, the last month or so, my confidence had been rocked. After Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, it was just a really hard time for me because I was starting to feel like maybe I wasn’t good enough, maybe I couldn’t hang. And then going into that match and performing at that level, I just stopped and reminded everyone that not only have I fought to be here, and do I have the right to be here but I can also hang at the very highest level.

I started wrestling when I was 18 years old, and so not only can I hang at the highest level, I can lead and I can bring the very top women in WWE to the very best matches of their careers. And so, I’m damn proud of that.

Natalya has wrestled 1515 matches in WWE. She would later say her match against Ripley on Monday night was one of the top three she’s ever had. 

I think the match that I had on Monday would be one of the top three in my career. Rhea is a dream opponent for me and she proved to me why I wanted to wrestle her so much. She’s truly one of my favorite people I’ve ever been in the ring with. 

Some of Natalya’s other top matches include against Charlotte Flair from NXT TakeOver on May 29, 2014, which received a four-star rating from our own Dave Meltzer. Other highly-rated matches of hers include against Ronda Rousey on the 12/17 Raw in 2018, the 2018 MITB match, and her match against Cora Jade in NXT last year, which received a three and three-quarter star rating. 

Natalya was also recently given certificates for her six Guinness Book of World Records while in London for Money in the Bank. She spoke with Busted Open Radio about the significance the awards carry for her. 

For me, these records are just a testament to my body of work. It’s for the most matches overall for a woman in WWE, the most ppv matches, the most WrestleMania matches, the most wins, the most Raw matches, the most SmackDown matches, which just means 16 uninterrupted years in WWE with one injury. I’m not one to toot my own horn but sometimes you gotta step back and go, ‘Hey, I’m really proud of you.’ I’m really proud that I’ve had the longevity, and the endurance, the perseverance to go at the level that I’ve gone at. 

Daily Update: Natalya, Ronda Rousey, Lodi

Posted on by Bryan Rose

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

In this issue:

  • Fan reactions and poll for Forbidden Door
  • Thoughts on the Omega-Ospreay and Okada-Danielson matches, as well as the difference in match of the years today with in the past that is concerning. We look at the Omega-Ospreay storyline, the business record that was set in Toronto as well as PPV numbers, theater numbers, what we learned, the Okada-Danielson finish and the situation with C.M. Punk.
  • We have the biggest money live events in AEW history, match-by-match coverage, Danielson, Sting, Tony Khan and others talk after the show and more
  • A look at Money in the Bank and its unique record that was quietly set
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
  • Business notes on the show
  • What’s next for the top people on the show
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the wrestling shows this past week, talking competition, ranking, segment-by-segment, the unique change in the Raw audience this week as well as the low rating for AEW and notes on that
  • Early Fantastica Mania notes
  • 64th anniversary of pro wrestling in one of its legendary arenas that likely has had more shows than all but a few in history
  • Notes on AAA’s next major show after TripleMania in Tijuana
  • Stardom PPV notes
  • Next Stardom PPV card
  • Stardom Five-Star Grand Prix tournament
  • Battle of two people who trained together as youths sells out standing room tickets at Korakuen Hall weeks ahead of time
  • The new three Musketeers in New Japan and thoughts
  • Update on this week’s New Japan major shows
  • A look in detail about the movie “Iron Claw” about the heyday of the Von Erichs and the collapse of their empire along with thoughts on it
  • One of the best wrestlers of the 90s and 00s goes into a sports Hall of Fame
  • Outsports talks about the most powerful LGBTQ+ people in the sports world including many from both pro wrestling and MMA
  • Notes on Ross Forman, who works backstage at Impact, making the list and his background and thoughts
  • WWC 50th anniversary show draws huge crowd in Puerto Rico and rundown of the show
  • Impact notes from the next few weeks of TV
  • AEW video game notes
  • Jim Ross update
  • Danielson talks Okada
  • Variety says AEW TV show deserves an Emmy nomination
  • Upcoming ticket sales for all WWE & AEW shows
  • Anthony Bowens felt crowd reaction was a real breakthrough, as does a reader who grew up in Chicago
  • Ariel Helwani responds to Tony Khan
  • What percentage of revenue did UFC fighters make last year
  • Lots of new UFC fights
  • Fighter rebounding from nearly fatal heart attack
  • Lots of notes on Vince McMahon and WWE
  • Notes on what happens with the new company, how much money Vince made WWE by staying and what percentage of the new company he will own
  • Notes on ideas for changes in NXT and main roster shows
  • WWE injury updates
  • International TV ratings
  • WWE top streaming segments for the week

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

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Tuesday Update

WWE

  • Natalya wrote on Twitter about her match against Rhea Ripley on Raw Monday: “Tonight was personal. It was an apology to myself for putting up with what I didn’t deserve. Thank you so much to everyone who still believes in me, even when I didn’t always believe in myself. It truly means the world to me. Sometimes people forget, until I get the chance to remind them. I was made in The Dungeon. I can take anyone to their limit on any night, because that’s what top level competitors do. Now line up the rest and let me loose on them too.”
  • Ronda Rousey wrote on Instagram: When your time gets cut three times but you still put on a banger #ChickenSalad #TagTeamChampionships
  • Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre will be guests on this week’s episode of The Bump.
  • Regarding the WWE vs. MLW lawsuit, PWInsider reported on 6/30 WWE requested for an extension, noting that they “recently retained new counsel”.
  • Becky Lynch spoke to Cosmopolitan UK on her career and injuring her shoulder last year at SummerSlam against Becky Lynch.
  • Matches added to WWE’s YouTube on Tuesday include The Usos vs. The Street Profits from SummerSlam 2022, Asuka vs. Becky Lynch in a no holds barred match from the July 4, 2022 episode of Raw, and Sheamus vs. Randy Orton from SummerSlam 2010.

AEW

  • ROH Supercard of Honor 2023 has been added to HonorClub.
  • This week’s Sammy Guevara vlog.

Other Wrestling

  • Former WCW star Lodi wrote on Facebook he recently underwent open heart surgery after wrestling a match on June 17. He wrote: “On June 21, I went in for a triple by-pass heart surgery. I came out with FIVE by passes as two of the arteries needed 2 by-passes each. After two days in ICU, I walked out of the hospital on Sunday evening, June 25th. 9 days in the hospital is not my idea of fun. 4 days later I ended up back in the hospital with a blood clot and infection from an IV site. After two days I walked out again. I will address this more in depth soon. I just wanted those that called, texted, etc to know what was going on. Life for LODI will be a little different for a while, and today I am not even sure what that looks like.”
  • PWInsider recently contacted Reelz about a potential second season of MLW content on the channel. Reelz’s statement reads: “Talks for season two continue. Fans of Major League Wrestling can still watch past episodes of Underground Wrestling on subscription VOD services including Amazon Channels, Fire TV and Roku.”
  • Backstage comments from NJPW Strong’s Independence Day show in Japan from Tuesday morning.
  • Triplemania XXXI in Tijuana will air on HBO Max in Mexico on July 15.

Natalya challenges Rhea Ripley to rematch on next WWE Raw

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Natalya has issued a rematch challenge to Rhea Ripley for the July 3 edition of WWE Raw. 

The challenge was issued during a backstage promo segment on this week’s episode. Ripley, the Women’s World Champion, defeated Natalya in just over one minute in their last official televised match at Night of Champions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 27. 

A rematch was announced for the June 19 Raw, but Ripley attacked Natalya before the match, sending her into the barricade around ringside. The match then never started. 

Since their Night of Champions encounter, Ripley has defeated Natalya twice on house shows. 

No other matches have been announced for the Monday, July 3 Raw. The event will be held at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Brock Lesnar has been heavily featured in local advertising for the event. 

Next week’s Raw will be the first episode of the show following this Saturday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view.