By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WOW (Women Of Wrestling)
Taped in October 10-11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California at Belasco Theater
Aired February 15, 2019 on on AXS-TV
David McLane welcomed viewers to WOW while standing in the ring. McLane would later join Stephen Dickey and EZ Rider on commentary. A video recapped last week’s cliffhanger that saw Santana Garrett and Jungle Grrrl both pin Tessa Blanchard in a three-way for the WOW Championship. McLane introduced Jungle Grrrl, who came to the ring. McLane said Garrett wasn’t at the venue because she was with her father at the hospital “due to the despicable acts of Tessa Blanchard.” Obnoxiously hokey sounding canned boos played while they showed the crowd.
McLane introduced Blanchard as the number one competitor who earned her spot in last week’s match. Dickey said it was determined that Blanchard was pinned by Jungle Grrrl only because she couldn’t kick out. He questioned whether officials have decided to have Grrrl and Blanchard battle for the championship.
Powell’s POV: Isn’t a person always pinned because they can’t kick out? I guess they’re trying to say it wasn’t fair that two women pinned her at once? Bizarre.
Blanchard came to the ring and said she didn’t buy that Garrett was absent due to her father’s health. She said if Garrett was present she would be sucking oxygen just like her father. Blanchard said she would wrestle Jungle Grrrl and the biggest and baddest in the company. The Beast made her entrance. She said that if Blanchard wants the biggest and baddest, “then here I am.” Blanchard said the bigger they are, the harder they fall. She said The Beast and Jungle Grrrl aren’t on her level and are not a born legend like she is. Blanchard shoved Grrrl, who scooped her up.. Blanchard slipped out and shoved Grrrl at The Beast. Blanchard left the ring and several referees held Grrrl and Beast apart…
Powell’s POV: I went back and watched the segment again because I have no idea what the ruling is on last week’s match. Apparently, Blanchard is being rewarded for being pinned by two women, and Garrett is being punished because her character is at at the hospital with her father. And I have no f’n clue who the WOW Champion is. I’m guessing there will be further clarification, but this was all asinine. I didn’t mind last week’s cliffhanger ending, but it’s ridiculous that they couldn’t clarify what the actual ruling was or what the hell is happening in the opening segment this week.
A video package aired on Havok, who said women’s wrestling wasn’t taken as seriously when she entered the industry. She said people told her she wouldn’t make it because she was too big, too thick, and too different. She said she struggled early in her career trying to figure out who she should be. She said she eventually figured out she needed to be who she wants to be. Havok said she went back to her roots and embraced her darkness.
Havok mocked the idea of a women’s evolution featuring “glamorous girls” talking about what they have worked for. She said it was women like her who put in the work and carried the weight on their backs to show what female performers could do in pro wrestling. She said that the other women are terrified when they enter the ring with her. She said when she removes her mask something takes her over and she is the monster of madness… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good promo from Havok, who is better known as Jessicka Havok. WWE eliminates last names, and apparently WOW is eliminating a first name in Havok’s case.
Shaul Guerrero was the ring announcer…
1. Havok vs. Fire. Hvaok slammed Fire down face first and covered her for a two count. Havok acted surprised when Fire kicked out. Havok went for a leg drop, but Fire moved out of the way. Fire came back with a few kicks and got a two count. Fire went for a top rope cross body block, but Havok caught her, put her on her back, and slammed her down before covering her for the win…
Havok defeated Fire.
Powell’s POV: A quality match. Fire is better known as Kiera Hogan in Impact Wrestling. Havok has added some weight since the last time I saw her in Impact Wrestling, and it works nicely for her dominant monster gimmick. I’m surprised that Fire isn’t being positioned as a bigger star given her strong introductory video. I believe she’s 1-2 on the series thus far.
A video aired on Keta Rush. The narrator noted that Rush was attacked by “two fiends” in an alley after a recent WOW match. The footage showed McLane taking Rush to a television truck to show her footage of the attack. They showed a closeup of one of the women. Rush said she can’t believe it was her and said she wants her in the ring…
Powell’s POV: Who the F is she? It’s great that McLane and Rush know who the woman was, but perhaps they could, you know, fill in the television audience. This episode has been a hot mess.
A clip aired of The Disciplinarian and Samantha Smart and noted that they would be up next… [C]
2. The Disciplinarian (w/Samantha Smart) vs. Chantilly Chella. Just in case the party girl’s last name did’t make it obvious, McLane made sure everyone knew Chella’s name is a play on the Coachella music festival. McLane announced that Blanchard would face Jungle Grrrl for the WOW Championship in the main event. Wait, what? Anyway, Smart interfered from ringside by using a ruler to choke Chella on the ropes. Late in the match, Chella performed a double knee press for a two count. She got another two count off a top rope cross body block. Disciplinarian came back a TKO and scored the pin…
The Disciplinarian defeated Chantilly Chella.
Powell’s POV: The match was fine. Let’s focus on what we learned about the title situation. Garrett is being punished in a storyline sense for missing a show due to her father’s medial ailments, and Blanchard is being rewarded for triggering those ailments fo flare up and for being pinned last week because she couldn’t kick out while being pinned by Garrett and Grrrl. My head hurts.
McLane hyped Razor vs. Faith the Lioness. Razor cut a promo about how she gets what she wants and never backs down… [C] A video package focused on Faith The Lioness. She said her name is Faith Jeffries and she’s 19. She spoke about her parents being her rock and telling her that she doesn’t need to change for anything. She said her dream has been to combine music, dance, and wrestling. She said the lion is her spirit animal…
3. Razor (w/Fury) vs. Faith The Lioness. Faith did her song and dance number with two female dancers prior to the match. Fury distracted Faith long enough for Razor to clothesline her and take offensive control. Fury also worked over Faith from the floor while Razor distracted the referee. Faith escaped a late Camel Clutch. Faith caught Razor with a spinning kick and went up top. She kicked Fury away and then performed a missile dropkick and scored the pin. Fury attacked Faith afterward and tossed her from the ring…
Faith The Lioness defeated Razor.
Powell’s POV: A solid match. Is it wrong that I wanted Faith to lose both of her television matches simply because of the song and dance number?
McLane stood up at the broadcast table and hyped No. 1 contender Blanchard vs. former WOW Champion Jungle Grrrl for the WOW Championship… A teaser video aired. The narrator said a lot of people have been waiting for the arrival of Krumpas (they have?). The narrator said the wait is over because the Norwegian Nightmare debuts next week… [C]
A video package recapped the train wreck of a storyline that brought us to this week’s main event…
4. Tessa Blanchard vs. Jungle Grrrl for the vacant WOW Championship. Guerrero delivered in-ring introductions for the title match and confetti shot off. McLane noted that Grrrl had never been pinned in WOW. Blanchard caught Grrrl on the ropes and performed a nice Codebreaker that led to a two count. Grrrl came back with a dropkick.
Blanchard applied an armbar. McLane said they hope to have enough time to deliver the full match this week. Grrrl powered up Blanchard and ended up running her into the referee. REF BUMP!!! Jungle Grrrl performed a top rope splash on Blanchard and had the visible pinfall, but the referee was down at ringside. The Beast entered the ring and speared and powerbombed Grrrl. The Beast rolled the referee back into the ring and he counted Blanchard getting the pin…
Tessa Blanchard defeated Jungle Grrrl to win the WOW Championship.
Blanchard celebrated with the title belt to close the show. McLane mentioned his own name and noted that Jeanie Buss was the executive producer to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Yes, it does feel silly each time I type the name Jungle Grrrl. Anyway, this was a well worked match. It obviously leads to Grrrl vs. The Beast, and I assume Garrett comes back and chases Blanchard for the title. They took an absurd path to putting the title on Blanchard, especially after McLane told her repeatedly on past shows that she had to earn her title shot in WOW. From a storyline standpoint, Blanchard may be one of the least credible champions in pro wrestling history. Fortunately, she is a tremendous talent and people will quickly see her as a credible champion despite the insane storytelling.
Check below for the new Pro Wrestling Boom with Jason Powell and guest Mick Karch discussing the AWA Appreciation event on February 23, Paul Heyman’s role in helping Mick land a longtime hosting position, his friendship with Nick Bockwinkel, Billy Robinson slapping a fan on live television, and much more.
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