WWE hasn’t always had the finest track record when it comes to booking their women’s division. However, WWE has finally made their female performers equal to their male counterparts, and they are now giving women their attention, even giving them Main Event slots on several Raw, Smackdown, and Premium Live Events this year. Below are my predictions for who will be on the rise in 2022 and who fans can expect to see more of as the year progresses. Liv Morgan From being in a Riott Squad to returning and being in a love triangle with Lana and Bobby Lashley, Liv Morgan has always been the fan-favorite when it comes to WWE’s programming of her character. Liv continues to demonstrate that she can compete in the ring with veterans and that she is improving in the ring. If Liv’s championship bout against Becky Lynch on WWE Day 1 didn’t illustrate why she deserves to be in the limelight more, then “Watch Her” complete her aim of being the Raw Women’s Champion in 2022. 2. Aliyah Aliyah has been in the WWE since 2015, and her NXT career hasn’t always been the brightest, but she never gave up and continued to prove what she’s there for, which is to entertain the WWE universe in whatever role the company decides to book her in, and she goes above and beyond to show them why she is a valuable asset to the company. Aliyah won her maiden main roster match after teaming up with Sasha Banks and Naomi to defeat Shotzi, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. Aliyah, on the other hand, was removed from the survivor series squad owing to Naomi’s relationship with Sonya Deville. She has yet to make a return to WWE Tv, but when she does, she will undoubtedly make it “Boujee.” 3. Cora Jade Cora Jade has made waves in NXT 2.0 this year, defeating WWE/NXT mainstays Dakota Kai and Mandy Rose, as well as Taya Valkyrie while she was known as Franky Monet with the promotion. She shone brightest in this year’s women’s WarGames battle, winning the pin for her side over Toxic Attraction’s Jacy Jayne after she looked to dislocate her shoulder after diving from the cage. Fast forward to 2022, and Jade is faced with the greatest match of her career: a triple threat for the NXT Women’s Championship against Mandy Rose and Raquel Gonzalez at NXT New Year’s Evil. 4. Xia Li Prior to being teamed with Boa and Mei Ying in NXT, this breakthrough Chinese martial arts prodigy floundered. Even back then, Li wasn’t doing much, yet she did make it onto a TakeOver when she competed against Mercedes Martinez. Surprisingly, Xia joined the SmackDown roster in the 2021 WWE Draft, having previously done a series of dark matches on Smackdown. Xia, now known as “The Protector,” made her SmackDown debut on December 10th, protecting Naomi from a beatdown attack by Sonya Deville, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. WWE may decide to wait until the new year to officially launch her new campaign. This is her first major run, after all, and she can’t be expected to ace it right away, so she needs time. The Royal Rumble, like Veer Mahaan, will be the ideal opportunity to get her moving with the main roster and in the Mix of things. She’s not going to win the match, but a strong run should put her on the right track to dazzle in 2022 and win her maiden championship. 5. Shotzi Shotzi’s time in NXT was brief, but she was able to win her first championship with the promotion, the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships, which she shared with Ember Moon, and they were the longest reigning NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions in NXT history. Her main roster career, on the other hand, got off to a difficult start, with Nox’s contract being terminated prematurely. Shotzi participated in a Smackdown highlight match with Sasha Banks and another with Charlotte Flair. Shotzi will continue to TCB on Smackdown until she achieves gold in 2022. #CORAJADE #XIALI #Shotzi #WWE #LivMorgan

The year 2021 was regarded as a ray of optimism. A glimmer of optimism that some kind of normalcy would return. We were on the edge of our seats as wrestling fans, eager to see our favorite wrestlers in person and meet with our peers with whom we may have swapped wrestling stories online for a year. WWE works tirelessly to entertain and divert us from the terror and despair that will grab us in 2020. Women, in particular, cranked it up even more in 2021. Their company, on the other hand, was not so liberal with the chances provided. We witnessed a disappointing Queen of the Ring tournament that promised more than it delivered, and tragically, throughout the year, a deluge of talent that we never imagined would be released was released. This was a tremendous blow to the new generation of WWE fans who tuned in because of the female talent acquired in previous years. The corporation appears to be returning to the muscled physique/Barbie doll concept for ladies that they enjoy revisiting every few years. This is upsetting since there are so many women who do not fit that description yet contribute so much to the table. On a more positive side, the constancy of women from all four horsewomen, Bianca Belair, Shotzi Blackheart, Doudrop, Liv Morgan, Dana Brooke, and others, assisted us in continuing to promote the product. Natalya and Tamina were the underdog story of the year, and it was such a delight to watch them because of my long-standing admiration for them and anger that they would never have the opportunity that they deserved. Hopefully, the year 2022 will be rewarding for both ladies. In NXT, factions like Toxic Attraction demonstrated how important a brand can be while attempting to win over a character. Mandy Rose has thrived with this transition, displaying a ferocity in her fighting style and mic work that fans have thoroughly loved. Indi Hartwell has made it a point to have people speak about her every time she’s appeared on NXT this year. Starting with her coupling up with Candice Lerae earlier this year, and then with her unexpected brush with cupid’s arrow, as she is now romantically connected with the quiet, but dangerous Dexter Lumis. This unusual coupling has produced some amusing comedy situations. This year, Zoey Starks and IO Shirai were a tag team that deserved some notice. They had some excellent matches, especially the tag team ladder battle from Halloween Havoc in October. This year, Raquel Gonzalez was the undisputed leader of the women’s category. Her matches with Rhea Ripley, IO Shirai, and her tag team with Dakota Kai demonstrated that she had successfully transitioned into the NXT system and was on her way to taking the heads of all of her adversaries. We’ll have to wait and see what the new year holds for WWE and NXT. NWA was being counted out a little during the pandemic’s peak owing to their inability to do weekly gigs for months. Thunder Rosa, on the other hand, brought the championship to AEW and demonstrating that she was a formidable foe. Serena Deeb’s title was changed in 2021, and then Kamille’s. Kamille’s championship reign has ushered in an Amazonian-style period. She stands in front of her opponents with a smug grin, rips them apart, and caps it off with a spear. NWA was wise to capitalize on the fans’ desire for an all-female PPV, so they took Mickie James’ goals seriously and organized the Empowerr event. This event did an excellent job of not only honoring the women who came before it but also showcasing the future generation of bright women for the next year. NWA is making certain that the jobs behind the scenes are as inclusive. Jazz and Madusa book the women every week, and the results are spectacular. AEW’s women’s division has had a slower start than, say, the NWA’s, but there is certainly amazing promise and ladies who are already displaying their main event abilities. DMD Britt Baker has held the AEW women’s championship with pride and has made it known that she has no plans to relinquish it. So, of course, an alpha female like Thunder Rosa was the ideal opponent to bring out the vicious side of Baker’s nature throughout their battle. With their rivalry that should’ve ended on Rampage, Diamanté and Big Swole helped draw attention to AEW’s weekly YouTube program Dark. Jade Cargill stood out in the women’s category as a white-haired powerhouse. Jade came in with a lot of confidence and a determination to get to the top. Her dominant bouts, albeit not short in length, demonstrate that with time and more experience, Jade may be a valuable addition to AEW. Kris Statlander, with her incredible wrestling talents and otherworldly personality, is a viable candidate for a future AEW champion. Tony Khan has stated unequivocally that he would prioritize the women’s division in the future. This began with the women’s tournament, which crowned the first TBS women’s champion. Serena Deeb and Shida have received a lot of acclaim for their match throughout the competition, and the passion that ladies like Nyla Rose are showing is fantastic to watch because it signals that the quest is on in 2022. MLW has been a reliable promoter that knows how to put together MMA and pro-wrestling-inspired contests. I’ve been a fan for a few years, and in the latter months of 2021, MLW announced the addition of a women’s category and the launch of a tournament to crown a featherweight champion. Holidead, Willow Nightingale, and Nicole Savoy have demonstrated the division and the variety of styles that might be on exhibit. This may be a lighthouse for female wrestlers who want to show off their mixed martial arts experience while simultaneously enjoying wrestling. This year, Ring of Honor has been the buzz of the town. It’s incredible how quickly board member Maria Kannellis was able to establish a successful and in-demand women’s section. The summer competition did an excellent job of demonstrating how many ladies are deserving of that distinction. In my perspective, Ring of Honor was quite effective in developing a true babyface in Rok-C. This age of wrestling is so focused on producing heels or individuals who are in the gray area, but it is crucial to have someone in wrestling who the crowd is cheering for and who gives the heel a true protagonist. The future of the Ring of Honor as a whole is uncertain, therefore I genuinely hope that these amazing women can return. Impact Wrestling has maintained its position as a leader in showcasing the top talent in its women’s division. Fans were overjoyed to witness the return of the all-PPV women’s Knockouts Knockdown, which featured Awesome Kong’s Hall of Fame induction and a touching homage to the recently dead Daffney. Impact will now feature a female X-Division, it was just confirmed. Deonna Purrazzo has elevated Impact to new heights with her outstanding championship reign and ability to snag belts from other companies such as AAA. Deonna broke open that taboo door and dominated every promotion she attended. Deonna made it obvious a few weeks ago that her New Year’s objective is to reclaim the ROH women’s title from Rok-C. The Virtuosa is on a killing spree. Women, particularly women of color, have never had it so well in the indie wrestling scene. There have been gatherings designed to provide a safe refuge for them. The Black Girl Majik exhibition, for example, did an excellent job of displaying ideal matches and demonstrating how many amazing black women are heating up the independent scene. Trish Adora has retained the Pan Afrikan World Diaspora championship for another year, demonstrating that many indie companies have no qualms about including a female champion who will fight men or women. More women are being given the opportunity to work as bookers, agents, producers, and trainers for major wrestling companies. Robyn Reid, Gail Kim, Mickie James, Jazz, Madusa, Molly Holly, and others. They have demonstrated that there was a significant gap in not having women develop and collaborate with other females to tell stories in their rings in a unique way. That only they are capable of achieving. Thunder Rosa has taken on a massive responsibility by being an active wrestler and the owner of Mission Pro Wrestling. In a short period of time, it has grown into a flourishing corporation that attracts viewers from all across the country. Pro Wrestling Eve has produced a plethora of talent that we now admire in big companies. Toni Storm, Doudrop, Kay Lee Ray, Jinny, and other female celebrities One of their main goals this year will be to assist wrestlers in unionizing and get the wages they deserve. Pro Wrestling Eve joined a labor union in 2019, Equity UK to be exact. This is a union for performers, and professional wrestlers should be regarded as such. We’re in 2022, and the issue of wrestlers unionizing is still being debated. When Zelina Vega was released from her WWE contract earlier this year, she tweeted about her support for unionization. This is completely ludicrous, given how often these athletes risk their lives. Because of how brief their careers are compared to someone who works a regular 9 to 5, health insurance, paid vacation time, and a pension should be a guarantee. More women have raised the large disparity in salary, so maybe these two issues will be addressed more in the next year. Despite Covid constraints, the firm attempted to supply regular content to Stardom wrestling throughout the year. In the early summer, a wonderful Cinderella competition was held in front of a small crowd at Korakuen Hall for three evenings over the course of three months. After beating Maika in the finals, Saya Kamitani was crowned the champion. Stardom will make a significant debut on January 5th, when they will compete in a special bout at the NJPW WrestleKingdom 16 PPV. This is a fantastic cooperation, and I’m looking forward to seeing this match and working with NJPW. AAA wrestling has had several spectacular moments as a result of mixing their greatest talent with other top-tier talent from other organisations. During Triplemania, we saw Faby Apache and Deonna Purrazzo compete for the Reina de Reinas title. That night, Deonna became a double champion, a title she has retained ever since. Taya Valkyrie returned to her old stomping grounds, AAA, after being released from WWE, to announce that the Reina de Reinas title is hers to take. Taya Valkyrie is the champion who has held the belt the longest. So she’s going to do everything she can to reclaim it. This coming year will see the elimination of ageism, union rights, mental illness awareness, and more promoters working together to put on joint events, as well as ideally more women putting their thoughts into future plots and feuds. Let’s hope for even greater development in 2022! #Indies #NWA #WWE #AEW #Impact

Hit Row was one of the hottest acts in wrestling earlier this year. Isiah Swerve Scott, Top Dolla, Ashante Thee Adonis, and B-Fab were among the members of the Hip Hop quartette. The trio was extensively featured in NXT, thus it came as no surprise when they were drafted by WWE and introduced to the SmackDown roster. Despite their success, the group was shattered when WWE dropped B-Fab apparently out of nowhere on November 4th, followed by the rest of the group on November 18th. B-Fab spoke openly about the group’s dismissal from WWE at a virtual signing with K&S WrestleFest. She stated that she was free of her non-compete agreement before discussing her emotions about why she and the rest of the group were released: “I have no clue at all. They released me along with 18 other people. The thing that they said was budget cuts, that’s the most detail I know. There was really no reason. They were saying that the boys were deemed to be okay without me because they could all talk. I really wasn’t a manager because I was going to be wrestling, I just hadn’t been doing it yet. They could all talk so [WWE] felt like, why do they need me? They’ve had Shield and New Day and most guys do well, so they probably felt ‘they will be fine without her because other groups have survived. It goes along with the disconnect from NXT and the main roster. If you’re paying attention to NXT like our fans were, they saw how we impacted the field as a unit. They got to see us every week and knew how we worked together and gelled and they loved to see it. Maybe the main roster didn’t see everything we did and only saw a few things. I feel like the disconnect was always there between NXT and the main roster, they don’t really know what’s going on in NXT always to fully understand an act when it goes to the main roster. If you saw us in NXT, you would have known we were perfectly fine as a unit.” Hit Row was extremely popular in NXT, and their stuff was an instant sale; it’s a pity WWE let them go without allowing them to realize their full potential. During the conversation, B-Fab also discussed how Shane Mcmahon approached her about hosting Raw Underground: “I don’t know if anybody saw, but I got to do a co-hosting moment for that for a second. It was only on TV for like a month or whatever, but I got to do a co-hosting moment for RAW Underground. I literally got picked right on the spot,” she said. “I was just there to be part of the audience who bangs on the ring on the side and was there for the crowd. Shane comes up to me and he goes, ‘hey, how comfortable are you on the mic?’ I said, ‘super comfortable, very comfortable.’ He was like, ‘okay, cool, I might need a co-host for this, so just be ready,'” said B-Fab. B-Fab also discussed WWE’s current contracts, stating that they do not feel like contracts but rather agreements: “It’s a sad situation because I don’t even know if you can call it a contract because most contracts have to be worked through until they are finished. With them being able to terminate whenever it’s more like an agreement than a contract. If you want to live your life, you can’t put your life on hold for this agreement because they can change it whenever they want. It’s kind of hard to plan what you want to do when you don’t know what’s going to happen day-to-day. It’s not very secure and it’s a scary situation to put yourself in. It’s very difficult to say if it’s even worth it. Now, people are moving from across the country to do this job and you can get cut in six months and you moved your entire life and family over here.” Only time will tell if WWE will reconsider how to arrange their contracts in the future, but for the time being, it appears like B-Fab is OK and will be doing greater and better things in 2022. #BFab #WWE

Join Ayla weekly as she gives us the lowdown on what’s going on in the wrestling social media world. This week: the wedding of the year, 👰🏻‍♀️but which one?! @chelseaagreen Listening to whole thing 👩‍💻@dabigswole, the Tootie bounce💃🏽@tootielynnramsey , and a baby on board 🤰🏻🖤 #womenswrestling #womenswrestlingtalk #wrestlingblog #wrestlingpodcast

As Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch overcomes Liv Morgan for the third time, she may want to keep an eye on the other women in the division. Everyone is looking for a chance, and no one is willing to pass it up. Here are a handful of my top selections for future number one contenders. Bianca Belair She is at the top of the list, and her road to the Raw Women’s Championship is well-defined. Bianca Belair will end the year as the lone survivor of Survivor Series. We’ve seen her compete in the ring with the champion and Doudrop, all while maintaining her name in the mix of top contenders. People may argue that Lynch and Belair are a major ticket for WrestleMania, putting Bianca back on track to defeat all four horsewomen. That match might happen sooner than you think, as fantastic as it sounds. Rhea Ripley Rhea Ripley, a former Raw Women’s Champion, understands how to assert her power with or without a championship. The Nightmare of WWE’s singles career has taken a back seat since her partnership with Nikki A.S.H. Ripley has gone down this road before and appears to be ready for another run at the crown. Ripley has worked with past champions such as Asuka and Charlotte Flair in the ring, and she has everything she needs to become a two-time Raw Women’s Champion in due time. Alexa Bliss Alexa Bliss’s homecoming has been looming over the WWE Universe for months, and it appears that she is on her way back. A few questions have remained unanswered since her previous WWE appearance. Many believe that this is the return of 2022, and admirers of Bliss want to know what her future intentions are. The champion may want to keep an eye on her with this one since Bliss is known to have many tricks under her sleeve. Asuka Asuka is another long-awaited returnee with a rich history with the title. The grand slam champion is no stranger to championship terrain. Many people would wish to explore the past between these two women. She was in the ring with Lynch when she announced her pregnancy to the world. This pivotal interaction might be part of a plot that picks up right where we left off the night after Money in the Bank 2020. Carmella This is absolutely a wildcard selection for me. Carmella’s status as a former SmackDown women’s champion and current tag team champion keeps her at the forefront of the red brand. During her rule, the championship should keep a watch on her. Becoming a double champion is suitable for the two-time Money in the Bank victor, whose current tag team partnership with Queen Zelina continues to dominate WWE’s women’s tag team division. Come hang out with Leslie Colon and me after Monday Night Raw on our post-show as we go down tonight’s program! Women’s Wrestling Talk is the only place to get the latest about women’s wrestling. #Carmella #AlexaBliss #asuka #RheaRipley #BeckyLynch #BiancaBelair #WWE #LivMorgan

Host, TK Trinidad break down the latest on Women’s Wrestling News, gives you a roundup on everything that is going on in the women’s wrestling scene and WOW Superhero Robyn Reid talks about being apart of WOW #wrestlingblog #wrestlingrankings #womenswrestling #wrestling #wrestlingpodcast #womenswrestlingtalk

Hosts, TK Trinidad and Emily Mae of break down the latest on Women’s Wrestling News, gives you a roundup on everything that is going on in the women’s wrestling scene and Addy Starr joins the show to talk about how she got started in her wrestling career. #wrestlingrankings #womenswrestling #wrestling #wrestlingpodcast #womenswrestlingtalk

Hosts, TK Trinidad and Emily Mae break down the latest on Women’s Wrestling News, gives you a roundup on everything that is going on in the women’s wrestling scene and WOW Superhero The Lioness talks about the upcoming season of WOW. #womenswrestling #womenswrestlingtalk #wrestlingblog

Hosts, TK Trinidad and Emily Mae of Women’s Wrestling Weekly break down the latest on Women’s Wrestling News, gives you a roundup on everything that is going on in the women’s wrestling scene and WOW Superhero Jungle Grrrl joins the show to talk about how she got started in her wrestling career #wrestlingblog #prowrestling #womenswrestling #wrestling #wrestlingpodcast #womenswrestlingtalk

Hosts, TK Trinidad and Emily Mae break down the latest on Women’s Wrestling News, gives you a roundup on everything that is going on in the women’s wrestling scene and AEW star Penelope Ford joins us to talk about her wrestling career, and being signed to AEW. #wrestlingblog #womenswrestling #wrestling #wrestlingpodcast #womenswrestlingtalk