WWE MITB Qualifiers Begin
The road to WWE Money in the Bank has officially begun, with three women already confirmed for the annual ladder match.
Qualifiers for the Women’s Money in the Bank bout began last Friday on WWE SmackDown. On this night, Alexa Bliss took on Michin and former Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green in a triple threat. Toward the end, Green seemed to be on the verge of victory after laying out Michin with an Unprettier. Before she could capitalize, however, Bliss pulled Michin out of the ring and planted Green with a Sister Abigail for the win instead.
Congrats, Alexa Bliss! ?@AlexaBliss_WWE is the first qualifier for the 2025 Women’s #MITB Ladder Match! ? pic.twitter.com/KeHuPQWDES
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2025
Three days later on WWE Raw, newly-signed main roster star Roxanne Perez secured the second spot in the Women’s Money in the Bank by pinning Natalya following a Pop Rox. Becky Lynch, the third competitor, was momentarily taken out of the equation due to Lyra Valkyria dragging her out of the ring.
Finally, former WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley filled the third MITB slot by defeating Kairi Sane and Zoey Stark. In this case, WWE officials removed Stark from the match mid-way through after she sustained an apparent knee injury. From there, Sane and Ripley battled one-on-one, with “Mami” earning the win, courtesy of a Riptide.
Willow Nightingale Re-Signs With AEW, AEW Double or Nothing Preview
This weekend, Willow Nightingale will join forces with Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, and The Opps to take on The Death Riders and The Young Bucks in Anarchy in the Arena at AEW Double or Nothing. Beforehand, she re-signed with All Elite Wrestling under a multi-year deal.
“I am happy where I am,” Nightingale confirmed to The Takedown on SI’s Jon Alba. “I think there is so much left ahead for me to do at AEW, things that I want to accomplish. But also, I’m just really excited to be a part of something when it’s fresh and new and, like, you know, I think we’re past the years of finding our footing. But to have been a part of that and continue to water and watch it grow is just a privilege as well as a joy, you know? So I’m excited to continue, to take part in that.”
Nightingale, alongside Marina Shafir, will make history at Double or Nothing as they become the first women to ever compete in the Anarchy in the Arena match. Tensions between both sides have been brewing for months, particularly as The Death Riders continue to unleash chaos on the AEW locker room, with Jon Moxley also reigning s the AEW World Champion.
Elsewhere at the pay-per-view, Jamie Hayter and Mercedes Mone will clash in the finals of the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament. Hayter defeated Kris Statlander and Billie Starkz on her path to the finals, while Mone bested Athena and Harley Cameron. The winner of Hayter vs. Mone will subsequently earn an AEW Women’s Championship match at All In on July 12.
The AEW Women’s Championship is currently held by “Timeless” Toni Storm, who will defend it against Mina Shirakawa at Double or Nothing. Shirakawa earned this opportunity by pinning Storm in an eliminator match last week.
WWE To Crown Inaugural Women’s Evolve Champion
Next week, a new champion will take their throne in WWE.
On Wednesday’s episode of WWE Evolve, WWE ID prospect Kylie Rae defeated Zayda Steel, Aria Bennett, and Chantel Monroe in a fatal-four-way match. With this win, Rae now advances to next week’s four-way elimination match in which the winner earned the title of the first ever WWE Women’s Evolve Champion.
Kylie Rae gets the final spot in the 4-Way to crown the first EVOLVE Women’s Champion! #WWEEvolve pic.twitter.com/Tn71DC6FL2
— ?????? (@WrestlingCovers) May 22, 2025
Aside from Rae, this inaugural championship match will include Wendy Choo, Kali Armstrong, and Kendal Grey. Choo, an 11-year veteran, signed with WWE in 2019. Grey, a former amateur wrestler, joined WWE in 2023. Rae, of course, is known for her work in a multitude of promotions, including All Elite Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, and now WWE.
WWE announced Rae as one of the first WWE ID prospects last fall alongside the likes of Zayda Steel, Zoe Sager, and Zara Zakher.
INTERVIEWS
TNA Knockout Victoria Crawford (fka Alicia Fox) sat down with MuscleManMalcolm about challenging Masha Slamovich for the TNA Knockout World Championship at Under Siege, her arrival to TNA, winning the Divas Championship in WWE, her Northern Lights suplex, and more!
Former WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James talked with Denise Salcedo about the collaboration between WWE and TNA, how her Royal Rumble appearance played a small role in that, her experience working as a coach on WWE LFG series, her thoughts on her husband Nick Aldis, how he’s doing as WWE Smackdown General Manager, and more.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria appeared on Insight with Chris Van Vliet to discuss growing up in Ireland, making it to WWE, being inspired by Becky Lynch, getting to wrestle The Man, becoming the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion, tagging with Bayley, the inspiration behind her entrance and more.
Former WWE broadcaster Kayla Becker spoke with WhatCulture’s Simon Miller about her new podcasts Killing Time With Kayla and Milk & Honeys, whether or not she has a future in wrestling, hitting her ceiling WWE, what happened to WWE’s The Bump, her chemistry with Paul Heyman, and more.
