Asuka returns and enters WWE’s Queen of the Ring tourney. A new CMLL Women’s Champion is crowned at AEW Grand Slam Mexico. Shay Kassidy chats with WrestleZone and more!
WWE Queen of the Ring Tournament Updates
On June 28, WWE will crown a brand new Queen of the Ring, with a crown and a world title match at SummerSlam as their prizes.
After one round of competition, four women remain in the hunt for the Queen of the Ring title: Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Jade Cargill, and Roxanne Perez. Asuka, a former WWE Women’s Champion, made her long-awaited return to action on this week’s episode of WWE Raw, and in doing so, defeated Stephanie Vaquer, Ivy Nile, and Raquel Rodriguez in a QOTR tournament opener. Looking ahead, she will take on Alexa Bliss, a former tag team partner, in a semi-final matchup on WWE SmackDown. Bliss earned her spot by pinning Candice LeRae mere seconds before Alba Fyre tapped out to Charlotte Flair’s Figure Eight submission in their first-round four-way.
We've been READY for ASUKA! ?#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/kdiBPI5hg5
— WWE (@WWE) June 17, 2025
Bliss and Asuka’s last televised bout took place inside WarGames at WWE Survivor Series. In this case, they partnered up to battle Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO SKY), Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley.
On the other side of the Queen of the Ring tournament, Roxanne Perez will collide with Jade Cargill. Perez cemented her position by besting Liv Morgan, Kairi Sane, and Rhea Ripley. Meanwhile, Cargill overcame Piper Niven, Michin, and last year’s Queen, Nia Jax. This will mark Perez and Cargill’s first-ever singles encounter, with the former representing Raw and the latter on SmackDown’s behalf.
The winners of the two semi-finals bouts will move on to face each other at WWE Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
RELATED: Asuka Reacts to Her Return to WWE Raw
New CMLL Women’s Champion Crowned
The championship collection of Mercedes Moné just got even bigger.
At AEW Grand Slam: Mexico in Arena Mexico, Moné challenged Zeuxis for the CMLL World Women’s Championship. In the contest’s closing moments, Zeuxis escaped a crossface, then slammed Moné into the mat. Zeuxis then set herself up on the top rope, seemingly to hit Moné with a Spanish Fly. Moné, however, countered with a diving crossbody for the match-winning pinfall. With this, Moné also gained the CMLL World Women’s Championship, the fifth title belt in her current collection.
Unfortunately for Moné, her latest celebration was cut short by AEW Women’s champion Toni Storm, who sent “The CEO” and her titles flying across the ring via a German suplex. Afterward, Storm chased after Moné, with AEW officials eventually separating them.
Moné’s night wasn’t quite finished, though. Upon returning to the backstage area, CMLL’s La Catalina confronted Moné, specifically requesting a title match against her. Moné accepted the challenge, noting that she’d see Catalina on Friday at CMLL FantasticaMania Mexico. CMLL later confirmed the title match.
New championship won — and a new challenger already found for this Friday Night!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 19, 2025
While NEW @CMLL_OFICIAL World Women's Champion @MercedesVarnado was celebrating her victory, she was confronted by CMLL's @LaCatalinagar, who's looking for a fight. And Mercedes has accepted the… pic.twitter.com/hCRsUpUWRE
“Say hello to the new Queen of Mexico!” Moné wrote on Twitter/X alongside a photograph of herself receiving the CMLL World Women’s Championship. On July 12, Moné will challenge Storm for the AEW Women’s Championship at AEW All In.
Saluda a la nueva Reyna de Mexico! #grandslammexico #cmll pic.twitter.com/saup7C5dSH
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) June 19, 2025
At CMLL Martes Populares on June 17, CMLL’s Persephone defeated AEW’s Red Velvet in singles competition.
RELATED: Mercedes Moné Sends Message to Fans After Confirming Relationship With AEW Star
The IInspiraton Return to TNA
For the first time in three years, The IInspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay) are back in TNA Wrestling.
The duo made their surprise return to the promotion at the Against All Odds pre-show on June 6 moments after The Elegance Brand defeated Xia Brookside, Myla Grace and Harley Hudson in six-woman tag action. The Arizona crowd reveled in Lee and McKay’s arrival, which also signaled their interest in their Knockouts Tag Team Championships. The Elegance Brand (Ash by Elegance, Heather by Elegance, and M by Elegance), however, was visibly bothered by it.
THE IINSPIRATION IS BACK!@CassieLee @JessicaMcKay
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 7, 2025
WATCH the Countdown to #TNAAgainstAllOdds on TNA+: https://t.co/J9VWLziljy pic.twitter.com/yxY9p8HiSE
Following their return at Against All Odds, The IInspiration returned to in-ring competition as well, notably picking up a win over Brittnie Brooks and Missa Kate on TNA Impact.
When recently asked about their decision to come back to TNA, Cassie Lee noted that it only felt right.
“TNA is the right place for us, as when we stepped away three years ago, it was from TNA,” Lee told Rick Ucchino of Sports Illustrated. “We really enjoyed our time there and loved the people and performers we were able to grow into. So, it only felt right to make our return to TNA. Now is the right time, as we both have our families set up at home. We stepped away to start our families and have loved getting to spend every moment with them.”
RELATED: Report: Details On The IInspiration’s Return To TNA Wrestling
INTERVIEWS
PWA Tag Team Champion Shay Kassidy spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about making history as the first open-LGBTQ talent to win a title in Pro-Wrestling Australia, Kingsley’s move to Canada and how it affects the Backslide Girlz, friendship with Everett Connors, defending the PWA tag titles at King of the Metro, Charli Evans winning the PWA Heavyweight Championship, her recent vacation to Japan, watching NJPW in person, and more.
Former WWE star Shotzi chatted with Denise Salcedo about her career and release from WWE, return to the independent wrestling scene, blessings in disguise, finding your purpose, her friendships with Charlotte Flair and Bayley, outside Projects and interests, future goals, and more,
14-time world champion Charlotte Flair joined Games with Names to talk about her 2018 Survivor Series clash with Ronda Rousey, being a last-minute replacement for the match, what it meant to carry her brother’s legacy, her mindset in being a heel character, what she considers to be the worst wrestling city, bringing “Macho Man” Randy Savage to Show And Tell in school, and more.
Former WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Elayna Black (fka Cora Jade) sat down with Chris Van Vliet discuss getting released from WWE and why it wasn’t a surprise, leaving school at 15 to chase her dreams of becoming a professional wrestler, the first time she met CM Punk, getting to work with him in WWE, launching an OnlyFans page, her matches in AEW, and more.
“The Center of Attention” Brittnie Brooks talked with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful about being a top prospect in professional wrestling, her most viewed YouTube clips, recovering from a knee injury, the WWE ID program, her experience doing WWE extra work, being booked and busy on the indies, and more.
