WWE WrestleMania 34: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

Raw Women’s Championship Match

Alexa Bliss (c) (w/ Mickie James) vs. Nia Jax

Result: Nia Jax defeated Alexa Bliss via pinfall to become the NEW Raw Women’s Champion

Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

This was by no means the best match of the night. But it was definitely one of my favorite. It’s the culmination of an absolutely awful story with the body shaming and the superstars involved. Nothing says captivating television like a former anorexic hanging out with someone who was once called “Piggie James” and hated it going after someone who’s stated she’s a victim of body shaming!

But Nia Jax started this off perfectly – running through Mickie James to eliminate her from the equation. And the official start of the match was picture perfect – Jax just terrifying Bliss into almost submission. The dual screams at the beginning was a great bit of theater, too.

Alexa, being underhanded, used an eye rake to get back in control, and wisely attacked the leg. We’ve seen Nia get taken down from this strategy before, so there’s some continuity to the effort. I also appreciated the running theme of “Nia Jax is vulnerable to the guillotine choke” running through her career. Bayley beats her one time in NXT with that move, and all of a sudden it’s a permanent Achilles heel.

I honestly thought this would be an extended squash match, but I was wrong, and I think the match was better for it. Of course, it suffers a bit due to card placement – how do you follow both the return of The Undertaker and Daniel Bryan’s first match in several years? The crowd – and viewers – were likely burned out at this point.

Honestly, the only way this match could have ended was with a Nia Jax victory. When she hit the super Samoan drop, you knew it was over, but I did not expect the tears at the end and dammit I’m crying again. It’s amazing that in a pre-determined environment, a victory that you’re well aware is coming can still reduce you to tears.

I’m all aboard for the Nia Jax title run, bring it on.