RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Bayley made history twice in one night, walking into the first Women’s Championship Match Saudi Arabia has ever hosted with the SmackDown Women’s Title and walking out with it after defeating Naomi. Which isn’t to say that the match was one-sided; in fact, it encapsulated the best qualities of both champion and challenger.
For Bayley, that meant a showcase for some basic, stifling offense. The champ grounded Naomi’s (literal) glowing athleticism with Wrestling 101, removing several of her opponent’s most effective tools. Naomi answered with her signature heart, fighting through Bayley’s bullying attack to rip off a few dazzling maneuvers.
Both competitors were equally effective and stubborn. Bayley escaped the FTG submission hold; Naomi kicked out of a Bayley-to-Belly and proved difficult to pin down. Bayley resorted to some less-than-reputable tactics to gain the match, trapping Naomi’s feet within her own shirt and slamming her face-first into the mat for the victory. Hardly the stuff of role models, though there’s something to be said for effectiveness. As for Naomi, it’s likely not the last opportunity she’ll get. History may well be within her grasp, but she’ll have to settle for breaking one barrier at a time.
