A real notable and impressive match more than it is a purely great one. There’s a lot holding this back from the real top reaches of the year like some mechanical clunkiness that fills a lot of the early match. The early offense is a little too light to project any sort of impact and brutality. Even something like the air raid crash bump onto the stage that opened this match felt oddly inconsequential even to the crowd in attendance.
Luckily, blood gets involved.
This is a textbook example of how blood can be used to elevate a match. Thunder Rosa’s cut was just fine, it dries up by the end but at least the spot that causes it felt sufficiently brutal. The real good stuff comes from Britt Baker’s blade job here. It’s easily the best women’s bloodbath since something like Candice LeRae won the PWG Tag Titles. It’s the kind of blade job that, with any luck, earns Baker a ton in royalties for the rest of her life.
Baker’s performance goes to another level with the blood too. The mechanical clunkiness doesn’t quite disappear but it does make sense for someone dripping blood onto the canvas to not be the neatest in the ring. Baker absolutely goes for it in the way a good heel should here. Not only does she look like a demented psychopath in control with her blood making her make up run, but she also takes some ridiculous bumps including a ladder bump, a thumbtacks bump, and a table bump.
Perhaps this match’s best asset is in what it represents. It’s a willingness to push the envelope with women’s wrestling in a way that North American pro wrestling company has in a long time. Even the Horsewomen don’t bleed like this on purpose. It’s a success for many macro reasons regardless of my quibbles with the micro.