00:00Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but who will be anointed queen?
00:04Jade Cargill looks to put an end to the surging Oscar.
00:07What will the Empress of tomorrow have what it takes to win today?
00:10Two deserving women, one crown.
00:12The Queen of the Ring Finals is next.
00:23The Queen's crown hangs in the balance.
00:26At night of champions, a new queen will rule over WWE.
00:35Her eyes set on a marquee showdown at the biggest party of the summer.
00:42The stakes should not be higher.
00:45Baratology is back and here to guide you through the raucous quest to the throne.
00:52In the first round, fatal four-way match-ups took place throughout Raw and SmackDown, with
00:59the winners moving to the semi-finals.
01:01It all started as the prodigy, Roxanne Perez, would steal a pinfall to advance.
01:08Way to endure yourself, Roxanne.
01:11No one was a match for the oncoming storm as Jade Cargill roared her way into the semi-finals.
01:19While former five-time champion Alexa Bliss punched her ticket for the next round in buzzer-beater fashion.
01:28Fire tapped out after the pinfall win.
01:31Claiming the final spot in the semi-finals would be Asuka, as the empress of tomorrow stamped her return after
01:39a year-long absence with a dominant performance.
01:46With the final four set, semi-final action would kick off on SmackDown with Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
01:54Highly skilled former champions.
01:57Empress Impact!
02:00Nine and three for Asuka!
02:05Over on Raw, the brash Roxanne Perez walked into the semi-finals with home-court advantage.
02:12Let's just say, things did not go the prodigy's way against Jade Cargill.
02:17The winner of this match-up faces Asuka, the finals of the Queen of the Rink tournament.
02:25Roxanne putting up a hell of a fight here tonight.
02:28Face first off of Jaden, she's gonna face Asuka at Night of Champions.
02:32I'm walking in to rain.
02:34And with that, we are down to the final two.
02:38The Storm and the Empress.
02:46Less than two years into her WWE career, the ascendant Jade Cargill now looks to grab her first major accolade
02:54as a singles competitor.
02:57What awaits Cargill is her most threatening opponent today, Asuka.
03:02The Japanese Phenomenon is looking to re-solidify her standing as the most feared woman in WWE by adding a
03:11Queen of the Ring tournament victory to her already stacked resume.
03:16The woman who emerges from the Battle of Victorious will have a one-way ticket to SummerSlam to challenge for
03:23the World Championship.
03:26Now they go one-on-one in the Queen of the Rink tournament finals.
03:30The WWE Universe's eyes are fixated on this generational clash.
03:38Asuka, Jade Cargill.
03:41Who will become the 2025 Queen of the Rink?
03:53Ladies and gentlemen, the following is the finals of the Queen of the Rink tournament in which the winner will
04:02go on to challenge for their brand's Women's Championship at SummerSlam.
04:48Introducing first, from Osaka, Japan, the Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka!
05:00The Empress who wants to become Queen, Asuka, who returned to action a couple of weeks ago after missing 13
05:09months with a knee injury.
05:11In a recent interview, Asuka talked about the recovery process.
05:15She said it wasn't easy.
05:16There were many tough days, but the voice of the WWE fans begging her to return are what kept her
05:22going.
05:23She never stopped.
05:24She matched her intensity in the training room to rehab, to get ready.
05:29And Wade, she says she's better than ever, and this is just the beginning.
05:34Well, she certainly has been better than ever on this run in the tournament so far.
05:39I think blowing everyone's minds at the caliber of performances she's put in.
05:45The knee clearly not an issue now.
05:47I do question the endurance, however, given that we're in such a hot, humid atmosphere, even though we're inside here
05:55in Riyadh.
05:56I'm sweating pockets, and that may be a talent factor for a competitor who has barely competed in over 400
06:03days.
06:15A storm is coming.
06:44And her opponent, from Merrill Beach, Florida, Jane Cargill!
06:56Jane Cargill has never competed for a singles championship in WWE.
07:03There's an opportunity to change that if she wins tonight.
07:07She would go on to SummerSlam to take on the WWE Women's Champion.
07:12If Asuka wins, she would headline SummerSlam against the Women's World Champion.
07:21It was back in May of 2024, last year in Backlash Lyon, France,
07:28where Jane Cargill and Bianca Belair took the tag team titles to the Kabuki Warriors.
07:32Tyree Spain and Asuka, and it was on that night that Asuka injured her knee.
07:36That would cost her 13 months of action.
07:39Wade, will that come into play?
07:40Will that be in her head here tonight?
07:42Yeah, I don't think it will.
07:44Sometimes you have that kind of speck that hanging over you when a competitor has injured you,
07:49and you either fear them doing it again, or you really want to get vengeance.
07:53It was a fairly innocuous injury, the way it went down.
07:57It wasn't a targeting attack on the knee of Asuka.
07:59I don't think that will come into play in the side of Asuka whatsoever.
08:03First time ever one-on-one between these two women.
08:09In 2021, Zelina Vega won the Queen's crown.
08:14Last year, Nia Jax won the Queen of the Ring.
08:17She went on to SummerSlam to beat Bayley for the WWE Women's title,
08:22who will become the latest Queen of the Ring.
08:27Two highly respectful competitors, but it did come to blows.
08:31Last night on SmackDown, the thin veneer of civility was scratched off quickly.
08:37With Asuka getting the best of Jade last night.
08:39And Jade said on the Countdown show, Asuka made a mistake when it came to blows like that.
08:44So let's talk strategy.
08:46If you're Jade Cargill in this matchup,
08:47how do you match a woman who I believe is a first ballot Hall of Famer in Asuka?
08:52Well, clearly there's a massive disparity in resumes here.
08:55An experienced Jade Cargill, miles behind Asuka.
09:00But you've got to hope that power game that you're known for
09:02really neutralizes that disparity in the early goings.
09:06And Asuka looking to put Cargill away early.
09:09Asuka going to pull out every trick in the book here tonight.
09:13Cargill turning it around.
09:14And there's the power you talked about with the side slam.
09:17Cover, put on the inside leg, and a kick out.
09:20It's really hard to find a weakness with regards to Jade Cargill.
09:23But occasionally, the temperament has been an issue.
09:26And over the fact that Nia Jax has exploited that in the past.
09:31And got Jade Cargill to essentially get herself disqualified.
09:34Oh, nice.
09:35Dragon screw on the rope by Asuka, who's taken over.
09:38Now, you talk about a weakness in Cargill.
09:40One of the things I noticed in her semi-final matchup against Roxanne Perez
09:44was the fact that she got frustrated.
09:47Roxanne Perez had her out of her game, and she got extremely frustrated and almost cost her.
09:52And now, the knee comes into play.
09:53And that's often an issue when competitors are bigger and stronger than most of the roster.
09:59When things aren't going their way, it's not what they're used to.
10:02They're supposed to be dominant.
10:04They're supposed to be able to control proceedings.
10:06And sometimes, they lose their rank when that doesn't happen.
10:10Boom!
10:10And this is a tremendous strategy covered out by Asuka Kickout to take out the leg of Cargill
10:16and make it an even playing field.
10:17Take the power game away.
10:19And even the way that went down, Asuka really baited Cargill into making a mistake in the early goings,
10:25realizing, look, the bigger powerful superstar, Jade Cargill.
10:28And if I take that knee out, suddenly, we're a lot more equal in terms of the power game.
10:33Asuka, a four-time world champion.
10:36Oh, jeez.
10:37As NXT Women's Champion, she held it a record 510 days.
10:43Four-time tag champ.
10:45She's won the Money in the Bank Royal Rumble.
10:47And who won't forget, the first 914 days she was at NXT and at WWE Wade, she was undefeated.
10:55She's won pretty much everything, apart from the Queen of the Rings.
10:58That money about to Jade!
10:59Yeah, got a knee bar on Jade Cargill.
11:03The damaged knee, Asuka now.
11:06Well, not a single thing has gone right for Jade Cargill right from the beginning.
11:10That is how good the strategy of Asuka has been.
11:14Yeah, but Jade Cargill looking to make it back to her feet.
11:16Shoulders down momentarily.
11:18And a great move.
11:19There's the power of Cargill coming into play.
11:22Dumping Asuka on the back of her head.
11:23It's a deadly wheelbarrow German suplex.
11:26And you're right, the power game has finally got a bit of breathing room here for Cargill.
11:33We're going to learn a lot about Jade Cargill in this match, Wade.
11:37The fact that she's got a damaged knee already after the attack by Asuka.
11:41Yeah, what's been the knock on Jade Cargill in a run in WWE so far, it's that she's been tagging
11:47with Bianca Belair.
11:49And trust me, pretty much anyone can win a tag title with Bianca Belair.
11:54But we saw Cargill step up huge at WrestleMania on her own against former friend Naomi.
12:01And that's the kind of confidence-building win that has propelled Cargill to this final.
12:07And now the fallaway slam by Jade Cargill in a kip-up.
12:12Sure how wise that was on a bad knee, but she pulled it off.
12:19Now Asuka back to her feet, and a kick drops Asuka.
12:23That was a bullseye, using full extension of those long limbs.
12:27Come on!
12:31Look at how power Asuka again with a choke slam, dropping her in the middle of the ring.
12:35Cover now for the win.
12:37Asuka just got a shoulder up, barely.
12:40You've got to give Jade Cargill all the credit in the world.
12:43She gets better every single time we see her.
12:46Clearly putting in the hard hours behind the scenes.
12:48Nailing a choke slam here, and Asuka, who dominated the first five minutes of this,
12:54looks like a changed woman now, though, of course, fighting back.
12:58Yeah, no, Jade Cargill, one of her toughest matches to date.
13:02Tough matchup when it comes to Asuka, so well-skilled in everything.
13:08Both women down.
13:10Finals of the Queen of the Ring, sold out tonight.
13:14The Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
13:16It's been an incredible couple of days as we prepare for the Royal Rumble here in Riyadh.
13:23First part of 2026.
13:26Both women struggling at this point.
13:28They've both taken and given massive, massive shots.
13:33The gleam of that crown has to be driving these two on.
13:42Jade Cargill beginning to get the upper hand now, delivering the right hands to the blows.
13:45Asuka, though, there's that backhand, and a kick to the midsection.
13:49And here comes Asuka.
13:50This right here is classic Asuka.
13:52Yeah, nine times out of ten, you always back the powerhouse in a strike exchange.
13:56Asuka's different, though.
13:57An absolute expert in the strike game.
14:01And if Jade Cargill didn't know, well, now she does.
14:04Asuka, a joy to watch, and now she's going to go up top.
14:07She's got Cargill on the ropes, and she knows it.
14:09Asuka.
14:10Missile block kick.
14:11Down goes Cargill.
14:13Asuka will go for the cover here and try to win the tournament.
14:16Jade kicks out.
14:17Well, you talked a few moments ago about how we're going to learn a lot about Jade Cargill.
14:22Now it is learning time, because Cargill really is going to have to dig deep and come up with some
14:28answers here.
14:28She's on the ropes.
14:30She's in big trouble, and Asuka smells victory.
14:44Asuka have planned here.
14:47Jade Cargill, though.
14:48No standing switch by Jade.
14:49Power now.
14:50Asuka rolls through.
14:51Shoulders down.
14:52Is it enough?
14:53Not quite.
14:53Asuka's doing a great job of just confusing Cargill, but wait up.
14:57And again, the power of Cargill overwhelming Asuka.
15:01Sit-out powerbomb.
15:03Asuka gets out at two.
15:04Just one moment of mental clarity from Jade Cargill.
15:09Turns the tie.
15:10Once again, blocking that knee strike.
15:13Powering up her opponent.
15:15Driving it down.
15:16That sit-out powerbomb that almost, almost, gets the crown in the hands of Jade Cargill.
15:22Referee, Stephanie LaShawn.
15:24Match up arm bar now by Asuka.
15:26Arm bar now by Asuka, center of the ring.
15:28And that arm is fully extended.
15:30Now desperately trying to block.
15:34Just about hugging those arms.
15:36How she powered her now.
15:37Oh, God.
15:38Asuka back into the full arm bar now on Jade.
15:42And a massive hyperextension.
15:44Smart by Cargill, though.
15:45Turns it into a hitting combination and a kick-out.
15:49There's a big boot by Jade, flooring Asuka.
15:53And now Cargill.
15:55Went off.
15:57Asuka, though.
15:58Jade was going for Jade and Asuka now.
16:00Again, looking for the Asuka lock.
16:02Looking for the Asuka lock on Cargill.
16:04Long way from the ropes now in extreme agony.
16:08Cargill in trouble.
16:11Asuka with the Asuka lock in.
16:13Cargill trying to fight out of it.
16:15Again, trying to turn it into a hitting combination.
16:17And she does again and again.
16:18Another great counter.
16:19That was so resourceful from Cargill, but she couldn't defend herself.
16:23But the Oslo that followed.
16:29And Asuka could be closing in.
16:34And for his impact, but caught.
16:36Intercepted by Cargill.
16:38Great counter.
16:39Down goes Asuka.
16:41Cover.
16:43Off Jayden.
16:45Jade Cargill wins.
16:47Feet of the ring.
16:55Well, Jade Cargill is your queen of the ring.
17:00But she had to crawl through hell to get there.
17:04Absolutely spent.
17:07Exhausted.
17:08But block out the pain.
17:10You are the queen of WWE, Jade.
17:14Biggest win of Jade Cargill's singles career here in WWE thus far.
17:21Not only is she queen of the ring, she's going to SummerSlam.
17:25Asuka had the Asuka lock in.
17:27But another great counter by Jade.
17:28Very impressive was Jade with her counters tonight.
17:31Yeah, clearly been working on reversals and escape plans.
17:35But this was the moment.
17:37I thought it was game over.
17:38Asuka immediately pouncing.
17:40Going in for that Empress impact.
17:42But the power of Cargill was too much.
17:45Honk Asuka, Empress of Tomorrow goes down.
17:49Victory in sight.
17:51No mistakes from here for Cargill.
17:54General managers Pierce and Elvis in the ring to present Jade Cargill with the queen of the ring crown.
18:00Our winner and the new queen of the ring, Jade Cargill!
18:14As Jade celebrates, let's head up to Byron Saxton.
18:18Jade, you are now headed to SummerSlam in a match for the WWE Women's Championship.
18:26How do you feel?
18:28You know, Byron, when I first entered this tournament, it felt like the world was on my shoulders.
18:37But you know what?
18:39For the people out there who are down themselves, praise yourself because you are fighting through the booze.
18:49Don't let them tell you who you are.
18:52You showed them.
18:55And the grind don't stop.
18:58A storm is coming for SummerSlam.
19:05Well, it remains to be seen who will be the WWE Women's Champion at SummerSlam.
19:11Could be Tiffany Stratton.
19:12Could be Naomi, who's missed money in the bank.
19:15But Jade Cargill has an opportunity.
19:18MetLife Stadium in New Jersey the first weekend of August.
19:29To win her first singles championship in WWE.
19:34WWE.
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