The promotion's founder, Darius Lockhart, announced that Stone will no longer be participating in the show and has chosen to withdraw of her own accord. Stone advanced to the final round of the tournament in April after defeating La Rosa Negra in their quarter-final matchup in Las Vegas. Since then, Stone has completed her fourth tour of Japan and has maintained a busy schedule on the independent circuit, where she has also become a contracted talent with TNA. Karen "Bam Bam" Renee, Savannah Evans, and Charity King won their qualifying matchups, defeating Faye Jackson, Joseline Navarro, and Jordan Blade, respectively, to advance to the finals alongside Stone.  

Unless Stone is deliberately stepping back from her bookings for personal reasons, injuries, or if the relationship between TNA and WWE is influencing performers to work less on the independent circuit—especially for those not directly connected to the WWE ID system—there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. It’s challenging to assess the situation, particularly since Stone made the decision not to compete in the championship match for which she had already qualified. She has been actively participating in other matches outside of ASÉ that also have championship and tournament implications. Recently, Stone competed in two championship matches: facing Maggie Lee for the DREAMWAVE Women’s Title in LaSalle, Illinois, and then participating in a four-way match for Kiah Dream’s Women’s Title in Reality of Wrestling just eight days later.

Stone had not publicly addressed the situation with ASÉ, leading to speculation that her contractual obligations may be interfering with her outside bookings, or there could be another reason behind her withdrawal. The phrasing used by Lockhart to explain Stone's absence was not the most appropriate. While he may have intended to provide a straightforward explanation of Stone’s decision, his language doesn’t reflect well on him as the promoter. It gives the impression that Stone is unprofessional. This statement does not protect the talent and invites criticism that was previously absent. It is easier to dismiss a woman labeled as unprofessional or “difficult” to work with than to hold her peers accountable for their actions. 

Lockhart has mentioned before that competitors have withdrawn from their ASÉ bookings in the past due to various factors, such as mental health crises and scheduling conflicts, which are common reasons for last-minute changes to a card. However, the phrasing he used—especially if Lockhart was quoting Stone—raises concerns on multiple fronts. Stone has since released a statement expressing her disappointment in not being able to attend the ASÉ event, encouraging fans to continue supporting the promotion while prioritizing her career and moving forward. Nothing additional has been reported about the situation.  

Pro Wrestling: EVE has another jam-packed lineup primed for the fans at the Big Penny Social this Saturday in London. This particular event will feature competitors from All Elite Wrestling and Ring of Honor. It was announced back at the “Mean Grrrls” event in July that Julia Hart and Skye Blue would be making their EVE debuts, and they are set to face off against Millie McKenzie and Safire Reed in tag team action. Reed and McKenzie previously teamed up but suffered a loss in a Street Fight against Rayne Leverkusen and Emersyn Jayne at EVE’s “Wrestle (Wo) Mania” event in April. In Reed’s case, she might be looking to seek redemption after her match against Mercedes Mone for the Undisputed British Women’s Title didn’t go as planned, with the champion’s reign continuing unscathed. 

Image: Pro Wrestling: EVE ©

Rhio and Lucy Sky will face off in a number one contender’s matchup, with the winner going to challenge for the EVE Championship at “Elite Encounters” on November 7th. Rhio has had opportunities to compete for the title but hasn’t come close to winning the championship, aside from a few number-one contenders' matches. In contrast, this will be Sky’s first opportunity to contend for the belt, and she’s maintained a busy profile in and outside of EVE this year. Back in April, Sky won the vacant CATCH Women’s Title and is the reigning Wrestle Island Women’s Champion, a title she’s held since November 2023. Rhio is currently experiencing her second reign as PROGRESS Women’s Champion and recently dropped the TGW Women’s belt to Alexxis Falcon after holding onto the title for 457 days. 

Rhio and Emersyn Jayne ended Sky and her “Hard Up North” partner, Harley Hudson’s reign with the EVE Tag Team Titles back at “Mean Grrrls,” dropping the belts six months after beating out three additional teams in a four-way match at “Wrestle Queendom” in January. The recent champions' run came to an end earlier this month when Rhio forfeited the titles, as Jayne was unable to participate in the defense against Amira Blair and Zoe Lucas, known as Pretty Psycho. Lucas and Blair subsequently lost the belts in their first title defense at the same event. Hollie Barlow and Lana Austin, collectively known as "LALLIE," defeated Pretty Psycho, as well as Sky and Hudson, in an Elimination Tag Team match to become the new champions.

Pro Wrestling: EVE has also announced the promotional returns of Su Yung and VENY for their October 3rd show, “Global Women Strike IV,” and that the current EVE International Champion, Kris Statlander, will be returning at their upcoming event, “Strong Women Style,” on September 5th in London. Queen Aminata is the latest name to join her Elite associates in London, and her EVE debut marks her first trip overseas since working for Marvelous in 2023. Aminata will collide with the former EVE International Champion, Anita Vaughan, and a victory here could lead to a shot at Statlander’s title, while Vaughan is chomping at the bit for a rematch. Aminata is undefeated in Ring of Honor and has appeared in several multi-woman matchups on AEW programming, and she needs a breakout moment — EVE could be that place. 

Billie Starkz last competed for EVE at “No Money In the Bank” in July 2023, where she suffered a loss at the hands of Nina Samuels. She had made her debut for the promotion in May during their two-day event at the Dome in London. Starkz won the number one contender’s tournament final against Emersyn Jayne, earning the opportunity to challenge then-champion Miyu Yamashita for the title. However, she was unable to wrestle the championship away from Yamashita in their matchup the following day. Starkz and Yamashita have continued their rivalry, but as of May 2025, Starkz has beaten Yamashita twice in non-title matches and also defeated her for the SPARK Joshi World Title. Yamashita gained some comeuppance during Starkz' recent trip to Japan for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling in July and beat her one-on-one at the Ota City Gymnasium. Lastly, EVE has announced that Nina Samuels will be competing in a number-one contender’s matchup for Kris Statlander’s International Title. The promotion stated that their inability to narrow Samuels’ opponent down to one competitor has led to the booking of an Absolute Chaos Match for a shot at the belt. Samuels will face three additional opponents that won’t be revealed until Saturday’s show — let the speculation begin. 

Image: Women's Wrestling Syndicate ©

LuFisto played a crucial role in founding the promotion; she was vital in creating a supportive environment for women in the Canadian independent wrestling scene, particularly in Quebec, where opportunities were often limited or completely lacking. In September 2009, she, along with then-booker Stephane Bruyere, launched nCw Femmes Fatales. Together, they built a legacy for the promotion and helped expand the careers of many competitors who were struggling for recognition across the border. The promotion gained international recognition and hosted many overseas talents as part of the many, infamous #FemaleFightSeason gatherings throughout the years — I’ll possibly do a deep dive on that soon. 

Femmes Fatales’ ownership changed in 2018, with Pat Laprade taking the reins and Michael Bisson later joining the team. The promotion held its final show in May at the Centre Horizon in Quebec City, where the crowd gave LuFisto a standing ovation as she left the ring. Many familiar faces from Femmes Fatales can be seen in the Women’s Wrestling Syndicate, including Angie Skye, Mary Lee Rose, Sally, Jessika Black, and the final Femmes Fatales Champion, Azaelle. The rest of the show’s lineup includes singles matches and a four-way competition featuring Black, who will take on Ali Ivy, Leah Sparks, and “Deadgirl” Sally. Additionally, Katrina Creed will face Azaelle, Mary Lee Rose will battle Dani Leo, Kristara will compete against Caroline, and Dreya Mitchell will go up against Heavy Rox.

On September 27th, another women's event will take place outside of EVE, at the Fusion Nightclub in Liverpool. TNT Extreme Wrestling is hosting a “Sirens Fury” show titled “Where the Big Girls Play.” The promotion has already started announcing matches and the list of participants set to appear at the event. To start, Lana Austin will defend her Undisputed Women’s Championship against Session Moth Martina. 

Image: TNT Extreme Wrestling ©

Martina has recently challenged Austin for the championship belt, explaining that although she is the new champion, she has yet to pin the original titleholder. Skye Smitson and LA Taylor, known as The Experience, are set to defend their TNT Women’s Tag Team Titles against former champions Molly Spartan and Kasey Owens, collectively referred to as the "She-Wolves." This match will mark The Experience’s second title defense since they ended Emersyn Jayne and Rhio’s nearly one-year reign as champions back in January. Additionally, Smitson and Taylor are double champions, having held the RCW Women’s Tag Team Titles based in Barcelona, Spain, for over 500 days and counting. 

Hannah Taylor is one of the latest names announced for the show, and her appearance will be her first in over three years for the promotion after suffering a stroke shortly after her last matchup. Taylor has openly shared her rehabilitation journey following a stroke caused by a blood clot on the lower right side of her brain. This left her unable to use her left side, making daily tasks like tying her shoes difficult. To regain control of her life, she underwent speech and physiotherapy. Taylor returned to in-ring competition in May of this year and even worked a few matches stateside, and recently unseated Nina Samuels for the BLW Women’s Championship in Weymouth, England. The most recent titleholder will be in action on the show — Lucy Sky will be taking on the current EVE Champion, Nightshade, in their first singles matchup in over a year. Also announced is a clash between Chantal Jordan and Sadie Gibbs, who will be making her debut for the promotion, and Alexxis Falcon will be taking on Angel Hayze. 

Joshy, Joshi, Joshe News: SEAdLINNG turns 10: Makoto defends against Hiroyo, the finals of Tokyo Princess Cup

For the first time, Hiroyo Matsumoto will challenge Makoto for the Beyond The Sea Championship this Friday at Korakuen Hall. Despite both wrestlers having nearly twenty years of experience, they have never faced each other in a one-on-one match. Their championship accomplishments are closely matched, with Matsumoto holding fifteen titles to Makoto's thirteen. The current champion has referred to Matsumoto as her “contemporary,” noting that while their career paths have diverged since their debuts in 2006, she feels more aligned than ever to stand as a formidable challenge against Matsumoto.

Image: SEAdLINNNG ©

Reflecting on their early beginnings, Makoto started her wrestling career in Ice Ribbon under the guidance of Emi Sakura. She later moved to Tajiri's SMASH promotion and subsequently to Wrestling New Classic. Early in her career, she faced criticism for her in-ring skills and for getting hair extensions to attract the attention of WWE. Many of her peers questioned her choices, and her early performances were often seen as cringeworthy—not due to a lack of physical ability, but because she had yet to find her footing as a professional wrestler. Although she was a veteran, she often left the ring battered and bruised, facing defeats from other veterans as if she were new to the sport.

In March 2016, Makoto’s fortunes changed when she defeated Tsukasa Fujimoto to win the REINA World Women’s Championship at Korakuen Hall. Her title reign lasted 463 days, surpassing Syuri’s previous record of 462 days and making her the longest-reigning champion in the title's history. Makoto had also held the ICEx60 Championship and the WNC Women’s title, albeit briefly. Additionally, she shared the International Ribbon straps twice with Emi Sakura and won the REINA Tag Team Titles three times with different partners.

While Makoto's career had its fluctuations, Matsumoto was already making a name for herself, having been part of the first group of Joshi wrestlers brought to the United States for SHIMMER tapings at the Berwyn Eagles Club in Illinois. In 2011, she briefly held the tag team titles with Misaki Ohata and later competed for SHIMMER's main championship three times, with her last appearance in 2019 against Nicole Savoy. Matsumoto, whom Mariko Yoshida trained, also worked for her promotion, Ibuki. She has maintained a busy schedule with numerous bookings, achieving success in singles competition, and recently won her seventh OZ Academy Tag Team title with ZONES. 

In addition to the main title match, the event will celebrate SEAdLINNNG’s tenth anniversary. The promotion was established by Nanae Takahashi and longtime friend, Natsuki*Taiyo, a few months after she departed from STARDOM, following the Yoshiko-Act Yasukawa incident. SEAdLINNNG officially launched in June 2015, with its debut show taking place in August at Korakuen Hall. In December 2021, Takahashi stepped down from her role as President and left the promotion. Takahashi underwent knee surgery in October and has been diligently working on her mental health after being diagnosed with depression in 2017. She mentioned that her ambition to compete at a high level was starting to conflict with her responsibilities in managing SEAdLINNNG. As a result, she decided to return to freelancing to complete her career.

Also announced for the show’s card, Ayame Sasamura and Itsuki Aoki will defend their Beyond The Sea Tag Team Championship against Natsu Sumire and Mio Shirai in the second title match of the show. This will be the champions' fourth defense since winning the belts from Makoto and Nagisa Nozaki last August. The bout will occur one day before their year reign anniversary, making it the second-longest in the title's history. Competitors from STARDOM’s roster will participate in the upcoming show. H.A.T.E.’s Natsuko Tora and Ruaka will face off against Unagi Sayaka and Honori Hana. In another match, Sareee, VENY, Ayami Mizunami, and Takumi Iroha will take on Nagisa Nozaki, Rina Yamashita, Miyuki Takase, and the "Amazon," Ayesha Ray. Additionally, SEAdLINNNG’s manager, Arisa Nakajima, announced a rookie showcase featuring the promotion’s homegrown talent, with Yuki Funa and Miria Kouga competing against Selene Misora and Honori Hana. There will also be a Battle Royal, including Yumiko Hotta, Madison Marley, and Mima Shimoda, and in tag team action, La Pidita (Kaho Kobayashi) and Ka Kedita (Kakeru Sekiguchi) will be going up against YuuRi and Miku Kanae.

Image: Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling ©

In addition to the finals, Yuki Arai and Maki Itoh will have their long-awaited first singles match in over three years. Their last meeting was in May 2021, when Arai made her debut and Itoh secured the victory. The champion, Mizuki, will also compete in a non-title match against Pom Harajuku. Other exciting matches include Yuna Manase facing Toga, and a Battle Royal featuring Juri Suzue defending the DDT Ironwan Heavymetalweight Championship against Ram Kaichow, Shino Suzuki, Chika Nanase, Kira Summer, along with former champions Raku and Miyu Yamashita. Additionally, two multi-woman matches are scheduled. In one, Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, HIMAWARI, and Kaya Toribami will take on Wakana Uehara, Yuki Kamifuku, Mifu Ashida, and Aja Kong. In the other, a six-woman tag match will feature Haru Kazashiro, Yuki Aino, and Uta Takami competing against Ren Konatsu, Suzume, and Rika Tatsumi. The card is shaping up to be a thrilling showcase of talent. 

Plugs 🔌 & Links 🔗: 

🔗The most recent edition of the Ringbelles Roundup is right here and here. Going forward, the newsletter will be sporting a new look and will be posted twice a month. The “Chibi” News version will be posted in between weeks when things have either transpired after the Roundup is posted or will contain the rest of the news the column didn’t cover. The official website is still undergoing another round of botox. 

🔗I contributed to this year’s BRP50 for the Black Rasslin Podcast, 

with a featured piece on Black women and their experiences and successes while working in Japan. The History of the Black Joshi includes Aja Kong, Ayesha Raymond, Roni Nicole, Nicole Savoy, Amazing Kong, Michin, and so many more women are acknowledged in this piece, which is right here. Also, be sure to follow them and the rest of the crew here, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

🔗 It's Seiyamyname on Bluesky and X

Stateside & Canadian Indy News: 

• Mara Sade will face Ava Everett at Jersey Championship Wrestling’s show on September 21st in Asbury Park 

• Rebecca J. Scott defends the Uprising Alternative Title against Brittnie Brooks on October 11th in Peru, Illinois 

• Johnnie Robbie challenges Vert Vixen for the New Texas Pro Women’s Title on August 31st in Austin

• Nixi XS is heading overseas — she’s booked for Drag Attack Wrestling’s “Divas In Paris” on August 29th and will face Lauriana. Melina and Ariane Andrew are also names confirmed for the show, in addition to Tayce, a season two finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK 

• Kelsey Raegan defends the SHINE Title outside Florida — she will be defending the belt in New Jersey on September 20th against Tiffani Avatar for Pro Wrestling Magic 

• Kristara puts her NSPW Junior Heavyweight Title on the line against Indi Hartwell on September 12th in Quebec. Kristara is currently six successful defenses deep into her reign 

• Brittnie Brooks and Mylo will fight to determine the first-ever Rival Pro Women’s Champion on September 13th in Baldwin Park, California 

• Zyra, Fallyn Grey, Brooke Havok, Tiffany Nieves, Gypsy Mac, Mylo, Jordan Blu, Simone Williams, and SOS have all been confirmed to appear for Future Of Women’s Wrestling's latest lineup on October 25th

• Arizona Wrestling Federation has announced a four-way match to determine the new Women’s Champion on August 30th in Phoenix after Elayna Black vacated the newly won title upon her decision to step away from the business. Fallyn Grey, SOS, Priscilla Kelly, and Xia Brookside are the participants. The new champion will defend the belt against Shotzi Blackheart on September 27th

• Hyan will be returning to F1RST Wrestling on September 6th — she’ll be putting her Uptown VFW Championship on the line 

• All Star Wrestling has two qualifying matches set for their upcoming show on September 20th in British Columbia — AMIRA will be taking on Hyan, and Kikyo will face the debuting Zoe Dubois. The winners will go on to participate in the Keys to the Vault ladder match on November 29th, where they fight for a shot at Murphy Madsen’s Women’s Title. Danika Della Rouge and Anna Beretta have already qualified. Also added to the lineup, Murphy Madsen will be defending the title against Su Yung

• Megan Bayne faces Shotzi Blackheart at GCW’s show in Detroit, Michigan, on September 12th 

• Kris Statlander returns to Beyond Wrestling on August 29th, as she’s set to take on Liviyah at “Americana” in Cranston, Rhode Island

• Shotzi Blackheart takes on Priscilla Kelly for House of Glory’s Philadelphia lineup on September 4th

• Hooligan Championship Wrestling is set to crown its new Heritage Champion after the previous titleholder, Kylie Alexa, relinquished the belt back in June. Alexis Littlefoot, Teagan Thorne, Dixie Douglas, Mercy, and Ashlyn Alexander are some of the first names announced to be in line for the title match

• Lena Kross’ debut for Blitzkrieg Pro is set for October 11th in Enfield, Connecticut 

• Dropkick Depression will be hosting another benefit show on October 11th in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the proceeds from the event will go the ALS United, an organization founded to help people diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) to live a longer, more comfortable life with medical care and resources provided and support 

• Zero1 USA presents “Divine: A Women’s Wrestling Event” on September 5th at the Berwyn Eagles Club

• Shawna Reed defends her RCW Women’s Championship against Nixon Newell on August 30th

• Johnnie Robbie defends the West Coast Pro Women’s Title against Miko Alana on September 5th 

• A Mixed Tag Team match is booked for Maple Leaf Pro’s September 5th show in Ohsweken, Ontario, as Taylor Rising and Kris Chambers take on Shotzi Blackheart and PCO 

BritWrestling Indy News:

• Isla Dawn will be making her debut for Absolute Intense Wrestling on September 20th in Lakewood, Ohio. Dawn will be appearing in a non-tournament capacity, as the promotion’s annual JT Lightning Invitational Tournament will be taking place during the doubleheader

• Rayne Leverkusen defends the Maiden of Chaos Championship against Dani Luna on September 13th

• Kanji faces Chip McSwings in the finals of ATTACK Pro’s Weird And Wonderful World Cup on August 30th in Cardiff

• Evolution Wrestling has postponed their all-women’s show, “Revolution,” on August 29th in Hanham. The show had a stacked lineup of matches — no further information on the cancellation has been provided

• Italian wrestler Camilla has arrived in Japan for her first tour of the country 

  Joshi Scene:

• SAKI will be defending the Openweight Championship against Leon at PURE-J’s show at the Itabashi Green Hall on August 31st 

• Emi Sakura recently celebrated her thirtieth anniversary in wrestling and has stated that she has no intentions of slowing down. Sakura debuted in August 1995 for IWA Japan and has gone on to found two promotions, ChocoPro and Ice Ribbon 

• Sumire Natsu will face Yuu in the main event of her self-produced event on October 31st at the Tokyo Square in Itabashi

• Yuki Miyazaki’s retirement show is scheduled for January 1st at Korakuen Hall 

Aussie & Kiwis’ Scene:

• Edith Night takes on Stella Nyx for Explosive Pro Wrestling on October 6th 

• Adelaide Championship Wrestling has announced a tournament to crown the inaugural South Australian Women’s Champion, which kicks off on September 13th in Norwood. Miki Fortune and Savannah Summers are the first competitors to stake their claim for the title 

• Vixsin challenges John Wayne Murdoch for the American Deathmatch Title at ICW’s  No Holds Barred show on October 18th in Red Bank, Tennessee

• Frankie B takes on Ivelisse for the number one contendership to the BCW Women’s Championship on October 24th in Victoria