Toni Storm

When WWE announced the Queen's Crown tournament, it appeared the company would be giving significant time to non-title women's division matches.

If Friday's SmackDown was any indication, that doesn't appear to be the case.

Opening-round matches between Toni Storm and Zelina Vega and Liv Morgan and Carmella lasted less than four minutes combined, and both matches were shorter than Roman Reigns' entrance for his promo segment.

Fightful Select reported there has been "significant frustration from talent and staff" regarding a lack of care given to the women's division in WWE.

While main event feuds in the division are regularly given time, the lower and midcard of the division are a mess. The women's tag team titles have not felt significant since their introduction, thanks in large part to a lack of commitment to tag teams in the division and the poor booking of tag champions.

Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart and Natalya and Tamina were both split at the WWE draft, leaving champions Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. as the only actual tag team remaining in the division.

The Queen's Crown seems to be another missed opportunity, and the fact that WWE is blowing off Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair in Saudi Arabia is also a questionable decision given that country's history of gender inequality.

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Io Shirai beat Toni Storm on Wednesday to retain the NXT Women's Championship.

Storm went on the offensive numerous times in this match, delivering a Hip Attack and a suplex off the top rope:

However, Shirai later delivered a moonsault off the top rope onto Storm, who stood on the floor below: 

Eventually, Shirai won after applying a crossface to Storm, who had just missed on a moonsault beforehand.

The pair have been at odds for several weeks dating back to the build toward a Triple Threat NXT Women's Championship match at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day in February that also involved Mercedes Martinez.

Martinez took the fall in that match, which led to Storm pushing for another title opportunity. The Lightning Down Under even accused Shirai of ducking her and suggested she was afraid to put the title on the line against her.

In subsequent weeks, Shirai and Storm attacked each other on multiple occasions, which only served to add fuel to the fire with regard to their rivalry.

The recent issues between the two made their match a must-see affair, but they also had some history together that goes further back and added even more intrigue to the encounter.

The first time Shirai and Storm faced each other was in the finals of the second Mae Young Classic in 2018. That match took place at the Evolution pay-per-view and still stands as a memorable and beloved bout. Shirai was arguably viewed as the favorite entering that match, but it was Storm who prevailed and launched herself to superstardom.

While The Joshi Judas rebounded and became a huge star in her own right, Storm entered Wednesday's episode of WWE NXT with a psychological advantage of sorts.

Shirai had never beaten Storm in a one-on-one singles match, and The Lightning Down Under aimed to prove she still had her rival's number.

Despite some of the factors working against Shirai, she managed to extend her nearly 280-day title reign, and Storm is still in search of her first NXT Women's Championship win.

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