~ WWE: The Blueprint ~

[WrestleWizard]

​

PREVIEW: Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way Match​

Lita (c) vs. Trish Stratus vs. Victoria vs. Gail Kim

June 6, 2004

The Context: The Women's Championship picture has devolved from a simple rivalry into a chaotic power struggle involving four distinct, dangerous personalities. Lita, the daredevil champion, finds herself encircled by enemies on all sides. Her nemesis Trish Stratus is obsessed with reclaiming her throne. Victoria, the unpredictable wildcard, wants to hurt everyone indiscriminately. And Gail Kim, the technical assassin, has emerged from the shadows not as a pawn, but as a silent predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. General Manager Eric Bischoff, unable to contain the violence to singles matches, has made the call: A Fatal 4-Way Match where the first pinfall or submission decides the champion. The odds are stacked against Lita, who can lose her title without even being involved in the decision.

The Catalyst (May 10th) The chaos began in the aftermath of the Draft. During a highly anticipated match between Victoria and Gail Kim, Trish Stratus made her presence felt. But this wasn't just interference; it was a statement. Trish attacked Victoria, causing a disqualification, and then signaled for a further beatdown. Lita, nursing injured ribs from a previous encounter, rushed the ring to save her former rival, Victoria. However, the numbers game shifted unexpectedly. Gail Kim, seeing an opportunity to take out the champion, blindsided Lita with a chop block. It wasn't an alliance with Trish; it was opportunism. As Lita lay prone, Trish locked in a submission, screaming that Lita was a "broken champion," while Gail stood over them, eyeing the title belt with a hungry, possessive glare. The message was clear: everyone wanted the gold, and Lita was the prey.

The Fracture (May 17th) With Lita absent to sell the rib injury, the contenders turned on each other. Trish Stratus cut a promo claiming she was the "Queen" of the division and that the title was her birthright. She dismissed Gail Kim as a "flash in the pan" and Victoria as a "psycho." This arrogance backfired immediately. Gail Kim interrupted, not with words, but with action, engaging Trish in a technical wrestling clinic that left the former champion scrambling. Just as things heated up, Victoria’s music hit. The "Vicious Vixen" stormed the ring, not to align with anyone, but to create chaos. She laid out both Trish and Gail with a Widows Peak, standing tall in the center of the ring, pulling her hair and screaming. It became evident that there were no teams here—only four women with singular goals.

The Uneasy Alliances (May 24th) In an attempt to restore order, Eric Bischoff booked a tag team match: Lita & Victoria vs. Trish Stratus & Gail Kim. The match was a psychological minefield. Lita, heavily taped, struggled to trust the unstable Victoria, who refused to tag out, wanting to inflict pain herself. On the other side, the tension between Trish and Gail was palpable, with both women constantly trying to steal the spotlight. The finish came when Lita, fighting through pain, hit a Twist of Fate on Gail. However, before she could cover, Trish threw Victoria into Lita, breaking the pin and causing mass confusion. In the scramble, Gail Kim rolled up a distracted Lita for a shocking three-count. Gail had pinned the champion. The post-match scene was anarchy: Trish argued with Gail, furious that she didn't get the pin, while Victoria shoved Lita, blaming her for the loss.

The Total Collapse (May 31st) On the final Raw before King of the Ring, Bischoff demanded a "Summit" to make the Fatal 4-Way match official. He hoped that a verbal confrontation would keep the peace, but it was a powder keg waiting to explode. Trish insulted Lita’s injury history, calling her "damaged goods." Gail Kim coldly stated she had already pinned Lita and would do it again on Sunday. Victoria simply stared at the others, vibrating with intensity, before flipping the podium over onto Trish. The summit dissolved into a four-woman brawl that spilled out of the ring and up the ramp. Security tried to intervene but were tossed aside. The defining image of the night saw Lita, desperate to prove she was still the high-flying risk-taker, climbing the stage scaffolding and diving onto all three challengers below. As bodies lay strewn across the steel stage, Lita clutched her ribs in agony but held the title high. She had survived the brawl, but at what cost to her body?

Heading into Sacramento, the variables are endless. Trish Stratus has the experience and the cunning. Gail Kim has the technical prowess and the momentum of pinning the champion. Victoria has the unpredictability and raw power. And Lita has the heart of a champion, but a broken body. In a match where alliances are non-existent and danger comes from every direction, can Lita survive the odds, or will a new Queen be crowned in the chaos of the Fatal 4-Way?

ROUNDTABLE: Who Leaves Sacramento as Women's Champion?​

June 6, 2004

WWE.com has gathered a panel of experts from Raw, SmackDown, and Heat to break down the chaotic Fatal 4-Way match for the Women's Championship. With alliances shattered and careers on the line, our experts weigh in on who will survive the carnage at King of the Ring.

Jim Ross (Raw Play-by-Play): "Folks, this is a demolition derby, plain and simple. Lita has the heart of a lion, but her body has been through hell. Those ribs are a target you can see from the cheap seats. Trish Stratus is as cunning as they come, and she’s got a mean streak a mile wide. But don’t sleep on Victoria; she’s unpredictable, and in a match with no rules, chaos favors the insane. However, my gut tells me that Gail Kim is the one to watch. She’s cold, calculated, and she’s already pinned the champion. She’ll let the others destroy each other and pick the bones." Prediction: Gail Kim

The Coach (Raw Color Commentary): "JR, you’re too sentimental. Lita is damaged goods. Victoria is a loose cannon. Gail is talented, sure, but she lacks the big-match experience of a true queen. There is only one woman in this match who knows how to manipulate every situation to her advantage. Trish Stratus isn't just a wrestler; she’s a mastermind. She started this chaos to get her title back, and she’s going to finish it. The Queen reclaims her throne tonight." Prediction: Trish Stratus

Ivory (WWE Experience Host): "I’ve been in the ring with all of them. This isn't about wrestling ability anymore; it's about survival. Lita is hurt, yes, but that’s when she’s most dangerous. She fights best when her back is against the wall. Plus, she doesn't have to be the one to get the pin, but she also doesn't have to be pinned to lose. That stipulation scares me. But I think Lita’s desire to prove she’s not 'broken' will carry her through. She’ll hit a moonsault off something high and leave with the gold." Prediction: Lita

Todd Grisham (Sunday Night Heat): "I saw Victoria flip a table last week with one hand. She’s terrifying. In a Fatal 4-Way, the first fall wins. Victoria hits the Widows Peak out of nowhere, and it’s lights out. She doesn't care about alliances or strategies; she just wants to hurt people. I think she catches Trish or Gail while they're arguing and steals this one." Prediction: Victoria

Tazz (SmackDown Color Commentary): "Let me tell ya somethin', Cole. You got a lot of moving parts here. Trish and Gail? They got bad blood, no doubt about it. But don't sleep on Victoria, she's loopy, she's dangerous! But here's the thing, Lita? She's hurtin'. She's fightin' on fumes, baby. I hate to agree with Coachman, but Trish is smart. She's gonna let Gail do the heavy lifting, then bam! She steals it. Book it." Prediction: Trish Stratus

Final Tally​

• Trish Stratus: 2 Votes
• Gail Kim: 1 Vote
• Lita: 1 Vote
• Victoria: 1 Vote