Hikaru Shida is the new TBS Champion after outlasting five other women in the first-ever Survival of the Fittest match in AEW on Wednesday’s edition of “AEW Dynamite.” The match between Shida, CMLL’s Persephone, Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander, Queen Aminata, and Stardom’s Maika was set up via a series of qualifying matches after Willow Nightingale had to relinquish the title due to injury at the end of May.
Fan-favorite Cameron was the first eliminated from the match after Persephone hit her with a Razor’s Edge. Persephone then almost had Statlander rolled up to score another fall immediately after, but Statlander escaped. While facing off with Maika, Statlander took a kendo stick shot to the back from Shida.
Maika and Shida battled one-on-one in the ring, and Statlander prevented Shida from using the kendo stick once again. Persephone came up behind her and used the weapon, however. Shida then eliminated Maika, and Persephone rolled up Aminata for another surprise elimination.
Statlander almost had Persephone pinned as the show came back from a break, but the CMLL star countered and nearly eliminated the former champion with a bridge off a German suplex. The women took each other out with clotheslines, and Shida almost stole a pin on them both. Statlander finally eliminated Persephone off a pin reversal after a series of offense from both women.
As the final two women in the ring, Shida almost had Statlander pinned off a Falcon Arrow. Shida got the title from ringside, but Statlander kicked it out of her hand. More pin reversals followed, but Shida got Statlander in an ankle lock. Statlander got to the apron, where Persephone nailed her with the title. Shida locked in another hold, but Statlander was knocked out, and Shida was declared victorious.
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