Tag: aew women’s eliminator tournament

The Big Takeaway:

Nyla Rose defeated Thunder Rosa to advance to Wednesday’s finals of the AEW Women’s eliminator tournament where she will face Ryo Mizunami with the victor moving on to face champion Hikaru Shida at Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view.

Show Report:

Excalibur and Taz were on commentary.

Madi Wrenkowski defeated Leva Bates

Wrenkowski tossed one of Bates’ books at her immediately, but was kicked out of the ring for her trouble. Bates landed a crossbody to the floor and brought the action back in the ring, hitting a Northern Lights suplex for two. Wrenkowski rolled to the outside and pulled Bates across the ropes, allowing her to take control. A sliding lariat followed for two.

Bates hit Wrenkowski with a high kick, a bulldog, a thrust kick, and a small package for two. Wrenkowski fought back with a facebuster for a near fall. She then took Bates’ book and started ripping pages out. Bates got it back and tried to hit her opponent with it, but the official took it and put it away. That distraction allowed Wrenkowski to smack Bates with a different book for the win, her first in AEW.

Leyla Hirsch defeated Miranda Alize

They had an extended lockup sequence early until Hirsch downed Alize with a shoulder block. Alize tried to come back with a headscissors that mostly landed and then countered an apron spear from Hirsch with a rising knee strike.

Hirsch landed forearms in the corner and a bicycle knee, followed by a brainbuster for two. She put Alize in the fireman’s carry, but Alize fought out and downed Hirsch with a right hand. Alize landed some sort of springboard dive for two. She was fired up, but Hirsch immediately countered the follow-up with a cross armbreaker for the submission victory.

Nyla Rose defeated Thunder Rosa to advance to the AEW Women’s eliminator tournament finals

This was a strong final to the US side of the bracket. It was occasionally sloppy, but the two worked extremely hard.

Rose was frustrated early on as she couldn’t overpower Rosa like she wanted as the smaller wrestler came back with repeated kicks. However, Rose caught a springboard that Rosa fought out of, laying in more kicks to Rose’s hamstring. Rosa countered a chokeslam into an ankle lock. 

After a long fight, Rosa transitioned into repeated elbow drops on Rose’s knee. She then applied a single leg crab, but Rose reached the ropes. They moved to the outside, where Rose slammed Rosa into the barricade. Back in the ring, a couple Rose diving body splashes got a two count.

Rosa fought out of rest holds and avoided a corner spear from Rose. After sending Rose into the turnbuckle, she landed a diving crossbody on Rose on the floor. The official spent a long time checking on Rose who may have gotten legitimately rocked on the crossbody. Rose then popped up and slammed Rosa’s face into the turnbuckle.

Back in the ring, a back suplex from Rose got two. Rose then hit repeated backbreakers and a uranage for a near fall. She headed to the top rope, but Rosa pulled her down for a rough landing. Rosa capitalized with a corner clothesline and a dropkick before going to the top herself with a missile dropkick for a near fall.

Rosa tried to follow it up with a suplex, but couldn’t due to the damage to her back. Rose took advantage by draping Rosa over the top rope and landing a diving knee drop for a close near fall. Rose couldn’t keep up the attack due to her knee injury and Rosa hit a death valley driver for two. Rosa fought out of a cazadora into a wheelbarrow stunner and then hit a backdrop suplex for a very close two (Rose didn’t get her shoulder up in time). 

Rose then countered a top rope dive from Rosa right into the Beast Bomb to win and advance to Wednesday’s finals against Ryo Mizunami.

Upcoming matches:

• Wednesday on Dynamite: Nyla Rose vs. Ryo Mizunami in the tournament finals
• Sunday at Revolution: Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida vs. the tournament winner

Final Thoughts:

Tonight’s tournament match was very good — not as good as the very best performances in the tournament but a worthy semifinal. The preliminary matches were absolutely nothing, if not outright bad at times. Hirsch, however, continues to show potential.

The Big Takeaways:

Ryo Mizunami advanced to the tournament finals and awaits the winner of Nyla Rose vs. Thunder Rosa as the latter defeated Riho in the last U.S. semifinal. 

Show Report:

Excalibur and Taz were on commentary. The American match was taped at Daily’s Place while the Japanese match was taped at the Ice Ribbon Dojo in Saitama, Japan.

AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida, Mei Suruga & Rin Kadokura defeated Emi Sakura, Maki Itoh & Veny

This was a fantastic, all action tag match with everyone showing up and showing out with Veny as the highlight.

Itoh performed her customary song and dance ahead of the match.

The Sakura team attacked before the bell, but Itoh couldn’t capitalize with a Kokeshi headbutt. She set up for the “cutest in the world” right hands in the corner until Shida forced her way out. Shida shrugged off some strikes, but Itoh fired up and hit a headbutt before running into a step up kick.

Sakura and Kadokura tagged in with the latter landing a flurry of offense, concluded with a corner cannonball. Sakura came back with multiple backbreakers before tagging in Veny. Kadokura laid in strikes to little effect and was downed by a single Veny slap but Suruga tripped Veny up on the follow up.

Kadokura landed a missile dropkick, but Veny rolled out of it and laid Kadokura out. Kadokura got the better of the follow up exchange with a Northern Lights suplex, a thrust kick and a DDT. Suruga tagged in with a springboard double stomp and bridged into the Apple Mutilation, but Veny reached the ropes.

Veny caught Suruga’s dive and planted her with a wheelbarrow facebuster. A springboard moonsault from Veny got two before tagging in Sakura. The veteran tossed her trainee Suruga around the ring before locking on a Romero Special from which Itoh landed a Kokeshi headbutt.

Suruga stomped on Veny’s feet, but they used their strength to slam Suruga in return. Itoh used the ropes as leverage to crank on Suruga’s neck, but that only got two. Sakura tagged in and continued the beatdown on Suruga. Suruga used her athleticism to escape some big moves and was finally able to land a slam of her own, reaching Shida for the hot tag.

Shida suplexed Veny into their two partners in the corner. After a rising apron knee, a meteora from Shida got two. Shida and Sakura exchanged tilt-a-whirl backbreakers and then each landed one on an opponent. Sakura landed hard chops, but Shida fought back with repeated right hands. A swinging Sakura neckbreaker was followed up with a corner press, but Shida fought back with a rising knee.

We got the parade of big moves, concluded with the Big Apple punch from Suruga. The two Sakura trainees, Shida and Suruga, flicked their mentor in the face before hitting a double team. Sakura continued to fight back on both opponents before tagging in Veny, who halfway landed an Orihara moonsault on Shida on the floor. 

A spinning heel kick from Veny, a Vader bomb from Sakura, and a moonsault from Veny got a near fall on Shida. Shida rolled through with a big forearm, but Veny escaped the Falcon Arrow and hit a German suplex. Itoh hit a headbutt from the apron, allowing Veny to hit a Liger bomb for a close near fall.

Veny went to the top rope, but Kadokura took Veny down with a hurricanrana. Shida landed a superplex for two before hitting the Tamashii, but Sakura barely broke up the pin at the last second. Shida’s partners dispatched their opponents and Shida landed the Falcon Arrow for a great near fall with the Tamashii follow up enough to end it.

After the match, Sakura attacked Shida and the teams brawled, but the winning team stood tall at the end.

Ryo Mizunami defeated Yuka Sakazaki to advance to the AEW Women’s eliminator tournament finals

The match featured strong work from both competitors, but didn’t quite reach the level of the two Emi Sakura tournament matches.

Both women were fired up before the match. They performed chain wrestling early on with Mizunami targeting Sakazaki’s arm. Sakazaki used a nice escape to turn the tables. She tried to take Mizunami down with dropkicks, but Mizunami wouldn’t budge. Sakazaki poked her eye and escaped a suplex attempt, cradling her opponent for multiple two counts.

A bodyslam attempt was countered by Mizunami, who kept up the attack with a shoulderblock. Mizunami’s power advantage allowed her to maintain control and a camel clutch. She laid in machine gun chops in the corner, but missed the conclusion, allowing Sakazaki to escape and land a hurricanrana.

Sakazaki hit a rising knee and a diving elbow strike and called for the brainbuster, but Mizunami was too strong. Sakazaki instead opted to apply a calf slicer. She followed it up with a sliding elbow smash, but Mizunami countered with more running offense with a powerslam. A wheelbarrow German and a low leg lariat got two and Mizunami immediately followed it up with the head and arm choke.

The hold wasn’t on for long as Sakazaki transitioned into a triangle hold, but Mizunami fought out with a power bomb. They traded strikes until Mizunami won the exchange with a lariat. Mizunami called for the strong lariat, but Sakazaki countered with a straight punch and the sliding lariat for two.

Sakazaki hit the Magical Girl Splash, but it only got two. Mizunami rolled out of the way of the 450 and hit a uranage. Mizunami hit a headbutt, but Sakazaki countered the fireman’s carry and hit a hurricanrana cradle for two. Mizunami crushed Sakazaki with a lariat, but rolled through with a cradle for two. Mizunami then hit a spear and a short clothesline for a near fall.

Mizunami hit a Samoan driver leg drop to win and advance to Wednesday’s tournament final on Dynamite.

Thunder Rosa defeated Riho to advance to the AEW Women’s Eliminator Tournament U.S. final

This was enjoyable, but it ended just as it was getting really good.

Neither wrestler could establish an advantage early on as they performed technical wrestling. Riho won a choreographed sequence with a dropkick and landed a high kick for two. She continued to control the action with short neckbreakers before applying a unique neck crank. 

Riho came back with a tijeras after a quick exchange before landing a tiger feint kick for two. Rosa regained control, targeting Riho’s neck with a leg trap full nelson. She showed frustration as Riho kicked out of continued covers and locked on a dragon sleeper. Riho bridged out of it with a Northern Lights suplex for two.

A diving hurricanrana from Riho started her comeback. She followed it up with a standing stomp and a diving crossbody for two. Rosa forced Riho into the corner and landed a diving clothesline, double knees, and a nice corner dropkick for two. Rosa tried to follow it up with a fireman’s carry, but Riho fought out and hit a dragon suplex.

They both fought on the top rope, but Riho was able to lay in forearms and land a hanging double foot stomp for a near fall. They traded forearms and slaps in the center of the ring, but a Rosa lariat ended the exchange for a two count. Out of nowhere, Riho rolled Rosa up for a close near fall but Rosa cradled Riho to pick up the win to advance.

**********

Coming up:

• Monday on YouTube: Nyla Rose vs. Thunder Rosa in the U.S. finals
• Wednesday on Dynamite: Ryo Mizunami vs. Rose/Rosa in the tournament finals
• Sunday at Revolution: Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida vs. the tournament winner

Final Thoughts:

Three very good matches made this an eminently enjoyable hour of wrestling television. Don’t sleep on that tag match as it was as good as any of the singles matches in this tournament.

Something to keep in mind: AEW needs to sort out the explanations of where to access this content, as well as who can access it. I saw a lot of concern about people being unable to find or access the show, especially the international audience. (Editor’s note: AEW put up the matches on YouTube as the show was going due to the problems with the international audience.)

The Big Takeaways:

The Japanese matches were excellent and the American matches were passable as Nyla Rose, Britt Baker, Yuka Sakazaki, and Ryo Mizunami advanced.

Show Report:

Excalibur was joined by Taz on commentary this week after calling the previous week solo. The American matches were taped at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville while the Japanese matches were taped at the Ice Ribbon Dojo in Saitama, Japan.

U.S. bracket first round: Nyla Rose (w/ Vickie Guerrero) defeated Tay Conti

This was an okay match with some sloppy moments.

Rose easily overpowered Conti early on, but Conti wouldn’t back down so Rose just slammed her. Conti kicked out Rose’s leg and went for a sleeper, but Rose escaped and hit a flipping neckbreaker. Conti fought back with some kicks but was countered with a dragon screw. Rose turned her attention to Conti’s leg, targeting it repeatedly. A running splash from Rose got two. 

Rose locked on a leg lock, but Conti struck her way out of it and attempted a kneebar. Rose stomped Conti down and went for the Beast Bomb, but Conti used a hurricanrana to escape and hit a heel kick before running into a lariat. 

Conti landed corner strikes and a running knee strike before transitioning into judo throws. She then spiked Rose with a hammerlock DDT for two. They traded strikes until Rose landed an open hand slap with Conti returning the favor. 

Rose escaped a dragon sleeper attempt by falling backward out of it. She pulled the turnbuckle pad off and tried to lawn dart Conti into it, but referee Audrey Edwards wasn’t having it. Conti then tried to roll Rose up and got a visual pinfall, but Edwards was late. 

Conti was backdropped onto the ramp and met with a death valley driver for good measure. Rose then hit the Beast Bomb to pick up the win.

Japan bracket semifinals: Yuka Sakazaki defeated Emi Sakura

This was a great match and the best of the Japanese matches so far.

Sakura tossed Sakasaki around the ring effortlessly early on until Sakazaki avoided a lariat and sent Sakura out of the ring with a dropkick. She followed it up with a nice flipping senton. As Sakura re-entered the ring, her students (one of whom is Mei Suruga, Sakazaki’s first round matchup) beat down Sakazaki on the floor while Sakura distracted the official. 

Sakura focused her attack on Sakazaki’s neck and back, using the ropes as leverage during some cranks and stretches. She applied a great Romero Special, continuing to dismantle Sakazaki’s back. Sakazaki backdropped her way out of a double underhook and landed a high knee in the corner. She followed it up with a diving back elbow and a northern lights bomb before deathlocking Sakura’s legs.

After a long fight, Sakura eventually reached the ropes. Sakazaki kept up the momentum with a rope walk dropkick for two. Sakura fought out of a hammerlock carry and transitioned to a dragon sleeper, opting to spin Sakazaki out with a neckbreaker.

Sakura landed a Vader bomb for two. She placed her opponent on the top rope and raked her back, but Sakazaki had the follow up scouted, hitting a seated splash and a hurricanrana for two. After a flatliner, Sakazaki set up for the Magical Girl Splash, but Sakura had it scouted with a backbreaker. Sakura then hit a twisting Vader bomb for a close two.

Sakazaki hit a spinning hammerlock facebuster, but Sakura caught the follow up and hit another backbreaker. They traded hard strikes in the center of the ring with Sakazaki downing Sakura with a discus forearm. Sakura laughed it off and laid in chops before a cradle exchange ended with a Sakazaki kick.

Sakura avoided the sliding lariat and chopped Sakazaki down for two. She then rolled through La Magistral with a dragon sleeper applied, but Sakazaki reached the ropes. Sakura hit a stormbreaker for a great near fall as Sakazaki’s foot was on the ropes. 

Sakazaki fought out of the angel’s wings and hit a sliding lariat for two before locking on a crucifix pin for three. Post match, Sakura and her associates attacked Sakazaki, but AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida ran out to make the save. 

Japan bracket semifinals: Ryo Mizunami defeated Aja Kong by countout

This was so much fun even if the psychology made it difficult to suspend disbelief.

They had a strong lockup at the bell before opting for a fighting spirit shoulderblock battle. The third shoulderblock from Mizunami sent Kong to the mat. Mizunami did her rope taunt and was met with a slap for her efforts, but she then returned the favor on Kong.

Kong won a bodyslam battle, but missed the elbow drop. Mizunami took advantage with leg drops, but Kong barely kicked out at one. Mizunami applied a kneebar, but Kong was too close to the ropes. Mizunami continued to target Kong’s knee with strikes and holds.

A slap and a headbutt gave Kong a hope spot, but Mizunami sent Kong back to the mat with a chop block. Kong avoided a corner tackle, sending Mizunami crashing to the floor where Kong laid in a strong right hand. Kong drove Mizunami’s face into various foreign objects outside before rolling her back into the ring.

Kong grabbed her signature trash can, but the official took it away. A series of backdrop drivers planted Mizunami down hard. Kong called for the spinning back fist, but Mizunami blocked it so Kong countered with kicks. Mizunami fired up and caught one of them, turning it into a dragon screw.

A lariat and a leg drop bulldog from Mizunami got two. She then locked on the head and arm choke (the move she beat Maki Itoh with) but Kong fought hard to reach the ropes. Mizunami laid in more strikes and tried to lariat Kong down, but Kong came back with lariats of her own, sitting out on the final one for a two count.

Kong went for the top rope elbow drop, but Mizunami pulled her down and laid her out with a spear. Mizunami then landed a top rope leg drop for a close two. Mizunami tried to pick Kong back up, but Kong surprised her with the spinning back fist as both competitors were down. However, Kong didn’t make the cover in time as Mizunami kicked out at two. 

They both rolled to the outside as Kong tossed a trash can to Shida and sent Mizunami into it. Upon re-entry, Mizunami hit the leg drop on Kong, sending her back to the floor. Kong couldn’t beat the count, so Mizunami won via countout. 

Ryo Mizunami vs. Yuka Sakazaki is the finals of the Japan side of the bracket.

U.S. bracket first round: Dr. Britt Baker (w/ Rebel) submitted Madi Wrenkowski

Wrenkowski was a replacement for the injured Anna Jay. I don’t know how much time they had to put this together, but this wasn’t good. 

Baker attacked Wrenkowski during her entrance and beat her down all over the ringside area, sending her into the barricade and choking her before the match started. Rebel got involved as well. Wrenkowski got a brief hope spot, but Baker easily regained control as the match finally started.

A sling blade sent Wrenkowski to the mat right away. Baker continued the beatdown with butterfly suplexes. There was a scary miscommunication spot where Wrenkowski went for a small package, but Baker suplexed her anyway. They had more miscommunication until Wrenkowski hit an X-Factor and a corner crossbody.

Wrenkowski hit a snapmare and a neckbreaker, but Baker’s hand was on the ropes. Baker countered a corner attack with a flatliner into the turnbuckle. She tried to climb the ropes, but Wrenkowski stopped her and landed a chop. Wrenkowski went to the top rope, but whiffed on the diving crossbody and was met with an air raid crash for two.

Baker then put on the glove, hit a thrust kick, and applied the Lockjaw for the submission victory. Baker hit a curb stomp on Wrenkowski after the match as Rebel drew Thunder Rosa’s paint over her face. She then applied the Lockjaw a second time for good measure.

Nyla Rose vs. Britt Baker is set for the second round.

**********

Upcoming tournament matches:

• This Wednesday on Dynamite: Nyla Rose vs. Britt Baker in a U.S. bracket semifinal match
• This Sunday on Bleacher Report: Thunder Rosa vs. Riho in a U.S. bracket semifinal match

Also announced for the Bleacher Report special was AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida, Mei Suruga and Rin Kadokura vs. Emi Sakura, Veny and Maki Itoh.

Final Thoughts:

Even though the Japanese matches were taped in an empty arena, it weirdly felt like they had so much more energy around them than the American side which felt closer to Dark than Dynamite in production. I felt like each winner was the right choice and am looking forward to the next round of matches.