Perhaps the most historically important match on the debut episode of AEW Dynamite, this one was for the right to be the first AEW Women’s Champion. On one side, you have the technically gifted Riho who might be small in size, but big in heart, and on the other the powerhouse of Nyla Rose. We all remember how this match went, but let’s forget that for a moment and remember how this match went down.
Nyla Rose Shows Her Potential
If Riho wasn’t one of the best in the world, this would have been a complete mismatch. Riho would dodge as Rose dashed in, and throw some strikes the way of The Native Beast, but be easily shoved away. She’d manage two dropkicks to stun Rose, and a headscissors would send Rose down.
One shoulder tackle would drop Riho, and Rose came down hard with a splash, and Riho bridged out, stomping Rose before hitting a double stomp to the back. Rose would just get up and send Riho to the mat, before kicking her hard right in the spine, before applying an STF in the middle of the ring, forcing Riho to drag the weight of Rose to the ropes.
Rose would look for a vertical suplex, and hold Riho up for a few extra seconds, Riho slipping out. Riho would get away from Rose for a moment, but take a back elbow. She’d come back with some running high knees, a product of training with Kenny Omega, and Rose crashing to the outside. Pressing this advantage, Riho would hit a crossbody off the top only to be caught by Rose and hit with a backbreaker.
Rose grabbed a steel chair, and would almost lose this one by DQ, with the referee unarming her. She’d instead ram Riho into the barricades, before pulling out multiple chairs this time, setting Riho up on them, only to dive off the apron. Riho rolled out of the way, and Rose landed hard with a cannonball senton, and then Riho landed on her with a double stomp off the apron.
Riho Becomes The First Ever AEW Women’s Champion
Back in the ring, Riho would hit a second diving stomp, this time to the back of the neck. Rose had some more fight in her, kicking out at two. A crossface would be applied, as this one went to a commercial break. Back to action, Rose took control and was looking to end this match with the Beast Bomb.
Riho fought back with forearms, only to be knocked down once again, she’d get back up, and be knocked down again. Rose setup the Beast Bomb, but Riho rolled her up for a very close two count. A death valley driver from Rose got another close two, with a poorly executed pin. Rose went up top for a splash, but Riho got up and went after her opponent with forearms, managing a Northern Lights Suplex off the top rope.
A double running knees to face, and Nyla Rose couldn’t kick out. We would see our first AEW Women’s Champion crowned, to a massive applause from fans.
How Long Would Riho Reign As Champion?
Riho would go on to hold the AEW Women’s Championship for 133 days, before losing it to Nyla Rose. Rose would hold it for 101 days, before losing to current champion Hikaru Shida. Riho is currently stuck in Japan, and Rose is stuck with Vickie Guerrero as her manager as she looks to become a two time AEW Women’s Champion in the near future.
Was Riho the right pick for the first ever AEW Women’s Champion? Are you excited for her to get back to AEW? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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