Hikaru Shida has been scouting her next challenger for weeks now, but the trick is she didn’t know who it was until this past Wednesday. Ryo Mizunami beat Nyla Rose to win the first ever AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament, and now will get a chance to face Hikaru Shida. Mizunami was one of the handpicked names from Shida in the Japanese side of the bracket, and Shida knows just how tough this match will be.
Hikaru Shida & Ryo Mizunami Go To War
Shida comes into this match as the longest reigning champion in AEW history, and these two have met three times; all time-limit draws. That’s technically possible tonight, but they’d need to go sixty minutes. Mizunami would go for a cheap shot, and dropped Shida with two big shoulder tackles.
Shida got Mizunami with some chops in the corner, before Mizunami turned it around on Shida. Mizunami got cocky and flashy in the middle of the ring to build up a lariat, and got caught with a hurricanrana. Shida nailed a fast running knee, and they’d roll to the outside.
Mizunami was set up for the launchpad knee, Shida grabbing a chair to launch off of. Shida was caught in mid-air and powerbombed into the crowd. Back in the ring, Mizunami hit some rapid leg drops, before moving into a camel clutch. Shida broke free, but Mizunami countered a hip throw, only to be rocked with a knee strike and missile dropkick.
Mizunami sent Shida over the top rope into the apron, before trying to pull her into the ring with a superplex. Instead, Shida hit the Bastard Driver onto the stage, which put a smile on Shida’s face for sure. Shida followed up with a fisherman buster from the apron to the ring, before nailing a heavy forearm.
The Hardest Hitting Match In AEW Women’s History
Mizunami came back with a flurry of headbutts, before running Shida down with lariats. She’d spike Shida onto the mat with a driver, before having to look for the Death Valley Driver. Shida countered and rolled Mizunami into a running knee strike. They’d take a second to catch their breath before grabbing mutual wrist control and trading elbow strikes, Shida crumbling first.
Mizunami nailed the uranage and a running spear, before looking for the top rope leg drop. Shida was crushed, but still managed to kick out at two. Mizunami went for a driver, but Shida had enough to roll through and counter. She’d throw some strikes and hit a Straight Jacket German Suplex, only for Mizunami to roll to her feet and hit a lariat to the back of the head.
Shida dropped Mizunami with a flurry of strikes, including a knee to the back of the head. Falcon Arrow came next, got a two count, and Mizunami countered the Tamashi with a lariat. Shida came back with a running knee, and poked the eyes of Mizunami for a roll up. Mizunami took a Tamashi, but was able to muster a roll up for two count.
Shida kept on the offensive with a Falcon Arrow, and Mizunami attempted to get the DDT. They’d both crash down, Shida first up for the knee strike, but Mizunami had just a bit more in the tank. A corkscrew knee strike finally ended it. Hikaru Shida retains, and had her hardest fight yet.
After the match, Nyla Rose attacked Shida & Mizunami both, setting herself up for the next shot. Baker, Itoh & Rebel came down as well, and worked together to beat down Mizunami and Shida. Thunder Rosa came for the save, and finally stopped the attack. Who will get the next challenge? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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