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Coming out of the Feb. 17 Dynamite, AEW had announced how they would air the next batch of matches from their Women’s Championship Eliminator Tournament. But there were still questions about the schedule and broadcast plan that would produce a winner in time for the Revolution, where whoever emerges from the tourney will face Women’s titleholder Hikaru Shida.
Those questions were answered last night.
Tony Khan announced a special will stream Sun., Feb. 28 on Bleacher Report, highlighted by the U.S. semifinal between Thunder Rosa and Riho. Khan previously told Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer he had “something cool” planned for the Women’s Tournament, and it seems this free internet show is that something cool. Bleacher Report is owned by AEW partner WarnerMedia, and unlike sister site B/R Live (the domestic home of AEW PPV) it’s available worldwide.
A follow-up report from Meltzer says that next Sunday’s show will also feature the finals of the Japan bracket. We’ll know who’s in that match after Aja Kong vs. Ryo Mizunami and Yuka Sakazaki vs. Emi Sakura stream on YouTube this upcoming Monday (Feb. 22). There could be one other, presumably non-tournament, bout on the Bleacher Report special.
Khan pushed for the Feb. 28 to acclimate fans for Sunday wrestling from AEW. Mar. 7’s Revolution will be the first Sunday PPV in company history.
The finals of the U.S. bracket - the Riho/Rosa winner vs. the winner of next week’s action on YouTube & Dynamite - will happen on YouTube on Mon., Mar. 1. The tournament final will then happen live on the Revolution go home edition of Dynamite on Mar. 3.
So here’s what that looks like...
Mon., Feb. 22 on YouTube
- Tay Conti vs. Nyla Rose
- Britt Baker vs. Anna Jay
- Aja Kong vs. Ryo Mizunami
- Yuka Sakazaki vs. Emi SakuraWeds., Feb. 24 on Dynamite
- Conti/Rose winner vs. Baker/Jay winner
Sun., Feb. 28 on Bleacher Report
- Thunder Rosa vs. Riho
- Kong/Mizunami winner vs. Sakazaki/Sakura winnerMon., Mar. 1 on YouTube
- Winner of Feb. 24 U.S. semifinal vs. Rosa/Riho winner
Wed., Mar. 3 on Dynamite
- Tournament final
Sun., Mar. 7 at Revolution
- HIkaru Shida (c) vs. Tournament winner for the AEW Women’s championship
Thoughts? Predictions?