Jamie Hayter and Hikaru Shida promised to tear down the house by tearing each other apart in their AEW Women’s championship match on the Dec. 21 edition of Dynamite. They got the main event spot on the card, a rare honor for the All Elite women’s division.
They didn’t disappoint, not that you’d expect it to considering the competitors have been in some of AEW’s best women’s matches. It was a slobberknocker.
Both competitors topple to the outside! What a physical battle this championship match has been so far!@jmehytr @shidahikaru
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
It’s #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/L9Le5yBxJe
LOVING IT. @jmehytr @shidahikaru #AEWDynamite #AEWonTBS pic.twitter.com/uQhj6qeEtg
— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) December 22, 2022
There were nearfalls aplenty, and the San Antonio crowd bit on a few of them as we got closer to the end of the show. But with Dr. Britt Baker & Rebel at ringside, you knew they’d get involved at some point. Rebel distracted referee Paul Turner for a really long time while Baker tried to attack Shida with a kendo stick as the champ was down.
Shoulda stayed out of it @RealBrittBaker #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash pic.twitter.com/KKzy8xsPpA
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) December 22, 2022
It didn’t directly factor into the finish, but it did give Hayter a chance to recover. Jamie still needed to hit a powerbomb, a lariat, and a ripcord lariat to keep the challenger down. She did, and her first defense is in the books.
#AEW Women's World Champion @jmehytr retains the title after an ABSOLUTE WAR against @shidahikaru!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
It’s #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/xFtUsas8W4
The story wasn’t quite over, however. The heels swarmed for a post-match beatdown, and Toni Storm returned for the first time since Full Gear to make the save. When the numbers were too much for her, Saraya appeared to do the same.
Chaos erupts after the bell, as Dr. @realbrittbaker attacks @shidahikaru, while #ToniStorm and @Saraya come out to deal with the D.M.D!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
What a night of action it's been here at the #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash on TBS! pic.twitter.com/lnOqZzcNIk
Does that mean Storm, and not Mercedes “Sasha Banks” Varnado will be Saraya’s partner against Baker & Hayter on Jan. 11? If so, Tony Khan better announce it soon to avoid an arena full of disappointed boo-birds in Los Angeles.
We’ll see about that. Right now we’re grateful for the war Jamie Hayter & Hikaru Shida gave us tonight.
Get complete results and coverage of everything from tonight’s “Holiday Bash” edition of Dynamite here.
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