I really like a very good, chaotic Casino Gauntlet match, and I find it irresistible much more when it’s on the ladies’s division side of things. Tonight’s match was excellent for thus many reasons, and the inclusion of AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla on commentary was such a fun addition. I feel she’s absolutely excellent, and her saucy quips are only so good in a “Timeless” Toni Storm-less AEW.
We got a very good amount of competitors within the match, with Willow Nightingale being the eighth and final woman. We knew Athena and Maya World would start off the bout, but we also saw Skye Blue, Mina Shirakawa, Stardom’s Rina, Julia Hart, and Thunder Rosa. I expected to see the likes of Kris Statlander and Harley Cameron within the match, so I used to be surprised we got some faces I didn’t expect, especially someone from Stardom attempting to get to Thekla.
I actually liked how the heels, the Sisters of Sin, brought weapons into the match. Yes, I’m all the time one for weapons and a gimmick, but within the gauntlet, it made sense, as I’d imagine you’d want to herald a kendo stick or a trash can lid to take out your opponents, so you are the one to get the pin. The heels bringing them, in addition to chairs, worked. The entire attacking officials on the skin thing that Hart and Blue did to get their hands on the chairs didn’t make sense, but whatever, they’re heels.
I used to be glad to see Nightingale back so quickly, as she’s such a shiny spot in AEW. I hate that she needed to relinquish the TBS Championship and miss out on The Owen because of injury, but when this results in her dethroning Thekla to get to Mercedes Mone at All In: London, I’m all for it. Nightingale looked great within the match, like she didn’t miss a beat, and I especially loved her big boot to Athena right on time together with her entrance music.
I also thought Rosa looked really good on this, which is actually something of note, as she is not often around on “Dynamite.” I also thought she looked great in her Zero Hour tag match alongside Olympia at Forbidden Door, so perhaps something’s within the works for her. Athena and World kicking off the match, but neither winning, was a pleasant touch, as they’re prone to go to battle over the ROH Women’s World title.
On an enormous show like “Beach Break,” it was nice to see so many ladies get a whole lot of time in a extremely solid match. The AEW Women’s World title picture is looking really interesting heading into Redemption and All In, and I am unable to wait for all of it.
Written by Daisy Ruth