AEW Fyter Fest 2020 Takeaways: Hikaru Shida is unstoppable

Hikaru Shida is an unstoppable champion

Hikaru Shida and Penelope Ford was the consensus match of the night, and it’s going to be difficult for anyone on Night 2 to top what they did. It’s not impossible and Brian Cage vs. Jon Moxley has a chance to, but Ford vs. Shida was a wonderful title match.

Although Ford nearly countered the Falcon Arrow into a winning pinfall and then later kicked out of the Falcon Arrow, Shida scored another strong victory, using her knee strike to devastating effect. Shida’s strikes might be the best in the company, and she is on a special run as AEW Women’s Champion. Ford has been one of AEW’s best wrestlers these past few months, but so has Shida. She is a fan favorite for a reason.

Business as usual for Cody Rhodes

No, Cody Rhodes isn’t turning heel. Jake Hager is very much the jerk for punching the referee out for making the just call. Hager may have thought he won by submission, but Cody outsmarted the Inner Circle star by countering his move for yet another successful TNT Title defense.

Not only would Hager have been the wrong option to beat Cody, but the win is par for the course for Cody. He often wins by making a clever move or counter at the end of the match, which is no doubt the influence of Arn Anderson. He’s done it to Darby Allin and now to Hager. It frustrates fans, yes, but it’s part of Cody’s character, beyond thinking heel or face.

Someone will outsmart Cody and beat him at his own game, but it won’t be Hager. It will be a specific person who comes to the match with the right gameplan and also has the experience to be one step ahead of the American Nightmare.