AEW: Thunder Rosa should defeat Hikaru Shida at All Out

Thunder Rosa winning the AEW women’s championship at All Out would be a much needed surprise.

There was a time in professional wrestling where promotions were not the barriers that they have become today. Wrestlers from one territory would come to another, title in tow. All Elite Wrestling is bringing that back in some ways and All Out is yet another example. NWA women’s champion, Thunder Rosa, is stepping into the AEW ring to face off against AEW women’s champion, Hikaru Shida. The easy prediction is that Shida wins and keeps the AEW title around her waist, but Rosa getting the win and the title would be the right twist at the right time.

Rosa may be a name that some AEW fans will not know, but she is a legit factor in women’s wrestling, regardless of the promotion. Even though she is still relatively “new” to the industry, debuting back in 2014, her growth in the game has been recognized by fans, peers, and media members alike. She is held titles in multiple organizations including Lucha Underground, SHINE and her current 200+ day run as the NWA women’s champion. You also cannot forget that Rosa stepped into the Combate Americas cage for her debut bout in 2019 with very little training in that area. Rosa is a legit threat.

The AEW women’s division has not been the most exciting part of AEW television. In many ways, the booking of the ladies on the roster has led much to be desired. Shida’s run as a champion has been overlooked and poorly booked week in and week out. The announcement and introduction of Rosa as her opponent at All Out immediately created the intrigue that matches anything seen for the men. Giving Rosa a clean victory takes it one step further.

While it is not often promoted, both Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega hold titles for promotions outside of AEW. Omega is currently the AAA Mega champion, a belt he is held for almost a year and defended on AEW television. Moxley is the IWGP United States champion. There has not been any clear cross over between AEW and either of those groups, but that does not mean there is not an opportunity for that to happen in the future. It is something that pro wrestling fans have called to see for a long time, but the largest organizations in the world shy away from the idea. Bringing in Rosa to face Shida is another opportunity to show the benefits of promotions working together. Giving her a big win on Saturday pushes that potential even further.

The surprise factor carries a lot of weight in big professional wrestling matches. Thunder Rosa versus Hikaru Shida has the “big fight” feel that comes with highly anticipated main events. Shida may have the “home-ring” advantage but putting the title on Rosa would be a surprise that wrestling fans are welcome to. Plus, a positive response would create more desires to see cross-promotional booking that benefits everyone involved.