Three new challengers that need to rise up in AEW women’s division

AEW needs new challengers to step up for their women’s titles to bring fresh faces to the championship scene.

Since AEW Women’s World Champion, Toni Storm, and TBS Champion, Kris Statlander won their respective championships at the Double or Nothing PPV in May, both women have defended their titles multiple times.

Storm has successfully defended her title twice, against Skye Blue on Dynamite and most recently at the AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door PPV against Willow Nightingale. Statlander has successfully defended her title four times, against Nyla Rose, Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, and Lady Frost. AEW makes an effort to feature different women every week, and while an unfortunate injury plague causes the division to suffer there is a need for new challengers to rise up.

Three challengers for AEW’s women’s titles.

Thunder Rosa

Thunder Rosa has been out of action since August of last year when she announced that she could not defend her AEW Women’s championship due to injury. AEW went ahead with interim championship reigns until Rosa relinquished her title in November.

Rosa made her on-screen return in May in a backstage segment. Since the announcement of AEW’s newly debuted television show, Collision, Rosa was a big part in its marketing as she appeared on multiple posters and the opening title video, however, she has not been seen on-screen since May. No in-ring return at the moment suggests that Rosa has not yet been cleared to wrestle. When she does return, it is curious to see what she does. Will she go after the Women’s Championship, the title she never actually lost, or will she target the TBS Championship? No matter what she does, when she returns she will be a fresh face in the AEW Women’s division.

Hikaru Shida

Hikaru Shida has been a pillar of the women’s division since its inception and is a former AEW Women’s Champion and held the title for 372 days, the longest reign thus far. Shida recently had her first singles match on AEW television since 2022 when she defeated Taya Valkyrie on Rampage in June. Shida’s last title opportunity came against Jamie Hayter in December of last year.

With Shida now back in the fold of the women’s division, a match between her and Storm seems inevitable given that Shida joined the AEW homegrown talents in favor of Storm’s group, the Outcasts, not too long ago. However, what might be more intriguing is a potential Shida vs Statlander match. The two have met only once in singles competition, way back in 2019, and both women have grown as competitors since then. A match between them has the potential to be one of the best ever from the women’s division.

Julia Hart

Julia Hart is one of the youngest wrestlers in all of AEW and has yet to see championship gold in her young career. What is interesting about Hart is that ever since she joined the House of Black she has been on an undefeated 23-match win streak. Her last loss came against Statlander in April of last year, which could tell an interesting story in a potential match.

After being exclusive to AEW’s former YouTube shows, Dark and Elevation, for over a year, Hart made her return to television in April where she had an impressive showing against Anna Jay in a Rampage main event, which Hart won. She also defeated Jay in a No Holds Barred match on Dynamite in May, which was her most recent in-ring appearance. Hart’s first potential loss coming against a champion, whether it be Storm or Statlander, would not be the worst thing, in fact, it would be the best situation for her. Hart, who is only 21 years old, has a bright future ahead of her which should include many title opportunities and wins.