The AEW Women's Division needs a Casino Gauntlet match

One of the highlights for All Elite Wrestling in 2024 has been the introduction of a new match called the Casino Gauntlet. The twenty-one-person match starts with two wrestlers and other wrestlers enter the match at timed intervals. The match can end at any time before all twenty-one wrestlers enter. It is quite an entertaining match with a title shot awarded to the winner.

Of the many we’ve seen so far; it has featured the male wrestlers of AEW. As we will have more Casino Gauntlet matches in the future, it is time the women of AEW have their own. This would be important for the women wrestlers to know they can be a part of this match. It could be a breakthrough moment for the women’s division of AEW that as of late has been getting more television time and good storylines.

The rules and stipulations can be the same, start with two women, and then at timed intervals another contestant can enter and the woman who wins the match gets a future title shot at either the TBS Championship or the AEW Women’s World Championship. This would give an incentive for every wrestler in the match competing, however, will this match take place before the year is over?

With three pay-per-view events left on the calendar and so much television time given, I have a feeling that the answer to the question is sadly no, we won’t have a women’s Casino Gauntlet match in 2024.  However, starting 2025 fresh with the first Casino Gauntlet match being a women’s version would be a terrific way to start the year for AEW and would be fresh for the entire women’s division of AEW. There would also be a huge benefit for this match with the women’s division that would help more than when the men have their match.

The Women’s Casino Gauntlet match would be able to have some wrestlers from the STARDOM promotion in Japan be apart of the match, as AEW currently has a working relationship going on with the women’s promotion. We’ve seen wrestlers such as Mina Shirakawa, AZM, Tam Nakano and more compete in matches for AEW. Also to aid AEW are wrestlers from Ring of Honor, its sister promotion. They have tremendous women wrestlers such as Athena, Billie Starkz, Leila Grey, and Queen Aminata among others who could compete in this match.  Those wrestlers alone would help make the prospect of the match entertaining.

This match could also be used as a vehicle for wrestlers returning after being off television for several months because of injury, or not being used on the weekly shows. It can also be used to introduce a new wrestler to the AEW roster. Someone who wrestled with WWE or TNA would be a great way to introduce somebody fans have been wanting to see on AEW for a long time. We saw the reactions at All In when Nigel McGuinness returned during the Casino Gauntlet and Ricochet debuted as they were both tremendous. The timing must be right and on most occasions, the timing has been excellent.

Another important factor that could make the Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match very exciting could be the storylines going into the match. If this match were to happen at their next pay-per-view event, Wrestle Dream, a great story to this match could be Toni Storm and her quest to get back the AEW Women’s World Championship. She lost the title at All In and the only way she could get her rematch would be if she were to win the Casino Gauntlet. Or somebody who is looking for an opportunity to reach their potential, someone like Anna Jay who just went on a tour of Japan with Stardom, or Harley Cameron who at this time is teaming up with Saraya and wants to make the jump to stardom in AEW. Those storylines could be very interesting as they could lead to the match happening.

A Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match must be in the future for AEW, and it would be exciting to see who would compete in this match. When would this match take place? My guess is sometime in 2025 but with three months left in the year, we never know if Tony Khan has the match already planned for this year or if he has it in his back pocket for the future. It will depend on if the fans want this match, and if the women of AEW want this match.

The Women’s division in AEW has been getting more attention over the last four to five months and we’ve seen the benefits of the attention they have been receiving. Now it’s time to take the division to the next level and what better way than by presenting a Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match? The Casino Gauntlet Match is exciting with the anticipation of who is in the match and who comes out next being one of the best parts of the match. Imagine what we could have if the women had their own Casino Gauntlet Match. The opportunity is right there for this moment Tony Khan, now it’s time to make the match happen.