Willow Nightingale must defeat Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty

AEW Dynamite featured a big match where Willow Nightingale emerged as the number one contender for the TBS Championship. This is the next escalation in the angle that includes Julia Hart, Skye Blue, and Mercedes Mone. Looking at the trajectory of the entire story, Nightingale must win the championship at AEW Dynasty to set up the next big chapter that includes a call back to Mone versus Nightingale.

It's time for AEW to put a championship around Nightingale’s waist. Willow is the type of performer that could carry not only the women’s division but be a top babyface for the entire company. Everything about her screams superstar. Plus, what AEW has seen is only scratching the surface of who she could be as a top performer. This will be Nightingale’s third shot at the TBS Championship and she’s already challenged for the ROH Women’s World Championship, losing there as well. There’s only so much losing an individual can do in the title picture before they become overlooked and another loss would hurt her credibility.

But let’s talk about what a victory for Nightingale sets up. To do so, you’d need to return to May 21, 2023. This was the night that Nightingale faced and defeated Mone for the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship. Mone was originally expected to win that match, but the injury she suffered during the contest caused for an audible that saw Nightingale win the title. She’d hold it for 45 days before dropping it to Guila, but she was never meant to be champion.

The story between Mone and Nightingale is right there for the telling. Both women could start out on the babyface side of the equation, but the inclusion of Stokley Hathaway and Kris Statlander could open the door for Nightingale and her colleagues to go full heel. AEW Double or Nothing is in May, near the anniversary of Mone’s injury and this should be a big feud heading into that PPV. Imagine the response if two women finally headline an AEW PPV and it’s two African American women at that. That’s a moment that AEW cannot fail to capitalize on with these two women.

The first phase of the equation must happen at AEW Dynasty. Julia Hart has enjoyed a fantastic run with the TBS title but it is time that she dropped it to Willow Nightingale to not only establish her credibility on the roster but set up some big things to come between her and Mercedes Mone.