10 Biggest Unsung Wrestling Heroes Of 2020

While the appearances of Serena Deeb and Thunda Rosa have improved the women’s division in recent months, AEW’s presentation of their female roster has still come under considerable criticism, with Tony Khan acknowledging the company’s faults in a recent media scrum.

Largely, the issues stem from a lack of screen time, a thin roster, and a continued inability to sign talented independent performers, leading to good matches from underutilised personalities. One shining light throughout these failings has been AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida, who has grown in her role as the company’s female figurehead and built the foundations of her division.

As other wrestlers have suffered from the creative team’s idiosyncrasies, Shida has remained steadfast in developing her character and setting a standard. Carrying herself as a confident champion, Shida has beneficially represented her locker room, which is greatly important in the wake of AEW’s muddled booking of their women’s division up to this point. Shida deserves AEW’s confidence her and has cemented herself as an important figure in a troubled landscape. With a separate show being announced for 2021, we may see AEW’s handling of its female talent improve, but without Shida, the changes to be made would have been far more substantial.