14 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (20 Nov)

4. A Building Block

Hikaru Shida
AEW

Hikaru Shida is a great building block for the AEW women's division's future as while she has already been felled by champion Riho, her skill level is a clear cut above some of the performers this promotion has utilised thus far.

She's athletic, hard-hitting, exciting, slick, a good striker, and fierce when she needs to be. More importantly, everything she's done so far suggests an aptitude for laying out complimentary matches that leave both wrestlers looking stronger than when they came in. That's a great skill to have, and one that AEW would be wise to utilise regularly now that Shida is living in the United States full time.

A touch of character development wouldn't go amiss. Regardless, there's plenty of time for that. Shida is just getting started but already looks destined to become a fixture of this division for years to come.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.