14 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (Aug 22)

5. Thunderstuck

Thunder Rosa
AEW

AEW's oft-maligned women's division got a major boost with the apparent arrival of NWA Women's Champion Thunder Rosa last night, which led to her challenging Hikaru Shida for All Out.

Rosa cut a great promo here. The cameras focused on the NWA belt for a while before the former Lucha Underground badass said she heard the AEW Women's Champion well, saying she was here to help bring the division to the next level, put it on the map, and get some respect. At All Out, she isn't coming for scraps, but for the belt, leading to a challenge that the Japanese star surely won't shirk.

The Up is more for Thunder Rosa's arrival than the segment itself, though the promo was stronger. Nonetheless, the NWA Women's Champion is a legitimate badass inside the ring and out, and exactly the kind of performer AEW should be looking to add at the moment. Fingers crossed hers is a permanent arrival rather than a temporary deal with the NWA out of commission.

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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.