8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (5 April - Review)

6. Another Strong Week For The Women's Division

Jamie Hayter Vs. Riho is always a blast of a match, and this was no different - and while there's still a lingering sense that they still haven't reached the ceiling of which they are capable, this was a neat (and necessary) bit of business.

It established, within the parameters of the Outcasts versus Homegrowns programme, that there is a sporting, meritocratic women's division in AEW. Riho has won several (very good) matches of late, which allowed her to challenge for Hayter's crown. The match was very good and unfolded with zero interference, which in contrast made the Outcasts appear like entitled sh*t disturbers who are actually threatening the sanctity of something good, and not just indirectly prattling on about WWE.

The content of the match itself was really good without approaching greatness. The crowd had much to do with that. Riho was less on-the-nose with her work here; although it generates a reaction, she is guilty at times of wrestling with zero strength early in a match to get her comeback over deeper into it. Here, she worked at a lightning pace to neutralise Hayter's awesome strength. Hayter's intent here was as superb as ever, and she threw herself into those snap dragon bumps to make her opponent's offensive phase look killer and make it seem as if she was under serious pressure. She also allowed Riho to kick out of her vicious lariat, leading to an electric near-fall, before coming away with the win.

This was a very strong title defence, and not before time: the wider Outcasts storyline had threatened to swallow up Hayter's reign.