Report: AEW Planning "Something Cool" For Women's Tournament

AEW's Tony Khan has something up his sleeve for the Women's World Title Eliminator Tournament...

by Andy H Murray
Hikaru Shida
Twitter, @shidahikaru

All Elite Wrestling's Women's Title Eliminator Tournament officially kicks off on this week's episode of Dynamite, as former NWA Women's Champion Thunder Rosa faces Leyla Hirsch in the first match announced on the US side of the bracket.

Not further bouts have been confirmed and we're still awaiting confirmation of when and where, exactly, the other matches will air, particularly those being recorded in Japan. Dave Meltzer had no answers on today's episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, though he did say that Tony Khan has informed him he has "something cool" planned for the tournament.

This could mean anything. Matches getting a guaranteed 10-15 minutes of airtime on Dynamite? Cool. Maki Itoh winning the whole thing? Also cool. Using the competition to kickstart an upturn in AEW's most undercooked division? Carlito, mate.

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Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida will defend her belt against the eventual winner. She is currently in Japan helping produce matches for the bracket's Joshi side, which sees Yuka Sakazaki, Aja Kong, Ryu Mizunami, and Emi Sakura return to the promotion. Riho is set to mount a comeback on the US side, with further match announcements to follow.

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.