AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash on Wednesday, December 21 has Jamie Hayter defending her AEW Women’s Championship for the first time against former AEW Women’s Champion and current Regina Di WAVE Champion Hikaru Shida.
While some may be anxiously awaiting the fifth match of The Elite and Death Triangle AEW Trios Championship series, Hayter and Shida is my match of the night. My favorite former AEW Women’s Champion challenging my current favorite in the division is already tugging at my heartstrings.
Hayter Sets the Challenge
Rather than waiting around for someone to step up and challenge her, Hayter sought out the fight she wanted as her first AEW Women’s World Championship defense.
After demanding a sit-down interview, Hayter tells Tony Schiavone,
“I’m gonna do my duty as a champion to be reigning and defending… I’m going to have a very, very close look at that Regina Di WAVE championship match on Rampage.”
Hayter left no room for confusion as she wanted to defend against the current Regina Di WAVE Champion, whoever that may have been after The Bunny and Shida’s match on Rampage.
After successfully defending her Regina Di WAVE Championship against The Bunny, Shida’s celebration was short-lived as Hayter made her challenge directly to her. Never being one to back down from a fight, Shida looked ready to go right then for the championship. And that’s the moment I realized I was getting a match I never knew I wanted so badly until it was right in front of me.
Hayter’s Reign Starts as Strong as Hayter
Hayter has so many fans behind her that she could be the catalyst for changing the attention paid to the AEW Women’s Division. Nearly stealing Full Gear in her match against Toni Storm, Hayter laid the perfect foundation for her reign.
Her first match as champion being against Shida is a step to solidify this as an iconic run as Women’s Champion. This will be a hard-hitting match—and not just because “Hayter Hits Hard.” Hayter took to Twitter, letting everyone know just how hard she will fight.
Without a doubt, Shida will match Hayter’s intensity, in this must-watch match. And I’ll certainly be on the edge of my seat, probably not blinking. I don’t want to miss anything as I witness 1990’s All Japan Women’s Wrestling in 2022 between two of my favorite wrestlers.
But, more than anything, I trust Hayter and her promise from her interview with Schiavone that she is going to be a “fighting champion—and a bloody good one at that.”
