New AEW Interim TNT Champion Crowned at Battle of the Belts

By Connor Casey

Sammy Guevara made history at AEW's Battle of the Belts on Saturday night, defeating Dustin Rhodes to become the first interim TNT Champion. The show was supposed to see current TNT Champion Cody Rhodes defend his title against Guevara, but "The American Nightmare" was pulled from the show a day prior due to unknown medical issues. Guevara endured a Code Red through a table and two Cross Rhodes before managing to roll Rhodes for the victory. He was then quickly confronted by Daniel Garcia, resulting in a pull-apart brawl. 

It's unclear when the unification match between Rhodes and Guevara for the two TNT titles will take place. Rhodes has two pinfall wins over "The Spanish God," including one at AEW Rampage: Holiday Bash to become the first three-time TNT Champion in company history. 

Guevara cut a backstage promo after a commercial break, then announced he'd defend the title against Garcia on AEW Dynamite this coming week. Rhodes spoke with ComicBook this past week to promote Go-Big Show Season 2 and also addressed consistently getting compared to Homelander from The Boys as faans continue to sour on his babyface persona. 

"I never want to ruin it for anybody," Rhodes said. "I never judge our fans or hold them accountable. They pay their money. They can do whatever they'd like. That's the beauty of being a fan, but I can tell you Sandra Gray, who's been making my gear since Dashing Cody Rhodes, has no idea about Homelander. And now, that jacket is forever synonymous with it, but it is a really unique parallel. I know people have a lot of fun with fan art when it's concerned. With what's happening with me and the reactions, I don't want to ruin it for anybody, but I feel like the luckiest wrestler alive that we're able to cause this polarity, that we're able to have every show be clickbaited and discussed.

"And just the thing I am most excited about is, as with all things AEW, we're not going a path that perhaps you saw on another wrestling show," he added. "We are going to be going in a different direction and that makes for great wrestling because it's new, because it's fresh. But yeah, with everything that's going on with the crowds for me right now, I really have to pinch myself, in terms of (being) very lucky."

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