An epic clash for the TBS Championship will happen at AEW All In between Mercedes Mone and Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., but there was one person standing in the way of that match-up becoming a reality. That would be Hikaru Shida, who had the opportunity to take on Mone on tonight’s Dynamite for that very Title, and that wasn’t lost on Shida. Shida came out aggressive and had Mone on the ropes at several points, though every time it looked as if she might be on a roll, Kamille would try and interfere to give Mone an advantage. After Mone took Shida’s Kendo Stick, Kamille delivered a big boot to Shida that knocked her out cold long enough for Mone to get the win, retaining her Title, though Britt Baker made a statement before the segment was over.
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A Worthy Challenger
Mone and Shida locked up briefly and then locked up again, with Mone stopping Shida’s momentum before it could really pick up. A quick slam from Mone got a CEO dance but then also got the Champ knocked to the mat after a shoulder tackle Shida missed and Mone tried a roll-up and then countered a move into a crossface. The two stars traded more counters and then both went for a dropkick, but both missed.
They locked up again but Mone connected with a big kick to the stomach and some big forearm strikes, but Shida hit a jumping knee strike and then delivered a bevy of punches to the head of the Champ. Shida hit a suplex and went for the cover, but Mone kicked out before the 2 count. They traded covers once again and then continued to reverse each other’s moves, but then Shida slammed Mone’s face into the turnbuckle That led to Kamille interfering but the referee caught it and made her back away.
After Mone tried to keep her feet on the turnbuckle, Shida slammed her on the ring pro. Kamille once again made her presence felt by getting in Shida’s face, and Mone used it to knock Shida to the floor. A cover followed in the ring but Shida kicked out. Mone hit a Meteora but got pushed away right after, causing some frustration from the Champion.
Mone applied a hold in the center of the ring and then hit the double knee strike in the corner. Mone tried for the pin but Shida kicked out, and the Champion was a bit annoyed at the kick out. Shida connected with a kick to the head and got to her feet, but Mone was able to slow any comeback once more. Mone threw Shida into the corner but then got hit with a dropkick from the challenger.
Shida stayed on Mone with strikes and a knee strike to the head before going for a cover, but Mone kicked out at 2. Mone hit the backstabber and then went for double knees again, but this time she evaded the move and kicked the Champion in the back. Shida had Mone up on the top rope but Mone was able to reverse into a Meteora, though Shida kicked out of the cover attempt. Mone hit a suplex and then went for the Three Amigos, though she only got two of them before Shida countered with a Falcom Arrow. Shida went for the pin but Mone kicked out at 2.
Close Call and Payback
Mone would run out of the ring and to the floor, but Shida came right after her and kicked Kamille away before hitting the enforcer with a kendo stick. Mone grabbed the kendo stick from her and distracted the referee, which let Kamille get a huge kick to Shida’s head. Mone hit the Mone Maker and got the pin and the win, retaining her TBS Championship.
That’s when Britt Baker’s music hit and Kamille ran out to try and cut her off from the ring. Kamille attacked someone in the stands with the same mask as Baker had previously, but Baker would enter the ring from a different route and put on the glove before attacking Mone. Baker almost got the lockjaw applied too, but Kamille was able to get Mone out of there before it happened.
Are you excited for the match at All In? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
