AEW’s Britt Baker made her long-awaited in-ring return during tonight’s AEW Dynamite, taking on one of her biggest rivals in Hikaru Shida. Shida was in control early, but Baker was able to survive that early onslaught and make a comeback, eventually getting the win. The story didn’t stop there though, as Mercedes Mone came out and shut down any hopes of a match at All In for the TBS Championship, but that’s when the final surprise surfaced, as Kamille made her AEW debut by attacking Baker as presumably an ally to Mone. Kamille would apply the torture rack to Baker before throwing her to the mat, and Mone would join her to close out the segment. Looks like the CEO just got her new enforcer.
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A Classic Rivalry
At the start of the match, Baker and Shida locked up and traded roll-ups and counters for a bit, but then Shida took control of the match as it ventured outside the ring. Shida slammed Baker into the barricade and then threw Baker into a corner chair before connecting with strikes to the head. Shida positioned Baker on the ring apron and then clocked Baker’s head with a vicious knee strike, keeping Shida completely in control.
Shida looked to get the win at this point by locking in a submission on Baker, but Baker wasn’t tapping out. Shida threw Baker into the corner turnbuckle, but Baker made a comeback soon after, only to have it halted by Shida once again. Baker would then slide under the bottom rope and hit a neck breaker, and then Baker hit a big Sling Blade that knocked Shida down to the mat.
Baker pulled out the glove to set up for the lockjaw, but Shida interrupted and got a big kick to the midsection. A suplex followed and that led to Shida trying to lock in an armbar. Shida countered another move into a guillotine, and then connected with a knee strike before going up top. Shida missed Baker and got hit with a kick to the head,and then they exchanged two big strikes and kicks that left both stars on the mat.
Shida reversed another move and the two stars exchanged near falls, but no one was pinned. Shida tried to lift Baker but Baker then went for the armbar, only for Shida to break the hold by getting her foot on the ropes. Shida debated on going for the kendo stick but ultimately decided not to, and then Baker hit a neck breaker into a pin but Shida kicked out. Shida caught Baker with a question mark kick and then hit the Falcon Arrow, but Baker revered another kick into the Lockjaw, and that was it for Shida, who tapped out right after.
The New Muscle
Baker didn’t get a chance to celebrate, as Mercedes Mone came out to address Baker. “That was very impressive. Now, Britt, I know That you want a shot at this at All In, and what would be hotter than the CEO vs the DMD,” Mone said. “So let’s get to it. My answer is no.” That’s when someone jumped in the ring behind Baker, and it turned out to be former NWA World Women’s Champion Kamille. Kamille then attacked Baker and lifted her up for a torture rack before slamming her to the mat, and Mone then joined her new ally in the ring to celebrate.
It would seem that Kamille is now the new enforcer for Mone, and if that’s the case, the path to taking that TBS Championship just got a lot more complicated for Baker. Hopefully, we’ll get more clarity on Kamille’s alliance with Mone later this week, but those who watched Kamille in NWA know that she’s a force of nature, and she will be a huge boost for an already talented Women’s Division.
What did you think of the big debut? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
