Who Will Win The Interim AEW Women’s Title At All Out?

As AEW heads toward one of its four marquee events of the year, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the men’s and women’s AEW Titles.

The women’s AEW Title match at All Out had been set for a couple of weeks, as Toni Storm was set to challenge Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s Title.

But out of nowhere, a teary-eyed Thunder Rosa announced on last week’s Dynamite that she had sustained an injury that would not allow her to defend the AEW Women’s Title at All Out.

And with that, it was announced that a four-way interim AEW Women’s Title match would take place at the upcoming pay-per-view between Hikaru Shida, Toni Storm, Britt Baker, and Jamie Hayter.

BREAKING NEWS: #AEW Women's World Champion @ThunderRosa22 announces that she is injured and cannot defend the championship leading to an #AEW Interim Women’s World Championship 4-way: @realbrittbaker vs #ToniStorm vs @shidahikaru vs @jmehytr at #AEWAllOut Sunday 9/4 LIVE on PPV! pic.twitter.com/ez4hDXaZHS

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 26, 2022

Who should win the four-way match at All Out and become the next AEW Women’s Champion?

While the injury to Thunder Rosa is unfortunate, it can be argued that it creates a much more exciting match at All Out.

Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida are two former champions who had good first title runs and would be deserving recipients of another. The AEW Women’s Title saw the peak of its relevance during Britt Baker’s run as she was featured on AEW television regularly. Baker is arguably the biggest star that AEW currently has in its women’s division, and putting the title back on her will be tempting.

Shida would also be a fine choice as the first ever two-time AEW Women’s Champion. The duration of Shida’s title reign took place during the Covid-era in which she did a great job of putting on entertaining matches in front of virtually empty arenas. So giving Shida a run in front of live crowds wouldn’t be out of the question.

There is also a case for Jamie Hayter leaving Chicago with gold around her waist. Hayter is probably the most underrated performer on the AEW women’s rsoter. Her offense in the ring is consistently on point and looks devastating. She also sells very well for her opponents, which coupled with her own offense makes for some very entertaining matches. Hayter is strong, athletic, and carries a nasty disposition that can be used to either further her as a heel or used as fighting spirit as a face when a jealous Baker eventually turns on her and wants a shot at Hayter’s newly won gold.

While Hayter’s time will come, the most likely person to come out of this match as the new interim AEW Women’s Champion is Toni Storm.

Storm was the woman who was afforded the one-on-one title match before Rosa’s injury. So it would make sense, whether a title change was in the original plan or not at All Out, that the creative plan is to put the title on her now. Storm has already emerged as one of the more popular performers in AEW’s women’s division. She has a wealth of experience, can sell a match on the microphone, and is a strong worker in the ring which bodes well for a potentially entertaining title run.

The match psychology is already in place for a Storm win at All Out as well. Hayter will have Baker’s back for the majority of the match until she sees a chance to win the title herself. This will lead to animosity and distrust between Hayter and Baker, and they will both waste chances to win the match, giving Storm the opportunity that she needs to win.

This type of ending will give the promotion a chance to elevate two women coming out of this match. Storm, by putting the interim AEW Women’s Title on her, and Hayter, as she will most likely go into a program with Baker coming out of All Out, which will put Hayter into the most important spot that she has been in since coming to AEW.

It is never a good thing when an injury sidelines someone. However, sometimes silver linings come out of unfortunate events. This may be one of those times.

Thunder Rosa has had some very good matches as the AEW Women’s Champion. However, her reign has felt a little underwhelming, especially considering how hot it started out by beating Baker in a steel cage match at St.Patrick’s Day Slam in Rosa’s hometown of San Antonio.

Rosa stepping away to deal with an injury at this time will breathe some new life into the biggest prize in AEW’s women’s division.

And as long as the promotion puts the title on Storm or Hayter, it will be a welcomed change.