By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Women’s Championship Eliminator tournament
Taped in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place
Streamed March 1, 2021 on the AEW YouTube Page
Excalibur welcomed viewers to the show and said he would be joined by Taz on commentary. He hyped two matches in addition to the U.S. bracket finals..
1. Leva Bates vs. Madi Wrenkowski. Wrenkowski’s entrance was not televised, but both women were introduced by ring announcer Justin Roberts. Bates threw a kick at Wrenkowski, who ended up at ringside. Bates dove from the apron onto Wrenkowski on the floor.
Back inside the ring, Wrenkowski clotheslined Bates using the top rope and covered her for a two count. Wrenkowski threw several punches and made another cover for another two count. Bates came back with some strikes and threw a running knee and a kick in the corner. Bates bulldogged Wrenkowski and then covered her for two.
Wrenkowski performed a facebuster for a near fall. She grabbed the book that Bates brought to the ring with her as part of the Librarian gimmick and tore some pages out. Excalibur pointed out that it was the Young Bucks book. Bates got the book back and tried to use it as a weapon, but the referee stopped her. The referee was knocked over, and then Wrenkowski grabbed the book and hit Bates with it, which led to Wrenkowski scoring the pin…
Madi Wrenkowski beat Leva Bates.
Powell’s POV: A brief match that didn’t overstay its welcome. It was a rare case of the person who didn’t get a televised entrance scoring the pin.
2. Leyla Hirsch vs. Miranda Alize. Hirsch’s entrance was televised, while Alize’s was already in the ring. Excalibur pushed the AEW Revolution pay-per-view as the match was getting started. Hirsch controlled the early offense and hit a brainbuster for a near fall.
Hirsch hoisted up Alize, who slipped away and threw a ripcord knee strike. Alize performed a corkscrew elbow drop from the middle of the middle rope and covered Hirsch for a one count. Hirsch caught Alize in an armbar out of nowhere and got the immediate submission win…
Leyla Hirsch beat Miranda Alize.
Powell’s POV: Another quick match that turned out to be a spotlight match for Hirsch, who should have a bright future in AEW.
Excalibur ran through the AEW Revolution lineup…
3. Thunder Rosa vs. Nyla Rose in the U.S. bracket finals. Both entrances were televised. The wrestlers locked up and Rose showed her strength by shoving Thunder Rosa to the mat. The spectator wrestlers had some fun briefly singing AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” for Thunder Rosa, who threw some kicks to the leg of Rose in the corner.
Thunder Rosa rolled Rose onto her stomach and applied an ankle lock, which Rose powered out of. Thunder Rosa continued to target Rose’s left leg and applied a half crab, which Rose broke by reaching the ropes. Thunder Rosa charged at Rose, who tripped her up and caused her to tumble to ringside.
Rose went to the floor and worked over Thunder Rosa before tossing her back inside the ring. Rose performed a running splash and then placed Thunder Rosa on her back. Rose followed up with a second splash and then got a two count. Rose performed a couple of backbreaker style moves and got another two count.
Thunder Rosa avoided a charging Rose in the corner, causing Rose to crash and go between the ropes. Thunder Rosa threw punches at Rose and slammed her head into the top turnbuckle. Thunder Rosa followed up with a dive from the apron onto Rose on the floor. The referee checked on Rose, who held her head while Thunder Rosa sold back pain.
Rose returned to the ring and went back on the offensive while Excalibur and Taz questioned if she had been playing possum. Rose performed a pair of backbreakers. Thunder Rosa fired back with several punches, but Rose put her down with a uranage slam and then covered her for a two count.
Rose went up top, but Thunder Rosa tripped her up, causing Rose to crash to the mat. Thunder Rosa clotheslined Rose in the corner and followed up with double knees and then a running dropkick. Thunder Rosa went to the top rope and connected with a missile dropkick that led to a two count.
Rose came back with some shots to the back of Thunder Rosa and then draped her over the top rope. Rose went to the ropes and sold leg pain before dropping a knee onto Thunder Rosa, which led to Rose getting a near fall. Rose set up for her Beast Bomb finisher, but she gave it up while selling knee pain.
Thunder Rosa performed a Death Valley Driver and got a near fall of her own. Rose grabbed Thunder Rosa from behind, but ended up taking a cutter and a suplex. Thunder Rosa covered Rose for another near fall. Rosa went up top and leapt at Rose, who caught her and slammed her down with a Beast Bomb for the win…
Nyla Rose beat Thunder Rosa in 13:40 to advance to the Eliminator Tournament finals.
Rose will face Ryo Mizunami in the finals of the tournament on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, and the winner will challenge Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s Championship at Sunday’s AEW Revolution…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining match with good back and forth action. I was hoping to see Rosa advance to the finals she feels fresher than Rose right now, but Rose vs. Mizunami looks really good on paper. This 30-minute special was really well paced. While the previous tournament shows went an hour, they kept this one brief with the showcase matches to start followed by the quality main event. Join Jake Barnett for live coverage of AEW Dynamite every Wednesday, and join me for my live review of AEW Revolution on Sunday night. Dot Net Members will hear same night reviews of both shows.
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