Jim Cornette destroys Riho's match on AEW Dynamite
WWE veteran Jim Cornette was displeased with a match on AEW Dynamite involving the inaugural women's champion Riho.
Riho made a long-awaited return to television on the latest episode of AEW Dynamite on October 26. She took on Britt Baker's close friend Jamie Hayter in a match announcement that had AEW fans on social media highly excited. Riho is one of the top babyfaces in the company, while Jamie Hayter is on the best run of her career at the moment.
Despite Hayter winning the hard-fought match, it failed to garner any praise from Jim Cornette.
During an episode of the Jim Cornette Experience, the WWE veteran was left unimpressed with Riho's performance and stated that the match was "ridiculous."
"So a cacophony of silence meets Riho as she wanders down the ramp as she is giving up six inches and 40 pounds to Jamie Hayter by the announcers mathematics. It was ridiculous. And Jamie Hayter has talent, but she had to either put herself into Riho's awkward stuff or take her own bumps. It was so phony."
He further added that the match was "brutal" and "wouldn't end."
You know, if this girl wanted to sell goldfish in the Tokyo train station, I wouldn't have a problem with her, but as a professional wrestler, this is ridiculous. She shouldn't even wrestle on television in Japan. So anyway, they went through a break. And I felt bad for Jamie Hayter. It was brutal and wouldn't end." Jim Cornette said. [02:40 - 03:52]
Jim Cornette seemingly blamed the EVPs for the AEW women's division
Speaking on the same episode of the podcast, the WWE veteran was critical of the Executive Vice Presidents of All Elite Wrestling.
AEW's women's division has often stuck out as a sore thumb during the company's rise as the second biggest promotion in North America. Jim Cornette feels that one of the EVPs is responsible for the "irrational insistence" on Japanese stars.
"This is what the Executive Vice Presidents, at least one of them, in this case, are bringing to this program. The irrational insistence, above all logic and evidence to the contrary, that anybody wants to watch these untrained, self-taught, diminutive, microscopic, puzzled, confused former Japanese scrub women and pop idols as professional wrestlers." [03:57 - 05:07]
Riho vs. Jamie Hayter was ACE. Sometimes, it's as simple as positioning two people with extremely complementary styles against each other. Riho is great at wrestling to her size and sold Hayter's big bombs like deathblows. #AEW #AEWDynamite
It remains to be seen what is in store for Riho as she is now a part of All Elite Wrestling once again. It will also be interesting to see whether she vies for the women's title anytime soon.
What do you feel about Cornette's comments? Let us know in the comments.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and provide a H/T to Sportskeeda.