3 ways to improve the AEW women's division
AEW's women's division has received its share of criticism as of late. As the company moves closer to All Out, the issues surrounding their use of their women's roster has been its most glaring problem.
It has been just under one year since the introduction of the AEW Women's World Championship. The division still lacks direction, which has led to fans and pundits to lambaste it.
It's unclear if blames lies in the lap of Kenny Omega, Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes, or AEW President Tony Khan. Regardless, there is no denying that there is an issue that needs to be addressed.
In this article, let's take a look at some ways that AEW can advance its women's division. Although not all criticism is justified due to the relative infancy of the company, there are reasons for concern. Here are three ways to improve upon what is a solid cast of characters in the women's division.
#3 Emphasize the AEW Women's World Championship
Riho's reign as AEW Women's World Championship was one of the biggest successes on Dynamite in 2019. Riho was an unknown to the mainstream American audience and her diminutive size made her an underdog. Nevertheless, she delivered quality matches and pulled in solid viewership in the coveted 18-49 demo during her short run with the title according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Above all, her rivalry with Nyla Rose produced two of the best matches in AEW history.
Nyla Rose's victory over Riho on the Feb. 12 edition of AEW Dynamite was a fantastic match. It earned the show one of its highest-rated segments in the key demo of the night for the latter half of the match according to the Feb. 17, 2020 Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Due to the ongoing global pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, Nyla's reign with the title was short-lived. It never quite lived up to the expectations that her title win set.
Nyla would go on to lose the title to Hikaru Shida at AEW Double or Nothing 2020 in a fun No Disqualification Match. During Shida's time with the company, she has been a consistent performer, delivering the best AEW matches with Dr. Britt Baker among others. Unfortunately, her title reign has also been lackluster due to the lack of contracted female talent at AEW's disposal.
AEW needs to put emphasis on the AEW Women's World Championship and take advantage of what seems to be an open door policy for female talent. New faces such as Ivelisse, Diamante, and Anna Jay made their debut over the past few months.
AEW showed with the introduction of Cody's weekly TNT Championship open challenge that the company can elevate a title in the eyes of fans with consistent exposure. Allowing Shida to have regular title matches and TV time to perform in the ring against the free agents would promote the title as well as the champion as a character.