Predicting the first title holders in All Elite Wrestling
At Double or Nothing, Bret Hart unveiled the first championship belt for All Elite Wrestling, the AEW Heavyweight Championship. It was meant to merely be a reveal because a way to determine the first title holder was to be implemented in a title match at All Out in August.
Adam Page had won the battle royal earlier in the night to qualify for the Heavyweight Title match. Also at the show, the winner of the main event between Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho was given a spot in a match for the title at All Out in August. After Jericho punched his ticket with a win, the match became official.
But since we know there will be other titles in the promotion, just what will they be? Most promotions have a Heavyweight Title, a Women's Championship, a Tag Team Championship and a mid-card title.
Because they have such a diverse roster and a lot of wrestlers under 200lbs, the mid-card title might be a lightweight, middleweight or cruiserweight type of belt. Every promotion names it differently as WWF/E and NJPW's mid-card titles have always been the Intercontinental Championship.
Other promotions, like Ring of Honor, have the TV Title or in Impact's case, the X Division Title. The official type and name of that belt will likely be determined at a later date this year, possibly on AEW's TV show.
At the post-show scrum for Fyter Fest, the Young Bucks mentioned that there are plans for a men's title, women's title and a set of tag titles for both men and women. With all of the above considered, here are predictions for just who will be the first titleholders in AEW.
AEW Women's Tag Team Champions - Hikaru Shida and Riho Abe
There aren't many, or for that matter any, established female tag teams yet in AEW. There have been four female matches collectively at both DON and Fyter Fest but outside of Nyla Rose being a bully type and Leva Bates 'shushing' people, there aren't many greatly established heels.
On the face side of things, however, are Kylie Rae, Britt Baker, Abe and Shida. Since the latter two ladies have teamed together, it might make sense for the first Women's Tag Team champs to be from outside of the US. It would help give them more exposure and allow them to grow into their roles stateside.
Both matches that featured the joshi women were great, so by giving them a tag title run, it will help to further cement their legitimacy. Until some other teams are either forced together or formed naturally, this pairing makes the most sense as the first holders of Women's Tag Team titles in AEW.