The first two names are officially locked in for AEW’s Survival of the Fittest match.
Hikaru Shida and Persephone both won qualifying matches on the June 13 AEW Collision, earning spots in the six-woman elimination match on the July 1 episode of AEW Dynamite in San Diego. The winner of that match will become the new TBS Champion.
Shida punched her ticket by defeating Zayda Steel. She picked up the win with a new submission hold, but she was not done after the bell. Shida continued attacking Steel until Christopher Daniels ran in to stop things before more damage was done.
Later in the show, Persephone also advanced after defeating Julia Hart with a press powerbomb. That win carried some extra weight, because Hart was the one who put Persephone out of action for more than a month after a mist attack.
The TBS Championship was declared vacant after Willow Nightingale gave up the title due to injury. Now, AEW is using the Survival of the Fittest match to crown a new champion. Several names have already shown interest in qualifying, including Kris Statlander, Mina Shirakawa, and Harley Cameron.
AEW Dynamite’s July 1 lineup now includes:
- Survival of the Fittest match for the vacant TBS Championship: Persephone vs. Hikaru Shida vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA
With Shida and Persephone now in the match, AEW has started building the field for a major TBS Championship showdown in San Diego. Four spots are still open, and the next qualifiers could make this match even more unpredictable.
What do you think about Hikaru Shida and Persephone qualifying for the Survival of the Fittest match? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.
