Willow Nightingale didn’t leave the July 22 edition of AEW Dynamite without taking some damage.
Hours after her heated confrontation with AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla, Willow took to her Instagram Story to reveal a gruesome injury suffered during the segment, showing fans a bloodied ear that had been split open. Looking at the injury, Willow couldn’t help but joke about it.
“My ear was looking like Pac Man.”
The photo quickly got fans talking, with many surprised by just how much damage had been done during what started as a simple face-to-face ahead of AEW Redemption.
Things only stayed civil for a few minutes on Wednesday night. With Mick Foley moderating the confrontation, Willow and Thekla traded personal insults as they hyped up their AEW Women’s World Championship match. Thekla accused Willow of hiding behind a smile and called her “poison,” while Willow fired back by claiming the champion’s intimidating persona was nothing more than an act.
The confrontation finally boiled over after Thekla slapped Willow across the face with her glove before cracking Mick Foley with a microphone as he tried to restore order. The champion then grabbed her title belt and looked ready to use it as a weapon, but Willow cut her off with a shoulder tackle that sent the segment into chaos.
Somewhere during that exchange, Willow’s ear was torn open badly enough to leave it bloodied by the end of the night. Fortunately for the challenger, the injury doesn’t appear serious enough to put AEW Redemption in doubt. If anything, it adds even more bad blood to what’s already become one of the most personal rivalries heading into Sunday’s title match.
By the time Willow steps into the ring against Thekla, she’ll have one more reminder of exactly what the champion is willing to do—and she’ll be looking to leave with more than just a scar.
Who do you think walks out of AEW Redemption as Women’s World Champion: Thekla or Willow Nightingale? Let us know in the comments below.
