This is one rivalry that will likely never fade out; ever since Hikaru Shida toppled Nyla Rose for the AEW Women’s World Title at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2020, there have been unsettled issues between the women. Even the rematch at FULL GEAR 2020, also won by Shida, did nothing to quell the hostilities or the rage felt by “The Native Beast” over failing to reclaim the championship. She even interrupted Tony Schiavone’s congratulatory interview with Hikaru after defeating Serena Deeb in the opening round of the TBS Tournament and achieving her 50th win:
Perhaps one of the facts that lingers in Nyla’s brain is that in tag team situations, regardless of who either competitor has teamed with, Rose has essentially dominated Shida in two-on-two situations. Four tag team encounters in their AEW careers, four career victories for Nyla Rose, but then on Saturday, during the FULL GEAR 2021: BUY-IN, that all changed. With Thunder Rosa as her partner, Shida found a way to pick up her first tag team victory over Nyla, despite competing on a bad leg courtesy of Serena Deeb, and aggravated that night by Vickie Guerrero’s cane shot.
So in this third singles match for the two former Women’s World Champions, Shida heads into the battle with a psychological advantage given her prior victories as well as the one just days ago, but Nyla has a strong physical advantage. We have seen Shida find ways to conquer the size differential, but never has the record-setting former champion entered into their fights with a nagging injury such as this. It absolutely puts Hikaru Shida in a hole to start the battle, and with just a handful of days since FULL GEAR 2021, there has not been a chance to really heal up.
Should Nyla Rose finally defeat Shida one-on-one, she absolutely owes a debt of gratitude to “The Professor” Serena Deeb for setting the table. Can “The Native Beast” breaking her singles losing streak against Shida and advance to face the winner of Ruby Soho/Kris Statlander? Or will it be Shida, bad knee and all, who continues to dominate in this rivalry and moves one step closer to that TBS Women’s Championship?