Why was the TBS Championship vacant on the July 1 episode of Dynamite?

The TBS Championship was vacant because the previous champion, Willow Nightingale, was sidelined with a shoulder injury. To crown a new champion, AEW President Tony Khan booked a six-woman Survival of the Fittest match on the July 1 episode of Dynamite.

Who won the vacant TBS Championship on the July 1 AEW Dynamite?

Hikaru Shida won the vacant TBS Championship by defeating Kris Statlander, Persephone, Queen Aminata, Maika, and Harley Cameron. She emerged victorious in the first-ever six-woman Survival of the Fittest match to reclaim the gold, though the finish sparked controversy.

How did Hikaru Shida win the TBS Championship match?

Hikaru Shida won after Persephone ran down and hit Kris Statlander in the head with the title belt while Statlander was on the apron. Shida then locked in a submission hold, leading the referee to call for a stoppage and award Shida the championship.

What unique rule was applied to the Survival of the Fittest match?

The first-ever Survival of the Fittest match featured a unique rule that made rope breaks illegal. This forced the final two competitors, Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander, to find alternative ways to survive or escape submission holds without relying on the ropes.

Who did Kevin Knight defend his TNT Championship against on Dynamite?

Kevin Knight successfully defended his TNT Championship against challenger Lio Rush on the July 1 episode of AEW Dynamite. Knight, who is now aligned with the Don Callis Family, secured the victory to retain his title during the broadcast.

Hikaru Shida's bizarre TBS title win has divided AEW fans

The Survival of the Fittest Chaos

Pull up a barstool, grab a cold pint of the cheapest lager on tap, and let's talk about the absolute chaos dividing the wrestling internet today. If you think being a top-tier AEW star is all smooth sailing, you need to wake up. The July 1 episode of Dynamite gave us a new TBS Champion, but it came with a side of controversy that has fans screaming on every message board.

With Willow Nightingale sidelined by a shoulder injury, Tony Khan had to crown a new champion. In the first-ever Survival of the Fittest match, six qualified women entered the ring.

Only one walked out with the gold. Hikaru Shida stood tall at the end, but the journey to get there was anything but clean.

The match itself was a wild ride of near-falls and sudden exits. Persephone started the carnage by pinning Harley Cameron. Then, Shida eliminated Maika to even the playing field.

Persephone stole another pin to eliminate Queen Aminata, proving she is a menace. But Kris Statlander shut that down, pinning Persephone to set up the final showdown.

This is where the wheels fell off. The rules made rope breaks illegal, forcing competitors to find other ways to survive.

Locked in an ankle lock, Statlander crawled to the apron. Out of nowhere, Persephone ran down and smashed Statlander in the head with the title belt.

Shida then locked in the submission. The referee called for a stoppage, handing Shida the win. It was a bizarre finish that left fans scratching their heads.

The internet immediately split over the finish. Enthusiasts are thrilled to see Shida back on top.

One poster on r/SquaredCircle argued Shida is the ultimate veteran to anchor the division. They believe she is exactly what the division needs.

The skeptics, however, are absolutely furious. F4W board members pointed out that having a babyface win a vacated title via referee stoppage after a heel's cheap shot makes her look incredibly weak.

It feels like a cop-out. It cheapens what should have been a triumphant moment.

The contrarians are ignoring the winner entirely, claiming Persephone is the real star. They point to her post-match comments on Twitter as proof of her breakout potential, while Shida herself dismissed doubters on Twitter after the show.

Tonight, I didn’t win the TBS Championship, but I think I left with something even better, because we all learned that the great women of AEW, women like Harley, like Aminata, and even like Kris Statlander, are some of the most gullible and pathetic women I have ever seen.

My take? The skeptics are right. Shida is one of the best in-ring performers in the world, but this overbooked mess did her no favors.

A babyface champion should win clean. Instead, she looks like an opportunist who needed a heel's help to beat Statlander.

The Jet Refuses to Fly

Now let's switch gears to the TNT Championship. Kevin Knight, now firmly aligned with the Don Callis Family, successfully defended his title against Lio Rush on Dynamite.

But the real story started after the bell rang. The Jet is flying high, but his landing might be rough, especially with his refusal to grant Allin a shot as reported by WrestleTalk.

Afterwards, Darby Allin set his sights on the championship. Don Callis immediately shut it down, calling Allin a criminal who deserves nothing.

Knight backed Callis, warning Allin to stay away. The tension has built since May 24 at Double or Nothing, when Knight attacked Allin after he beat MJF.

Fan reaction is mixed. Knight's supporters love his arrogant attitude.

One Twitter user wrote that joining the Don Callis Family was Knight's best career move. It gives him the heel edge he sorely lacked.

On the flip side, skeptics think Knight is talking a big game but running scared. They note that Allin has held the TNT Championship for a combined 214 days across his reigns, making him the longest-reigning champion in history. Dismissing a challenger with that kind of resume makes Knight look terrified.

Because now I got Darby Allin wanting to come back into the fray. Like Don told you, you’re not dealing with criminals; you don’t deserve a shot at this. You don’t deserve it. So you trying to step in the ring with me? It’s not happening, it’s not happening. So be patient, wait your turn and watch The Jet go to work, aight?

Let's look at the contradiction in Knight's promo. He yells that it is not happening, but then tells Darby to be patient and wait his turn.

Which one is it, Jet? This kind of sloppy character work hurts the heel persona he is trying to build.

My analysis is simple: Knight is out of his depth. He is an incredible athlete, but Allin is a former two-time champion who lives for pain.

Knight can run behind Don Callis all he wants, but eventually, he will have to step into the ring with Darby. And when he does, all the family backup in the world won't save him from a Coffin Drop.

The Shadow of the Cowboy

Finally, we have to talk about the biggest rumor circulating in the AEW locker room. Hangman Adam Page has been completely missing since March.

He was last seen losing a brutal Texas Deathmatch to MJF at Revolution. That loss carried a devastating stipulation: Page can never challenge for the World Championship again.

But the rumors are heating up that the Cowboy is ready to ride back into town. According to Wrestling Inc., the former World Champion is rumored to return soon.

AEW has Beach Break coming up next week, followed by the Redemption pay-per-view in Montreal on July 26. And, of course, the massive ALL IN show at Wembley Stadium looms on August 30.

Next week's Beach Break features Kenny Omega challenging MJF for the title. Omega faces the same stipulation that ruined Hangman.

Losing means Omega is also banned from challenging forever. This parallel has fans convinced Hangman will return to protect his former partner.

The community is desperate for Page's return. Forum posters are pointing out that his signature moves were teased at Forbidden Door, which is a classic wrestling tease.

They believe his return is the spark AEW needs to kick off the summer season. Skeptics are a bit more cautious.

They wonder how AEW can book Hangman without a title chase. If he cannot target MJF's belt, what is his motivation? They fear he will get lost in mid-card feuds.

In my view, Hangman is the heart of AEW. The title stipulation makes his return more interesting, not less.

It forces the writers to be creative. He doesn't need the belt to be the main attraction, and a feud with a dominant champion like MJF without the title on the line could be legendary.