Nightingale Vacates TBS Title; Survival of the Fittest Match Scheduled

Nightingale Vacates TBS Title; Survival of the Fittest Match Scheduled

Willow Nightingale has relinquished the TBS Championship due to injury, forcing her withdrawal from the Owen Hart Tournament and setting in motion a tournament to determine her successor. All Elite Wrestling announced on the Saturday edition of “Collision” that a Survival of the Fittest match – a format new to AEW – will crown the next champion on the July 1 episode of “Dynamite.” Six qualifying matches will determine the field of competitors for that elimination contest.

The Survival of the Fittest format, traditionally associated with Ring of Honor, operates as a multi-person elimination match in which competitors are eliminated by pinfall until one remains. The concept was used most recently at Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor for the women’s world championship, where Athena retained her title. Nightingale had held the TBS Championship for 140 days following her victory over Mercedes Moné at “Dynamite: New Year’s Smash,” which was her second reign with the belt.

Saturday’s “Collision” broadcast ended in a large brawl after Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International Championship by defeating Daniel Garcia. Members of the Don Callis Family – Rocky Romero, Brian Cage, Lance Archer, Trent Baretta, and a returning Jack Doyle – attacked Takeshita following the match, while commentator Jon Moxley was simultaneously set upon by Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean, and Carlie Bravo, with fellow Death Riders member Marina Shafir also involved. Mike Bailey, Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong entered to aid Takeshita as the show went off the air.

With the TBS Championship vacant and qualifying matches still to be confirmed, the July 1 “Dynamite” broadcast represents the next significant milestone for the women’s division. Takeshita’s position relative to the Don Callis Family, and the fallout from the post-match assault, are also expected to develop on upcoming AEW programming.