Ruby Soho vs Heidi Howitzer

Ruby Soho, the former Heidi Lovelace, takes on Heidi Howitzer (great name). Heidi’s look is like almost exactly half-way between Ruby Soho and Max The Impaler, she’s like post-apocolytpic Ruby Soho.

I’ll just lay some foreshadowing for what’s coming in this match: So the funny thing about this match is I’m coming fresh off of watching Ruby Soho vs Kris Statlander where Ruby wins but gets booed vociferously by the crowd. And then Ruby loses in the Owen Hart Tournament final to Britt Baker at Double Or Nothing. So when Ruby comes skipping out the tunnel with a big smile on her face, it’s a disconnect but I figure, “ah, it’s Elevation, so Tony Khan probably doesn’t want to waste storytelling on non Dynamite/Rampage shows”.

Giver the ol’ Howz-she-goin’

The match starts and Howitzer gets the jump on Soho with some heelish tactics. In contrast to Max The Impaler who we saw previously, while Howitzer isn’t quite as big as Max, she appears to be a lot more clever. She tricks Ruby into leaving herself open to a headbutt. Then, thanks to her combination of power and skill, Howitzer blocks the No Future Kick as well as a Back Heel Trip. Heidi seems to have an answer for a lot of Ruby’s offence.

Ruby No Mo’

The turning point seems to come when Ruby has finally had enough. After turning the momentum, Ruby goes to work on Heidi in a corner with shoulder blocks. Referee Stephon Smith pulls her off and Ruby pushes him out of the way! Ruby goes in with forearms, Stephon Smith counts her down and pulls her off and Ruby shoves him out of the way even harder! Ruby starts kicking Heidi in the corner. Stephon Smith is quick to get in there and count her back. Ruby is fired up. So fired up she tries a suplex on Howitzer but Howitzer is much bigger. Soho takes back control, leading to Destination Unknown for the win.

So two things:

1. Heidi Howitzer actually showed quite a bit of personality in this match. She shows out as being as sharp as she is gristly. The kind of person you could see acting cruelly in the ring because they can. I’m definitely hoping we see her again soon in AEW.
2. Shame on me for assuming that Tony Khan wasn’t going to touch on what’s been going on with Ruby Soho in this match. If this was a trial to see how this might work on Dynamite, I’m all for it. Only thing I’d change is maybe using Bryce Remsburg for the spot as we know he & Ruby have a connection.