Storm/Shida vs Baker/Hayter

So this was a match I was at live for as it emanated from Toronto. AEW’s been doing a lot of these multi-women matches, be they tag, trios, or 4-ways, and in the “Saraya Era” of AEW, they seem to have a couple purposes which are:

1. Get more women screen time to get the audience better aquatinted with them
2. Test out the dynamics between different competitors to see if there’s a singles bout in there which is already “proof of concept” based on the audience’s reaction of them.

On the latter point, I think it’s pretty much proven that any of these four women put into a singles match will be straight fire so I feel the purpose of this match was to heat Shida up for a shot at Toni Storm’s Interim World Title.

Hikaru Shida and Jamie Hayter open the match to big “JAMIE HAYTER” chants. The babyfaces take early control as they’re the first to tag in and out, separating Hayter from making the tag. But a boot grab from the outside by Baker on Toni Storm opens up an opportunity for Jamie to hit a Big Boot.

During commercial break, Britt is able to work over Toni by stretching her shoulder on the ringpost. Storm takes a lot of heat during PIP. We come back from commercial with Baker & Shida both getting hot tags as Shida takes control. She goes for the 10-punch in the corner. Hayter runs over to interfere but ends up getting Suplexed over the rope into the ring by Shida. Shida then suplexes Baker onto Hayter then hits a Meteora off the middle rope onto Britt and pins for two.

Shida tries for the Katana but it’s blocked by Baker before Jamie comes in and gives Shida her merciless looking Back Breaker. Storm runs in and Hayter tries the same move to her but she reverses it into a Bulldog. Baker then attacks Storm and hits a Swinging Neckbreaker at which point Britt takes the opportunity to get the glove from Rebel at ringside. Awesome fast paced back and forth action!

Shida tries to take on both Baker and Hayter but the numbers game catches up with her as she’s hit with a Double Superkick. Hayter follows that up with Sliding Lariat and then Baker with a Curb Stomp. Britt pins Hayter but Toni breaks the pin. Toni throws Hayter out to the floor, hits a Spinning DDT on Baker off the bottom rope and then hits the Storm Zero on Britt and tries to block Jamie as Shida goes for the pin but Hayter just bulldozes Toni onto both women, breaking the pin.

Shida Enziguri’s Hayter to the floor. Storm hits a Spinning DDT on her. This leaves Baker and Shida alone in the ring. They’re going for a lot of pinfall maneuvers with some very good false finishes when finally Shida rolls up Britt into a high stacked pin, holding her tightly with both arms and she gets the win.

The action in this match was awesome although it did take a dip during the commercial break and yes, even there live, you can kind of tell when it must be in PIP based on the pace of the match. Britt Baker is so over that she can basically eat losses right now with little to no effect. Jamie Hayter, as I keep saying, remains white hot. Toni Storm can do no wrong. And Shida gives another amazing performance. Talking with fans in Toronto there did seem to be some appetite for another Shida run since she had such a good run but it was in front of no fans. I’d echo that, that I’d love to see Hikaru Shida, like Jon Moxley, be given the ball in front of a live AEW audience.