The AEW Women’s Tournament is one step closer to the finals!

The US Bracket continues the quarterfinals while the Japanese Bracket is already into their semifinals! Who gets one step closer to AEW Revolution?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• US Bracket Quarterfinals: Taynara Conti VS Nyla Rose w/ Vickie Guerrero; Nyla wins and advances.
• Japan Bracket Semifinals: Yuka Sakazaki VS Emi Sakura; Sakazaki wins and advances.
• Japan Bracket Semifinals: Aja Kong VS Ryo Mizunami; Mizunami wins and advances.
• US Bracket Quarterfinals: Britt Baker w/ Rebel VS Madi Wrenkowski; Baker wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

BREAKING NEWS!

Just hours before tonight’s action, Anna Jay injured herself during training and now is OUT of the tournament! But Britt Baker won’t get a bye, she gets a new opponent in Madi Wrenkowski! Will Reality hit Britt hard and shock her in the opening round?

US Bracket Quarterfinals: Taynara Conti VS Nyla Rose w/ Vickie Guerrero!

With her good friend and tag team partner, Anna Jay, out of the running, the Brazilian blackbelt will carry on! Will Tay be able to get past the Native Beast? Or will the Vicious Vixens deny her a path to the title?

The bell rings and fans fire up! Tay and Nyla tie up, Tay actually pushes Nyla back! Nyla laughs that off and ties up with Tay again. Tay throws Nyla down but Nyla gets up and in her face! They circle again, tie up, and Nyla kicks low and hard! Nyla mocks Tay’s pain as she scoops and SLAMS her! Cover, TWO! Nyla drags Tay up, CLUBS her, then scoops her again, but Tay slips out to KICK Nyla’s leg! Tay hops on for a sleeper, but Nyla throws her down to hit a NECK SNAPPER! Nyla stomps Tay, rains down fists and elbows, then drags Tay up. Nyla suplexes Tay high and hard, then stalks her to a corner. Fans rally but Nyla bumps Tay off buckles.

Nyla digs her boots into Tay, the ref counts and Nyla lets off. Nyla TOSSES Tay across the way! Tay sits up but Nyla stomps her and pushes her around. Nyla gives Tay a free shot, and Tay KICKS the leg! And KICKS again! Nyla catches the third kick for a BIG Dragon Screw! Nyla drags Tay by her leg for a leg DDT! Tay clutches the leg, gets to a corner but Nyla stomps away on her! The ref counts, Nyla lets off, and she drags Tay to ropes. Nyla stands on the leg then drops down on it! Tay scrambles away but Nyla covers, TWO! Nyla grows annoyed with Tay and she pushes Tay around. Nyla has a standing toehold and she bends the leg!

The fans rally as Tay endures, then KICKS Nyla with the free leg! Now Tay has Nyla’s leg for a KNEEBAR! Nyla endures, grabs for Tay but Tay swats hands away. Nyla stomps away on Tay’s face, and she is free! Nyla kicks low, reels Tay in, and brings Tay up, but Tay fights the bomb off! Tay gets hold of ropes but Nyla claws Tay’s back! Nyla brings Tay from the corner, but Tay RANAS Nyla away! MULE KICK! Cover, TWO! Tay isn’t sure what to do, she gets running, but Nyla CLOBBERS her! Tay gets to a corner, fans rally up, Nyla runs in, but misses! Tay fires off forearms, Nyla pushes her away, Tay KNEES Nyla, then throws her with tayatoshis!

Tay gets a hat trick, sits Nyla up and KNEES her down again! Tay hurries to get Nyla up, hammerlock DDT!! Cover, TWO!?! Nyla survives and Tay is furious! Tay covers again, TWO! Another cover, TWO!! Nyla is still in this and Tay is beside herself! Fans rally up, Tay sits Nyla up and throws forearms! Nyla returns those forearms and they brawl on their knees! They fight up to their feet, Nyla CHOPS Tay but Tay CHOPS back! Nyla CHOPS, Tay CHOPS, so Nyla SLAPS Tay! Tay SLAPS Nyla back! Tay dodges, runs, Nyla scoops her but Tay wants the dragon sleeper! Nyla reaches for ropes, and rips a buckle pad off! They both fall, Tay makes the sleeper a cover, TWO!

Nyla rams into Tay, tosses the pad away and the ref is busy with that. Nyla wants to lawn dart to the exposed steel but the ref says no. Tay rolls Nyla up in the distraction, TWO!! Tay aims at Nyla and runs in but is TOSSED to the ramp! Nyla goes out after Tay, drags her up, fireman’s carries her, and gives Tay a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER to the ramp!! Nyla drags Tay back into the ring, covers, TWO?!?! Tay still lives and no one can believe it! Nyla drags Tay up, gets her up, BEAST BOMB!!! Cover, Nyla wins!

Winner: Nyla Rose, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

Tay toughed it out but she couldn’t beat the beast! Will Nyla look to do this again and again until she is once again AEW Women’s Champion?

Japan Bracket Semifinals: Yuka Sakazaki VS Emi Sakura!

The wrestling Magical Girl beat the Biggest Smile in the World while the Queen of Wrestling overcame the Genderless Artist! But will Yuka fly into the Japan Bracket Finals with a smile of her own? Or will Emi~, Emi~ rock Yuka?

Emi and Yuka shake hands to show there is sportsmanship, and the bell rings. The two circle, tie up, and Yuka gets a leg to trip Emi! Yuka hits a snap lock on the leg, basement dropkicks Emi back down, then is after the leg again. Emi grabs Yuka’s hair, bumps Yuka off buckles, then throws Mongolian Chops over and over! Emi TOSSES Yuka across the ring, and then brings her up to TOSS her again! The ref reprimands but Emi drags Yuka up to chop, only to miss! Yuka runs and dropkicks Emi out of the ring! Yuka builds speed, goes up and up and SENTONS! Emi gets up and hits back, then whips Yuka at the apron. Yuka spins around to kick Emi away!

Emi stays up and she has a grin on her face. The ring count climbs, Emi gets in at 8, but Yuka swings! Emi dodges and shoulders back, but then Yuka slips out as Emi slips in. Emi runs and BODY CHECKS Yuka off the apron! Yuka crashes down, and while Emi distracts the ref with talk of something bothering her, Emi’s sidekicks stomp away on Yuka! Emi goes out to fetch Yuka and underhooks her to put her on the apron, DRAPING TIGER BACKBREAKER! Emi goes back in while Yuka writhes, and a new ring count starts. Yuka slowly stirs and gets up at 5, to then get in at 7! Emi toys with Yuka now, kicking her towards the corner.

Emi drags Yuka up, puts her on the ropes and pulls her back against them like a camel clutch! The ref reprimands and counts but Emi lets off, to then use her leg to pull Yuka back! Emi lets off as the ref counts again, to then stomp Yuka down! Emi drags Yuka up just to throw her down! Emi gets the legs, and sings as she hooks Yuka up. Emi’s sidekicks sing along as Emi grabs Yuka’s arms. ROMERO SPECIAL, and then they start rolling! Yuka endures as Emi brings her way back into a chinlock, then a straitjacket variation! Emi TOSSES Yuka away, then drags her around to stomp her down. Emi digs her boot into Yuka’s back while flexing! Emi brings Yuka up, suplexes but Yuka blocks!

Yuka clubs Emi and tries to suplex but Emi blocks! Yuka’s back bothers her, Emi whips but Yuka blocks! Yuka runs but the back elbow just bounces off Emi! Emi underhooks but Yuka blocks! Yuka powers up to back drop Emi! Emi goes to a corner, Yuka goes to the other. Yuka runs corner to corner to SHINING WIZARD! Yuka goes up and hits a FLYING BACK ELBOW! Emi staggers up but Yuka scoops for an EXPLODER! Yuka and Emi get up, Yuka gets Emi and rolls her for a CALF CRUSHER! Yuka ties up both legs for a modified deathlock! Emi endures, clubs Yuka as best she can, but Yuka elbows away on Emi! Emi crawls and gets the ropebreak!

Yuka lets go fast and goes to a corner. Yuka climbs, Emi staggers up, Yuka walks the tightrope to missile dropkick! Cover, TWO! Emi gets up but Yuka is on her with a wrench to hammerlock to lift! Emi slips out and gets a dragon sleeper! Yuka endures, Emi clubs her, then hits a TWISTING NECKBREAKER! Emi gets the sidekicks to sing “We Will Rock You!” as she runs in to BODY CHECK Yuka in the corner! Emi goes up, VADER BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Yuka survives and the sidekicks can’t believe it! Emi still grins, though, as she brings Yuka up. Emi underhooks and puts Yuka up top now. Emi CLAWS Yuka’s back! The ref reprimands but Emi goes corner to corner!

Yuka sits up to roar at Emi, but Emi just claws Yuka’s eyes! Yuka SLAPS back! Yuka adjusts, leaps, SEATED SENTON! Then a RANA! Cover, TWO!! Emi escapes, staggers up, but into a COMPLETE SHOT! Yuka hurries to the apron and steps up the ropes, but Emi trips her up! Emi underhooks again and has Yuka on the ropes, DRAPING TIGER BACKBREAKER! Emi hurries to a corner, and hits a VADER ELBOW! Cover, TWO?!? Yuka still lives and Emi’s sidekicks are freaking out! Emi brings Yuka in and underhooks again, but Yuka blocks! Yuka wrenches, hammerlocks, lifts and spins for a TOSS FACEBUSTER!

Yuka builds speed but runs into a tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER! Both women are down and Emi’s sidekicks rally for her. The ref checks, both women are okay to continue, and Yuka sits up first. Emi follows, and the two head for each other! Yuka throws big forearms but Emi CHOPS back! Yuka spins to FOREARM and she ROCKS Emi! Emi laughs, though! Emi stands up and CHOPS Yuka again! And CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! Yuka dodges the next chop to ROCK Emi, but then Emi counters the discus to a backslide! Yuka rolls through, avoids La Magistrol and snapmares to KICK! Emi dodges the sliding lariat, CHOPS and CHOP-LARIATS!! Cover, TWO!?!?

Emi hurries to La Magistrol, but Yuka rolls through that, too! Emi has a dragon sleeper on Yuka, but Yuka endures! Yuka reaches around, and gets a ropebreak! Emi lets go fast to drag Yuka right back up! Emi underhooks, lifts to a Canadian rack, STORMBREAKER!! Cover, ROPEBREAK?!?! Emi isn’t deterred, she just hauls Yuka back up! ANGEL’S- NO! Yuka slips out, SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO!! Rolling Ghost Pin, YUKA WINS!!

Winner: Yuka Sakazaki, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

The Magical Girl was under pressure, but she came out on top! If Yuka can shock the Queen, can she take the throne for herself?

But wait! Emi and her sidekicks attack Yuka! They can’t accept that Yuka won! But Hikaru Shida jumps off commentary to get in the ring and run them all off! Shida glares at Emi, and then makes sure Yuka is okay. Will Yuka repay Shida by facing her at Revolution?

Japan Bracket Semifinals: Aja Kong VS Ryo Mizunami!

Two of the hardest hitting women in Japan collide and it’s not even the bracket finals! Will Aja Kong have nothing on Aneki?

Ryo gets impatient in the check again and slaps the ref on the back. The bell rings and Ryo circles with Kong. They tie up, and are in a dead lock! Kong shoves Ryu away but Ryu shouts. Kong tells her to quiet down, and the two circle again. They tie up, are in another dead lock, and Kong powers Ryo to the ropes! The ref calls for a break and Kong lets off, but Ryo avoids the chop! Ryo fires off forearms, whips but Kong reverses! Ryo rams shoulders but Kong doesn’t budge! Ryo fires up and rams again but Kong stays up! Kong fires up but so does Ryo. Ryo runs, dodges and runs Kong over! Ryo is fired up even more now but Kong gets up to a corner.

Ryo CHOPS, and CHOPS, and then Kojima machine gun chops! The ref counts, Ryo apologizes, but then CHOPS one more time! Kong felt those, but Ryo fires up even more. Ryo wants those of us watching at home to get hype as she does the mime ropes! But Kong SLAPS Ryo! Kong whips and CLOBBERS Ryo, then shows her own dance moves. Ryo CHOPS Kong from behind! Ryo and Kong both fire up as Ryo drags Kong up. Ryo tries to scoop but Kong is too big for that! Ryo throws body shots but Kong claws Ryo’s back to then scoop and slam her! Kong leaps but Ryo avoids the elbow drop! Ryo drops a leg, brother! And then runs to drop another leg, brother! Cover, ONE!!

Ryo argues the count but she’s right after Kong again. Ryo waistlocks, Kong drops down but Ryo blocks the kick! Ryo gets the leg and drops down for a KNEEBAR! Kong resists as Ryo pulls the leg, and Ryo pushes Kong down to extend! Kong gets the ropebreak fast, so Ryo lets go to drop a leg on the leg! Ryo drops an elbow down, too, but Kong pulls Ryo’s hair! The ref reprimands, so Kong claws at Ryo’s arm! Ryo keeps pulling the toehold but Kong rakes eyes! The ref reprimands, Ryo elbows away on Kong’s leg, and then shifts around to stomp the knee! Kong gets to ropes, Ryo grabs the leg again and stomps the thigh!

The ref reprimands as Kong still has the ropebreak, but Ryo gives another swift kick before letting off. Ryo drags Kong up, goes after the leg, but Kong SLAPS her and HEADBUTTS her! Kong drags Ryo up but Ryo SWEEPS the leg! Ryo steadies herself, stomps Kong’s leg more, but Kong gets the ropes. Ryo drags Kong up with a facelock, whips her to ropes, but Kong’s leg doesn’t last long! Ryo shouts for Kong to get up! Kong hits her own leg to get it moving, and she drags herself up with ropes. Ryo runs in but Kong moves and Ryo tumbles out! Kong hurries out after Ryo, even with the bad leg, and she ROCKS Ryo with a right!

Kong bumps Ryo off the timekeeper’s table, brings her back towards the ring and POSTS her! Kong puts Ryo in as the ring count is 8, and then gets in before 9. Kong gets her bad leg moving again, hobbles around and goes for her trash bin?! The ref tells Kong no, that’s not allowed! Kong hands the bin over, drags Ryo up, and then reels her in for a SAIDO! Kong isn’t done with Ryo, she drags her back up for ANOTHER SAIDO! Ryo is in a daze, Kong covers, TWO!! Ryo survives and Kong is furious! Kong gets her bad leg moving again, and then fires up! Kong drags Ryo back up, for the URA- NO! Ryo barely blocks the back hand! Kong KICKS Ryo down but Ryo fires up!

Ryo gets to her feet only for Kong to KICK her back down! Kong still works on her bad arm but Ryo fires up again! Kong also fires up, but kicks into a DRAGON SCREW! Both women are down, Kong grimaces in pain but Ryo aims from across the ring. Ryo runs in to LARIAT Kong against ropes, then KOTARO KRUSHER! Cover, TWO!! But into a katagatami head-and-arm triangle!! Kong endures, Ryo squeezes tight, and the ref checks on Kong. Kong starts to fade! The arm drops once, then twice, but Kong gets a second wind! Kong gets the ropebreak! Ryo lets go, powers up again, and drags Kong back up. Ryo fires off forearms from all sides, and ROCKS Kong, only for Kong to swat back!

Ryo gets the arms, HEADBUTTS and UPPERCUTS! Kong wobbles but stays up! Ryo LARIATS, but Kong stays up! Ryo LARIATS again but Kong is still up. DOUBLE LARIATS collide, neither falls and now LARIATS fly back and forth! Ryo and Kong are still on their feet! Ryo gets a set of three, but runs into a LARIAT FROM HELL!! Cover, TWO!?! Ryo survives but Kong drags her to a drop zone. Kong steps on Ryo on the way to the corner. Kong climbs, but Ryo CHOPS her on the back and CLUBS her on the hips! Ryo SLAMS Kong down, Kong gets up, but Ryo SPEARS! Ryo hurries to a corner now, climbs up top, and leaps for the SUPER LEG DROP!! Cover, TWO!?!? Kong survives and Ryo is beside herself!

Ryo drags Kong back up but that’s a lot of dead weight. Ryo gets Kong up, but Kong URAKENS outta nowhere!! Both women fall but are stirring! Ryo and Kong end up in opposite corners, then flounder about as they go for the other. Kong manages a cover, TWO! Kong drags Ryo out of the ring, Ryo staggers but Kong hobbles after. Kong ROCKS Ryo, and Ryo flounders towards the timekeeper’s area. Kong has the trash bin again! Kong brings Ryo and bin over to Japanese commentary, where Hikaru Shida is sitting! Kong tosses the bin to Shida, and she catches it, only for Kong to shove Ryo into the bin! Well this doesn’t count as using it or as a disqualification!

The ring count is climbing and Kong heads back. But Ryo bolts up to the apron, to the corner, and hits a SUPER LEG DROP to Kong!! Kong flops back down, Ryo gets in, the count hits 10!! RYO WINS!!

Winner: Ryo Mizunami, by count-out (advances to the next round)

Amazing! Aneki withstands all the damage done, and snatches victory from the jaws of defeat! A huge win, probably even the biggest upset in the tournament! Will this be what leads Ryo through to AEW Revolution?

US Bracket Quarterfinals: Britt Baker w/ Rebel VS Madi Wrenkowski!

The Dentist has a different opponent then planned, but will that only make things easier for her now? Or will Ms. Reality shock the world and move on to the next round?

But even before Madi is done with her entrance, Britt attacks from behind! Rebel is the only one cheering Britt on as she stomps Madi at the ramp! The ref reprimands but Britt doesn’t care, she drags Madi up while talking a town of trash, FISHERMAN SCREW to the ramp! Madi flops to the floor, Britt kicks her further along, and drags Madi up to throw forearms! Britt bumps Madi off the apron, brings her around and whips her into railing! Britt keeps talking smack and then she chokes Madi on the barriers! The ref reprimands, Britt lets off and finally goes to the ring, only for Rebel to do her dirty work! Madi fires off on Rebel!

Britt goes out to DECK Madi, and then she drags Madi up to throw more forearms. Britt whips but Madi reverses and sends Britt into railing! Madi dropkicks Britt, Rebel freaks out, and Madi puts Britt in the ring. The bell rings, Rebel swipes at Madi, but Britt kicks Madi. Britt puts Madi on the ropes, digs her forearms in, and then ROCKS Madi again! Britt whips, Madi reverses but Britt hits a SLINGBLADE! Rebel is again the only one cheering on the Doctor. Britt talks trash to Thunder Rosa on teaching Madi all the wrong things. Britt cravats and cranks on Madi’s neck, to then throw knees! Madi staggers around, Britt brags to the cameras, then goes back after Madi.

Britt throws more forearms, reels Madi in, and hits a BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Madi writhes and Britt smiles. Britt brings Madi back around to snap suplex! Britt pretends to be modest, but then Madi pushes her down! Britt goes after Madi with clubbing forearms, and though Madi tries to block, Britt powers through with the snap suplex! Britt toys with Madi, drags her back up, but this time Madi’s block works! Britt stands Madi up to ROCK her, but Madi knees back! Madi hits a FACEBUSTER! Madi fires up, fans rally with her and Britt is in a corner. Madi runs in to BODY CHECK! Madi KICKS Britt, slingshots in and snapmares Britt to a BASEMENT FACEBUSTER! Cover, ROPEBREAK!

Britt saves herself and Madi is furious! Rebel checks on Britt, Madi runs back in at the corner, but Britt denies the monkey flip, and gives Madi a BUCKLE SHOT! Fans boo but Rebel’s cohost laugh returns as Britt digs her boots into Madi’s head! The ref counts, Britt lets off, and Britt drags Rebel up. Britt hooks the leg but Madi slips out of the fisherman to CHOP! Madi whips, Britt reverses, but Madi BOOTS back! Madi goes up top and leaps, but Britt gets under! The crossbody flops, Britt brings Madi up, AIR RAID CRASH!! Cover, TWO!?! Britt can’t believe it! Rebel gets Britt the glove, and then Britt waits for Madi to sit up. SUPERKICK! Rings of Saturn, to the LOCKJAW!! Madi taps, Britt wins!

Winner: Britt Baker, by submission (advances to the next round)

Madi gave Britt a good fight, even after being attacked from behind, but the reality is, the Doctor is in the next round. But to add insult to injury, and a message to Thunder Rosa, Britt pulls Madi up by her arms, to CURB STOMP her down!! And then they draw on Madi’s face to mock her trainer, Thunder Rosa! But will Britt even meet Rosa in the tournament with NYLA ROSE in her way first? We’ll see this Wednesday on Dynamite!

More BREAKING NEWS for the tournament!

As a free special on Bleacher Report, AEW will hold the US Bracket’s semifinal of Riho VS Thunder Rosa, as well as a Six Woman Tag! Hikaru Shida teams with Mei Suruga and Rin Kadokura to take on Veny, Maki Itoh, and Emi Sakura! Will the Biggest Smile be able to battle her mentor, the Queen of Wrestling? Will someone circumvent the tournament by pinning the AEW Women’s Champion in this 3v3? Plus, THE Japanese Bracket finals, Yuka Sakazaki VS Ryo Mizunami! Will Magical Girl or Aneki be waiting for the American side’s finalist on the road to Revolution?

My Thoughts:

A really good hour right here, but on paper, I question the positioning of matches. Namely, Britt VS Madi as the main event. After Anna unfortunately got injured, which turns out will be no less than six months but up to a full year of recovery, it was a shoe-in that Britt would win. I do like that the replacement turns out to be a student of Thunder Rosa’s so that there can be some story there, but there was just some sloppiness in Britt VS Madi that I feel like exposes one or both of them as not having enough polish yet. And this is Britt, who has been in the spotlight for the last year or so, and she still has a really messy Slingblade, and just must’ve been on the wrong page with Madi in regards to that suplex counter sequence. I get her “sending a message” was a good closing, but it wasn’t quite a main event level main event.

Ryo VS Kong was main event level. Commentary helped us understand the story that Ryo had yet to beat Kong 1v1, and this was how she finally did it. It was a great match with a great twist ending where it was the count out, and Kong putting Ryo over surely means a lot to Ryo and her career. Yuka VS Emi was also a great match, with Emi playing up being Heel with help from her sidekicks/students at ringside. But Yuka wins to give us another fan favorite in the Japan finals, and I’m sure Yuka VS Ryo this Sunday will be great. Tay VS Nyla was a good opener, and with no Tay VS Jay possible, it makes perfect sense to have Nyla in the next round. Nyla VS Britt will surely be a good match but I would think the US Bracket finals will be Thunder Rosa VS Britt Baker to settle their feud.

The next part of this tournament being on Sunday is an interesting move, but perhaps AEW understands that they can’t keep going on right before Monday Night Raw, and that they still have Bleacher Report as a friend that they can put special events on. Obviously keeping it free is the smart move, no sense turning fans against you (even though they could’ve done free on YouTube again). The Six Woman Tag will be very interesting given who is teaming with who. I suppose there aren’t clear Face/Heel lines to be drawn, but I would’ve thought Mei Suruga could’ve joined Emi’s team and then Veny or Maki Itoh is on Shida’s team, because of how we just saw Suruga be one of Emi’s sidekicks. And I would think Team Shida wins, so that Shida stays strong going into her title defense at Revolution.

My Score: 8.2/10