The AEW TBS Championship is a women's professional wrestling television championship created and promoted by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Established on October 6, 2021, it is the secondary championship of the promotion's female division, and the inaugural champion was Jade Cargill. It is named after the TBS television network, which airs AEW's flagship program, Dynamite. The reigning champion is Mercedes Moné, who is in her first reign. She won the title by defeating Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing on May 26, 2024.

AEW TBS Championship
The TBS Championship belt
Details
PromotionAll Elite Wrestling
Date establishedOctober 6, 2021
Current champion(s)Mercedes Moné
Date wonMay 26, 2024
Statistics
First champion(s)Jade Cargill
Longest reignJade Cargill
(508 days)
Shortest reignWillow Nightingale
(35 days)
Oldest championMercedes Moné
(32 years, 121 days)
Youngest championJulia Hart
(22 years, 10 days)
Heaviest championWillow Nightingale
(183 lb (83 kg))
Lightest championMercedes Moné
(115 lb (52 kg))

History

edit
 
Inaugural and longest-reigning champion Jade Cargill, who held the title for 508 days, the longest reign for any AEW championship

In March 2020, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) established the AEW TNT Championship as a television championship for the men's division, named after the TNT television network, owned by WarnerMedia.[1] In May 2021, it was announced that AEW's flagship program, Dynamite, would be moving from TNT to the network's sister channel, TBS, also owned by WarnerMedia, in January 2022, while AEW's other core program, Rampage, would remain on TNT.[2][3] Despite Dynamite moving to TBS, wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reported that the TNT Championship would not be renamed.[4] Then-AEW executive and wrestler Cody Rhodes also affirmed that there were no plans to rename the championship and that there were no plans for a separate TBS Championship for male wrestlers.[5] It was later reported that the promotion would introduce a secondary women's championship and it would instead be called the TBS Championship.[6]

Prior to the October 6, 2021, second anniversary episode of Dynamite, AEW President and Chief Executive Officer Tony Khan said there would be a major announcement made on the show.[7] During the episode, AEW commentator Tony Schiavone and referee Aubrey Edwards officially unveiled the AEW TBS Championship as a television championship for the women's division.[8] AEW announced that the inaugural champion would be determined by a single-elimination tournament.[9] The tournament bracket was revealed on the October 22 episode of Rampage with a 12-woman field. The tournament itself began on the October 23 episode of Dynamite and concluded on the January 5, 2022, episode, the show's debut broadcast on TBS.[10][9] In the tournament final, Jade Cargill defeated Ruby Soho to become the inaugural TBS Champion.[11]

TBS Championship Tournament

edit

On the October 22, 2021, episode of Rampage, the participants of the inaugural TBS Championship Tournament were revealed.[12] Tony Khan announced on Busted Open Radio that the tournament would have a 12-woman field with four of them receiving a first round bye.[13]

First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
 
November 24, 2021
   
 Thunder Rosa Pin
November 3, 2021
 Jamie Hayter 10:33
 Anna Jay 5:52
December 29, 2021 0
 Jamie Hayter Pin
 Thunder Rosa 11:00
 Jade Cargill Pin
 
November 17, 2021
 
 Jade Cargill Pin
November 5, 2021
 Red Velvet 9:47
 The Bunny 3:31
January 5, 2022
 Red Velvet Pin
 Jade Cargill Pin
 
 Ruby Soho 11:22
    
November 17, 2021
    
 Nyla Rose Sub
October 27, 2021
 Hikaru Shida 11:27
 Serena Deeb 11:04
December 22, 2021
 Hikaru Shida Pin
 Nyla Rose 14:36
 
 Ruby Soho Pin
    
December 1, 2021
    
 Kris Statlander 10:12
October 23, 2021  
 Ruby Soho Pin
 Penelope Ford 8:46     
 Ruby Soho Pin     

Belt design

edit

The TBS Championship belt design is nearly identical to the men's TNT Championship, with a couple of notable differences. The belt has six plates on a black leather strap. The center plate prominently features a relief TBS network logo at the center. Above the TBS logo is AEW's logo, while below the TBS logo is a blue banner that says "CHAMPION" (countering the red banner on the TNT title). The two inner side plates are the same as the TNT Championship, featuring "Tara on Techwood", 1050 Techwood Drive in Atlanta, the building that was the original home of both TNT and TBS. Also like the TNT title, the two outer side plates feature AEW's logo, while a third smaller side plate on the far right side also features the promotion's logo.[8] This and the original TNT belt it was based on were originally commissioned by AEW and designed by Red Leather, and the actual construction of the belt was completed by Rey Rey Championship Belts.[14]

Reigns

edit
 
Current champion Mercedes Moné with the AEW TBS Championship (left) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Strong Women's Championship (right)

As of November 25, 2024, there have been five reigns between five champions. Jade Cargill was the inaugural champion and has the longest reign at 508 days, which is also the longest reign of any AEW championship. Willow Nightingale has the shortest reign at 35 days. Mercedes Moné is the oldest champion, winning the title at 32, while Hart is the youngest at 22, also making her the youngest female champion in AEW's history.

Mercedes Moné is the current champion in her first reign. She defeated previous champion Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing on May 26, 2024, in Paradise, Nevada.[15]

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Jade Cargill January 5, 2022 Dynamite Newark, NJ 1 508 Defeated Ruby Soho in a tournament final to become the inaugural champion. [11]
2 Kris Statlander May 28, 2023 Double or Nothing Paradise, NV 1 174 [16]
3 Julia Hart November 18, 2023 Full Gear Inglewood, CA 1 155 This was a three-way match that also involved Skye Blue, who Hart pinned. [17]
4 Willow Nightingale April 21, 2024 Dynasty St. Louis, MO 1 35 This was a "House Rules" match. Nightingale's stipulation was that Skye Blue and Kris Statlander were barred from ringside. [18]
5 Mercedes Moné May 26, 2024 Double or Nothing Paradise, NV 1 183+ [15]


See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Currier, Joseph (March 30, 2020). "AEW INTRODUCING TNT CHAMPIONSHIP, TOURNAMENT TO BEGIN ON APRIL 8". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  2. ^ Nason, Josh (September 23, 2021). "AEW DYNAMITE MOVING TO TBS ON JANUARY 5, RAMPAGE STAYING ON TNT". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ^ Joe Otterson (September 23, 2021). "'AEW: Dynamite' Sets January Date for TBS Move, 'Rampage' to Remain on TNT". Variety.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (May 20, 2021). "Report: AEW TNT Championship Won't Undergo Name Change Despite Move To TBS". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Nason, Josh (May 27, 2021). "CODY RHODES AEW MEDIA CALL AUDIO: IN-FIGHTING RUMORS, NEW TITLES, MORE". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  6. ^ Lee, Joseph (September 23, 2021). "More Details On Rumored Secondary Title For AEW Women's Division". 411mania. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  7. ^ Russell, Skylar (October 6, 2021). "TONY KHAN TO MAKE 'HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT' ON AEW DYNAMITE". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  8. ^ a b All Elite Wrestling [@AEWonTNT] (October 6, 2021). "Two years of #AEWDynamite and one more belt to add to @AEW: The TBS Championship" (Tweet). Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ a b Renner, Ethan (October 6, 2021). "AEW INTRODUCING TBS CHAMPIONSHIP, TOURNAMENT TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 5". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  10. ^ Aguilar, Matthew (October 22, 2021). "AEW Reveals TBS Women's Championship Bracket". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Barnett, Jake (January 5, 2022). "1/5 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship, Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix vs. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus for the AEW Tag Titles, Ruby Soho vs. Jade Cargill to become the first TBS Champion, Malakai Black vs. Brian Pillman Jr". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  12. ^ Collins, Joseph (October 22, 2021). "AEW Rampage Results: October 22, 2021". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  13. ^ SiriusXM Busted Open [@BustedOpenRadio] (October 22, 2021). "🚨🚨 BREAKING NEWS: @TonyKhan announces on 'Tony Time' w/ @davidlagreca1 that a twelve women field for the #TBSChampionship will start TOMORROW on #AEWDynamite 👀 The Tournament will include four First Round byes 😲" (Tweet). Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ RED Leather (October 6, 2021). "Big ups to Reinaldo Horday on a belt collaboration for the AEW TBS WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP!!! You killed it bro!". Facebook. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Powell, Jason (May 26, 2024). "AEW Double Or Nothing results: Powell's live review of Swerve Strickland vs. Christian Cage for the AEW World Championship, Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Mone for the TBS Title, Anarchy in the Arena". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Powell, Jason (May 28, 2023). "AEW Double Or Nothing results: Powell's live review of MJF vs. Darby Allin vs. Jack Perry vs. Sammy Guevara in a four-way for the AEW World Championship, The Elite vs. BCC in Anarchy in the Arena, Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm for the AEW Women's Title, Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie for the TBS Title, Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho in an unsanctioned match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  17. ^ Powell, Jason (November 18, 2023). "AEW Full Gear results: Powell's live review of MJF vs. Jay White for the AEW World Championship, Willie Finsse vs. Steven Storm for the AEW Women's Title, Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page in a Texas Death Match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  18. ^ Powell, Jason (April 21, 2024). "AEW Dynasty results: Powell's live review of Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship, Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson, FTR vs. Young Bucks in a ladder match for the AEW Tag Titles". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
edit