Hikaru Shida has regained the gold.
On the August 2 episode of AEW Dynamite, which marked the 200th episode, Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida headlined the show. Storm defended the AEW Women's World Championship against Hikaru Shida, and the two stars clashed in a hard-fought bout. Saraya and Ruby Soho interfered at various points in the match.
Near the end of the bout, Saraya slid a kendo stick into the ring. Shida picked it up and hit Soho with it. Storm then blinded the challenger with spray paint and hit a Storm Zero for a near fall. In the closing moments, Storm went for the pin, but Shida turned it into a pin of her own and clinched the three count.
Shida lays out The Outcasts on the outside!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 3, 2023
Watch #AEWDynamite200 LIVE on TBS!#AEWWomensWorldTitle#ToniStorm @shidahikaru pic.twitter.com/GEbgM3Db2Z
Hikaru Shida is your NEW #AEW Women's World Champion!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 3, 2023
Watch #AEWDynamite200 LIVE on TBS!#AEWWomensWorldTitle@shidahikaru pic.twitter.com/hv5NFxydPB
With the win, Shida won the title for the second time. She previously defeated Nyla Rose at AEW Double or Nothing 2020 to win the gold, and she held the championship for 372 days.
Storm had been the champion since she beat Jamie Hayter to win the title for a second time at AEW Double or Nothing 2023. She had three televised defenses of the championship, and she retained it at two live events as well.
Catch up on our coverage of AEW Dynamite here. For a full review, check out the post-show podcast on our YouTube channel.
