AEW Dynasty bore witness to a flurry of championship shifts, with contenders scaling the peaks of their respective divisions. Among these aspirants stood Willow Nightingale, whose victory over Julia Hart clinched her the AEW TBS Championship.
Although Nightingale had vied for the title on multiple occasions previously, triumph had always eluded her in solo encounters with Hart.
Reflecting on her journey to victory in the post-show media huddle, the newly crowned champion expressed satisfaction in the fruition of her persistent efforts.
“I remember during the pandemic, being in Jacksonville, front row, cheering on everyone, participating in dark matches, striving to showcase the best version of Willow,” Nightingale recounted.
She traced her championship odyssey back to May 2023, when she bested Mercedes Mone in New Japan Pro Wrestling, swiftly followed by her conquest in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
In July, Nightingale seized an opportunity to contend for Athena’s ROH Women’s World Championship in the main event of Death Before Dishonor. Now, having secured her maiden AEW championship, Nightingale pledges to uphold the honor and legacy of the title.
“As I look back at the illustrious lineage of past champions, I’m filled with reverence and gratitude for their contributions. Naturally, I am committed to ensuring this championship’s legacy remains untarnished, both for myself and for those who came before me.”
In addition to Nightingale’s milestone, Dynasty witnessed The Young Bucks ascending to become the inaugural three-time AEW Tag Team Champions, while Swerve Strickland etched his name in history as the first African American to claim the AEW World Championship.
