AEW Women's Contender Tournament -- Bracket Posted

Personally, If I'm choosing right now, I'm going Thunder Rosa & Riho to meet, Nyla & Britt meet. Britt & Riho meet in the American finals, Britt wins American bracket.

Japanese: Yuka beats Mi, Veny beats Emi, Yuka beats Veny. Maki Itoh beats Ryu, Rin beats Aja, Maki beats Rin. Maki over Yuka in the finals, starting Maki Itoh's journey to America.

The obvious pick on the Japanese side is Yuka Sakazaki, and that could totally be where they're going. Personally though, I'm guessing Yuka still has a lot of commitments in Japan since she's actually contracted to TJPW, and will be remaining there. Maki on the other hand, is a freelancer there, and this tournament could very well be the Maki Itoh party to bring her to America.

Either way I think Britt wins the whole thing. It's time to pull the trigger and give her the strap. Shida can win again in the future when there are full crowds.

I'm very excited. There's been a lot of progress on dynamite and dark in the past couple of months towards building up the women's division, and it feels like it's finally time to really get the division going.

Some of the placements of the bracket have me thinking Anna Jay and Tay Conti will either feud, or effect the outcome of the others' semi-final match. I'm probably reading too much into it, but putting them in the same quadrant seems to suggest there's a purpose. They could also both lose to the good Doctor, and play a feud out down the line.

Either way, hope Britt wins. She's the best female character on this side of the world, probably ever, and they need to put the strap on her. They can't compete with the WWE women in-ring (yet), but the AEW women division can compete everywhere else.

With the exception of Britt winning I really have no idea how the American side is gonna play out. Before the brackets were announced I toyed with the possibility of Anna Jay and Tay meeting at some point, but with Anna facing Britt in the first round that door's shut. I could see Tay advancing only because I'm not sure the two top heels of the division facing in the second round is really the way to go.

As for the Japanese side I'm only familiar with Yuka and Emi, but I'm reppin' hard for Maki Itoh. I've never seen her wrestle (but have heard good things) but on another forum someone posted an entrance, very brief backstage promo, and some of her tweets after she was announced for it. I'm not sure if anyone will get over with the AEW crowd faster then she will.

I might be just getting my hopes up too much, but man Maki Itoh on bte would be gold

The Maki Itoh watch heats up. She's changed her Twitter handle to just maki_itoh as opposed to Maki*******Itoh. That way aew can actually tag her. I'm reading too much into it again but that's something you do if it's relevant for more than just a match or two.

This makes the most sense, since Baker said they had "unfinished business," in a promo over a year ago.

I could also see them both losing in the SF.

I will be 

Yay go time!

Good decision to just have Excalibur do the commentary. Schiavone would be fine but Jr would be a train wreck