Tonight, Tay Conti challenges Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s championship on Dynamite. The career and run of Conti has been incredible to see and tonight we could see the culmination of years of hard work.
When Tay Conti was released from WWE, it was a shocker to many. Conti always showed glimpses that she could be a major player for WWE if given the time and place to do so. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, but AEW saw the potential of Tay Conti.
Tay Conti became a regular on AEW Dark and during the AEW women’s tag team tournament she would find her best friend and natural tag team partner in Anna Jay. AEW saw the potential many already saw in her and signed Conti. Ever since she signed with AEW, we’ve been able to see the progression of Conti.
The shackles of the WWE’s PC center were not the right place for Conti to develop her in-ring abilities, but the freedom of AEW and the teachings of veterans like Dustin Rhodes have helped Conti become one of AEW’s best competitors in the women’s division.
Conti has also implemented her background in Judo to her in-ring work, as well as her MMA training. Conti herself has mention that her biggest inspirations are Katsuyori Shibata, Tomohiro Ishii and Kenny Omega. In her matches we can see the influence they have with her. Shibata’s striking, Ishii’s toughness and Omega’s speed.
Tay Conti has become a student of the game and you can see it with her progression week after week. AEW has in their hands a star in the making and I’m sure Conti will do great things with AEW. The most incredible part is she’s only 25 years old. She has all the time in the world on her side.
Win or lose tonight, Conti has come a long way and her championship match with Shida will deliver. I have no doubts. Tay Conti has a chance to shock the world and become AEW women’s champion.
