Hikaru Shida Admits She Was Frustrated With AEW Women’s Title Reign

Former AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida has admitted that she was frustrated with her title reign, believing she could’ve done more with the gold.

Shida is currently recognised as the longest-reigning AEW Women’s Champion of the title’s two-year history. Despite holding the AEW women’s division’s top prize for 372 days, the Japanese star felt she could’ve been a better titleholder.

Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Shida noted Kenny Omega and Dustin Rhodes have been great mentors for her, saying:

“After losing the title, I was very frustrated. I thought I could have done more and been better as champion. So this tournament for the TBS title means a lot to me. It is a great opportunity to get back to the top.

“I have been learning so much from Kenny Omega and Dustin Rhodes, and they teach about what it takes to be on a TV show. Being on TV is something an actress does, so I took acting classes. And my English has got so much better from watching Sherlock Holmes on BBC.”

In her TBS Women’s Championship first-round bout on Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite, Shida pinned Serena Deeb to advance in the tournament. She will face Nyla Rose in the quarterfinals, the same woman she defeated at Double or Nothing 2020 to win the AEW Women’s Championship.

Shida lost the title at Double or Nothing 2021 to current titleholder Britt Baker, who recently passed 150 days as champion.

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• Hikaru Shida
• women's championship
• Double or Nothing
• AEW

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