Maya World never won on AEW programming prior to June. However, she had something of a miracle run in the Owen Hart Tournament, where she competed in memory of her younger brother. World pulled off a couple of upsets before Mercedes Mone broke everyone’s heart by defeating her in the finals at Forbidden Door. It turns out that loss doesn’t mean World’s amazing AEW world title chase is over.
Next week’s (July 8) episode of AEW Dynamite Beach Break will feature a Casino Gauntlet match, where the winner
challenges AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla at the Redemption PPV on July 26. Tonight’s (July 2) special Thursday episode of Collision featured two separate matches to determine the first two entrants in that gimmick match.
First up was ROH Women’s World Champion Athena scoring a win over Stardom’s Rina with the O-Face. Athena locked up the number one spot in the Casino Gauntlet match with this victory.
The number two spot in the Casino Gauntlet match was on the line later on Collision when Maya World went one-on-one with Julia Hart. World remained in a strong position to chase the world title when she defeated Hart with a Shining Wizard.
These match results mean Athena and World will get their hands on each other at the very start of the Casino Gauntlet match next week (July 8) at Dynamite Beach Break. This is very fitting considering that Athena talked all kinds of shit about Maya seconds after she lost to Mercedes at Forbidden Door.
Do you think Maya World’s AEW underdog story will lead her to victory in next week’s Casino Gauntlet match? If not, will she be the one who eventually ends Athena’s 1300+ day reign as the forever champ of ROH?
Give me your thoughts on Maya’s story in the comments below, Cagesiders.
