AEW is often under a microscope when it comes to its women’s division. The lack of booking and focus has been scrutinized since the start of the organization last year. Starting this past Monday the Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament: The Deadly Draw took place on AEW’s YouTube Channel. The fact that it happened on YouTube was getting some controversy as well.
Regardless, Brandi Rhodes recently spoke with Sports Illustrated stating that the idea of the tournament was her. Despite her being the Chief Brand Officer of the company, she states that it is not up to her for the booking of the women’s division.
She is hoping to get more eyes on the women’s division with this tournament.
“I see people saying they want more for the women in AEW, and that’s where my idea for the Tag Team Cup Tournament came from,” said Rhodes. “I don’t book the women’s division, but I help out wherever I can, and I’m really excited for this tournament. I hope people take their cues from the women involved because we’re really excited about this. This exists on its own, with no restraints. I think people are going to be charmed by it, both by the production and the talent. Very quickly, it’s become a labor of love, with graphics, travel, filming pre-tapes, every detail. People are working really hard to create new content. It’s not tacked onto Dark or Dynamite, this is the start of something great for the women’s division.”
The tournament will host a total of 16-women and 8-teams that are put together by random draw. Although the teams are “randomly” put together, Rhodes still winded up with her Nightmare Sisters tag team partner Allie. They advanced from the first round as they defeated Mel and Penelope Ford.
The other team that advanced in the first round was Tay Conti and Anna Jay as they defeated Ariane Andrew and former AEW Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose.
What do you think of the tournament so far? Who do you hope to see in it still and who would you like to see win it? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
