Britt Baker’s meteoritic rise in early 2020 ultimately saw the dentist finally climb the top of the mountain by winning the AEW Women’s Championship at Double or Nothing. However, just like every champion holding a prestigious belt, Baker’s reign will eventually come to an end. This list will explore the five women who should beat Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s Championship.
Serena Deeb
Serena Deeb has come a long way since her Straight Edge Society days in 2010. The former WWE star first gained notoriety as part of CM Punk’s faction in 2010; however, her run was short-lived due to the reported reason that she was caught drinking in a bar in real-life, thus negating her Straight-Edge character on TV. Deeb made her WWE return in 2017 in the Mae Young Classic, but she was given the Coach role following her brief wrestling stint. Since making her AEW debut in 2020, the veteran has proven why the company made a big mistake in delegating her to a non-wrestling position. Deeb is a technically sound wrestler who can easily pull out great matches against both green and top-notch talents. Given the fact that she’s currently a heel, she won’t likely get the “can she hang with the upper echelon” type story like many wrestlers at this stage of her career, but her new aggressive attitude can help diverse the female roster and continue the upswing that’s currently happening in the AEW women’s division.
Mercedes Martinez
Another talent that can really help boost the AEW women’s division. A wrestling veteran for nearly 22 years, Martinez has competed in nearly every wrestling market highlighting women such as Shimmer Women Athletes, Ring of Honor, Women Superstars Uncensored, and of course, WWE. Mercedes was actually given a nice showcase in NXT against former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley and even in the 2020 Royal Rumble. Martinez opting out of Retribution was a smart call as it was clear from day one that the WWE didn’t view the group in the same vein as Nexus or Degeneration X. Career wise, that clearly wasn’t a good choice as Martinez was eventually released, though the veteran has been able to showcase her talents around several promotions including Impact Wrestling. Martinez would make a great representation as the face of the division and her unique look is a great contrast to many of the females on the roster.
Jamie Hayter
The story between Hayter and Baker is slowly building. While it’s been disappointing that the new AEW star has mostly been treated as Baker’s lackey, the implosion of the AEW Women Champion’s crew is bound t0 happen and it would be a great way to make a new star out of the rivalry. The company can actually paint her an underdog. On the October 23, 2019 episode of AEW Dynamite, Hayter actually made her debut losing to Britt Baker, so the company has additional layers to add. Hayter may not have the level of experience that Martinez or Deeb has, but she’s a good in-ring talent that has enough ring awareness to carry the company’s ever-growing division.
Ruby Soho
Soho’s career in WWE was always held back due to the fact that she doesn’t particularly fit the company mold of what Vince McMahon wants out of his female competitors. Granted, women like Becky Lynch are able to break through the glass ceiling despite not being the ideal female of McMahon’s reported liking, but Soho was never given a true chance to shine in the company. The veteran clearly has a renewed energy working for AEW, though the company made the right call by not putting either the AEW Women’s and TBS Title on the former WWE superstar. The story is clearly there with Britt Baker as the finish to their championship match left an opening for a rematch down the line. We were given a little taste of what a Baker/Soho feud can do, and their promo battles were exciting. Give these two women a proper story heading into one of the big four pay-per-views and there’s no doubt that it could easily be one of the best female feuds of 2022, if done right.
Thunder Rosa
The most obvious and likely candidate to genuinely take the belt off of Baker. There’s a reason why AEW has kept Rosa on the sidelines following their classic Lights Out match; Out of all the women on this list, Rosa is ready to be the face of the division. Thanks to her incredible work in AEW, she helped strengthen the women’s division and is easily one of the most over acts on the roster. Plus, Rosa is an energetic and exciting presence that translates well whenever she’s inside the ring. The former NWA Women’s Champion is ready to be at the top of the division; The real question is, will Tony Khan give her that opportunity?
