After the AEW TBS Championship was vacated following Willow Nightingale's shoulder injury, a new champion was crowned on Wednesday night's AEW Dynamite in a dramatic multi woman showdown.

History was made as AEW presented its first ever Survival of the Fittest elimination match, with Hikaru Shida emerging victorious to capture the TBS Championship for the first time in her career. Shida sealed the win over former ally and longtime rival Kris Statlander after the referee called for the stoppage during the closing moments.

The match eventually came down to Shida, Statlander and Persephone. Persephone played spoiler throughout the contest, stealing two eliminations by pinning Harley Cameron and Queen Aminata before becoming the next woman eliminated after Statlander scored the fall.

With only Shida and Statlander remaining, the former friends engaged in a hard fought battle that saw momentum swing back and forth. Shida eventually trapped Statlander in an ankle lock following a series of near falls. As rope breaks were not permitted under the match rules, Statlander desperately grabbed the ring apron in an attempt to escape. Before she could break free, Persephone returned and blasted Statlander with the championship belt, leaving her vulnerable. Shida reapplied the submission, prompting the referee to stop the match and award her the victory.

The win marks Shida's first championship reign since losing the AEW Women's World Championship during her second reign in November 2023.

All six competitors earned their places in the match through qualifying victories over recent weeks, with the field consisting of Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, Persephone, Queen Aminata, Maika and Harley Cameron.

Order of eliminations:

• Persephone eliminated Harley Cameron
• Hikaru Shida eliminated Maika
• Persephone eliminated Queen Aminata
• Kris Statlander eliminated Persephone
• Hikaru Shida eliminated Kris Statlander to win the AEW TBS Championship