AEW RISING AND FADING STARS: The Willow Nightingale Edition! A look at her journey to the top, her bond with the audience, what she can still work on

Welcome everyone!

Another fun week of AEW is in the books. So let’s look back and see what I thought about one big happening in AEW.

Rising Star of the Week

Willow Nightingale

• AEW TBS Champion
• Half of the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champion

What a couple of months Willow Nightingale has had. Half of the first ever AEW Women’s Tag Team Champs. Then she followed that up by ending Mercedes Mone’s 584 day TBS Title reign. These title wins have been a crowning achievements of the home grown AEW star that is Willow Nightengale. So let’s look back at how she got here, way back.

Willow debuted back in 2021 on AEW Dark Elevation, in a losing effort, against Thunder Rosa. Since then she has become one of the most popular wrestlers on the roster.

Willow has been a prominent feature on Dynamite and Collision since 2023. Her on-again, off-again relationship with Kris Statlander has continued through today and I think will continue to be a part of Willow’s story going forward.

Willow entered the tournament for and won the inaugural New Japan Strong Women’s Champion in June of 2023. Winning that title in a four-way after pinning Mercedes Mone. She held the title for 45 days before losing it to Giulia.

Back in AEW, her single success continued into 2024. Willow got her first taste of gold in AEW winning the TBS Title from Julie Hart at Dynasty in April 2024 before losing it just 35 days later to Mercedes Mone.

After that loss Willow joined the Conglomeration and entered the Owen Hart Cup. Kris Statlander would be her opponent in the semi-finals of that Cup and Willow defeated Stat. Willow then lost to Mariah May in the finals; remember her? Both the loss to May and Mone helped create the moment that happened this week on Dynamite, more on that later.

A side note: Have you noticed Willow’s history of doing well in tournaments? The Owen was her third tournament that she at least made it to the finals.

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From then on, Willow continued to be a fixture on AEW television. After the loss to May she continued to feud with frenemy Statlander and the two had multiple PPV matches. She lost again to May at 2024 WrestleDream before taking some time off to recover from a Concuasion.

After Willow’s return from the concussion she was involved in a main event storyline. Willow was Mirina Shafir’s worst enemy in the AEW vs. The Dearh Riders story. Again, a story that was a main event storyline. She was involved in the match when “Hangman” Adam Page defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title. Willow was then in the first-ever all women’s Blood & Guts match before entering the tournament to crown the first ever AEW Women’s Tag Champions.

In an unlikely story, maybe not too unlikely with how well Willow does in tournaments, the newly formed team of Willow & Harley Cameron, The Babes of Wrath, ran the table in the tournament. Beating teams like Toni Storm & Mini Shirakawa and Athena & Mercedes Mone. That was followed up by Willow pinning Mone in the Babes of Wrath first title defense against Athena & Mone.

That set up what happened last week on Dynamite.

The TBS Champion Mone vs. Willow for the title and Willow, once again, defeated Mone! This time to win the TBS Title. Making Willow a double champion and the first ever two time TBS Champion. Now that’s how you continue to create a home grown star.

The development is not over because we all know Willow needs some work on the mic but she is two-thirds there. First, she does some really good to great work in the ring. Second, she is completely over with the AEW audience. They adore her. The third part she needs to work on, but I think she can do that.

Going forward, you have to think Willow and the current AEW Women’s World Champion Stat will clash again. Regardless of what happens, AEW needs to continue to capitalize on the audiences love and adoration of Willow. She can be the female heart and soul of AEW because she’s pretty much already that.