Willow Nightingale’s second reign as AEW TBS Champion is officially over, and not because anyone beat her.
On tonight’s three-hour AEW Dynamite and Collision special, Nightingale announced that she has suffered a right shoulder injury stemming from her latest TBS Championship defense against Red Velvet. Because of the injury, Willow is now out of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and has been forced to relinquish the TBS Championship, ending a second reign that felt like one of the strongest stretches of her AEW career.
It is a brutal break for Willow, especially with AEW Double or Nothing taking place in Queens, New York, right in front of what would have been a hometown crowd moment for her. She was scheduled to face current NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Alex Windsor in the first round of the Women’s Owen Hart Cup, with the winner of the tournament earning an AEW Women’s World Championship match at All In. Instead, Willow has been pulled from the tournament entirely, and AEW announced that her spot will be filled by a wildcard.
As of now, AEW has not revealed who the wildcard replacement will be.
AEW also has not confirmed the exact plan to crown the next TBS Champion. The title is now vacant, which means AEW will have to move quickly with Double or Nothing only days away. Whether that becomes a one-night match, a multi-woman match, a tournament, or something else entirely has not been officially announced yet.
Willow’s second reign began on Dec. 31, 2025, when she defeated Mercedes Moné at AEW New Year’s Smash to become the first two-time TBS Champion. It ended on May 20, 2026, after 140 days. In between, she built the reign around fighting champions, returning names, and a “Comeback Killer” run that gave the title consistent TV presence.
Willow Nightingale’s TBS Championship defenses during her second reign
- Willow Nightingale def. Julia Hart (AEW Collision, Jan. 24, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Mina Shirakawa, Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir (AEW Dynamite, Feb. 18, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Persephone (AEW Dynamite, March 11, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Lena Kross (AEW Revolution Zero Hour, March 15, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Hikaru Shida (AEW Collision, April 2, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Queen Aminata (AEW Dynamite, April 8, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Kamille (AEW Dynamite: Spring BreakThru, April 15, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Anna Jay (AEW Collision, May 2, 2026)
- Willow Nightingale def. Red Velvet (AEW Collision, May 16, 2026)
That Red Velvet match now carries a much bigger weight. At the time, it was another successful defense for Willow. Now, it stands as the final match of her reign and the match that led to both the title being vacated and her Owen Hart Cup run ending before it could start.
It is a tough loss for AEW’s women’s division because Willow had real momentum. She was not just holding the title — she was giving it energy, defenses, personality and a clear fighting-champion identity. The timing makes it even worse. She was heading into the Owen with a real chance to build toward All In, and the TBS Title scene had finally settled into a strong rhythm around her.
Now AEW has two immediate questions to answer: who replaces Willow in the Owen Hart Cup, and who steps up to become the next face of the TBS Championship? Whatever direction AEW chooses, the company needs to make it feel important. Willow did not lose the title. She had to give it up. That should matter.
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