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Ahead of AEW Dark: Elevation, Tony Khan announced that former Women's Champion Hikaru Shida and Emi Sakura would be part of the upcoming Casino Battle Royale at AEW All Out.
The Casino Battle Royale is an annual affair at AEW All Out, and this year it is a 21-women battle royal to allow the winner to challenge for the AEW Women's Championship.
Shida, who had a brilliant run with the AEW Women's Title, joins a star-studded lineup for the marquee match. The undefeated Jade Cargill also announced that she would be in the mix for an opportunity at the Championship.
So far, AEW has announced 12 women for the match, and they are as follows:
Nyla Rose, Big Swole, Diamante, Julia Hart, Penelope Ford, Red Velvet, Tay Conti Thunder Rosa, The Bunny, Emi Sakura, Jade Cargill and Hikaru Shida.
Nyla Rose won the inaugural Casino Battle Royale at All Out in 2019 when she last eliminated the current AEW Women's Champion, Britt Baker. This year, she is sure to face stiff competition from the likes of Thunder Rosa, Hikaru Shida, Cargill, and Tay Conti.
Is Hikaru Shida the favorite this year at AEW All Out?
Unfortunately, Hikaru Shida's reign atop the AEW Women's division coincided with the pandemic forcing the company to run shows without fans. At Double or Nothing, Hikaru Shida wrestled in front of a live audience for the first time but dropped the title to Britt Baker.
The Japanese star is one of the top women in AEW and deserves much credit for her work during the pandemic. Heading into All Out, she should be counted as one of the favorites to emerge victorious.
With Britt Baker defending the AEW Women's Championship against Kris Statlander at All Out and likely to retain, Hikaru Shida could be back in the title picture with a win in the marquee bout.
That said, toppling big names like Jade Cargill, Nyla Rose and Thunder Rosa won't be easy. With so many open spots, we could be in for surprise entrants like Ruby Soho, fka Ruby Riott, who will immediately become favorites to win.
