Riho/Serena Deeb Match Appreciation

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

That match RULED. Let's talk about how it might've been one of my favorite AEW TV Matches to date. Riho was sorely missed, Deeb looked fantastic. Just two of the best women's wreslters I think you're gonna see anywhere on the planet, clashing right there.

I hope they run it back in the future, but it definitely showed AEW's women's division is glad to have both these girls, as their quality of wrestling each week continues to improve.

 

[Rumble McSkirmish]

That match was straight fire.

[Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks]

Loved it, hell of a reversal sequence at the end. I love finishes like that.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Feb 17, 2021 22:18:13 GMT -5 Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks said:

Loved it, hell of a reversal sequence at the end. I love finishes like that.

If Deeb also had a legit leg injury she was working through you wouldn't have known it

[toodarkmark]

Riho just has a way of making you wonder how she's going to pull things out, and she just does. I'm excited that she's going to be in America for a while, and her eventual matchups with Thunder Rosa, Leyla Hirsch and Tay Conti have me psyched.

[Dub H]

It shows how important the Joshi.As good Deeb ans Rosa were ,Riho was the centerpiece of the division for a reason.

[chrom]

When she came out for the first time in almost a year it was like a switch was flipped

[Celgress]

That was a fantastic match easily four stars out of five. I'd give it a five if there had been a storyline involved.

[Duke Cameron]

The reversals during the ending were awesome.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Feb 17, 2021 23:26:56 GMT -5 Celgress said:

That was a fantastic match easily four stars out of five. I'd give it a five if there had been a storyline involved.

Tell you what, this gives the groundwork for a storyline if Riho doesn't win the Tournament but say, wants an NWA Women's Title match 

[Cyno]

It was a great reminder of not only how good Riho is in terms of pure talent, but how good Deeb is as a veteran ring general. The two women complemented each other about perfectly. Excellent match overall and the easy highlight of tonight's show.

[Dub H]

Feb 17, 2021 23:26:56 GMT -5 Celgress said:

That was a fantastic match easily four stars out of five. I'd give it a five if there had been a storyline involved.

It may not have a storyline but it definetely told a story

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Feb 18, 2021 6:47:38 GMT -5 Dub H said:

Feb 17, 2021 23:26:56 GMT -5 Celgress said:

That was a fantastic match easily four stars out of five. I'd give it a five if there had been a storyline involved.

It may not have a storyline but it definetely told a story

This is my thing... not every match needs a storyline. You can make a story when you tell a match, and that's what they did here. Deeb had a knee injury she had to work through, Riho targeted it during the match, Deeb then targeted HER leg as the match went on. An even exchange of two of the best currenly going in women's wrestling, one trying to hold her prestige as a champion, the other with a lot of pressure to show up and show out for her first match of the year, knowing her popularity, knowing her pedigree as the first champion.

They did marvelously, and so did commentary as it went on. This may have been the best women's match JR has called so far tbh.

[Glitch]

Let me just say that I am so sick of hearing about how Riho is 98 pounds. We already know, and it gets more condescending the more it's said.

As for the match, it was awesome. Riho is an amazing talent and she really shines when somebody of also good skill gets in the ring with her. I liked how this was mostly just grappling, and showed how versatile she is. That finish was gold.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Feb 18, 2021 7:35:01 GMT -5 Glitch said:

Let me just say that I am so sick of hearing about how Riho is 98 pounds. We already know, and it gets more condescending the more it's said.

Not to me. I think it sells just how much she overcomes being that. She is the lightest wrestler on the roster, one of the lightest wrestlers in all of wrestling. JR's trying to sell that her weight in the end doesn't matter, she succeeds while being it and does an amazing job at it. Several people were echoing this sentiment in the live threads 

[pinja]

It was a pretty good match, my first one watching Riho. Is she as good when she has to lead her opponent? Cause oof, Serena is great, her transitioning is flawless. I didn't like how Riho undersold her knee and actually thought the ending sequence looked clunky. They need to have a longer match down the line.
Good women's wrestling seems so far ahead these days. They work a more grounded style, less spots and their matches usually aren't overbooked. This being a prime example of that.

[salz4life]

Both of these ladies are really fun to watch and I enjoyed the match.

[salz4life]

Feb 18, 2021 7:35:01 GMT -5 Glitch said:

Let me just say that I am so sick of hearing about how Riho is 98 pounds. We already know, and it gets more condescending the more it's said.

As for the match, it was awesome. Riho is an amazing talent and she really shines when somebody of also good skill gets in the ring with her. I liked how this was mostly just grappling, and showed how versatile she is. That finish was gold.

I think the mentioning the 98 pounds thing is cool to mention when she is against someone like Nyla or Kong (Aja or Awesome), but it's not like Serena or the rest of roster is so much more huge. Riho is definitely a smaller talent, but it's not like Serena was more than 120 or so (I think.... I'm not always good with estimating, LOL).

[Gerard Gerard]

Commentary really enhanced an already fantastic match. I really like the undercurrent of Riho letting Deeb know she's aware of the knee but choosing not to go for it. Just absolutely smashing stuff all-round and it's only a round 1 match.

[Derk!]

Fantastic match. I didn't know how much the women's division missed Riho until she came back. Looking forward to her match with Thunder Rosa.