Willow Beats Thekla to Win AEW Women's Title at Redemption, Will Face Mercedes Mone at All In

Willow Nightingale defeated Thekla at Redemption on Sunday to win the AEW Women's World Championship for the first time.

Despite interference from Skye Blue trying to help her Triangle of Madness partner retain the title, Nightingale was able to get the win over Thekla with a backslide.

By virtue of winning the title, Nightingale almost assuredly earned the right to defend the belt against Owen Hart Cup winner Mercedes Moné, who was watching the showdown from the stands, at All In next month.

Sunday's match came to pass after Willow was victorious in a Casino Gauntlet match on the July 8 Beach Break edition of Dynamite.

It marked Nightingale's return to action after missing nearly two months due to injury. It didn't take her long to get back in the swing of things, as she outlasted seven of the best the AEW women's division has to offer.

Willow pinned Julia Hart to win the gauntlet, making her the No. 1 contender for the AEW women's world title and locking in a title opportunity against Thekla at Redemption.

Nightingale was originally supposed to be part of the Owen Hart Foundation tournament, and all signs pointed toward her being the favorite to win it and vie for the AEW Women's World Championship at All In.

However, an injury forced her to pull out of the tourney, and she was replaced by Mercedes, who went on to win the tournament by beating Maya World in the final at Forbidden Door.

It was widely assumed at that point that Thekla vs. Moné would be the women's title bout at All In, but Nightingale had a chance to throw a wrench into those plans on Sunday.

Although she is a two-time TBS champion and one-time AEW women's world tag team champion, Willow entered Redemption having never held the top prize in AEW's women's division.

However, Nightingale changed that with a huge victory over Thekla, setting the stage for arguably the biggest match of her career against Mercedes at All In.