AEW Match Review No.6: Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa – Steel Cage @St Patrick’s Day Slam

San Antonio, Texas – March 16, 2022

Some matches are remembered for their excellence. Others are remembered for their controversy. And then there’s Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa II—a steel cage match that somehow managed to be historically significant and deeply flawed at the same time, all while being poisoned by backstage drama that made every awkward moment feel intentional.

Let’s start with what this match got right: it crowned the right champion. Thunder Rosa’s victory ended Baker’s 290-day reign and gave AEW‘s women’s division a champion who actually felt like she deserved the spot. After their legendary Lights Out match that “remains regarded as one of the best women’s matches in AEW’s short history,” Rosa had earned this moment.

But everything else? That’s where it gets complicated.

The Match

The match itself was a mess of good intentions and poor execution. Yes, it was violent. Yes, both women bled. But violence without purpose is just violence, and watching Rosa and Baker stumble through spots while covered in blood felt more uncomfortable than compelling. The bout was “heavily criticized by fans” immediately after it aired, and for good reason.

The real story, however, was happening behind the scenes. What fans didn’t fully understand at the time was that “their rivalry has taken some odd turns, blurring the lines between on-screen drama and real-life issues, leading to the audience becoming overwhelmingly confused thanks to the booking and Rosa and Baker’s personal beef.”

That personal beef was real, and it showed. Baker has taken “a few public shots at Rosa after reports of her sandbagging opponents came out. Both women have made comments on social media to make it clear they don’t like each other.” When wrestlers genuinely dislike each other, it doesn’t always translate to better matches—sometimes it just makes for uncomfortable television where you’re not sure if someone’s actually trying to hurt their opponent.

The backstage environment was toxic. Reports suggested that “Thunder Rosa and Britt Baker had heat for well over a year and that Jamie Hayter had also developed heat with Thunder Rosa.” This wasn’t creative differences or professional disagreements—this was personal animosity that spilled over into their work.

Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, the match feels even more problematic. Rosa’s later revelation that she had “two disc injuries with tears” during this period raises serious questions about whether she should have been taking the bumps she did in that cage. Meanwhile, Baker became “one of Rosa’s chief behind-the-scenes critics,” which explains why their chemistry felt so off.

Not Hitting The Right Note

The technical execution was subpar by both women’s standards. Baker, typically reliable, looked sloppy throughout. Rosa, fighting through legitimate injuries, seemed tentative in spots where she needed to be aggressive. The cage itself was barely used effectively, serving more as expensive set decoration than a meaningful part of the match.

What made this particularly frustrating was the wasted potential. Their first encounter was a classic that elevated both women and the entire division. This sequel felt like a step backward in every measurable way except the title change itself.

The blood was excessive without being effective. Unlike their Lights Out match where every drop told a story, here it felt gratuitous—violence for the sake of violence rather than violence in service of narrative. When Rosa had to “shut down critics” after the match, it suggested even she knew it hadn’t landed the way they intended.

Take The Hit

From a business perspective, the match served its purpose. Rosa became champion, Baker’s reign ended, and AEW got a title change in the champion’s hometown. But at what cost? The women’s division felt damaged by the backstage drama, and both performers’ reputations took hits that lasted months.

The real tragedy is that both Baker and Rosa are genuinely talented performers who deserved better than this. Their personal issues created a toxic environment where neither could perform at their best, and the fans suffered as a result. Professional wrestling works best when personal animosity is channeled into compelling storytelling—not when it becomes an obstacle to it.

This match represents everything wrong with letting real-life heat poison on-screen product. Instead of elevating both women, it diminished them. Instead of creating a classic, it created controversy. It didn’t build the division, it exposed its problems.

Moving On

Sometimes the most honest thing you can say about a match is that it happened, served its purpose, and should probably be forgotten. This is one of those times.

Thunder Rosa deserved to become champion. She didn’t deserve to win it in a match that made everyone involved look worse than they were. That’s the real crime of this steel cage disaster—not that it was bad, but that it prevented everyone from being as good as they actually are.

REWATCH VALUE: 12/25 Absolutely brutal to watch again. The awkward chemistry, sloppy execution, and knowledge of the backstage drama makes this uncomfortable viewing. Historical significance for the title change is the only reason to revisit it, and even then, just watch the finish.

STORYLINE: 18/25 The basic story worked—hometown hero finally wins the big one—but everything else was poisoned by real-life animosity. Their previous classic match created expectations this couldn’t meet. The personal beef made the story feel petty rather than epic.

MATCH QUALITY: 13/25 Genuinely poor by both women’s standards. Sloppy execution, excessive and pointless violence, and a complete waste of the steel cage stipulation. Both performers have proven they’re capable of much better, which makes this even more disappointing.

FAN REACTION: 19/25 San Antonio was hot for Rosa’s hometown victory, but the immediate criticism from fans and critics was telling. Social media was divided between celebrating the title change and criticizing the match quality. The controversy overshadowed the positive moment.

THE VERDICT: 62/100