A major title change took place on the May 20 episode of AEW Dynamite, as Willow Nightingale officially relinquished the TBS Championship.
In a backstage segment, Nightingale appeared with the title over her shoulder and reflected on her reign. She described winning the championship as one of the most meaningful moments of her career, placing it alongside her victory in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. She noted that defeating Mercedes Moné validated her belief in herself and proved she could perform at the highest level.
Nightingale made it clear that she set a standard for herself as champion. She said she intended to defend the title against anyone at any time, and if she was unable to meet that expectation, she did not feel she deserved to hold the championship.
She then revealed the reason behind her decision. Nightingale confirmed that she suffered a right shoulder injury during her recent title defense against Red Velvet. Despite her desire to continue competing, especially with a scheduled match against Alex Windsor at AEW Double or Nothing 2026 in the Owen Hart Tournament, she stated that she is not medically able to do so.
As a result, Nightingale announced she is withdrawing from the tournament and relinquishing the TBS Championship.
Her reign comes to an end after ten successful title defenses, a run that established her as a consistent presence on AEW programming. She expressed pride in representing the network as champion and thanked fans for their support. While she did not provide a timeline for her return, she made it clear that she intends to come back and compete at the top level once she is fully recovered.
Following her announcement, commentary praised Nightingale for her attitude and professionalism, describing her as a class act and acknowledging the disappointment surrounding the situation.
With Nightingale out of the Owen Hart Tournament, her spot has now been converted into a Wild Card entry. The status of the TBS Championship is expected to be addressed in the coming weeks.
Willow Nightingale Relinquishes the TBS Championship