Julia Hart Makes AEW In-Ring Return, Gets Underhanded Win

Julia Hart has been Jamie Hayter's boogeyman since late 2024, and what began as foreboding warning shots materialized into a full-body return on the December 15 episode of "AEW Collision." At "AEW Dynamite: Fight for the Fallen," Hart made her official in-ring return against Hayter, and came out of her comeback match with an underhanded victory under her belt.

Hayter started the match strong with several clotheslines onto Hart, but Hart did not have to struggle for long as she sent herself and Hayter to the outside of the ring, where Hart tossed Hayter's spine into the steel steps. Hart survived through Hayter's relentless offense until she could lock in a Hartless attempt, but Hayter's sheer strength allowed her to power out of it to respond with a sliding lariat.

Hart got creative with her victory when she retrieved an arrow to slowly brandish towards Hayter. The referee quickly caught on and snatched the arrow out of Hart's hands to dispose of it, and in the referee's moment of distraction, Hart sprayed mist into Hayter's eyes before scoring a pinfall victory. Medical staff were seen attending to Hayter after the match's conclusion, and Hayter's condition remains unclear.

Wednesday's contest marked Hart's first match and victory since she lost her TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale at AEW Dynasty in April 2024. With her statement win over Hayter, Hart is now set to conquer any number of opponents, including Nightingale, the current TBS Champion Mercedes Moné, or one of the few other women she has named as potential opponents.