SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
To help you add context, my “Hits” are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes a historical tidbit and a final grade. With that said, let’s move into the high points of this week’s episode, starting with the most significant moments.
HITS
JON MOXLEY ON COMMENTARY
Jon Moxley quietly stole the show and he did it without taking a single bump.
Mox wasn’t ranting. He wasn’t trying to hijack the match. Instead, he blended sharp analysis with flashes of vulnerability: frustration slipping through his voice, moments of silence that said more than words, and an edge that wasn’t just anger but rather it was wounded pride.
What really elevated this appearance is how it humanized him. Mox has always been framed as the unbreakable fighter, but on commentary, he sounded like a man still processing the fallout of tapping out on a big stage. That cracked armor made him more compelling. You wanted to see what version of Moxley was coming next – the simmering one, the vengeful one, or the one finally forced to evolve.
AEW doesn’t always land these subtle character beats, but this one was a home run.
TONI STORM’S PROMO
Toni Storm once again proved she’s the best promo in wrestling right now, full stop.
This was another masterclass in character work, comedic timing, and emotional tension wrapped in her signature Hollywood starlet haze. Storm didn’t just talk, she performed. Every gesture, every pause, every exaggerated expression reeled you in.
She’s in that rare lane where she can turn a 90-second backstage segment into elevated theater. Collision benefited massively from that tonight.
THE CONTINUED SUCCESS & BUILD OF THE AEW WOMEN’S TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT
One of AEW’s biggest long-term wins right now remains the Women’s Tag Team Tournament. Week after week, the bracket gives the division something it’s desperately needed: structure, consistency, and visible stakes. Collision kept that momentum moving in the right direction.
What’s helping tremendously is how Blood & Guts has become a narrative launchpad. Instead of treating it like a one-night spectacle, AEW folded the fallout directly into this tournament – the bruised egos, the grudges, the awkward alliances. It’s all feeding into new match-ups and potential storylines.
The women feel like they’re operating inside a real ecosystem now, not just dropping in for their weekly time slot. That’s a huge win for the division and a promising sign for 2026.
TAY MELO
This was Tay Melo’s strongest overall showing since returning from maternity leave.
In the ring, she looked sharp and confident – crisp transitions, snug strikes, and the same spark that made her a quiet workhorse on Rampage back in 2021–22. She carried herself like someone who isn’t here for a feel-good comeback story; she’s here to climb.
The bigger moment, though, was her backstage promo. Tay spoke with conviction and a personal edge that felt honest rather than rehearsed. She leaned into her identity – competitor, fighter, mother – and delivered a segment that added depth without softening her presentation.
If AEW is looking for fresh faces to elevate in 2026, Melo made a strong case tonight.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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MISSES
A MATCH FOR THE SICKOS
This isn’t a knock on the talent. Every match on this Collision card was worked well and delivered what it needed to. But from a layout standpoint, this wasn’t a show designed around producing a blow-away, match-of-the-week contender.
Collision leaned more toward story advancement and tournament progression than chasing a banger – and that’s okay. AEW has weeks where the format tilts toward showcase matches and weeks where it leans into connective tissue. This was the latter.
The only downside is that without a true standout match anchoring the night, the episode can feel a touch flatter, even if the work itself was solid across the board.
FINAL SCORE
- HITS: 4
- MISSES: 1
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This week’s Collision wasn’t built to blow the doors off – it was built to keep the momentum rolling into Full Gear and tidy up the emotional fallout from Blood & Guts. The show excelled where it needed to: character work (Mox, Storm), tournament structure (the women’s tag brackets), and elevation of returning talent (Tay Melo).
WRESTLING HISTORY:
On this day in 1998, WWF Survivor Series took place in St. Louis, Mo. and featured the Deadly Game tournament to crown a new WWF Champion. The event included no traditional Survivor Series elimination matches. Mankind was presented as Vince McMahon’s chosen finalist, while The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin were booked to fight through stacked obstacles on their side of the bracket.
PODCAST PLUG
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