SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HITS
DARBY ALLIN FEELS UNAVOIDABLE RIGHT NOW
Darby Allin submitting Wheeler Yuta wasn’t just a main-event win, it was another step in a story that continues to gain gravity. Darby’s role within the Death Riders orbit is increasingly defined: he’s not trying to outnumber anyone, he’s trying to outlast them.
Yuta was portrayed as a legitimate threat throughout, especially amid outside chaos that constantly threatened to tip the balance. Darby surviving that environment and forcing the submission reinforced his entire ethos. He doesn’t need dominance. He needs endurance. AEW leaning into that distinction continues to pay off.
HECHICERO vs. KOMANDER
Hechicero’s match with Komander was a perfect example of Collision letting wrestling do the talking. The story lived in contrast. Komander’s speed and aerial creativity constantly forced Hechicero to adapt, slow things down, and drag the match into his preferred rhythm.
That push-and-pull is what made the outcome resonate. Hechicero didn’t stumble into a win; he problem-solved his way through a dangerous opponent. By the end of the night, he didn’t just feel like someone who picked up a victory; he felt like someone who earned his place in the TNT Title conversation. That distinction matters, and it helps keep the division from feeling stagnant.
EL CLON’S DEBUT WAS DECISIVE, NOT DISTRACTING
AEW continues to show restraint when introducing new pieces. El Clon’s debut worked because it was confident, direct, and — most importantly — connected to the rest of the show.
He made an impression without monopolizing time, and his presence didn’t exist in a vacuum. By weaving him into a larger arc rather than isolating the moment, AEW avoided the common debut trap of creating buzz without follow-through.
TONI STORM AND MINA SHIRAKAWA
Consistency remains the biggest strength of this pairing. Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa wrestled like an actual team, not two singles wrestlers sharing ring time.
Their offense flowed naturally, their pacing made sense, and the match accomplished its goal without overstaying its welcome. As AEW continues to search for reliable structure in the Women’s Tag Team Division, this duo feels increasingly worth investing in.
EDDIE KINGSTON ON THE MIC STILL MATTERS
There are very few people in AEW who can add value to a show without needing a match, and Eddie Kingston remains at the top of that list. Whether he’s talking about the sport itself, grounding a storyline in reality, or even taking a moment to acknowledge something personal — like wishing someone a happy birthday — Eddie makes the show feel lived-in.
His presence adds texture. It reminds the audience that wrestling isn’t just about wins and losses; it’s about people, relationships, and emotion. Those moments don’t always advance a storyline on paper, but they strengthen the connective tissue of the show in a way that’s hard to replicate.
THE CROWD CARRIED THE SHOW’S ENERGY
One of the quiet successes of the night was the crowd itself. From the opening moments through the main event, the audience remained engaged and reactive.
They responded to momentum shifts, elevated key near-falls, and treated the main event like it mattered – which helped reinforce the episode’s biggest stories. AEW can put wrestlers in position, but crowds like this help sell the importance of those positions. This audience did its part.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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MISSES
THE CARD LACKED TOP-END STAR POWER
The biggest limitation of the night was the card itself. Collision leaned more on progression and development than marquee attraction, and while that approach largely worked, it capped how big the show could feel.
Some of that was circumstantial. With talent commitments elsewhere over the weekend — including Kenny Omega and Thekla traveling for Wrestle Kingdom — AEW opted not to over-correct creatively or hot-shot replacements. Instead, the company trusted its depth and focused on direction over flash.
That’s a defensible approach, but the absence was still noticeable. Collision succeeded on execution and energy, even if it lacked that one true tentpole presence that instantly elevates a card on paper.
FINAL SCORE
- HITS: 6
- MISSES: 1
FINAL THOUGHTS
This wasn’t a statement episode — it was a stabilizing one. Darby Allin continues to feel like someone AEW is methodically building toward something larger, the TNT title picture gained clarity without chaos, and new pieces were introduced without derailing existing arcs.
The star-power ceiling was evident, but the intent was strong.
WRESTLING HISTORY
On this day in 2013, TNA Impact aired from Orlando, Fla., featuring Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe taking on two members of the Aces & Eights faction — Devon and a masked partner whose identity was kept hidden.
After Angle scored the pinfall with the Angle Slam, Aces & Eights swarmed the ring, overwhelming Angle and Joe until Sting made the save with his trademark baseball bat. The moment ended with Angle unmasking the mystery opponent, revealing him as the former Mike Knox, now going by Knux — a reveal that further deepened the faction’s grip on the show at the time.
PODCAST PLUG
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