SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
To help add context, my Hits are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes perspective on why something worked (or didn’t). With that said, let’s move into the high points of this week’s episode.
HITS
POWERHOUSE HOBBS HANDLING HIS BUSINESS
One of the quieter but more telling moments on this episode was Powerhouse Hobbs doing exactly what he needed to do — showing up, handling his business, and reminding people why he still matters.
With reports circulating in recent months about outside interest, the bigger takeaway here isn’t about destinations or contract details — it’s about leverage. Whether AEW was willing to match an offer or Hobbs simply wanted to explore something different, he never lost control of his narrative. He didn’t burn bridges. He didn’t posture publicly. He worked.
I’m not a Rich Paul–level agent, but if I could give advice to any wrestler nearing the end of a deal, it would be this: never lose your leverage. Once reports frame a move as inevitable, the bidding war disappears. Options narrow. Power shifts.
Hobbs avoided that trap. And if things don’t work out elsewhere and he ever wants to return, it’s hard to imagine All Elite Wrestling not welcoming him back with open arms. Professionalism still matters, and Hobbs has consistently shown it.
JON MOXLEY EMBRACING THE BABYFACE ROLE
The shift toward Jon Moxley as a babyface has quietly become one of my favorite ongoing developments in AEW, dating back to the closing stretch of the Continental Classic.
This hasn’t felt forced. Moxley hasn’t changed who he is — he’s redirected it. The growing friction between Don Callis and the Death Riders has added texture, especially because neither group is tethered to the world title picture.
Not everything in AEW needs to orbit a championship to feel important. It may be subtle, but having someone like Moxley willing — and wanting — to be the face of Collision gives the show an anchor. He doesn’t need to announce it. The presence alone does the work.
KEVIN KNIGHT
Everything about Kevin Knight’s interaction with Swerve Strickland worked.
Knight didn’t feel like a background character — he felt positioned. The promo exchange gave him confidence and credibility, and he held his own, sharing the screen with one of AEW’s most established stars.
It was also a nice touch that Knight was the one who hit the finish to help his team win the titles in the main event. Those details matter. If you’re spotlighting someone, letting them close reinforces that spotlight rather than undercutting it.
With Knight set to face Swerve on AEW Dynamite, this segment functioned as a true table-setter. Win or lose, that match already feels designed to elevate him.
THE RE-RE-DEBUT OF ANDRADE EL IDOLO
This was exactly what a returning Andrade El Idolo needed: a clean, straightforward showcase without unnecessary layers.
He looked to be in excellent shape and immediately comfortable back in an AEW ring. The gear change helped. His previous tights — the ones that looked like uncomfortable baseball pants — were always more distracting than flattering. Watching him wrestle in those sometimes brought to mind the Seinfeld episode where George Costanza convinces the Yankees to switch from polyester to cotton uniforms. They may have looked fine, but they didn’t look comfortable — and Andrade wrestles best when he looks loose and fluid.
On the plus side, he no longer has to share the spinning back elbow with Chris Jericho, which immediately makes the move feel more impactful again. Sometimes subtraction is just as important as addition.
THE RASCALZ GET A PROPER INTRODUCTION
AEW’s formal introduction of The Rascalz was a welcome move. New acts — especially factions — don’t lose momentum by being explained. They gain clarity.
Giving them mic time to establish who they are and what their mission statement is within AEW helps bridge the gap between recognition and investment. Not every viewer follows independent wrestling or tracks every signing online, and AEW shouldn’t assume they do.
GYV vs. KINGSTON & ORTIZ
AEW airing a brief video package to recap the Grizzled Young Veterans feud with Eddie Kingston and Ortiz was a small but important touch.
Yes, the story is straightforward — but there’s a difference between spoon-feeding and re-establishing context. Wrestling is on weekly television. People miss episodes. A quick recap isn’t an insult — it’s a service.
FTR PROMO
The FTR promo segment made far more sense than another random squash.
Segments like this help shape the show’s format. They give breathing room, establish direction, and reinforce where a team sits within the division. FTR also took time to put Doyle and Davis over verbally, which only added credibility.
ZAYDA STEEL
AEW’s video package introducing Zayda Steel was extremely effective — and necessary.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Dynamite: CLICK HERE (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
MISSES
TITLE SATURATION
The #1 Contendership Match for the AEW National Title match between Jack Perry and Anthony Bowens was fine and well-wrestled. That’s not the issue.
The larger issue is title saturation. When championships become this plentiful, it becomes harder for any one of them to feel essential.
There are cases where a belt fits a performer. Someone like Ricochet benefits from having something tangible that reflects his style. But AEW would benefit long-term from consolidating some titles and placing more emphasis on wins and losses to create stakes within non-title programs.
FINAL SCORE
- HITS: 8
- MISSES: 1
FINAL THOUGHTS
I understand that this episode of Collision may not light up the ratings sheet, especially going head-to-head with the NFL playoffs. That’s just the reality of Saturday-night television. But ratings context aside, this is the format I would ask AEW to commit to for Collision on a weekly basis.
This show succeeded by prioritizing clarity, structure, and intent. Video packages mattered. Promos had purpose. New and returning talent were introduced with context rather than assumption. Veterans like Jon Moxley embraced the responsibility of anchoring the show without everything revolving around a title. When Collision operates this way, it feels deliberate — not overloaded.
WRESTLING HISTORY
On this day in 2009, Tyler Black defeated Nigel McGuinness in the main event of ROH Full Circle in Manassas, Virginia.
PODCAST PLUG
Be sure to check out the Collision Café I host with PWTorch’s Amin Ajani, available exclusively to PWTorch VIP members.
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