AEW COLLISION HITS & MISSES (5/20/26): ill Ospreay makes his claim for All In, Rush calls his shot against Darby, FTR retain the AEW Tag Titles

To help you add context, my “Hits” are ordered from best to worst and are strictly my opinion. This week’s Collision portion of the Fyter Fest special felt far more focused than some of AEW’s recent marathon-style television blocks. Instead of relying on endless swerves or overbooked chaos, the show largely trusted its in-ring strengths while continuing to reinforce Double or Nothing stories.

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HITS

1. WILL OSPREAY

What continues to stand out to me lately is how much more comfortable Will Ospreay feels carrying major portions of AEW television, beyond simply having great matches.

At this point, everybody already expects the in-ring quality. That’s no longer the interesting part of the conversation. What’s become more noticeable is the confidence and presence he’s starting to carry during promos and bigger story segments.

The match with Shibata still had the level of physical intensity people expect from both guys, but the bigger takeaway for me was how naturally Ospreay now feels positioned at the center of AEW programming. He no longer feels like a special attraction that occasionally drops in for incredible matches. He feels fully connected to the company’s larger identity.

The post-match promo especially stood out because Ospreay sounded more composed and authoritative rather than overly performative or trying to force intensity. There’s a level of confidence starting to come through now that makes him feel even more believable as one of the faces of the promotion heading into Double or Nothing.

2. RUSH’S RECENT PUSH HAS QUIETLY HELPED DOUBLE OR NOTHING

One thing AEW deserves credit for lately is how they’ve handled Rush heading into Double or Nothing.

Realistically, most people probably still expect Darby Allin to lose the title at Double or Nothing, but Rush’s recent presentation has at least created some believable doubt around the outcome. That’s important. Too many wrestling title matches today feel completely predictable before the bell even rings.

Rush has carried himself lately with a level of confidence and intensity that makes him feel more credible as a legitimate threat rather than just another challenger cycled into the main event for a single pay-per-view defense.

What’s worked especially well is that AEW hasn’t overcomplicated the presentation. Rush feels dangerous because of how direct and violent his character naturally comes across, not because the company is forcing artificial drama around him.

When Rush called his shot against Darby, it didn’t feel like somebody trying to convince the audience he belonged in the spot. It felt like somebody fully expecting to win. That attitude alone has added a needed layer of intrigue to the match heading into Double or Nothing.

3. DIVINE DOMINION FINALLY FELT MORE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR ROLE

Last week, I mentioned that the Divine Dominion open challenge never fully clicked because the overall presentation still felt a little undefined. This week felt much closer to what AEW should be aiming for going forward.

The squash match was probably the strongest the team has looked as champions so far because everything felt more decisive and confident. Instead of the match simply existing to fill television time, the presentation actually reinforced the idea that these are supposed to be dangerous, dominant champions within the division.

More importantly, the match stayed simple. AEW sometimes overcomplicates acts that would benefit from a more straightforward presentation. This worked because Divine Dominion controlled the pace, looked physically imposing, and never gave the audience a reason to view the challengers as equals.

That may sound basic, but consistency matters. This was one of the first times the team truly felt settled into their identity, rather than still trying to figure out what the act is supposed to be week to week.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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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)

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MISSES

1. THE MATCH PLACEMENT COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCTURED BETTER

I liked both squash matches individually, but placing them so close together made the middle of the show feel a little too repetitive structurally.

Squash matches are usually most effective when they’re spaced out enough to feel impactful rather than repetitive. When multiple short dominant matches occur too closely together, the show can briefly feel formulaic, even if the matches accomplish their intended goal.

This is more of a formatting issue than a criticism of the talent involved. Divine Dominion looked strong, Rush continued carrying momentum, and both segments ultimately achieved what they needed to. I just think the show’s overall flow would have benefited from a more structured break.

FINAL SCORE

• HITS: 3
• MISSES: 1

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FINAL THOUGHTS

This was only a one-hour Collision, but honestly, that probably helped the show more than anything because the pacing never had a chance to drag. The episode moved quickly, stayed focused, and consistently felt like it was building toward Double or Nothing rather than simply filling airtime.

I’ve seen some criticism from the show, asking why Ospreay’s big match and promo weren’t saved for Dynamite instead of airing on Collision. Honestly, I think that mindset is part of the problem AEW has been trying to fix with Collision’s brand perception for a while now.

If AEW wants viewers to see Collision as meaningful television rather than optional secondary programming, then important matches, promos, and storyline developments have to happen consistently on the show. You can’t train the audience to believe only Dynamite matters and then wonder why Collision feels secondary by comparison.

Ospreay wrestling and cutting a major promo on Collision is exactly the kind of thing AEW should be doing more often if the company genuinely wants both shows to feel essential on a weekly basis.

At the same time, I do think AEW could do a better job recapping some of the major moments from Collision on Dynamite afterward. Not everybody watches every hour of AEW programming each week, and giving viewers concise follow-ups or stronger callbacks on Dynamite would help reinforce that important things happening on Collision still matter within the company’s larger weekly narrative.

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WRESTLING HISTORY

1974 – Bruno Sammartino defeated Killer Kowalski in a Texas Death Match at Madison Square Garden to retain the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship.

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