SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
To help add context, my “Hits” are ordered from best to worst. With that said, let’s move into the high points of this week’s episode, starting with the most significant moments.
HITS
AEW IS FULLY INVESTED IN MAYA WORLD
Last week’s upset victory over Athena answered one question. This week answered another. Would AEW immediately cool Maya World off, or continue presenting her as someone who belongs in the biggest stories in the Women’s Division?
Saturday gave us that answer.
Standing across the ring from Mercedes Moné is a difficult assignment for anyone, yet Maya never looked out of place. More importantly, AEW trusted her with the show’s final image heading into Forbidden Door.
Wrestling promotions show who they believe in through presentation as much as wins and championships. Ending Collision with Maya in momentum before one of AEW’s biggest events reinforced that her tournament run is more than a feel-good story.
Regardless of whether Maya wins the Owen Hart Cup, Saturday made one thing clear: AEW is no longer treating her like a promising underdog. They’re presenting her like someone they believe can become one of the cornerstones of the Women’s Division.
COLLISION ACCOMPLISHED WHAT A GO-HOME SHOW SHOULD
Not every go-home show needs a shocking angle or surprise debut. Sometimes its job is simply to make viewers want to watch the pay-per-view. Collision accomplished exactly that.
The Owen Hart Tournament stayed central, Kevin Knight added another strong TNT Championship defense, Thekla kept building momentum, and Maya World versus Mercedes Moné gave one final reason to tune in Sunday.
Just as importantly, every major story was given enough time to breathe. Nothing felt rushed, and nothing overstayed its welcome. Forbidden Door now feels like a natural next step in ongoing stories, not just a show AEW needs to sell.
KEVIN KNIGHT KEEPS THE TNT CHAMPIONSHIP THRIVING
Consistency is one of the hardest things to maintain in wrestling, and Kevin Knight keeps delivering it.
His title reign has successfully built on the championship’s recent momentum. Every challenger has felt credible, every defense has been competitive, and the TNT Championship has remained one of AEW’s most consistently entertaining titles.
Dezmond Xavier more than held up his end of the bargain, reminding viewers why many have wanted to see him receive opportunities on a bigger stage. Knight ultimately retained, but the match accomplished exactly what a successful championship defense should: both wrestlers came away looking stronger.
Strong title reigns aren’t about just one match. They’re built through consistency, and Knight shows that every week.
WILLOW NIGHTINGALE FEELS MORE HUMAN
The best babyfaces don’t have all the answers. They let the audience see their doubts, making it easier for the audience to invest in their journey. Willow Nightingale’s video package accomplished exactly that. Rather than portraying Willow as fearless, AEW highlighted her vulnerability as she reflected on her journey. It added depth to a character fans already support. That’s what separates good from great babyfaces. Fans invest not just in words or smiles, but also in when the character feels human.
Willow is ready for the main event scene, with her video showing why fans support her so strongly.
THEKLA’S PRESENTATION CONTINUES TO STAND OUT
One of the hardest things to accomplish in wrestling is creating a character who immediately feels different from everyone else on the roster. Thekla continues to do exactly that. Her promo was brief, but effective. She carries a confidence and unpredictability that grabs attention, and AEW wisely avoids overexposing her.
Every appearance reinforces the same message: Thekla isn’t just another member of the roster—she’s presented as a legitimate threat from the moment she appears on screen.
The best characters leave audiences wanting more, not less, and AEW has found that balance with Thekla.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
MISSES
MIKE BAILEY NEEDS A CLEARER DIRECTION
A few weeks ago, Mike Bailey felt like one of AEW’s most exciting additions. Every appearance felt meaningful, and it looked like the company had found another performer ready to climb the card. Lately, that momentum has stalled.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Speedball losing competitive matches or being involved in longer stories. The issue is that it has become increasingly difficult to understand where his character is headed. At the moment, Speedball feels less like the focus of the story and more like the bridge to the developing rivalry between Kevin Knight and Darby Allin.
That’s a concern because Speedball has shown he can connect with an audience when given a clear direction. Week after week, he delivers in the ring, but those performances haven’t translated into meaningful progress.
Hopefully, this is simply the middle chapter of a larger story, because Bailey has already shown he can be much more than a supporting player. Right now, Speedball’s great performances aren’t moving him forward, leaving him stalled creatively.
FINAL SCORE
- Hits: 5
- Misses: 1
FINAL THOUGHTS
Collision didn’t rely on shocking swerves to build excitement for Forbidden Door. Instead, it trusted the stories it had already spent weeks telling.
Whether it was Maya World’s continued rise, Kevin Knight’s steady TNT Championship reign, Willow Nightingale’s emotional video package, or Thekla’s growing presence, AEW consistently reinforced the characters and stories that mattered heading into Forbidden Door.
This episode checked all the boxes for a successful go-home show.
WRESTLING HISTORY
On this day in 2011, CM Punk delivered the now-iconic “Pipebomb Promo” following John Cena’s loss to R-Truth in the main event of Raw.
PODCAST PLUG
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