AEW COLLISION HITS & MISSES (8/24): Forbidden Door go home show, Isla Dawn debuts, Ishii vs. Takehista , Young Bucks vs. O’Reilly & Strong

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.

HITS

ISHII VS. TAKEHISTA

This bout delivered intense, hard-hitting wrestling, demonstrating why AEW and NJPW mesh well. Konosuke Takeshita and Tomohiro Ishii provided an authentic, fiercely-competitive match. Each suplex and strike carried weight. The deliberate pacing reflected a genuine heavyweight clash, keeping the audience invested. As a standout contest, it embodied the spirit of Forbidden Door season.

HOOK VIDEO PACKAGE

AEW showed creativity with unique stop-motion visuals for Hook’s return, matching his enigmatic image. The segment increased anticipation for his comeback and suggested a shift in his character. This approach added significance to the moment.

WOMEN’S TBS TITLE FOUR-WAY SPOTLIGHT

Renee Paquette’s narration added seriousness to the segment, underlining its role in building to the PPV. Sustaining this approach is vital for the division’s continued prominence.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “Wrestling Night in America,” 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)

ISLA DAWN HOMETOWN DEBUT

This debut energized the Women’s Division. The match’s deliberate tempo let Dawn make a memorable impression as a contender. Though her roster role remains to be defined, AEW’s emphasis on her was clear.

MISSES

ANTHONY BOWENS

Anthony Bowen’s talent is too great for him to feel this way. Despite his shown ring and mic prowess, he is stuck in neutral with no apparent plan. Without creative backing, the crowd’s concern only lasts so long. Bowens now lacks a compelling narrative and a clear focus, whereas The Acclaimed had a lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

FINAL SCORE

• HITS: 4
• MISSES: 1

FINAL THOUGHTS

Collision built momentum for Forbidden Door, led by Ishii vs. Takeshita, a creative Hook video, and Isla Dawn’s debut. While pacing dragged in spots, the show ended strongly.

WRESTLING HISTORY

On this day in 2009, at WWE SummerSlam, C.M. Punk faced and defeated Jeff Hardy in a TLC match for the WWE Championship.

PODCAST PLUG

Be sure to check out the Collision Café I host with PWTorch’s Amin Ajani, available exclusively to PWTorch VIP members.