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.
HIT — NICK WAYNE SEGMENT
The entire Nick Wayne segment was excellent. From the pyro throughout his entrance to Wayne reminding everyone that he defeated Chris Jericho, AEW went out of its way to make him feel like a big deal. Wayne interrupting Jericho’s entrance music and controlling the video presentation himself was another nice touch.
Coming off arguably the biggest victory of his career, Wayne needed a presentation that matched the significance of that win. The video package highlighting Wayne was incredible, and Jericho delivering a low blow was a great way to close the segment and continue their rivalry heading into their WrestleDream rematch. Wayne and Jericho have shown great chemistry together, and this was another example of why their pairing works so well.
HIT — JON MOXLEY BACKSTAGE PROMO
Jon Moxley showed a level of raw emotion during his backstage interview with Renee Paquette. Whatmade this segment particularly effective was Renee’s position as both a professional interviewer and Moxley’s wife. When she asked what was wrong and what was happening, there was genuine concern behind those questions.
Moxley admitted he was in a great deal of pain. When Renee asked what kind of pain he was experiencing, Moxley said he couldn’t tell the difference anymore. This was a rare moment of vulnerability from someone who typically presents himself as nearly indestructible.
Marina Shafir then stepped in, telling Moxley to keep his eyes up and lock in, reminding him that “the only way out is through.” It was a strong closing moment that showed a different side of Moxley while reinforcing Marina’s role alongside him.
HIT — DARBY ALLIN vs. HECHICERO
Styles make fights, and Darby Allin and Hechicero worked extremely well together in the main event. Rather than simply overpowering Darby or playing the role of a monster, Hechicero relied on his technical ability to ground Darby throughout the match.
What made this match work was the contrast in styles. Hechicero used his skill and technique to control the pace, forcing Darby to find another way to fight back. Eventually, Darby turned his entire body into a weapon, punishing Hechicero with multiple Coffin Drops to secure the victory, retain the TNT Championship, and earn his spot in Clockwork Carnage.
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)
MISS — DANI LUNA’S ROLLOUT
Tony Khan has a tendency to give fans a lot of credit for knowing wrestlers from the international and independent scenes. While I understand that approach, I don’t think it’s doing Dani Luna any favors.
Luna made a cold debut on pay-per-view and has quickly become another face in the background. That’s disappointing because I know how talented she is. Rather than continuing down this path, AEW might need to take a couple of steps backward to take one forward.
Give Luna some vignettes and video packages that highlight who she is and what makes her different. She’s talented enough to get over, but the audience needs a reason to invest in her. Why should fans care about Dani Luna? Right now, AEW hasn’t done enough to answer that question.
FINAL SCORE
- HITS: 3
- MISSES: 1
FINAL THOUGHTS
For a go-home show with only an hour of Collision, I thought AEW made productive use of its time. What stood out was the emphasis on promos and character development, two areas that haven’t always received enough attention on Collision. The variety of segments helped the show feel more complete rather than simply moving from one match to the next. Closing the main event with everyone involved in Clockwork Carnage brawling was a fitting way to send viewers into WrestleDream.
WRESTLING HISTORY
2020 – On this day, AEW celebrated the first anniversary of Dynamite at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Fla. Jon Moxley retained the AEW World Championship against Lance Archer, Hikaru Shida defeated Big Swole to retain the Women’s Championship, and Cody Rhodes fought Orange Cassidy to a 20-minute time-limit draw for the TNT Championship.
