{"id":161389,"date":"2023-07-02T22:24:08","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T03:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=161389"},"modified":"2023-07-02T22:24:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T03:24:08","slug":"aew-collisions-hits-misses-7-1-bryant-evaluates-hobbs-vs-dustin-joe-vs-strong-mjf-vs-ethan-christian-jay-white","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2023\/07\/02\/aew-collisions-hits-misses-7-1-bryant-evaluates-hobbs-vs-dustin-joe-vs-strong-mjf-vs-ethan-christian-jay-white\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW COLLISIONS HITS &#038; MISSES (7\/1): Bryant evaluates Hobbs vs. Dustin, Joe vs. Strong, MJF vs. Ethan, Christian, Jay White"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-875658308\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3>AEW COLLISION &#8211; HITS &amp; MISSES<br \/>\nJULY 1, 2023<br \/>\nTAPED 6\/26 IN HAMILTON, ONT.<br \/>\nAIRED ON TNT<br \/>\nBY DAVID BRYANT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR<\/h3>\n<p>Heyyy! I\u2019m back with yet another column full of way more words than a Hits &amp; Misses column should have!<\/p>\n<p><strong>LAST WEEK\u2019S RATINGS \u2014 MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This may seem like a weird way to start a Hits &amp; Misses column, but my nose runs a travel agency for places it does not belong, and my brain is on vacation there.<\/p>\n<p>While AEW obviously missed out on a significant portion of its potential viewers last week, I\u2019m going to go out on a limb and say it was the viewers who missed out on AEW. Last week\u2019s episode of Collision was one of the best sophomore efforts anyone could have reasonably expected from a brand-new program, and I am honestly baffled by last week\u2019s ratings decline. I know time-shifted viewing made up for many of the live viewers Collision lost, but I also know that watching a recorded show is rarely the same as watching something as it happens.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, I have not been shy or reticent to call out AEW when I think they\u2019re doing something wrong (See my recent \u201cTony Khan\u2019s Mistake\u201d column.), but last week felt like they were doing (almost) everything right. Is it because wrestling viewers only have so much time they can devote to any one brand? Is it because the show airs on Saturday nights? (I love club hopping as much as the next guy, and I am literally a retired male entertainer, but who is out there trying to make it to the clubs by 10 p.m.? Nothing fun happens at a nightclub before midnight; trust me.)<\/p>\n<p>Is it none of those things?<\/p>\n<p>Is there something else I am missing?<\/p>\n<p>I would genuinely like to know, so please feel free to leave a (decorous) comment, and I promise I will read any polite, sincere, good-faith comments with an open mind.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-371032634\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>COLD OPEN \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Much like ice cream is cold, these cold opens are delicious, and I cannot get enough of them. Please keep these segments as a staple of AEW Collision. They are a quick, easy way to capture people\u2019s attention and immediately invest them in the show.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF\u2019S ENTRANCE \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MJF celebrated the 4th of July early by wearing star-spangled Americana gear in Canada and once again proved he knows how to agitate anyone in any room at any given time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF vs. KIP MORST \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MJF handpicked his victim tonight, and Dasha Gonzalez made sure to let the crowd know that tonight\u2019s prey was a local talent. This got exactly the reaction you would expect it to get, and MJF basked in it like a snake in the sun.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF\u2019S POST-MATCH PROMO \u2014 MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t live in Hamilton, Canada.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2709630023\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>ETHAN PAGE\u2019S PROMO \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ethan Page DOES live in Hamilton, Canada, and he cut the best promo I\u2019ve ever seen him cut. Some of the guests on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-Show weren\u2019t keen on Ethan\u2019s promo leaning heavily on the town he hailed from, but I loved it. To me, it felt less like a localized promo and more like the backstory Ethan\u2019s character has been missing since he debuted. This was also one of the few times someone out-talked MJF on the microphone, and I applaud MJF for selling Ethan\u2019s promo like he\u2019d just watched it shave his depressed cat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF vs. ETHAN PAGE \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the bell first rang, a small part of me feared Page was about to experience a buried alive match sans grave, but I am glad to say my fears were sans merit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DUSTIN RHODES vs. POWERHOUSE HOBBS (w\/Q.T. Deadweight) \u2014 HIT (w\/Caveats)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The match itself was great, and I applaud both men for putting on a stellar performance. I loved watching Dustin Rhodes wrestle, and every match he has feels special because I know there aren\u2019t that many left. (Also, no one does a powerslam like Dustin Rhodes! He should make that one of his finishers.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>THE AFOREMENTIONED CAVEATS \u2014 MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>However, Powerhouse Hobbs really needs to get away from Q.T. Marshall. If AEW wants Powerhouse Hobbs involved with Outhouse Marshall, there are really only two options that make sense:<\/p>\n<p>(1) Evolve Marshall\u2019s TV Land character into a Heyman-esque mastermind.<\/p>\n<p>OR<\/p>\n<p>(2) Have Hobbs turn on Marshall and beat the dumb out of his ass.<\/p>\n<p>As I\u2019ve said before, I\u2019m not writing this because I don\u2019t want to see Q.T. Marshall on my TV screen; I\u2019m writing this because he seems completely miscast in his current role. For example, consider the ending of this match \u2014 it was, is, and will always be stranger than strange to see a Comic-book-sized monster need interference from a 1950s-looking Postal Worker.<\/p>\n<p>Q.T. Marshall mixes well with characters like Johnny TV and Harley Cameron. Hobbs mixes well with characters like Don Calis or Paul Heyman. But &#8211; and I cannot emphasize this enough &#8211; Hobbs and Marshall mix worse than David Zaslav and things people like.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SAMOA JOE vs. RODRICK STRONG VIGNETTE \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This made the show\u2019s main event feel important, and that is something AEW should strive for every time they are on the air.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MIRO vs. ANTHONY HENRY \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While this squash wasn\u2019t quite on the level of MJF vs. MORST, I\u2019m still pretty sure I saw Henry\u2019s soul get stomped out of his chest more than once. I know I shouldn\u2019t be okay with watching attempted manslaughter, but I\u2019m not alone in my feelings because the crowd spent most of the match chanting \u201cMiro.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Miro should be as close to the top of the card as he can get without derailing MJF\u2019s current run of grotesque exquisiteness, and I hope these squash matches are an indication that Tony Khan sees this as clearly as I do. Miro is money begging to be made, and it is time for AEW to cash in.<\/p>\n<p>(Also, hire Lana.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>BULLET CLUB GOLD IN-RING PROMO (THE JAY WHITE PORTION) \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking of money, Jay White is gold, and he has the stable to prove it. Plus, you gotta love (or hate) (or love to hate) how White is the most insidious kind of bully. The way he intimidates Schiavone by putting his arm around him is relatable, deplorable, and thoroughly enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>The following exchange was just one of the many highlights of this promo:<\/p>\n<p>Schiavone: \u201cNow, we do understand that members of the Bullet Club are \u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>White: \u201c\u2014are amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Schiavone: \u201c\u2014banned from ringside.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>White: \u201c\u2014WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jay White is like if the soul of everyone who ever made someone\u2019s high school life miserable found its way into the body of a long-lost member of Degeneration-X.<\/p>\n<p><strong>BULLET CLUB GOLD IN-RING PROMO (THE GUNN CLUB) \u2014 MAYBE?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking of long-lost members of Degeneration X, Colton Gunn and Austin Gunn joining the Bullet Club sounds like a horrible idea until you see it happen. I was shocked by how easily these two shifted their demeanor from comedic to threatening. Everything they said during this promo was gold (and Bullet Club alloyed).<\/p>\n<p>Now, I admit that in the past I have made unfair and disparaging remarks about the Gunn Club, and I promise that from this day forth I will continue to do so.<\/p>\n<p>The one thing I wish they would have done differently is not have laughed off their \u201csuck it\u201d line late into the promo. When they shouted their dad\u2019s old catchphrase, \u201csuck it,\u201d they did so with an air of such hateful malice and smarmy spunk that it felt like they owned the line rather than borrowed it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FTR &amp; C.M. PUNK &amp; STARKS PROMO (PUNK\u2019S PART) \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not sure this is a popular opinion, but I like C.M. Punk carrying around his mystery bag because I\u2019m assuming it might not hold what we think it holds. If that isn\u2019t the case, I will be slightly disappointed, but I will still enjoy seeing MJF and Punk tangle over who is the real champion of AEW. While I know this whole \u201cbag thing\u201d breaks sporting norms, I also know that wrestlers shoot lightning bolts out of their hands and get married while unconscious.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FTR &amp; PUNK &amp; RICKY STARKS PROMO (FTR\u2019S PART) \u2014 MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This felt like a rare miss from FTR. It didn\u2019t seem like they were all that interested one way or the other in Team White-Juice\u2019s challenge for their championship gold. (Now that the Assboys are members, can I call them Team White-Ass-Juice?)<\/p>\n<p><strong>FTR &amp; PUNK &amp; STARKS PROMO (STARK\u2019S PART) \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Starks is an incredible wordsmith, and someday, he\u2019ll be a goldsmith, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RICKY STARKS vs. JUICE ROBINSON (The Match) \u2014 MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I am a big fan of Starks\u2019s wrestling, Starks\u2019s promos, and Starks\u2019s chiseled facial features, but in this instance, Starks and Robinson did not mesh well at all. This match featured several clunky mistakes that are uncharacteristic of both performers. On Wade Keller\u2019s Pro Wrestling Post Show, Keller said, \u201c(Starks and Hobbs) seemed to be wrestling to the beat of a different metronome,\u201d and while I don\u2019t always agree with Keller\u2019s takes (see my reaction to Ethan Page\u2019s Promo), this take is 100 percent accurate, and the above quote explains exactly what went wrong with this match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RICKY STARKS vs. JUICE ROBINSON (The Outcome) \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After the Hobbs match, but before the Starks match, I wrote in my notes (the ones I take for this column), \u201cI hope Starks wins his bracket to set up a callback match between Hobbs and Starks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My hopes came true, and I plan to start writing random wishes in my notes going forward.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CHRISTIAN CAGE PROMO \u2014 MASSIVE HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Christian is doing some of the best work of his career, and I hope he celebrates his championship reign in new ways every single week. Few people have worked as hard to earn a title as Christian has worked to put this TNT Championship around his waist, and with Luchasaurus cheering him on, I know he will prove to be the greatest TNT Champion to have never won the belt.<\/p>\n<p><strong>KRIS STATLANDER vs. LADY FROST \u2014 IN THE MIDDLE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This match was far from awful, but it wasn\u2019t Statlander\u2019s best, and it was hindered by cutting to a commercial break only two minutes into the bout. That said, I enjoyed Statlander\u2019s entrance (Minus Serena Deeb\u2019s robe), and I liked her face paint.<\/p>\n<p>I think Statlander should start wearing face paint in the vein of Ziggy Stardust because I like Ziggy Stardust and because Stardust teamed with Goldust, and Godust was played by Dustin Rhodes, and Dustin Rhodes works with the women in AEW\u2019s women\u2019s division, and Kris Statlander is a part of that women\u2019s division, and I have lost track of my reasoning because I have ADHD, but I\u2019m sure there was a point in there somewhere. (Having just now read that back, I see there is not.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>ANDRADE EL IDOLO PROMO \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>TIL the House of Black controls TV sets by the magic powers invested in blackmailing someone in the control booth (I assume). Also, Andrade wants his mask back, and while his fury came off more than a little petulant, I\u2019d be more than a little petulant, too, if someone stole my Batman villain cosplay mask.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SAMOA JOE vs. RODERICK STRONG \u2014 MINOR HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This was a good match, but it wasn\u2019t the epic I was expecting from these two. It is worth seeing, and you will enjoy watching it, but I\u2019m giving it a \u201cminor\u201d hit because I was hoping it would hit harder. (That sounds like the name of a Courtney Love song.) However, regardless of how hard it hit, these are two amazing workers, and the right man won.<\/p>\n<p><strong>C.M. PUNK ON COMMENTARY \u2014 MASSIVE HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s nonchalant personality came off spectacularly on commentary. He sold his investment in the outcome of this match; he traded barbs with Joe after the match, and then, after telling Somoa Joe that he wasn\u2019t impressed by him, he secretly confided to the announcers, \u201cI was impressed by him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>AFTERMATH OF SAMOA JOE vs. RODERICK STRONG \u2014 HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After the match, I was still a little incredulous at the idea of a \u201cheel\u201d Joe going up against a \u201cface\u201d Punk, and not just because defining people by their body parts feels sexist. Both men have monumental legacies that make you want to cheer them, Joe is so dominant in the ring that it becomes easy to root for him, and Punk\u2019s individualism and confidence are endearing unless you\u2019re a millionaire who should be a billionaire.<\/p>\n<p>However, this closing segment cemented Joe as a heel in my mind. The viciousness with which Joe slammed Strong into an awaiting steel chair, Punk rushing into the ring, Adam Cole rushing to his friend\u2019s aid, and Strong leaving on a stretcher made me despise Joe and want to see Punk beat him like he is choking on tar.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FINAL THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This show wasn\u2019t as good as the last two, but that doesn\u2019t mean it was bad. Its &#8220;Misses&#8221; felt more substantial than last week\u2019s, but its &#8220;Hits&#8221; kept me from coming anywhere close to losing interest. Overall, I recommend watching the show in its entirety. The gems in this week\u2019s show shined brighter than the glare of its most glaring mistakes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SHOW GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thank you all for reading. I truly appreciate it. And as always, I\u2019m still working on my sign-off, but until next week, remember, burning down your house to get rid of the ants is never a good idea, even if you\u2019re Elon Musk.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT&#8230;<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2023\/06\/29\/aew-dynamite-hits-misses-6-28-jungle-boys-first-promo-sting-leaps-off-a-ladder-onto-two-tables-almost-best-pal-mjf-danielson-injury-ignored-more\/\"><strong>AEW DYNAMITE HITS &amp; MISSES 6\/28: Jungle Boy\u2019s first promo, Sting leaps off a ladder onto two tables (almost), \u201cBest Pal\u201d MJF, Danielson injury ignored, more<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>David Bryant\u2019s Twitter (if the app hasn\u2019t self-immolated by the time this is published) is @IamDavidBryant, and David Bryant\u2019s Instagram (which features unlimited views!) is also @IamDavidBryant.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3476318099\"><div id=\"pwtor-3287457790\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>AEW COLLISION &#8211; HITS &amp; MISSES JULY 1, 2023 TAPED 6\/26 IN HAMILTON, ONT. AIRED ON TNT BY DAVID BRYANT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR Heyyy! I\u2019m back with yet another column full of way more words than <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2023\/07\/02\/aew-collisions-hits-misses-7-1-bryant-evaluates-hobbs-vs-dustin-joe-vs-strong-mjf-vs-ethan-christian-jay-white\/\" title=\"AEW COLLISIONS HITS &#038; MISSES (7\/1): Bryant evaluates Hobbs vs. Dustin, Joe vs. Strong, MJF vs. Ethan, Christian, Jay White\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-161389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2022\/02\/Screen-Shot-2022-02-24-at-3.25.40-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161389"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161390,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161389\/revisions\/161390"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}