{"id":212105,"date":"2026-02-16T13:22:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T19:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=212105"},"modified":"2026-02-18T17:08:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:08:31","slug":"aew-grand-slam-australia-hits-misses-2-14-hangman-vs-andrade-fletcher-vs-briscoe-mjf-vs-brody-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/02\/16\/aew-grand-slam-australia-hits-misses-2-14-hangman-vs-andrade-fletcher-vs-briscoe-mjf-vs-brody-king\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW GRAND SLAM AUSTRALIA HITS &#038; MISSES (2\/14): Hangman vs. Andrade, Fletcher vs. Briscoe, MJF vs. Brody King"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-917769666\" 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><p>To help you add context, my \u201cHits\u201d are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes a historical tidbit and a final grade. With that said, let\u2019s move into the high points of this week\u2019s episode, starting with the most significant moments.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>HITS<\/h3>\n<p><strong>&#8220;HANGMAN&#8221; ADAM PAGE vs. ANDRADE EL IDOLO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hangman&#8221; Page didn\u2019t just win \u2014 he won intelligently, which remains one of the most effective and underutilized babyface traits in AEW. Andrade entered with a well-known pattern of shortcuts and distractions, and Hangman was prepared, cutting those tactics off without compromising his role as the match&#8217;s moral center.<\/p>\n<p>The pre-match selfie moment struck the right balance between humor and character consistency, allowing Hangman to acknowledge his popularity without diminishing the stakes. Once the bell rang, the story centered on awareness and preparation, and the finish reflected that.<\/p>\n<p>This win also strengthens Page\u2019s positioning in the broader main-event picture, especially with unresolved threads involving Swerve Strickland and Kenny Omega, without making him feel like filler.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF vs. BRODY KING \u2013 OLD-SCHOOL WORLD TITLE WRESTLING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This match worked precisely because it didn\u2019t try to be something it wasn\u2019t. MJF vs. Brody King was a deliberately paced, old-school world title defense built around size disparity, discipline, and control.<\/p>\n<p>MJF leaned into wrestling smart rather than flashy, targeting Brody\u2019s leg and slowing the match down. Brody looked credible throughout, presented as a legitimate threat rather than a disposable challenger.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-4083226590\" 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>The clean finish mattered. MJF&#8217;s decisive win reinforced his credibility as champion while preserving Brody\u2019s momentum. This felt like a champion clearing a necessary obstacle, not padding a reign.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t meant to be a pay-per-view classic \u2014 and it didn\u2019t need to be. As a free television world title match, it accomplished exactly what it should have.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WILLOW NIGHTINGALE ELEVATES THE WOMEN\u2019S TAG TITLE MATCH<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The AEW Women\u2019s Tag Team Division remains loosely defined, but Willow Nightingale continues to feel like a star whenever she\u2019s given room to operate. Her power offense landed, the crowd responded, and the match benefited from a clean finish that didn\u2019t overstay its welcome.<\/p>\n<p>Harley Cameron held up well outside of obvious setup moments, and Megan Bayne continues to project upside. This didn\u2019t redefine the division, but it comfortably exceeded expectations based on its placement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>KYLE FLETCHER vs. MARK BRISCOE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This was violent, gripping, and at times genuinely uncomfortable. The ladder brainbuster was a gasp-inducing moment, but it also highlighted AEW\u2019s recurring issue with escalation.<\/p>\n<p>When multiple spots feel match-ending, the actual finish risks feeling smaller by comparison. Fletcher, recovering quickly from massive punishment, dulled the impact. The match was an effective spectacle, but it needed more restraint to fully land.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-305151481\" 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>A FOCUSED GRAND SLAM SPECIAL FORMAT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This was one of the cleaner executions of AEW\u2019s event-style television. The show moved briskly, avoided unnecessary padding, and trusted the card to carry the night.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing dragged. Nothing felt skippable. For a two-plus-hour broadcast, that alone stood out \u2014 and it\u2019s something AEW has struggled with in similar specials.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the AEW Grand Slam Australia post-show: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/aew-grand-slam-post-show-2-14-keller-zilem-white-react-to-f-ice-chants-in-australia-full-card-analysis--70064934\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cpwtorch\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AEW GRAND SLAM POST-SHOW (2\/14): Keller &amp; Zilem &amp; White react to F-Ice chants in Australia, full card analysis\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=70064934&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>MISSES<\/h3>\n<p><strong>JON MOXLEY vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA AND THE CONTINENTAL TITLE PROBLEM<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The match itself was fine. The larger issue remains the lack of clarity surrounding the Continental Title and Jon Moxley\u2019s alignment.<\/p>\n<p>The time-limit draw served a functional purpose, but it didn\u2019t add urgency or emotional clarity. The title continues to feel more conceptual than essential, making it difficult to invest beyond match quality alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LENA KROSS DEBUT UNDERCUT BY COMMENTARY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>AEW had an opportunity to make Lena Kross feel like a meaningful arrival, and instead, her debut landed flat due to a lack of urgency and context from both commentary and production.<\/p>\n<p>If you weren\u2019t familiar with her indie work or a brief prior appearance, there was little reason to care. Commentary referenced her background without explaining why she mattered, what her connection was to Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford, or what viewers should be watching for. For a debut moment, it felt passive rather than purposeful.<\/p>\n<p>AEW too often assumes its audience watches everything, everywhere. That\u2019s not realistic \u2014 especially on a destination special meant to draw casual or lapsed viewers. A debut should do the work for the audience. This one didn\u2019t.<br \/>\nThe awkward post-match staging only reinforced the issue, making the moment feel hesitant instead of impactful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PRODUCTION UNDERCUTTING KEY MOMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Missed camera angles \u2014 most notably during Penelope Ford\u2019s dive \u2014 and inconsistent crowd audio undercut moments that should have landed harder. For a destination special, the presentation should enhance the action, not distract from it.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>FINAL SCORE<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>HITS: 5<\/li>\n<li>MISSES: 3<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>FINAL THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Collision: Grand Slam Australia was a disciplined, efficient special that respected the audience\u2019s time. It didn\u2019t chase spectacle for spectacle\u2019s sake and largely delivered on what it promised.<\/p>\n<p>The follow-through now matters. This show set the table. The coming weeks will determine whether AEW capitalizes \u2014 or lets the momentum fade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WRESTLING HISTORY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On this day in 2020, Will Ospreay captured the RevPro British Heavyweight Title by defeating Zack Sabre Jr. in the main event of RevPro High Stakes at London\u2019s York Hall. The event also saw Michael Oku win the RevPro British Cruiserweight Title from El Phantasmo, while Gisele Shaw opened the show by defeating Zoe Lucas to claim the RevPro British Women\u2019s Title.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PODCAST PLUG<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Be sure to check out the Collision Caf\u00e9 I host with PWTorch\u2019s Taylor Halley available exclusively to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorchvipinfo.com\/\">PWTorch VIP members<\/a>. Did you know you can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a PWTorch VIP Membership? Also, unlock 35+ years of archives, including nearly 2,000 PWTorch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late 1980s, hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, and two decades of podcasts, including Post-PPV Roundtable Podcasts dating back to the mid-2000s. Plus, new VIP-exclusive articles and podcasts throughout the week, fully compatible with the native Apple Podcasts app.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorchvipinfo.com\/\">CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON VIP MEMBERSHIP<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AEW Grand Slam Australia Like a FREE PPV? (Or a longer Collison?)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TS_gI51X89A?start=7&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-437857127\"><div id=\"pwtor-1036703767\"><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>To help you add context, my \u201cHits\u201d are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes a historical tidbit and a final grade. With that said, let\u2019s move into the high points of this week\u2019s <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/02\/16\/aew-grand-slam-australia-hits-misses-2-14-hangman-vs-andrade-fletcher-vs-briscoe-mjf-vs-brody-king\/\" title=\"AEW GRAND SLAM AUSTRALIA HITS &#038; MISSES (2\/14): Hangman vs. Andrade, Fletcher vs. Briscoe, MJF vs. Brody King\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":212108,"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":[46,52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-1.19.38-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212105","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=212105"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212109,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212105\/revisions\/212109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}