{"id":214120,"date":"2026-03-30T11:49:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T16:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=214120"},"modified":"2026-03-31T20:57:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T01:57:17","slug":"aew-collision-hits-misses-3-28-knight-makes-a-statement-vs-kazuchika-okada-ciampa-vs-austin-steals-the-show-thekla-shines-womens-tag-titles-open-strong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/03\/30\/aew-collision-hits-misses-3-28-knight-makes-a-statement-vs-kazuchika-okada-ciampa-vs-austin-steals-the-show-thekla-shines-womens-tag-titles-open-strong\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW COLLISION HITS &#038; MISSES (3\/28): Knight makes a statement vs. Kazuchika Okada, Ciampa vs. Austin steals the show, Thekla shines, Women\u2019s Tag Titles open strong"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4086703522\" 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>HITS<\/h3>\n<p><strong>KEVIN KNIGHT MAKES A STATEMENT IN THE MAIN EVENT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kevin Knight is here\u2014and more importantly, he feels like he belongs immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Going toe-to-toe with Kazuchika Okada is one thing. Looking like you belong in that spot is another\u2014and Knight did both.<\/p>\n<p>Even in defeat, this wasn\u2019t about the result. It was about how he carried himself. His athleticism stands out, but it\u2019s the confidence and composure that made the difference. He didn\u2019t wrestle like a newcomer\u2014he wrestled like someone who expects to be back in this position.<\/p>\n<p>This wasn\u2019t just a good showing. It felt like another statement. And more importantly, this didn\u2019t feel like a one-night thing.<\/p>\n<p>AEW doesn\u2019t always tip its hand early, but Knight feels like someone they already view as more than just depth. If they stay the course, you\u2019re looking at someone with real future world champion upside.<\/p>\n<p><strong>TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. ACE AUSTIN STEALS THE SHOW<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is what Collision should look like week to week.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-365914665\" 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>What could\u2019ve easily been a standard TV match turned into the most complete match on the show. Ciampa brought the physicality and control, Ace brought the urgency and explosiveness, and the match kept building instead of peaking too early.<\/p>\n<p>No wasted motion, no filler\u2014just two guys working like they had something to prove. And it worked.<\/p>\n<p><strong>TTHEKLA CONTINUES TO FEEL LIKE REQUIRED VIEWING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At this point, Thekla doesn\u2019t miss.<\/p>\n<p>Another confident, direct promo that actually meant something and pushed things forward. No fluff, no overproduction\u2014just presence and purpose.<\/p>\n<p>She feels like a centerpiece of the division right now, and AEW is finally presenting her that way. That kind of consistency has been missing\u2014and she\u2019s filling that gap right now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WOMEN\u2019S TAG TEAM TITLES OPEN THE SHOW STRONG<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Opening Collision with Divine Dominion vs. Babes of Wrath for the AEW Women\u2019s World Tag Team Titles immediately gave the show a sense of purpose.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2825517578\" 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>More importantly, it gave the division visibility. AEW has struggled with consistency when it comes to the women\u2019s tag titles, so putting them in the opening slot\u2014and letting them feel important\u2014was the right call.<\/p>\n<p>The match didn\u2019t overstay its welcome, and that mattered more than anything. It set a tone that this wasn\u2019t going to be a throwaway episode.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PRIVATE PARTY SHOWS REAL SIGNS OF LIFE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of their better performances in a long time\u2014and importantly, it stood on its own.<\/p>\n<p>They looked sharper, more in sync, and more confident than we\u2019ve seen in a while. This didn\u2019t feel like team filler\u2014it felt like a team trying to reestablish itself.<\/p>\n<p>If AEW follows through, there\u2019s something here again.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the &#8220;All Elite Conversation Club&#8221; with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/all-elite-conversation-club-dehnel-kanner-review-dynamite-with-dehnel-s-in-person-perspective-mjf-omega-and-ospreay-mox-set-for-dynasty--70940649\">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=\"All Elite Conversation Club - Dehnel &amp; Kanner review Dynamite with Dehnel's in-person perspective, MJF-Omega and Ospreay-Mox set for Dynasty\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=70940649&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\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>MISSES<\/h3>\n<p><strong>KYLE FLETCHER INJURY CLOUD HANGS OVER THE SHOW<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s an uneasy layer to anything involving Kyle Fletcher right now.<\/p>\n<p>Reports circulating\u2014most notably discussed by Bryan Alvarez\u2014suggest there may be an injury situation developing, and it\u2019s hard not to watch anything involving him without that in the back of your mind.<\/p>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s precautionary or something more serious, it creates uncertainty around his immediate direction. AEW has done a good job building momentum with him, so any disruption here is worth paying attention to.<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully it\u2019s minor\u2014but it\u2019s something that lingers coming out of the show.<\/p>\n<h3>FINAL SCORE<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>HITS: 5<\/li>\n<li>MISSES: 1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>FINAL THOUGHTS<\/h3>\n<p>A strong, work-rate-driven episode of Collision that quietly delivered across the board.<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Knight feels like a legitimate future piece after holding his own against Kazuchika Okada. Ciampa vs. Austin gave the show its in-ring peak, Thekla continues to anchor the division with consistency, and the women\u2019s tag titles opening the show set the tone.<\/p>\n<p>Not everything is clicking yet, but this is the version of Collision they need to build around.<\/p>\n<h3>WRESTLING HISTORY<\/h3>\n<p>On this day in 2004, Bob Sapp won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the first and only time after beating Kensuke Sasaki by pinfall at the NJPW Sumo Hall Show in Tokyo, Japan.<\/p>\n<h3>PODCAST PLUG<\/h3>\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>.<\/p>\n<p>Did you know you can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorchvipinfo.com\/\">PWTorch VIP Membership<\/a>? 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<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-385878649\"><div id=\"pwtor-1407433804\"><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>HITS KEVIN KNIGHT MAKES A STATEMENT IN THE MAIN EVENT Kevin Knight is here\u2014and more importantly, he feels like he belongs immediately. Going toe-to-toe with Kazuchika Okada is one thing. Looking like you belong in <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/03\/30\/aew-collision-hits-misses-3-28-knight-makes-a-statement-vs-kazuchika-okada-ciampa-vs-austin-steals-the-show-thekla-shines-womens-tag-titles-open-strong\/\" title=\"AEW COLLISION HITS &#038; MISSES (3\/28): Knight makes a statement vs. Kazuchika Okada, Ciampa vs. Austin steals the show, Thekla shines, Women\u2019s Tag Titles open strong\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":214121,"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-214120","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\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-30-at-11.45.27-AM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214120","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=214120"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":214122,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214120\/revisions\/214122"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/214121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}