Mark Briscoe
SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
To help you navigate, my “Hits†are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes a historical tidbit and a final grade. With that said, letâ€s move into the high points of this weekâ€s episode.
HITS
DANIEL GARCIA IS OFFICIALLY A DEATH RIDER
This felt like the moment Collision needed. AEW has been hinting at Garciaâ€s shift for weeks, but Saturday gave it a payoff. Pairing him with Jon Moxley immediately raises his stock, and the main event win gave him the momentum. It wasnâ€t just a “swerve for the sake of a swerve,†it was a step forward.
WOMENâ€S DIVISION SPOTLIGHT
The 10-woman tag wasnâ€t just a time-filler. It allowed multiple stories to intersect, giving Thekla some much-needed momentum, and Toni Stormâ€s presence once again elevated the whole thing. AEW needs to make the womenâ€s division feel essential, and this segment did that.
EDDIE KINGSTON RETURN
The crowd popped huge for this, and for good reason. Kingstonâ€s absence has left a gap, and AEW wisely used Philly to make his comeback feel important. His presence instantly strengthens the Collision identity and adds a much-needed dose of grit as they head into All Out.
BUILDING ALL-OUT CARD
With the Briscoe-MJF stipulation, the Unified Title tournament, Eddie Kingstonâ€s return, and Garciaâ€s heel turn, the episode focused on solidifying multiple PPV matches.
STAR POWER
A major win for AEW on Saturday was star power. Moxley, Toni Storm, MJF, and Okada—Collision wasnâ€t an afterthought; it spotlighted the companyâ€s top names. Consistency is crucial. If Collision is to feel vital every week, loading it with marquee stars is essential. This episode finally achieved that balance.
FTR ADAM PRIEST & TOMMY BILLINGTON #2
The pace was tighter, the offense cleaner, and the win came off more decisive. FTR did exactly what it needed to keep the chemistry tight and give them momentum heading toward All Out.
MISSES
THREE-WAY MATCH AEW UNIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP
Okadaâ€s match being slotted in for All Out should feel like a big deal, but instead, it comes off forced. The build hasnâ€t been organic, the story feels paper-thin, and the setup lacks the spark youâ€d expect for one of AEWâ€s top stars. Okadaâ€s presence alone is always special, but the way this program has been put together makes it feel more like a booking obligation than a canâ€t-miss showdown.
MARK BRISCOE MATCH SELECTION
Hereâ€s the head-scratcher: Mark Briscoe has been presented as the natural baby face of AEW. He picked the stipulation for All Out, and the whole segment was built around him. Yet heâ€s not the one challenging for the guaranteed world title contract. It undercuts the momentum heâ€s built and makes the booking feel disjointed. Briscoe should be in that spot, not left circling it.
THE ACCLAIMED RENION
Putting Anthony Bowens and Max Caster back together isnâ€t fixing the problem. As a team, theyâ€ve cooled off — not contenders, not comedy, just flat. Bowens has shown he can hold his own in singles, and Caster has the charisma to stand out, but together theyâ€re spinning their wheels. Either sharpen the act into something new, or split them and let both find fresh lanes. Doing nothing hurts them and the tag division.
FINAL SCORE
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, this episode did more good than harm. It gave All Out structure, it leaned into the Philly crowd the right way, and it reminded fans that Collision can be a key piece of AEWâ€s weekly programming. Still, for AEW to maximize this momentum, theyâ€ll need to tighten the booking around their biggest stars and figure out what to do with acts that feel stalled.
WRESTLING HISTORY
On this day in 2008, Tokyo played host to ROH: Battle of the Best, headlined by Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black defending the ROH World Tag Team Titles against Jay & Mark Briscoe.
PODCAST PLUG
Be sure to check out “The Collision Café” I host with PWTorchâ€s Amin Ajani, available exclusively to PWTorch VIP members.
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