AEW Quietly Breaks New Ground With Same-Sex Couple Presentation on Collision

Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize turned heads during their tag match on AEW Collision by sharing a kiss in the ring and being clearly presented as a couple. The moment didnâ€t come with commentary fanfare or storyline buildup—it simply happened, and it didnâ€t go unnoticed.

The duo teamed up against Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir in a brief squash match, but it was their interaction as a pair that became a talking point afterward. Dave Meltzer addressed the segment on Wrestling Observer Radio, offering insight into how rare this type of presentation has been in professional wrestling.

“For years and years and years, there have been women who have wanted to do the thing where the women kiss and everything like that and theyâ€re lovers and all that,†Meltzer said. “And Tony and Mina are doing it actually.â€

He explained that AEW didnâ€t position the moment as controversial or dramatic—it was simply included like any other aspect of a match.

“But in this case itâ€s like—this is not ambiguous, this is not teased, this is just—theyâ€re lovers and thatâ€s it. You know, they were kissing in the match, and it wasnâ€t done in a WWE way, you know what I mean? Where itâ€s, ‘oh my God, look at this!†or for shock value or anything. They were just doing it.â€

Meltzer continued, acknowledging how different this approach was from the usual industry tactic of overhyping any display of affection between same-sex characters.

“It wasnâ€t done for ratings. It wasnâ€t done to shock people. It was just there. And you know, whatever, thatâ€s fine. I was just surprised at that in some ways.â€

The match itself was a showcase for Bayne and Shafir, but Newell and Alize brought something else to the table—a visible dynamic that felt authentic and new to modern-day mainstream wrestlingâ€s weekly programming. AEW didnâ€t need a promo package or storyline twist to make it happen. Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize were simply portrayed as partners in and out of the ring.

How do you feel about AEW giving Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize that kind of presentation? Would you want to see more of them as a team? Drop your thoughts below.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Source link