Hangman Page vows revenge, Pac vs. Ishii, Thekla vs. Shirakawa, and a $400.000 dollar eight-man tag team main event

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

To help you add context, 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, starting with the most significant moments.

HITS

HANGMAN PROMO

This promo re-established whatâ€s always worked with “Hangman” Adam Page: authentic emotion, earned confidence, and zero performative nonsense. He brought the receipts from WrestleDream, calling out the blindside beatdown from the opps, and reconfirmed with a babyface promise that he will ruin Samoa Joeâ€s life.

PAC vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII

On paper, this was a match booked for the sickos — the fans who circle Tomohiro Ishiiâ€s name on a lineup and immediately start vibrating. And in execution? It delivered exactly what the formula promises. No overthinking, no melodrama, no convoluted narrative threads to untangle — just two men willingly choosing violence and daring the other to blink first. Does this move any active storyline forward? Hard to argue it does. But the Ishii match format is timeless — a pure, self-contained battle that resets the audienceâ€s pulse.

THEKLA vs. MINA SHIRAKAWA

Stiff, physical, and fueled by real history. AEW spotlighted their Japan connection, and that context elevated every strike. No fluff, no filler — just two women fighting with receipts and pride. A strong showcase that made you care even if you didnâ€t know the story walking in.

BUILDING THE WOMEN’S TAG DIVISION

AEW is layering in the Womenâ€s Tag Division with real momentum. By pairing established names with fresh tag-intent, All Elite Wrestling isnâ€t just rolling out a title or spotlighting one team, theyâ€re building a division, a division full of options, stories, and stakes. And the appearance of Nixon Newell & Miranda Alize interrupting Tay Conti & Anna Jay? A nice surprise.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Dynamite: CLICK HERE (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

MISSES

EDDIE KINGSTONâ€S MISUSE & MISCASTING

Eddie Kingston isnâ€t a side quest. He shouldnâ€t be a punch-card appearance every few weeks with no real traction. When you strip the urgency and the purpose from Eddie, youâ€re undercutting the very reason fans rally behind him.

Right now, the presentation shows “supporting character,†even though the audience still sees “main event.†AEW needs to course-correct soon, because every week Eddie drifts is a week his top-guy status erodes — and thatâ€s a mistake you canâ€t fix overnight.

FINAL SCORE

FINAL THOUGHTS

Collision delivered a solid night of in-ring action — a strong opening with Hangmanâ€s fire and a card filled with physical, engaging match-ups that pushed key stories toward Dynamite. The Womenâ€s Division got meaningful spotlight, Pac vs. Ishii scratched the sickos†itch. But even with all that working on paper, the episode still felt like it lacked that extra spark — the one big moment that becomes the talking point as the credits roll. Collision continues to be a reliable wrestling program; now it just needs that injection of urgency and must-see energy to remind the audience why Saturday nights matter.

WRESTLING HISTORY: On this day in 1999, WCW Monday Nitro rolled into Phoenix, Arizona, with two major title changes. Bret “Hitman†Hart defeated Bill Goldberg to capture the WCW United States Championship, while The Filthy Animals — Billy Kidman & Konnan — knocked off Harlem Heat to claim the World Tag Team Titles.

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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