Homecoming, Kota Ibushi injury, Top Gods vs. Jet Speed Babes, Triangle Of Maddens vs. Wrathlander, more

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

TOP GODS vs. WILLOW & KEVIN KNIGHT & MIKE BAILEY

This mixed tag was fun, chaotic, and purposeful. Megan Bayne getting big spots (even on Mike Bailey) and Willow Nightingale holding her ground against the big names. The match managed to balance putting the spotlight on the women inside a mixed match. The interference finish wasnâ€t perfect, but it moved the needle, especially with Harley Cameronâ€s save setting up future angles.

TRIANGLE OF MADDENS vs. WRATHLANDER

AEW continues doing right by giving women real story space. The storytelling in the opening promos and during the match was crisp.

AEW MAKES THE BEST OUT OF A TOUGH SITUATION

Kota Ibushiâ€s match against Josh Alexander was shaping up to be something very good until things took a serious turn. The injury changed everything, but credit where itâ€s due – AEW handled it the right way. The production team didnâ€t sensationalize the moment, commentary treated it with the gravity it deserved, and the locker room rallied around the situation, giving the show a sense of humanity you canâ€t fake.

KENNY OMEGA

Kenny Omegaâ€s promo was one that actually makes sense of the chaos. He took lingering story threads, connected the dots, and gave purpose to angles that had been floating for weeks. Whether it was clarifying his role in Ibushiâ€s injury fallout or addressing his next move in his arc, Omega made it feel cohesive. This wasnâ€t a rambling “elite lore†segment; it was grounded, direct, and logical. Sometimes the best storytelling isnâ€t a twist, itâ€s cleaning up the plot holes and giving the audience a reason to care again.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

MISSES

THE ACCLAIMED RELAUNCH STILL SCREAMS MEDIOCRITY

Every week, this reboot of The Acclaimed fails to connect. The crowd is lukewarm, the rhymes are tired, and the spark is gone. It’s not heat; it’s apathy. AEW must either reset their characters or move on, as it’s currently just filler.

THE CONGLOMERATION IS DRAGGING DOWN SERIOUS TALENT

The Conglomeration gimmick is now overexposed. What was once quirky now burdens wrestlers who could contribute more elsewhere. Adding Willow, Orange Cassidy, and Mark Briscoe to this comedic group undermines credibility. ‘Quirky’ isnâ€t enough—thereâ€s no clear identity or direction. Everyone feels diluted, so AEW must decide if this is a serious faction or just a midcard diversion.

FINAL SCORE

FINAL THOUGHTS: Collision Homecoming wasnâ€t perfect, but it was purposeful. The Womenâ€s Division again looked like it was being treated as part of the story, not a sideline. The Misses are familiar. If next week leans into fewer matches, more mic time, and cleans up the undercard noise, we might see this show rattling off a string of strong weeks.

WRESTLING HISTORY:

On this day in 2016, James Ellsworth beat WWE Champion A.J. Styles on SmackDown with the help of Dean Ambrose.

PODCAST PLUG

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