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AEW and WWE again went head-to-head this weekend. This time, Tony Khan-led promotion had to compete with Saturday Night's Main Event.
Both shows had everything from blockbuster matches to interesting match results and surprise appearances. The Stamford-based promotion is coming off Survivor Series: War Games, which took place two weeks ago, and has kept up some great momentum heading to tonight.
AEW Collision happened to be on the same day as SNME, but Tony Khan once more put out a decent show to compete with the major event. Here are five reasons why AEW Collision may have been better than Saturday Night's Main Event.
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#1. Toni Storm's return to AEW Collision
A few days ago on AEW Dynamite, Toni Storm returned to the company after almost four months. Following her return, she went straight to action, with matches on both Rampage and Collision.
Tonight, she competed against Shazza McKenzie, and she won quickly in her first match on the Saturday show since August.
Things got interesting post-match when she announced she was All-Elite despite being with the company since 2022. This proves that Storm currently has an amnesia angle, and she believes she has just signed with them. This explains her bewildering booking over the past week.
#2. Julia Hart made her return after almost eight months
The Princess of the Black Throne finally made her long-awaited return tonight, as she finally attacked Jamie Hayter. This came following the show's open contest, in which Willow Nightingale defeated Hayter to qualify for the International Women's Cup four-way match at Wrestle Dynasty.
For a few weeks now, Julia Hart has been hinting at returning to AEW for the first time since April, with the former women's champion looking to be her next target. Hayter has been on the lookout for her, as she wanted a face-to-face fight instead of waiting for her to come out of the shadows.
She did so tonight, appearing out of nowhere and hitting her with a Hammerlock DDT. It remains to be seen why she chose Jamie Hayter as her target and what this means moving forward.
#3. Major upset in the Continental Classic Tournament
The second edition of the AEW Continental Classic Tournament (C2) has showcased several blockbuster matches and interesting results. Earlier tonight on Collision, another upset occurred, with the only undefeated star finally getting their first loss.
Kyle Fletcher, who is leading the Blue League and has shockingly defeated the likes of Kazuchika Okada and Shelton Benjamin, got a taste of his own medicine as he lost to Mark Briscoe.
Briscoe, who did not look like he was having great chances in the C2, has brought himself back into the picture with two straight upsets over Fletcher and TNT Champion Daniel Garcia. The Proto-star tried to steal a win with a low blow as the referee's back was turned, but Mark countered this and hit the Jade Driller for the win.
#4. Cliffhanger featuring Jon Moxley and The Death Riders
Jon Moxley and The Death Riders are marked in AEW, with so many stars on the roster wanting to go after them and join the fight. However, this past week on Dynamite, they made new enemies in FTR.
Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood saved Orange Cassidy, who was about to be forced by The Death Riders to consume a toxic chemical. Jon Moxley took note of this and hinted that things were not over between them.
Earlier tonight, to close Collision, Wheeler Yuta set up a camera right in the hallways of the arena's backstage and showed the world how The Death Riders blindsided FTR, put a cover over their heads, and dragged them behind a door, kidnapping them, and hinting at dishing out pain to the duo. This was the scene just right before the show went off-air.
#5. Better in-ring quality
While in-ring quality may be a subjective matter, there is no doubt that tonight's edition of AEW Collision featured some high-quality matches.
The opening contest featured two women who were world title material, Jamie Hayter and Willow Nightingale. Their match showcased their strength and skill as they traded blows throughout. Willow pulled through with the win.
Both matches that were part of the C2 showed some incredible back-and-forth action. Kazuchika Okada's match with The Beast Mortos showcased a great fight from the luchador until Okada found an opportunity to hit the Rainmaker for the win.
Kyle Fletcher's match against Mark Briscoe was a race against the clock. With several near-falls, it seemed as if this was going to be the second time-limit draw of the tournament. Out of desperation, Fletcher tried blindsiding the referee, which would have opened up a chance for him to play dirty, but this worked against him, and Briscoe took the win. Jamie Hayter and Willow Nightingale also faced off during the show's opening contest.
Tonight was a great episode of AEW Collision. It wasn't perfect, but several key moments happened during the show. Fans should definitely check this out after WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event.
