Almost four years on from AEW’s television debut it is fair to say that the promotion has succeeded in becoming a viable market contender in wrestling. There are now three weekly shows in Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision for fans of All Elite Wrestling fans to enjoy, if they actually have the time to do so.
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Collision has only been around for a few months, but it has already succeeded in becoming a show equal to (or greater than) Dynamite. The Saturday show may even be the best show in all of wrestling at the moment as it has inspired a load of ‘Colliders’ to tune in every week.
10 Why Collision Is The Best: It Is Still The Newest Show
Whilst it is easy to lavish praise on Collision it is also worth noting that it is still enjoying being the newest wrestling show on television. Basking in the glow of being the hot new thing will always help a show get over to begin with, which has certainly been the case thus far.
The challenge for AEW will be to keep the early momentum of the show going as it moves into its second year and beyond. Nothing is certain though and Collision may not even be around this time next year.
9 How Collision Could Improve: It Could Be More Stylistically Different
Despite it being different from Dynamite and Rampage in some ways, Collision could stand to be even more distinctive in terms of its presentation and style. Its throwback elements to WCW Nitro are cool, but it does still feel like it’s an extension of its current programming instead of a new thing entirely.
Looking at how the original SmackDown differentiated from Raw in WWE can be a good guide in presenting two shows under the same umbrella in cool ways. Nowadays, the shows are very stylistically similar bar the obvious color palette changes between the brands.
8 Why Collision Is The Best: It Has A Simple Storytelling Approach
A positive early trend to Collision has been how it has been booked, with there being a clear focus on more basic, but thoughtful storytelling. This has meant more matches being used to build further feuds, promos being cut to develop characters, and a less confusing structure to its storylines.
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At its best, the promotion can operate on a more complex level, with intertwining storylines and more conflicted characters. However, Collision has kept things simple by mapping out its feuds really well so far with its heel/face dynamics and wrestlers with clear character motivations.
7 How Collision Could Improve: Reinstating The Ranking System
A more blanket criticism of AEW in general, not just Collision, is that its matches often feel less important now. This can almost be attributed directly to the company inexplicably doing away with the ranking system.
Whilst it was not always adhered to perfectly, the rankings provided an amazing framework for normal matches to exist on, as fans could track a wrestler’s progress towards competing for titles. Now matches are formed completely on the basis of personal issues, which is fine sometimes but shouldn’t be the crux of every single wrestling match
6 Why Collision Is The Best: Its Unique Roster Is An Attraction
Collision has been successful in profiling some of AEW talent which has been underutilized for quite some time. The likes of Miro, Andrade, and Scorpio Sky have all enjoyed their most consistent television time in a while thanks to the new show, whilst the likes of Samoa Joe and Jay White have been elevated back to main event status.
The extra television time being used to promote wrestlers who have been under the radar is just a smart decision from AEW. Having them appear almost exclusively on Collision helps the show feel more special, without having a need for a hard roster split.
5 How Collision Could Improve: It Needs To Move On From CM Punk
Firing CM Punk was absolutely the right decision after his latest backstage altercation with coworker Jack Perry, even if it threw Collision’s purpose up into the air. It had originally been created as a clear way to appease CM Punk, with his presence being all over the show to begin with.
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Now that he has gone there is a bit of a void to fill, but early signs are promising for AEW with the likes of Bryan Danielson being shipped in to make Collision feel special. There is an argument to be had that it never should have been the Punk show anyway, as relying so heavily on one star is always a risky thing to do.
4 Why Collision Is The Best: It Is Not Another Rampage
It may seem like a low bar to clear but the very fact that Collision is not just another B-show like Rampage makes it a huge success. It is so difficult for AEW to introduce anything that feels as important as Dynamite, their flagship show, but Collision certainly feels that way so far.
Maybe in time, it will be relegated to the same level as Rampage, but Collision’s early momentum suggests it won’t. Not only is it better than a lesser show, but it has surpassed Dynamite as potentially being the most important show in all of wrestling now, depending on individual taste of course.
3 How Collision Could Improve: Having Its Own Major Title
So far on Collision the AEW Tag and Trios Championships have featured pretty heavily on the show, whilst Kris Statlander has defended her TBS Championship with some regularity too. Whilst it has been good that some titles have been prominent on Collision, it feels as though the show could do with its own world championship.
Obviously, AEW already has too many titles, so the best solution would be to elevate another title to the level of MJF’s main belt. The TNT Championship may be too diminished now to be a credible top title, but the International Championship has been elevated to such a level by Orange Cassidy’s reign that it could be.
2 Why Collision Is The Best: The Making Of Ricky Starks
The aforementioned opportunities that Collision has provided to certain AEW stars have been embodied by how much Ricky Starks has been uplifted in recent months. It honestly looked as though the company had given up slightly on Starks at the start of the year, as he was sucked into a feud against Chris Jericho after a great showing against AEW Champion MJF.
Thankfully, Ricky Starks has been given a starring role on Collision and now looks every bit of the world champion in waiting that he has long promised to be. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his momentum and if Collision will be the place to do it.
1 How Collision Could Improve: Showcase More Women
The lack of women’s wrestling will be AEW’s biggest flaw until they actually invest time into fixing it. It is simply not good enough for a company that has three major television shows to have, at best, one women’s match on each show every week.
Some fans will claim that it is representative of the quality in the division, but this is rubbish, as it can’t improve if the women are not given the chance to do so. Collision could act as a more prominent space for women’s wrestling, as Toni Storm's recent character development has shown.
