AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[RedTwoster]

Given that Raw, NXT and Smackdown have their own topics, how do people feel about separate Dynamite and Collision topics again? It feels like there are more than enough in the way of talking points in each show to justify that, and it means there’s less change of stumbling upon spoilers if you want to talk or read about Dynamie but haven’t yet seen Collision. 

Anyway…Collision was a weird but perfectly enjoyable show. A match for $100,000 - a pointless stipulation I always hate - immediately followed by Sammy Guevara indicating that he’s going after the TNT Title. So why not just make it a number one contender’s match for that belt?

Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn can both fuck off. Before The Acclaimed split, if someone had told me one of the pair would be knocking it out of the park while the other would be the most grating wrestler on the roster, I’d have put money on Bowens being the entertaining one. I do think they need to go somewhere with Caster soon, though. An upset win over Adam Cole to become TNT champion might be fun.

Toni Storm was fantastic once again. And Harley Cameron/Megan Bayne was a load of fun. Cameron is improving, and I really hope she gets to the level you’d want to allow her to become a top star for the company in ring, as well as out. 

King/Alexander was a stupidly fun match - one my favourite of the year, actually. I don’t even care that it ended in a draw, it surely means we’re getting a rematch which I’m very much in favour of.

I tried with the main event, I really did. But I can’t bring myself to watch Strong and O’Reilly. The match was probably strong, but even thinking about them is an utterly joyless experience, never mind watching them. 

 

[LaGoosh]

That Toni Storm promo was bloody brilliant. 

And I could really get behind a Rush/Knight feud. Plucky young upstart vs the miserable, psychotic and violent veteran, yes please. The distance Knight went on that suplex on the ramp was beautiful. 

@RedTwoster we had a separate Collision thread last year and I think I was the only person who ever posted in it. ?

Edited May 4, 2025 by LaGoosh

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Not a bad show, but not great. I was watching with a friend who hasn't watched wrestling for about 18 years. Her main take away was that Mox was incredibly cringe and Toni Storm came out with glorious ramblings.

[RedTwoster]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

That Toni Storm promo was bloody brilliant. 

And I could really get behind a Rush/Knight feud. Plucky young upstart vs the miserable, psychotic and violent veteran, yes please. The distance Knight went on that suplex on the ramp was beautiful. 

@RedTwoster we had a separate Collision thread last year and I think I was the only person who ever posted in it. ?

AEW has found its footing with just the two shows, I think - last year Collision felt a bit pointless, but now it’s rarely a bad show. 

I’m totally with you on Rush/Knight - Rush and King are two wrestlers I want to see them do more with, and Josh Alexander is starting to feel like a very good signing indeed. I didn’t particularly want him to end up in AEW as I thought he’d take time away from wrestlers I want to see get pushed, but it’s not really turned out like that.

I feel like AEW is in a really good place right now - there had always been a core group of wrestlers who I felt like the company couldn’t afford to lose, but now I feel like no single departure will hit them hard, outside of losing Hangman or Toni Storm. Outside of that, they have an insane amount of roster depth. 

[LaGoosh]

Just to comment on some pretty great low key booking AEW are doing right now regarding Toni Storm.

They are doing these Championship eliminator matches which in the past have felt like a lazy booking crutch however with the ones Toni has been doing recently it's smart booking:

- Toni is so over that these don't feel like nothing matches, fans are actually engaged with them in the moment.

- they've been good showcases for talent but it doesn't hurt them at all to lose to Toni right now because her stock is so high.

- they are putting over Toni as a top, hard to beat Champion on the road to All In.

- if someone beats her in the next few weeks it'll feel like a big deal/upset, get that person over and set up a worthwhile title match. 

Felt worth pointing this stuff out as good booking/storytelling isn't always about big promos and angles. Sometimes it's just doing solid, logical work quietly and consistently in the background. 

[Supremo]

It’s a tiny thing that nobody will remember, but it does feel somewhat significant that at a time when WWE is sacking a bunch of female and LGBT+ performers, AEW has got Toni Storm on a boardwalk, screaming, “I’m here and I’m queer!” to anyone walking past.

In the game of momentum and perception, it’s currently as if WWE can’t do anything right, whereas AEW has never been more razor focussed and firing on all cylinders.

[d-d-d-dAz]

Slightly weird, bumpy show but a perfectly fine Sunday morning watch.

The only real negative I thought was of note, really, was how mishandled Moxley's appearance was. If he's going to turn up to address Samoa Joe, why air a 5 minute pre-filmed vignette with him addressing Joe earlier in the show? And, then, why promote his segment as being 'up next' only to then try to throw to a match and act surprised when Moxley turned up? Just very sloppy. 

Also, I'm not a complete Moxley hater but he's not good enough for what he tried to do last night. He didn't take the fans with him on that promo at all, it just felt lifeless and then over. He strikes me as someone who could do with a year off and come back with some energy and momentum.

The people who stood out on the show for me were Toni Storm - who is always brilliant, Roooosh who I think could be doing more and Brody King who I think is absolutely brilliant. I'd send Brody King right to the top of the card if it was me. 

There's definitely something with Josh Alexander too, he just looks a bit... silly?

*edit* I should say, last time I watched properly and regularly, Max Caster was one of the best things in wrestling. In the intervening period I'm vaguely aware people seemed to think he was terrible, but... he seems to be one of the best things in wrestling again? Such big, dumb, silly fun.

 

Edited May 4, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[The King Of Swing]

Max Caster corpsing during his own chant was wonderful. Even he can't take himself seriously. 

Toni Storm was brilliant. 

Is someone trying to sabotage Anthony Bowens? He's becoming increasingly unlikeable every time he opens his gob. 

Perfectly acceptable TV main event. 

I'm far from a Paragon fan, but it could be worse. TK could bring back Bobby Fish. 

[Chili]

It's a bit mental that Bowens comes across so unlikeable at the moment. I can't even properly figure it out. He should be the breakout star of that team, but there is Max Caster. The little trolling train that could, somehow being more funny, watchable and over doing his brilliant open challenge, which now has a time limit. He's also clearly loving the role, I'm a big fan of his utter dedication to shit trolling every promo he does before he gets his arse kicked. Honestly, I'd have the end of this angle being Max proving he's worth a toss by beating Bowens if they continue to make him so cocky in an unlikeable way.

[LaGoosh]

9 minutes ago, Chili said:

It's a bit mental that Bowens comes across so unlikeable at the moment. I can't even properly figure it out.

I don't think it's too complicated. He's doing loads of promos and vignettes where he talks about how great he is with no other personality traits, character hook, sense of humour or anything to relate to.

[The King Of Swing]

31 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I don't think it's too complicated. He's doing loads of promos and vignettes where he talks about how great he is with no other personality traits, character hook, sense of humour or anything to relate to.

It's feels very early Kurt Angle, without the self awareness. 

[RedTwoster]

2 hours ago, The King Of Swing said:

Max Caster corpsing during his own chant was wonderful. Even he can't take himself seriously. 

Nigel McGuinness was tremendous during this, dramatically announcing that 15-seconds had gone, then 20. He’s been fantastic since moving to AEW, and I really hope he gets - at the very least - a nomination for best non-wrestler at the 2025 UKFF Awards.

[Guest]

So, I assume we're all expecting Danny Garcia to turn on Paragon/Adam Cole and join up with FTR in the near future, yeah?

[LaGoosh]

9 hours ago, Duke said:

So, I assume we're all expecting Danny Garcia to turn on Paragon/Adam Cole and join up with FTR in the near future, yeah?

Hard to boo someone who turns on those guys. They're so boring and rubbish I'd do the same if given the opportunity. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

6 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Hard to boo someone who turns on those guys. They're so boring and rubbish I'd do the same if given the opportunity. 

I think he'd lose the moral highground, though, if he was turning on Paragon for being boring and aligning himself with... FTR.

He might get some hypocrite heat.

I try with FTR, I really do... but it's so one note. 

Oh great you can do 30 minutes with (insert tag team name here)? I look forward to you doing the same with them next week and the week after and the week after.