RedTwoster Posted January 4 Posted January 4 (edited) I originally posted this in the AEW TV 2025 Discussion thread, completely forgetting that this was the past, and we’ve all now moved on. So here’s a 2026 thread, which I’ll open by sharing a mildly edited version of my pre-existing post about a very mediocre episode of Collision. Here’s hoping this isn’t AEW starting as they mean to go on: That episode of Collision…oh boy. Nothing mattered, literally nothing. The giant C on El Clon as he heads to the ring is probably the most notable part on the show, in that it approaches Giant Gonzales levels of bad ring gear. I hope he’s unmasked sooner rather than later - he’s clearly a very talented guy saddled with one of the worst gimmicks AEW has ever offered up. Poor Eddie Kingston. First of all, he’s paired with Hook, now Ortiz. He goes from feuding with the World Champion to feuding with a tag team whose names I suspect fans don’t even know. Heck, all I can say myself is ‘one of them is Zach Gibson’. More Darby vs Death Riders. Fuck me, what’s the point? As soon as he beats Pac and you think this neverending nonsense is over, I’ve no doubt he’ll go after Moxley again with the title on the line and the whole thing will continue. Dante Martin has improved a lot on the mic, and I think he’s being wasted as part of Sky Flight. All in all, a very, very, very, very skippable show. Edited January 4 by RedTwoster Quote
Paid Members ReturnOfTheMack Posted January 4 Paid Members Posted January 4 Yeah, El Clons gear was ugly as sin. As was Sammys pencil tash, made me think of the episode of Brooklyn 9-9 where Peralta and Kevin disguise themselves as perverts in a library. So pretty spot on as a heel look. Quote
RedTwoster Posted January 4 Author Posted January 4 28 minutes ago, ReturnOfTheMack said: Yeah, El Clons gear was ugly as sin. As was Sammys pencil tash, made me think of the episode of Brooklyn 9-9 where Peralta and Kevin disguise themselves as perverts in a library. So pretty spot on as a heel look. Sammy seemed to be putting on an accent too? It was a bit strange, is this a character he’s been going with in ROH? I know a lot of people have soured on the guy, but I have a soft spot for Sammy and I’d like to see him find his niche after a hell of a lot of floundering. Quote
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted January 4 Awards Moderator Posted January 4 14 minutes ago, RedTwoster said: Sammy seemed to be putting on an accent too? It was a bit strange, is this a character he’s been going with in ROH? I know a lot of people have soured on the guy, but I have a soft spot for Sammy and I’d like to see him find his niche after a hell of a lot of floundering. I would be okay with MJF interfering in Sammy vs Bandido leading to a Sammy win. Furthers a story going into Bandido’s AEW title match and hopefully gets him way way away from the stink of ROH. Quote
Paid Members LaGoosh Posted January 4 Paid Members Posted January 4 5 hours ago, RedTwoster said: That episode of Collision…oh boy. Nothing mattered, literally nothing. Pretty sure Tony Khan was in Japan for Wrestle Kingdom. He probably wrote the card on the back of a fag packet on the way to his private jet. Quote
Infinity Land Posted January 4 Posted January 4 12 minutes ago, LaGoosh said: Pretty sure Tony Khan was in Japan for Wrestle Kingdom. He probably wrote the card on the back of a fag packet on the way to his private jet. All these years he's never missed an AEW show. And have you ever seen Tony Khan in Japan? Quote
The King Of Swing Posted January 5 Posted January 5 Was a watchable wrestling show but yeah, nothing really mattered. The little Not The Acclaimed segment, was silly fun. Quote
Tim Healys Chutney Spoon Posted January 5 Posted January 5 Just read that Alex Abrahantes, Matt Taven and Mercedes Martinez have all left AEW. Abrahantes hasn't done much for a while, but did kind of like him but not the same scale as the likes of Prince Nana or Stoke. Quote
RedTwoster Posted January 6 Author Posted January 6 10 hours ago, Tim Healys Chutney Spoon said: Just read that Alex Abrahantes, Matt Taven and Mercedes Martinez have all left AEW. Abrahantes hasn't done much for a while, but did kind of like him but not the same scale as the likes of Prince Nana or Stoke. To be honest, I had no idea that Taven and Martinez were even still there. Quote
Paid Members LaGoosh Posted January 6 Paid Members Posted January 6 I remember Martinez and Diamante having a really good street fight tag match against Thunder Rosa and someone else on Collision ages ago. I think they should have kept them going as a tag team, I liked them. Alex Abrahantas was fun in that initial three week Penta heel run as a smug twat but absolutely awful at everything after then. This nerdy old man coming out all swagged up and jumping around always felt ridiculous and I didn't like how they automatically paired him up with every luchador. Matt Taven was perfectly good as a hired goon type wrestler but they pushed him beyond his station. He even main evented Dynamite for God's sake! Quote
Paid Members BomberPat Posted January 6 Paid Members Posted January 6 Alex Abrahantes was clearly a Jericho favour hire early on; a nobody in the grand scheme of things, who happened to start out in the same place and time as Chris Jericho ends up on TV. See also: Dr Luther. That Luther has ended up an actual entertaining part of an over act, while Abrahantes kept doing the same pointless role and basically never did anything and then was out the door the moment Jericho's gone is very funny. Taven & Bennett disappearing off TV was always weird, especially when you've got Roderick Strong still running around in Paragon gear when none of the rest of the faction exists. Nothing will be missed by not having Taven around, but it feels like there's a bigger story there. Martinez hadn't even worked ROH since 2024, and was already mostly doing indies, so it's no surprise. They could have done more with her in a veteran bully role, but it is what it is. She has said 2026 is her last year, and it would have been nice if she got a big match in ROH or AEW as part of that, considering Madison Rayne gets a ROH retirement match, but I doubt 90% of the audience even knew she worked there. Quote
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted January 6 Paid Members Posted January 6 That was a brutal episode of Collision. Was hopeful for a low-key enjoyable show with that bright, great looking setup and El Clon coming out first for his match bringing some intrigue. What followed was boring. The first in a long line of boring fucking matches with nothing behind them. Just utterly tedious stuff. Mox's promo was good. Really put over the tournament and Shelton Benjamin. All of the commentary and promos to sell the importance of the Continental title and tournament have been great, in fairness. Dante Martin's 30 second promo was good. Big Bill talking was good. He's a huge waste at the moment. The attempt to create some bounty storyline for the Bill & Bry vs. Jet Speed match was at least something but it's this throwaway stuff they make up that has no substance, isn't built, isn't followed up on and exists like some WCW Saturday Night nonsense. I don't want them to be WWE and hammer you over the head with stuff, I do like many of the subtleties and being treated like an adult with some awareness and a memory, however, if you're going to commit to something as a part of a match or angle then commit. There's too much of this one night garbage that goes nowhere and is seemingly just made up by the commentators. I've generally found there to be a high ratio of good to bad in AEW. Plenty enough to reward sitting through some crap. With each week at the moment, it feels like the other way around. The C2 masked it a bit but we're well into a period where there is so little reward for flicking through these matches that it's not enjoyable. Quote
Paid Members LaGoosh Posted January 6 Paid Members Posted January 6 Dante Martin is surely a lost cause at this point. Granted he doesn't get much TV time but he's been around for ages and hasn't improved at all. He doesn't offer anything that someone like Kevin Knight doesn't do better. There's a fair few of those hanging around collecting a pay check who either aren't trying or aren't able to get any better. The company could do with a clear out of the dead weight. Bring in some wacky original characters to add a bit of fun to the undercard stuff. Quote
RedTwoster Posted January 6 Author Posted January 6 19 minutes ago, LaGoosh said: Dante Martin is surely a lost cause at this point. Granted he doesn't get much TV time but he's been around for ages and hasn't improved at all. He doesn't offer anything that someone like Kevin Knight doesn't do better. I honestly think he has - compare his early promos to now, it’s night and day. From an in ring perspective he’s absolutely spectacular and stands out even as part of a roster capable of incredible things. If his brother wasn’t so injury prone, I think they would have held the tag titles by now and become a very big tag team for the company. As it stands, I think there’s plenty that you could get out of him as a singles wrestler. AEW isn’t always great at elevating ‘original’ talent, instead opting to bring established wrestlers in to freshen up the card. I think Dante is someone who could thrive if given the opportunity. He’s still only 24, and I think parting ways with him would be a real waste of talent. Quote
Paid Members Hannibal Scorch Posted January 6 Paid Members Posted January 6 17 minutes ago, RedTwoster said: AEW isn’t always great at elevating ‘original’ talent, instead opting to bring established wrestlers in to freshen up the card. What? Anyway there are plenty of people similar to Dante who are already surpassing him in both in ring and mic work. Maybe send him down to ROH but it’s not working for me. Quote
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