AEW TV 2026 discussion

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

The bit that got me was seeing Britt crying as she left on Reba's lap on the chair going up the ramp. She's meant to be a horrible heel, but that was definitely a moment that totally dropped out of character and showed just how much she cares about her friend.

[LaGoosh]

A difficult show to review because after seeing the beautiful moments with Rebel and the heartbreaking tribute to The Butcher everything else felt very insignificant in comparison. Everything else was fine/pretty good. The only negative was that this was a classic bad AEW venue - small, nondescript, half empty, low rent looking. Exactly the type of venue they should be avoiding. 

[tiger_rick]

Never want to hear that Excalibur isn't the absolute best ever again. Absolutely incredible performance all-night and my heart broke for him and them all as he delivered the best tribute I've ever heard on a wrestling show. What a man. And what a heart-breaking, tear-jerking show. 

Keep fighting Rebel. You're incredible.

[RedTwoster]

One thing I will say, unrelated to the main talking points - Thekla was brilliant of course, but once again Mercedes cut a really good promo. I wish she'd drop the cartoon laugh, which kills the believability of her character but she suddenly seems to have become very consistent on the mic. I'm not sure what has sparked this change, but she deserves a lot of credit for that. 

[Chili]

Feel I must add that Steven Borden might be a bit of a man crush in his leather jacket. Absurdly handsome bastard. Hopefully all the pieces fall in place for him even if he's starting at 34. DDP was 35 so it's not impossible. 

[RedTwoster]

I rarely rewatch Dynamite (who has the time?) but the Rebel/Baker reunion right from the pin until they roll up the ramp together has absolutely made its way into not only my favourite AEW moments ever, but my favourite ever moments in wrestling. The emotion on both of their faces was heartbreaking, but it was such a beautiful moment to see them reunited and how much it meant to them both. On second viewing it hit even harder. I’m so glad they did this episode. 

One of the things that really stood out on second viewing was that they didn’t try to present it as inspiration porn - there isn’t a moment where Rebel is treated as lesser or looked at in a patronising way. That happens so often when people are living with disabilities, but they didn’t fall into that trap. They got across the horrors of MND/ALS, while still essentially saying ‘it’s the same old Rebel’ - because of course it is.

The fact it’s a terminal illness of course is upsetting. But they presented her as a normal human being as they should have. They highlighted her bravery without even trying to suggest she was different now. That was just as meaningful as anything else in this episode. 

Edited September 10 by RedTwoster

[HarmonicGenerator]

Dynamite making me cry multiple times on the train today. Britt and Rebel on the ramp after the match, and Excalibur’s speech about Butcher, both just broke me.

But this episode also had some lovely light hearted moments that made me laugh. PAC had two bits in his backstage segment (“he’s an absolute twat!” and when they cut from the segment halfway through him saying “fuck’s sake”), Kofi and Orange Cassidy were a delight whenever they interacted in their match and I’d like that as a singles please, and the Waiting Room, as has been said, showed Rebel’s lost none of her great comic timing. Hope this show has helped them raise a ton of money.

Collision is going to be a tough watch this week.

[Thunderplex]

She can drive the shit out of that wheelchair!  I tried with my dads and nearly went over twice.  She’s whizzing round like no one’s business.  Incredible.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

Haven’t watched any of the show, I’m a fairly emotional guy so it would have set me off but the clips I saw of Rebel were really heartwarming, she still has that beautiful smile on her despite everything she’s going through

Also on Steven Borden, are we sure that’s Stinger’s actual son and not just the man himself brought through from the 80s? Hell slap some neon paint on him and he’s effectively 95/96 Sting pre Crow transition

[Supremo]

Probably the best two week period in company history. I thought they’d peaked at Wembley, but then this show reminded me that there’s a whole other level of greatness this company regularly hits whenever they have to deal with these terrible, difficult circumstances.

A wonderful, emotional show. A reminder that the best moments in AEW aren’t Bryan Danielson’s debut, the Punk/Kingston promo or all the six star matches. It’s Rebel rolling up the ramp with Britt on her lap and MJF selling a kendo stick shot from Brodie Lee Junior, leaving a kid who’s just lost his Dad smiling from ear to ear.

By default, pro-wrestling is stupid and shit, and for people who don’t, “get it,” there’s nothing to convince them otherwise. It was always just an added shame that on top of that it was also a horrible, low-rent, carny business that displayed little to no class. With AEW, it’s cool that at its best it’s the best pro-wrestling company ever, but this ability to be so mature and classy under the worst of situations is what truly sets it apart.

I would've been voting for this as one of the shows of the year based on the Rebel/Britt stuff alone, but Excalibur’s eulogy for The Butcher was something else entirely. Fucking hell, man. What bravery to get through that live. I was in floods of tears by the end.

In three weeks time Excalibur will probably screw up the opening run-down of Dynamite and Britt Baker’s weaknesses and regression as a performer will likely be re-exposed for all to see, but after this show? Who fucking cares. Both get a Free Pass for life.

I don’t normally watch Collision. I’ll be watching it this week. They should re-name it Rampage for one week. In my memory, The Butcher was always knocking about on Rampage. Didn’t they have a thing going where he was low-key portrayed as a Battle Royale specialist? They should introduce a Butcher Battle Royale in tribute to him. Get The Blade in to win it.

It seems a bit daft to even judge this show on the actual week-to-week wrestling content, but I will note how much I enjoyed this. One of my favourite things in wrestling; an image that would blow your mind three to five years ago! Even seeing it with my own eyes, it still looks like AI!

[WyattSheepMask]

As has been said, the parts with Rebel were beautifully done, she’s absolutely incredible.

Hats off to Excalibur for managing to keep it together during his tribute to Andy Williams. We’ve seen episodes of wrestling before were someone has passed away and everyone has to go out and perform, and that must be so hard when that persons passing is still so recent. Excalibur’s words were so heartfelt, and his use of Every Time I Die lyrics as part of it (“though it may haunt us and break our hearts, death cannot tear us apart” is from the song ‘Fear and Trembling) was a lovely touch as well.

As @RedTwoster alluded to, El Hijo del Sting definitely looked pretty green, but hes a phenomenal athlete. He’s only been having matches for just under a year so he’s still got plenty to learn, but put him in there with the right people and give him some time, there could be something there.

Theres plenty more that could be said about the rest of the show, but this was a week were quite frankly it doesn’t matter 

Edited September 11 by WyattSheepMask

[Supremo]

Some quick thoughts on the rest of the show.

Super fun main event. Some of those Nick Jackson/Kyle Fletcher sequences were delicious. Would love to see a singles match. I am once again campaigning to get Nick Jackson into the Continental Classic.

I’m buying as much stock as early as I can on Steven Borden. Sure, he’s green, but is that really that big of a problem? It’s 2026. Everyone is a polished super-worker. It’s a nice novelty to be able to watch someone develop and learn. It speaks to how much goodwill Sting and his team with Darby developed in AEW that there’s no sense whatsoever of Steven being a nepo-baby. Everyone seems to be rooting for him. Imagine the day he puts on the face paint. Or wins the tag belts with Darby. Or worse of all, turns on Darby and Sting! I can’t wait.

For the experience he has, he looks set to take over the world. Ridiculously athletic. Even more ridiculously good looking. That might be the funniest part. It was always hilarious how much Sting’s run in AEW completely exposed WWE - especially Hunter and Seth - as clueless shitarses. That final match with The Young Bucks felt like the ultimate humiliation. And now, two years later, when they’ve only just recovered from the embarrassment, Sting reveals he had this lad, with this look, sitting at home this whole time. Just fucking look at him! He’s the ultimate specimen. The kind of guy they’d put on a Main Roster contract just to get him into the Performance Center. If they knew they could sign this, maybe they’d have let Sting actually win at Wrestlemania.

Good grief.

Edited September 12 by Supremo

[Kamran]

As previously announced, Collision this week will be a tribute to 'The Butcher' Andy Williams:

[The King Of Swing]

Steven Borden, needs to be squashing scrubs on Collision, never removing that leather jacket. 

[Supremo]

What are we saying? If Kevin Knight had hit this Van Terminator, would that have counted as an elimination? Technically Matt Jackson isn’t being put through a table with an offensive move. The table is being put through him.

I wish this wasn’t the type of things I idly think about.

Edited September 12 by Supremo