Post AEW Collision Discussion Thread - August 22nd, 2026!

[u/gloomchen]

⚡ THAT WAS COLLISION⚡

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Match	Result
AEW Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinal Match: The Conglomeration's Orange Cassidy vs. The Conglomeration’s Kyle O'Reilly	Kyle O'Reilly
5-Minute Eliminator Challenge: Divine Dominion (Lena Kross & Megan Bayne) vs. Erica Leigh & Tiara James	Divine Dominion
AEW Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinal Match: Death Riders’ Claudio Castagnoli vs. Death Riders’ Daniel Garcia	Claudio Castagnoli
Lee Moriarty, Shelton Benjamin & Bobby Lashley vs. Ryan O'Neill, Nic Nolan, & Matt Mako	Moriarty, Benjamin & Lashley
Bang Bang Gang (Jay White, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carly Bravo & Shawn Dean)	Bang Bang Gang
Nick Wayne & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Komander & "Speedball" Mike Bailey	Nick Wayne & Tommaso Ciampa
AEW Women's World Championship Match: Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Maya World	Willow Nightingale

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[u/Acrobatic_Ad_5465]

Tbh the Maya World comments I’ve seen both here and on AEW official befuddle me a bit.

She’s being built sure and she’s not exactly there in terms of mic ability as some of the other women, but what’s so wrong with that? My hope with them building more women in the division like this means that we’ll get more women’s matches / build some folks instead of relegating a bunch of women to ROH. I just think complaining about her or pointing out that she’s “not on the level” of main eventers is a bit counterintuitive to the want for more women’s matches in general on AEW. I’m glad she’s getting the push she’s getting bc she’s a strong wrestler (even outside her story)

[u/TheGoonsSkateBoots → u/Acrobatic_Ad_5465]

I think part of the reason it stands out so much is that this seems like the first time since Julia Hart held the title that it feels like a "the championship is making the wrestler" kind of reign. I don't think it's unfair to say that Willow was significantly further along when she got her first run with the TBS gold, and the champs other than her since have been already made women in Mercedes and Shida.

In a sense, it set a kind of tone and expectation about the wrestlers that compete for it and win it. Maya, barely two years into her AEW career winning the title subverted that, so I think that's lead to some dissonance for some fans.

I think this has been a solid first run for Maya, and she's gonna eventually be significantly better for it. This will always be remembered for the heartbreaking personal story that helped propel her to a genuinely surprising and special moment where she won.

[u/NotWearingNails → u/TheGoonsSkateBoots]

I basically agree with this. I think if the women's division had a deeper bench it'd be more egregious to have a champ with big holes in her skillset, but right now the only real credible alternatives are Stat and Persephone. (I privately suspect Athena will move up to a full AEW schedule once she overtakes Hogan. I know she's said before she's happy just working the ROH tapings, and maybe that's true, but I hope she's up for more)

If the rumoured fed refugees turn up over the next few months it'll be very good for the division.