10 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Collision (June 24)

8. An Ideal Showcase Of THIS Tanahashi

Yes, Hiroshi Tanahashi has clearly got completely knackered knees these days, and yes, his Collision match against Swerve Strickland was clearly not the same Tanahashi who wowed in legendary Wrestle Kingdom main events, but this Collision outing was an ideal showcase of this Tanahashi.

With a 24-year career of his intense, high-impact ring style under his belt, the 46-year-old Ace is obviously now feeling the wear and tear on his body. That's not to say that Tana doesn't still have a great match or two left in his locker before he eventually hangs up his boots, and maybe MJF is technically sound enough, smooth enough, giving enough, and charismatic enough to help deliver one such great match. Maybe.

While it wasn't always pretty, what we got on AEW Collision was a perfect example of what Hiroshi Tanahashi is in 2023. For those who've not seen Tanahashi for a few years, or even for those who may have never seen Tana in action, this was a performance that let you know that, both as a performer and as a character, Tanahashi is a veteran babyface with great fire and presence, but who is battling his own body as he chases the highs of the past.

Being the younger, brasher, cocksure prick heel who has no time for legends and icons, the MJF character is the perfect foil for present-day Tanahashi, as time catches up with the man who for so long carried New Japan Pro-Wrestling on his back.