6 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Collision (15 July)
1. A Main Event That Poses Plenty Of Questions
As has been a common thread with the previous four episodes of AEW Collision, this fifth outing for All Elite Wrestling's Saturday show left you with plenty of questions by the time if went off the air. In particular, the finish to the outing's main event throws up all kinds of possibilities.
Likely the biggest question coming out of Collision, is whether Ricky Starks is embarking on a full heel turn. Of course, Absolute used the ropes to help him secure the win over CM Punk in the final of the men's Owen. Was that cheap tactic part of Starks joining the dark side, or was it merely a case of the Stroke Daddy using his smarts and opportunism to steal what, on paper, was an upset victory?
Given how Starks completely ignored the legendary Jushin 'Thunder' Liger as Ricky grabbed the Owen trophy after Collision - something which aired at the start of AEW Battle of the Belts VII - it would certainly seem that a slight change in personality is the order of the day for the New Orleans native.
As for CM Punk, the shock on the Second City Saint's face after being pinned by Starks was fantastic to see and could be deciphered in several different ways. Was Punk shocked that his pal was able to beat him using the sort of shortcut Punk himself has never been shy of taking? Was Punk shocked that Starks would stoop so low? Will Punk be pissed off and out for revenge on Ricky in the coming weeks? Or maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of Punk questioning his own abilities or heading on his own villainous turn, which could easily be facilitated by a brutal beatdown on the ever-popular Starks?
Whichever way AEW decides to go from here on out with both CM Punk and Ricky Starks, the ending of this week's Collision certainly did its job in making sure you tune in next week to see where things go from here.
This defeat does nothing to harm CM Punk, yet it could and should propel Starks to another level, with Ricky only the third person in AEW history to pick up a singles victory over the Straight-Edge Superstar - joining MJF and Jon Moxley in achieving that honour.