9 Ups & 3 Downs For AEW Collision (22 July)
1. Another Underhand Victory For Ricky Starks
"Once is an accident, twice is a pattern."
Wise words there from Ian Riccaboni after Ricky Starks used the bottom rope to assist him in pinning Darby Allin in Collision's main event.
While there's an obvious argument to be made for a CM Punk turn in the near-future, the turn to villainy from Ricky Starks continued this week. Fresh off utilising the second rope to secure a win over Punk in the Owen, Absolute went back to that playbook here - once again leaving the Second City Saint cutting a frustrated, shocked figure in the ring, as Starks immediately exited and headed up the aisleway.
As for the match itself, Starks teaming with Christian Cage - complete with a menacing Luchasaurus on the outside - to take on Punk and Darby was a fun finale to another fun episode of AEW Collision. Ricky and Cage arguing who was going to start the match was a nice touch, whilst seeing Scorpio Sky in the audience to further an impending TNT Title shot for Scorp was smart.
It's worth noting that the New Jersey crowd was also white-hot for this main event, with them fully taking to Ricky Starks as a top tier player who very much doesn't look out of place alongside former World Champions in CM Punk and Christian Cage, and one of AEW's most pivotal players in Darby Allin.
Right now, Ricky feels like a big deal, and it's testament to the handling of AEW Collision so far - and of course to the talent himself - for how his stock has shot up in these past few weeks. Also, it's fantastic to realise that Ricky Starks is the only person who the audience has seen get a glimpse at what's in CM Punk's little red bag.
Could seeing the AEW World Title in Punker's bag have been the start of the Stroke Daddy's descent into villainy? Could it be an almost Gollum-like obsession with wanting this proverbial 'precious' for Ricky? Whatever his kayfabe motivation, Ricky Starks is absolutely grabbing the ball and making the most of the opportunity that's now come his way.