Kyle Fletcher Wins AEW TNT Title, Defeats Dustin Rhodes On Collision (AEW News)
AEW ends Dustin Rhodes' short TNT Title reign on special live episode of Collision.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Dustin Rhodes in a 'Chicago Street Fight' to become the brand new AEW TNT Champion on Thursday's special live edition of Collision. Afterwards, manager Don Callis raised his client's hand in celebration, and it was visibly clear that the win meant everything to Fletcher.
The former tag-team star (alongside Mark Davis in Aussie Open) has successfully blossomed as a singles worker in recent times. This should be considered a tangible reward for his efforts, and the trigger was pulled in dramatic, often-brutal circumstances.
Fletcher vs. Rhodes had some meaty spots, including Dustin wearing a glove adorned with thumbtacks, and Kyle hitting a match-winning brainbuster onto the tacks. A Canadian Destroyer, which has become of Dustin's go to moves, through some tables also got a big pop out of the live crowd and looked spectacular on TV.
This is Fletcher's first proper mainline AEW belt. He was previously ROH Tag-Team Champs with Davis, and held the ROH World Television Title between December 2023-June 2024. However, winning the TNT gold must be considered a landmark moment for the 26 year old Australian. It's surely a sign of bigger and better things to come, but those concerned about the way Tony Khan books the strap will point that as a reason to fret.
Fingers crossed one Kyle Fletcher is the guy who settles things down again on the TNT front.
Dustin's Surprise Title Reign Lasted Just 18 Days
Rhodes surprisingly won the TNT Title at All In Texas on 12 July. He emerged victorious from a Fatal-4-Way brought about by Adam Cole's injury. That sad announcement forced a vacation - Dustin then beat Sammy Guevara, Fletcher himself and Daniel Garcia to win the vacant belt and earn his first major singles championship since holding the then-WWF's Intercontinental Title way back in 1999.
His reign would only last 18 days.
That's nothing to be ashamed of, because Dustin's TNT Title win was more about giving fans a happy moment following Cole's announcement and rewarding Rhodes for his graft than anything else. Simply holding the thing and having that celebration at All In was important to the ex-Goldust; a lengthy run with the belt would've been unnecessary.
Fletcher is clearly somebody Khan views as a future top star, so sacrificing Dustin's reign as champ in order to further Kyle's career made perfect sense.
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