WOR: AJ return, big show line-ups, weekend news!

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including three unfortunate deaths, MJF’s marriage, line-ups for all the major shows upcoming including World’s Collide, All Out and WrestlePalooza, Smackdown and Collision results, some mailbag and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Taishin Nagao, Jaka, Rodolfo Ruiz pass away
7:11: MJF & Alicia Atout marry, new WWE Wrestlepalooza matches, Worlds Collide lineup
13:28: Lineups for the coming week
18:20: Updated AEW All Out & WWE Wrestlepalooza cards, Wrestle Kingdom 20 tickets sell out for foreigners
20:21: Nielsen’s new ratings system, more ratings notes
31:37: WWE SmackDown recap
41:01: AEW Collision recap
59:57: Q&A

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AEW reveals Adam Priest’s partner for Collision tag match

We now know who Adam Priest will be teaming with on AEW Collision this Saturday.

Last night on Dynamite, it was set up that Adam Priest and a partner of his choosing would face FTR on Collision this week. The identity of that partner is now confirmed with Tony Khan announcing that Priest has chosen to team with Tommy Billington — the nephew of late wrestling legend Dynamite Kid.

A brawl took place on Dynamite building up FTR’s match against Adam Copeland & Christian Cage for All Out. Priest — who recently teamed with JD Drake in a loss to FTR — was part of a group of ROH wrestlers who tried to break up the brawl. In the process, Priest got into it with FTR after being shoved by Dax Harwood.

Backstage, FTR insulted Priest and challenged him to a match on Collision.

Billington previously lost to Harwood in a singles bout on a May 2024 edition of Collision.

This Saturday’s episode is taking place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia during AEW’s ongoing residency at the venue.

AEW Collision (Saturday, September 6) —

  • Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia
  • Mark Briscoe vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • All Star eight-woman tag match: Toni Storm, Mina Shirakawa, Kris Statlander & Harley Cameron vs. Megan Bayne, Thekla, Julia Hart & Skye Blue
  • FTR vs. Adam Priest & Tommy Billington

AEW Collision draws lowest ratings of 2025

Saturday night’s AEW Collision episode averaged 195,000 viewers on TNT, down 30.6 percent from the previous week. It’s the lowest viewership total for the show since November 30 of last year.

In the 18-49 demo, Collision drew a 0.04 rating. That’s down 42.9 percent from last week and also ties the lowest rating the show has done since the November 30, 2024 episode.

The show went head-to-head with college football on several cable and network stations, with those week one games dominating the TV charts for the day. Collision did finish 10th on cable in prime time in the key demo.

As compared to the same week in 2024, Collision was down 32.5 percent in overall viewers and 60 percent in 18-49. This year’s numbers do not include viewers from the HBO Max simulcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership totals and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, along with the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 42.9 percent in viewers and 50 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

WOR: Syko Stu, Clash in Paris, weekend TV and news!

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the latest on Syko Stu, WWE Clash in Paris PLE results, the upcoming WWE and AEW schedules, Arena Mexico, Smackdown, Collision, the ROH PPV, All American Freestyle, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Syko Stu back home from hospital, Cody & Brandi Rhodes welcome second child, Buford Pusser named in wife’s death
6:12: WWE Clash in Paris recap
26:55: Road to Royal Rumble European tour announced, three-hour AEW show coming in September, Arena Mexico notes
33:34: Real American Freestyle debut, UFC notes
42:07: Dave’s thoughts on ROH Death Before Dishonor
50:32: WWE SmackDown notes
56:10: AEW business notes, AEW Collision notes

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AEW Collision viewership down, key demo rating increases

Saturday night’s AEW Collision episode averaged 281,000 viewers on TNT, down 1.8 percent from the previous week. This marks the lowest audience total for the show since March 1.

In the 18-49 demo, Collision drew a 0.07 rating. That’s up 16.7 percent from last week but ties the third-lowest rating the show has done in that category since May 3.

There was a lot of sports competition on the night with the opening of the college football season on multiple networks as well as NASCAR on NBC and an NFL preseason game on the NFL Network airing head-to-head. Collision finished eighth on the prime time cable charts in the key demo.

As compared to the same week in 2024, Collision’s overall viewership was down 36.4 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 46.2 percent. This year’s numbers do not include viewership from the HBO Max simulcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, along with the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 20.5 percent in viewers and 12.5 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

AEW announces earlier-than-expected return to United Kingdom

Forbidden Door won’t be the last AEW show the United Kingdom hosts in 2025.

After Tony Khan teased that AEW could return earlier than expected, the promotion has confirmed that it will be back in the U.K. for two shows before the end of the year. An episode of AEW Collision will take place from Cardiff, Wales on Saturday, December 13. Dynamite will then be held in Manchester, England on Wednesday, December 17.

Utilita Arena is hosting the Collision event, while Co-op Live will be the venue for Dynamite.

A ticket pre-sale will begin on September 1 prior to tickets going on sale to the general public on September 5.

The U.K. has been kind to AEW with three of the promotion’s four biggest gates — including today’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view — taking place in London. AEW has taped TV in Cardiff before, but this will be the promotion’s Manchester debut.

These events are happening in advance of AEW Worlds End, which is set for Hoffman Estates, Illinois at the end of December. AEW’s Continental Classic tournament will likely be happening during this time.

AEW will also be back in the U.K. next summer with All In 2026 being held at Wembley Stadium on August 30.

AEW Collision ratings drop for August 16 episode

Saturday night’s AEW Collision episode averaged 286,000 viewers on TNT, down 32.4 percent from the previous week. It’s the lowest audience total for the show since June 26 and the second-lowest number for Collision since March 1.

Collision drew a 0.06 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s down 25 percent from last week and ties the lowest rating the show has done in that category since February 1.

The show went head-to-head with an NFL preseason game, the UFC 319 prelims, and AAA’s Triplemania event (which aired on WWE’s YouTube channel), among other things. The UFC prelims drew a 0.40 rating in 18-49 and 1.036 million viewers overall.

As compared to the same week in 2024, Collision’s overall viewership was down 29.6 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 53.9 percent. This year’s numbers do not include viewership from the HBO Max simulcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 21.2 percent in overall viewers and 33.3 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

AEW Collision viewership up for August 9 episode

Saturday night’s AEW Collision averaged 423,000 viewers on TNT, up 3.4 percent from the previous week’s Thursday night airing and up 29.4 percent from the last Saturday episode two weeks earlier. This marks the best viewership number for the show since June 22.

In the 18-49 demo, Collision drew a 0.08 rating. That’s down 20 percent from last week but is steady with the previous Saturday night airing. It ties the third-lowest rating Collision has done in that category since May 3.

The show went head-to-head with an NFL preseason game, UFC Fight Night on ESPN, and the Savannah Bananas on ESPN2, with Collision finishing 11th on the prime time cable charts for the night.

As compared to the same week in 2024, Collision’s overall viewership was up 14.3 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 27.3 percent (note: this year’s numbers do not include data from the HBO Max simulcast).

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, as well as the 10 week average in both categories. This week’s show was up 14 percent in overall viewers but down 20 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

WOL: Gigantic UFC deal, Grant vs. Colker, Kross, TV notes

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including the gigantic deal TKO made with Paramount for UFC, why it’s great news for UFC fans, all the details we know thus far, plus Karrion Kross, Smackdown and Collision notes, Carlon Colker vs. Janel Grant, and more. A packed show as always so check it out~!

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AEW announces ‘Title Tuesday’ Dynamite special for later this year

AEW is returning to its home base of Jacksonville, Florida for a pair of shows this October.

The promotion will hold a “Title Tuesday” edition of Dynamite at Daily’s Place on October 7. Daily’s Place will then host AEW Collision the next night on Wednesday, October 8.

Since 2022, Title Tuesday has taken place every October as a special episode of Dynamite. It exists because TBS’ coverage of the MLB playoffs forces Dynamite out of its regular Wednesday time slot one week every year.

The ticket on-sale date for the shows is next Monday (August 18). Hangman Page, Toni Storm, Jon Moxley, Mercedes Mone, Darby Allin, Kyle Fletcher, and Willow Nightingale are featured on AEW’s graphic promoting the events.

Airing on Tuesday means that Dynamite will face competition from WWE NXT on October 7. In 2024, Randy Orton competed in the main event of NXT opposite Title Tuesday. The previous year’s NXT episode was loaded up with appearances by The Undertaker and John Cena.

Daily’s Place holds special significance to AEW as the venue where the company staged its shows throughout the pandemic era. It’s connected to EverBank Stadium, where the Jacksonville Jaguars — owned by the Khan family — play their NFL games.

AEW reveals location for Final Battle 2025, December Collision

This December, AEW will be in Columbus, Ohio for back-to-back events.

It was announced today that, for the second straight year, AEW will be part of the GalaxyCon Columbus convention. ROH will present its Final Battle 2025 pay-per-view at Battelle Grand on Friday, December. The venue — which is a ballroom at the Columbus Convention Center — will also host AEW Collision live on Saturday, December 6.

Tickets for the shows are set to go on sale to the general public next Monday (August 18) at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

AEW was first part of GalaxyCon Columbus in December 2024, putting on an episode of Collision that featured matches from last year’s Continental Classic tournament.

Final Battle has been ROH’s year-end PPV since the event was first introduced in 2002. Last year’s edition was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City with Athena vs. Billie Starkz and Chris Jericho vs. Matt Cardona as the top two matches.

GalaxyCon calls itself a “festival of fandom” that celebrates comic books, pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming, cosplay, and more with events across the United States. The Columbus convention is happening from December 5-7.

WOR: Robbie Ellis, Karrion Kross, SmackDown and Collision

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the death of Robbie Ellis, Karrion Kross and Ashanti Thee Adonis status, Brooke Hogan clarification, G-1 updates, Arena Mexico, ratings, plus full reviews of Smackdown and Collision! A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Robbie Ellis passes away
7:02: Ashante Thee Adonis, Karrion Kross & Scarlett WWE contracts expire
14:50: More on Brooke Hogan on Bubba the Love Sponge, Katana Chance doing announcing for American Ninja Warrior
24:09: Injury updates on Zoey Stark & Adrianna Rizzo, G1 updates
30:31: Arena Mexico notes, Triplemania this weekend
39:07: Ratings
43:07: AEW Collision recap
55:38: WWE SmackDown recap

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AEW Collision ratings up for Thursday episode

Thursday night’s episode of AEW Collision averaged 409,000 viewers on TNT, up 25.1 percent from last week’s Saturday night show and up 26.6 percent from the previous Thursday airing on July 10. This marks the best audience total for the show since June 22.

Collision drew a 0.10 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s up 25 percent from last week and 42.9 percent from the last time the show aired on a Thursday. It ties the highest rating Collision has done in the demo since May 29.

The show went head-to-head with the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame preseason game, which would have been expected to dominate the night, although ratings are not currently known for that.

As compared to the same week in 2024, when the show aired in its regular time slot but drew a near-record low due to going head-to-head with WWE SummerSlam, Collision’s overall viewership was up 116.4 percent while the 18-49 rating was up 25 percent. This year’s numbers do not include data from the HBO Max simulcast — or the increases would be even greater.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was up 12 percent in viewers and 11.1 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

WOL: HHH at White House, overruns, Summerslam preview, Collision

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm is back with tons to talk about including Hulk Hogan today, Hunter part of a new Trump initiative, SummerSlam predictions, why AEW needs to axe the overrun, Collision thoughts, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

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