AEW Dynamite and Collision converged on Wednesday setting the stage for the Full Gear pay-per-view.
The double-header featured Tommaso Ciampa defending his title against Mike Bailey, a multi-woman TBS Championship clash, and the conclusion of the Best-of-Five series between the Motor City Machine Guns and FTR.
- Tag Team Division Reset: The Motor City Machine Guns’ 3-2 series victory over FTR fundamentally shifts the division, earning them a shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
- Title Feud Volatility: Ilja Dragunov’s emergence as the challenger for Tommaso Ciampa’s National Championship sets up a title match for Full Gear.
The AEW National Championship bout between Tommaso Ciampa and Mike Bailey stood as the technical highlight of the week.
Daisy Ruth, writing for Wrestling Inc., said that Bailey’s ability to maintain “excellent” chemistry with opponents remains a consistent asset for the promotion. Ciampa’s tactical decision to target a wound on Bailey’s forehead—sustained early on the ring steps—provided a logical narrative thread that elevated the match beyond a standard exhibition.
The match concluded after Ciampa withstood multiple standing moonsault knee drops and the Ultimo Weapon, ultimately securing the win with a second knee strike. This victory marks Ciampa’s first successful defense since capturing the belt from Andrade El Idolo on the Jericho Cruise edition of Collision.
The post-match sequence saw the lights cut to black before fading back in red, signaling the arrival of Ilja Dragunov. This mirrors their previous encounter on the October 21 edition of Dynamite, which Wrestling Inc. described as “fire,” setting up a high-intensity clash for Full Gear.
Reporting from Arab-Wrestling.com highlights that the Wrestling Inc. staff expressed dissatisfaction with the booking of Queen Aminata. Specifically, critics pointed to her title defenses being confined to three-way matches, with her upcoming defense relegated to the Tailgate Brawl pre-show, which some feel diminishes the prestige of the TBS Championship.
The broadcast also faced criticism regarding the non-finish of the match between Brodido and New Level. The chaotic non-finish of the match between Brodido and New Level, occurring ahead of their scheduled Texas Death match for the AEW World Trios Championships, left many analysts questioning the pacing of the build-up.
Similarly, a squash match featuring Persephone was labeled “unnecessary” by the Wrestling Inc. staff, as it failed to provide meaningful depth to the card ahead of the main event.
The Motor City Machine Guns finalized their 3-2 Best-of-Five series victory over FTR, changing the tag team division. By securing the series, the Motor City Machine Guns have earned a shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championships, resetting the division.
| Matchup | Outcome | Strategic Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Ciampa vs. Bailey | Ciampa Retains | Dragunov vs. Ciampa confirmed for Full Gear |
| MCMG vs. FTR | MCMG Wins Series 3-2 | MCMG earn World Tag Team title shot |
| Aminata vs. Hyan vs. Blue | Aminata Retains | Pre-show defense status questioned |
While the National Championship picture appears focused on the arrival of Dragunov, other divisions face criticism regarding their placement and long-term trajectory.
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