Preview: AEW Collision (2/8/25): Mariah May’s Glamorous Exhibition

Plenty of wrestlers are coming to Houston for AEW Collision with problems. A few of them are unlikely to end on Saturday.

Even those that do, there are likely new issues around the corner. This is wrestling after all!

A three-way trios match following last week’s TNT Championship defense is surely going to lead to Daniel Garcia defending his prize again against at least one of his opponents. Even if Kyle Fletcher gets revenge on Mark Briscoe, who claimed an upset victory over The Protostar in the Continental Classic, Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega await. Harley Cameron, who knows how to make the most of her minutes, can sing to her heart’s content but will her wrath at Mercedes Mone be quenched?

There are so many questions, possibilities, and directions in this next stop on the way to Australia for Grand Slam and then California for Revolution. AEW Collision is quickly becoming a challenger to Dynamite for the promotion’s best show of the week.

Will a full card and some big segments announced, it’s time to get this dance alight.

AEW Collision Matches Announced:

• Three-way trios- The Undisputed Kingdom vs. 2.0 and Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor Promotions
• Mark Briscoe vs. Kyle Fletcher
• Thunda Rosa vs. Penelope Ford
• Bandido vs. Bryan Keith
• Mariah May’s Glamorous Exhibition Match

AEW Collision Segments Announced:

• Okada and Matthews face-to-face
• Harley Cameron in Houston Concert

Can Bandido Survive the Bounty?

A series of unique Lucha Underground-style vignettes got us all excited for the return of The Most Wanted. Prior to injury, the fourth-generation luchador was one of the most exciting and innovative wrestlers in AEW’s stacked books.

Many of us wanted to see more from him. Absence made the heart grow fonder but Bandido’s Final Battle return was frustrating.

Chris Jericho once helped define AEW’s key principles. Now, it feels like Jericho refuses to learn from his and older stars’ history.

Consequently, the concussion Bandido suffered seemed symbolic of the Vortex’s effect. Jericho’s horse has bolted and Bandido got struck with the hooves.

However, timing is everything. Texas is a perfect place for a cowboy showdown. This bandit vs. bounty hunter match is an inspired thematic choice with a natural story, even before Jericho put a $200,000 bounty on Bandido’s head.

Bryan Keith, along with Big Bill, has benefited from working with Jericho and is going to try and impress his home-state fans. Plus, this could be the start of a fun series of contests.

That’s if, on the night, the duel is a fair one.

Mariah May’s Glamorous Exhibition

The saga between “Timeless” Toni Storm and Mariah May has been nothing short of cinematic. On Wednesday, Storm outdid herself by becoming Mariah May in presentation and action. If May can act like she’s a better version of Storm, then Storm’s return upped the mind games to a new level.

The roles reversed again with the leading lady studying her former understudy and putting on her skin like a costume. How does Mariah May respond? This exhibition, a potential squash match perhaps, has expectations to live up to.

Especially if the AEW Women’s World champion is proven she’s the one with her heel on the division’s throat. Showing weakness now would risk slowing weakness.

May could again don the wardrobe of her mentor/rival’s Timeless persona. Yet, to do so, might be to play the game Storm’s way. Maybe May goes to another part of Storm’s history or reaches and connects to her own past in STARDOM again or the UK.

Or is this match a pretext for another huge angle?