Offering a mixture of old and new, this Saturday’s AEW Collision returns to the promotion’s home of Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida for Homecoming. There’s a vague theme of returns, reunions, and new beginnings.

Back to work after taking time off for paternity leave, Angelo Parker returns to action. 2.0 is back together! Even better for “Cool Hand Ang”, he gets to team with his first (adopted) son, the TNT Champion, Daniel Garcia. Undisputed Kingdom is about to get a taste! It’s ironic that clarity surrounding Malakai Black’s AEW exit did not come from the Dutchman’s murky post-match actions. Choices that Black denied on social media had any such meaning or significance. Rather its other roster members: Will Ospreay, Cope, and Jamie Hayter, who have made Black’s absence transparent. Each said that Black’s former followers could go on alone. Then, a vignette this week confirmed there’s no split. Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart are joined like the three heads of Cerberus. Saturday marks a new dawn.

The trio are coming out of the darkness. No rules, leaders, gods, or masters. Just violence. Fans are excited to see what the limits are for King and Murphy without the leash of Malakai Black. While there are risks for Black returning to WWE from AEW, King and Murphy will likewise enter new but familiar territory. Recently, King and Matthews have impressed with a fun array of singles outings. However, perhaps as a team, the unit could be fun challengers for new AEW Tag Team champions, Hurt Syndicate. Bark ‘Havoc!’, And let slip the Hounds of Hell! Toni Storm and Mariah May have switched roles. This goes beyond who is now the champion and who’s the challenger.

Both women’s personalities have altered. They are playing different characters. “Timeless” Toni Storm is gone. Failing to win gold in STARDOM and then losing in Mexico pushed the starlet to retirement. At Grand Slam, May defeated her mentor and sapphic lover, Mina Shirakawa. It was another assertion of dominance. May has become cold-blooded, calculating, and dismissive. Acting as an all-conquering champion with her heel in the division’s throat. May’s victory was spoilt as Toni Storm (re)debuted. Regressed to her rookie form, as if she just started in AEW, some questions might not be answered on Saturday. It’s hard to predict what will happen in this “first-time” meeting. There could be callbacks or story beats from their previous star/understudy relationship. All bets (and perhaps shoes) are off.