AEW Collision debut episode to be named ‘The Second Coming’

The debut episode of AEW Collision will be named, “The Second Coming.”

Our own Dave Meltzer reported the news in Friday’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The new show is expected to be announced on Wednesday, May 17 at the Warner Bros Discovery upfronts. 

Meltzer wrote:

With that show will come a new deal with WBD, the announcement of the 6/17 debut date, believed to be at the United Center in Chicago, and the return of C.M. Punk on a show called “The Second Coming.”

WBD and AEW’s current agreement includes an option year for WBD that could potentially see them extend the deal through September 2024. It’s not clear if an entirely new deal will be announced at the WBD upfronts next week, a deal for just AEW Collision, or possibly one that includes streaming rights to AEW pay-per-views. 

While there have been rumors regarding the potential length and financial details of the new deal, little is known about either. What is known is that it will give WBD the rights to all AEW programming, which is believed to be what led to the end of AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation on YouTube recently. 

Ring of Honor content will not be included in the deal with WBD as it is a separate entity. ROH content will continue to air on Honor Club. 

On AEW Dynamite this week, Tony Khan teased a huge announcement will be made next Wednesday. He noted that it will be made on TNT rather than TBS and also said they will follow up on the announcement that night on Dynamite. 

Khan said:

In the back, there are literally stars lined up looking for chances to wrestle in AEW. I think it’s clearer than ever that AEW can produce even more great content every week. I’d like you to stay tuned to TNT next Wednesday for a huge announcement. And please join us next Wednesday here on AEW Dynamite where we’ll follow up on one of the most important announcements ever in the history AEW. 

Thunder Rosa and Miro were shown entering Tony Khan’s office at separate times during Dynamite as well.

“The Second Coming” name is a take on the debut episode of Rampage in 2021, which was titled “The First Dance” and also took place at Chicago’s United Center. The show was heavily built around Punk’s debut, although he was never officially advertised. 

AEW Rampage The First Dance took place on August 21, 2021, and averaged 1,129,000 television viewers. It did a 0.53 in the 18-49 demographic. The announced attendance of 15,316 was a record for the company at the time.