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AEW Collision will premiere live on Saturday, June 17, at 8 PM E.T. on TNT. The debut episode is only hours away and will air from the United Center in Chicago. CM Punk is already scheduled to feature in the show's first main event match, which will be a trios bout between CMFTR and Bullet Club Gold with Samoa Joe.
AEW President Tony Khan has also announced that both Miro and Andrade will return to the show. But could he also be keeping a few surprise debuts up his sleeves? Here are 5 current free agents that could realistically appear at AEW Collision tonight.
#5. The Bella Twins join The Outcasts
WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins (aka The Garcia Twins) recently announced their departures from the sports entertainment juggernaut earlier this year.
Brie and Nikki Bella signed with WWE in 2007 and spent nearly nine years as an active in-ring competitors. Both twins won the Divas Championship and starred in the company's reality TV show called Total Divas, which launched them into mainstream fame.
Although they retired nearly seven years ago, The Bella Twins remained prominent thanks to their work as WWE ambassadors as well as other business and media ventures. They announced on their The Bella Twins podcast why they decided to leave WWE. Since then fans speculated whether they will still remain in pro-wrestling scene and perhaps join AEW instead.
It would make sense given that Brie's husband, Bryan Danielson, is one of Tony Khan's top stars. They also have a number of close friends in the women's division, including Saraya who leads The Outcasts. Given their crusade against All Elite Wrestling's homegrown talents, this could be an ideal way to debut the Garcia Twins as heels on Collision.
#4. Mandy Rose makes her AEW debut
Mandy Rose has been one of the hottest free agents in professional wrestling since leaving WWE in December 2022, despite having never wrestled since.
Instead, the former NXT Women's Champion has been busy producing content on her FanTime account which reportedly made over $1 Million in one month alone.
However, Tony Khan does allow his wrestlers to have their own side hustles on top of wrestling in the company and this could be an attractive prospect for Rose. She might feel hard done by the way she was treated in WWE towards the end of her tenure. Mandy might want to get some form of redemption in All Elite Wrestling.
She could be an immediate challenger to Toni Storm's Women's Championship or join up her former teammate Saraya in her faction The Outcasts. Collision would be the perfect setting for this surprise debut to take place.
#3. Ryback returns to pro wrestling
Ryback hasn't wrestled since 2016 but he recently made a bold claim that if AEW sign him, he would increase ratings. According to him, it could eventually lead to AEW overtaking WWE in the ratings battle.
The former Intercontinental Champion teased his opening feud on social media, stating that current TNT Champion Wardlow is on his radar as well. Perhaps the increased mentions of All Elite Wrestling could be a sign that Ryback has been in contact with Tony Khan over a potential debut.
United Center arena in Chicago would be a great way to make a huge impact, especially on the same night his former rival CM Punk makes his return to the company.
#2. Goldberg debuts in AEW to confront TNT Champion Wardlow
Speaking of potential rivals for Ryback, the former WWE Superstar has claimed on social media that a match between him and WCW legend Goldberg would exceed all expectation. The Hall of Famer has been rumoured to be in talks with AEW.
The company may have hinted at the arrival of the former WWE Universal Champion Goldberg. The former World Heavyweight Champion has been vocal about promoting a retirement tour this year, which could also involve a brief run in All Elite Wrestling.
Tony Khan recently revealed that he's been paying close attention to Goldberg's free-agent status. He has confirmed during the Double or Nothing media scrum that he is indeed been in contact with the 56-year-old.
Ahead of the company's highly anticipated UK debut for All In this summer, perhaps the build to a mega match on the show could start with an appearance on tonight's Collision.
#1. KENTA challenges CM Punk to a match at Forbidden Door
Former WWE Superstar and current NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion KENTA publicly challenged CM Punk online on multiple occasions. He has always taken issue to the Straightedge Superstar using his finishing move, the GTS.
There were reports that suggested Punk wasn't interested in working with him. But with Forbidden Door on the horizon, this could potentially be a dream match. With reports that the "battle of the GTS" has been discussed internally, perhaps KENTA will appear tonight to spoil Punk's Chicago return.
