According to Dave Meltzer, as reported by F4WOnline.com on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, AEW star Ace Austin received a very positive review for his match against Claudio Castagnoli during this past Saturday’s Collision, despite losing. Meltzer noted that Austin has done himself a world of favors with this performance, as he is now being discussed within the company, and many are impressed by him.
Meltzer mentioned that he is unsure whether Austin’s performance will lead to a series of wins or a championship opportunity, but he believes it will earn him more television time and several top matches on AEW programming.
He also commented on Tony Khan’s booking style, which often involves wrestlers losing repeatedly to more recognized talent before they start moving up the card. He referenced recent examples like Konosuke Takeshita and Kevin Knight. After Saturday’s performance, it seems Austin is gaining attention in AEW, and perhaps his time to shine will come sooner than anticipated.
Austin has had ten televised singles matches in AEW, winning only one, which took place on the October 25, 2025, edition of Collision when he defeated Bryan Keith. Prior to joining AEW, Austin was primarily known as a tag team wrestler, notably gaining traction alongside Chris Bey in TNA and NJPW until Bey was sidelined by a neck injury.
