The Return AEW Desperately Needed, Booking Next WWE WarGames Match, More Quick Takes

Bryan Danielson's return to AEW couldn't have come at a better time.Credit: All Elite Wrestling

In light of CM Punk's departure, AEW needed a notable name to step up and fill the void left behind on Collision. Bryan Danielson quickly answered the call.

The American Dragon's absence from AEW TV since June's Forbidden Door event–where he broke his arm in an instant classic against Kazuchika Okada–had certainly been felt. He proceeded to pick up right where he left off by beating Ricky Starks in a grueling Strap match at All Out and is primed to be the new face of Collision going forward.

The busy weekend of wrestling also saw The Judgment Day emerge from WWE Payback draped in gold with Finn Balor and Damian Priest capturing the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.

Having made enemies with most of the red brand's biggest babyfaces, Judgment Day could on the verge of receiving their long-awaited comeuppance inside WarGames. The stage was set on Saturday night and it could be coming as soon as Survivor Series.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss what that WarGames match should look like, why WWE must tread carefully with the Bloodline saga on SmackDown, MJF's next challenger, and more.

Since its inception, AEW Collision has established its identity as being a true alternative to Dynamite on Wednesday nights. The pacing in particular has been among its greatest strengths along with the emphasis on in-ring action and variety of stars featured.

CM Punk was essentially positioned as the face of the program in the two months he was back for, but despite his departure, Collision can remain a must-see show with the returning Bryan Danielson at the forefront.

Whether he brings the rest of Blackpool Combat Club with him remains to be seen, but he's proven in his last two exceptional outings with Kazuchika Okada and Ricky Starks that he's enough of an attraction on his own.

The highlight of Danielson's AEW run so far was when he was wrestling everyone up and down the card in late 2021 through early 2022 and having fun feuds along the way. He accomplished that in one unforgettable affair with Starks on Sunday night and can continue to hold that role on Collision.

As a natural fit for the show, Danielson has a plethora of fresh talent to work with and ultimately elevate in the same vein as Punk.

In a blink-and-you-missed-it moment, MJF announced on last Wednesday's Dynamite that the next challenger to his AEW World Championship will be determined through a tournament with the winner earning a title shot at the Grand Slam show on Sept. 20.

Roderick Strong was teased as a potential challenger, but it became clear with what went down toward the start of All Out that the only acceptable option is Samoa Joe.

The Samoan Submission Machine has been on an absolute tear as ROH World Television champion but has largely been relegated to Ring of Honor programming this past year, save for a short-lived storyline with CM Punk on Collision.

Their brief brawl at All Out electrified the audience in attendance and was merely a small taste of what they'd be capable of one-on-one, especially with MJF portraying a babyface for the time being.

Of course, Joe won't walk away with the prestigious prize, but it'd be another opportunity for MJF to test his mettle against a credible opponent and a vehicle to further his ongoing angle with Cole. Any time chance Joe gets the spotlight, he makes the most of it and delivers.

After being put on the back burner for three weeks, the Bloodline storyline returned in full force this week, both on SmackDown and on the next night's Payback pay-per-view.

In addition to interrupting John Cena on SmackDown, Jimmy Uso went on to cost AJ Styles his main-event match with Solo Sikoa and tease rejoining and The Bloodline. At Payback, Jey was reintroduced as a member of the Raw roster.

The brothers will kept apart until the time comes for them to rekindle their rivalry en route to WrestleMania 40, but how WWE handles Jimmy and Sikoa in the meantime in the crucial.

The story of Jimmy possibly wanting back in The Bloodline is not only illogical but also obvious filler in the absence of Roman Reigns. There isn't bound to be any significant development with the group as long as Reigns and Jey are away and that could pose a problem for the storyline.

WWE must avoid keeping Jimmy, Sikoa and Paul Heyman as the focal points of the blue brand going forward, as it will cause fans to lose interest in the next chapter of their story. That isn't to say they shouldn't be featured at all, but this is an appropriate time for WWE to prioritize other acts on Friday nights and give them that same creative attention and effort.

Orange Cassidy's lengthy run as AEW International Championship was nothing short of exceptional. He defended against all comers, had a number of stellar matches and was AEW's best booked champion for nearly a year.

That said, there was a better place for him to finally lose his coveted title than in the main-event of All Out against the promotion's resident workhorse Jon Moxley.

It seems strange to say, but Cassidy actually gained more from losing that match than he would have by winning.

Beating a three-time AEW World champion would have undoubtedly been an incredible accomplishment for Cassidy. However, his reign peaked at that point and there were no greater heights for him to reach.

The loss was less about it benefiting Moxley in any meaningful way and more about freeing up AEW's lackadaisical star to further ascend the card. At All Out, he had an exceptional performance befitting of a top talent.

A world title win may not be in his future, but to not capitalize on the white-hot momentum he has at the moment and the reaction he received as the event went off the air would be a waste of what could have been.

Reports of The Judgment Day's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Another loss for Finn Balor and Damian Priest at Payback would've been enough to spell the end of them as tag team partners and possibly as stablemates. Instead, they came out on top as the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team champions and are back to being Raw's most dominant force.

They only explanation for why they've put their differences aside despite the tension teased lately would be that a WarGames match involving them is imminent.

WarGames made its main roster debut at last year's installment of Survivor Series and saw The Bloodline reign supreme. Judgment Day being the next cohesive faction to step inside the sinister structure makes a ton of sense.

The next step is giving them strong babyface opponents, and there's plenty of fan favorites to go around on Monday nights. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are obvious choices and joining them should be Cody Rhodes and the man he brought with him to Raw in the first place, Jey Uso.

WarGames doesn't need to be synonymous with any one event, but it would be brilliant for it to be brought back whenever it's the most effective way for faction warfare to be settled. This situation calls for that closure.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.