Tonight’s AEW Collision was headlined by CM Punk defending his version of the AEW World Championship, one that he has dubbed the “Real” world title, against Ricky Starks.
The match was a competitive back and forth that had the live crowd in South Carolina screaming “This Is Awesome.” To add some flavor to the match, the legendary Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat was at ringside to be a referee on the outside. At one point, the regular official, Stephon Smith, got knocked out and Starks was once again using the ropes to get a leverage pin on Punk, but Steamboat knocked his feet off. Starks would then turn his attention to Steamboat, which allowed Punk to cradle him. Steamboat then jumped in the ring to count the pinfall.
Afterward, Starks attacked Steamboat and whipped him several times with a belt. Punk eventually chased him off. Highlights can be found below.
Starks keeps a close eye on Steamboat on the outside.
Watch #AEWCollision on TNT!#RealWorldChampionship@CMPunk @starkmanjones pic.twitter.com/hyxSvAp6aV
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 6, 2023
STARKS IS OUT OF CONTROL!
Watch #AEWCollision on TNT!#RealWorldChampionship@CMPunk