Willow Nightingale describes the environment backstage at AEW Collision
2023 has already been an eventful year for All Elite Wrestling with many top-quality pay-per-views, memorable matches, and the debut of AEW Collision. Now, Willow Nightingale has shed light on what it's like backstage on Saturday nights.
The former NJPW STRONG Women's Champion has already found success on Saturday nights as she recently won the 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament by defeating Ruby Soho in the final.
During an interview with Fightful, Willow revealed that she originally thought that she would be wrestling during the week and on the weekends but now sees AEW Collision as her new home:
"I felt I would be going back and forth between both, and I still do think that will be the case from time to time. I have been on the majority of the Collision episodes, so I am seeing that as more of a home moving forward. Initially, it’s like, I’ve wrestled Saturdays my entire life doing indie show. I’m used to this, but wrapping my head about rescheduling how my life is, ‘Alright, we can get this.’ Once I actually did the first show, I had so much fun."
Your 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Women's bracket winner is Willow Nightingale!
Join us immediately following AEW Collison for Battle of the Belts VII for an official ceremony with Martha Hart.
Watch #AEWCollision on TNT! pic.twitter.com/KAeg3KDVpu
Willow also gave some insight into what the AEW Collision locker room is like compared to Dynamite and Rampage, which gets taped on the same show. While admitting that there is usually a smaller crew, that isn't a bad thing in Nightingale's eyes, who believes the show has more freedom.
"The locker room was so relaxed, chilled. It’s a bit of a smaller crew, so with that there is not as much chaos of ‘I need to make sure I’m in the makeup chair,’ and there’s not 500 people competing to be seen by the makeup artist at once or ‘I need to go see the doctor here, but there are a million people at the doctor getting massages.’ There’s a lot more freedom to not have to rush and find space to do whatever your pre-match warmups are. Everyone is chill, and ultimately, we want to have the best show we possibly can." [H/T Fightful]
This week's episode of AEW Collision will feature a huge title match
Despite the number of AEW Collision episodes still being in single figures at the time of writing, that hasn't stopped it from being must-watch TV for fans of All Elite Wrestling and other companies as well.
It looks as if this Saturday's show will be no different, as the July 29th edition of Collision will feature some huge bouts, including a highly-anticipated title match.
MJF and Adam Cole win the BLIND ELIMINATOR TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT FINALS...and will go on to face FTR for the AEW Tag Team Titles! #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/pVhG1iqpD8
FTR will look to successfully defend their AEW Tag Team Championships for a third time as they are set to take on MJF and Adam Cole, who won the Blind Eliminator Tournament.
Fans will also see a ladder match between Andrade El Idolo and Buddy Matthews, where Andrade's mask will be hanging high above the ring, as well as a trios match featuring Juice Robinson and The Gunns of Bullet Club Gold taking on El Hijo del Vikingo, Darius Martin and Action Andretti.
Will you be watching AEW Collision this Saturday? Let us know in the comments section below.