Tommaso Ciampa Turns Heel On AEW Collision After Brutal Attack On Mark Briscoe

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Mar 08, 2026

Tommaso Ciampa’s short run as a fan favorite in AEW appears to have come to an abrupt end following the events of Saturday’s episode of AEW Collision.

Ciampa first arrived in AEW with plenty of momentum, capturing the TNT Championship from Mark Briscoe before later dropping the title to Kyle Fletcher. Since then, things have not gone his way, including another recent defeat when Daniel Garcia picked up a victory after Briscoe caused a distraction while sitting on commentary.

During the March 7 edition of Collision, Ciampa once again found himself on the losing end, and tensions quickly boiled over after the match concluded. Ciampa confronted Briscoe at ringside, which soon drew the attention of FTR, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, who made their way out to address the situation. Briscoe stepped between the two sides and appeared to defuse the confrontation, eventually walking up the ramp alongside Ciampa.

However, the uneasy alliance did not last long.

In a moment that echoed Ciampa’s infamous betrayal of Johnny Gargano during their DIY split in NXT, Ciampa suddenly turned on Briscoe. As the two reached the stage area, Ciampa launched a sudden attack, blindsiding Briscoe and sending him crashing into the video screen set.

Ciampa continued the assault before delivering a brutal running knee strike to cap off the segment, a move reminiscent of the one he used against Gargano during their NXT rivalry. The attack firmly signaled Ciampa’s return to his darker persona, ending his brief babyface run in AEW and marking a clear heel turn.