Hiroshi Tanahashi Set To Make AEW Collision Debut Against Swerve Strickland

Canadian fans are set to get a double dose of NJPW's "Ace," as Hiroshi Tanahashi is now set to compete on "AEW Collision." After MJF officially accepted a match against Tanahashi at Forbidden Door on "AEW Dynamite," it was announced that Tanahashi would face Swerve Strickland on "Collision" this Saturday.

Tanahashi's match joins a big card for the second episode of "Collision," which will also feature CM Punk in action alongside FTR and Ricky Starks against Jay White, Juice Robinson, and The Gunns. The show will also include Brody King squaring off against Andrade El Idolo, as well as the second match in the women's side of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, which will see Nyla Rose face NJPW Strong Women's Champion, Willow Nightingale.

Tanahashi has a hectic weekend of wrestling. Following his match against Strickland on Saturday, the Japanese star will face AEW World Champion MJF for his title the following day at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. The match was announced last week, however, MJF repeatedly claimed he wouldn't show up for it before he was goaded into accepting the match by Adam Cole.

"Collision's" debut saw a strong initial rating, averaging 816,000 viewers with a third of those falling in the key adults age 18-49 demo. Although ticket sales lagged for "Collision" in Canada, sales picked up following the debut episode of "Collision" and Punk's return to AEW. Additionally, ticket prices for the Canadian "Collision" dates have been lowered.