Ricochet will defend the AEW National Title against Jack Perry in Las Vegas, a matchup the champion confirmed during the January 24 episode of AEW Collision. The bout follows Perry’s victory over Anthony Bowens on the January 17 Collision, which secured his title opportunity. It also serves as a rematch of their recent meeting at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash, where Ricochet came out on top.
This is the kind of booking that gives the National Title scene clear direction. AEW used back-to-back Collision episodes to establish both the challenger and the champion’s next move, keeping the spotlight on an active singles title and a pair of wrestlers whose styles make for dynamic television. By setting the defense in Las Vegas—a market AEW routinely treats as a showcase—company leadership is positioning the match to land with added visibility and energy.
For Ricochet, the defense is about definition. Since winning the National Title, he has leaned into the strengths that made him a breakout attraction: speed, balance, and aerial precision. A high-profile defense against a motivated opponent in a destination city gives him a chance to shape his reign’s identity—either as a champion who outruns challengers with pace and creativity, or as a competitor who can grind when a match turns rugged. The Las Vegas setting, known for big-match atmospheres, can help elevate that narrative in front of a lively crowd.
For Jack Perry, the path to this shot matters. Defeating Anthony Bowens on January 17 did more than fill a bracket line; Bowens is a savvy, well-scouted opponent who rarely presents easy openings. Earning a title match through that route signals that Perry’s climb is built on tangible in-ring wins, not shortcuts. That positioning is important heading into a rematch with Ricochet, who already holds a recent head-to-head victory from New Year’s Smash. The question is whether Perry can translate momentum into adjustments—or whether the matchup again tilts toward the champion’s advantages.
That rematch element is the heart of the intrigue. When opponents meet twice in quick succession, the second bout often swings on pace and preparation. Ricochet’s first win resets the baseline: he knows which sequences gave him separation, which counters landed cleanly, and where the risk-reward calculus favored his offense. Perry, in turn, has tape and timing to refine. If he narrows the ring, disrupts takeoff lanes, and forces more grounded exchanges, the champion’s explosiveness becomes harder to access. The chess match will hinge on who dictates environment—space, tempo, and transitions through the ropes.
From a wider AEW perspective, this title defense underscores how secondary singles championships can shape weekly programming. A clearly defined challenger ascends from a recent televised victory. The champion answers on another broadcast with a confident acceptance and a location that suggests stakes. That cadence gives Collision meaningful connective tissue from week to week, and it invites the audience to track the National Title story as a fixture rather than a one-off attraction. It’s the kind of episodic threading that helps deepen mid-card importance and create future contenders through visible pathways.
Stylistically, the matchup promises contrast layered over speed. Ricochet’s best nights turn rope-running into a weapon, using angles to make opponents defend in 360 degrees. Perry, meanwhile, thrives when he can blunt that movement—cutting corners, meeting his opponent at the turn, and turning exchanges into scrambles where a single well-timed strike or hold changes the tone. Expect the early minutes to test those boundaries: Ricochet seeking rhythm through clean landings and quick resets; Perry probing for chances to slow the champion and drag the fight into uncomfortable territory.
The stakes are straightforward but significant. A successful defense in Las Vegas would reinforce Ricochet’s hold on the National Title and keep the division aligned behind a champion who blends excitement with consistency. For Perry, a win would not only deliver gold but also validate his route to the shot—Bowens win, rapid turnaround, and an immediate course-correction from the New Year’s Smash result. If he falls short, the path back will likely require another decisive television victory to reestablish traction in the queue.
The Las Vegas factor is more than geography. AEW historically leverages the market for statement moments, and the crowd response often shapes match tempo. A receptive audience can reward risk, encourage escalation, and pressure the pace—particularly relevant for a Ricochet defense where aerial ambition is both a signature and a gamble. Conversely, a savvy challenger can use that energy against the champion, baiting high-risk attempts and cashing in when gravity takes its toll. In that sense, the venue becomes an extra variable both men must manage.
Beyond the immediate outcome, the division stands to benefit from clarity. A champion who calls his shot on Collision, a challenger who earns the position in the ring, and a rematch with recent history—these elements give AEW a template for sustaining the National Title’s presence across TV cycles. Win or lose, the combatants emerge with defined trajectories: Ricochet either adds a marquee defense to his résumé or confronts the reset that comes with a quick title turnaround; Perry either secures the breakthrough that has been building, or recalibrates with a clear blueprint of what must change next time out.
AEW hasn’t listed additional stipulations or moving parts for the match beyond the title being at stake in Las Vegas, and none are necessary. The story is functional and focused: a champion in stride, a challenger who fought his way to the front, and recent head-to-head data that gives both corners something concrete to solve. If Collision’s two-week setup is any indication, the company intends for the National Title to continue serving as a driver of weekly narratives—and Las Vegas is poised to be the latest checkpoint in that plan.
