Ciocco’s AEW Collision Review 8.23.2025

SICKOS! No, don’t adjust that webpage or your browser settings, as I am filling in on the Collision call for one Mr. Theo Sambus, who will be attending Forbidden Door tomorrow! Yay for him being able to go to the show, and yay for me being able to be here with the lot of you!

On the final show to be broadcast on the eve of Forbidden Door, we have a stacked lineup! Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong will do battle with the Young Bucks, Skye Blue and Julia Hart will team up against Queen Aminata and Willow Nightingale, The GOA will face the Grizzled Young Veterans, Hiromu Takahashi will team up with Sky Flight to take on the Don Callis Family, and in a Wrestle Dynasty rematch, Konosuke Takeshita, fresh off of his G1 Climax victory, will face the Stone Pitbull, BIG TOM! We’ll also see the AEW debut of Isla Dawn, as she will try and slow down the juggernaut known as Megan Bayne, Big Bill will be in action, and Max Caster will issue his very first International Open Challenge! All of this and, well, I don’t how much more, but we’re about to find out!

So, just a reminder that tonight at midnight, my preview for Forbidden Door will go live for everyone to check out! I will say what I always say, and that is thank you, and I appreciate the support from all of you, it means a lot to me.

So, enough of that emotional crap, let’s get ready to COLLIDE in Glasgow!

Image Credit: Follow the Revolution – FTR on Facebook, with an image that you won’t be able to get out of your head now!

Tonight, we are LIVE (To Tape) from the OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland! The Inevitable Tony Schiavone, the King of ROH Ian Riccaboni, and the man who will challenge Zach Sabre Jr tomorrow at Forbidden Door, Nigel McGuinness!

Don Callis is here to get us started! He does his special introduction for Hechichero, and Don looks like a tomato lol.

The Don Callis Family vs. Hiromu Takahashi and Sky Flight

Josh and Hiromu to start. Alexander overpowers Takahashi, until Hiromu hits flying head scissors. Rocky in, and he’s gone lol. Hiromu with a basement dropkick to Alexander. Alexander taken to the Sky Flight corner, and Scorpio is in. Josh tags out to Hechichero. Sky with strikes, and he takes Hechichero down with a springboard arm drag. The Martin’s are in with some double team brother offense to Hechichero and then Alexander. Darius tries to take out Archer, but Lance says STOP THAT SHIT and throws Darius into the apron and back into the ring.

Archer in the ring now, HAHAHA, and clubbing blows to Darius. He’s sent to the DCF corner, he fights out and sneaks around Archer to take Dante in. Martin works over Archer, has him down on one knee, but Alexander with a knee to his back. Overhead toss by Archer. Romero in the ring, he runs the ropes like he is doing drills, then hits a basement dropkick. GOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! Tag to The Alchemist, double stomp to Dante. Cover for a two count/ Hechichero cranks on the knee and foot of Dante. Alexander in the match now. Forearms to Dante, Irish Whip, Alexander stops the counter from Martin and hits a gut buster and then a gut wrench. PIP Break!

We return to find Archer bullying Dante. Martin avoids Archer’s charge, goes around, enziguri, but he jumps right into a GOOZLE! Martin hits a rana to Archer and tags out to Skye. Romero in, and Sky puts him down with clotheslines. Sky High from Sky! Alexander in, but he goes out. CUTTER to Romero! Dragon Sleeper from Sky, as the DCF enter the ring and take out his partners. Hechichero applies the standing Octopus, as Archer runs over everyone on the floor. Hechichero rolls Sky up and into Alexander for a DDT. That was pretty neat, NGL. Archer carries Rocky on his shoulders and Rocky hits an Electric Chair Drop for a two count. Romero with a standing Sliced Bread. The cover, but Hiromu breaks it up. Hechichero in and he rolls around with Hiromu. Big chants for Hechichero. Archer in, EVERYBODY DIES! He tries to double chokeslam both Martins. Dante and Darius with a suplex to Archer!

it’s down to Rocky and Scorpio. He ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick. Hiromu with the tag. He has Rocky on his shoulders, but he rakes his eyes. Sliced Bread attempt, but Sky is in and he intercepts Romero and hits a rolling DVD! TRIPLE TEAM DIVE BY SKY FLIGHT! Timebomb to Rocky! The cover, Hiromu wins it for his team!
WINNER: Hiromu Takahashi and Sky Flight
TIME: 12:30
THOUGHTS: Good, action-packed opening match. The right team won, and the right man did the light seeing.
RATING: ***1/2

Post-match, the Protostar Kyle Fletcher comes out with Callis, and he stares down his challenger for Forbidden Door.

Vignette for HOOK, with two HOOK action figures fighting, and one getting thrown off of a case holding the FTW Belt. That was…something.

COMMERCIALS!

Renee Paquette with the voiceover for tomorrow’s 4-way TBS Title Match.

Glasgow Native Isla Dawn is here for her AEW debut! But she did draw a very tough match.

Megan Bayne W/Penelope Ford vs. Isla Dawn

The bell rings, and Isla soaks in the admiration from her hometown fans. Bayne with a wait lock take down, and she pretends to kick dirt on her. A Shoulder tackle from Bayne puts Dawn back on the mat. Bayne runs Isla into the corner and hits a chop. To the other corner, and Bayne with another chop, as the fans do the footie chant for Dawn. She turns the tables and hits some forearms on Bayne. She cranks the neck of Bayne and hits some striking knees! Dawn looking backdrop driver, but Bayne cuts that off. They play a game of counters, but Bayne ends that with a Fallaway Slam. Bayne with a scoop slam to Dawn. A second one follows, as the fans voice their disapproval. Dawn tries to fight back, but Bayne quickly cuts that off. Lariat from Bayne. Running big boot from Bayne. Overhead suplex from Bayne. Megan mocks Isla, she tries to fight back, but no go. Bayne can’t get the powerbomb, Isla out with a cross chop to the throat and some kicks. Bayne misses a corner charge, Dawn with a running boot. A running knee connects. Bayne on one knee, running knee to the head! The cover, but Megan powers out at one! Isla a little uncertain, she runs into a SPEAR from Bayne! RUNNING AWESOME BOMB, and that’s game.
WINNER: Megan Bayne
TIME: 4:40
THOUGHTS: By no means a squash match, as Dawn got a fair bit of offense in this match, but there was probably little to no doubt that Megan was going to win here. Hopefully Isla plans on sticking around, and hopefully she gets a better draw next time!
RATING: **1/2

As Megan and Penelope make their way up the ramp, Willow Nightingale dances her way down the ramp and into the ring, as Ian does his rapping lol. Vanilla Ice, he isn’t.

Willow Nightingale and Queen Aminata vs. Julia Hart and Skye Blue

Skye and Willow to start us off. Hart reaches for Willow, so Skye uses that to take a cheap shot. Willow with the go behind and she throws Blue to the mat. Willow catches a charging Skye with a shoulder tackle. Hart in, and she fairs no better. Corner clotheslines from Willow to Hart, and she pulls her to the middle of the ring and hits a lariat for a two count. To her corner, and the Queen is in. Big chop from the Queen, and a snap suplex to Hart. YEAH, JULIA, screams the Queen, but Hart moves and kicks the Queen. Hart charges, but Aminata moves. Hart does reverse that by grabbing the Queen’s fingers and doing the top rope walk. Aminata does the whirly bird with Hart and throws her down! Choclate Kisses are interrupted by Blue! Double hair takedown by 2/3 of the Triangle of Madness! Cover for a two count. PIP Break.

Willow is doing cartwheels and hitting the POUNCE, PERIOD as we return. Willow with a Spine on the Pine to Hart! The cover, two count. Hart is back, as both ladies try a double team suplex, but they call and audible and hit a tandem DDT instead. Cover for a two count. Willow brings both Skye and Julia into a meeting of the minds and hits a double clothesline. Tag to Aminata, who goes on the attack. Skye fights back, but an overhand slap ends that. Air Raid Crash from the Queen! The cover, Skye out at two. Aminata to the top, double stomp misses, but the Queen still hits a swinging neck breaker. The match breaks down, as everyone hits their shit, and Rick Knox stands there confused. All four women hit the mat.

All four women back to their feet, Double team knees from Julia and Skye, and double team Octopus! Willow and Aminata get free. and Willow is sent to the floor. Aminata with a jackknife pin for a two count. Headbutt from Aminta to Blue, driving knee to Skye on the bottom rope! The cover, the win!
WINNER: Queen Aminata and Willow Nightingale
TIME: 9:30
THOUGHTS: The feud and saga continue, and again, you really like to see feuds within the women’s division that don’t involve the TBS or World Title. Both sides have been giving as good as they have been giving here.
RATING: ***1/2

Post-match, the other member of the Triangle of Madness Thekla is here to beatdown Willow. Bayne and Ford are back to assist in the onslaught. CAT CAMERON is here! She attacks Ford on the ramp, and she kicks away in the ring on Bayne! That ends quickly, and Bayne chucks Cameron across the ring. Kris Statlander is here! She clears the ring of Ford and Bayne! She stands with Cameron, Nightingale, and Willow!

COMMERCIALS!

Lexy Nair has Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard. Nair states the obvious and says DG must have mixed emotions. Danny says no, Nigel won the match and showed he was the better wrestler. When Nigel asked him to be in his corner, he realized that sometimes, it’s not about being the better wrestler, but about being a better friend. In front of your hometown crowd, show everyone you’re the best wrestler.

Speaking of, Platinum Max Caster is here! GLASGOW! You are looking LIVE at the Best Wrestler Alive! And the last time I fought in this ring, Shibata couldn’t last five minutes. And then he shook my hand, because he respects me. And he knows that all the Maximanics in the Deer Green Section respect me too! So much so that you want to chant my name!

WHOA, I can’t understand what you are saying with your accent. maybe we’ll try again when we’re hear in another six years. LOL! Let’s put five minutes on the clock, and let’s see who can last five minutes with the Best Wrestler Alive!

Zach Sabre JR is here, and Tony tells Nigel to get a look at this. Well, I wonder why lol.

Platinum Max 5-minute challenge: Max Caster vs. Zach Sabre Jr

The bell rings, and Sabre goes for a wrist lock. He lets go, and Caster wants a lockup with Zach. How cute lol. Sabre takes Max to the mat and talks that hot British trash. Max with arm control now, but Sabre contorts in all directions and walks out of the hold. He chirps at Nigel at ring side. They lock-up again, and Sabre stomps on the face of Caster and walks it off. Zach manipulates the fingers of Max, but Caster with a kick to the gut. He hits a double axe; Irish Whip is countered by ZSJ into a Cobra Twist. Sabre twists Max to the mat and Max taps out.
WINNER: Zach Sabre Jr.
TIME: 2:33
THOUGHTS:As if there was any doubt about it, really. A nice warm-up for ZSJ heading into tomorrow’s title defense.
RATING: N/R

Post-match, ZSJ approaches Nigel at the announce table. They talk; Nigel wants to shake hands. Zach hesitates, then he shakes his hand. Nigel won’t let go though, and tells Zach that tomorrow, he is taking his title. Zach laughs and walks off. While this is going on, Anthony Bowens has arrived and he is attacking Max! Billy Gunn is back! He has a discussion with Bowens in the ring, Anthony goes to leave, but Billy stops him, and he tells him to back off of Max and back off of him as well.

Statlander and Cameron in the back! Cameron wanted to say thank you for your help in her quest for vengeance. Cameron asks if she got her 100K, but Statlander says no. It was supposed to come out of the Young Bucks’ account, but it keeps saying insufficient funds. LMAO! Apparently, Kris was told the same thing last week, too. The Death Riders are here! Moxley goes into the Male Extras room as Claudio looks at Wheeler as if to say, WTF dude. Jon comes out with a bag of money! he hands it to Stat, and they all walk away except for Wheeler. He wants to hit on Kris, but Claudio calls the Sheepdog away.

It’s time for a tough guy slug fest!

Big Tom Ishii vs. Konosuke Takeshita W/Don Callis

We see Takeshita defeating EVIL in the finals of the G1 Climax during his entrance.

The bell rings, as both men come face-to-face, ere face-to-throat. Small HOLY SHIT chant as the strikes are incoming! Both men beat on each other with forearms, as Callis says he can’t understand the fans accents. Shibata off the ropes and he hits a wicked flying back elbow! Ishii responds with a lariat, and he clotheslines Takeshita to the floor. Ishii with chops to Takeshita on the outside. He rolls Konosuke onto the apron, looking for the brain buster. Takeshita bails to the floor and chops out Big Tom’s Leg. DDT FROM THE APRON TO THE FLOOR! But I’m sure that can’t hurt Big Tom LOL! PIP Break!

Ishii hits a stalling avalanche suplex from the very top as we return. Takeshita though seemed to absorb that, as he is on the attack. Ishii and Takeshita collide like crash cars. Takeshita catches Ishii in the Tombstone position, hits an overhead release German! Takeshita looking overdrive knee, but Ishii cuts it off and hits a running powerbomb for a two count! Lariat from Big Tom into the basement lariat for a two count! Ishii off the ropes, but Takeshita intercepts him with a Blue Thunder Bomb! Cover for a two count. THIS IS AWESOME chants. Takeshita with a headbutt to the chest. looking for Raging Fire, but an uppercut from Ishii and a HUGE Lariat! Cover for a two count. Ishii looking Brain Buster, but a Poison Rana from Takeshita, BUT ISHII ROLLS THROUGH! German from Ishii, Takeshita rolls through! Knee from Takeshita meets a headbutt from Ishii, and both men are down!

Both men pull themselves up against the ropes. Ishii with a headbutt. A second one! Takeshita with a knee strike! He falls into the cover, two count! RAGING FIRE! The cover, Takeshita with the dub!
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita
TIME: 10:35
THOUGHTS: Two men beating the shit out of each other, nothing to see here, move along! This is incredibly impressive on the part of Takeshita, given that he went through a grueling G1 Climax Finals, to take nothing away from Big Tom. These two can bash it up every show, and I’d love it!
RATING: ***3/4

Big Bill will be in action next!

COMMERCIALS!

Big Bill is here to kick some shit post break!

Big Bill W/Bryan Keith vs. Mark Andrews

Well, at least Bill didn’t get a jobber, so that’s good. Doesn’t mean that Bill doesn’t treat him as such. He catches Andrews in the ropes and then hits a big boot, sending Mark to the floor. The crowd loves them some Big Bill, as he sends Andrews back to the ring. Bill charges, misses, and Andrews hit a running double knee. Chops have little effect. Goozle, but Andrews fights it off and hits an enziguri. Andrews runs into a Boss Man Slam from Big Bill! The Bill man Slam?
WINNER: Big Bill
TIME: 100 seconds
THOUGHTS: Squish-Squash, goes one-half of Subculture!
RATING: N/R

Post-match, Keith throws two chairs into the ring and sets them up. Bill chokeslams Andrews through both chairs. He poses in the corner, as they take their leave through the crowd. I’m surprised that The BBG didn’t show up here.

The GOA are here!

The GOA W/Ricochet vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Yes, Ricky is wearing his Eagles Superbowl hat! My hero! 💚

Toa and Drake start us off, as Toa throws Drake down face first. Toa picks up Drake and hits a curling overhead suplex. Kaun in the match, and he mockingly walks over Drake. Drake blocks a suplex, he takes in Gibson, and the GYV run corner clotheslines into a leg lariat. The cover, one count. Gibson with uppercuts, off the ropes, but Kaun with a lariat. Drake back in, they hit double team moves on Kaun, and Drake knocks Toa off the apron. Ricky on the apron, he distracts Drake long enough for Toa to knock Drake off the post and to the floor. Toa take Drake from apron to barricade and then sends Drake over the barricade. The GOA and Ricky mean mug on the apron as we go to PIP break.

Drake ducks Kaun and he post himself as we return. Gibson gets the tag, and he goes to work on both members of the GOA. Gibson with a suicide dive on Toa on the floor. Kaun has him up, but Gibson out, he hits a Saito Suplex! The cover, but Toa is back to break it up. Gibson with a dropkick to the knee of Toa. He grabs him by the mouth, and Drake hits a cross-ring dropkick! Stereo lung blower to Kaun! The cover, two count. Gibson is back in legally. He has Kaun on his shoulders, Drake to the top, but Kaun out. He shoves Drake away, and Toa is back as he sends him from the ring. Open the Gates to Gibson! The cover, the win.
WINNER: GOA
TIME: 9:05
THOUGHTS: A fun and competitive match for the most part. I don’t think anyone saw the GOA losing, but GYV definitely had a lot of offense and moves in.
RATING: ***1/4

Gabe Kidd and the Bullet Club War Dogs in the back. Gabe said he is sick and tired of everyone taking food off his families table, food off of Clark Connors table, Drilla Maloney, and Robbie X. Kidd says they are here to take care of a couple of little bitches. Clark Connors says some stuff, and Maloney says if you want to fight them, then check the red sign on the front door, because they are the War Dogs, and they are coming for the Opps.

COMMERCIALS!

It’s time for the Main Event!

The Young Bucks vs. Paragon

The Bucks are already in the ring, and today, they are Rod and Todd! LMAO! Matt wants to know if Tony Schiavone did this, lol!

KOR and Rod to start. Matt shoulder tackles KOR to the mat, Matt tries a sunset flip, but O’Reilly tries a cross-arm breaker. Matt escapes, but Kyle applies an ankle lock. Matt escapes, but he is trapped in the Paragon corner. Nick wanders in, but Paragon kick him out of the ring. Matt wants to tag Nick in, but he steps off the ring apron and walks around. Nick comes back into the ring, but he trips over the middle rope! he goes back out and kicks the announce table and screams SON OF A BITCH. He kicks the barricade, same thing lol.

Play time is over, tho, as Rod and Todd take out both members of Paragon. Nick and Matt try corner offense, but Kyle moves and Nick kicks Matt in the face. Kyle tags Roddy in, and he hits a modified backbreaker on Matt followed by dropkick. He does the drive-by strikes and a front face slam to Matt. Nick is in, and it looks like the Bucks are in control, but Nick takes Matt out with a moonsault. They quickly recoup to hit Kyle with an anti-air. They return Roddy to the ring, assisted senton splash from the top! The cover, but Kyle breaks it up. SUPERKICK by Nick to Kyle, sending him out of the ring. Matt sets up the Tombstone, TK Driver on the floor to Kyle! PIP Break!

Double Superkick is avoided by Strong as we return. Matt is sent from the ring, Roddy with a Fallaway Slam to Nick! Roddy tries to tag out, but Matt drags Kyle off the apron. Nick ends up hitting a sliding baseball slide to Matt lol. The Bucks try again to stop Roddy, but Matt ends up in the Tree of WHOA, and Nick ends up getting thrown into him by Strong. Kyle finally gets the tag and proceeds to fight off both Rod and Todd. Matt nearly kicks Nick, and Kyle hits a double Dragon Screw. Matt to the floor, Kyle with a missile dropkick from the apron! Cross arm breaker to Nick! Matt tries to save his brother, but Roddy with a running knee, and he stomps on Nick! Nick finally breaks the hold. Strong back in, friendly fire between Paragon, but Bucks on the same page with SUPERKICKS to Roddy! They do the same to Kyle, but he absorbs it and hits a comeback lariat to both Bucks!

Matt and Kyle in the middle of the ring. Forearms are traded, Matt swings out, but Kyle with the guillotine! Matt with the Locomotion! He catches Roddy for the third one! Nick flies off the top with a Tornio to Roddy on the floor. Running assisted sliced bread and the running knee in the ring to Kyle. He kicks out at two. Meltzer Driver, but Roddy intercepts Matt with a flying knee! Wheelbarrow into a backbreaker from Paragon! The cover, two count. Combination offense from Paragon, but Nick in to break it up. Kyle has the ankle lock on Matt! Don Callis is here! He runs around the ring and distracts Knox. Kazuchika Okada is here! RAINMAKER to Kyle! Strong with the go-behind, but Okada ducks, SUPERKICKS to Roddy! The former EVP Trigger wins it for Rod and Todd!
WINNER: The Young Bucks
TIME: 15:45
THOUGHTS: A fine main event, complete with comical mistiming’s and friendly fire between the Bucks, but they pulled it out late when they had to, with help from their buddies, of course.
RATING: ***1/2

Post-match The Bucks and Okada beat up Paragon. WHOSE HOUSE? Swerve and Nana are here! Okada tells the Bucks he has this. Strickland enters the ring, but Okada escapes lol. The Bucks attack instead. Swerve fights them off, but Okada in from behind with a chop block to Swerve. The beatdown is on, ending with a RAINMAKER to Strickland. Okada and the Bucks pose in the ring.

And with that, we are done!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Collison was quite the ironic twist compared to this week's Dynamite. Whereas that show was promo/vignette driven, this show was action driven, I suppose in part because the build had been, for the most part, achieved leading up to tonight. Out of the eight matches we got tonight, I'd say two of them were definitely worth checking out if you were cherry picking, while the rest was fine to good. The crowd also seemed more alive for this show than they were for Dynamite, so that's a plus!