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Join 411’s Live AEW Collision Coverage
Image Credit: AEW
Hey hey hey! Collision is back to our regularly scheduled time slot so your host Theo Sambus is back in the saddle. As much as I desperately wanted to be on hand for Grand Slam Australia last week, the show was starting at 3.30am here in the UK and I don’t think my coverage would have been terribly astute! Big thanks to Ryan Ciocco for stepping up to cover. I loved catching up over breakfast last Sunday – cracking show, right? Let’s see if that momentum can carry over this week.
We’ve got Chris Jericho defending the ROH title against Bandido, which is most notable because Bandido never actually lost the ROH title during his last run, instead having to vacate through injury. Is a big title change in store tonight?
Randomly we also have the NJPW Strong Openweight champion Gabe Kidd on hand, stopping by to take on The Butcher. Talk about thrown together but a 10-15 minute slugfest between them could be a ton of fun.
We’ll also see the in-ring return of Hologram, renewing his program with the Beast Mortos, and they simply haven’t had a bad match together. So strap in folks, this could be a wild one.
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Venue: Arizona Financial Theatre
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone & Jim Ross
*Harley Cameron walks. Bandido struts. Jericho slaps himself to psyche himself up. Timeless Toni Storm walks…and Mariah May attacks her out of nowhere! May grabs the Women’s World title and drags Storm out to ringside. May with a headbutt to Storm and she hits the Storm Zero on the rampway! May asks for the spotlight. May grabs a mic and says ‘Look what you made me do!’ Storm never knew how to write an ending so May guesses she’ll have to write one for her. And she’ll write it in Storm’s blood. “This is our spotlight and our moment…let’s be stars together.” At Revolution, May calls for a Hollywood ending. Damn, hot angle to start the show.
*Kazuchika Okada is backstage, and he says he did what he said he’d do and put the dog down. That’s what he does with a bitch. If any other bitch wants to step up, he’ll put them down too.
Hologram vs The Beast Mortos
Mortos comes out of the gate with a shoulder block, which turns Hologram inside out, following up with a biel. Hologram slips and slides between the ropes, hits an enziguri and nails a crossbody, stands on the shoulders and hits a tijeras to send Mortos to the floor. Hologram climbs the ropes, leaps off into a diving hurracanrana. Back in the ring, Mortos avoids a top rope attack, hits an armdrag and both men trade strikes. POUNCE from Mortos! Hologram is knocked to the outside, Mortos charges, beautiful tornillo through the ropes.
Mortos with a modified curb stomp into the middle turnbuckle, covers for 2. Abdominal stretch applied, and a neck crank, cover for another 2. Mortos receives an enziguri on the ropes, Hologram ascends…top rope gorilla press slam! 1, 2, no. On the opposite buckles, Mortos gets Hologram on his shoulders but Hologram spins round and nails a sweet tijeras! Suicide dive to follow up and they both crash into the barricade. Back in the ring, Hologram misses a double stomp, they head to the ramp and Mortos hits the crucifix bomb on the stage!! Back to the ring, 1, 2, no.
Mortos drags Hologram back to the ramp, tries to press slam him off the stage but Hologram counters and hits a huge flipping sunset bomb on the staging area. Up to the top, crucifix bomb from Hologram! 1, 2, NO. Pop-up Samoan drop from Mortos, 1, 2, no. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker connects, they slip a little and Hologram hits the Spanish Fly. Lariat from Mortos, and both men are down. Mortos brings Hologram up to the top rope again, goes for the press slam but Hologram counters. Sunset bomb inside the ring this time, 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Hologram
Time: 13:47
Rating: ***1/2 – Hologram had to win in his return match here, and these guys put on a helluva show.
Post-match Mortos attacks with a lariat from behind and goes to continue the assault but here comes Kommander! Hologram and Kommander double team Mortos and hit stereo kicks, both posing as Mortos retreats.
*Video package for Speedball Mike Bailey! Speedball is coming.
*Lexy Nair welcomes Harley Cameron to the ring. Nair congratulates Harley’s fantastic show at Grand Slam Australia. Cameron wants to tell Lexy a story about a little blonde girl from Australia who had big dreams. She loved to sing, she loved to dance, she loved puppets, but more than anything she loved wrestling. Every week she would turn on the TV and say one day she will go to America and become a wrestler and make herself and her country proud. Harley asks if Lexy knows who that girl was. And it was Harley’s next door neighbor. Still, she took that dream and she ran with it.Grand Slam was the beginning. Cameron will not stop until every single person knows what it feels like to feel the wrath.
Gabe Kidd vs The Butcher
Kidd goes right for Butcher as the bell rings with strikes and headbutts. Clothesline in the corner, and of course Kidd is already talking trash. We see Don Callis watching backstage. Kidd with clubbing blows to Butcher, and Butcher starts fighting back. They head to the floor, Butcher takes a swing and Kidd counters with an exploder on the floor.
Kidd takes a run up and hits a charging lariat out on the floor. Butcher makes his way back inside the ring and attacks with a leaping kick and some right hands. Misdirection lariat from Gabe Kidd. Piledriver! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Gabe Kidd
Time: 3:38
Rating: N/R – Squash match for Kidd so I’d presume he’s got an impending AEW program, rather than this being just a random appearance.
*Backstage, Lexy Nair speaks with Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher. Lexy wants to ask about Ospreay challenging Fletcher to a Steel Cage match at Revolution. Callis wants her to stop gaslighting them with these questions. Callis says Ospreay is mentally deficient if he thinks it’s smart to climb into a steel cage with someone who is bigger, smarter, faster than him in Fletcher. Fletcher says all Will has done is take, take, take from him. So if he wants him in a Steel Cage, Fletcher accepts.
Julia Hart vs Queen Aminata
Hart is all smiles as she calls for a lockup. Aminata takes control of the arm, has a little booty shake, hits a headlock takeover. Julia rolls through into a cover for 2. Snapmare and a kick to the back from Aminata, running kick to follow. Running forearm, misses a double chop and Hart takes control. Running clothesline, STO and Hart starts to bounce the back of Aminata’s head off the canvas.
Aminata looks for a Fisherman’s, Hart reverses into one of her own. Aminata recuperates on the outside briefly, re-enters the ring and both women trade some hard forearms as we head to commercial.
Back from break, Aminata hits a backbreaker across the knee and a suplex. Boot to the face, another snap suplex. Spinning neckbreaker from Aminata and she sets up for the kick/hip attack combo, nails it! 1, 2, no. Aminata drags Hart to the center of the ring, tight stack cover, 2 count again. Superkick from Julia. She repeatedly stomps Aminata and climbs the buckles. Moonsault is met with a boot! German suplex from Aminata. Another German. Aminata signals for one more but Hart hooks the leg to put the brakes on. Tilt-a-whirl into the flying octopus hold and Aminata has to tap.
Winner: Julia Hart
Time: 9:47
Rating: **3/4 – Good to see both of these women getting TV time, and this was a decent contest, with Hart getting a definitive victory after Aminata had a strong showing. Nice.
The Murder Machines toss out their opponents onto the stage to start off the following tag contest.
Murder Machines vs Jobberzzzz
Archer elbows one of the guys in the corner and hits the Black Out. Meanwhile, Cage hits the superplex from the middle rope on the other guy, and they hit a strike combo together. Powerbomb/Chokeslam combination gets the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Murder Machines
Time: 1:14
Rating: N/R – Judging by the post-match, this is a smart way of building them up as a team into title contention.
*Brian Cage takes a mic after the match and calls out the Hurt Syndicate. Archer says they’re just getting started.
The Hurt Syndicate make their way out. MVP wants to know who they hell they think they are considering they don’t have tag team gold. MVP says they’re doing the same stuff they’ve been doing for years, beating up some locals. They better take the Hurt Syndicate more seriously. As the champions, the Hurt Syndicate dictate the time and place. MVP will give them an opportunity. If Archer and Cage can beat a real tag team next week, maybe they can talk business.
*Video package for Action Andretti and Lio Rush. We know their names, but do we really know who they are. Call them crazy, call them ruthless, call them unhinged. Call them Cru. Officially named Cru then? OK.
*Kris Statlander speaks to Thunder Rosa after Dynamite this past week and says she has her back.
[AEW World Trios Championships] Death Riders (c) vs Daniel Garcia, Daddy Magic & Cool Hand Ang
Yuta and Angelo Parker to start, with Parker going for some early covers. Castagnoli in, Parker avoids a suplex but runs into a po-up European uppercut. Body slam and the double stomp, cover broken up by Garcia. Claudio with another uppercut to Ang, and a tag to Pac. Quick tags from the champions, scrappy offense from Parker and he manages to tag in Matt Menard. Back elbow to Pac, cutter, 1, 2, no. Claudio interrupts a piledriver attempt, and now all three challenges hit a back body drop on him. Triple suplex from the challengers to Pac and Yuta. And we get the stereo punches in the corner.
Claudio dumps Menard over the barricade but Menard manages to get back in the ring at 9. Pac immediately grounds him with a front chancery. Claudio in, uppercuts to Daddy Magic. Yuta keeps control with a chinlock, Menard breaks it with a jawbreaker but Yuta fires off a dropkick. Kicks from Pac, and now we get the Death Riders running the train in the corner on Menard. Pac again keeps Menard grounded with a side headlock this time. Pac tosses him to the mat, waits on the apron and fakes out a springboard dive, forcing Menard to attempt a dropkick counter and just land flat on his back. Pac gets cocky and Menard hits a desperation powerbomb! He makes the tag to Garcia.
Garcia with a flurry of fists to Yuta. Back suplex, one to Pac too. Tries to deliver one to Castagnoli but Claudio puts the brakes on. Garcia finally gets it though! Yuta counters a piledriver attempt, Garcia rolls through into the Dragon Tamer. Pac kicks Garcia but Garcia won’t break the hold. Parker dives through the ropes with a dropkick to take out Pac. Claudio in, jackhammer on Garcia. DDT on Claudio from Menard. Garcia and Yuta to their feet, trading blows.Open hand slaps, Claudio tags in and hits a huge running lariat. Pac in, Claudio hits the Giant Swing into the dropkick from Pac, pinfall saved by Menard.
Running boot from Pac, and he heads up top…but Menard grabs the leg. Parker up there to meet Pac and he hits a superplex. Cover, 1, 2, saved by Wheeler Yuta. Drop toe hold/elbow drop combo from 2point0. Claudio with another uppercut, and Pac cinches in the Brutalizer on Parker and he has to tap.
Winners and STILL AEW World Trios Champions: Death Riders
Time: 16:53
Rating: *** – Very slow in the first half with Death Riders keeping control with the use of restholds. The fake-out from Pac with the springboard was glorious though, and things picked up towards the end.
The champions continue to attack after the bell until ‘YOU KNOW IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BOOM’ hits and the Undisputed Kingdom arrive! They clean house, and now Garcia comes face to face with Adam Cole. Pac comes in but gets met with a High-Low from Strong and O’Reilly.
Moxley and Marina show up in the crowd…YOU THINK YOU KNOW HIM! Cope is here and he has a chair, placing Pac’s head prone on the chair. CONCHAIRTO CONNECTS! He picks up the chair again…a second Conchairto! Moxley looks almost petrified by what he is seeing.
*Lexy Nair is with the Vendetta backstage. Taya Valkyrie takes issue with Nair. Deonna Purrazzo will give it to Harley Cameron, she’s talented, but she’s not fooling anyone in the ring. At Grand Slam, Cameron lost, so she goes to the back of the line. The Vendetta have business to attend to.
*Here comes Max Caster for his open challenge. Last week he was disrespected by the HangPerson. HangPerson attacked him before the bell and attacked him before he was ready. So whoever answers the challenge tonight, he implores them to shake his hand and look him in the eye, but they won’t because everyone in the lockerroom is afraid of Max Caster. So who can survive the best wrestler alive.
[Max Caster Open Challenge] Platinum Max Caster vs Brody King
Well THIS isn’t going to turn out well for Max! King outstretches the hand to shake, and Caster shakes but King won’t let go. CHOP. Dropkick to the knee from Caster, side headlock but Brody works out of it. Caster gets caught in a headscissors, tries to escape but can’t. Back body drop and King nails a running splash in the corner. CANONBALL! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Brody King
Time: 1:39
Rating: N/R – Caster is 0-3 in these Open Challenges and we’re evidently going for the losing streak storyline despite his illusions of grandeur. Caster is annoying enough to make it work.
*Lexy Nair is with Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum. They can’t describe the feeling of beating the Learning Tree in Australia. The Hurt Syndicate walk past, and the Outrunners offer their services for facing the Murder Machines next week. MVP says if they can beat the Murder Machines, they will indeed get a tag team title shot. And that’s both good and bad news for them.
*Deonna Purrazzo vs Harley Cameron and Bryan Keith vs Will Ospreay is booked for Dynamite this week.
[ROH World Championship] Chris Jericho (c) vs Bandido
Bandido and Jericho both try to rally the crowd, with the fans firmly behind Bandido. Code of Honor adhered to by Bandido, Jericho eventually shakes and Bandido pulls him in close. Thumb to the eye from Jericho, shoulder block, monkey flip from Bandido. Jericho sent to the floor, tope suicida connects, followed by a tope con hilo! Bandido with a springboard back in the ring but Jericho catches him with a Codebreaker! 1, 2, no.
Please Retire chants start as Jericho delivers repeated clotheslines in the corner. Chops to Bandido on the top rope, Jericho heads up top too and says ‘retire this’ before delivering a top rope hurracanrana. To the apron, Jericho is thinking piledriver perhaps but Bandido slaps his way out of it. Bandido with a leaping hurracanrana from the apron, sending Jericho flying off the apron to the floor. Both men are down as Aubrey Edwards starts counting them both out. They both return to the ring at the last second. Jericho is pretty bruised from that bump.
On their knees, both guys trade forearms. To their feet now, hitting harder until they both go down again. Back up, they chop away at each other, Jericho mounting the offense and chopping the back of Bandido. Bandido turns the tables, a series of slaps and chops. Enziguri from the challenger, tornillo from the top rope! Wheelbarrow faceplant slam, 1, 2, no. Jericho up, DVD to Bandido! 1, 2, no. They’re up and have the same idea, both hitting big right hands, and again they both go down.
Bandido sits up, Taker style. They go back to back and we get another duel. They charge, Bandido holds on though and goes for the tilt-a-whirl, Jericho transitions into the Walls! Bandido claws his way to the ropes and makes it. Press slam from Bandido, with one hand briefly. Bandido to the top, frog splash connects, 1, 2, no. Jericho with a dropkick, Bandido back in with a sunset flip cover, 1, 2, no. Bandido misses a dropkick, Jericho capitalizes with a Lionsault for 2. Rollup from Bandido, 1, 2, no. Jericho with a leaping headscissors, the ‘High Spot’ he calls it. Jericho climbs the buckles, Bandido with an enziguri. Both men up to the top now…they stumble a little and Bandido finally hits the moonsault fallaway slam! 1, 2, NO!
Gutwrench from Bandido, Jericho on his shoulders. Knee to the face! 21 Plex attempt, but Jericho rolls through, 1, 2, 3!
Winner and STILL ROH World Champion: Chris Jericho
Time: 17:19
Rating: ***1/4 – It was slow and methodical for the most part, and it’s still a 17+ minute Jericho match in 2025, but this was a lot better than we likely expected, with some genuinely good nearfalls and drama. Bandido seemed to set the pace, and Jericho held his own, save for that awkward telegraphing before the moonsault fallaway slam. Jericho gets a clean win and will no doubt gloat for weeks to come.
Chris Jericho briefly celebrates his title defense and with that, we are out of time. Good night everybody!
