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Join 411’s Live AEW Collision Coverage
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Hello everyone, and welcome to 411’s live coverage of AEW Collision!
It’s Theo Sambus here, checking in for what unfortunately will be my final live Collision outing. I absolutely adore providing coverage here, and Collision holds a very special place in my heart, but alas the schedule factoring in the UK time difference has been a killer now that I work very early mornings. I’m normally quite the night owl, and it was bliss when I was on night shifts, but the change to mega early mornings has been a shock to the system – and let me tell you that a Mr Sambus on 2 hours’ sleep is not a productive Mr Sambus!
I’ll undoubtedly check in from time to time (I’ve already got my eye on bumping up coverage for NJPW’s G1 Climax this summer), but I’ll be handing over the Collision reins as of next week. I’ll save my goodbyes for later, but for now allow me to thank you for tuning in, reading, commenting, interacting in any way – 411 will always be family.
ALRIGHTY, enough schmaltz this early in the evening – we have some fiiiiiine wrestling ahead of us tonight! Konosuke Takeshita makes his first defense of the International championship against the Death Riders’ Daniel Garcia. These two had a BANGER some years ago at PWG Nineteen, and now that they’re both very different men at this point, I’m keen to see how they match up in 2026.
Divine Dominion have perhaps their first real test in their Five-Minute Eliminator contests, squaring up to the recently returned TayJay. Tay Melo & Anna Jay were knocked out of the Women’s Tag Team Tournament seemingly earlier than you’d expect in the Quarter Finals, so they will be looking to prove that they are still AEW veterans worthy of title opportunities.
Sticking with the Women’s division, I’m stoked for the AEW debut of Stardom’s Hazuki, who we will see in singles action tonight against Maya World. Persephone is due to be on commentary for the match, and as it’s Forbidden Door season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some future challenges thrown out. Should be fun.
Elsewhere, we’ll also see a bunch of fun tag action, from The Infantry vs Jon Moxley & PAC, to the Gunns going up against The Dogs, not to mention the World Trios titles being on the line, with the Conglomeration defending against Don Callis Family members Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Lance Archer).
On that note, let’s head down to ringside and strap in for tonight’s dose of All Elite action.
Location: Huntsville, AL
Venue: Von Braun Center
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
*We are LIVE as Tony and Nigel welcome us to the show, only to be cut off by an appearance by the one and only Tommaso Ciampa, who apparently will be joining commentary for this next match.
Backstage, The Conglomeration welcome Konosouke Takeshita. Takeshita thanks them for having his back, but he promises that this is not over with the Don callis Family. Kyle O’Reilly says he can just focus on Garcia tonight, and they will take care of the DCF. Orange Cassidy hands Takeshita a backpack as a welcome gift.
In a separate location, Trent Beretta says they’ve seen enough Conglomerating. And Takeshita wants to Conglomerate too? Disgusting. Rocky Romero says those backpacks will be empty when the Trios titles come home to the DCF. Lance Archer reminds us that everybody dies!
[AEW World Trios Championships] The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) (c) vs. The Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Lance Archer)
Strong with a hot start, taking it to Beretta with a series of backbreakers. Cassidy in, goes for the pockets but Romero tries to jump him, s the Conglomeration make quick tags for a series of strikes, and Cassidy hits the Sloth Elbow Drop. Tijeras from Rocky, he slides across the mat, OC misses an Orange Punch but gets his hands in the pockets, arm drag. He hits a Romero pose in sloth style with his hands in the pockets! Beretta levels him from behind. Rocky in, Forever Clotheslines in the corner, accidentally hits Archer though. O’Reilly in, as is Archer, and Kyle delivers kicks and a leg sweep. Low bridge sends Archer to the apron, Kyle again sweeps the legs to knock him down but here come RPG Vice. Kyle knees them both and hits a diving knee off the apron to Archer. Archer comes right back with a shoulder tackle. And Cassidy gets chokeslammed on the apron! Archer catches Strong too and swings him into the barricade as we head to commercial.
Romero and O’Reilly have an exchange of kicks in the ring, and Archer sucks O’Reilly in, O’Reilly with a diving knee to Rocky, double clotheslines between Trent and Kyle. Strong tags in, nice backbreaker on Rocky. Mat return to Beretta, backbreaker to Rocky again! And Strong uses Cassidy as a battering ram. Rising knee to Archer! Strong assists OC in a satellite DDT on Archer for a 2 count. Crossbody from Archer, Rocky with a modified Sliced Bread on Cassidy. Beretta with the running knee! Gotch-style piledriver to OC! 1, 2, NO, O’Reilly breaks the pin. Dragon screw sends O’Reilly to the outside. Trent picks OC up and hugs him, then looks for another piledriver but it’s countered. Roddy in, stomach breaker. Orange Punch! O’Reilly with a guillotine on Archer in the ropes, as Cassidy drops the elbow on Romero for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners and STILL AEW World Trios Champions: The Conglomeration
Time: 11:38
Rating: **1/2 – Rather ‘by the numbers’ defense here against the “DCF Job Squad”. Not sure exactly what Ciampa was offering on commentary either.
[AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championships Five-Minute Eliminator Match] Divine Dominion vs. TayJay (Tay Melo & Anna Jay)
Oh OK, Ciampa is still on commentary so I guess he’s out here until some kind of angle? TayJay dive at their opponents but Kross and Bayne catch them and deliver stereo fallaway slams. Clotheslines from Bayne, shoulders to the midsection from Kross on Jay. Butterfly suplex connects, Kross in for a sliding lariat, 1, 2, no. Anna ducks a clothesline in order to make a tag but Melo gets knocked off the apron. Bayne body slam, tag to Kross, Anna low bridges Bayne to the outside. Crescent kick to Kross, and Jay makes the tag to Melo! Forearms by Melo, pump kick in the corner! And again. One more! Kross tries something, blind tag by Jay, blockbuster! Double DDT on Kross! Jay covers, 1, 2, no, Bayne breaks it up. Under a minute left. Pump kick/German combo by Kross, 1, 2, NO! Divine Intervention is blocked, Anna gets the Queenslayer on Bayne, broken in the corner though. Anna locks it in again! And Bayne is fading…they’ve done it, they survived the 5 minutes!
Winners: TayJay
Time: 5:00
Rating: **3/4 – The action itself was mid but that built to some decent drama towards the end with TayJay desperately trying to last that final minute. TayJay get to look good without actually beating DD, creating some intrigue for their rematch, while keeping Divine Dominion strong and dominant. Smart.
*Tommaso Ciampa is in the ring now. He was hoping that the real Chris Jericho would show up tonight but apparently he’s not even here. Ciampa will address him while he licks his wounds at home. Why did Ciampa choose Jericho? He doesn’t have just one reason….he has 1004 reasons! AND CIAMPA PULLS OUT THE LIST!
Number one…Fozzy sucks! Two, he hates the sparkly light up jackets. Three, he hates the crappy cruises. Four, he hates the armbars!! Five, he hates the full head of hair on Jericho’s head.
Ciampa has seen every single version of Chris Jericho, and he doesn’t have him fooled for a second. He knows that Jericho is scum. Everyone thinks this is a changed Jericho, the good vibes Jericho, but Ciampa knows better. A snake is always a snake. “Jericho…I’ll see you when I see you.”
*Back from break, Persephone makes her way to ringside to join the gang on commentary.
Hazuki vs. Maya World
Feeling out process as both women look for arm control. Sunset flip from Maya, countered, backslide gets a 2 count. Both women go for dropkicks and come to a standoff. Shoulder block from Maya, spin kick, and she bulldogs Hazuki into the middle turnbuckle. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors from Hazuki, and she rakes her boot across the face before nailing a running facewash kick. Hazuki makes eye contact with Persephone at ringside, pointing at her.
Senton from Hazuki misses, Maya comes right back with a Fisherman’s suplex bridging pin, 1, 2, no. Maya snapmares Hazuki and applies a chinlock. Back suplex, 1, 2, no. They trade forearms, and Hazuki nails a German! Step up kick to the back from Maya and a huge flipping sunset bomb, 1, 2, NO! Maya goes to climb the ropes but Hazuki grabs the foot. Pump kick, rope-assisted DDT, Hazuki covers and gets a 2 count. Hazuki up top, Maya is up, Hazuki dives and rolls through, walks into a tornado uppercut. Suicide dive from Maya World! But Hazuki is back up and it’s her turn to hit a suicide dive!
Back in the ring, Hazuki looks for a Meteora but it’s caught. Fallaway slam with a bridge, Maya holds on for the pin, 1, 2, no! She positions Hazuki, step up moonsault misses. Hazuki splits the legs in the corner, huge lungblower!! Up top….senton connects! 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Hazuki
Time: 10:19
Rating: ***1/4 – Loved that this was played as both women being equals – I was worried they were going to job Maya out, but she really got to show off and stay in control for sometime. Cool having Persephone on commentary as we really haven’t had a chance to get to know her outside of the ring on AEW TV. Looking forward to seeing more of Hazuki, but honestly I might have been more impressed with Maya World here, who really stepped up to the plate.
*Hazuki and Persephone go face to face after the match, and they will face off next week on Collision as part of the Owen Hart Cup.
*Tony Schiavone pays tribute to Dennis Condrey, who passed away in March. Lovely tribute here with a ton of pictures.
*Video package for the ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty.
Lee Moriarty vs. Tim Bosby
Shane Taylor joins commentary. Moriarty avoids offense from Bosby and rolls him into a stretch but Bosby gets a foot on the ropes. Bosby pulls the straps down, runs into a big kick from Moriarty. Straitjacket slam right into the Border City Stretch, and Bosby has to tap.
Winner: Lee Moriarty
Time: 1:33
Rating: N/R – Cool to give Moriarty some props as he’s been floating around for a little with sporadic AEW appearances. Perhaps now they’ll let him build his stock on AEW TV, rather than just ROH – he needs some chances for people to get invested in him.
*The Infantry on the mic run down the crowd after the match until the Death Riders show up.
Jon Moxley & Pac vs. The Infantry
Bravo and Moxley start off, but Pac quickly tags in. Marina stares down Christian XO, and the distraction allows the Infantry to beat down Pac at ringside. Oh Moxley didn’t like that, he grabs a chair and marches after them, but Shane Taylor gets up from the announce desk and connects with a knockout punch. Bravo with the Generico through-the-ropes DDT to Pac! We head to commercial break as the chaos is contained.
Dean connects with a leaping lariat off the steps, rolls Pac in to be met with a standing splash for a 2 count. Bravo knocks Moxley off the apron, tags in Dean, and a sunset flip into a German on Pac connects! Bronco Buster from Dean as he calls for giving Pac a BBC. Pac with a jawbreaker! Dean is sent to the outside, Bravo prevents the tag though. Dean tries to dive on Pac on the outside but Pac catches him and delivers a German! Pac flips back into the ring and rolls through to make the tag to Mox.
Moxley asks Dean to hit him until Moxley fires up and delivers a series of strikes in the corner. He bites the forehead, Dean dives but is met with a boot to the gut and Moxley hits a double DDT to both Infantry members. Enziguri and a neckbreaker combo from Infantry, back suplex and cutter combo to Pac! Shawn Dean up top, dives into some knees from Moxley. A Mox Cutter on Bravo connects. Death Rider Train to Dean in the corner, the ref is distracted by Christina XO again so Marina joins the train! DEATH RIDER connects on Dean, 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Death Riders
Time: 11:08
Rating: *** – Pretty fun, which is usually the case when the Death Riders get to go nuts and beat everyone up. Fair play to the Infantry too, getting some good shine and busting out some neat sequences.
*Renee Paquette is with the Triangle of Madness backstage. Thekla says she made those bitches dance at Double or Nothing. Since she got “fired from Japan” she’s gonna kick that little worm’s ass if he steps in HER ring. Thekla addresses the Owen Hart competitors, and says the only one Thekla is afraid of is….Skye Blue. Blue says she knows how long she’s waited for this, and she’ll take it if she gets the opportunity. Thekla says maybe, or will she just get injured again? They start arguing but then burst into laughter, as Thekla says they’re not like the others, and nothing can come between them.
*The Conglomeration reiterate that they have Takeshita’s back tonight. Strong looks off camera and says THAT is really starting to annoy him. The camera pans over and we see Lio Rush hiding under an umbrella. The Conglomeration freeze and OC says “don’t move…if you don’t move, it can’t see you.” Ha OK I’m fine with Lio Rush getting over in this way.
*The Dogs head to the ring, and they have disposable cameras again. They go for another 5 Second Pose, but are cut off by the entrance of The Gunns. Jon Moxley has stayed out to join commentary, and Tony Schiavone tells us that Moxley has just won his 201st AEW match.
The Gunns vs. The Dogs
Colten Gunn with some shoulder blocks, leg whip, Austin in to cover for 2. Austin avoids a shot in the corner, jabs to Connors, flatliner connects. Armdrag to Finlay, and a double armdrag followed by a lariat to the outside. The Gunns go for a 5 second pose and give some crotch chops instead.
Austin is bleeding from the mouth, not sure what he got busted open on. Connors keeps him grounded, tagging Finlay in. Front chancery applied, Finlay drags him to the outside, draping him over the apron, and Connors is there for a drive-by shot. The Dogs pull out a polaroid from the 5 second pose and slap it on the head of Austin. Colten tags in, neckbreaker to Connors, side slam to Finlay, He runs the ropes, Connors is there with a spear! The Dogs hit a series of strikes and a release suplex on Colten, running through him with a double team shoulder block. 1, 2, no.
Austin is tagged in, crossbody takes out both Dogs. Fameasser connects! 1, 2, Finlay breaks the pin. All four men are in the ring, slugfest ensues. The Dogs play dirty, but a dropkick to Connors connects. Finlay knocked to the floor, Gunns are targeting Connors but Finlay comes round and takes out the legs. Connors misses a spear, Austin rolls him up, gets pushed off into a shillelagh shot, and Connors hits a spear for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: The Dogs
Time: 10:41
Rating: *** – Good effort from the Gunns, but the Dogs are the ones in ‘damage control mode’ after a weak start in AEW, so building them up with some solid wins makes sense, especially if we’re going to buy them as a threat to Cage & Cope.
*The Dogs look to attack again post-match, but here’s Juce Robinson and Ace Austin to run them off.
*We see that Divine Dominion will face TayJay for the Women’s titles next week on Collision.
*Concerning the vacated TBS championship, we will see a series of 6 matches over the coming weeks, with those 6 winners facing off in a Survival of the Fittest match on July 1st! We see old ROH clips from Survival of the Fittest, and this will be the first time that AEW hosts the match. Pretty cool, I normally like those matches.
*We’re back from the break with a standby match, as Jake Doyle and Brian Cage head to the ring.
Jake Doyle & Brian Cage vs Jimmy Wild & Tommy Mars
Doyle treads Wild into the mat, deadlifts up into a fallaway slam, then tags in Cage. Corner lariats, enziguri, German! Mars in, eats a clothesline, Doyle in to deliver a Black Hole Slam. Superplex from the apon by Cage. And we get a stereo Jackhammer/powerbomb for the finish. 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Jake Doyle & Brian Cage
Time: 1:48
Rating: N/R – Davis is doing well on his own, so Cage & Doyle makes sense as the interim team now that Doyle is back.
*Doyle & Cage are taking their time to leave, and Takeshita’s music hits as he heads out for the main event, so they have to be restrained by refs and security as Takeshita walks past them.
[AEW International Championship] Konosuke Takeshita vs. Daniel Garcia
Garcia tries to get early control of Takeshita on the mat, but Takeshita is having none of it. Garcia slaps his chest in the corner, and Takeshita is adamant about keeping it slow. Big boot from Takeshita, leg lariat connects, but Garcia is back with a throat thrust. Garcia backs off and heads to the floor, and he signals over to Marina, needing a pep talk. But Takeshita attacks him from behind, knocking him around the ringside area. Takeshita steps to the apron, Garcia grabs the leg and crotches him on the skirting, then whipping off a dragon screw legwhip. He runs Takeshita into the barricade, and jumps off a chair to squash the ankle of the International champion.
Surfboard stomp on the knees from Garcia. Another dragon screw connects, followed by a knee trembler, and Garcia starts doing push-ups, which pisses Moxley off, wanting Garcia to stay on it. Moxley gets up and Marina joins commentary instead….and she says Garcia needs to shove his big toe in Takeshita’s butthole. WHAT? Takeshita looks for the Bastard Driver but Garcia rolls into an ankle lock….German from Takeshita! Marina gives the headset back to Moxley. Big boot from Takeshita, Blue Thunder is countered! STF from Garcia. Stomp to the ankle, and he hits a gotch-style piledriver….but Takeshita is somehow still on his feet! Running knee! Both men are down now with delayed selling.
Takeshita back to his feet but he’s limping now. Powerdrive Knee is caught, Garcia slaps him down. Takeshita fires up, slugfest now, Blue Thunder connects! 1, 2, NO! He looks for the Powerdrive knee again but his leg gives out. Garcia with a curb stomp! He lifts Takeshita to the top rope, tweaks the ankle…but Takeshita delivers headbutts…and tries a lariat but Garcia grabs it, armdrag from the top rope! Dragon Tamer applied! He rears back, with Takeshita in the middle of the ring, but Takeshita escapes. Raging Fire attempt denied. Garcia tries a roll, caught, BASTARD DRIVER! Wheelbarrow German connects. Big right hand, Raging Fire! 1, 2, 3!
Winner and STILL AEW International Champion: Konosuke Takeshita
Time: 14:31
Rating: ***3/4 – Takeshita gave a lot to Garcia here, and they put on a little clinic. Nice ankle work from Garcia, which Takeshita sold like a champ, but ultimately Takeshita had too much in his arsenal for Garcia to overcome. This is going to be a helluva fun reign for Takeshita isn’t it? New workhorse champ, let’s gooooo!
*The Don callis Family attack Takeshita post-match, 5 on 1….Moxley goes to get up from the desk to help, but Shane Taylor Promotions are there to attack him and the other Death Riders! Speedball Mike Bailey is here, along with the Conglomeration! All hell is breaking loose. Carly Bravo starts getting in the face of Nigel McGuinness…so Nigel smacks him! Everyone is still fighting in the ring, but Takeshita and the Conglomeration are clearing house. Speedball with a triangle moonsault to the floor. The Conglomeration with Takeshita and Bailey find themselves in the same ring with the Death Riders…and it looks like they’re all on the same page!
And with that, our broadcast comes to an end. Allow me to take this time to thank you for joining me, tonight or at any point over the last three years. It’s always been an absolute joy and privilege, and whether you’ve commented or casually checked out my articles, I appreciate each and every one of you. Until the next time! See you around folks.
