wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 04.26.25
Image Credit: AEW
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Hello everyone and welcome to 411’s live coverage of AEW Collision…PLAYOFF PALOOZA! As I’m watching through TrillerTV, I have no idea when the playoffs are going to be finishing, so I’m going to assume Triller will just start the show when it’s ready. Here’s hoping!
Like last time, AEW are presumably hoping to benefit from a strong lead-in to Collision thanks to the playoffs, and have stacked the card accordingly. Bandido defends his ROH World title against Dralistico, Queen Aminata faces off with Toni Storm in an Eliminator match, and we’re finally getting what could be the blowoff to the Top Flight/Cru rivalry with a Tornado tag match.
Not only that, a rematch between FTR and Paragon’s Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong has been signed, which is always a GOOD TIME ™, especially so now that FTR are the clear heels. I think we’re in store for a fun show, so strap in folks, let’s do this!
Location: New Orleans, LA
Venue: Lakefront Arena
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
*We are live-to-tape from New Orleans as the opening pyro display fires off, followed by an appearance from Swerve Strickland. Swerve takes the mic and is about to speak but is interrupted by the music of the Young Bucks. Nicholas Jackson tells the crowd to shut the F up and show respect for the founding fathers. Matthew says he apologizes for interrupting whatever this is, and while Swerve is scheduled for a match later tonight, his match has actually been bumped up and it’s happening now. They introduce Strickland’s opponent for the evening, Blake Christian. The Bucks are brought some chairs and get ready to watch the action from the stage.
Swerve Strickland vs Blake Christian
Christian runs into a back elbow and Swerve gets tripped by Lee Johnson at ringside. Swerve is caught by a dropkick, sending him to the outside, and Christian follows up with a Fosbury flop to take Swerve out on the floor. Blake whips Strickland into the railings and bounces his head off the steel steps. They work onto the apron, enziguri from Christian, he goes for a spear but Swerve catches him and hits a neckbreaker over the ropes. Diving uppercut back into the ring as Strickland takes back control.
Suplex attempt is reversed, and Blake hits a modified stunner. 450 is avoided and Swerve hits a jumping House Call. JML Driver, 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Time: 4:23
Rating: N/R – Glorified squash match but Christian was in control for a fair portion.
Swerve calls for Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, but gets attacked by Lee Johnson from behind. Swerve quickly turns the tables and takes him out with a flatliner. But here comes the Bucks to stomp down Strickland, with the numbers game catching up with him. EVP Trigger delivered. Haha Nicholas hits the Griddy. The Bucks prepare for the Meltzer Driver but here comes Kenny Omega to make the save! Kenny slides in the ring but gets stomped down for his troubles. Dragon suplex to Nicholas! And again! Kenny Omega stands tall as the Bucks hightail it from ringside.
*We hear that an All-Star 8-man tag has been signed for Dynamite – The Young Bucks, Okada & Ricochet vs Mark Briscoe, Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey & Kenny Omega. First time we’ll get Omega and Okada on opposite sides of the ring in AEW, nice.
*Samoa Joe is backstage and has words for Jon Moxley. Men like Jon Moxley are agents of chaos. He is a man that distracts problems so that they can’t find him, but Joe is not a problem that can be distracted. He won’t go away. It is an inevitability that Joe is coming for him and that championship.
[AEW Women’s Championship Eliminator Match] Toni Storm (c) vs Queen Aminata
Toni extends the hand for a handshake and pulls Aminata in for a side headlock. Aminata with a hip biel and a forearm in the corner. 10-count mounted punches, and Storm comes back with a low dropkick. Storm looks for a suplex, Aminata puts on the brakes and hits one of her own. Both women on the apron now, headbutt from Aminata, and she uses her legs wrapped around the head of Storm to repeatedly pull her face-first into Aminata’s ass?! Ha. Aminata throws Toni into the barricade at ringside, and hits a big double chop to the chest.
Back in the ring, snapmare and a quick hip attack from Storm. Aminata does the same, and they take it in turns with the hip attacks until Storm rolls Aminata up for 2. Aminata with a body scissors, pulling the arms back for added leverage, and she kicks Storm in the back of the head. Storm shifts her weight into a cover, forcing Aminata to relinquish the hold. ‘Louise’ Thesz Press from Storm in the center of the ring, followed by a DDT from Storm. STF applied but Aminata reaches the ropes. Roll up from Aminata gets 2, and she nails a drop toe hold into the middle buckle. Running boot to the face connects, and Storm rolls outside to recover. Aminata follows her out, sits her in the corner and takes a run up, but receives a drop toe hold into a chair.
In the ring once more, Toni hits a diving crossbody for 2. Storm is thinking Storm Zero but Aminata counters with a Beach Break, 1, 2, no. They trade strikes and Storm nails a chokebomb out of nowhere, 1, 2, no. Jackknife from Aminata, 1, 2, no. Swinging neckbreaker connects on Storm, and Aminata climbs the ropes. Misses a stomp, Storm connects with a German suplex. Hip attack in the corner! Storm Zero connects, 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Toni Storm
Time: 11:38
Rating: **3/4 – Aminata had some decent moments and perhaps one or two spots towards the end where she looked vaguely hopeful, but Storm didn’t look in too much trouble at any point.
*Lexy Nair catches up with Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh. Sonjay Dutt shows up, saying to Lexy that they need a minute. Jay Lethal asks where the hell has he been. Lethal is tired of sitting on the sidelines. Jarrett reminds Dutt that he wants AEW gold, and maybe he’s listening to the wrong people. Lethal agrees, and leaves with Jarrett, and Satnam Singh leaves Dutt too. Well it’s been a minute since we’ve seen these guys so I’ll bite, no idea where it’s going.
*Max Caster is in the ring as we come back from commercial. New Orleans is looking at the Best Wrestler Alive, apparently. Platinum Max has been taking on all comers, and tonight is no different. He brings the excitement, the drama, and something rare for this city; a playoff-like atmosphere. All the Maxamaniacs here in the Big Easy want to chant his name. “Let’s go Max you’re the best wrestler alive” and some fans are indeed chanting along. Caster says he’s heard better chanting before but what should he expect from a place where the streets smell of horse urine. Now he wants to get down to business, who will step up to the challenge?
It’s Hologram!
Max Caster vs Hologram
Spin kick from Hologram as the bell rings. Handspring attack avoided but he hits a tijeras to knock Caster off his feet. Caster attempts to chop him in the corner but Hologram ducks it and hits a standing Spanish fly. Suicide dive to the outside, smashing right into the barricade. Caster is sent back into the ring, Hologram goes up top but misses a 450. Caster misses a splash in the corner and gets hits with the Portal Bomb for the easy 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Hologram
Time: 1:55
Rating: N/R – Hologram is now 23-0, meanwhile Caster’s losing streak continues. Let’s get Hologram something meaningful to do soon as he’s over and worthy of a proper program.
[Tornado Tag Team Match] Top Flight vs CRU
This gets off to a hot start with all four men going at it. Andretti and Dante spill to the floor, Lio Rush is sent out too. Cru pull out kendo sticks but the Martins grab them off them. The sticks are disposed off as Cru re-enter the ring, and Top Flight hit some tandem offense to take down Rush. Double monkey flip on Andretti, into a double back suplex for 2. Cru head to the floor again to recuperate. Leila Grey gets chased around the ring. Arabian Moonsault from Andretti takes out Darius. Back in the ring, Lio covers Darius for 2.
Action grabs a trash can and chucks it in the ring. He slides it on top of Darius and Cru go to town with the kendo stricks, smacking the trash can repeatedly. Suplex from Rush to Darius, Action covers for 2. Cru turn their attention to Dante, stomping him down.
Back from commercial, Lio Rush gets a trash can LAUNCHED at his face, knocking him off the top rope. Trash can lid shot to the head from Dante. And now Dante pulls out a black bag from under the ring. Darius gets caught and kicked away. Double team neckbreaker from Cru, cover, 1, 2, no. Cravate neckbreaker by Lio. Action upends the bag…and it’s a load of Mardi Gras beads? Dante turns the tables and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb into the beads. Rush is seated on a chair, Dante goes up top but gets shoved off. Darius tries to suplex Rush into the chair, but Lio reverses, drop toe hold into the chair instead. Cru with a double suplex onto the open chair! 1, 2, no.
Leila Grey gets knocked off the apron inadvertently by Darius. Action hits a running neckbreaker, and Rush hits the big frog splash! 450 from Andretti, 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Cru
Time: 10:43
Rating: *** – I’m a fan of lower card feuds, but this pairing needed to come to an end. Not sure if this is indeed the final outing for these teams, but it didn’t feel all that heated considering how long the feud has gone on for. Good action, slightly anti-climactic finish, but it once again plants more seeds for Leila Grey to turn on Top Flight at some point.
Anna Jay vs Taylor Gainey
Crescent kick from Jay gets things underway, followed by a back elbow in the corner. Heel kick in the corner too, followed by the Gory Bomb as Anna picks up the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Anna Jay
Time: 54 seconds
Rating: N/R – Great to see Anna back in action. Post-match stuff was interesting, inserting Anna right back into a high profile spot.
*Penelope Ford makes her way down to the ring to come face to face with Anna Jay. Penelope squares up to Anna, then the music of Megan Bayne hits! That appears to be a distraction, allowing Ford to knock her down with a cheap shot. Megan Bayne appears and slowly walks down to the ring while Ford continues the assault. Ford tosses the helpless body of Anna into Bayne, and the Megasus nails the Fate’s Descent.
*Video package as Mercedes Mone reflects on Double or Nothing. Jamie Hayter says money brings ignorance, it makes you weak. Mone says the only woman stopping her from getting to All In is Jamie Hayter, but nobody stops the Mone train.
[ROH World Championship] Bandido vs Dralistico
Both men jockey with the crowd to garner support and we get the yay-boo deal already. Dralistico isn’t happy with the crowd and threatens to leave, but then I guess he remembers it’s a title match so returns to the ring. Dralistico kicks away the hand, no Code of Honor! Tijeras from Dralistico sends Bandido to the floor, Bandido misses a plancha back inside the ring, and Dralistico hits a springboard tijeras. Beautiful tope con hilo takes out Bandido on the floor on the opposite side. Both guys slap and chop each other on the apron, until Bandido hits a knee to the face and Dralistico responds with a hurracanrana off the apron. Didn’t hit all of it, and the medical staff at ringside are checking on Dralistico. Think he’s OK as the action continues.
More chops exchanged, and they re-enter the ring. Kick to the back of the leg from Dralistico and he goes for the mask of Bandido. Running kick to the side of the head, and he hits the tranquilo pose! Forearm from Dralistico, Bandido follows him to the other side of the ring with a big boot and tope suicida on the outside. Another dive from Bandido, hitting a messy Fosbury Flop. He slides Dralistico back inside the ring and follows with a nice frog splash for 2.
Spin kick from Dralistico connects, 1, 2, nope. La Mistica from Dralistico, thrust kick, and a crucifix bomb, with Bandido rolling through right into a PK, and both men are down with some delayed selling. Both men jostle on the top rope, Dralistico looks for a hurracanrana, Bandido holds on, NO Dralistico hits the hurracanrana after all. Springboard codebreaker! 1, 2, NO. Alley-oop powerbomb into the corner from Bandido, and he follows up with the 21-Plex to pick up the 1, 2, 3.
Winner and STILL ROH World Champion: Bandido
Time: 11:21
Rating: ***1/4 – A couple of clumsy spots here and there but this was your expected lucha goodness, and Bandido makes a solid first defense of his title.
*Backstage, Bryan Keith and Big Bill discuss Chris Jericho’s absence. Keith says they can stop disappointing Jericho by getting some Ws. Bill says they need to do it for themselves. But whose skulls will they crack? They could grab some rookies and crack their skulls before their careers even start, but that’s not what they need. They need a challenge, and they want to target two guys who are eager to make a name for themselves. Gates of Agony, see if you can make a name for yourselves at their expense. The Learning Tree are calling them out.
AR Fox vs RUSH
Big forearm from RUSH as the bell rings. They immediately spill to the floor, where RUSH shows intensity, ramming Fox into the barricade on all four sides. Back in the ring, RUSH looks for the Bull’s Horns, but puts on the brakes and hits the tranquilo pose instead, toying with Fox. Fox with a rollup, 1, 2, no. Rush heads to the floor, and Fox follows up with a huge crossbody over the top rope. Back inside, swanton bomb connects, 1, 2, NO.
RUSH sweeps the legs in the corner, knocking Fox down. Bull’s Horns connects, 1, 2, 3.
Winner: RUSH
Time: 3:07
Rating: N/R – Great intensity from RUSH who oozes presence. Shame to see Fox get squashed like this, I would have loved to see a good 10 minutes from these guys.
*Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero, Roppongi Vice, speak to us backstage. Trent says he’s been underrated for 20 years, and that’s an insult. Romero says his insult was never being included in the Conglomeration t-shirt. They spot the Outrunners off-camera, and blindside them, beating them down in the hallway! Trent says from here on out, we the fans will appreciate everything they’ve done for us.
*Hype video for Kyle Fletcher vs Hangman Adam Page this coming week on Dynamite. Page says he needs that All In spot.
*FTR make their way out for the main event, now accompanied by Stokely Hathaway. Oooh Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly come out to ‘End of Heartache’, such a banger!
FTR (w/ Stokely Hathaway) vs Paragon
Strong and Dax start this out, with Strong hitting a leg lariat to take Dax off his feet. All four men in as Strong and O’Reilly try to lock in simultaneous submissions, but FTR both escape. Cash and O’Reilly battle now, Strong in for a backbreaker across the knee. Quick tags from Paragon, unleashing kicks and chops as a combo. Dax in, and he gets suplexed on top of Cash. Backbreaker to Cash, with O’Reilly nailing the diving knee drop. Ankle lock applied, but Dax comes to the rescue. Baseball slide dropkick send both members of FTR reeling, and Paragon briefly celebrate as they stand tall.
O’Reilly stomps on the hand of Cash on the outside, dragging him inside the ring and working over the arm. Strong continues the work with an arm wringer. O’Reilly grounds Cash and drops some knees into the arm as we head to commercial.
Back from break, O’Reilly is taking on both members of FTR, but Cash flies in with a clothesline on the apron. Cash traps Strong’s leg between the ring and the steps and kicks the steps to destroy the leg! They tie his leg up in the ring girder, and then toss Kyle into the steps too. Cash covers O’Reilly back in the ring for 2. Dax in, forearm shots to the chest of O’Reilly, and Cash clotheslines him back into the ring. Slingshot suplex, 1, 2, NO.
Dax misses a splash in the corner, giving O’Reilly an opening, but Strong is still tied up on the floor. Cash with another big clothesline, 1, 2, kickout. Strong attempts to get back on the apron, but Cash is right there to knock him back down. Kitchen sink from O’Reilly! Kyle crawls to his corner again but still no Strong. Leg sweep on Cash, and now O’Reilly delivers kicks to both Cash and Dax. Another kitchen sink to Cash, and both Dax and O’Reilly hit stereo clotheslines. Oh SHIT Cash just dumped Strong on the steel steps knee-first! Guillotine axe handle smash combo from FTR, 1, 2, NOOO.
O’Reilly tries to counter a sleeper with a jawbreaker, but Dax momentarily lets go so Kyle just sits on his ass. Smart! Dax locks it in again, Kyle manages to work out of it, and both men knock heads, knocking each other out. Cash tags in, meanwhile Dax attacks Strong again on the outside, whipping him into the barricade. Cash hits a catapult into the bottom rope on O’Reilly, tagging Dax back in. O’Reilly and Dax trade strikes and Kyle hits a backdrop driver! Cash in, takes Kyle to the floor and dives off the apron for another axe handle, but Kyle moves and he flies into the barricade. Strong is making it back to the apron, somehow!! O’Reilly is reaching for the tag, Dax holds the leg but gets kicked away, and finally Strong gets the tag!
Running lariat to Dax, back body drop to Cash, and Strong is basically fighting on one leg here. Dax with a rollup and leverage on the ropes but Strong still kicks out. Strong is maybe thinking End of Heartache on Dax, can’t get it, but does hit a pendulum backbreaker on Cash. Dax grabs the leg and whips it into the ringpost. Ringpost Figure Four leglock! Dax drags Strong back into the center of the ring, figure four applied once more and Strong is struggling. O’Reilly out of nowhere with a diving knee drop to interrupt it! Cash and O’Reilly spill to the floor, and Strong drapes an arm over Dax. 1, 2…NOOOO!
O’Reilly back in to kick Dax, great series of counters leads to O’Reilly grapevining the leg with an ankle lock! Cash with a splash out of nowhere as a receipt to interrupt the hold. Cash tags in, double team SPIKE PILEDRIVER connects, this one is over. 1, 2, 3.
Winners: FTR
Time: 21:32
Rating: **** – These four match up so well, and the added dynamic of having FTR playing the heel role this time gave this some added flare. Tremendous stuff here with O’Reilly in particular putting on a fantastic performance, and Strong selling the leg like an absolute hero.
*Post-match, Adam Cole runs down to check on his Paragon brethren. Shatter Machine to Roderick Strong! And now FTR corner Cole, with Stokely Hathaway getting involved too. But here comes Daniel Garcia! Garcia runs FTR out of the ring, without any of them touching. Do I smell seeds of a future heel turn? Garcia grabs a mic and calls FTR two of the fakest pieces of trash he’s ever seen. They want to stab him in the back? The problem is they didn’t do it deep enough to finish the job. Now it’s their problem, as week after week Garcia will be after them to make them pay. Garcia drops the mic as he shakes hands with Adam Cole and we go off the air.
That’s all, folks! Hope you enjoyed yourselves – we’ll see you back here for more live Collision coverage at our regularly scheduled time next week, but on TBS rather than TNT! See you then.
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