wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 08.16.25
Image Credit: AEW
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Hola mi amigos! Hope you’ve had a great week. Doozy of an episode of Collision lined up tonight, with big time Forbidden Door implications. As announced last week, it will be a four-way in our main event, pitting Daniel Garcia against Hechicero, Lee Moriarty and Nigel McGuinness in a Technical Spectacle…with the winner going on to face Zack Sabre Jr for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the O2 in London. As someone who has Forbidden Door tickets, I am losing my mind at the prospect of getting Nigel vs ZSJ so I will be fully, unashamedly biased tonight 😀 LET’S GO NIGEL!
By all accounts, it’s not going to be a one-match show either; former TNA star Ace Austin makes his AEW debut tonight, smartly booked against Ricochet to no doubt ensure a tightly worked high-flying encounter. We’ll also see JetSpeed take on the Death Riders’ Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta, Juice Robinson vs Bryan Keith, Paragon in tag team action, and a 100K four-way fight from the ladies, with Julia Hart going up against Kris Statlander, Anna Jay & Penelope Ford.
This show. Stacked, I tell you, STACKED!
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Venue: Andrew J Brady Music Center
Commentators: Tony Schiavone & ‘Daddy Magic’ Matt Menard
*We are live-to-tape as Timeless Toni Storm makes her way onto the stage! Spotlight. Cincinatti sickos, lend her your ears! Toni says Athena is record-breaking, but holy bleep she is annoying. She spends her days bullying a pre-pubescent teenager. She has Minions without the approval of Warner Bros. But if she is a Goddess, Storm had better pray. She gets on her knees. Dear Fallen Goddess, Toni prays Athena leaves London on a budget airline with her bum print on her face. Chin up, tits out and watch –
TONI GETS KICKED IN THE FACE! Athena flies in from off-camera, and here’s Billie Starkz too to add insult to injury. Athena asks if Storm wants to pray? Pray that she doesn’t tell these people how much of an idiot she is. Without the grayscale and the sexual innuendos, Storm would be nothing. If AEW is where the best wrestle, why is this ‘bitch’ sitting at the top. DAMN, ATHENA!
Athena warns Storm that her days are numbered. And everyone will bear witness to Athena running this division. She calls for a spotlight and mocks Storm’s pose…but here comes MINA SHIRAKAWA!! MINAAAAA!
Storm is up, German suplex to Starkz! Athena on the mic tries to make peace, caught between both women, then dives off the stage out of the way onto security! Storm and Mina embrace on the ramp and kiss all over.
*We recap the MJF/Hangman Page feud, in preparation for the World title match next Sunday.
JetSpeed (Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight) vs Death Riders (Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta w/ Marina Shafir)
JetSpeed immediately hit stereo slingshot crossbodies to the outside to take out Mox and Yuta. They bring them back in the ring and the bell rings, and this one is officially underway. Double team dropkicks from JetSpeed to Yuta. Abdominal stretch applied by Knight in the center of the ring. Yuta arm tosses out of it. Tag to Moxley who stomps a mudhole in Knight in the corner. Kevin gets tossed to the floor and bounced off the announce table a few times, with Bailey following suit.
Back in the ring, Moxley holds Knight for a Yuta dropkick. Double team strikes from the Death Riders, knee drop from Yuta for a 1 count. Hammer and anvil elbows applied, Knight rolls him up in a counter though and gets 2. Bailey in, standing SSP gets 2. Yuta gets some joint manipulation on the toes of Bailey, but he still manages to hit a crane kick. Double dropkick from JetSpeed and down goes Moxley. Knight attempts to slingshot over the buckles to the floor but gets elbowed on the way down by Moxley. Mox follows with a German suplex on the apron on Bailey! We head to commercial as Moxley laughs about it with Marina.
Hammerlock and wristlock takeover by Moxley, Speedball gets sent to the floor, and Shafir nails him with a judo throw while the referee has his back turned. In the ring, Moxley attempts a suplex but Bailey reverses into a cover for 2. Enziguri connects but he can’t make the tag. Speedball kicks Yuta away and finally makes the tag. Knight with uppercuts, body slam and the airborn splash. Moxley pulls the hair in the corner, allowing Yuta to capitalize and beat him down in the corner, giving the ‘I have til 5′ deal. Tag on both sides, Speedball and Moxley go face to face. Tradig rights, Moxley turns to smack Knight too. Chops exchanged now, and Yuta and Knight start teeing off on each other too. Big ol’ chopfest between all four men! Moxley avoids a superkick from Speedball and nails him with a cutter, 1, 2, no. Double knee moonsault from Speedball on Yuta, and the roundhouse kick, but Moxley breaks up the cover.
JetSpeed attempt to double team Yuta, leaping hurracanrana into the powerbomb!! 1, 2, NO. Bailey moonsaults to the outside as Knight splashes Yuta, 1, 2, NO! Knight is thinking UFO splash, misses, but Yuta misses the Busaiku knee too. Backslide on Yuta, but Marina makes the save. Bailey sends Marina into the steel steps!! In the ring, Moxley tries for the Death Rider, but Yuta accidentally nails Moxley with the Busaiku Knee!! Superkick by Bailey, UFO splash!! The ref is distracted by Marina though. He finally sees the cover, 1, 2, kickout. Death Rider on Bailey on the outside. Low blow on Knight, Yuta with a bridging cover, 1, 2, 3!
Winners: Death Riders
Time: 16:25
Rating: ***1/2 – Moxley and Yuta are the ones who have the big cage match coming up, so naturally they needed to look dominant here. That said, JetSpeed had a ton of shine and looked GREAT here. That was a hell of a closing stretch and I actually bought JetSpeed winning on a couple of those nearfalls. Nicely done, fellas!
*Promo from the Outrunners, communing with mother nature…no, Brother Nature! Haha. We get a proper 80s-fied promo of them training in the woods with army make-up, toasting marshmallows. Fun stuff.
Ricochet vs Ace Austin
Ricochet starts shoving the chest of Austin, until Ace fires back with some right hands. Drop toe gold into a kick to the back of the head, rollup by Austin for 2, then a dropkick. Austin handstands on the apron to avoid a clothesline sweep of the legs, nice! Austin attempts to springboard back into the ring but Ricochet hits the ropes to knock him off. Ricochet stands on the hair of Ace, then drives a knee into the spine. Rattlesnake elbow from Ricochet and he gives a ‘oh Hell Yeah’. Tiger feint kick from Ricochet and a springboard clothesline gives him a 2 count. Snapmare and a headbutt to the spine as Ricochet rubs his bald head, much to the chagrin of the crowd. Dropkick catches Austin off-guard as Triller heads to commercial.
Tornado kick from Austin as we come back. 1, 2, kickout. Austin heads up to the top rope as GOA head out to cause the distraction. Ricochet hits a suplex off the buckles, then nails a brainbuster and an SSP for 1, 2, no. Samoan Drop, 1, 2, Austin still kicks out. Ricochet is thinking Vertigo but Austin reverses. Ricochet goes up top, Austin is up though and crotches him. Nice tijeras from the apron back into the ring by Austin! Fosbury Flop to the floor and my God he nearly landed on his head! Liona tries to take Austin out but Austin moves and Liona goes straight into the post. Ricochet rolls Austin up, gets the tights, 1, 2, no! Kaun gets knocked off the apron, rollup on Ricochet, 1, 2, no! Ricochet rakes the eyes of Austin and pulls the hair. SPIRIT GUN. 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Ricochet
Time: 10:25
Rating: ***1/4 – Good debut for Austin who held his own against Ricochet. I’m never really a fan of someone losing in their debut, but as long as he rebounds quickly with some other victories, I don’t think it’ll be a problem.
*Gates of Agony immediately attack Austin after the match and hit the Open the Gate.
*Renee Paquette is with the Hurt Syndicate backstage, asking about their predictions for FTR vs BroDido. MVP doesn’t care who wins, as the winners will simply get hurt. Paquette asks about if there is any drama between them. MVP says nothing more than the drama the internet warriors drum up.
*We briefly come to ringside but then go back to Renee Paquette to catch up with Paragon. Ishii and Hologram show up to support their Conglomeration buddies. Strong says KYLE! O’Reilly is about to answer but Strong clarifies that he means Fletcher not O’Reilly. Kyle reassures Hologram that Roddy is just going through something. They’ll all celebrate later tonight.
Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly vs Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
Strong and Christian start this out, with Strong quickly getting the upper hand and tagging out to O’Reilly. Snap suplex on Christian gets a 1 count. Double team backbreaker/knee drop combo. O’Reilly locks in a guillotine on Johnson. Christian hits a forearm on Strong, then Lee goes to the apron but is caught by Roddy…Lee holds on, allowing Christian to nail a Fosbury Flop through the middle rope! Step up enziguri from Blake followed by a springboard clothesline for 2. Kyle fights back against both men, and hits a kitchen sink on Johnson. Blake again tries to step up enziguri Strong but is caught and backbreakered! Strong in, Olympic Slam to Johnson! Strong is a house of fire. Series of forearms, rising knee, roaring elbow/rising knee combo. O’Reilly hits a diving knee on Johnson to the floor. Enziguri from Christian, tries a handspring cutter on Strong but gets caught with a knee. High Low connects! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly
Time: 4:47
Rating: **1/2 – Frenetic pace, no chance for any selling, but they packed those 4-5 minutes with non-stop action.
*Ishii and Hologram come out for their celebration, but Strong exits the ring, wanting nothing to do with the Conglomeration. Oh man, hardcut to commercial, I think they’re pressed for time tonight (unless that’s just Triller being Triller).
*In the back, FTR have been attacking Bandido, and they appear to have ripped his mask off! Brody King shows up and starts beating FTR out onto the stage. King tosses Wheeler into the ring and clotheslines Dax in there too. King rips the tshirt off Dax and slaps him. Splash in the corner on both members of FTR! He looks for the canonball, but Stokely grabs the leg to prevent him. Big mistake. Oh, powder in the eyes! SHATTER MACHINE! Cash gives him a lil snot rocket to boot. Stokely hands Dax Bandido’s mask and they place it on Stokely to make a mockery of it.
*SkyFlight are backstage, and Scorpio wants to throw out a challenge for Glasgow next week. Singles, tag, trios, they don’t care, Sky just wants some revenge. Leila says they will fuck Don Callis up! Christopher Daniels says that’s five dollars for the swear jar.
[100K Four-Way Fight] Julia Hart vs Kris Statlander vs Anna Jay vs Penelope Ford
Statlander blows confetti (Stat Dust?) at Schiavone during her entrance. As the bell rings, Stat and Anna hit stereo ten count mounted punches in the corner. Crescent kick from Anna on Statlander. Julia breaks up a pinfall attempt. Shoulder blocks on Statlander by Julia and she goes for the rope walk…into a hurracanrana! Statlander is up, uppercut on Julia, Anna in with a legwhip. STO from Hart, drop toe hold from Penelope who comes back with a dropkick to the back of Jay. Standing moonsault on Anna by Julia, Penelope pulls her off though. Hart does the same for a Ford pin attempt. Statlander in, double clothesline on Ford and Hart!
Vertical suplexes delivered to every woman by Statlander but she doesn’t cover anyone. Another suplex attempt on Ford, but Julia pulls her down and they go for a double suplex, only for Kris to suplex both Ford and Hart. Statlander tosses Hart and Ford to the floor, but Anna boots her off the apron. Ford with double knee gutbuster to Hart. Ford chokes her out with her leg in the ropes, covers for 2. Ford seems to be stalling for time, goes up top and Anna cuts her off. Tower of Doom spot set up, but no, Statlander comes in and Germans Ford. Blockbuster from Jay on Statlander. Hart with a rollup for 2. Heel kicks to all three opponents by Anna, backstabber on Statlander, 1, 2, no. Jay locks in a sleeper on Stat. Cutter on Jay by Ford. Poisonrana from Ford on Statlander. Julia sidesteps Ford, hits a lariat and a back elbow. Double stomp to Anna, and now Julia positions her near the corner. Ford is up in the opposite corner, stereo moonsaults but both women miss! Statlander with Pele kicks, and everyone is down. Gory Special on Hart, Anna makes the cover but Ford interrupts the pin at 1. DDT on the ramp by Jay. Statlander locks in her new submission on Hart, and Julia has to tap.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Time: 9:44
Rating: *** – Pacing was off at times as they didn’t allow some things to breathe, but then had a fair bit of stalling. Outside of that though, Anna Jay looked good, as did Hart, although Statlander always seems just a step ahead of a lot of her opponents. Crowd were loving this one!
*Post-match, Skye Blue and Thekla arrive and beat down Statlander. But here comes Queen Aminata to try to even things up! The numbers game gets the better of them, but here’s Tay Melo too. Megan Bayne gets involved too now as the women’s division is kicking OFF!
HARLEY CAMERON! Harley makes her return and chases everyone off with a chain-wrapped paddle.
*Don Callis Family are backstage (sans Callis himself), Fletcher says Takahashi is a great choice for his opponent, but his TNT title reign is only just getting started, so Hiromu’s name is another one he will mop the floor with. Takeshita has made it to the NJPW G1 Finals so he’ll be bringing the trophy home too. Fletcher says they will see SkyFlight in Glasgow, and Fletcher says all of this is for Don Callis; he hopes they do him proud.
*Renee Paquette speaks to Kris Statlander backstage, who celebrates and throws more Stat Dust. Here comes Harley Cameron and jumps on her in celebration too. Cameron has some suggestions on how she can spend the money. Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta show up and Moxley says to Statlander “Damn right!”. Yuta tells her, “Great work out there” and gives her a nudge on the shoulder. Intrigue! Statlander does not seem to know what to make of all that.
Juice Robinson vs ‘Bounty Hunter’ Bryan Keith
Lockup to start, and we hear a Trios match has been signed for Dynamite this coming week, as the Death Riders go up against JetSpeed and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Scoop slam by Juice, leg lariat takes Keith down. Keith drops Juice on the top rope, sending him spilling to the floor below. Keith wraps the leg around the ringpost, whipping it a couple of times. The Bountry Hunter continues to work the leg back in the ring, looks for an STO which Juice counters, only for Keith to kick the bad knee and level him again. Cloverlead submission applied! And we head to commercial.
Back from break, Juice catches Keith with a back elbow and some jabs. Spinebuster! Big Bill gets on the apron but here’s Austin Gunn to meet him. Gunn gets sent into the barricade, but dodges a follow up attack. Meanwhile a modified fallaway DDT from Juice gets the 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Juice Robinson
Time: 6:47
Rating: **3/4 – I’m really digging this little TV feud between the Bang Bang Gang and the former Learning Tree contingent. The match itself didn’t give us much, but Juice continues to build himself back up and rack up some much needed victories.
*Next week, Max Caster will have the first ever International Open Challenge.
*Renee Paquette speaks to Anthony Bowens, asking for his thoughts on that. Bowens is pissed as he thought this interview was supposed to be about him. The Pride of Pro Wrestling, do you think he pulled that name out of his ass? Why does Max Caster get the opportunity to perform in Scotland when all he does is lose. Bowens is tired of this, and storms off.
[Technical Spectacle – Winner faces Zack Sabre Jr at Forbidden Door] Nigel McGuinness vs Daniel Garcia vs Hechicero vs Lee Moriarty
Of note, everyone is barred from ringside for this one, with a second referee on the floor to ensure this is the case. Hechicero and Garcia face off, as does Nigel and Moriarty. Nigel with a wristlock while Garcia tries to trip Hechicero. Nigel twists and stomps the arm of the Pure champion. Wristlock suplex, nice. Nigel continues to work the arm while Hechicero and Garcia struggle to slap on submissions. Rollup by Garcia for 1 and he boots Hechicero to the floor. On the opposite side of the floor, Nigel and Lee continue to fight, with Nigel smacking Lee’s wrist into the steel steps.
Garcia starts some mounted punches on Hechicero, Lee interrupts but gets booted away. Multiple covers and reversals between Garcia and Hechicero, rolling around the mat, neither man getting the advantage. Moriarity flies over Hechicero for a sunset flip. Jacknife OVER Garcia, 1, 2, no. They all try to get a quick pinfall, only for Nigel to come in and put a stop to it with a stomp. Garcia avoids taking out Nigel in the corner, but Moriarty knees him into him instead Gory Special on Garcia, AND he gets an ankle lock on Hechicero, daaamn! Four-way submission even!
Border City Stretch on Nigel McGuinness but he won’t tap. Hechicero in and he applies a figure four to Moriarty, who maintains the hold on Nigel! Garcia in now, and he locks in a cross arm-breaker on Hechicero! Nigel slides out of the submission and breaks up Garcia’s submission. Hechicero grabs the leg of Nigel and hits a dragon screw through the ropes. Nigel grabs Garcia and tosses him into the barricade. Hechicero up top, Nigel crotches him through. Tower of London and he manages to kick Moriarty at the same time, knocking him down too. Garcia breaks up the pin attempt.
Sunset flip by Garcia, Nigel with a jacknife, 1, 2, big boot from Hechicero. Wheelbarrow into the sleeper by Hechicero but Moriarty rolls up Garcia for 2. Nigel applies a variation of a figure four on Hechicero to break the submission, awesome! Gory Special on Garcia again, Garcia with a triangle on Nigel though. Crossface by Garcia, while Hechicero locks in the crucifix submission on Lee! Nigel and Garcia tussle, as McGuinness gets a tight keylock only for Danny to make it to the ropes.
Uppercuts by Moriarty on Hechicero, CRUCIFIX DRIVER!! Nigel in, London Dungeon!! But Garcia locks in the Dragon Tamer on Moriarty! Who’s gonna tap?!! Nigel and Garcia talk trash to each other, and Garcia says ‘you had your time!’ Nigel with a back elbow to Garcia, knocking him out! Nigel locks in the London Dungeon on Moriarty, but Hechicero is up and he locks in an Indian deathlock on Lee too, while grabbing Nigel in a headlock. Garcia with slaps to Hechicero trading slaps now.
Garcia gets the Dragon Tamer on Hechicero again. Moriarty tries something but gets twisted into the London Dungeon again! Lee grabs the hand of Hechicero to ensure he doesn’t tap. Nigel rears all the way back, massively hyper extending the arm, and Moriarty has no choice but to tap!! NIGEL WINS!
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
Time: 15:34
Rating: ****1/4 – Beauitiful technical work from all four men here. Innovation without getting too cute too which I very much appreciated. Props to Lee Moriarty here too, who easily could have been overshadowed but was determined to show that he can hang with the very best. He really is very good and massively unsung as a talent. Still, this was predominantly about the dynamic between McGuinness and Garcia, and they played it fantastically. Great stuff that you don’t see each week; this match felt like a breath of fresh air.
*Rene Paquette joins Nigel in the ring to congratulate him on heading to Forbidden Door. Nigel asks the crowd if he’s ready for ZSJ. It’s a dream match for everyone and they will make it a reality in London. McGuinness asks to have a word with Garcia. Nigel says he was this close, one second away. Big round of applause for Daniel Garcia.
Garcia looks downtrodden. Nigel says the cheers of because of his heart, and it won’t be long until he has gold again. He has a favor to ask though. He wants Garcia in his corner as he faces Zack Sabre Jr for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Garcia shakes he hand of Nigel and raises his hand. Ohhhh the Garcia heel turn is happening next week, folks, and London is going to lose it. Nice.
And with that, we’re out! Bring on Forbidden Door week, woooooo!
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