All Elite Wrestling presents a live episode of Collision tonight.
Three matches have been advertised for the show ahead of time, including two championship bouts.
The AEW World Trios titles will be on the line as JetSet Rodeo’s Hangman Page, Kevin Knight, and Mike Bailey defend against The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Khan, and Toa Liona.
Claudio Castagnoli will defend the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship against Josh Alexander. Alexander was at Arena Mexico last night defending his Maple Leaf Pro World Championship in CMLL.
Former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa will return to the ring for the first time in eight months when she faces Julia Hart tonight. This will be her first match since competing in the Casino Gauntlet at AEW All In Texas. The night before that event, she wrestled Athena at Supercard of Honor.
Tonight’s show takes place at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California.
Our live coverage kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, & Toa Liona) vs. Jet Set Rodeo (Hangman Adam Page, Mike Bailey, & Kevin Knight) for the AEW World Trios Championship
Bailey and Ricochet started the match, but it was not long before Ricochet shoved Bailey into Knight, and then Kaun and Liona took out Hangman Page and Knight on the floor. The Demand isolated Page in the early part of the match, but Page continued to fight back, sending Ricochet to the floor and countered a back suplex attempt leaving an opening for Knight, who spring boarded in and hit a dropkick on Kaun and Toa.
Knight tagged in, but Ricochet yanked his hair and tagged out to Kaun, who quickly pounced and started beating on Knight. Bailey tagged in and hit a standing shooting star press on Ricochet after a moment. Bailey ate a knee to the back from Kaun, allowing Ricochet to attack from behind, sending Bailey to the floor, and Kaun started driving Bailey into the guardrail before sending Bailey into a charging Liona as they now started their first extended heat segment on the babyfaces.
Bailey and Liona started facing off after a few minutes, and Bailey had to use his speed and kicks to wear Liona down until he hit a dropkick from the top rope to create the opening that let him tag in Adam Page. Page then ran wild, hitting a fallaway slam on Ricochet, a dive on Kaun, and a Yakuza kick on Liona that sent him into the timekeeper’s area. Kaun and Liona rushed the ring and sent Knight and Bailey to the outside before allowing Ricochet to hit a 450 splash on Page for a 2-count.
Liona hit a fallaway slam/Samoan drop combo on Bailey and Knight, but it wasn’t long before Knight hit a springboard lariat on Liona in response while Bailey hit a moonsault to the floor on Kaun. Ricochet, however, hit Hangman Page with a poisonrana. Bailey hit a kick on Ricochet, Kaun hit a Pedigree on Bailey, Knight hit a DDT on Kaun, Liona took out Knight, Bailey took out Liona, Ricochet took out Bailey, and Hangman hit a tombstone on Ricochet and everyone was down.
Page hit Dead Eye on the apron on Liona, but ate a knee from Ricochet. Bailey hit a kick on Ricochet and then hit a triangle moonsault on Kaun. Ricochet pulled the referee in front of a Buckshot Lariat and hit Vertigo on Page for a 2-count. Ricochet went for the Spirit Gun but Ricochet was distracted by Jack Perry’s music hitting. Ricochet sent Hangman out of the ring and turned back to face Perry, but Hangman actually landed on the apron, so Ricochet turned around into a Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall.
Result: Jet Set Rodeo defeats The Demand and retains the AEW Trios Championship
–FTR walked up on The Rascalz, talking about their smoking habits and how they disapproved. FTR said he wish they won the tag team match to face FTR at the PPV, but they didn’t. The Rascalz then challenged them to an eliminator match, and FTR decided if they wanted a fight that badly, they would give it to them.
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. The Swirl (Blake Christian & Lee Johnson)
The entire family of Matt and Nick Jackson were in the crowd, including their brother Malachi, and all their own kids plus nieces and nephews, and their dad, who they once superkicked on a ROH PPV years ago. As The Swirl made their entrance, a promo aired with them and Jay Lethal, and it appears Lethal is acting as a mentor to The Swirl now. They promised to take it to the Young Bucks, and they threw a superkick at the camera, which made Jay Lethal laugh.
To say this match was fast would be an understatement, as all 4 guys moved at a ridiculous pace. The Bucks hit planchas to the floor on both men, but as Blake Christian got into the ring, he hit a tope suicida into a moonsault on the Bucks while Lee Johnson hit a tope con giro on both Bucks. An exchange of superkicks started, but it ended with Nick Jackson rolling up Blake Christian into a superkick from Matt Jackson, and Johnson was subsequently taken out with a superkick as well.
During the break, The Swirl managed to isolate Matt Jackson and started working him over, taunting Nick, allowing them to isolate Matt further when Nick tried to get in the ring but the referee stopped him. As they came back, Blake Christian was hitting a springboard moonsault to the floor on Nick Jackson, then hitting a combo Death Valley Driver and double stomp on Matt Jackson for a 2-count, but Nick made the save.
Matt Jackson got locked in a front face lock by Blake Christian, but Matt Jackson hit two Northern Lights suplexes until Lee Johnson knocked Nick Jackson off the apron, then Matt Jackson hit a Northern Lights suplex on both men before tagging out to Nick Jackson, who continues to be ones of the best hot tags in wrestling. The Bucks hanged Blake Christian on the ropes and Nick Jackson hit a double stomp on Christian that sent him flying off the ropes into a powerbomb from Matt Jackson for a 2-count.
Blake Christian hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor on Matt Jackson, catching him in a reverse DDT position, which was cool looking. Lee Johnson floated over the ropes and hit a splash off the apron into a Scorpion Death Drop on Matt Jackson on the floor. However, the Bucks regrouped quickly, hitting a Doomsday device on Lee Johnson which sent him moonsaulting onto Blake Christian. They then hit Christian with the BTE Trigger for the win.
Result: The Young Bucks defeated The Swirl
Great tag match here, with The Young Bucks again looking like the best tag team in the world. To be fair, they usually do that.
–A recap of MJF and Adam Page’s face to face on Dynamite aired. That was a great segment, so it was good seeing it recapped her.
–A recap of MJF facing Zilla Fatu at HOG wrestling aired, showing his successful defence of the AEW Championship, but also Andrade El Idolo’s interference in the match. Andrade said that MJF has a line of people looking for a shot in AEW, but he only gives shots to someone at HOG, and suggested MJF Was scared of him. MJF said that if Andrade wanted the AEW title, he better make sure he doesn’t miss when he takes his shot. This was great.
Josh Alexander (w/ Lance Archer) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Marina Shafir) for the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship
Like the last CMLL World Heavyweight Championship, they had Tony Khan present the title before the match, following CMLL rules. Alexander and Castagnoli started fast, with Claudio hitting the ropes so hard he looked as fast as the Young Bucks, and he caught Alexander in midair and hit a backbreaker. Castagnoli sent Alexander into the front row with a European uppercut. Castagnoli and Alexander exchanged chops and strikes in the middle of the ring.
Castagnoli sent Alexander back into the corner and hit a series of chops before hitting an overhead chop on Alexander in the middle of the ring. When they went to the floor, Alexander managed to attack the knee of Castagnoli’s knee, working it over the next few minutes to try and take the larger Castagnoli off his feet. Alexander locked a figure four leglock on Castagnoli as they came back from the break. Castagnoli rolled back and forth until he was able to turn the move over, forcing Alexander to break the hold.
Alexander responded by kicking Castagnoli’s leg out of his leg, but Castagnoli was still able to deadlift Alexander and drop him, leading to another striking battle, with Castagnoli using a series of hard European uppercuts. Castagnoli hit a cutter out of the corner that would have made DDP proud for a 2-count. Castagnoli went for the Giant Swing, but Alexander transitioned into a Boston Crab. Alexander got shoved away with Castagnoli’s leg strength, but managed to dodge a pump kick from Castagnoli before hitting a suplex on the apron. Castagnoli managed to counter a roll up into a double stomp on Alexander.
Alexander hit an enziguri on Castagnoli, but Castagnoli popped him up into a huge European uppercut for a 2-count. Castagnoli picked him up, but Alexander countered into a leg lock. Castagnoli countered it into a massive deadlift vertical suplex, which was insane. Castagnoli went for the Gotch Style Neutralizer, but Archer got on the apron. Marina Shafir hopped on the apron too and got in the face of Archer, letting Castagnoli hit a pump kick that sent him to the floor. Alexander hit a German suplex on Castagnoli. Castagnoli dodged a corner charge, did the giant swing, and hit the Neturalizer for the pinfall victory.
Result: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Josh Alexander to retain the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship
This was a very good title match. I have really enjoyed the CMLL title matches we have seen in AEW.
Megan Bayne vs. Becca
Poor Becca ate a dropkick as the bell rang and Bayne hit a German suplex and shoulder thrusts in the corner. The fans actually chanted quite loudly for Becca, but unfortunately it did not help as Bayne threw her around the ring, including a back suplex into the ring while Becca was on the apron. Bayne hit the running Liger Bomb for the pinfall finish.
Result: Megan Bayne defeated Becca
–We saw highlights of Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe, starting with Fletcher’s win over Tomasso Ciampa, and then Fletcher’s ladder match with Briscoe.
–Tomasso Ciampa was backstage with Lexy Nair, and he talked about how Kyle Fletcher took the TNT title to Australia and stayed there after beating Briscoe, but that he wanted to make it clear – when Fletcher was done with his vacation, he wanted to get his title back.
The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, PAC, & Wheeler Yuta) (w/ Marina Shafir) vs. The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Davis, & El Clon)
Yuta was wearing a touque (a beanie for my American friends) to cover his baldness, which is hilarious. This is a nice happy medium between using headgear and a wig, and just not caring about the baldness. PAC and El Clon had a fast exchange until Clon lured PAC into a punch from Davis, who tagged in and started to beat on the smaller PAC. Moxley ended up tagging in for a hot tag, and he hit a cutter on Davis, before the res of the Death Riders stacked Davis in the corner and all three men hit a series of attacks on him.
Moxley locked in the Bulldog Choke on Davis, but Takeshita came into the ring and broke up the submission before Davis hit a double sledge into the face of Moxley as they went to a break. Takeshita pulled Moxley to the floor and sent him into the barricade, and then back into the ring for Davis to hit a big forearm to the seated Moxley.
Moxley and Takeshita ended up exchanging forearms on the floor, but Moxley get sent into the steps and was down again. Clon and PAC ended up back in the ring, and it ended with PAC hitting a flying forearm on Clon and then a running hurricanrana on Takeshita, then a missile dropkick on Davis before hitting a top rope moonsault onto all three men on the floor. PAC and Shafir exchanged a high five and fist bump because PAC rules.
PAC hit a tombstone on Clon and went to hit something off the top rope, but Takeshita hit him with a forearm. Yuta hit the busaiku knee on Takeshita, and Moxley hit a double DDT on Davis and Clon, but Clon managed to pop up and handspring back onto his feet and hit a kick on Moxley. PAC hit a shotgun dropkick on Clon, and everyone was down.
Davis brought a chair into the ring, but Marina Shafir stole it from him, and Yuta blind tagged in on PAC before hitting Takeshita with a splash and going for Bryan Danielson’s Cattle Mutilation. Takeshtia hit a hard pump kick on Yuta, but Yuta grabbed the ropes and slingshotted back in but ate a forearm from Takeshita. Takeshita hit the Raging Fire on Yuta for the pinfall. Yuta managed to keep his touque on.
Result: The Don Callis Family defeated The Death Riders
–Takeshita and Moxley faced off against each other in the ring after the match, but Yuta and Davis came back in, and as Takeshita took out Yuta, Moxley took out Davis. Moxley then hit Takeshita with a Paradigm Shift, leaving him laying like Takeshita left Moxley laying in Australia last Saturday.
–The Babes of Wrath were backstage talking about how they had three title defences in the last week or so, and that every single time Penelope Ford and Megan Bayne have tried to beat them, they have failed, so if they were going to keep coming at them, Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron will keep beating them.
Julia Hart vs. Thunder Rosa
This was a decent match, though really not anything special. Thunder Rosa was clearly excited to be back. Hart, being a star, did get more offence than someone would normally get in this one, so it was more back and forth than some of the other return matches we have seen for stars against local enhancement talent. Hart locked on an Octopus Stretch after a tarantula, but Rosa powered out with a sidewalk slam. After a leg trip from Hart, she went for a moonsault, but Rosa countered by getting the feet up and hit the Fire Thunder Driver for the pinfall.
Result: Thunder Rosa defeated Julia Hart
–Thekla was in the crowd and cut a promo on Thunder Rosa. As Rosa was distracted, Julia Hart went to attack from behind, but Kris Statlander ran down to make the save.
–Private Party, the Bang Bang Gang, Dalton Castle, The Outrunners, and Anthony Bowens were partying backstage, and the men all identified the problem – there were no women there, to which Bowens was the only guy that cheered. That was funny. They then vowed to continue the party. That was fun, though I’m not sure its going anywhere.
–Gabb Kidd and Clark Connors interrupted Tony Schiavone and Excalibur running announced matches for the next few shows, and talked about how they are going to target Orange Cassidy next because he got involved in their business, and Kidd challenged Cassidy to a match anytime, anyplace.
The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) (w/ Myron Reed) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (w/ Stokely Hathaway) in a Title Eliminator Match
The family of the Young Bucks all booed FTR heavily, while they threatened the children of Matt and Nick Jackson. That was some good heel work there. Stokely eyed them all with disgust as they booed him. This was great. As Excalibur said Dax Harwood had the striking advantage over Zachary Wentz, Wentz slapped him so hard he collapsed. Wentz hit a torneo on Harwood and then tagged out to Xavier. Xavier was driven back into the corner and immediately dropped by FTR.
Wheeler sent Xavier into the guardrail multiple times and then got in the face of Matt Jackson’s kids, telling them this is what would happen if they didn’t stay in school while chopping Xavier. That was funny. They also shoved Malachi, Matt & Nick’s brother. FTR continued to beat on Xavier in the ring. Harwood went for a slingshot suplex on Xavier, but he countered it and escaped it, hitting a kick and going for a sunset flip. Wentz leapfrogged Harwood, who was hanging onto the ropes, and hit Wheeler while Xavier got a nearfall on Harwood.
As this was going on, Tony Schiavone announced that Swerve Strickland was fined $100,000 for his attack on Kenny Omega after their match on AEW Dynamite, further establishing his heel turn. I liked that note, though it would have been good to hear it after a recap video. That said, I’ll take what I can get. Harwood hit a Tiger Driver on Wentz for a 2-count. Xavier made a save and helped Wentz hit the Hot Fire Flame, but Harwood got the knees up and then hit a brainbuster on Wentz for a 2-count.
Dezmond Xavier went for a tope suicida on Cash Wheeler, but he hit a flying knee as Xavier came out and crashed face first to the floor. Myron Reed was then attacked by Wheeler, and as he was attacking, The Young Bucks came down to shoe the referee what was happening. This distracted Cash Wheeler, who grabbed a chair to chase off the Bucks, but Harwood turned into a superkick and The Rascalz hit the Hot Fire Flame and pinned Harwood!
Result: The Rascalz defeated FTR in a Title Eliminator Match
–GoA ran down to the ring and attacked the Young Bucks, and Papa Buck shoved Harwood, so Stokley Hataway threw powder into the face of Papa Buck and dragged Malachi into the ring and hit a spike piledriver. Jack Perry tried to run down to make the save, but had his head taken off by Ricochet with a Spirit Gun, and the Bucks and The Rascalz tended to Malachi, who sold that piledriver really well (he was once a wrestler as well, but only worked from 2004-2010, but that sell was great).
Final Thoughts
The closing angle for the show was a big heat angle, and further establishes FTR as attacking family members of the people they are facing. They have not done this since Toronto against Beth Phoenix, but now did it again here with Malachi Jackson. It seems like a pretty strong hint that Adam Copeland and Christian Cage are going to be back soon, but also helped add heat to the match with the Young Bucks, while the main event itself established yet another contender for the tag titles in The Rascalz, and hinted at GoA being in the picture too. I like having multiple teams gunning for the tag titles the way there are multiple people going after MJF for the World title. That makes the programs around the titles interesting, and it means we have several different directions they can go, which is always good. Good episode of AEW Collision this week.
