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AEW COLLISION REPORT
NOVEMBER 27, 2025 (recorded 11/26)
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT THE PINNACLE
AIRED ON TNT & HBO MAX
REPORT BY JOSHUA WHITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Excalibur & Nigel McGuiness & Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Arkady Aura
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 1,360 tickets had been distributed; arena was set up for 1,395. The arena has a capacity of 4,500 spectators when configured for concerts.
[HOUR ONE]
-Pyro blasted in the arena as Excalibur welcomed everyone to the show and said the show would be starting with action in the Continental Classic.
(1) PAC vs. “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY – Continental Classic match (Gold League)
Excalibur wasn’t exaggerating as they immediately went into the Death Riders’ musical motif. Pac’s music interjected itself as they cut backstage to Pac sitting alone in a steel chair in relative darkness, illuminated only by red light. Pac marched past his stablemates and through the crowd to the ring. The showed the current standings in the Gold League before Speedball’s music played to bring him to the ring,
The bell rang to start the match four minutes into the show. Bailey immediately dodged a clothesline and missed a kick before they traded chops in the center of the ring. Pac landed a kick to the gut, but Bailey came back with the rapid-fire kicks. Pac escaped to ringside, Bailey hit the ropes for a dive, but Pac met him on the apron. Bailey went for a kick, but Pac dodged it and Bailey got his foot hung up on the top rope. Pac swept his feet out from under him and dragged Bailey under the bottom rope.
Pac nailed Bailey with a snap suplex on the floor before shoving him into the barricade. Pac rammed Bailey into the barricade again before rolling him into the ring. Pac made the cover, but Bailey kicked out. Pac wringed Bailey’s arm and whipped him hard into the corner turnbuckles. The crowd chanted “Let’s go, Speedball” as Pac stomped away at Bailey.
Pac locked in a grounded cravate, and Bailey struggled to his feet. Pac took Bailey down with a snapmare and followed up with a dropkick to the back of the head. Pac nailed Bailey with a running uppercut in the corner. Bailey collapsed into the center of the ring and Pac went for the pin, but Bailey kicked out at two.
Bailey reversed a whip attempt, effortlessly hopped onto the middle rope and delivered a shotgun dropkick to Pac. Bailey hit a combination of kicks punctuated by a roundhouse that dropped Pac. Bailey executed a running shooting star press into a pin, but Pac kicked out at two.
Pac rolled to the outside again, and again, Bailey hit the ropes. Pac met him on the ring and caught his kick, but Bailey was prepared and took Pac down with a back sweep that knocked him to the floor. Bailey got a running start and caught Pac with a triangle moonsault from the inside of the ring onto Pac at ringside as they went to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial Pac ran up the ropes to Bailey on the top rope and took him down with a huge avalanche belly-to-belly suplex. Pac crawled into the cover, but bailey kicked out at two. Pac climbed to the top rope, but Bailey got to his feet. Pac leapt over him but ran into a kick.
Pac dodged a pair of kicks before Bailey landed a kick. Pac came back with a kick of his own and snap rebounding German suplex. Pac set up for a powerbomb, but Bailey reversed it and drilled Pac with his moonsault double knees, leaving both men down. They both got to their feet by the eight count.
Pac and Bailey traded weak kicks that picked up in intensity as they went along. They both got a running start and both caught each other with simultaneous running boots to the face. Both men went down, and they rolled out to opposite sides of the ring. They met eyes and charged each other again; and again, they ran into each other both connecting with running kicks.
Bailey dragged himself to his feet to come face-to-face with the Continental title. Bailey went for a kick, but Pac caught his foot. Bailey flipped out of it, but Pac rammed him into the announce desk and then drilled him with a German suplex on the floor. Pac slid into the ring and instructed the ref to count as Bailey struggled on the outside.
Bailey barely made it onto the apron at nine. Pac went for a sliding dropkick, but Bailey leapt over him and connected with a springboard moonsault on the outside. Bailey rolled Pac into the ring and climbed to the top rope. Bailey went for a shooting star press, but Pac rolled out of the way. Bailey landed on his feet, but Pac immediately caught him with an overhead belly-to-belly that launched Bailey into the turnbuckle.
Pac got a running start, hit both ropes and ran directly into a spin kick from Bailey. Bailey set up for the Time Adventure kick, but Pac ducked it and rolled him up for a two count. Pac went for a German suplex, but Bailey landed on his feet and then planted Pac with a reverse hurricanrana.
Bailey hit a thrust kick and then a spinning kick on Pac in the corner. Bailey climbed the ropes and went for the Ultima Weapon (shooting star press into double knees), but Pac rolled out of the way. Pac got a head of steam, and blasted Bailey with a nasty running lariat. Pac went directly into The Brutalizer submission. Bailey was basically already unconscious and the ref called for the bell.
WINNER: Pac in 15:00
(White’s Take: Quite good; an enjoyable opening match. If you’re into kicks, this one doubly delivered. Continental Classic matches have the advantage not being entirely predictable which added a nice intrigue that made the match that much better.)
-They cut backstage to Okada watching a monitor backstage as Excalibur revealed that Pac will be facing Okada on Dynamite next week.
-Lexy caught up with Daniel Garcia with Jon Moxley backstage. Garcia told her to not even ask a question. Garcia said he has to drop off the dead weight of Daddy Magic. Garcia said he appreciates all he’s done for him, but Menard would bleed for him one last time. Garcia said after he beats Daddy Magic he’s setting his sights on the TNT Championship. [c]
-Renee was backstage with Brodido, asking where they got following their loss of the tag titles. Bandido said he felt a little sad, but also proud of what the accomplished. He said Brody was his brother and he wouldn’t lose again. Brody said he was also proud, but noted that Brodido isn’t over, and they’ll be around, gunning for the tag titles for a long time. Brody went on to remind Bandido that he has to defend the ROH title at Final Battle. Schiavone noted that Rush was supposed to challenge for the title, but couldn’t do to injury. So instead Bandido will defend against five other randos.
(2) DANIEL GARCIA (w/Jon Moxley) vs. “DADDY MAGIC” MATT MENARD
Some music played, and it must’ve been Garcia’s theme, because he and Moxley appeared backstage and entered through the crowd. Moxley joined the commentary team as Matt Menard’s equally unfamiliar entrance theme played.
The bell rang and the match started 28 minutes into the hour. Menard yelled at Garcia before they locked up. Moxley put Garcia over as a future top guy as Menard forced Garcia into the corner. Garcia hit a cheap shot on Menard in the corner. Menard shoved Garcia hard.
Garcia charged Menard in the corner, but he sidestepped it and pummeled Garcia. Garcia rolled out of the ring and tossed Garcia into the barricade. Menard yelled at Moxley and returned to punching away at Moxley against the barricade. Menard slammed a chair in anger as Garcia rolled into the ring.
Menard slid into the ring and Garcia met him with an assault. Garcia forced Menard into the corner with punches and knees to the midsection. Garcia posed on the turnbuckle as the crowd booed. Garcia feigned his dance before flipping off the crowd. Menard came up suspiciously bleeding from his forehead as they went to break. [c]
They returned from commercial as Menard struggled to escape a Boston crab. Menard rolled out of it and then locked Garcia in a Boston crab. Garcia crawled to the ropes to break the hold. Garcia rolled to ringside and Menard followed. Garcia caught Menard with a kick to the gut and drilled him with a DDT on the floor.
Garcia slammed Menard’s face into the announce desk repeatedly before sliding Menard in between the stairs and ringpost. Garcia got a running start and dropkicked the stairs, ostensibly crushing Menard. Garcia returned to the ring as the ref made his count. Menard barely made it in at nine.
Menard yelled something at Garcia before collapsing in the center of the ring. Menard mocked Garcia’s dance. Garcia took a wild swing, and Menard dodged it and rolled him up for a two count. Garcia hit Menard with a flurry of open-handed strikes.
Menard forced Garcia into the corner with body shots. As the referee broke it up, Garcia fired out of the corner and connected with a running kick. Garcia grabbed Menard and locked in a Moxley-style bulldog choke. Menard struggled, crawled, and came within inches of reaching the ropes before he passed out.
WINNER: Daniel Garcia in 12:00
-Garcia told the downed Menard that he just needed him to bleed one more time for him. Garcia posed before Mark Briscoe’s music played. Briscoe made his way down to the ring with the TNT title (which featured a white and gray digital camo strap). The crowd chanted “Dem boys” as Briscoe took a microphone. Briscoe said he was thankful to be in Nashville and to be TNT champion. A “you deserve it chant” broke out as Moxley hopped onto the apron and whispered into Garcia’s ear. Briscoe said he heard Garcia saying he was coming for the TNT title. Briscoe ran down a number of Thanksgiving foods he intended to devour, capping it off by saying he’ll devour Garcia.
(White’s Take: I’m so glad those knees to the midsection busted open Daddy Magic’s forehead, otherwise we may have ended up going a full week without bloodshed. The match was nothing special with an obvious winner, but I appreciate Menard’s intensity and Moxley adds some nice spice on commentary. I think Garcia is a good first challenger for Briscoe’s title as well.)
-Ricochet was backstage with Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun, holding the absolutely necessary National title. Ricochet said he’s the trendsetter and that he knows what he’s capable of. He ran down his victories over Ospreay, Swerve, and Briscoe. Ricochet said he has elevated AEW and will travel the globe to represent the company. He said he was thankful for Liona and Kaun. Liona told Ricochet that he reserved them a spot at a nice restaurant, even though it was, unfortunately, in Nashville.
-Tony Schiavone was in the ring to welcome FTR to the ring. Their music played and they made their entrance with Stokely. They kicked Schiavone out of the ring and Stokely said that it was the best night of his life, because FTR were the tag team champions. Stokely went on to tell the “lore” of FTR, which was just they overcame everything. Stokely got emotional as he introduced FTR. The lights went out and The Bang Bang Gang appeared on top of the stage. Juice and Austin marched down to the ring as the commentators reminded everyone that they hold a recent victory over the newly-crowned tag champs.
Austin congratulated FTR before Juice said that FTR are the best. Juice said they won $200,000 last week, and while they have a little green, now they want a little gold. Juice reminded FTR that they’ve beaten them a few times before, and next time the titles better be on the line. Austin said they’ll also be fighting for Colten and Jay White. He signed off with the “guns up” thing. [c]
(White’s Take: I know these two teams can have a good match, they did it a few weeks ago. This kind of makes that random loss make sense for FTR, but it’s clear they won’t lose when they meet next time. Juice and Austin are the least exciting permutation of members of the Bang Bang Gang. Juice & Jay or Austin & Colten are both superior pairings.)
-They returned from break as MxMTV completed their entrance in Wizard of Oz inspired outfits. Tin Mansoor told everything to shut up and insulted the audience before announcing the “casting call.”
(3) MXMTV (Johnny TV & Mansoor & Mason Madden w/Taya Valkyrie) vs. THE OUTUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) & DALTON CASTLE
The Outrunners made their way to the stage. Dalton Castle entered with a group of boys who remained behind as he made his way to the ring. Dalton found his third best friend in the front row, country music performer Michael Ray.
[HOUR TWO]
Dalton and the Outrunners posed in the center of the ring and MxMTV assaulted them from behind. They brawled and the bell rang one minute into the second hour. At ringside, Johnny TV lifted Taya Valkyrie up and powerbombed her into Dalton Castle. In the ring, Mansoor hit a few punches in the corner, but Magnum countered it into a powerbomb.
Turbo tagged in and took everyone down, hitting bodyslams on Johnny and Mansoor before Madden caught him with a leg lariat. Mansoor and Madden mocked The Outrunners “You Son of a Bitch” elbow drop, but Turbo rolled out of the way and made the tag to Castle.
Castle ducked a kick from Madden, leaving the big man straddled across the top rope. The Outrunners bounced him up and down on his crotch as Castle hit a suplex on Mansoor and Johnny. Madden finally escaped but stumbled into another suplex from Castle.
Mansoor walked in Magnum’s arms and he and Turbo hit him with the Total Recall. The Outrunners landed their tag team elbow drop before Castle hit the Bang-a-Rang on Mansoor. Castle made the dover and picked up the win.
WINNERS: The Outrunners & Dalton Castle in 3:00
-The Outrunners and Castle celebrated in the ring but were interrupted by Ricochet on the microphone. He told the crowd not to boo him, surprisingly eliciting boos from the crowd. Ricochet slowly walked down the aisle, joined by Toa Liona, as Bishop Kaun snuck into the ring. Kaun blindsided Castle with a shotgun dropkick. Liona joined him and they dropped Turbo with their double crucifix powerbomb. The hit Castle with a double team faceplant as Ricochet continued to talk, addressing Michael Ray. Ricochet got in his face and Ray shoved him to the ground. Security came down to break it up as Michael Ray jumped the rail.
(White’s Take: Michael Ray is no Jelly Roll in terms of popularity, but Ricochet feuding with semi-celebrities is still preferable to The Demand continuing to work with The Hurt Syndicate.)
-Lexy was backstage with Don Callis and the majority of his family of eight. Don said he was thankful that they have three points in the Continental Classic. Rocky was thankful for his sweet Don Callis jacket. Hechicero said something in Spanish. Mark Davis wasn’t hankful for anything. Josh Alexander was grateful for Don’s wisdom. Fletcher was thankful for his health and watch. Takeshita was thankful to be in the Continental Classic, and for the family. Okada said he was thankful that he doesn’t have to team with Takeshita, leading to some arguing as they cut back to the arena.
(4) KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. EDDIE KINGSTON
Shibata made his entrance with no sign of The Opps. Eddie made half of his entrance, but Shibata met him on the ramp. They brawled to ringside where Shibata rammed Eddie into the barricade. Shibata set up a chair, rammed Eddie’s face into it, sat him down in the chair, and then kicked him over.
Shibata rolled Eddie into the ring where the ref asked if he was good to go. Eddie responded affirmatively and lit Shibata up with a chop as the bell rang 12 minutes into the hour. Eddie reversed a whip, hit a knee to the midsection followed by a double underhook suplex. Eddie made the cover, but Shibata kicked out at two.
Shibata forced Eddie back into the corner, but Eddie fought out with a chop. Shibata ducked a chop and nailed Eddie with a German suplex. Shibata grinded his boot into Eddie’s face in the corner. Shibata took Eddie over with a snapmare and grabbed a double wristlock. Shibata held Eddie down and stomped on his arm and went back to the wristlock. Eddie fought his way to the ropes to break the hold. Shibata continued to strike Eddie in the corner as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Shibata hit Eddie with a low blow, right in front of the referee. He didn’t get disqualified, but when he went for an armbar on Eddie, the ref broke it up, as punishment for the low blow, apparently. Shibata charged into a boot from Eddie. Eddie planted Shibata with a DDT and made the cover for the win.
WINNER: Eddie Kingston in 7:00
After the match Eddie said he wouldn’t speak about what Hook did. Somebody yelled “we love you, Eddie.” Eddie stopped to address the crowd, saying he didn’t feel like he deserved that love. He went on to say he just does him, and he’s not trying to get a character over. He said he is pro wrestling, and loves the crowd because they love pro wrestling. There were a number of bleeped phrases before Eddie expressed concern over Samoa Joe leading Hook down the wrong path. Eddie said he has no peace in life, only when he’s in the ring. He challenged Joe to a match for the title at the Winter is Coming Dynamite.
(White’s Take: Eddie looked better in the ring than he has of late, but still far from dynamic. On the plus side, they finally let him do the thing he’s best at and cut a live promo. People will likely overrate this promo as some kind of state-of-the-art masterclass in mic work. Truthfully, it was meandering, scattershot, weirdly-profanity-laden, and a bit rah-rah pro wrestling. Yet, Eddie is never lacking in authenticity or emotion, and that’s what made this compelling in spite of my quibbles. Eddie invites the audience in, they connect with him, get behind him, and are willing to go on the ride with him. In that sense, this was everything a promo should be.)
-They went to Red Velvet backstage, praising Statlander and Mercedes’ match at Full Gear. She said the only reason Mercedes beat her, is because she saw an opening and took it. She challenged Mercedes to a rematch for the ROH TV title at Final Battle. [c]
(5) THEKLA vs. TAY MELO
Thekla’s music played and she made her way the ring by herself. Tay Melo entered, also alone, and sporadically danced on her way to the ring. The bell rang to officially start the match 30 minutes into the hour.
Tay charged Thekla, but Thekla ducked, threw Tsy to the mat and hit her with overhand strikes. Tay took Thekla down and pummeled her briefly until Thekla rolled her over for some strikes of her own. Tay turned it back over and hit a few downed forearms before Thekla covered up.
Back on their feet, Tay took Thekla down with a few judo throws before hitting her with a kick to the back. Tay made the cover, but Thekla kicked out at two. Tay locked in a reverse gogoplata. Thekla struggled, thrashing on the mat and kicking until she finally got her foot on the rope.
Tay charged Thekla, but Thekla caught her with a drop toe hold that knocked Tay onto the ropes. Thekla got a running start, resisted doing a 619 even though Tay was in perfect position, and just booted her through the ropes, onto the ramp. Thekla followed her out and suplexed Tay onto the ramp as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Tay hit Thekla with a forearm shot. Thekla shrugged it off with a smile and a giggle. Thekla ducked the next one and hit Tay with an open hand slap. Tay dramatically ut her hair up and caught Thekla with an open hand chop before punching her down. Tay hit the ropes but ran into big right hand that dropped Tay.
Thekla grabbed Tay and put her into the Deathlock. Tay seemed like she may have passed out, but she suddenly rolled Thekla into a pin that forced her to break the hold. Thekla nailed Tay with a kick to the face. Thekla went into her spider pose, and went for the spear, but ran right into a knee from Tay.
Tay followed up with a Gotch-style piledriver. Tay went for the pin, but Thekla kicked out at two. Tay tried to set Thekla up for the Tay-KO, but Thekla stomped on her foot and then caught her with a short spear. Thekla followed up with the curb stomp, made the cover, and got the three-count.
WINNER: Thekla in 9:00
After the match, Skye Blue and Julia Hart came down to the ring and beat down Tay as the announcers noted that Anna Jay wasn’t in the building. Jamie Hayter’s music played and she ran down to the ring to make the save. Jamie checked on Tay as the Triangle of Madness surrounded her. Kris Statalnder charged the ring as her music played to make the save for the outnumbered Hayter. [c]
(White’s Take: Not the best showing, but Tay isn’t bad and Thekla continues to look dominant. After the inevitable tag match, Thekla could be an interesting challenger for Statlander.)
(6) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. RODERICK STRONG – Continental Classic match (Blue League)
Takeshita made his entrance with no sign of the Callis Family. Roderick strong made his entrance wearing a Paragon shirt, which is maybe still a thing. Don Callis joined the announce team as they noted that Strong was filling in for the injured Kyle O’Reilly.
The bell rang to start the match 45 minutes into the second hour. They wrestled to the mat and then traded standing wristlocks. Strong grabbed a headlock and forced Takeshita to the mat. Takeshita powered his way back to his feet. Strong went for an abdominal stretch, but Takeshita countered it with a hip toss.
Takeshita caught Strong with a flying clothesline. Takeshita hit a forearm in the corner and went for the running knee, but Strong sidestepped it and hit Takeshita with a backbreaker. Strong stomped away at Takeshita before hitting a forearm to the back and few chops.
Takeshita rolled out of the ring, and Strong followed with a wrecking hall dropkick through the ropes. Strong rammed Takeshita into the barricade and set up for a back suplex onto the barricade. Takeshita countered it and slammed Strong down with a spinning back suplex onto the barricade. The back of Strong’s head caught the brunt of the move across the barricade. Strong clutched his head as they went to break. [c]
They returned from commercial as Strong elbowed his way out of a headlock. Takeshita hit a forearm but charged into a dropkick from Strong. There was a dueling chant of “Let’s go Roddy” and “Takeshita.” Strong slipped out of a blue thunder bomb attempt and hit Takeshita with an olympic slam.
Strong hit the Cloud Nine followed by a tiger driver into a pin attempt. Takeshita kicked out but Strong held on attempting to apply the Stronghold. Takeshita escaped the hold. Strong went for a backbreaker, but Takeshita blocked it and hit a blue thunder bomb on Strong. Takeshita held on for the pin, but Strong kicked out at two.
Takeshita landed a running boot in the corner and then set Roddy up for a brainbuster on the turnbuckle. Takeshita got him up, but Strong escaped and landed a kick that rocked Takeshita on the top rope. Strong hit a chop and climbed up onto the turnbuckle with Takeshita. Strong lifted Takeshita up and dropped him back-first across the top turnbuckle. Strong made the cover, but Takeshita kicked out at two.
Strong went for a jumping knee, but Takeshita blocked it and landed and elbow strike. Strong came back with an enziguri followed by a fireman’s carry into a gutbuster. Strong followed up with a torture rack drop into a backbreaker. Strong went for a running kick, but Takeshita sidestepped it and hit strong with a German suplex.
Strong struggled to his knees and Takeshita blasted him with the running power drive knee. Takeshita followed up with the Raging Fire straight into the pin and picked up the victory.
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita in 13:00
(White’s Take: This is a good and worthy Collision main event. While Takeshita was the obvious favorite, seeing Okada lose on Wednesday granted a nugget of doubt that made this all the more enjoyable.)
They showed the scores for the Blue League of the tournament as Takeshita celebrated his win and they went off of the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall, a very solid episode of Collision. The Continental Classic forces some stakes onto a show that usually has none. While we didn’t have any big upsets on the show, the results from Dynamite imbued these matches with a welcome unpredictability. We even got the blow off to a long running feud between Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard which felt right at home randomly in the middle of Collision. Eddie Kingston challenging Samoa Joe for the title is also a juicy storyline development to which Collision is not accustomed.
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