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AEW COLLISION REPORT
FEBRUARY 28, 2026
DENVER, COLOR. AT MISSION BALLROOM
AIRED ON TNT & HBO MAX
REPORT BY JOSHUA WHITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Excalibur & Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Arkady Aura
Attendance: WrestleTix reported 2,500 tickets distributed. The arena has a capacity of 3,950 spectators when configured for concerts.
[HOUR ONE]
-The show went directly to live in the arena and Tony Schiavone welcomed everyone to Saturday Night Collision.
-MJF’s music played and he marched down to the ring, microphone in hand, immediately yelling to cut the music. He said the show doesn’t start until Revolution is rectified. He said he’s not a deathmatch indie bum, but a real professional wrestler, the best on the planet. MJF demanded that Tony Khan get his “bony ass” to the ring to change the stipulation. He said that Collision doesn’t start until something is done. JetSpeed’s music played and Kevin Knight made his way out to the ring to MJF’s annoyance.
Knight took a microphone and said it’s nice to see him. Knight said he’s been getting the job done, getting wins, and keeping MJF from weaseling his way out of the stipulation. Knight called MJF a “crybaby-ass bitch.” Knight said the people are tired of his old “better than you” routine. Knight said he dresses better, has more swag, and added that he is also way more handsome. Knight said he’d make a better world champion also. He added that he is both the future and the here-and-now.
MJF called Knight an arrogant child and told him to get onto a jet on over to El Paso for Dynamite for a title match. MJF told Knight he’s not the future, or the now, he’ll only be “history.”
-Mark Briscoe was backstage, and said he’s glad Ciampa is here, but he’s got a challenge in Jay Lethal. Ciampa briefly ran down their history in ROH, before saying he’s getting back to his TNT title. Lethal told Ciampa that beating him will be another notch in his belt, after beating him for the ROH TV title many years ago.
(1) THE DEATH RIDERS (Wheeler Yuta & Pac & Daniel Garcia & Claudio Castagnoli w/Marina Shafir & Jon Moxley) vs. THE DON CALLIS FAMILY (Lance Archer & Josh Alexander & Trent Beretta & Rocky Romero)
The Death Riders’ music played, and the entire group marched through the backstage area, through a tunnel, through the crowd, and to the ring. Moxley took a seat as the announce table before The Callis Family entered. The death Riders did push-ups at ringside while they waited for Archer, Alexander, Beretta, and Romero to get to the ring. The bell rang to start the match ten minutes into the show.
Garcia charged Romero and went for a wristlock, which Romero escaped. Garcia dodged some wild punches and dropped Romero with a shoulder tackle. Garcia hit a low dropkick and tagged in Pac. Garcia and Pac hit Romero with a double hiptoss and Garcia followed with a running low forearm. Pac hit a standing moonsault and hooked the leg but only got a two count.
Romero rolled to his corner and tagged in Alexander as Claudio tagged in as the crowd chanted “take your hat off” to Yuta. Alexander kicked Claudio in the knee, but Claudio came back with a deadlift gutwrench suplex. Archer tagged in and stared down Claudio. Alexander hit Claudio from behind allowing Archer to hit a trio of running back elbows on Claudio in the corner.
Romero and Beretta tagged in, but Claudio dropped them both with a. double clothesline. Yuta got the tag to a chorus of boos. Yuta hit the ropes, but Alexander swept his legs out. Alexander attempted to take off Yuta’s hat, but Pac broke it up. Garcia took Beretta out with a back suplex and Romero hit Garcia with a roundhouse. Claudio tossed Romero out of the ring and Archer hit Claudio with a big running crossbody.
Everyone brawled at ringside as Yuta and Archer fought in the ring. Yuta escaped a choke slam by biting his hand and hitting a DDT. Yuta performed a running flip over the ropes onto Alexander, Romero, and Beretta at ringside. Everyone continued to brawl in front of the commentary desk until Yuta rolled Beretta into the ring. Yuta hit a snap suplex and floated into a cover, but Beretta kicked out at one.
Pac tagged in and hit Beretta with a series of kicks topped off with a running single leg dropkick. Pac landed a running boot in the corner and climbed onto the middle rope. Romero grabbed Pac’s leg long enough for Beretta to bring him down with a back suplex. Beretta draped Pac over the top rope allowing Romero to hit a dropkick from the top rope. Romero and Berette high-fived as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Alexander stomped on Pac in the corner. Alexander snapmared Pac out of the corner and locked in a headlock. Pac fought his way to his feet and delivered shots to Alexander gut. Alexander took Pac down and climbed to the second rope. Alexander went for a flying knee, but Pac sidestepped and took Alexander down with a German suplex that left both men down.
Romero and Berette knocked Garcia and Yuta off the apron and attempted to double team Pac, but Pac hit Beretta with an enziguri and Romero with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Pac made the tag to Claudio who booted Archer off of the apron and hit Beretta with a flurry of uppercuts. Claudio hit Alexander with uppercuts to and then hit Beretta and Alexander with running uppercuts in opposite corners.
Claudio got Alexander up for the giant swing. Beretta came in from the top rope, but Claudio tossed Alexander aside and caught Berette with a big European uppercut, knocking him out of the air. Claudio tagged in Yuta and held him up as Yuta came off the top rope with a clothesline. Yuta went for the pin, but Beretta kicked out at two.
Romero caught Yuta with a blindside knee, allowing Beretta to tag in Archer. Archer planted Yuta with a big chokeslam that actually knocked Yuta’s hat off of his head. The crowd cheered and Yuta quickly slipped it back on, despite the damage from the chokeslam. Claudio slid in with a chair, distracting the ref, while Marina slipped in behind and jumped onto Archer’s back with a sleeper. Archer flung Marina off his shoulders but then charged into a dropkick from Yuta, and thrust kick from Pac, and an uppercut from Claudio.
Yuta, Claudio, Garcia, and Pac had a quick huddle in the ring before hitting a series of running attacks on Archer in the corner. Castagnoli hit powerslam on Archer and then assisted Yuta from the top rope with a Fastball Special. Yuta went for the pin, but Romero and Garcia broke it up.
Romero took Yuta down with a sliced bread and went for the pin, but Yuta kicked out at two. Romero went for a second sliced bread, but Yuta shoved him off and delivered a the Busaiko knee. Wheeler went for the pin and got the win.
WINNERS: The Death Riders in 15:00
(White’s Take: Owing to the seemingly limitless membership of The Callis Family, I suppose we’ll continue to get all manner of permutations of the Death Riders fighting various members of the Callis Family until the end of time, which may be coming sooner than some of us thought. One can only hope that after Moxley and Takeshita meet at Revolution, these groups can make like the third best Journey song and go their separate ways. Oh, the match? Yeah, it was a good opener with solid action throughout, but nothing of much consequence of interest to be found.)
The Death Riders celebrated in the ring until Takeshita’s music played and he made his way out with a microphone in hand. No words were spoken though, as Takeshita and Moxley immediately started to brawl. The rest of the Callis Family entered the fray and it was a full-scale brawl. They momentarily separated Moxley and Takeshita but they went at each other again and brawled up the ramp. Eventually they were separated again. [c]
(2) TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. JAY LETHAL (w/ Blake Christian & Lee Johnson)
Ciampa’s music played as the lights dimmed and he made his way out. The presentation remains impressive as he walked to the ring with flames shooting up from the stage. Lethal made his entrance accompanied by The Swirl. The bell rang to start the match 34 minutes into the show.
Lethal went for a quick rollup but only got a one count. Lethal and Ciampa exchanged words resulting in a shove from Ciampa and a slap from Lethal. They traded open hand chops and Ciampa eventually hit a stiff back elbow and a big boot followed by a back suplex.
Lethal reversed a whip and shot Ciampa into the corner. Lethal set Ciampa up in the ropes and attacked him until the ref pulled him off. Christian entered like a blur and hit Ciampa with a sliding German suplex, slamming Ciampa down from the middle rope and slipping out of the ring like nothing happened.
Lethal pummeled Ciampa on the mat. Lethal dropped Ciampa with a running back elbow and then strutted in the ring. Ciampa rolled to the floor, where Johnson tried to attack him, but Ciampa blocked a right hand and delivered one of his own. Christian leapt at Ciampa off of the steps, but Ciampa ducked it and leveled Christian with a clothesline. As Ciampa tried to get back into the ring, Lethal caught him with a springboard dropkick knocking him back to the floor. Lethal hit Ciampa with a. suicide dive that knocked Ciampa over the announce table as they went to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial as Ciampa chopped Lethal back into the corner. Lethal escaped a whip and climbed to the top rope, but Ciampa met him with a big chop. Ciampa climbed up with Lethal and Lethal fought him off with right hands and a big chop that knocked Ciampa to the mat.
Lethal pointed to the sky and went for a flying elbow, but Ciampa got his feet in the air. Lethal landed on his feet, avoided Ciampa’s feet and set up for a figure four, but Ciampa countered it into a rollup for a two count. Ciampa rocked Lethal with a forearm but ran into a Lethal combination backbreaker and flatliner.
Lethal climbed back to the top rope and went for another elbow drop. Ciampa rolled out of the way, and as Lethal landed next to him, Ciampa rolled him into a crucifix pin. Lethal kicked out at two and came back with a hard chop. They traded chops, and forearms and then Lethal landed a thrust kick. Lethal missed the Lethal Injection but caught Ciampa with a surprising normal cutter.
Lethal hit the handspring into the ropes for a second attempt at a Letah Injection, but Ciampa hit a sliding dropkick to the face. Ciampa followed up with a powerbomb into double knees to the back. Ciampa made the cover, but Lethal kicked out at two. Ciampa lowed his knee pad. Johnson hopped onto the apron, distracting Ciampa and allowing Christian to charge him from behind. Ciampa ducked and backdropped Christian over the top rope onto Johnson.
Lethal rolled Ciampa up from behind for a quick two count. Ciampa quickly hopped from his knees and delivered a basement dropkick followed by a running, exposed knee to Lethal’s face. Ciampa made the cover and got the win.
WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa in 10:00
(White’s Take: This was a good match to get Ciampa some momentum, presumably headed towards a rematch with Fletcher. Lethal was never going to win, but the match didn’t overstay it’s welcome, with the Swirl running interference to keep Ciampa on his toes.)
-They cut to The Iinspiration backstage bragging about their debut in Australia. They were upset at Hayter and Windsor for ruining their moment. They said they will make their debut on Dynamite next week. [c]
The returned from commercial with a Tarantino-esque vignette for The War Dogs, featuring a bare-chested Clark Connors saying he knows how to fight dirty. They intercut video of him fighting as he said “no one ever wins in a fight.”
(3) THE BRAWLING BIRDS (Alex Windsor & Jamie Hayter) vs. GYPSY MAC & TYRA RUSSAMEE
Hayter and Windsor entered to their Brawling Birds theme as Gypsy Mac and Tyra Russamee waited in the ring. The match started when the bell rang 50 minutes into the show.
Hayter trounced Gypsy with rights and delivered an exploder suplex. Hayter tossed Gypsy into the corner so she could tag in Tyra. Windsor entered and fought Tyra back into the corner. Windsor snapmared Tyra out of the corner and delivered a kick to the back. Windsor made the cover, but Tyra kicked out at two.
Tyra got Windsor in a headlock, but she punched her way out of it and tagged in Hayter. Hayter pummeled Tyra while Windsor dropped Gypsy outside of the ring with a clothesline. Hayter delivered chops in the corner and tagged Windsor in to hit some on Tyra as well. The hit Tyra with a. double suplex and then crushed her with a. double clothesline followed by The Hart Attack, which Nigel called Two Birds, One Stone. Windsor made the cover and got the win.
WINNERS: The Brawling Birds in 4:00
-Lee Johnson and Blake Christian were backstage talking about a $200,000 tag match coming up. Private Party said they’d use the money to party. The Outrunners said they could buy a golden mansion with the money. Rush and Dralistico said they were coming to Tucson to collect.
(4) PROTOKADA (Kyle Fletcher & Kazuchika Okada) vs. TOP FLIGHT (Dante Martin & Darius Martin w/Christopher Daniels)
Kyle Fletcher’s music played to bring him to the ring in excessive head gear, wearing his pink variation of the TNT title. Okada made his entrance, complete with pyro, followed to the ring by Don Callis. Top Flight made their entrance alongside Christopher Daniels. Callis joined the commentary team as the bell rang to start the match 58 minutes into the hour.
Darius took Okada down with a headlock and Okada escaped and took Darius down with one as well. Fletcher got a tag and he and Okada dropped Darius with a double big boot. Darius came back with a back elbow and a dropkick on Fletcher. Dante tagged in and landed a running clothesline in the corner.
Darius hit Fletcher with a snap suplex and Dante came in with a flipping senton over the top rope. Dante made the cover, but Flether kicked out at two. Okada grabbed Dante’s leg from the outside, allowing Fletcher to clothesline Dante over the top rope to ringside. Okada planted Dante with a DDT on the floor as they went to break. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
Back from commercial, Dante reversed a back suplex into a crossbody. Okada tagged in and went after Dante, but he flipped over Okada and made the tag to Darius. Darius took Okada down with a Spanish fly and then nailed Fletcher with dive to the outside. Darius hit Okada with a jumping shoulder in the corner and then executed a northern lights suplex into a pin, but Okada kicked out at two.
Okada caught Darius with a flapjack and tagged in Fletcher who hit Darius with a thrust kick followed by a Michinoku Driver. Flether went for the pin, but Darius kicked out at two. Darius dodged a running kick in the corner and tagged in Dante who connected with a kick. Dante and Darius hit Fletcher with a combination shotgun dropkick and German suplex. They followed up with a double gourdbuster. Dante made the cover, but Okada broke up the pin.
Okada pulled Dante off of the apron and then hit Christopher Daniels with a running boot. Fletcher and Darius traded shots int eh ring until Fletcher dropped Darius with a lariat. Okada tagged in and went for a Rainmaker. Darius ducked it and hit the ropes but ran into a dropkick. Okada followed up with another Rainmaker, which connected this time.
Okada didn’t go for the pin, opting instead to tag in Fletcher. Fletcher booted a recovering Dante off of the apron and then delivered his brainbuster to Darius in the center of the ring. Fletcher made the pin and got the win.
WINNERS: Protokada in 10:00
(White’s Take: This was a fun tag team match that reminds us that Top Flight can put on very athletic and entertaining matches. Even Okada played his part well while Fletcher continued to shine.)
Fletcher grabbed a mic after the match and urged Denver to say his full name. They didn’t. Fletcher declared himself and Okada the greatest champions in the history of the company. He said they’re unstoppable as Protokada. JetSpeed’s music played bringing Knight and Bailey out to the stage. Bailey reminded them that he beat Fletcher in the continental Classic, and that Knight beat Okada as well. Knight said they math doesn’t work, and Okada interrupted to say they’ve never beat Protokada………biiiiiitch. The crowd chanted “bitch.” JetSpeed still went on to challenge them to a tag team match. Knight went on to say that he’d love to defend the AEW title against Okada after he beats MJF. Bailey chimed in to admire Fletcher’ “cow udder pink” TNT title, saying he’d like a shot at it. Bailey also said they’d defend the trios titles against Okada, Fletcher, and another of the 12,000 Callis Family members. Knight said it’s always Jet Set Rodeo on top………bitch.
-They threw to a video highlighting the Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, Darby Allin, and Orange Cassidy saga. Darby said there’s a reason he hasn’t died, because he has so much more to offer. Darby said it would be showtime. Cassidy said nothing, but he did put on his sunglasses.
(5) “TIMELESS” TONI STORM (w/Luther) vs. ZAYDA STEEL (w/Christopher Daniels)
“Timeless” Toni Storm’s music played as they screen went to black and white. Toni and Luther made their way to the ring as Zayda Steel waited in the ring. The bell rang and the match was underway 14 minutes into the second hour.
Toni offered a handshake, which Zayda received, kissing Toni’s hand. Toni took Zayda down with a headlock, which Zayda escaped with a headscissor. Zayda offered handshake of her own. Toni caressed Zayda’s arm and then grabbed a wristlock. Zayda came back with headlock. Toni short Zayda off the ropes, who came back with a shoulder block, but bounced right off Toni. Toni urged her to try again, which she did, with the same result.
Zayda took Toni down with a running huricanrana followed by a running elbow and a shotgun dropkick. Zayda went for the pin, but Toni kicked out at two. Zayda attempted a suplex, but Toni blocked it and delivered a scoop slam followed by a snap suplex. Toni floated into the cover for a two count. Toni got Zayda in a double underhook, but Zayda escaped.
Zayda knocked Toni into the ropes and delivered a lungblower in the ropes that knocked Toni to the floor. Zayda hit the opposite ropes and caught Toni with a a suicide dive. Zayda gave Christopher Daniels a high five before returning Toni to the ring. The crowd chanted for Toni as Zayda climbed to the top rope. Zayda connected with a. flying crossbody into a pin, but Toni kicked out at two.
Toni came back with three consecutive German suplexes. Toni blasted Zayda in the corner with a hip attack. Toni pulled her out of the corner and planted her with the Storm Zero. Toni made the cover and picked up the victory
WINNER: “Timeless” Toni Storm in 8:00
(White’s Take: This was more or less a squash match, but in AEW fashion was longer than necessary and the loser got in more offense than necessary. Still, it’s a good look for Zayda Steel that she had quite a bit of offense on a former world champion).
Marina Shafir came out of nowhere and blindsided Toni in the ring. Toni came back with a Thesz press followed by a flurry of white hands. Yuta slid into the ring to pull Toni off of Marina. Toni pulled of Yuta’s hat, revealing his bald head for a huge pop from the crowd. Yuta sprinted through the crowd so no one would see his bald head. Toni tried on his hat as Marina stared her down. [c]
-They returned from commercial with Hook walking through a back alley. He said The Opps are recruiting and everyone wants to join them. Hook stopped some random guy, asked him if he wrestled and if he wanted to join the Opps. Hook said “I bet you do” and walked away shaking his head. Hook bumped into Anthony Bowens, who said he’s had Hook’s back, and would continue to do so as a member of The Opps. Bowens ran down his accomplishments as a former tag champ and The Pride of Professional Wrestling. Hook said they are friends, but this is business. He said The Opps are killers. Hook questioned whether Bowens was a killer, and told him he’d think about it.
(6) SISTERS OF SIN (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) vs. KRIS STATLANDER & THUNDER ROSA
Julia Hart and Skye Blue made their spooky entrance, with no sign of Thekla. Statlander made her entrance, with “Cosmic Killer” printed on her wrist covers. Thunder Rosa was out next. The bell rang to start the match with Rosa and Hart 26 minutes into the hour.
Hart charged Rosa, but was met with a series of right hands and chops. Rosa caught Hart with a pair of dropkicks and a sliding clothesline. Rosa made the cover, but Hart kicked out at two. Blue grabbed Rosa’s hair from the apron, allowing Hart to fight back. Blue tagged in and they hit Rosa with a double team flapjack. Blue went for the pin, but Rosa kicked out at two.
Rosa came back with slap and rammed Blue into the corner. Rosa knocked Hart off the apron and then nailed Blue with a running clothesline in the corner before tagging in Statlander. Statlander entered and hit a running knee in the corner on Blue followed by a spinning Michinoku Driver. Statlander held on for the pin, but Blue kicked out at two.
Statlander lifted Blue onto her shoulders, but Blue elbowed her way out of it and made the tag to Hart. Statlander met Hart with a boot and tossed her into the corner. Statlander charged into a boot but still followed up with a clothesline in the corner. Statlander went for a suplex, but Hart flipped out and made a tag to Blue. Statlander slammed Hart face first into the mat with an inverted scoop slam. Statlander followed up with a low clothesline on Hart.
Hart rolled out of the ring and Statlander hit the opposite ropes. Statlander went for the dive, but Blue, the legal competitor, hit her with a. boot in the ropes. Hart followed up with a neckbreaker in the ropes. Blue got a running start and delivered a running kick on Statlander. Blue stepped on Statlander in a cocky pin, but Statlander easily got her shoulder up as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Hart delivered a clothesline on Statlander in the corner and tagged in Blue. Hart took Statlander’s arm, walked the ropes and jumped to the apron in a super arm wrench. Blue charged Statlander, but she stepped out of the way and Blue hit Hart on the apron. Statlander mule kicked Hart into the corner and then catapulted Blue into her in the corner.
Statlander crawled and made the hot tag to Rosa, who cleaned house, dropping Julia and Blue with right hands, back elbows and clotheslines. She hit each with running basement dropkicks in opposing corners. Rosa delivered a Northern Lights suplex on Blue for the pin, but Hart broke it up.
Rosa tossed Hart out of the ring, but Blue caught her with a. jawbreaker. Blue tagged Hart in, but Rosa dropped her with a cutter and tagged in Statlander. Statlander hit a pump kick on Hart, but Blue caught Statlander with a swinging neckbreaker. Rosa took Blue out with a lungblow and then Hart took Rosa down with a back heel trip. Statlander charged Julia, but Julia blocked her clothesline and delivered the double foot sole food, kipped up and hit Statlander with a thrust kick for good measure.
Blue and Hart executed a double team gourdbuster on Statlander and then drilled her with a double thrust kick. Hart made the cover, but Rosa charged through Blue, pushing her onto the pile to break up the pin. All four women brawled from their knees to their feet in the center of the ring. Blue and Hart hit Rosa and Statlander with simultaneous thrust kicks. Blue and Hart set for the tag finisher, but Rosa dragged Hart under the ropes and rammed her into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Statlander hit Blue with a big German suplex. Rosa rolled Hart into the ring where Statlander scooped her up and drilled her with the Saturday Night Fever. Rosa tagged in and delivered the fire thunder driver on Hart. Rosa made the cover and got the win.
WINNERS: Kris Statlander and Thunder Rosa in 11:00
(White’s Take: This match probably could’ve been a squash, as the Sisters of Sin aren’t much of a threat, particularly against two former world champions. However, Julia Hart and Skye Blue held their own in this match and ended up making it an entertaining affair, despite the obvious result.)
As Statlander and Rosa celebrated their victory, Thekla appeared on the stage with a microphone. She said if there’s one thing she can’t stand, it’s not one, but two dumb bitches (what?). Thekla asked Rosa if she’s ready to get toxic. Thekla told Statlander to tell Rosa how she made her cry, and bleed, and took her title. Thekla said she doesn’t fight to win, she fights to kill. She suggested Rosa retire before asking the crowd to give it up for the past of the women’s division, because it now belongs to her. [c]
(7) ANDRADE EL IDOLO (w/Don Callis) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII
Andrade’s music played and he walked onto the stage, where he removed his mask before making his way to the ring. Callis came in behind Andrade, wished him luck, and then made his way back to commentary. Ishii made his way to the ring, with no sign of his hip injury. The bell rang to start the match 44 minutes into the second hour.
Ishii shrugged off a shoulder block and delivered a series of forearms. Ishii threw Andrade into the ropes, who caught himself like a spider, resting on the middle ropes in tranquilo pose. Ishii charged and Andrade rolled to the apron and caught him with a shoulder to the midsection. Andrade climbed to the top rope, but Ishii caught him with a forearm and climbed up with him. Ishii set up for a superplex, but Andrade blocked it and headbutted Ishii off the rope. Andrade jumped from the top rope and connected with a flying crossbody into a pin for a two count.
Ishii came back with chops and then dropped Andrade with a shoulder block. Ishii hit the ropes and Andrade caught him with a single leg dropkick that knocked Ishii through the ropes to the floor. Andrade jumped to apron and went for a moonsault, but Ishii grabbed his legs and pulled Andrade down into the apron face-first.
Back in the ring, Ishii chopped Andrade into a corner. Ishii charged into a boot from Andrade. Ishii went for a back suplex, but Andrade rouged at his eyes and hit Ishii with a running kick. Andrade made the cover, but Ishii kicked out at two. Andrade tossed Ishii to the floor and delivered a chop against the barricade. Andrade rammed Ishii’s head into the table a few times. Andrade found a willing lady front row who took a picture with him before they cut to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial as Andrade delivered a suplex. Andrade held on and went for another, but Ishii countered it into his own suplex. Ishii chopped Andrade in the corner and caught Andrade with a back suplex. Ishii hit the ropes and went for a running lariat, but Andrade ducked it and delivered the three amigos suplexes to Ishii. Andrade made the cover, but Ishii kicked out at two.
Andrade pounded the mat as Ishii rolled into the corner. Andrade went for running doble knees int eh corner, but Ishii rolled out of the way and landed a German suplex. Andrade rolled through, sprang to his feet and charged into a headbutt from Ishii. Ishii drilled Andrade with a sliding clothesline and made the over, but Andrade kicked out at two.
Andrade blocked a brainbuster attempt and they traded forearms until Andrade tossed Ishii face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Andrade charged and landed the running double knees in the corner. Andrade hooked the leg, but Ishii kicked out at two. Andrade climbed to the top rope and went for a moonsault, Ishii rolled back, but Andrade landed on his feet and connected with the follow-up standing moonsault. Andrade went for the pin, but Ishii kicked out at two.
Andrade set up for The DM, but Ishii broke free and landed an enziguri followed by a running lariat. Ishii went for a brainbuster, but Andrade escaped, hit the ropes and blasted Ishii with his spinning back elbow. Andrade made the dover, but Ishii kicked out at two. Frustrated, Andrade lifted Ishii back up and delivered The DM. Andrade hooked the leg and got the win.
WINNER: Andrade El Idolo in 14:00
(White’s Take: Andrade looked like a million bucks if you accept that Ishii is a stone-cold Japanese legend. If you’ve only seen him lumbering around the ring chopping and no-selling in AEW, it’s a less impressive win for Andrade. Nonetheless, it was a solid and enjoyable match with snug offense from both competitors. A solid, clean win in the main event should help to keep Andrade towards the top of the card, as a viable challenger to Hangman should he beat MJF at Revolution. Also, Andrade and Bandido at Revolution should be an amazing match, further solidifying Andrade as a possible world title challenger.)
-After the match, as Andrade celebrated, Bandido’s music played and he walked down to the wring, clapping. Andrade took his pants off and Bandido offered a handshake. Andrade spat in Bandido’s hand, so Bandido came back with the finger gun pointed at Andrade. Bandido pointed at the Revolution sign with his other hand, implying a match at Revolution as they went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS: MJF opening the show automatically made this episode of Collision feel bigger than normal. The fact that it ended up being a vehicle to get to a match with Kevin Knight is less impressive, but star power is still welcome on Saturday Nights. The star power continued to spread across the rest of the show, featuring more than just the scrub portion of the Death Riders, Fletcher, Okada, Toni Storm, current and former women’s champions Thekla and Statlander, Ciampa’s return, and Andrade in the main event. We got some decent promos, but those were mostly building towards matches on Dynamite and beyond. The matches were, as expected, good from an in-ring standpoint. They were also generally longer the necessary without a hint of drama. The winners were obvious in every match, except for the Death Riders and Callis Family match, where it just doesn’t matter at all who wins that because nothing is settled and the fighting will never stop. Still, anyone who can look past those deeply-ingrained Collision flaws will find a breezy, mostly-enjoyable two hour wrestling show that dedicated about an hour and fifteen minutes of its runtime to in-ring action.
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