SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION REPORT
MARCH 28, 2026
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA AT ALLIANT ENERGY POWERHOUSE
AIRED LIVE ON TNT & HBO MAX
REPORT BY JOSHUA WHITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Arkady Aura
Attendance: WrestleTix reported 2,148 tickets distributed of 2,451. The arena has a capacity of 9,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened on the arena with the crowd chanting “A-E-Dub” as Tony Schiavone welcomed everyone to the show.
(1) DIVINE DOMINION (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) vs. BABES OF WRATH (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) – AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship match
The remix of Willow’s music played to bring out the Babes of Wrath. Bayne’s more serious music played to bring out Kross and Bayne. All four women stood face-to-face in the center of the ring before the bell rang to start the match three minutes into the show.
The match started with Kross and Harley brawling to ringside while Willow and Bayne traded shoulder tackles in the center of the ring until Bayne dropped Willow with a big shoulder tackle. Willow cartwheeled out of a whip attempt and hit Bayne with a back suplex.
Willow hit Bayne with a series of clotheslines in the corner before pulling out and hitting a scoop slam. Harley tagged in, hit the ropes and connected with a sliding single leg dropkick. Kross slid in and Harley and Willow double clotheslined her over the ropes. Harley connected with a crossbody from the top on Bayne into the pin for a two count.
Kross picked Willow’s ankle from the outside and dragged her out onto her shoulders before slamming her down face-first into the apron. Kross held Willow as Bayne went for a suicide dive to the outside. However, Bayne’s feet got hung up in the rope and she faceplanted onto the floor right in front of Willow. Bayne quickly got to her feet like nothing happened.
Bayne and Kross double team whipped Willow into the barricade. Kross rolled Willow back into the ring where Bayne hit her with repeated shoulder thrusts in the corner followed by an avalanche splash. Kross tagged in as Bayne hit Willow with a butterfly suplex. Kross drilled Willow with a sliding clothesline and went for the pin, but Willow kicked out at two. Kross hit Willow with an elbow as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Kross whipped Willow into the corner and charged in with a back elbow. Bayne tagged in and Kross and Bayne hit Willow with back-to-back running pump kicks in the corner. Bayne executed a German suplex into the pin, but Willow kicked out at two. Kross tagged in and charged Willow, but she ducked and pulled down the rope sending Kross tumbling to ringside. Willow dodged Bayne who flew through the ropes as well. Kross reentered, but Willow rolled under her clothesline to make the hot tag to Harley.
Harley charged in with right hands on Kross. Harley hit a running clothesline and a big boot and finally took Kross down with a neckbreaker. Harley took Kross down with a cazadora into an arm drag and transition into a single leg crab. Bayne knocked Harley out of the hold.
Willow and Harley hit simultaneous kicks on Bayne and Kross and then hit the ropes in an attempt to hit a simultaneous crossbody, but Bayne and Kross caught Willow and Harley. They hit stereo fallaway slams and then tossed Harley and Willow into opposite corners and took turns running back and forth landing running strikes on each in opposite corners. Kross went for the pin on Harley, but she kicked out at two.
Harley fought to her feet but Bayne and Kross set her up for a stalling suplex. Harley countered it into a double DDT. Harley made the tag to Willow. Willow and Bayne traded forearms until Willow landed a German suplex. Kross charged in and Willow gave her a German suplex also. Willow hit Bayne and Kross with a double shotgun dropkick from the middle rope.
Willow tagged in Harley, put her on her back and dropped her onto a downed Bayne. Harley hooked the leg, but Bayne kicked out at two. Harley climbed to the top rope, but Kross grabbed her by the throat. Harley fought Kross off with a headbutt, but that allowed Bayne to climb up with her. Bayne lifted Harley onto her shoulders, but Harley slipped off and flipped into a powerbomb attempt. Kross tried to intervene, and Harley shoved her off with her feet while hanging from Bayne.
Willow blindsided Kross with a pounce as Harley finally completed the powerbomb. Harley stacked Bayne up, but Bayne kicked out at two. Harley grabbed Bayne and locked in a single leg crab. Kross charged in, but Willow took her down and slapped a single leg crab on her as well. Bayne managed to crawl to the ropes to break the hold.
Willow and Harley went for a double-team on Bayne, but Kross broke it up. Kross knocked Willow out of the ring and Harley managed to hold Bayne and Kross at bay with a flurry of strikes. Kross eventually caught Harley from behind and delivered a German suplex as Bayne hit a running boot on her as well. Kross and Bayne followed up with a double chokeslam and Bayne made the pin on Harley for the win.
WINNERS: Divine Dominion in 13:00 to retain the AEW Women’s tag titles
(White’s Take: Not a bad opener, but not amazing, and Bayne’s scary botched dive to the outside didn’t help the flow of the match. Kross and Bayne look great as an imposing tag team, and Willow and Harley play good underdog babyfaces who just can’t match their strength.)
-Lexy was backstage with the Brawling Birds who were lamenting Mina’s loss to Thekla on Dynamite. Mina appeared to tell Thekla that they’re not finished, and that she’ll take out anyone in her way. Hayter challenged any group of three women to a match tonight. Windsor signed off with Hayter saying whoever steps forward, the don’t give a flying expletive.
(2) MYRON REED (w/Zachary Wentz & Dezmond Xavier) vs. JOHNNY TV (w/Mansoor & Mason Madden)
The Rascalz music played to bring out Myron Reed along with his teammates. MxM stepped out onto the stage as their music played and then stepped aside to let the bald version of Johnny TV through. Johnny made it to the ring and the bell rang to start the match 19 minutes into the hour.
Madden grabbed Myron’s foot immediately, allowing Johnny to hit a stringboard roundhouse. Myron rolled out of the ring, where Mansoor and Madden stalked him before the Rascalz stepped in to keep them separate. Back in the ring, Johnny took Myron over with a snapmare into a chin lock.
Myron flipped out of a back suplex attempt and went for a jumping DDT, but Johnny blocked it and executed a twisting neckbreaker. Johnny made the cover, but Myron kicked out at two. Johnny went to the corner to set up for Starship Pain, but Myron rolled him up for a quick two count. Myron tied Johnny up in the ropes, landed a kick to the back and a leg drop over the top rope. Myron made the cover, but Johnny kicked out at two.
Myron and Johnny dodged kicks back and forth until Myron connected with a thrust kick. Myron lifted Johnny up into a slingshot flatliner off the top rope. Johnny came back with a. sort of rolling Alabama slam followed by a running PK. Johnny made the cover, but Myron kicked out at two.
Johnny set up for the Starship Pain, but Myron rolled out of the way and Johnny crashed and burned. Johnny dodged a leg lariat and went for a clothesline, but Myron dodged it by falling to his back and immediately kipping up into a cutter on Johnny. Myron climbed to the top rope and connected with a 450 splash (which, because he’s young, he calls the “NoCap Splash”) onto Johnny. Myron went for the pin and picked up the win
WINNER: Myron Reed in 4:00
(White’s Take: Essentially a squash match to get over Myron Reed’s innovative offense and next-level athleticism. It accomplished that, although him using a 450 splash as his finisher was immediately undercut when Isiah Kassidy did one that was just another move in the middle of the next match.)
-The Death Riders were backstage somewhere and Garcia said sometimes things have to change, and he’s changed a lot. Garcia said he’s become the version of himself he was meant to be while Private Party were missing for a year. Moxley said they play hard, but can they work hard? Moxley asked what they were going to buy with the $200,000 they won in a match a few weeks ago. Moxley said they can’t buy heart and that they’re not willing pay, because they’re swimming with the real sharks. [c]
-Lexy was backstage with Private Party to ask thema bout their match with Moxley and Garcia. They said partying was fun but tonight isn’t about that. Isiah said he hasn’t forgot what they did to his hand. He said it’s their time and they’re not missing a second, ‘cause they’re turning chaos into opportunity.
(3) THE DEATH RIDERS (Jon Moxley & Daniel Garcia w/Claudio Castgnoli) vs. PRIVATE PARTY (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy)
Moxley and Garcia were backstage with Claudio. Garcia told the camera that something has to change before they came out through the crowd. They showed the replay from over a year ago when Moley hit Isiah’s hand with a hammer. Private Party passed their “bouncer” and made their way to the ring while Claudio and Garcia did pushups at ringside. The bell rang to start the match 33 minutes into the show with the crowd chanting for Moxley.
Isiah escaped a wristlock with a flip but Garcia flipped it around and took Isiah to the mat to boos. Isiah took Garcia down with an armdrag, but he blocked the second attempt and slapped Isiah across the face. Isiah took Garcia down and pummeled him. Isiah forded Garcia into the corner and wailed on him until the ref broke it up.
Garcia tagged Moxley in who traded chops with Isiah. Moxley offered Isiah a free forearm and fired back with a forearm that knocked Isiah to the mat. Isiah rolled under a clothesline and tagged in Quen who delivered an enziguri to the back of Moxley’s head as Isiah held him in an inverted atomic drop.
Quen and Isiah took Garcia down with a double facebuster and then set up for the poetry in motion on Moxley in the corner. Moxley countered it by jumping over Quen and leveling Isiah with a lariat. Moxley grabbed Quen in a headlock and forced him into the corner where Garcia delivered a series of stomp while Moxley retained his hold. Moxley tossed Quen through the ropes to the floor as they went to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial as Moxley and Garcia stomped Quen in the corner. Quen caught a charging Moxley with a boot and landed a spinning kick that stunned Moxley. Isiah tagged in as did Garcia. Isiah knocked Moxley off the apron and took Garcia down with a flurry of strikes. Isiah delivered a boot from the apron to Moxley on the floor and then hit Garcia with a knee. Isiah executed a top rope springboard moonsault onto Moxley at ringside.
Isiah climbed to the top rope and hit a senton atomico onto Garcia in the ring. Isiah hooked the leg, but Garcia kicked out at two. Garcia came back with an overhand chop, but Isiah planted him with a Canadian destroyer. Moxley attempted to toss Isiah out of the ring, but Quen was ono the apron to silly string him back into the ring right into a DDT on Moxley.
Quen and Isiah nailed Garcia with an assisted cutter. Quen wiped Moxley out at ringside with a flipping dive over the rope as Isiah climbed to the top turnbuckle. Isiah delivered a 450 splash onto Garcia and hooked the leg, but Garcia kicked out at two. A “this is awesome” chant started as both men were down.
Quen lifted Garcia onto his shoulders, but he slipped off and shoved Quen through the ropes to the floor. Garcia distracted the ref while Claudio blasted Quen with a European uppercut on the outside. Garcia took advantage of the distract Isiah and rolled him up into a Dragon Tamer attempt, but Isiah countered it into a rollup for a two-count.
Isiah hit Garcia with a spinning enziguri but Moxley slid in from behind and hit Isiah with a cutter. Garcia drilled Isiah with a piledriver in the center of the ring. Garcia made the cover, but Isiah just barely kicked out at two. Garcia, frustrated, punched away at Isiah. Garcia grabbed Isiah’s legs and sat down into a tight Dragon Tamer. Garcia leaned in deep and Isiah tapped out.
WINNERS: The Death Riders in 12:00
(White’s Take: Fine stuff in the ring, but the dissonance between Moxley’s character and the rest of the Death Riders was on display yet again. Garcia was booed opposite of the sympathetic babyfaces in Private Party. Isiah, in particular, is upset because Moxley literally smashed his hand with a hammer last year. However, when Moxley entered, the crowd was completely behind him, which doesn’t help Private Party and their otherwise understandable desire for revenge.)
-The Demand was backstage and Ricochet called out Kenny Omega. They went on to claim that Brody King isn’t the baddest man in AEW, because they’re a group of killers. Ricochet addressed Jack Perry, saying he’s beaten him multiple times. Ricochet claimed that Kenny used his EVP privileges to get GOA removed from the battle royale where he lost the National title. They said, the result of their match on Wednesday with be The Demand up.
(4) MINA SHIRAKAWA & THE BRAWLING BIRDS (Alex Windsor & Jamie Hayter) vs. NIXI XS & AMINAH BELMONT & HAVEN HARRIS
Mina’s music played and she danced her way out to the stage before the Brswling Birds music played and she was joined by Hayter and Windsor as they made their way to the ring. Their opponents were waiting in the ring and just looked happy to be there. The bell rang to start the match 49 minutes into the show.
Alex Windsor immediately dropped Nixi with a running lariat. Mina tagged in and she along with Hayter charged into the ring and dropped Aminah and Haven with running boots. They stacked Nixi, Aminah, and Haven into a single corner and took turned hitting running attacks on them. Hayter and Windsor held Aminah and Haven in plus so Mina could hit a double missile dropkick from the second rope.
Nixi was left alone, surrounded by Hayter, Windsor, and Mina. She got smashed between a double clothesline from Hayter and Windsor and they followed up with their Two Birds One Stone finisher. Mina slapped on a figure four and Nixi tapped out.
WINNERS: Mina Shirakawa & The Brawling Birds in 2:00
-After the match, Hayter grabbed a mic and asked the crowd if they’d care for “a few words with the birds.” The crowd gave a muted but still affirmative reaction. Hayter said they love beating the piss out of women with Mina. Hayter said they had nothing to do with Toni. Windsor said Mina’s loss on Dynamite was a “piss take.”
Thekla appeared in the crowd with Julia Hart and Skye Blue. She said “No, no, no, we’re not doing this.” She reminded them that she is the world champion and they are nothing. She said none of them can handle Thekla or the Sisters of Sin. She added that none of the “silly bitches” can handle the Triangle of Madness. Thekla swore on “the cold dead body” of Toni Storm they will end up just like her. Mina grabbed the microphone and challenged the three women to a match and threatened to beat the piss out of them. Thekla didn’t seem concerned, and mocked Mina’s dancing from the crowd as they went to commercial. [c]
(White’s Take: Mina gets some backup from Windsor and Hayter, presumably to set up a rematch for the women’s title at Dynasty. Thekla’s promo from the crowd was good, as she seems to excel in short promos opposite of someone, and she dind’t say anything about being or getting toxic.)
-Lexy was backstage with Fletcher, Okada, and Mark Davis where she brought up the Callis Family attacking Darby Allin. Fletcher didn’t want to talk about it, except to say he loved watching Mar Davis, the “big beautiful man” piledrive Darby. Fletcher clarified that he’s not a fan of the relationship with MJF, and that they should be challenging for the world title. Fletcher went on express his distress of losing the trios title, mostly because he and Okada got more money as double champions. Fletcher said tonight is all about revenge.
Okada said he’ll get revenge and that they will see why he is the greatest champion in history. Okada emotionally told Fletcher that he saw what he had to say to Takeshita on Dynamite and wanted to remind him than Protokada are the leaders of the Don Callis Family. Fletcher said Okada will retain his title, they will be the Rascalz, and then his focus is on the world championship.
(White’s Take: Fletcher has been good in his backstage promos lately, and I especially like his continued focus on winning and holding titles.)
[HOUR TWO]
(5) TOMASSO CIAMPA vs. ACE AUSTIN (w/Juice Robinson)
The arena went Dark and Tomasso Ciampa made his entrance and got a positive reaction from the crowd. Ace Austin made his entrance accompanied by Juice Robinson. Ciampa angrily kicked Austin’s jacket out of the ring as the announcers reminded everyone that Ciampa eliminated Ace from the battle royale at Revolution and that Juice eliminated Ciampa. The bell rang to start the match two minutes into the second hour.
Ciampa forced Ace into the ropes and grabbed a wristlock. Ace attempted to flip out of it, but Ciampa tossed him to the mat by the hair. Ace hit a low kick on Ciampa and rolled Ciampa up for a two count. Ace caught a kick attempt and tossed Ciampa over the top rope to the floor. Ciampa slid into the ring and charged at Ace, who ducked and pulled the top rope sending Ciampa back to ringside.
Ciampa looked frustrated and slid back into the ring. Ace tried to pull the top rope down on him again, but Ciampa, having learned his lesson, pulled up short and stomped Ace into the mat. Ciampa attempted to toss Ace out of the ring, but Ace reversed it and sent Ciampa back to the outside. Ace hopped onto the apron and dodged Ciampa acrobatically before landing a boot to the face. Ciampa walked around the ringpost, but Ace leapt from the apron, over the turnbuckle, and onto Ciampa with a crossbody at ringside.
Back in the ring, Ace hit a running clothesline on Ciampa in the corner followed by a flurry of clotheslines. Ace lifted Ciampa onto his shoulders, but Ciampa slipped off and landed a big right hand. Ciampa flipped Ace over the top rope to the apron and then drilled him with the Widows Bell DDT through the ropes.
The crowd chanted for Ciampa as he delivered a big chop against the barricade. Ciampa attempted to roll Ace back into the ring, but he rolled right back out and right into a headscissor that took Ciampa down. Ace connected with a roundhouse and tossed Ciampa back into the ring. Ace tried to hop on the turnbuckle, but Ciampa caught him and executed a neckbreaker across his knee as Ace was hung up on the top rope. Ace crumpled into the ring as Ciampa mockingly clapped and they went to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial as Ciampa chopped away at Ace against the ropes. Ace came back with a chop of his own. Ace landed a crossbody and a side Russian leg sweep. Ace hit a standing leg drop followed by a running forearm in the corner. Ace landed a double-step-off-the-rope spinning kick to Ciampa. Ace lifted Ciampa up into a gutwrench powerbomb into the pin for a two count.
Ace delivered kicks and chops to Ciampa on his knees. Ciampa caught a kick attempt and hit an overhand chop. Ciampa went for a suplex, but Ace blocked it slammed Ciampa to the mat with the move his calls the Bangarama. Ace went for the House of Cards leg-trap facebuster, but Ciampa was ready and swept his legs out from under him. Ciampa followed up and hit Ace with a Project Ciampa that looked like it broke him in half. Ciampa made the cover, but Ace kicked out at two.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome” as Ciampa delivered a running knee that knocked Ace off of the apron to the floor. Ciampa rolled Ace into the ring, but when he tried to slide into the ring, Ace caught him between his legs and landed the House of Cards. Ciampa recovered on the outside, holding his neck as the announcers focused in Ciampa’s history of neck issues. Ace hit the opposite ropes and landed a Fosbury Flop to the outside.
Ace rolled Ciampa back into the ring and went for his step-thru spinning kick again, but Ciampa hit him in midair with a jumping knee strike. Ciampa lifted Ace up onto the top turnbuckle and climbed up with him. Ciampa lifted Ace up onto his shoulders and leapt off into an avalanche air raid crash. Ciampa laid an arm across Ace for the pin, but he managed to kick out at two.
Ciampa chopped at Ace on his knees. Ace fired up and fought back with shots of his own, making his way to his feet and landing a series of short-arm clotheslines. Ciampa fired up, ducked the next clothesline and went for a back suplex, but Ace flipped out, landed on his feet and landed a kick to Ciampa’s face. Ciampa collapsed onto Ace, who deadlifted Ciampa onto his shoulders and delivered a running Death Valley Driver into the corner.
As Ciampa got to his knees, Ace got a running start, looking for The Fold, but Ciampa countered it with an overhead belly-to-belly that flung Ace into the corner hard. The crowd cheered loudly as Ciampa lowered his knee pad and delivered a stiff running knee to Ace. Ciampa made the cover and got the win.
WINNER: Tomasso Ciampa in 14:00
(White’s Take: Ciampa said he wasn’t in AEW to have instant classics, but he’s still definitely delivering the goods in the ring. Ciampa does a great job of infusing his character into the match and telling a story between the ropes. Ace had his flashy offense and showed his mettle, but Ciampa is just too good right now and they seem to be setting up a match with Juice in the near future.)
-Juice checked on Ace after the match and turned around just as Ciampa seemed poised to strike. Ciampa left the ring as they stared each other down.
-Lexy was standing by with The Rascalz, first congratulating Myron on his singles win before asking how they’re feeling. Zachary said they’re filling good and they’re here to take over. Dezmond said they’ve made a huge splash and will make a bigger splash when they beat the Callis Family. Dezmond noted that Fletcher and Okada both hold titles and previously held the trios titles, so beating them would do something, but he somehow got lost in the math of it. Zachary popped in to tell him that a win would put them in title contention. They signed off with a “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.” [c]
-Harley and Willow were recovering backstage. Willow looked back at their tag ran fondly. Harley told Willow she should focus on the TBS title going forward. Harley said she’ll go wherever the wind takes her. They emotionally told each other they’re “always babes.”
(White’s Take: This seems like the end of the Babes of Wrath, thankfully leaving Willow to focus on the TBS title. Maybe time away from Harley will help Willow develop a more serious character and help the women’s division as a strong midcard champion of possibly as a good babyface challenger to Thekla.)
(6) THE CALLIS FAMILY (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. THE RASCALZ (Zachary Wentz & Dezmond Xavier w/Myron Reed)
Kyle Fletcher’s music filled the arena as the lights went pink. Fletcher and Davis entered as a pair and made their way to the ring. The Rascalz music played and the th4ee of them made their entrance, stopping to pose along the way. The bell rang to start the match 24 minutes into the hour.
Wentz attempted caught Fletcher with a. boot and a hurricanrana from the top rope and a tornillo press from the middle rope. Wentz made the cover, but Fletcher kicked out at one. Dezmond tagged in and they delivered a combination drop toe hold into a leg drop. Dezmond made the cover, but Fletcher kicked out at two.
Fletcher came back with a big scoop slam and tagged in Davis. Davis missed a senton and Dezmond caught him with a shotgun dropkick. Dezmond hit another dropkick in the corner and Wentz followed him in with a bronco buster. Wentz dragged Davis out and made the cover, but he kicked out at one.
Davis countered a double whip with a cartwheel followed by an enziguri that knocked Dezmond down. Davis hit a swinging back suplex on Wentz. Dezmond came in with a hurricanrana attempt, but Davis powered him up onto his shoulders and tossed him right into a big kick from Fletcher. Fletcher made the cover, but Dezmond kicked out at two.
Dezmond leapt over Fletcher and rolled under a clothesline from Davis to make the tag to Wentz. Wentz came in with a double dropkick from the top rope. Dezmond and Wentz went for running attacks on Fletcher and Davis in opposite corners, but Fletcher and Davis caught them. They crushed them together in the center of the ring and then delivered simultaneous exploder suplexes as they went to commercial. [c]
Back from break, Fletcher lifted Wentz onto the top rope and set up for a superplex, but Wentz knocked him loose with a headbutt. Wentz landed a blockbuster and Fletcher and both men were down. Wentz crawled to make the hot tag to Dezmond who rolled in and knocked Davis off the apron and his Fletcher with whisper in the wind
Davis slid in and Dezmond landed a few shots to his midsection followed by a thrust kick. Dezmond hit a combination of strikes followed by a cutter. Dezmond made the cover, but Fletcher kicked out at two. Wentz made a blind tag and caught Fletcher in the ropes with a stunner. Fletcher fell into an enziguri from Dezmond and Wentz stepped thru into a springboard codebreaker causing Fletcher to fall into a neckbreaker from Dezmond. Wentz made the cover, but Fletcher kicked out at two.
The Rascalz set up for the Hot Fire Flame, but as Davis caught Wentz in midair and slammed him down. Fletcher hit Dezmond with a thrust kick as Wentz performed a handspring but ended up on Davis’ shoulders. Davis tossed Wentz towards a kick from Fletcher, but Wentz caught Fletcher’s foot and swung it into a kick on Davis.
Wentz performed a handspring into a high knee on Fletcher but then turned around into a left-armed lariat from Davis. Dezmond nailed Davis with the handspring into a capo kick that resulted in all four men being down as the crowd chanted “A-E-Dub.”
Davis connected with an enziguri and then knocked Wentz off of the apron with a forearm shot. Dezmond tried to fight back with some strikes, but Davis landed another big enziguri. Fletcher tagged Davis in officially and he lifted Dezmond up into a gutwrench and stuck him with a piledriver. Davis made the cover and got the win.
WINNERS: The Callis Family in 12:00
(White’s Take: The ending was a little weird; it seemed like Fletcher was the legal man when Davis was supposed to finish the match, which threw off the timing. Otherwise, this was a fun match. Everyone knows what Fletcher can do in the ring at this point, but Davis has been shining as a big bruiser. The Rascalz, for their part, deliver a lot of athletic and inventive spots.)
-They threw to a video of Don Callis with Ricochet from a ROH / MLP. Callis said he has MJF money and will cut Ricochet in if he embarrasses Kenny Omega in Winnipeg.
-Kevin Knight was backstage with Lexy Nair. Knight said 2026 will be the year of the jet and reminded everyone that he beat Okada in the Continental Classic and had MJF pinned for 13 seconds a few weeks ago. Knight said he’s going to become a double champion when he beats Okada. [c]
-The Death Riders were backstage where Moxley claimed that Private Party are banged up and won’t be seen again anytime soon. He said he has no sympathy for them, same as for Will Ospreay. Moxley said he’ll never stand between a person and the consequences of their actions and that Ospreay got exactly what he asked for. Moxley asked Ospreay what he thought would happen in an unsanctioned cage match. Moxley said Pac has even less patience than he does for his emotional response to this cold, cold game.
(White’s Take: One of those really good, menacing Moxley promos. Way better than his flaccid response on Wednesday, it really painted Moxley as a dangerous man with no remorse for his past actions, babyface or not.)
(7) KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. “THE JET” KEVIN KNIGHT – International Championship Match
Kevin Knight made his entrance to a solid reaction from the crowd. Okada’s music played and he made his entrance without any members of the Callis Family. The crowd chanted from Okada as the bell rang to start the match 47 minutes into the second hour.
Okada rolled out of a wristlock and Knight escaped a wristlock as well before dropping a pair of knees on Okada’s arm. Okada got to his feet and forced Knight into the ropes. Okada feigned a cheap shot on the break. Okada whipped Knight into the ropes and went for a leapfrog, but Knight held onto the ropes. They had a brief staredown and Knight forced Okada into the ropes, where he feigned a cheap shot as well. Knight whipped Okada into the ropes, and he held on and to pull himself to the floor and collect himself.
Okada slid into the ring and landed a boot to the gut. Knight dodged Okada in the corner and took him down with a pair of arm drags. Okada blocked a third one, but Knight caught took him down anyone with his other arm. Okada rolled to the outside and Knight followed with a sliding dropkick, but Okada ducked it and planted Knight with a DDT to the floor.
Back in the ring, Okada disrespectfully kicked at Knight’s face. Knight fired up, got in Okada’s face and delivered a few chops. Okada, unphased, hit Knight with a series of European uppercuts. Okada whipped Knight into the corner, but he shot back out and hit Okada with a running clothesline. Okada got to his feet and caught another clothesline. Knight leapt over Okada and then landed a jumping clothesline.
Knight executed a scoop slam and then performed a standing version of his UFO Splash. Knight went for the pin, but Okada kicked out at two. Okada rolled to the floor and Knight went for a plancha to the outside. Okada escaped around the ringpost, but Knight corrected, landed on the apron, and then leapt over the corner onto Okada as they went to commercial. [c]
They returned from commercial as Okada delivered an air raid crash neckbreaker. Okada scoop slammed Knight and climbed to the top rope. Okada came off the top rope with his falling elbow drop. Okada posed in the center of the ring, giving the crowd the middle finger, much to their delight.
Okada set up for a Rainmaker, but Knight hit a few back elbows. Okada went for it again, but Knight leapt over Okada’s clothesline. Knight went for a jumping DDT, but Okada shoved him off. Knight came back with a dropkick that left both men down. Knight dodged Okada in the corner and landed a combination of kicks. Okada shoved Knight back but he came right back with a pair of clotheslines.
Knight went for the jumping clothesline again, but Okada countered it, spinning behind and looking for a Rainmaker. Knight spun out of it and drilled Okada with a leaping DDT. Knight went for the pin, but Okada kicked out at two. Knight climbed to the top rope but Okada got to his feet. Knight leapt over Okada and hit the ropes, but Okada caught him with a dropkick.
Okada dragged Knight to his feet and knocked him back down with a short arm clothesline. Okada hit another one and set Knight up for the Rain Maker. Knight ducked the Rain Maker and dropped the top rope as Okada charged him. Okada tumbled to ringside and Knight executed a springboard clothesline from the top rope that connected with Okada on the ramp. Knight rolled Okada into the ring and then nailed Okada with a springboard clothesline. Knight went for the pin, but Okada kicked out at two.
Knight hit a running clothesline in the corner and lifted Okada up onto the top turnbuckle. Knight climbed up and went for a superplex, but Okada punched his way out of it, knocking Knight to the mat. Okada regained his balance as Knight got a running start and leapt right up to the top rope LA Knight style (in that he slipped and managed to recover). Okada blocked the superplex again and shoved Knight off again. Knight performed a backflip, landed on his feet, jumped up and brought Okada down from the top rope with a hurricanrana.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome” as Knight struggled to get back to his feet and Okada lay in the corner. Knight climbed to the top rope on the adjacent corner, flew through the air and drilled Okada with a coast-to-coast dropkick. Knight went for the pin, but Okada kicked out at two.
Knight climbed to the top rope again, but Okada rolled away from him, ending up closer to the opposite corner. Knight started to climb down, changed his mind, and climbed back up as the crowd cheered. Knight went for his UFO Splash onto Okada more than halfway across the ring (made doubly difficult by turning 180 degrees in the air). Knight covered the distance, but Okada got his knees up.
Okada lifted Knight up and went to put him away with the Rainmaker, but Knight countered it with an inside cradle for a two count. Knight rolled Okada up again for another two count. Knight charged into a boot from Okada and Okada rolled Knight into a pin. Okada grabbed the rope for leverage and got the three-count.
WINNER: Kazuchika Okada in 17:00
(White’s Take: A very good back-and-forth main event match that was only held back by the obvious outcome. Even though Knight holds a victory over Okada and the International title mean next to nothing, no one believed Knight was winning. Okada delivered his typical non-PPV performance, but it worked with Knight bringing the movement and the fire to the match.)
-Okada escaped from the ring. The ref suspected Okada had cheated but couldn’t prove it and reluctantly raised Okada’s hand. Schiavone ran down some of the matches on Dynamite as they went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Collision is really running in a sweet spot right now. They’re delivering the solid in ring action we’ve come to expect while also giving more promo time, moving more storylines forward, and using Collision to set up matches on Dynamite. Sure, it’ll never be as newsworthy as Dynamite, but Collision adds a lot of color and detail to the stories AEW is currently telling. Overall, good, recommendable episode of Collision, even as you’re not going to be left out of the loop if you skipped it.
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