Collision – July 19, 2025: That Works For Collision
Collision
Date: July 19, 2025
Location: Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Colt Cabana
We’re done with All In and back in the normal time slot, with the promise of must see TV in the form of comments from new TNT Champion Dustin Rhodes. That could go in a few different ways but for now at least it seems they have something in mind for the next few weeks. Let’s get to it.
Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.
Tony Schiavone is in the ring to bring out Dustin Rhodes for a chat. The fans think Rhodes deserves it and he wishes his dad was here. His dad told him to “keep stepping” and he has remembered it for a long time because it means being persistent. One day he hit rock bottom but the one thing he has never done is tell himself that he isn’t good enough. Getting back up is what keeps himself going every day. He is now the face of TNT and he will give his all every week.
Cue Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher to interrupt, with Fletcher saying this should be his celebration. The only thing Rhodes has done is sign his own death certificate because the title belongs to Fletcher. Rhodes talks about the times he has come short with this title but now he’s here because he pulled off what Fletcher couldn’t.
Callis says Rhodes is a great wrestler and a better man but the high that he is still chasing is being champion. So what happens when Fletcher takes the title? Callis will save a place in the Family for him, because it’s better than being the third wheel in his horrible family. The fight is on and Rhodes easily clears the ring. In theory Fletcher takes the title from Rhodes sooner or later, but you never can tell with Rhodes. Fletcher might pin Rhodes and Rhodes will get another title as a result.
Video on Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander.
AR Fox vs. Ricochet
Ricochet bails to the floor to start and then comes back in to spin around Fox. Back in and Fox scares him out to the floor, where Fox takes him down again. Cue the Gates Of Agony but Fox drops Ricochet on the apron again for a running flipping double stomp. Back in and a spinning belly to back suplex drops Ricochet again but the Gates drop Fox on the apron.
We take a break and come back with Fox fighting back and hitting his Swanton. They trade some rollups for two each until Ricochet muscles him into a Death Valley Driver for two. The Spirit Gun misses so Fox ties him in the ropes for the slingshot Canadian Destroyer for two of his own. The Gates offer a distraction though and Fox misses the 450. Now the Spirit Gun can finish Fox at 11:17.
Rating: B-. Fox is firmly in the “he’s going to be entertaining” mode and has been for a few months now. That’s the kind of thing that can be rather valuable, and now it seems that AEW is giving Fox more of a chance. On the other hand you have Ricochet, who is his usual self and finding something with the Gates behind him. Having him take the TNT Title from Rhodes wouldn’t be the worst idea either.
We look at Hangman Page beating Jon Moxley at All In and the fallout on Dynamite.
We go to commentary…where the Death Riders jump Colt Cabana and bust him open. Cabana gets hung with a chain and the villains leave through the crowd.
Kris Statlander is ready to face Willow Nightingale because she is a wrestler. Wheeler Yuta comes in and tells her that champions bounce back. Statlander is not pleased.
Megan Bayne vs. Tay Melo
Everyone is banned from ringside. Bayne fires shoulders in the ribs to start and then drops her with a clothesline. Melo pulls her into a Fujiwara armbar and then a triangle choke, which is broken up with the usual spinebuster. Back up and Bayne sends her outside as we take a break.
We come back with Melo firing off some running forearms and a German suplex drops Bayne. The running knee is blocked so Melo switches to a guillotine choke, which is reversed into a Falcon Arrow for two. Melo is back with a running knee into a Canadian Destroyer for two of her own. Bayne isn’t having this and hits a running clothesline, followed by a running Liger Bomb for the pin at 9:55.
Rating: B-. This is more like it from Bayne, who survived a fired up comeback from Melo before putting her away. Bayne is the monster of the division at this point and it should be interesting to see where she goes from here. Odds are she has to beat up Anna Jay as well, but then it might be time to have her go after the winner of Athena vs. Toni Storm. Just give her something involving gold, as it would be an appropriate part of her look.
Sky Flight is still looking for a fight when Don Callis comes in. Christopher Daniels says they’re not looking for management, but rather competition. Anytime.
Alex Windsor took Athena to her limits so now she’s All Elite.
Alex Windsor vs. Taya Valkyrie
Valkyrie has Johnny TV and the MxM Collection with her. Valkyrie knocks her down and hits a running corner clothesline to start fast. Back up and Windsor takes her down by the arm for a basement dropkick before knocking Valkyrie into the corner. They trade quickly escaped leglocks before Windsor’s discus lariat gets two. A Sharpshooter makes Valkyrie tap at 3:12.
Rating: C+. Windsor was fine enough here, but not exactly anything that stood out. I’ll take that over nothing though, as occasionally you need to bring in some fresh faces. Beating Valkyrie still means enough so it’s a good first win, as Windsor is already feeling a bit better presented than Thekla.
Post match Athena pops up in a balcony and says Windsor didn’t take anyone to her limit so get out of there. Athena says it’s time for her to take over and mocks Toni Storm’s voice and posing. Cue Storm to challenge Athena to come fight right now, but Athena says Storm gets to face Billie Starkz on Dynamite. Works for Storm, who storms the balcony, sending Athena running away. Athena comes off like a star, which makes waiting this long to bring her up all the more frustrating.
Billy Gunn comes in to see Anthony Bowens, who thinks they’re on different pages. Gunn says Bowens is obsessed with Max Caster, but he has a slump buster next week. Bowens is in.
Big Bill/Bryan Keith vs. Cru vs. Gates Of Agony vs. Gunns
For $200,000 and Juice Robinson is here with the Gunns. Austin jabs away at Rush to start but Andretti comes in for a double team to bring him down. Kaun comes in but walks into a dropkick, allowing Keith to come in. The Gunns double team Keith down, meaning it’s off to Bill (the fans approve). Everything breaks down and they brawl to the floor as we take a break.
We come back with Colton fighting out of a wristlock but Rush takes out most of the potential taggees. Bill gets to come in though and house is cleaned, including a running boot to knock Kaun off the apron. Some big boots on the floor drop various people until Liona tackles Bill over the announcers’ table. Back in and Austin takes over but cue Ricochet to pull him to the floor. Open The Gates finishes Andretti at 9:48 to give the Gates the money.
Rating: B-. You know pretty much exactly what you’re going to get with this kind of a match, but I’m not overly interested in the money deal for the winners. AEW has been using that more and more often lately and that feels like quite the waste when they have a bunch of titles hanging around. Heck the Hurt Syndicate has been begging for competition, but instead of going after a title shot, these teams are fighting for money that won’t likely play any kind of an important role. I don’t get this and hopefully this deal fades away a good bit.
Video on the end of the Patriarchy, with Cope wanting Christian Cage to turn it around.
Here is Max Caster for the usual.
Max Caster vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Roderick Strong is here with O’Reilly, who kicks Caster outside. Caster grabs the mic and wants a chase, only for Strong to offer a trip. O’Reilly kicks away on the floor but Caster goes for the eyes back inside. Caster tries a sunset flip and gets cross armbreakered for the tap at 2:18.
Juice Robinson calls out Ricochet for costing the Gunns but Big Bill comes in for a brawl.
Rush vs. Katsuyori Shibata
They glare at each other to start and go straight to the slugout, with Shibata chopping him into the corner. Rush’s big forearm sends Shibata out to the floor and Rush rams him into various hard objects. Back up and Rush stops to yell at the crowd, allowing Shibata to hit a knee to the floor.
We take a break and come back with Shibata hammering away, followed by a front facelock DDT for two. They fight over rolling suplexes until Shibata gets two off three in a row. An exchange of German suplexes doesn’t go to either of them and Shibata misses the PK. Rush knocks him into the corner and hits the Bull’s Horns for the pin at 10:18.
Rating: C+. Well, Rush and LFI as the next challengers for the Trios Titles isn’t the worst idea, though I’m not sure when Samoa Joe is going to be back to defend the things anyway. As tends to be the case, the Trios Titles are often in need of challengers and Rush/LFI might be next. It nothing else, it’s weird to see Shibata job clean like this, but it could be leading elsewhere.
Post match the beatdown is on but Powerhouse Hobbs makes the save.
Don Callis Family vs. Jet Speed/Mascara Dorada/Bandido
Bandido and Hechicero waste no time in slugging away at each other to start, with Hechicero managing to knock him down. They trade places so Bandido hits a basement superkick. Back up and Bandido hits a kicks him down again, meaning it’s off to Dorada vs. Archer. The villains take over on Dorada, leaving some dropkicks and a superkick to put the villains down. Stereo dives connect but Alexander suplexes Bailey down back inside.
We take a break and come back with Knight dropkicking his way out of trouble. It’s back to Bandido to clean house but Hechicero is right there with some running knees in the corner. Hechicero manages a double down though and Archer comes in to to break various people. Everything breaks down and Bandido German suplexes Alexander but Archer runs him over. Knight dropkicks Archer to the floor and Romero hits a running Sliced Bread for two. Jet Speed hit stereo dives, leaving Bandido to 21 Plex Romero. Dorada’s shooting star press finishes at 12:38.
Rating: B. Yep, that was exactly what I was expecting and that’s not a bad thing. AEW knows how to do this match in their sleep and even had Romero take the fall, which is the main reason you have him in a match like this. It’s another fun one, as AEW has figured out the formula for something like this and it works.
Bandido and Hechicero yell at each other to end the show.
Overall Rating: B. This was a very Collision-esque Collision, as they focused on a lot of lower level stuff, had some bigger names make a few cameos, and included some good enough action. Collision tends to be a show that I never look forward to but always winds up being entertaining. I could go for making it feel more important, though what we get is working well enough.
Results
Ricochet b. AR Fox – Spirit Gun
Megan Bayne b. Tay Melo – Running Liger Bomb
Alex Windsor b. Taya Valkyrie – Sharpshooter
Gates Of Agony b. Big Billy/Bryan Keith, Gunns and Cru – Open The Gates to Andretti
Kyle O’Reilly b. Max Caster – Cross armbreaker
Rush b. Katsuyori Shibata – Bull’s Horns
Jet Speed/Bandido/Mascara Dorada b. Don Callis Family – Shooting star press to Romero
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