Collision
Date: August 22, 2026
Location: Santander Arena, Reading, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Tony Schiavone

The Continental Challenge Cup continues here with some more quarterfinal action. That’s in addition to Willow Nightingale vs. Maya World in a champion vs. champion match, which is happening due to reasons I don’t quite understand. Yes Nightingale promised World the title match, but do you really want one of them losing? Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

The opening recap looks at Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay’s issues from Dynamite.

Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Orange Cassidy vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Cassidy gives him the sunglasses to start and gets headscissored as a result. That’s broken up and Cassidy is already looking tired, even as he rolls over into a headlock on O’Reilly. A belly to back suplex can’t get O’Reilly out so he goes after the arm for a change. Cassidy kicks him outside and rolls around a bit, giving us a less than serious standoff.

O’Reilly offers to hold the ropes so Cassidy rolls underneath them, which I guess counts as a mind game here. Cassidy gets in a suplex back inside and we take a break. We come back with O’Reilly getting in a suplex of his own and more suplexes leaving them in the corners. O’Reilly wins an exchange of strikes to knock Cassidy down and they get a double breather.

Back up and Cassidy Falcon Arrows him out of the corner for two but the Beach Break is countered. Instead Cassidy goes with a PK into the Beach Break but O’Reilly is right back with the ankle lock. O’Reilly can’t bring himself to stomp the ankle and gets small packaged, which means a grapevined ankle lock makes Cassidy tap at 14:32.

Rating: B-. This was a basic formula of O’Reilly picking Cassidy apart to make for a good story. As luck would have it, O’Reilly is probably on the way to facing Nigel McGuinness and his bad ankle, which is about as simple as it should go. If nothing else, it’s nice to see O’Reilly actually getting some singles wins, which only happens on occasion.

Post match respect is shown.

After Dynamite, Nigel McGuinness’ ankle was banged up but Will Ospreay joined him in the trainer’s room. Ospreay talks about what an inspiration McGuinness is to him but McGuinness wants Ospreay to go win the big one.

Lena Kross/Megan Bayne vs. Erica Leigh/Tiana James

Non-title with a five minute time limit. Bayne wastes no time in German suplexing them at the same time and a double clothesline puts them down again. We pause for Bayne and Kross to mock the Brawling Birds. Something like Two Birds One Stone connects, but instead it’s Divine Intervention to finish James at 2:33. Exactly what you would have expected.

Video on Swerve Strickland vs. Jack Perry, with the match set for Dynamite.

We look at Darby Allin being blown up by pyro at the hands of Kevin Knight. This was of course followed by a Coast To Coast, because blowing someone up isn’t enough these days.

Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Daniel Garcia

Garcia is replacing Eddie Kingston after winning at match at last night’s Ring Of Honor show. Castagnoli wrestles him down to start and gets a quick two, with Garcia bailing over to the rope. A rollup gives Garcia two and he starts striking away, setting up a dragon screw legwhip over the rope. Garcia’s running dropkick hits Castagnoli against the barricade but he avoids a charge to send Garcia into the crowd.

We take a break and come back with Castagnoli firing off uppercuts in the corner. Garcia pulls himself up for the dance and hammers away as well, setting up the Dragontamer. That’s quickly escaped so Garcia flips over into a sleeper. The dazed Castagnoli finally reverses into a giant swing so Garcia is up with a running knee. Castagnoli blocks a Neutralizer and goes after the leg, including a kick to said leg in the corner.

Garcia is right back with another sleeper to bring Castagnoli down followed by a Neutralizer for two. Castagnoli twists the knee around though and the Sharpshooter (Schiavone: “Dragontamer, whatever you want to call it.” It’s a Sharpshooter you buffoon.). That’s broken up so Castagnoli powerbombs him into the Sharpshooter for the tap at 15:38.

Rating: B. Garcia gave it his all here and it felt like he was trying as hard as he could to hang in there with the monster Castagnoli. I’m not sure how realistic it was to believe that Garcia was going to move on, but I’ll take a better match than I was expecting along the way. Castagnoli isn’t winning the whole thing but he’s a good midcard monster for someone to overcome on the way to the finals.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Willow Nightingale.

The blind draw took place during the break and the semifinals are:

Jon Moxley vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Nigel McGuinness vs. Kyle O’Reilly

So if Moxley wins, and he probably will, did we just spend a month and 14 matches setting up what could have been a regular Continental Title defense?

Video on the Dogs, now with Gabe Kidd again.

Hurt Syndicate/Lee Moriarty vs. Matt Mako/Nic Nolan/Ryan O’Neil

Benjamin and Mako start things off with the latter being launched into the corner. Everything breaks down in a hurry and Benjamin unloads on O’Neil on the floor. Lashley comes in and immediately tags out to Moriarty, with the Syndicate leaving. The Border City Stret finishes Mako (making him look sleepy in the process) at 2:37.

Post match Shane Taylor and his Promotions get in the ring to say he wants the Trios Titles. Therefore, it’s open challenge time.

Bang Bang Gang vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Austin takes Bravo into the corner to start and it’s Colten coming in to work on the arm. Bravo takes him into the corner but that’s broken up, allowing Austin to come in and hammer on Dean. We take a break and come back with a middle rope fist drop getting two on Austin, followed by the Bronco Buster. Austin is right back up for the diving tag back to Colten. Taylor comes in and absorbs a bunch of chops before missing the Vader Bomb. Everything breaks down and White hits a quick Blade Runner for the pin at 9:46.

Rating: C+. And so much for the Promotions’ latest run, as they lose yet again. That’s their trademark result most of the time and I’m not even surprised anymore. I’m not sure how that ties in with the Hurt Syndicate but they’re still more interesting than the Promotions in the first place.

Post match White says he isn’t done with the Dogs, but they want the Trios Titles back.

The Conglomeration is ready to win at All In.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, looking back at their history over the last several years. It’s rather extensive, though I’m not sure they need to go that far back with this match.

Nick Wayne/Tommaso Ciampa vs. Komander/Mike Bailey

They’re all in the Casino Gauntlet so we’re having a match in advance. Ciampa takes Bailey down to start and gets in a quick shot to put him in more trouble. Bailey is back up and it’s off to Wayne, who stomps Bailey into the corner. Everything breaks down and the good guys hit dives to take out Wayne and Ciampa as we take a break.

We come back with Komander diving over for a tag to Bailey, who misses kicks at Wayne. Ciampa is back in to roll Bailey up for two but Bailey gives him the moonsault knees for two of his own. Komander gets the tag and starts spinning around a lot, at least until Ciampa cuts him off with a running knee. Komander’s Destroyer gets two on Wayne but it’s too early for Cielito Lindo. Ciampa goes for Komander’s mask and the ProdigyPlex gives Wayne the pin at 9:49.

Rating: B-. They went nuts for a bit here and it wound up being a fun match. I can go for having a match like this, as Wayne getting a pin on Komander is a potential result of the Casino Gauntlet. The match is going to be insane so having something a little less chaotic is a good thing to see.

Video on the International Title triple threat at All In,

Jon Moxley is happy to face Claudio Castagnoli in the semifinals. Well, maybe not in so many words.

Women’s Title: Maya World vs. Willow Nightingale

Nightingale (and only Nightingale) is defending. World is taken down off of a lockup to start so she tries to sweep the leg, earning a happy pose from Nightingale. A sunset flip gives World Two and we take a break. We come back with Nightingale striking away in the corner but World drops her with a running dropkick for two.

World gets in a 619 but gets knocked over with a rather hard charge as Nightingale is starting to pick up some steam. Nightingale’s middle rope dropkick sets up a cannonball for two but World is right back with the tabletop suplex for two of her own. That’s enough for Nightingale, who grabs a backslide to retain at 11:28.

Rating: C+. Why? Why did they do this? World is someone who often feels like she’s in over her head as champion and was presented as an underdog getting this far. Why in the world would you put her in a match where she has to lose clean? Sure Nightingale promised her the match. Just find a way to avoid that from happening and this result doesn’t have to happen. Totally fine match with a rather stupid result that didn’t need to happen.

Overall Rating: B-. I liked the show well enough, though dang I’m tired of the Continental Classic stuff. As usual, it’s a tournament of long matches to get us to a match for one of the many one off the many midcard titles. Seeing Moxley vs. Castagnoli isn’t very interesting but here we are getting to hear what a big deal it is. The rest of the show had a bunch of videos for All In, which is fine, but nothing on here felt like it was worth going out of your way to see. In other words, a normal Collision.

Results
Kyle O’Reilly b. Orange Cassidy – Ankle lock
Lena Kross/Megan Bayne b. Erica Leigh/Tiana James – Divine Intervention to James
Claudio Castagnoli b. Daniel Garcia – Sharpshooter
Hurt Syndicate/Lee Moriarty b. Matt Mako/Nic Nolan/Ryan O’Neil – Border City Stretch to Mako
Bang Bang Gang b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Blade Runner to Bravo
Nick Wayne/Tommaso Ciampa b. Komander/Mike Bailey – ProdigyPlex to Komander
Willow Nightingale b. Maya World – Backslide

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: August 19, 2026
Location: Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Taz, Excalibur

With less than two weeks to go before All In, it’s time for a pair of six man tags, both involving the Don Callis Family. You can tell it’s a special time of year when you get the same stable twice, but we also have the Continental Challenge Cup advancing into the next round. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We run down the card.

Will Ospreay/Henare/Francesco Akira vs. Don Callis Family

Ospreay and Cage start things off with Ospreay’s hurricanrana being countered into a powerbomb, which is escaped as well. Henare comes in to yell at Archer before the big exchange of forearms. Archer misses a charge into the corner and Henare hammers away as everything breaks down.

Some triple teaming has Archer down but Romero gets in a cheap shot from the apron. Akira is sent crashing out to the floor and we take a break. We come back with Akira fighting out of trouble to bring Henare back in. Cage strikes away at Henare to limited success but Archer’s Blackout is countered into a German suplex.

Ospreay comes back in to strike away at Romero, with Henare and Akira getting in on said strikes. Archer is back in and gets Samoan dropped, leaving Akira to grab a slingshot cutter on Romero. For some reason Romero does his sliding pose, leaving Ospreay to Hidden Blade him for the pin at 10:49.

Rating: B-. Well there was pretty much no way that Ospreay and company were going to lose to the Don Callis Family B Team. Ospreay gets through another week without having to do a ton, which is a smart way to go on the way to All In. This was about all it needed to be, hopefully with the Family being dispatched from the World Title story as they’re not needed.

Kazuchika Okada says it doesn’t matter who wins the International Title at All In, as long as it stays in the Don Callis Family. So if he wins the title, that’s perfectly fine! If he wins, Kyle Fletcher better raise his hand.

Here is Kyle Fletcher for a chat as this show is rather Don Callis Family heavy thus far. When asked about Okada’s comments, Fletcher isn’t sure why we need to move on from the greatest International Title reign of all time. He’s willing to go along with the plan, but Okada needs to know his role in this. The only thing that matters is that they all hate Konosuke Takeshita because he is a selfish, narcissistic jerk. Cue the returning Takeshita to interrupt and the brawl is on with Takeshita easily laying him out. Okada doesn’t appear for the save.

Earlier today, we had a sitdown interview with Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega. Renee Paquette brings up their time meeting quite a few years ago in PWG, with Ospreay saying Omega was a huge star and how honored he was to face Omega. On the other hand, Omega said that he was trying to keep track of the flavors of the month and while he wasn’t blown away at the time, he knew Ospreay had potential. We flash forward to the two meeting at New Japan Wrestle Kingdom, with Omega saying Ospreay was a totally different wrestler.

The idea was that Omega was coming back to face the new face of New Japan, but it was also a case of Ospreay not being able to sell the tickets without a star like Omega. Ospreay jumps back in, saying that Omega was a success off the backs of other stars and talks about how much he (Ospreay) had to do for New Japan during the pandemic. He had to wrestle in front of silent crowds and sit in hotel rooms alone, which Omega wouldn’t have been able to handle. Omega says they had the same situations here, and would fans have really cheered for Ospreay anyway?

Then it’s on to Forbidden Door 2023, where Ospreay had joined the Don Callis Family. Omega talks about how he was screwed over by Don Callis but Ospreay couldn’t learn from him and had to join up too. Ospreay talks about how all of his success was credited to Callis so beating Omega at Forbidden Door didn’t mean anything. Omega says that makes him feel like he’s beaten Ospreay twice already but Paquette brings up the diverticulitis.

That sends Omega into a bit of a rant as he’s tired of hearing about it as it has made him think more in the ring. What about Ospreay’s neck though? Is he ready for this kind of a match? Ospreay talks about how he kept trying to be nice to Omega but Omega kept leaving for weeks on end.

Omega says Ospreay wanted to face an injured version of Omega because it was easier. That sends Ospreay over the edge because he has to be better than Omega on his own to prove that he is the better man. Omega says Ospreay is going to fail again and brings up Ospreay’s mother, which has Ospreay on his feet. Win, lose, or draw, Omega will respect Ospreay. Omega brings up Ospreay’s son and that’s enough for Ospreay to chase Omega off.

There’s a lot here, as this ran about twelve minutes, but it did sell the story they’re trying to tell. While I could have done with a lot less about PWG and New Japan, as the story could have started with Forbidden Door 2023, they did a very good job of selling the story. That’s all the more impressive when you consider neither of these two are exactly known for their promo skills. It wasn’t an all time exchange, but it did what it needed to do rather well.

TBS Title: Hikaru Shida vs. Kris Statlander vs. Persephone vs. Maya World

Only World is defending (as Persephone’s CMLL Women’s Title isn’t on the line). World goes for an early rollup but gets broken up, leaving Shida to kick Statlander out to the floor. That leaves World to elbow Persephone in the corner but Statlander is back up to cut World off. Persephone takes over on the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Persephone German suplexing Statlander for two but the Tower Of Doom is broken up. Statlander gets World in a fireman’s carry, with Shida missile dropkicking them for the save. Back up and Statlander sends Shida flying with a toss Razor’s Edge but World reverses Staturday Night Fever into a cradle to retain at 9:39.

Rating: C+. This one could have gone either way as World has been a nice story as champion but I wasn’t sure if the reign was going to continue. Going with her is certainly an acceptable choice as she’s doing well with everything she’s doing thus far. Beating Statlander is certainly a big deal, and I’m curious to see who is coming for the belt next.

The Brawling Birds talk about going after Lena Kross/Megan Bayne on Collision and they’re ready to win the titles in front of a bunch of drunken Brits.

Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Jay White vs. Jon Moxley

They take their time circling each other and it’s an early standoff with Taz talking about both of them going for wrist control and how important that can be. AEW commentary gets a lot of flack, but Taz is excellent with that kind of stuff and always has been. Moxley takes him down with a hammerlock and sends White outside as we take an early break.

We come back with White slugging away and getting in a DDT. White strikes him down in the corner and a middle rope hurricanrana puts Moxley on the floor. Back in and the Blade Runner and Death Rider are both blocked so White suplexes him into the corner. A quick Rings Of Saturn has Moxley rolling over to the ropes and we take another break.

We come back again with Moxley winning a strike off and sending him outside for a suicide dive. Back in and White grabs his own snapdragon, followed by the swinging Rock Bottom for two. A rather hard top rope superplex gives White the same but Moxley is back with the choke. That’s reversed with a flip into a cover, setting up the Blade Runner to send Moxley outside. Back in and Moxley gets the bulldog choke into a Death Rider for a rather near fall. A rear naked choke makes White pass out for the win at 19:20.

Rating: B. Moxley is pretty much guaranteed at least a spot in the finals so this was a bit more about how we got to the result rather than the result itself. Moxley shrugged off a good bit of offense to win in the end, which is pretty much par for his course. It’s nice to see White having a long match like this and it was good overall, despite being longer than it needed to be.

Post match respect is teased but here are the Dogs, with the returning Gabe Kidd, to take White out. The Conglomeration, Hangman Page and Brodido run in for the save. The Demand comes in to say…that Page and Brodido can say whatever they want. Page says anyone who wants a Trios Title shot, come get it at All In.

Willow Nightingale interrupts Maya World, saying she can have a title shot on Collision. Works for World.

Here is Jonathan Cruz, better known as MJF’s Spanish translator. He’s here to explain MJF’s hatred of Andrade El Idolo, who isn’t a real man and not even as guapo as Cruz. If Andrade was here, Cruz would beat him in a match and I think you know where this is going.

Andrade El Idolo vs. Jonathan Cruz

Non-title I’m assuming. Dia de Los Muertos and the DM finish at 9 seconds. Cruz lost in case you’re new at this.

Post match Andrade rants in Spanish and calls out MJF, who answers rather quickly. Well on the Titantron that is, where he is shown in a hot tub in Long Island. MJF wasn’t about to come to a town like Baltimore because he’s going to beat up “Andrew” in London like the true World Champion. Andrade beats up Cruz some more. I’m still not sure how much MJF is getting out of this real World Champion thing but it doesn’t seem to be that helpful.

We get a split screen interview with Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Mone. Nightingale says Mone is jealous of the affection that Nightingale has from the fans. Mone rants about Nightingale doing all kinds of things to her and smiling at her. She’s taking Nightingale’s smile at All In, which is enough for Nightingale to storm off and find Mone for the brawl into the arena. Security can’t break them up until Mone is pulled outside.

Swerve Strickland is intrigued by the Trios Titles being an option for All In.

Continental Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Nigel McGuinness vs. Hechicero

Hechicero’s CMLL World Title isn’t on the line and McGuinness has a bad ankle coming in (it’s so bad that he put his boot on and then taped it up). McGuinness threatens to go for the mask if Hechicero goes for the ankle, which is exactly what winds up happening. They get back up with Hechicero going for a front facelock before sending McGuinness into the ropes. That has McGuinness coming up holding the leg and a top rope clothesline drops him for two as we take a break.

We come back with McGuinness getting fired up and chopping away, only to get knocked into the corner. The very swinging backbreaker puts McGuinness down again and we’re off to the chinlock. McGuinness breaks out of that and tries the London Dungeon, only for Hechicero to reverse into a leglock. That’s broken up again and McGuinness gets in a knee, followed by a front chancery to actually put Hechicero out at 10:13.

Rating: B-. While I’d like to see the official medical records for McGuinness’ injury, they’ve got something with him trying to make it to Wembley injured but in one last quest for a win. It’s a good story, whether the injury is real or not, and that’s all you need. McGuinness is a likable guy and he’s getting to show what he can do, even with the horrible limping.

Video on Darby Allin vs. Kevin Knight.

Here is Knight for a chat. He’s not in the mood for questions from Tony Schiavone and calls out Allin, only to say cut off the music. Knight wants proof that Allin doesn’t have any weapons (like an exploding backpack) and says we’re not having a match tonight. Then the pyro goes off and Allin is blinded/burned, so it’s a Coast To Coast with a chair to make it even worse. Because blowing him up with pyro wasn’t enough. Allin is taken out on a stretcher.

Post break Allin is taken away on a stretcher when Knight comes in to gloat, with Sting’s son Steven Borden teasing going after him.

Kenny Omega/Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family

Will Ospreay gets in Omega’s face in the back before the entrances. And as the bell rings 17 minutes into the overrun, Clon and Matt start things off. Everything breaks down in a hurry and the Family are cleared out to the floor but they’re right back in. This time the good guys are beaten down so the Family can pose as we take a break.

We come back with Matt managing to fight off Doyle and Davis, allowing Omega to get the tag. Omega beats up Clon and everything breaks down, with Omega and the Bucks hitting stereo dives. A snapdragon and triple superkick drop Doyle again and the One Winged Angel finishes him off at 10:17.

Rating: B-. They kept this one moving and there really wasn’t any reason for the match to go long. Ultimately, this was similar to the opener, with a main event star and tag team against three people who just aren’t on that level. Throw in the match starting so late and this was all it needed to be.

Post match the rest of the Don Callis Family runs in for the beatdown but Adam Copeland runs in for the save. Christian Cage….well he eventually gets there too. The Bucks accidentally superkick Copeland and Cage, allowing the Family to get back up and brawl with the four of them to the back. Omega grabs the mic but here is Will Ospreay to interrupt.

Ospreay says Omega has all the charm of a parking ticket and asks what Omega is going to do after bringing up his seven year old. Omega has security get rid of Ospreay (For what?) but Ospreay sprints in and the brawl is on. Security gets involved again and Omega hits Ospreay with a v Trigger. A One Winged Angel off the apron puts Omega through a table as Omega seems to be full on evil again on the way to All In. If one of them has to be, and they should, that’s the best choice as Ospreay is going to be over like free beer in a frat house over there.

Overall Rating: B. Insane amount of Don Callis Family stuff involved (the first non-Callis involved segment was 45 minutes in), this did some good stuff for All In, with the big focus being on Omega vs. Ospreay. That stuff went well, and while I could go for getting to the finals of the Continental Cup already, it made for some perfectly good, if not better, matches. This was the kind of show that the All In main event needed and that stuff worked.

Results
Will Ospreay/Francesco Akira/Henare b. Don Callis Family – Hidden Blade to Romero
Maya World b. Kris Statlander, Persephone and Hikaru Shida – Rollup to Statlander
Jon Moxley b. Jay White – Rear naked choke
Andrade El Idolo b. Jonathan Cruz – DM
Nigel McGuinness b. Hechicero – Front chancery
Kenny Omega/Young Bucks b. Don Callis Family – One Winged Angel to Doyle

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: August 15, 2026
Location: Pearl Theater At Palms Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Paul Wight

We are just over two weeks away from the biggest show of the year and that means it’s time to focus on the Continental Classic Cup, with a couple more first round matches. Hopefully the rest of the show gets some more attention, as it could use a bit more of a spark. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We run down the card.

Trios Titles: Brodido/Hangman Page vs. Lethal Twist

The Twist is challenging. Page shoulders Christian down to start but is quickly cut off with a headscissors. Lethal tries to come in but only winds up helping Page moonsault onto Johnson. King drops a backsplash onto Johnson so Lethal makes a save before it’s off to Bandido. That earns Christian a handspring into the gun to the head pose so Johnson comes in to tie Bandido in the Tree Of Woe. The 619 and running dropkick hit Bandido and a moonsault takes Page down as we take a break.

We come back with Bandido’s corkscrew crossbody getting him out of trouble so King can come in to swat at the Twists like King Kong swatting at planes. The double Cannonball gives King two and Page is back in to clean house, including the slingshot dive to the floor (he looks pleased). King crushes Christian and Johnson against the barricade so Page can moonsault onto both of them.

We hit the parade of strikes so Christian can moonsault (popular move in this match) to King on the floor. Johnson adds a splash from the apron and a frog splash into a 450 gets two, with the kickout stunning Christian. Page is back in with the Buckshot though and an X Knee sets up a Ganso Bomb to pin Johnson and retain at 12:17.

Rating: B. These titles are a good choice to open a show and let the people go nuts and it helps that the champs are all rather popular. Bandido doing this is better than losing all the time in singles matches and that’s a relief after the absurd number of losses he’s had. Page needs something to do since he can’t go after the World Title so why not do this for a bit?

Post match Ricochet interrupts and here are the Gates Of Agony to jump the champs from behind. The Twist gets back up and the beatdown is even worse.

Don Callis is ready for Hechicero and Brian Cage to face off in the Continental Challenge Cup. Callis offers an interesting translation for Hechicero’s words of friendliness.

Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly say may the best man win in their match.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Hechicero vs. Brian Cage

Hechicero’s CMLL World Title isn’t on the line. Hechicero takes him down to start but gets chopped and forearmed in the corner. Back up and Hechicero’s running should doesn’t work so he kicks Cage’s leg out for a bit more success. Cage sends him hard into the corner though and it’s the apron superplex as we take a break.

We come back with Hechicero tying Cage’s arms up in the ropes until Cage swings him into a DDT for two of his own. The Drill Claw is broken up and a leglock sends Cage over to the ropes. A discus lariat gives Cage two so Hechicero is right back with the headscissor driver. Hechicero rolls him around and ties up the arms for the pin at 13:22.

Rating: B-. This was the power vs. technical match and they’re both good enough at their styles to make it work. At the same time, it’s also a heel vs. heel match between two of the lower stars in the massive Don Callis Family. It was only going to be so interesting, which is part of the problem with a lot of this tournament.

Darby Allin talks about how Sting taught him that he didn’t have to change a thing. Kevin Knight has changed everything to be a champion. What kind of a family is the Don Callis Family though? Allin gives Knight his word that he won’t jump him or attack him before All In, because Allin wants to beat him at his best. Was Allin next to a train for this? It wasn’t clear but that’s what it appeared to be.

The Rascalz are in a rather smoky room but Lio Rush pops in to talk about how everyone needs friends. That’s enough to scare the Rascalz away.

Lena Kross/Megan Bayne vs. Rachelle Riveter/Mazzerati

Non-title. Kross shoves Mazzerati around to start and cuts off a headscissors with a side slam. Riveter comes in for a few shots to Bayne, who drops her hard with a clothesline. Double suplexes set up the Divine Intervention to finish Mazzerati at 2:19. As expected.

Post match the Brawling Birds come in for a fight but Kross and Bayne bail.

Zayda Steel has been waiting to face Mercedes Mone, who comes in to interrupt. Steel says she has lost respect for Mone, who doesn’t care and knocks her down.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Nigel McGuinness vs. Katsuyori Shibata

We get a tentative handshake to start and we’re ready to go. They go technical to start and keep trading escapes on the mat with Shibata getting the better of things and working on the arm. McGuinness kicks the rope into Shibata’s face to escape and Shibata gets more serious, meaning it’s a bunch of kicks to put McGuinness down. A snapmare sends Shibata’s ankle into the ropes though and we take a break.

We come back with Shibata getting a guillotine and then a sleeper, with McGuinness leaning down onto the banged up ankle for a brilliant escape. The Tower Of London is broken up but Shibata’s PK is countered with a kick to the leg. An ankle lock goes on but Shibata gets out and connects with the PK for a delayed two. Shibata grabs a sleeper so McGuinness drops back and flips over for the pin at 12:24.

Rating: B. This was the technical off match and some of the stuff McGuinness was doing came off as so incredibly smart. It’s such a shame that he lost so much of his career due to injuries, as he was just so good at what he did. Him getting a Cinderella run to Wembley wouldn’t be crazy, but he’s a long way off from there.

Will Ospreay is going to call some friends in Japan to help him against the Don Callis Family.

Video on Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. the Young Bucks.

Rascalz/Lio Rush vs. Jeaux Braxton/Frescomatic/Watson/Ice Williams

The Rascalz are of course scared of Rush so he dives onto all four of the opponents before the bell. Williams gets clotheslined down to start and it’s off to Wentz to knee Braxton in the corner. Everything breaks down and the Rascalz still aren’t sure what to make of Rush. The Rascalz hit dives to the floor and a string of top rope dives hit Watson. Rush’s cravate choke makes him tap at 2:30.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate comes out and has a weird staredown with Rush.

Hurt Syndicate/Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Sonico/Jake Redondo/Ro Montana/Juli Montana

The Syndicate wreck the other team on their own to start and MVP uses his cane to conduct the WE HURT PEOPLE chants. Apparently the Syndicate’s retainer is up though and they leave, with Taylor’s Marcus Garvey Driver finishing Redondo at 2:10. Well that was different.

Tommaso Ciampa is in the Casino Gauntlet and warns everyone else involved. Simple and to the point here.

Mercedes Mone vs. Zayda Steel

Mone fires off the forearms to start but gets taken down with a springboard wristdrag. Steel’s Codebreaker through the ropes gets two so Mone flips her up into a gutbuster. The chinlock goes on and we take a break. We come back with Steel Stunnering her way out of a double arm choke. Steel strikes away and gets two off a high crossbody but Mone is back with a Backstabber. The Mone Maker into the Statement Maker (with Mone pulling at the jaws) makes Steel tap at 8:09.

Rating: C+. Well thank goodness Mone got to beat her up this badly after knocking her down in the back. There was a full half hour or so where Mone didn’t look like the biggest star in the world. I’m holding out hope that Willow Nightingale gets to keep the title at Wembley but history would suggest that isn’t going to happen.

Post match Mone beats up both Steel and Christopher Daniels until Willow Nightingale runs in to chase her off.

At Dynamite, a rather bloody Jack Perry was ready to become World Champion and he knows what he has to do to get there. He wants to face former World Champions so here is Swerve Strickland to say Perry can’t beat him. Perry disagrees.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega.

Omega can’t stand the Don Callis Family so he and the Young Bucks want to face three of them next week. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage come in to talk to the Bucks, with Omega leaving. The Bucks say Copeland and Cage are old enough to be their father. Cage: “Who says I’m not?” And the Bucks have nothing.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Roderick Strong

They go to the mat to start with Strong bailing away as we’re told that Nigel McGuinness is hurt and may be out of the tournament. O’Reilly’s seated abdominal stretch is broken up so O’Reilly starts in on the arm. Strong’s backbreaker cuts that off in a hurry but he gets sent to the floor. That’s fine with Strong, who counters O’Reilly’s suicide dive into a drop onto the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Strong hitting another backbreaker but banging up his own ankle in the process. They trade kicks to the chest until O’Reilly ankle locks him to the ropes. Another backbreaker onto the turnbuckle gives Strong two so O’Reilly suplexes him down. The cross armbreaker is blocked and they strike it out, with Strong’s knee getting two. Back up and O’Reilly quickly pulls him into a small package for the pin at 13:00.

Rating: B. This was pretty much exactly the match I was expecting, with a heavy technical aspect that wasn’t as entertaining as Shibata vs. McGuinness. Both guys are rather technically sound so the match was far from boring, but having good guy partners face each other is only so interesting. It was kind of an odd choice for a main event, though I’m not sure if there was a great choice on the entire card.

Post match a frustrated Strong shoves him down but pulls him back up for the hug.

Overall Rating: B. As usual, Collision is a tricky show to watch. The action was good as always, with McGuinness vs. Shibata being a lot of fun. At the same time though, AEW doesn’t really try to hide the fact that this show is almost strictly for the midcard. Between the multiple long Continental Cup matches and the two eight man tags, it definitely felt like they were just putting as many things out there as they could. In other words, a perfectly good show and rather worthwhile if you’re more into the in-ring side of things, but not so thrilling if you want some storyline spice.

Results
Brodido/Hangman Page b. Lethal Twist – Ganso Bomb to Johnson
Hechicero b. Brian Cage – Arm trap crucifix
Lena Kross/Megan Bayne b. Rachelle Riveter/Mazzerati – Divine Intervention to Mazzerati
Nigel McGuinness b. Katsuyori Shibata – Flipping cradle
Rascalz/Lio Rush b. Jeaux Braxton/Frescomatic/Watson/Ice Williams – Cravate choke to Watson
Hurt Syndicate/Shane Taylor Promotions b. Sonico/Jake Redondo/Ro Montana/Juli Montana – Marcus Garvey Driver to Redondo
Mercedes Mone b. Zayda Steel – Statement Maker
Kyle O’Reilly b. Roderick Strong – Small package

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: August 12, 2026
Location: The Pearl Theater At The Palms, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Paul Wight

We’re getting closer to All In and the card has been getting a nice boost in the last few weeks. Last week was Grand Slam, with MJF returning and he wants in the Casino Gauntlet Match later this month. Other than that, we have the continuing saga of Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, which will likely get a lot of focus here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is Will Ospreay to get things going. He was so glad to be back in Arena Mexico last week because the last time he was there, he found out that his grandfather had passed away. Ospreay wanted him to be there for some great moments of his life but that wasn’t going to happen. What he has learned though is that he has to do some things to be the biggest star in AEW. He is here to set an example and that’s why he was in a street fight last week.

One person was watching at home on his sofa and that was World Champion Kenny Omega. Last week, Omega probably said “oh s*** hes going to pull the trigger” and since Omega is actually here this week, why not grace us with your presence? Instead cue Don Callis, who talks about how he and Omega won the World Title in December 2020. Then Omega decided that he could do this on his own so Callis stabbed him in the head.

The reality is Ospreay owes him everything and the reality is the road to Wembley is paved in Ospreay’s blood. Cue the Don Callis Family for the beatdown but Omega makes the save with a pipe. Omega teases hitting Ospreay with the pipe but stops to say that Ospreay never thinks. Omega warned him about Callis and Jon Moxley and look what happened.

That’s why Ospreay will lose at All In, but that’s not the man Omega wants to face there. Omega helps him up but says that he can’t do this again. From now on, it’s the two of them. Ospreay appreciates the help, though he didn’t ask for it and he won’t need it. Please don’t have Callis be involved in this. It doesn’t seem like he will be, but please just leave him out of the thing.

We recap the Continental Challenge Cup.

We run down the card.

We look at MJF returning last week and attacking Andrade El Idolo.

Nick Wayne vs. MJF vs. Mike Bailey

For the #2 spot in the Casino Gauntlet match and MJF grabs Justin Roberts by the throat, insisting that he be introduced as “the one true champion”. MJF, with his heavily taped leg, drops to the floor to start and rants on commentary a bit before going to ringside. Wayne and Bailey trade missed kicks until Wayne knocks him outside for the big running flip dive. Bailey kicks him off the apron for the triangle moonsault, allowing MJF to run the ropes and flip the fans off.

MJF pulls Bailey off the ropes for a crash onto the turnbuckle but stops to yell at Wayne. That earns him a superkick but Bailey is back up to kick Wayne in the face. Bailey knocks both of them to the floor for a springboard moonsault and we take a break. We come back with Bailey missing the Ultimate Weapon but giving Wayne a Falcon Arrow instead. That means a shooting star press can give Bailey two before he has to save MJF Wayne. Now the Ultimate Weapon can hit Wayne, but MJF runs in to give Wayne the Salt Of The Earth for the tap at 12:02.

Rating: B-. As soon as Wayne, the #1 contender to the Ring Of Honor World Title, was announced for this match, it wasn’t a question of would he take the fall but rather how he would take the fall. This comes after his loss last month in his most recent AEW match and I don’t even know why I bother getting annoyed anymore. MJF winning in this way is right on note for him, with Bailey being there to make it a three way.

Post match MJF brags about his win but here is Andrade El Idolo……’s music, because he’s not here after MJF gave him a beating last week. Andrade is scared of him, just like Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, who will find out that he is the one true champion.

Lena Kross and Megan Bayne are at the Brawling Birds bar and knock some beers over while making threats. That place is no Friendly Tap.

Mick Foley is with the Bang Bang Gang, with Jay White welcoming him to the team. Anyway, White threatens David Finlay about tonight’s Continental Challenge Cup match. Foley can’t quite get the pose right.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: David Finlay vs. Jay White

They go outside to start fast with the brawling until Finlay takes over inside. Finlay stomps him down in the corner but gets clotheslined to the floor for the slingshot dive. Back in and Finlay’s neckbreaker gets him out of trouble and we take a break. We come back with White fighting up to chop away in the corner.

The Blade Runner is countered into a rollup for two but White grabs a German suplex…and we pause as White seems a bit shaken up. Finlay is right in with a DDT for two so White gives him a running double underhook facebuster. The Blade Runner is countered again, this time into a brainbuster onto Finlay’s knee for two more. White slips out of a suplex though and the Blade Runner connects for the pin at 13:20.

Rating: B-. This was treated as a big grudge match though I’m still not really caring about a feud that happened in Japan years ago. Since then, the Dogs vs. the Gang hasn’t exactly lit the place on fire and this didn’t make it better. At least White is back in the ring and not injured again, which you never can really bet on with him.

Here are Hangman Page and Brodido for a chat. Brodido get to be happy about their win but here is the returning Swerve Strickland to cut Page off. Prince Nana throws Tony Schiavone out, leaving Strickland to say these three have all had issues with him but now they’re friends. Strickland goes over his issues with Brodido and it all leaves him coming back to Page. Now Page can’t even challenge for the World Title, so he’s here with these two?

Page points out that Strickland has nothing to show for everything he’s done this year but here are the Demand/Lethal Twist to interrupt. Ricochet talks about how this is trio business and mocks Strickland for dropping the Gates Of Agony. Last week, Toa Liona’s shoulders weren’t down so the titles still belong to the Demand, so Strickland needs to get out of here. Strickland goes to leave but does stop to call Ricochet a b****. Ricochet turns down Page’s challenge and that’s it. I really could have gone with more of the Strickland stuff and less of the six people interrupting.

Earlier today, Willow Nightingale was sitting down for an interview but Mercedes Mone jumped her and called her a dumb b****.

TNT Title: Kevin Knight vs. Chris Jericho

Knight is defending and jumps him to start, only to get planted with a brainbuster. A backbreaker gives Jericho two and he sends Knight outside. The dive connects and Jericho stops to sit on Paul Wight’s lap. Knight gets in a knockdown of his own though and we take a break. We come back with Knight’s Lionsault hitting raised knees but being able to backdrop Jericho onto the ramp.

Jericho shrugs off some stomps and grabs an AA of all things before going after Don Callis. A diving Knight misses for a crash to the floor and they go back inside. An exchange of rollups gets two each and they trade rollups with feet on the ropes for the same so Knight gives him a running DDT. Knight’s super hurricanrana is countered into a superbomb and then the Walls in the middle of the ring.

That sounds good for Jericho, but he keeps nodding his head at Callis, who comes into the ring, but runs away as Jericho drags Knight from the middle to near the ropes….so Callis can stab Jericho with the screwdriver. Sweet goodness that was horrible. Knight goes up for a Coast To Coast, which somehow only gets two. Jericho Codebreakers him out of the air so Knight kicks him low, setting up the Crash Landing for the pin at 12:56.

Rating: C. Geez. Between the ridiculous botch from Jericho and Callis (the latter of whom at least tried to make it work by coming inside) and the usual nonsense of AEW not knowing when to end a match (there was zero reason to keep it going after the Coast To Coast), this was just a mess. I don’t know if it’s Jericho not having it any more or trying to do too much, but this didn’t work for the most part. Knight can do some good things in there, but this was a mess.

Claudio Castagnoli is ready for anyone in the Continental Cup Classic. Jon Moxley appears to be the same, with the grappling taking place while Castagnoli was talking apparently firing him up.

Kris Statlander vs. Viva Van

Van actually snaps off a hurricanrana to start and Statlander thinks about it for a second. That just earns her a spinwheel kick, plus a faceplant off the top into a missile dropkick. Statlander is back up with a superkick and discus lariat, setting up Staturday Night Fever for the pin at 3:09.

Rating: C. This was a weird match with Statlander getting beaten up for a good chunk of the thing, with Van getting in some snazzy offense. Van continues to be someone who feels like a potential project but it hasn’t really taken off yet. I’m not sure why Statlander got beaten up that much to start but it was an odd setup.

Post match here is Mick Foley, who announces a four way for the TBS Title, with Statlander, Hikaru Shida and Persephone challenging Maya World. Statlander is ready for some revenge but here are Shida and Persephone for their scheduled match.

Hikaru Shida/Persephone vs. Maya World/Thunder Rosa

World headlocks Persephone to start, sending her outside to escape. Rosa comes in for a running headscissors to Shida, plus a running clothesline. Rosa headscissors and headlocks them both down at once but gets sent throat first into the rope as we take a break. We come back with Rosa still in trouble but reversing a double suplex into a double DDT.

World is back in with a missile dropkick into a fall away slam to send Persephone outside. Shida kicks World outside but gets high crossbodied by Rosa. Shida’s Falcon Arrow gets two more with World making the save and getting jumped by Persephone. Rosa takes Persephone out and it’s the tabletop suplex to give World the pin on Shida at 10:34.

Rating: C+. World getting the pin was the right call here as she is still getting established as a real threat around here. At the same time, having her beat one of her challengers for next week might not have been the best way to get ready for the title match. Persephone is still getting better around here and it’s good to see her getting a chance to show what she can do. On the other hand you have Rosa and I have no idea what she has going on at the moment, but it doesn’t exactly feel like much.

Darby Allin talks about how he has no regrets from the World Title reign because he gambled and lost. Then he was attacked by Kevin Knight, so now Allin wants him in a Falls Count Anywhere match.

Kyle Fletcher wants to defend the International Title at All In. He wants to defend against Konosuke Takeshita but Don Callis suggests adding Kazuchika Okada so the Family keeps the title. Fletcher leaves without saying yes. It feels like these people have been doing this “we don’t like each other but have to work together because we all hate Takeshita” forever. Wrap it up already.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Jon Moxley vs. Jack Perry

Moxley wrestles him down to start but Perry gets up for an actual clean break at the rope. Perry knocks him outside but the suicide dive is knocked out of the air. With his eye cut open, Perry tries to fight back but gets sent into the timekeeper’s area as we take a break. We come back with Moxley pounding on the cut and rubbing Perry’s face on the mat to make it worse.

Moxley ties up the leg and neck at the same time, with Perry having to make the rope. Perry finally manages to send him outside for a bunch of dives, including a moonsault out to the floor. Back in and Moxley hits a quick clothesline and piledriver for two, plus another two off another clothesline.

Moxley goes off with shots to the face, to the point where the referee stops him to check on Perry. That’s enough for Perry to get back up for the exchange of forearms (a Moxley signature) until Perry pulls him into the Snare Trap. Moxley rolls out of that and slaps on the bulldog choke for the win at 15:42.

Rating: B-. So Moxley beats him up to start, beats him up some more, shrugs off Perry’s offense, escapes Perry’s submission, and then chokes him out. What a great way to make Perry look like he’s in over his head as Moxley, again, gets to look like the most awesome thing ever. Hopefully he at least doesn’t win the tournament again, though it certainly wouldn’t surprise me.

Post match Moxley shakes Perry’s hand, because that saves some of Perry’s face I guess?

Overall Rating: C+. I really wasn’t feeling this one as much as I do most Dynamites, as it had a lot of stuff that felt like it was setting stuff up for the future rather than doing much here. That’s something you need at times, but between the horrible ending to Jericho vs. Knight and Moxley’s near squash of Perry (which of course took fifteen minutes), this was a long show that had a lot of tournament stuff and Don Callis. That’s not the best night and I wasn’t into this for the most part.

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Mike Bailey and Nick Wayne – Salt Of The Earth to Wayne
Jay White b. David Finlay – Blade Runner
Kevin Knight b. Chris Jericho – Crash Landing
Kris Statlander b. Viva Van – Staturday Night Fever
Maya World/Thunder Rosa b. Hikaru Shida/Persephone – Tabletop suplex to Shida
Jon Moxley b. Jack Perry – Bulldog choke

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: August 8, 2026
Location: Broadmoor World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Paul Wight

It’s another show closer to All In but this time we have something big to get going. This week’s features the debut of the Continental Cup, which is of course different than the Continental Classic. The deal this time is that it is a completely random draw each round, meaning there are no brackets. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Dynamite recap.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ace Austin

Castagnoli wastes no time in wrestling him down and stomping away, followed by another slam. Austin is right back up with the squatting Death Valley Drier but a slingshot dive is pulled out of the air. Castagnoli sends him into the barricade but Austin gets in his handstand on the apron. A kick to the face knocks Castagnoli down and we take a rather abrupt break (with Schiavone’s preview for the night being cut off).

We come back with Castagnoli working on the arm and pulling him down into the chinlock. Austin gets up for a dropkick and legdrop, setting up a hurricanrana out of the corner. Now the dive to the floor can connect and a spinning top rope Fameasser gets two back inside. Castagnoli has had enough of this though and uppercuts him out of the air, meaning it’s time for the Swing.

That’s reversed into a headscissors choke but Castagnoli muscles him up into a wheelbarrow slam (Wight: “There are ways of doing things and then there’s just showing off.”). Back up and Austin catches him with a spinning kick to the head, only to walk into Swiss Death for the pin at 12:07.

Rating: B-. This was a nice start to the tournament with Austin getting to give Castagnoli a bit of a sweat. Castagnoli finally catching Austin with the power worked, but it was nice to see that Austin got a chance to show what he can do, which is not done often enough. I do kind of like the idea of not knowing what is next for Castagnoli, as it does offer some intrigue. It’s different than the Continental Classic and that’s at least a step up.

We look at Will Ospreay beating Mark Davis in a street fight on Dynamite.

We look at the Motor City Machine Guns debuting last week.

Brawling Birds vs. Vertvixen/Viva Van

The Birds jump them to start and Vertvixen is taken into the wrong corner. A Thesz press drops Vertvixen again and a boot to the face gives Hayter two. Van comes in with a springboard clothesline but Hayter hits a double clothesline of her own. Windsor comes back in to clean house and it’s a headbutt into Two Birds One Stone to pin Vertvixen at 3:09.

Rating: C. Just a basic squash here to get the Birds some momentum on their way to the Women’s Tag Team Title match at All In. It’s hard to imagine that the Birds don’t leave London with the titles so building them up is a good idea. The other two got in just a bit of offense, with that springboard clothesline looking rather nice.

Post match Lena Kross and Megan Bayne run in from behind to lay the Birds out. Windsor seems to be rather banged up.

We look as Darby Allin’s team beating Kevin Knight’s team on Dynamite. Now Allin wants a TNT Title shot at All In, falls count anywhere.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Sydal

We get some respect shown to start before going to the basic grappling. Sydal trips him down but takes too long trying the standing moonsault, allowing Cassidy to roll him up for two. Cassidy is knocked down again and now the standing moonsault gives Sydal two of his own. Back up and Cassidy catches him on top but they knock each other to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Sydal snapping off a hurricanrana and kicking Cassidy in the chest. A top rope Meteora gives Sydal two but Cassidy is right back with the Stundog Millionaire. They take turns countering front facelocks until Cassidy gets two off a Michinoku Driver. Sydal’s kicks annoy Cassidy, who sends him outside for a suicide dive. Well more of a shove than anything else but close enough. Back in and Sydal catches him with a jumping knee but misses the shooting star press. That’s enough for Cassidy to grab the Beach Break for the pin at 11:34.

Rating: B-. It’s another nice match, though also another without much in the way of drama over the result. Sydal is a veteran with some success in his career but there wasn’t much of a reasons to believe that he was going to win here. Cassidy is almost always a dark horse candidate to win just about anything and it would be nice to him making a run in this thing.

Jon Moxley congratulates Claudio Castagnoli on his win and respects Jack Perry, but tonight Perry is on the wrong team.

Rascalz vs. De Fuerte/Aaron Solo

That’s as close as I can get on the name of Solo’s partner. Solo gets double teamed down to start and a superkick into a middle rope Meteora hits Fuerte. The Hot Fire Flame gives Xavier the pin at 1:32. That works.

Post match the Rascalz brag about their success and Myron Reed wants his match right now.

Myron Reed vs. Mike Bailey

They both catch kicks from the other to start but can’t agree on who should put the other’s leg down. Bailey is back up with the bouncing kicks but Reed is right back with a leg lariat. Reed tries to run but gets caught with the Asai moonsault to the floor as we take a break. We come back with the two of them on the apron for another exchange of kicks. Bailey blocks the diving cutter to the floor and gets in a springboard corkscrew moonsault.

That leaves Bailey favoring his knee and like the genius that he is, he comes off the top rope and bangs it up even worse. Bailey catches him up top with a kick to the head and a super Frankensteiner brings Reed back down. The Tornado Kick misses though and Reed snaps off a cutter. Bailey’s Ultimate Weapon dives into another cutter and there’s the big running flip dive to take Bailey out again. Back in and Reed misses a 450, allowing Bailey to hit a flipping powerslam (basically a Spanish Fly but landing on Reed) for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: B-. Normally I would roll my eyes at someone popping up from a knee injury to do a spinning kick and a shooting star knee drop but that’s just what Bailey does. The lack of selling is downright hilarious at times as it’s basically Bailey making it as ridiculous as possible. You learn to live with it, even in a pretty nice match like this one.

The Dogs brag about their recent success and David Finlay is ready to finish off Jay White on Dynamite.

Hikaru Shida/Persephone vs. Maya World/Hyan

Hyan northern lights suplexes Shida to start fast and it’s off to World, who gets caught with some early double teaming. That’s broken up and World kicks Persephone down for two. A suicide dive is knocked away though and World is in trouble as we take a break. We come back with Hyan fighting out of a chinlock so World can come in to clean house. Everything breaks down and a Falcon Arrow gives Shida two on Hyan. An assisted Downward Spiral gets two on Shida, with Persephone having to make a save. Hyan spears Shida for two more but Shida is right back with something close to a Tombstone for the pin at 9:47.

Rating: C+. In theory we’re going to be seeing Shida getting a rematch for the TBS Title, which is fine if it’s a one off loss so World can move on to someone else. Hyan is far from bad but it’s not great to see her being lapped by World. That probably doesn’t bode well for her future, but at least she’s getting some regular time as World’s partner.

Kevin Knight isn’t sure about facing Darby Allin at All In but he wants to face Chris Jericho, for the title, on Dynamite.

Bang Bang Gang/Jack Perry vs. Death Riders

Moxley and Austin fight out of a wristlock to start and it’s already off to Perry. Naturally Moxley immediately tags out to Yuta, who gets monkey flipped into a dropkick to put him in trouble too. The Gang takes over on Yuta’s arm and everything breaks down, with the Riders bailing outside as we take a break.

We come back with Robinson in trouble and getting stomped down. The Riders are right there to chase the rest of the Gang off the apron to prevent a tag attempt but Robinson dives over for the tag to Perry anyway. Perry slugs away on Moxley and everything breaks down, as expected. Colten gets taken into the wrong corner for the running clotheslines, setting up the parade of secondary finishers. Cue the Dogs to crotch Austin against the post, allowing Yuta to hit Colten low. A running knee pins Colten at 13:10.

Rating: C+. I’ve tried to get into the Dogs vs. the Gang and I just cannot make it happen. Maybe it’s due to so much of it starting back in New Japan, but there is something lacking in the whole feud. Hopefully it either gets better or wraps up sooner than later because the Gang needs something better rather quickly. Other than that, it was a preview for Moxley vs. Perry, which worked out well enough.

Post match Perry lays Yuta out.

Mike Bailey wants MJF but Nick Wayne interrupts. Wayne is ready to win the ROH World Title but for now, he’ll settle for a chance to get the #2 spot in the Casino Gauntlet Match at All In.

We get a tribute to Dory Funk Jr., which is a rather nice thing to see.

The Hurt Syndicate meets Shane Taylor Promotions, with the latter hiring the former to do something.

Dynamite preview.

Jack Perry, with the Bang Bang Gang, is ready for Jon Moxley on Dynamite. The Gang wants Jay White to take out David Finlay on his own in the Continental Challenge Cup. I’m not sure why Robinson needed to yell so much to get that point across.

Continental Challenge Cup First Round: Eddie Kingston vs. Jake Doyle

Doyle shoulders him down to start and Kingston realizes he’s got some trouble here. The chops in the corner have Doyle staggered but he sends Kingston tumbling out to the floor. Some headbutts to Doyle seem to hurt Kingston instead and Doyle rakes the eyes back inside.

Kingston gets in a chop that has Paul Wight impressed on commentary, which only earns him a running powerslam as we take a break. We come back with Kingston’s middle rope shoulder connecting and allowing him to take the straps down. Kingston’s Saito suplex gets two, as does Doyle’s sitout powerbomb. A pair of spinning backfists knock Doyle silly though and the Stretch Plumb finishes him off at 11:59.

Rating: C+. Kingston almost had to win here just for the sake of being a former Continental Champion and since this is such a different kind of wrestling, it must make a difference. Doyle is fine as a midcard monster to be slayed and it worked out well enough here. Not a great match or anything, but something had to headline this show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was mainly about the Continental stuff and….dang I cannot bring myself to get interested in another tournament so soon. It doesn’t help that the Continental Rules are basically just “no outside interference”, which really shouldn’t be some kind of a big feature. The rest of the show was fine, but this was based around one idea and it was only somewhat interesting.

Results
Claudio Castagnoli b. Ace Austin – Swiss Death
Brawling Birds b. Vertvixen/Viva Van – Two Birds One Stone to Vertvixen
Orange Cassidy b. Matt Sydal – Beach Break
Rascalz b. De Fuerte/Aaron Solo – Hot Fire Flame to Fuerte
Mike Bailey b. Myron Reed – Flipping powerslam
Maya World/Hyan b. Hikaru Shida/Persephone – Tombstone to Hyan
Death Riders b. Bang Bang Gang/Jack Perry – Running knee to Colten
Eddie Kingston b. Jake Doyle – Stretch Plumb

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Because it’s still the 1990s.

https://www.smarkdownsblog.com/wwe-worlds-collide-vs-aew-all-out

Dynamite
Date: August 5, 2026
Location: Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re in another country and a rather important arena for the latest Grand Slam special. While you make your own Denny’s jokes, I’ll be wondering how the Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis street fight will be going in what should be the show’s main event. They have three and a half weeks to go before All In so it’s time to really get things set. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Adam Copeland/Christian Cage/Young Bucks vs. Death Riders

Cage and Pac start things off and Yuta offers a quick knee from the apron. Everything breaks down and the Riders are cleared out to the floor rather quickly. Cage adds his big dive onto the pile at ringside and we take an early break. We come back with Matt getting caught in the wrong corner for the running clotheslines.

The Dragonslayer goes on, with Nick diving in for the save. Matt is back up to take Yuta and Garcia down with an armdrag/headscissors combination, though he realizes he’s going to the wrong corner. Eventually the tag brings in Copeland to clean house and Cage gets to choke Moxley on the middle rope.

A top rope headbutt and elbow hit Moxley, followed by Cage’s low blow. The triple superkick gets two as the Riders make the save so Copeland gives Moxley the Impaler. Marina Shafir breaks up the spear so Cage pulls her down, earning a slap. Cage kicks her low so it’s a Downward Spiral/running knee combination to put Cage down instead. The Bucks get to clear the ring a bit and Copeland spears Moxley, with the referee being distracted. Copeland runs into Matt by mistake though and Moxley grabs a rollup with tights for the pin on Copeland at 11:33.

Rating: B-. It was another wild match but they didn’t go too long and that helped a good bit here. You don’t need to have these things go on forever and they did something interesting with Copeland vs. Moxley. It’s a smart choice for an opener too and the Tag Team Title match got something out of it too.

Post match Cage/Copeland seem ok enough with the Bucks.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, with Jon Moxley’s efforts making Omega less than trustworthy of Ospreay.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Komander vs. Andrade El Idolo

Non-title but the winner is the #1 entrant in the Casino Gauntlet match. Ciampa is in American flag gear, which goes as well as you would expect. Komander is sent outside, leaving Andrade to win a brawl but Komander breaks up the running knees in the corner. The big moonsault takes out Ciampa and Andrade but the latter is back up to drop Komander again. We pause for the photo with the woman of the week and take a break.

We come back with all three down until Andrade and Ciampa can get up slug it out. Another pause lets Andrade take off his pants, setting up the Three Amigos to Komander. Ciampa knocks both of them down and beats up Andrade’s pants. Thankfully he stops to give Komander Project Ciampa, allowing Ciampa to go up.

Andrade is right there to catch him but Komander gives Andrade a springboard poisonrana (because that’s a thing). Ciampa plants Komander with a super Air Raid Crash for two more, leaving Ciampa stunned. Andrade gives Ciampa Dia de Los Muertos, with Komander adding Cielito Lindo. That lets Andrade grab the DM to pin Komander at 11:09.

Rating: B. Some of those spots were insane and that’s why you have a match like this one. It was cool to see them all going nuts with spot after spot, including that springboard poisonrana. I’m glad to see the champion win too, as having the champions lose falls in these things is rather frustrating.

Post match Andrade says he wants the World Title so he can bring it back to Mexico. He hits the catchphrase but MJF runs in from behind for the beatdown/recovering of the ring. MJF, with the Triple B, hits Andrade with the ring to bust him open. With Andrade being taken out, MJF says he’s the real World Champion because Will Ospreay let Kenny Omega steal the belt from him. Next week, MJF is entering the Casino Gauntlet qualifying match and moving on to All In to eventually get his title back.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Willow Nightingale.

Lena Kross/Megan Bayne/Mercedes Mone vs. Willow Nightingale/Brawling Birds

Nightingale wants Mone to start but gets Bayne instead. That means a tag off to Windsor, who starts firing off the chops against the ropes. Bayne is back with the hard shoulders in the corner so all three non-villains boot her down. Mone comes in to kick away at Nightingale and start Three Amigos. That’s reversed into a fight over a triple suplex, which goes nowhere. Nightingale and Windsor send Kross and Bayne to the floor, with Hayter adding a dive onto the two of them plus Mone as we take a break.

We come back with the Birds double teaming Kross, who gets dropped with a middle rope dropkick. A four way clothesline leaves Nightingale and Mone to come in off a double tag. That means Nightingale can grab a spinebuster but Mone is back up with a middle rope Meteora. Everything breaks down and the Babe With The Powerbomb and Mone Maker are both blocked, with Nightingale settling for a backslide and the pin at 11:24.

Rating: B-. Take two feuds, put the wrestlers together and let them have a six person tag. It’s worked for years and it worked again here, though I’m worried that this is one of the consolation prizes for Nightingale before Mone wins, again, in London. Nightingale feels like she could be a star but that’s only going to go so far if she keeps having to drop titles to Mone.

International Title: Mike Bailey vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher, with Don Callis, is defending and Bailey takes a mask off, leaving Fletcher to pull out a mask and stomp on it. They trade some quick takedowns for two each until Bailey walks the ropes for a hurricanrana. A dive to the floor is pulled out of the air though and Fletcher hits a NASTY lawn dart into the barricade. Naturally Bailey is right back up with a moonsault to the floor and it’s time for the kicks back inside.

They go up top with Fletcher nailing a super Michinoku driver as we take a break. We come back with Fletcher knocking him to the floor but Bailey is up with the perfectly time springboard moonsault. Back in and Bailey rolls him up for a quick two but Fletcher grabs a hard half and half suplex. With the ring stuff getting dill, they go up to the stage with Bailey hitting a moonsault off the steps, banging himself up in the process.

They get back inside, with Fletcher grabbing a Michinoku driver for two more. Fletcher powerbombs him onto the apron and the brainbuster…gets two. They go up top where Bailey catches him with a super poisonrana. Bailey’s Ultimate Weapon (and he lands on his feet) gets two but Fletcher lawn darts him again. The turnbuckle brainbuster retains the title at 16:41.

Rating: B. This was the match you would have expected, though I was surprised by the result. Bailey getting the win was far from out of the question, though he did have his big moment at Redemption. His important singles win is still likely coming against Kevin Knight anyway, as I guess Jet Speed was that important of a deal.

Don Callis Family vs. Mistico/Chris Jericho/Darby Allin

Allin skateboards to the ring so Knight clotheslines the fire out of him to start fast. Hechicero knees Mistico down and it’s Okada taking over on Jericho (Corazon de Lion here) as we settle down a bit. Jericho fights back on Knight and hands it off to Allin, who gets to take over on Hechicero.

Instead of following up though, the ever focused Allin dives at Knight, with Okada kneeing him out of the air to cut it off. We take a break and come back with Mistico getting a tag for a springboard high crossbody. That immediately earns him a group stomping but Mistico is right back up to clear them all out.

Allin comes in to hammer on Knight and grabs the Scorpion Deathlock, with Jericho getting the Walls as well. Those are broken up so it’s a series of dives to take the Family out again. Knight is back up to tie Allin in the Tree Of Woe, with Jericho hitting a Judas Effect to cut that off. La Mistica and the Walls go on, leaving Allin to Coffin Drop Knight for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: B. There was pretty much no way Mistico was losing in Arena Mexico but it was a big time match with a stacked lineup. Allin and Knight have their issue and Jericho gets to add his own star power. That’s a fine way to use Mistico, as he’s the ultimate attraction around here and the fans went nuts for him, exactly as you probably expected. It’s a good match, and there is a strong chance that the Family won’t be happy about the loss.

We look at Kris Statlander costing Persephone a TBS Title shot last week.

Kris Statlander vs. Persephone

Persephone’s CMLL Women’s Title isn’t on the line. They take turns avoiding strikes to start until Statlander knocks her out to the floor. The dive off the apron takes Persephone down again but she’s back up with the running flip dive to the floor. The chinlock goes on back inside and we take a break. We come back with Persephone missing a Lionsault and getting pulled into a seal belt for two.

Statlander’s 450 misses though and Persephone hits a hard spear for two of her own. Persephone goes after her belt but gets in a tug of war with Thunder Rosa (in the front row). The referee gets knocked down so here is Hikaru Shida to hit Statlander with a belt. That and Persephone’s springboard splash finish Statlander at 10:09.

Rating: C+. Good enough here as Persephone gets built up a bit after a few weeks of losses. It’s clear that AEW sees something in her and she’s already a star in CMLL so this makes sense for both of them. Statlander gets to deal with Shida going forward and that should make for a nice fight.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis.

Trios Titles: Hangman Page/Brodido vs. The Demand

Demand is defending and jump them to start fast until Page headscissors Liona down. King comes in for a springboard double wristdrag and everything breaks down, allowing Ricochet to pose on the buckle. Bandido gets backbreakered onto the top turnbuckle and we take a break. We come back with Bandido elbowing his way out of trouble but Kaun isn’t having this stuff. Ricochet comes in and goes up but gets dropkicked out of the air, meaning Page can get the tag.

Everything breaks down and the Demand hit a trio of dives to the floor. That lets Ricochet hit his running shooting star press for two but Page fights up against the Gates. Page and Ricochet knock each other down but Bandido can’t give Ricochet the 21 Plex. They go to the corner and of course Kaun Samoan drops all three of them at once (Oh come on. That’s not fair.). Back up and Kaun is knocked down, leaving Page to Buckshot Liona into a 21 Plex for the titles at 13:37.

Rating: B. I kind of like the idea of these titles changing hands so often, with another makeshift team picking up the belts. At the same time, the Demand losing so quickly is kind of fitting for them, as Ricochet’s big mouth getting shut is always worth seeing. If nothing else, at least Bandido didn’t lose for a change.

And now for the main event, as we’re already in the overrun of a show that got an extra half hour than usual.

Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis

Street fight. Davis brings a chair and takes over to start, with the chair being wedged in the corner. Ospreay fights back and sends him to the floor for the slingshot dive. They go to the floor and Ospreay finds…a tire? With that knocked away, Ospreay gets in a running flip dive to hit Davis and it’s time to go back inside. Davis’ chair is kicked back into his face but he’s fine enough to get in an apron bomb. Another powerbomb sends Ospreay crashing onto a fan and we take a break.

We come back with Ospreay kicking away at Davis, who knocks him down the entrance steps, because that’s a good idea with the top good guy with a bad neck three and a half weeks before the biggest match of his career. Back in and Ospreay is sent face first into the chair in the corner. Naturally it’s time for a fork to Ospreay’s head but Ospreay fights back and stabs Davis right back.

Davis’ over the shoulder piledriver through some chairs knocks Ospreay silly so he throws the chair at Davis’ head. They head to the apron, where Davis rakes some barbed wire over Ospreay’s back. Ospreay responds by grabbing him low and hitting a piledriver on the apron. That’s not enough of course so it’s a Hidden Blade for two, because that’s not enough either of course. Davis’ spinning piledriver gets two more so Ospreay muscles him into a Styles Clash. The Hidden Blade, with barbed wire around Davis’ head, finishes him off at 17:01.

Rating: B, Well, this was the match I was expecting, as Davis felt like the star here as he survived a bunch of stuff from the top hero. The match got silly with the fork, but the point here was about being ridiculous with the violence. Ospreay gets a win, but it could have been done in a better, and much more dominant, fashion.

Overall Rating: A-. It’s another rather good Dynamite, with the action working well and some stories getting advancement towards All In. That’s more than you can ask for from a regular episode of any show and the hot crowd made it even better. Granted I’m not sure why a show that already had an extra half hour needed a 23 minute overrun but that’s AEW for you.

Results
Death Riders b. Adam Copeland/Christian Cage/Young Bucks – Rollup with tights to Copeland
Andrade El Idolo b. Komander and Tommaso Ciampa – DM to Komander
Willow Nightingale/Brawling Birds b. Lena Kross/Megan Bayne/Mercedes Mone – Backslide to Mone
Kyle Fletcher b. Mike Bailey – Turnbuckle brainbuster
Mistico/Chris Jericho/Darby Allin b. Don Callis Family – Coffin Drop to Knight
Bandido/Hangman Page b. The Demand – 21 Plex to Liona
Will Ospreay b. Mark Davis – Hidden Blade with barbed wire

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AEW vs. CMLL Semana Internacional
Date: August 4, 2026
Location: Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico City
Commentators: Veda Scott, Jorge Livan

So this actually might not be what you’re expecting, as there are representatives from several promotions participating on the card. The main event will see Mascara Dorada facing Kyle Fletcher, albeit in a non-title match. Other than that, Kevin Knight is defending the TNT Title against Titan so let’s get to it.

Note that I do not regularly follow CMLL so I apologize in advance any plot or character points I get wrong.

The hosts welcome us to the show in Spanish but we do have some unidentified voices in English giving another version. That’s always appreciated.

We go to the ring where some other hosts welcome us to the show, with a trophy and some titles next to them. They also plug some upcoming CMLL shows.

Leon Cage (RevPro) vs. Max Star (CMLL)

Lightning Match, meaning one fall with a ten minute time limit (as opposed to regular matches which are 2/3 falls with no time limit). They go to the mat to start and Cage slips out of a hurricanrana. He sends Star outside for the suicide dive but Star is back in with a springboard armdrag right back to the floor. That means a springboard moonsault to take Cage down again but he kicks Star out of the air back inside.

A running kick to the face gives Cage two so Star kicks him out to the floor, setting up the big step up flip dive. Back in and they trade rollups for two each until Cage hits a double underhook spinning faceplant for two more. A super anklescissors gives Star two more so he goes up, where Cage catches him with a super Spanish Fly. The big moonsault to the floor hits Star again and a Phoenix Splash gives Cage the pin at 8:43.

Rating: B-. This was a perfectly acceptable opener with two young guys getting to showcase themselves. They played up the idea of the clock starting to run out and it wound up being a good trading of offense. These guys have to get going somewhere and they used the chance they had to make that happen right here.

Candela/Kira (CMLL) vs. Maya World/Hyan (AEW)

Commentary implies that Candela and Kira are rivals and Kira is one half of the National Women’s Tag Team Champions (not with Candela). Hyan and Candela trade shoves to start and Candela flips over her for an early standoff. Hyan blocks a sunset flip but gets taken down with a springboard crossbody. World comes in to send Kira into the corner for a Cannonball and World’s double 619 gets two.

Everything breaks down and Kira dropkicks Hyan to the floor, setting up the big dive. Back in and a Code Red gets two on World but Kira and Candela miss stereo moonsaults. A double dropkick give Hyan and World two each and they all strike it out. World kicks Candela to the floor and adds a flip dive off the apron but Hyan misses a charge into the corner. Kira’s moonsault gets the pin at 9:06.

Rating: B-. This was another fast paced match, though World and Hyan didn’t feel like they were on the same level. Kira and Candela don’t appear to be regular partners so it’s a bit of a surprise that they won so handily here. At least World didn’t take the fall though, as you don’t want to see an underdog champion getting pinned if you can avoid it.

Los Hermanos Calavera (CMLL) vs. The Swirl (ROH)

Non-title, though Los Hermanos (Calavera Jr. I/Calavera Jr. II) are the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Champions and I is the National Lightweight Champion. The Swirl jumps them to start fast with I being sent into the barricade, leaving the Swirl to double team II in the corner. Christian goes for the mask and gets kicked in the head for the save as I is back in to start the double teaming. Stereo backflips set up stereo basement dropkicks for two, followed by a Swanton to a draping Christian for the same.

Christian is right back up for a reverse DDT/450 combination to put I on the floor. Back in and a double dropkick sends Swirl to the floor, naturally setting up a pair of quick dives. They all knock each other down back inside, followed by stereo nip ups. The Brothers drop both of them but the Swirl gets their feet on the ropes at the same time. Christian Lethal Injects I on the ramp and a handspring Chasing The Dragon gets two on II. Back in and I grabs a quick bridging rollup to pin Johnson at 8:34.

Rating: B. Yeah I can see the appeal of the Calavera Brothers as they have some great chemistry and were flying all over the place. It helps that the Swirl, while not so popular, are more than capable of hanging in there with just about anyone. Nice match here, as the fast paced start continues.

Austin Aries (MLW) vs. Esfinge (CMLL)

Non-title, as Aries MLW National Openweight Title and Esfinge’s National Light Heavyweight Title aren’t on the line. Aries works on the arm to start but gets caught in a headscissors. That’s escaped rather quickly and Aries nails a dropkick before hammering away in the corner. Esfinge is back with a takedown, only to be sent to the floor for a slingshot dive from Aries.

Back in and a slingshot spinning elbow hits Esfinge and Aries starts working on the mask. Esfinge kicks him in the head and a missile dropkick sends Aries to the floor. A suicide dive connects and Esfinge kicks him down for two back inside. Aries is right back with a Death Valley Driver on the apron for two and they trade some forearms. Esfinge kicks him down but misses a springboard splash. The running dropkick in the corner sets up Aries’ brainbuster for the pin at 8:57.

Rating: B-. Like him or not, Aries is still rather smooth in the ring and knows exactly how to wrestle his match. It’s a style that works against just about everyone and it worked here. It’s a shame that his attitude has left him away from major promotions for so long because he’s rather good at what he does. At the same time, Esfinge is another star who shows off some outstanding talent in the ring and he got to do it again here. Nice match.

NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles: Los Hermanos Chavez (CMLL) vs. House Of Torture (NJPW)

Los Hermanos (Angel de Oro/Niebla Roja) are defending against Douki/Yujiro Takahashi. Roja and Takahashi start things off with Roja taking him to the mat and working on the leg. Back up and they both appeal to the fans until Roja wins an exchange of shoulders. A headscissors sends Douki outside and everyone else joins him, with Roja getting crotched against the post.

Back in and Oro gets chopped a lot, with Douki ripping at his face. A missed charge gives Oro a breather though and Los Hermanos hit stereo dives to the floor. Some superkicks have Douki on the floor but Takahashi is back in with a brainbuster for two. Douki ties up Oro’s arm for a boot to the head from Takahashi and stereo suplexes give the House two each. Back up and Douki hits a dive to the floor but Oro grabs Takahashi for a running Liger Bomb for the retaining pin at 9:11.

Rating: C+. This was a bit below Los Hermanos Calavera but it was still completely decent wrestling. It helps that the House wasn’t allowed to do all of their weapons/cheating stuff as that tends to drag everything else down. Los Hermanos Chavez are rather good in their own right and it’s no surprise to see them being as successful as they are.

Neon/Ultimo Guerrero/Xelhua/Zandokan Jr. (CMLL) vs. Don Callis Family (AEW)

The Family (Brian Cage/Volador Jr./Hechicero/El Clon) jumps the other four to start fast and it’s Guerrero getting caught on the mat for a double basement superkick. Cage beats up Xelhua and Neon on the floor before Neon gets caught in the wrong corner for the running clotheslines. A double backdrop sends Neon into Cage’s sitout powerbomb for two before it’s Xelhua’s turn to get beaten up in the corner.

Guerrero gets stomped down but fights up and gets the crowd going, allowing Xelhua to come in with a double high crossbody. Neon snaps off a pop up hurricanrana to Hechicero to send him outside, leaving Guerrero and Volador Jr. to have a cheer off. Xelhua clotheslines Cage and eventually knocks him out to the floor as everything breaks down. Neon is up with a double springboard moonsault to the floor, leaving Guerrero to get a kind of Brock Lock/Black Widow combination to make Volador tap at 11:25.

Rating: B. I’m only kind of familiar with the CMLL guys here but they made this work out well. It helps that the Callis team was only so strong in the first place, but it wouldn’t make sense to have the CMLL guys lose here. The match was the usual action packed match you would have expected and Guerrero being around still feels important as he’s that big of a star.

Komander (AEW) vs. Soberano Jr. (CMLL)

Komander wastes no time in sending him outside to start for the early dive. Another dive is loaded up but Soberano blocks a diving headscissors and superkicks him off the apron. Back in and Soberano gets two off a quick rollup but Komander runs the corner and armdrags him into a seat belt for two of his own. A powerslam cuts Komander off again, though he’s fine enough to avoid a moonsault.

Komander’s rope walk moonsault gets two so they head to the apron, where Soberano gives him an over the back piledriver. Naturally Komander pops back up to catch Komander’s dive, with Soberano getting two back inside. A quick Spanish Fly gives Soberano two more and another belly to back piledriver connects. Soberano’s sitout Tombstone finishes at 9:19.

Rating: B. Hey look: Komander does a bunch of high flying and big flip dives but loses in the end. That’s the story of his life most of the time and it’s a shame to see him putting in these efforts and barely ever getting to win anything. That being said, it isn’t like he’s losing any status with the defeats so it seems to still be working out well enough.

Bandido (ROH) vs. Barbaro Cavernario (CMLL)

Bandido’s ROH World Title isn’t on the line (uh oh). They go technical to start with Cavernario biting a finger to take over. Back up and they roll into Bandido’s finger gun pose but Cavernario dropkicks him out of a springboard. The suicide dive connects but Bandido is right back up with one of his own.

Back in and the Eddie frog splash misses so Cavernario sends him outside again to hammer away against the barricade. They get back inside and Aubrey Edwards isn’t having any of Cavernario working him over in the corner. Bandido fights up and hits the corkscrew high crossbody before moonsaulting down onto him on the floor. Now the frog splash can connect for two and they trade charges in the corner.

Cavernario sends him outside for a big crash and a top rope splash to the floor crushes Bandido. Back in and Cavernario’s splash is broken up, just like Bandido’s 21 Plex. The X Knee looks to set up another 21 Plex, which is countered into a suplex. Bandido rolls him up for two but Cavernario gets his own rollup (possibly with a low blow) for the pin at 15:28.

Rating: B+. What a shock: Bandido has one of the best matches of the night but doesn’t get to win on a big stage. I’m hoping Cavernario wants a World Title shot out of this, but I’d settle for him just getting such a shot. The opposite has been done to Bandido far too often and it’s beyond old at this point.

AEW TNT Title: Kevin Knight (AEW) vs. Titan (CMLL)

Knight is defending and suckers Titan into an early dropkick. Titan is sent outside for a springboard clothesline and some posing, followed by a near fall. Knight takes too long though and Titan kicks his way out of the corner, setting up the dive out to the floor. A suicide dive sends Knight halfway into the crowd, with Titan grabbing a leglock back inside.

Knight gets to the ropes before a big so he can run said ropes, only to get kicked in the face. Titan’s top rope double stomp gets two and he grabs a Muta Lock but Knight grabs the rope again. Knight crotches him on the top and gets a running star, setting up the diving cutter for two. The UFO Splash retains the title at 12:18.

Rating: B-. It’s another good match, though Titan didn’t get to show much out there. I’ve seen him steal some shows before and it would be nice to see him do that again. At the same time, this made Knight feel like a star and that’s one of the most important things they could do here. This worked for a semi main event so nice job.

Kyle Fletcher (AEW) vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL)

Non-title and Don Callis is here to introduce Fletcher with his bad Spanish bit. They take their time to start until Fletcher sends him outside for a kick from the apron. Back in and Fletcher stomps him down and poses a bit, allowing Dorada to get back up. A rather springboardy headscissors takes Fletcher down, setting up a corkscrew springboard moonsault to the floor. Fletcher gets up again and tries a sitout powerbomb, which is countered into a sunset flip for a fast two.

A spinning hurricanrana is countered into the aforementioned sitout powerbomb for two but Dorada breaks up the brainbuster attempt. Dorada grabs a springboard spinning Canadian Destroyer for two, allowing me to try to figure out what the spin added in the slightest. The 450 gives Dorada a VERY near fall but he has to bail out of a shooting star press. That lets Fletcher hit a running knee to the back but Dorada small packages him for another close two. Fletcher is done with this and kicks him in the corner, setting up the brainbuster for the pin at 11:52.

Rating: B. I’m fine with Fletcher winning of course as he’s the biggest AEW name on the show. There’s just something funny about the idea of another Ring Of Honor champion losing in the main event of the show because OF COURSE RING OF HONOR LOSES AGAIN. Anyway, it’s another quality match in a series of them tonight so well done again.

English commentary stops after the match and the Spanish host wraps us up.

Overall Rating: B+. This show was pretty much exactly what you would have expected it to be. There is pretty much nothing important from a storyline perspective, but it was a bunch of wrestlers getting to entertain a hot crowd for over two and a half hours. It’s nothing I’m ever going to want to see again, but it was a very easy show to watch and never got dull. They didn’t make this complicated and just had a fun night. Do that more often.

Results
Leon Cage b. Max Star – Phoenix Splash
Candela/Kira b. Hyan/Maya World – Moonsault to Hyan
Austin Aries b. Esfinge – Brainbuster
Los Hermanos Chavez b. House Of Torture – Running Liger Bomb to Takahashi
Neon/Ultimo Guerrero/Zelhua/Zandokan Jr. b. Don Callis Jr. – Arm/leg trap to Volador Jr.
Soberano Jr. b. Komander – Sitout Tombstone
Barbaro Cavernario b. Bandido – Low blow rollup
Kevin Knight b. Titan – UFO Splash
Kyle Fletcher b. Mascara Dorada – Brainbuster

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: July 30, 2026
Location: Masonic Temple Theater, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Paul Wight, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the second night in a row for the live AEW events as Collision is wisely stepping to the side as WWE runs Summerslam on Saturday. We are a month away from All In and last night’s show made the Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay main event all that much more interesting. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

And we open big with the hometown Motor City Machine Guns. Yeah you knew they were coming in sooner or later. Chris Sabin asks if you thought they wouldn’t be here. This is where the best wrestle and Alex Shelley says that in more ways than one, they are home. They are officially All Elite. Simple and to the point here, with a good way to start the show off.

Trios Titles: Rascalz vs. The Demand

The Demand is defending. Ricochet and Wentz trade takedowns for an early standoff but Ricochet sends the other two outside for the big running flip dive. Back in and Xavier strikes away at Ricochet with a cutter putting Ricochet down. The series of dives have the champions in trouble and we take an early break.

We come back with Kaun striking away, only for Reed to grab a double cutter to the Gates. They’re right back up to crush Wentz in the corner, with Ricochet’s springboard splash getting two. A double electric chair is broken up and Reed is back up with his big running cutter over the ropes. Back in and Xavier’s Spiral Tap hits Ricochet’s raised knees and Open The Gates retains the titles at 11:26.

Rating: B-. This was the way to have a quick title defense for the champions and it’s nice to have the challengers be a perfectly acceptable group rather than some random names. The Rascalz work very well together so having the Demand cut them off is a good look. There aren’t many ready to go challengers so having one of them ready to go here is a good, albeit risky, start to the title reign.

The Conglomeration isn’t happy with their loss last night but they’re going to do an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with some special guests from Detroit.

Since it’s been a few weeks since the last two ended, it’s tournament time! We hear about the Continental Cup, which is a sixteen person tournament with brackets randomly drawn every round. The finals, for the title and shockingly a cup, take place at All In. It’s inspired by the English FA Cup so Nigel McGuinness is in.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Nick Comoroto

Comoroto powers him out to the floor to start but Ciampa is right back inside to stomp away. The running knee finishes for Ciampa at 1:16 and he’s looking fired up here.

Hangman Page says he needs something to do but Brody King and Bandido interrupt to thank him for last night. Page thinks they should challenge for the Trios Titles next week in Mexico City. Bandido dubs them the Good, The Bad And The Ugly, with the suggestion being that King is the latter.

Brawling Birds/Hazuki vs. Athena/Diamante/Billie Starkz

Hayter gets taken into the wrong corner to start as McGuinness doesn’t like the idea of British people only getting in brawls in pubs. Hazuki comes in to take over on Starkz and everything breaks down. Athena knocks Hayter down and the other four brawl on (and off) the stage.

We take a break and come back with Hazuki cleaning house until Diamante gives Windsor a Chaos Theory suplex. Diamante gets caught in the wrong corner for the running clotheslines and Hazuki hits a dive off the apron. Athena can’t powerbomb Hazuki, who drops Athena with a pump kick. A German suplex drops Athena and Two Birds, One Stone finishes Diamante off at 11:55.

Rating: B-. This was all it needed to be as the Birds get a win on their way to an all but guaranteed Women’s Tag Team Title match at All In and Hazuki might be challenging Athena for the Ring Of Honor Women’s Title. That’s not a bad way to go with one single match, which makes for a better use than just having the Birds win a regular tag match. The Birds winning the titles in London is a great idea and hopefully they don’t make this any more complicated than it needs to be.

Post match Lena Kross and Megan Bayne run in to go after the Birds.

Ricochet and the Demand, with the Lethal Twist, are down to face Brodido/Hangman Page.

Here is the Conglomeration to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, with the Insane Clown Posse and Rhino coming out to pour the ice. The ice is poured and the fans chant for Rebel. Nothing wrong with a quick bit for charity.

Death Riders vs. Bang Bang Gang

Yuta and Austin trade wristlocks to start as the fans REALLY do not like Yuta very much. Austin comes in to double fireman’s carry Pac and Yuta at the same time (which is all the more impressive given Austin’s stature). The Samoan drop connects but Castagnoli sends Austin into the corner for the running clotheslines as we take a break.

We come back with Austin still in trouble and getting caught with a backbreaker/stomp combination on the floor. Austin fights out of trouble without much effort and it’s off to Colten to clean house. Moxley breaks up the Fameasser though and Yuta’s rollup with tights gets two.

Robinson comes back in with a high crossbody for two and it’s off to the parade of finishers. Austin kicks Moxley from the apron and hits a heck of a running dive to take him down again. Yuta bites Robinson’s head and tries a rollup, only for Robinson to reverse it into one of his own for the pin at 11:18.

Rating: B. Well dang man. That was a genuine surprise as I would have bet on the Gang to lose here but points to AEW for giving them a pretty major win. As usual, Austin felt like he was stealing the show and never stopped moving, which hopefully leads to him having some kind of a big push down the line. For now though, at least he got to be on the winning team here, which I didn’t see coming at all.

Post match the Riders jump Robinson and here are the Dogs to jump the Gang as well. The Motor City Machine Guns run in with chairs for the save.

Tommaso Ciampa wants in the Casino Gauntlet and is facing Andrade El Idolo for the #1 spot. He isn’t interested in the National Title because he wants the big belt.

Kris Statlander vs. Aurora Teves

Statlander throws her into the corner to start and there’s the rather delayed suplex. Staturday Night Fever finishes for Statlander at 1:27. Total squash.

Kyle Fletcher and Mike Bailey are ready for their title match on Dynamite but Fletcher jumps him and they go out into the arena. Fletcher’s belt shot misses and Bailey clears him out. Quick and to the point here and that’s fine.

Kevin Knight, on behalf of Kazuchika Okada and Hechicero, issues a challenge for a six man tag to any former World Champions for Dynamite.

Jay Lethal vs. Komander

Lethal works on a wristlock to start so Komander grabs a quick armdrag. A DDT is countered though and Lethal tries the Figure Four, which is broken up as well. Komander sends him outside but it’s too early for the rope walk dive. Lethal is sent outside though and Komander hits the big dive as we take a break.

We come back with Komander kicking away and getting two off a high crossbody. Komander flips away and gets kicked in the head, similar to last night with Moxley giving him a cutter. Maybe don’t try those flips again. Lethal chases him to the floor and Komander pops up to the top on the way back in for a 450 and a near fall. Cielito Lindo finishes Lethal at 9:01.

Rating: B-. It was fun while it lasted but there was only so much to be seen in the short amount of time they had with the commercial taken out. As usual, Komander can do some incredible high flying stuff and looks awesome. That quick 450 is rather impressive and this one looked better than the one he did to Moxley last night. Good enough match here, with Lethal being someone you bring in to make anyone look like a star.

Schiavone: “Komander shocks the world by beating Jay Lethal!” In case you’re wondering, Lethal’s last singles win on AEW TV was almost three years ago.

Will Ospreay vs. Daniel Garcia

Jon Moxley is on commentary. Ospreay charges at him to start and Garcia bails out to the floor. The chase is on until Garcia gets caught with a head fake and Ospreay takes over on the floor. Back in and Ospreay snaps off a running hurricanrana to the floor and the slingshot dive follows. Ospreay’s dive off of the barricade is countered into a hanging DDT on the floor though and we take a break.

We come back with Garcia working on the leg but Ospreay is back up with a flipping kick to the head. A standing corkscrew moonsault gives Ospreay two, followed by the Phenomenal Forearm for the same. They strike it out until Garcia flips over into a guillotine choke. That and a piledriver give Garcia two so he slaps him in the face, which wakes Ospreay up.

A quick Dragontamer goes on before Garcia rolls him into a bulldog choke (Moxley approves). Ospreay’s escape doesn’t last long as he dives into a rear naked choke so he raises his fist (apparently joining the Nation Of Domination). A backflip gets him out of the hold and the Hidden Blade finishes for Ospreay at 13:21.

Rating: B. Garcia as an obstacle to give a top star like Ospreay a win is a good use of him, as he didn’t get to talk and was more of a pest for Ospreay than a real threat. It was a hard hitting match and Ospreay basically Hulking Up for the win made him look even more like a hero. Perfectly acceptable idea here and they both worked hard to make it work well.

Post match Ospreay goes to leave but gets choked by Mark Davis. The Don Callis Family comes in and beats on Ospreay, including a piledriver on the floor. They take him inside for some chair shots but Ospreay fights out and clears the ring with the chair, a mere 64 seconds after being piledriven on the floor. Ospreay wants his match with Davis to be a street fight and sits down in his chair to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was what I wanted to see out of a Collision in the better time slot as it felt like a bigger than usual edition. They set up some stuff for both Grand Slam and All In, which is a good use of this kind of show. I liked this one quite a bit and it even had a genuine surprise with the Gang winning, along with a bit less of a surprise with the Machine Guns debuting. Good stuff here and hopefully they can follow it up next week.

Results
The Demand b. Rascalz – Open The Gates to Xavier
Tommaso Ciampa b. Nick Comoroto – Running knee
Brawling Birds/Hazuki b. Athena/Diamante/Billie Starkz – Two Birds, One Stone to Diamante
Bang Bang Gang b. Death Riders – Rollup to Yuta
Kris Statlander b. Aurora Teves – Staturday Night Fever
Komander b. Jay Lethal – Cielito Lindo
Will Ospreay b. Daniel Garcia – Hidden Blade

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: July 29, 2026
Location: Masonic Temple Theater, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We have Redemption out of the way and that means all roads lead to All In in about a month. Kenny Omega is still the World Champion after turning back Kevin Knight, leaving him ready to defend against Will Ospreay. As for Ospreay and Jon Moxley and the rest of the Death Riders….it’s complicated. Let’s get to it.

Here is Redemption if you need a recap.

Commentary runs down the card.

We look back at the Redemption World Title match, with Kenny Omega retaining. After the match, Will Ospreay shook Omega’s hand but Omega laid him out to end the show. Jon Moxley is NOT pleased.

A ticked off Ospreay arrives and runs into the Death Riders. Daniel Garcia goes after him and gets dropped with a single shot to the face. Pac has to be held back and Jon Moxley asks Ospreay if he really wants to do that. Ospreay gives Moxley the Death Riders patch back and they let him walk past.

He doesn’t want to talk to Renee Paquette but runs into Hangman Page, who offers his help in any way Ospreay needs. Ospreay says he can’t trust Kenny Omega so he can’t trust Page so while he appreciates the offer, he’s doing this on his own. Page stops him and says Ospreay is going to be the best at All In. He says Ospreay has this and Ospreay is appreciative before going inside.

National Title: Nick Wayne vs. Jack Perry vs. Andrade El Idolo

Andrade is defending and gets dropped by Perry to start fast. Wayne takes Perry down as well but Andrade is up to suplex both of them. Perry bulldogs Wayne on the floor but gets taken down by a diving Andrade. We pause for a photo with a redhead in the audience so Wayne grabs Sliced Bread off the barricade, only to bang up his knee in the process. Back in and Andrade suplexes Perry into the corner but charges into Wayne’s standing Spanish Fly.

We take a break and come back with Andrade powerbombing Wayne out of the corner. Perry snaps off a heck of a top rope hurricanrana to bring Andrade off the apron, only to get caught by Wayne’s Canadian Destroyer. Back in and Wayne’s Prodigy Plex (fisherman’s buster) gets two on Andrade, who gets up to clothesline both of them. The running Meteora in the corner gives Andrade two so he puts Perry up top.

A charging Wayne is launched up into a super hurricanrana to Perry….who spins into a tornado DDT to drop Andrade (sweet goodness). Perry is back up with a string of dives but Andrade takes Wayne down. The frog splash hits knees though and Wayne’s phoenix splash gets two, with Perry making the save. Perry charges into the Dia de los Muertos (the spinning back elbow) and the DM finishes Wayne to retain the title at 14:21.

Rating: B. That hurricanrana into the tornado DDT alone was awesome and moved the match up another notch on its own. It was a good, fast paced match that you would expect from these people, though I’m not entirely sure how this was set up. The challengers felt kind of out of nowhere, but putting Andrade out there for a successful title defense is a good idea.

Post match Andrade says he’s happy to have screwed over MJF (with the ring) and Don Callis (in general). He’s feeling tranquilo though and is ready for the Casino Gauntlet match at All In. Schiavone asks him about his qualifying match next week in his hometown of “Mexico” and Andrade hits the catchphrase.

The Brawling Birds are ready to beat up some Athena and her Minions on Collision.

Don Callis, with his Family, knows that you take losses on occasion but it’s time to move forward. This seems to include Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight teaming up, though Fletcher doesn’t seem impressed. He says the title will always stay in the Family but Kazuchika Okada comes in to agree, with Fletcher not being happy.

Don Callis Family vs. Brodido/Mike Bailey

Fletcher wants to start with King so Bailey gives him what he wants. King runs him over with a clothesline and grabs the arm so Bailey can come back in to stay on said arm. Everything breaks down and Bandido misses an Eddie frog splash, instead settling for a suplex on Fletcher. Cage pulls Bandido outside though and powerbombs him against the post as we take a break.

We come back with Fletcher slamming Bandido, who comes back with the very spinning DDT. Cage can’t get anywhere with a suplex and it’s back to King to knock Cage and Doyle into the corner. The Cannonball connects for two so Bailey comes back in, with Cage immediately giving him a buckle bomb. Everything breaks down again and Fletcher and Bailey trade rollups for two each.

Fletcher lawn darts him but gets kicked in the head to leave them both down. Bandido comes back in to forearm away at Doyle, setting up the frog splash (third Eddie tribute in two matches) but Bandido gets sent outside. Bailey gets kicked in the head but bounces back up with his springboard moonsault to take Fletcher out on the floor. Back up and Bailey gives Doyle the Ultimate Weapon into the arm trap sunset flip for the pin at 13:51.

Rating: B. This got going and it was smart to give Bailey a bit more momentum into the upcoming title shot. It works well every time and they made it work again here. Other than that, Brodido can work well with anyone, even a less than regular team like Doyle and Cage. The match was more about Bailey though, with Bandido outshining him anyway.

We get a sitdown interview with Adam Copeland/Christian Cage and the Young Bucks, who are set for the All In match. The Bucks’ families are coming to England for the match and it couldn’t mean more for them. Copeland says it means that much to them too and they’re glad to see the Bucks and FTR bringing tag wrestling back.

Cage says they’re not here for a greatest hits tour and they’re still the best tag team of this generation. The Bucks talk about being the most accomplished team in AEW history but they had to fight their way back. Copeland doesn’t want this to be a comparison game because they lost a combined seventeen years of their careers and didn’t win a Tag Team Title for twenty five years.

Matt says the Bucks are going to be coming harder, faster and stronger than ever and the champs will be lucky to get on the board. The Bucks are used to being told that they’re too small and don’t do the right stuff. They’ve never had the machine behind them (uh……) so they’re ready for the title match. The champs are ready too. The idea of having the Bucks as these scrappy underdogs who are just trying to get their glory is a bit much to ask.

TBS Title: Persephone vs. Maya World

World is defending (Persephone’s CMLL Women’s Title isn’t on the line). World grabs a headlock to start and then cartwheels away before getting two off a rollup. A running wristdrag takes Persephone down again and she misses a charge out to the floor. Persephone is back up with an electric chair drop onto the apron though and we take a break.

We come back with Persephone grabbing a quickly broken ankle lock so World can get two off a rollup. Persephone fall away slams her out to the floor for the suicide dive but World uses the apron for a tornado DDT. Back in and a hammerlock lariat takes World down and we get a double breather. World is up for a moonsault so here is Hikaru Shida, only for Kris Statlander to cut her off. The tabletop suplex retains the title at 10:00.

Rating: C+. This was a way to get World a first title defense after winning the title just a few days ago. AEW obviously sees something in World (which isn’t shocking) and it’s nice to see her getting an actual chance. We’ll have to see where it goes, but at least they’re off to a good start. Hopefully the rematch with Shida is pretty quick, as there isn’t much of a point to having that go on for a long while.

Mark Davis is mad about his title loss and wants to get back on top by beating Will Ospreay next week.

It’s Shark Week so a dancing shark joins commentary.

Here is Willow Nightingale for her big celebration as champion. We pause for the YOU DESERVE IT chants and Nightingale is moved to tears. She’s not just living her dream but she’s living THE dream. People look at a girl like her and see someone who doesn’t quite fit because she’s quirky or chubby but the fans seem to appreciate her.

After saying the makeup artist worked very hard and it’s being ruined by her tears, she talks about how much she has accomplished this year, but she got hurt. Her mom told her to keep fighting so here she is, having gotten into the Casino Gauntlet and then beaten a toxic champion. She’s ready to go to All In but here is Mercedes Mone, with the contract, to interrupt. They both quickly sign and Nightingale talks about how Mone must be upset that she wasn’t getting attention for five seconds.

Or maybe it’s that Nightingale has the one title that Mone can’t get. Mone is sick of Nightingale always having her name on Mone’s story. The fans do NOT want to hear it but Mone keeps going, saying she made Nightingale. Cue Megan Bayne and Lena Kross and Mone takes out Nightingale’s knee. This brings out the Brawling Birds and the villains run. Mone taking the title would be totally deflating but Nightingale retaining would be a heck of a moment. Please don’t do this the wrong way again.

Continental Title: Jon Moxley vs. Komander

Moxley is defending against another rather random challenger. Komander takes him down by the arm to start and they pop up for a standoff. Moxley gets in a knockdown of his own but a quick small package leaves Moxley frustrated. Back up and a headscissors sends Moxley down and he’s smart enough to roll away from the rope die. That’s fine with Komander, who hits a running dive as we take a break.

We come back with Moxley holding a headscissors and pulling on the legs at the same time. That’s broken up and Komander strikes away, including a superkick to the back. Komander tries some flips and is immediately cuttered back down. Back up and Komander drapes him over the top for a guillotine legdrop to the back of the head. Moxley misses a charge and gets caught with a quick springboard 450 for a rather near fall. Now the rope walk flip dive connects but Moxley avoids Cielito Lindo and scores with a Stomp. The Death Rider into the bulldog choke retains the title at 13:04.

Rating: B. This got better once Komander was able to throw everything he could out there and it made for a good match in the end. The idea here was Moxley finally catching Komander when he was going a bit too hard and it wound up working out. Again, it’s not a match that was about a realistic title defense, but in this case just getting Moxley on the show. As always.

Mick Foley is with the Bang Bang Gang (minus Jay White), who want the Death Riders on Collision. Foley gets in a cheap pop as only he can.

Trios Titles: Conglomeration vs. The Demand

The Demand is challenging and jump them to start fast. That’s broken up and Cassidy drops an elbow (after taking his time getting down) on Liona. We get the bell and Kaun rams his own head into the buckle. Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets so Kaun grabs the hands and lifts him up for quite the visual. Strong comes in to strike away but Kaun picks Cassidy up to cut Strong off.

We take a break and come back with Strong giving Ricochet a half nelson backbreaker, allowing the tag off to O’Reilly. That means an ankle lock to Kaun, with Ricochet making the save. O’Reilly and Ricochet clothesline each other down but Ricochet gets up top, where Cassidy rakes his head.

Kaun gives Strong a top rope superplex before missing a diving headbutt. O’Reilly and Strong strike Kaun down and the High/Low gets two, with Ricochet making the save. Cue the Lethal Twist to offer a distraction, with Christian hitting a springboard belt shot to Cassidy. The Spirit Gun gives Ricochet the pin and the titles at 10:55.

Rating: B-. With all of the title matches they had on this show, they pretty much had to have at least one title change. The good thing is that the Demand is another regular team and it makes sense for them to get the belts. The Conglomeration did their thing long enough and it’s fine to switch the titles, as there are options to come after them.

Post match the double beatdown is on, with Brody King running in for a failed save attempt. Hangman Page comes out with a barbed wire steel chair for the real save.

The Death Riders are ready for Will Ospreay, who always tries to leave when things get hard. Jon Moxley is ready for the Continental Cup. Is that the Continental Classic under the wrong name or something new?

We’re a mere seventeen minutes into the overrun so here is Kenny Omega for a chat. Before he can get more than a few words out though, here is Will Ospreay to interrupt. Omega says what he has to say really doesn’t need to be heard by the people because it’s personal and just for Ospreay. It’s time for show and tell, because at Redemption, Omega showed Ospreay how he felt with the One Winged Angel.

Now it’s time for the tell part, because they had a promise to give it their best. That’s why Omega let Ospreay enter the Owen Hart Cup on his own but then Ospreay started hanging out with the Death Riders. Ospreay talks about coming back from the injury too soon and all he cared about was revenge. So who was he supposed to turn to? The only one was Jon Moxley, because he was the person who could get him to the World Title.

Ospreay liked the feeling of being a Death Rider because it was like being in Japan, but he doesn’t share their philosophy. That’s where it ends with the Death Riders, but Omega talks about how he was ready to be destroyed at Redemption. He got up and saw Ospreay holding the belt and the torn plastic bag. It took Ospreay so long because he was thinking about doing it and Omega slaps him in the face.

Omega says he thought Ospreay was his friend and Ospreay says he was. Omega accuses him of always crumbling under pressure and the fight is on, with Omega bailing from the threat of the Hidden Blade. With Omega gone, Ospreay talks about how this is what he has wanted the whole time and it’s so close that it’s time for the penalties.

If you know anything about England, you know they’re not great at them but he has the entire country on his back. Ospreay is going to pull the trigger and Omega is going to see it coming. They’re doing a nice job of turning this into a personal issue, which is impressive as they kind of had to throw everything together after MJF’s injury. I’m not sure how much sense the whole thing makes, but they’re certainly trying and this worked.

Overall Rating: B-. Well, on one hand, it was an effective show with good action and some rather strong pushes towards All In. You can see most of the card from here and we should be in for a big night in London. At the same time, my goodness they have got to get these shows lengths under control.

This was over two and a half hours long and it’s another case where it could easily be fixed by cutting out a match (Moxley vs. Komander didn’t need to be there). AEW/ROH is in the middle of a stretch where they have shows on six out of seven nights. If they absolutely have to have this many shows (they don’t), at least don’t have them go this long.

This was a good show, but after so much of AEW/ROH in recent days, I could go for a break from them. That’s not a good sign about a month before their biggest show of the year and we’re nowhere near done with this week. Anyway, good followup show to the pay per view and a nice build towards All In, but just trim things down a bit.

Results
Andrade El Idolo b. Nick Wayne and Jack Perry – DM to Wayne
Brodido/Mike Bailey b. Don Callis Family – Arm trap sunset flip to Doyle
Maya World b. Persephone – Tabletop suplex
Jon Moxley b. Komander – Bulldog choke
The Demand b. Conglomeration – Spirit Gun to Cassidy

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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