AEW Dynamite – July 23, 2025: Logical

Dynamite
Date: July 23, 2025
Location: Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re rapidly approaching Forbidden Door with just over a month to go before the show. That means it is time to start getting ready for the show with some matches being announced. Other than that, we’re still dealing with some fallout from All In, which will likely continue tonight. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

There is going to be a tournament to crown new #1 contenders for the Tag Team Titles with the title shot at Forbidden Door.

Hangman Page is willing to face Wheeler Yuta tonight but MJF comes in to tease cashing in.

Hangman Page vs. Wheeler Yuta

Non-title. Yuta jumps him during the entrance and chokes away on the floor to start fast. Page fights back and sends him into the barricade a few times, followed by a fall away slam into the corner. Yuta goes to the eyes but Page shrugs it off and finishes with the Buckshot Lariat at 3:15.

Rating: C. Well, I can always go with seeing Yuta taking a beating and this was as squashy as it could have been. At the end of the day, Page shouldn’t be breaking a sweat over the top heel stable’s job guy and this was a good way to make Page look like a killer. Nice opener here, which did exactly what it should have done.

Post match Page grabs the chain and beats on Yuta to bust him open. Page thinks twice about hanging him though. That’s going to require a name change. Maybe Fish Feeder Adam Page.

Athena, in a Shark Week fin hat, has Billie Starkz ready to take out Toni Storm.

#1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament First Round: FTR vs. Jet Speed

Stokley Hathaway, on a crutch, is with FTR. Knight gets knocked to the floor to start and Bailey is beaten down in the corner. That’s broken up and Jet Speed hit stereo dives to the floor to pick up the pace. We settle down to Harwood striking Bailey up against the ropes. That doesn’t last long either as they go outside, with back to back backdrops putting FTR down.

We take a break and come back with Jet Speed hitting stereo missile dropkicks and stereo moonsaults (one inside, one outside) for two on Wheeler. Harwood is back up to wrap Knight’s leg around the post and Wheeler goes after Bailey’s leg on the floor. Back in and Harwood Sharpshooters Knight, who breaks out and blocks the PowerPlex.

We take another break and come back with Knight hitting a springboard forearm to Harwood and Bailey sunset flipping Wheeler for two. Bailey takes both of them out with a dive and drops the moonsault knees for two more. An electric chair and (standing) dropkick combination gets two on Wheeler and Bailey dives over the barricade to take him out again. Back in and Harwood’s slingshot powerbomb is countered into a hurricanrana to give Knight two. Harwood reverses another hurricanrana and Hathaway offers the crutch for extra leverage and the pin at 17:30.

Rating: B. Good, fast paced match here with the right team going over. The problem with having such dominant champions as the Hurt Syndicate is you can only have so many teams as realistic challengers. FTR is as good of an option as we have at the moment and while Jet Speed gave them a good fight, it should have gone this way.

Post match Hathaway rants about Cope injuring him last week, calling him a cancer to AEW. Cue Cope, who is barred from getting too close to FTR. The good thing is he’s made a business deal with some people who can and they are in the business of hurting people. Cue the Hurt Syndicate for the brawl and FTR bails. Cope tries to spear Hathaway but hits a security guard by mistake.

The Matriarchy is ready to back up their words with physicality because they are now uncaged.

Jon Moxley isn’t going to make excuses for his loss but by the end of the night, we’ll find out who Hangman Page really is.

Here is Will Ospreay for a chat. Ospreay talks about the work that he put in to help get the World Title back in AEW. The problem is he had some bad discs in his neck, but he can be treated. With the right help and the hard work, he can be back for Forbidden Door. He’s still coming for the Death Riders too. Swerve Strickland comes out to show some respect.

Video on Julia Hart, Thekla and Skye Blue, who are apparently now a unit.

Willow Nightingale needs something fresh to do and could go for fighting Thekla.

We look back at the Hurt Syndicate brawling with FTR.

MJF isn’t sure what was up with that because it should be about getting the World Title. Bobby Lashley chokes him against the locker and says he wants MJF out of the team. MVP shakes his head at MJF and walks away.

Toni Storm vs. Billie Starkz

Non-title with Athena watching from the balcony. Storm grabs a headlock to start and sends her into the corner, allowing a quick pull up of the skirt. Starkz manages to knock her to the floor and hit a running Swanton off the apron. Back in and Starkz grabs a suplex and we take an early break.

We come back with Storm hitting a Thesz press and pounding away. Storm powerbombs her for two but Starkz is back with a brainbuster onto the knee. A fisherman’s suplex gives Storm two and they trade rollups for some near falls each. Storm’s hip attack sets up a failed Storm Zero attempt but she’s able to block a Swanton. The chickenwing finishes for Storm at 9:28.

Rating: C+. Again, perfectly logical here with Starkz being out there to soften Storm up rather than really going for the win here. Athena feels like a different kind of challenger and I’m starting to expect her to win the title. This was a good way to keep things moving, even if Starkz continues to be a bit less than smooth in the ring.

Post match Starkz drops Storm with a belt shot and here is Athena to send her into the steps over and over. A contract shot to the head looks to set up the cash in but Alex Windsor breaks it up.

Swerve Strickland vs. Hechicero

Prince Nana is here with Strickland and Don Callis handles Hechicero’s entrance. Hechicero ties up the arms to start but Strickland flips out of an early choke attempt. The mat grappling goes to Hechicero until Strickland reverses into something like an abdominal stretch. That doesn’t last long either as Hechicero is back with a swinging hammerlock backbreaker. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker puts Hechicero down again though and we take a break.

We come back with Hechicero planting Strickland, who laughs at him. A slugout goes to Strickland, setting up the elbow to the back. Strickland’s 450 gets two and a bit of frustration seems to be setting in. Back up and Hechicero pulls him into a choke, which doesn’t last long either. The rolling Downward Spiral sets up the Swerve Stomp but Lance Archer runs in for the DQ at 11:15.

Rating: B-. Well at least neither of them didn’t get pinned. There was no reason for either of them to take a fall here, with Strickland gearing up to go after Okada and Hechicero likely being next in line for Bandido. I’m not wild on the run-in DQ, but in this case it’s the best case scenario if the match was made in the first place.

Post match Bandido and Brody King run in for the save and brawl to the back with the villains. Cue Kazuchika Okada to hit Strickland with a chair but Strickland fights back, with the threat of a House Call with a chair sending Okada scampering.

Ricochet and the Gates Of Agony brag about their recent success.

Here is MJF for a chat. He knows the fans aren’t that bright but he doesn’t need Bobby Lashley to get the title back. As for Hangman Page, he’s ready to execute this contract and take his title back but here is Mark Briscoe to interrupt. After making a kosher pickle joke, Briscoe says MJF stole a win from him in the Casino Gauntlet match and wants MJF next week. MJF: “No.”

If Briscoe was supposed to win the contract, he would have done it, but when the pressure is on, Briscoe loses. The fans might love Briscoe but he’s just a joke and everyone knows it. MJF respected one man from Delaware and he would have listened to a challenge from him. Briscoe must be miserable waking up every day, knowing that he’s not as respected as his brother Jay. That’s enough for Mark to come to the ring, with MJF bailing.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Mark Briscoe

Briscoe backs him into a corner for an exchange of strikes, eventually flipping over Castagnoli and chopping him down. Back up and Castagnoli stomps away in the corner before sending Briscoe to the apron for another chop off. A running clothesline puts Castagnoli on the floor, where he’s fine enough to swing Briscoe into the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Castagnoli dropping him again but pausing to look at Darby Allin in the crowd. Briscoe kicks him to the floor for a suicide flip dive and the fans are rather enthused. The Froggy Bow only gets two but Castagnoli is back with a middle rope slam for the same. The Neutralizer is blocked so Castagnoli hits a running uppercut for two. Back up and a small package gives Briscoe the pin at 13:19.

Rating: B. Good stuff here as Briscoe is starting to be treated as a bigger deal every week. That’s great to see, as he has been losing bigger matches far too often. I’m not sure if he’s going to beat MJF in their big showdown, but at least he’s being built up in the process. Castagnoli is pretty firmly in his spot to put people over and that’s a good use for him.

Post match Marina Shafir comes in to take out Briscoe and here is Jon Moxley. He calls out Hangman Page, who comes out to say he’ll keep getting up. Next week, they can do it for the title one more time, but under Page’s rules: everyone but a referee will be banned from ringside. Page knows Moxley will accept so he’ll see him next week. The match is made official to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The word that keeps coming to mind here is “logical”, as most of the things that happened here made sense. There were matches set up (naturally some of them were in a tournament but that’s going to happen around here) and nothing felt insane. Throw in the absence of the Young Bucks and a limited amount of Don Callis and I can go with what we got here.

Results
Hangman Page b. Wheeler Yuta – Buckshot Lariat
FTR b. Jet Speed – Rollup with assist from Stokley Hathaway
Toni Storm b. Billie Starkz – Chickenwing
Swerve Strickland b. Hechicero via DQ when Lance Archer interfered
Mark Briscoe b. Claudio Castagnoli – Small package

 

 

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

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




Dynamite – July 16, 2025: And They’re Still Off

Dynamite
Date: July 16, 2025
Location: Byline Bank Argon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Taz, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We are done with All In and it was a very good night for our heroes. Hangman Page is the new World Champion and the Young Bucks are out of power, which means we could be in for a whole new ball game around here. It also means that we are about five weeks away from Forbidden Door so it’s time to get things ready. Let’s get to it.

Here is All In if you need a recap.

Tony Schiavone brings out Hangman Page for his first big speech after the title win. As usual, Schiavone bails so Page can be alone in the ring, making me wonder why he was even there in the first place. Page says that the fans chanting YOU DESERVE IT are the ones who really deserve it. Fans: “WE DESERVE IT!” Oh come on man don’t encourage them. Anyway Page talks about how the fans are the ones who wanted a grassroots approach to pro wrestling and they are the ones who brought AEW into being.

The people here do it for the fans rather than the title, which earns a THANK YOU HANGMAN chant. Page thanks people like Orange Cassidy, Jay White, Adam Copeland, the Opps, Bryan Danielson and Darby Allin. He also needs to thank Will Ospreay, who made wrestling fun again. Finally though…and the fans know where this is going. Page doesn’t know if this person helped for himself, AEW, or even Page himself, but thank you to Swerve Strickland. Page has a wife and two kids who love him and he is the World Champion. Good opening here, as Page gets to take his victory lap.

Long recap of All In.

The Young Bucks had to Uber to the show.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Mascara Dorada

Fletcher boots him in the face to start and hammers away at Dorada. Back up and they trade some flips until Dorada sends him into the corner, followed by a dropkick. Dorada sends him to the floor for a big dive, only to get caught with a swinging Side Effect back inside. We take a break and come back with kicking him in the head, setting up a running headscissors.

A shooting star to the floor drops Fletcher again and Code Red gives Dorada two. The super brainbuster doesn’t work for Fletcher so Dorada snaps off a spinning super anklescissors. Dorada’s 450 gets two and a superkick into another anklescissors sends Fletcher into the buckle. Fletcher is right back with a lawn dart into the corner and the brainbuster gives Fletcher the pin at 10:56.

Rating: B-. Fletcher gets a win and there is a good chance that it is a foot forward on the path towards a shot at Dustin Rhodes. That’s the way it should go, and probably should have gone in the first place, but at least we’re on the way there. Dorada is solid in the ring and can make anyone look better, which was what he pulled off here.

Schiavone says that we’ll hear from Dustin Rhodes on Collision. Schiavone: “MUST SEE TV!” NBC is cringing over that one.

The Young Bucks are given the cold shoulder by Marina Shafir and find their tiny dressing room. Don Callis comes in with an offer to do business. The Bucks won’t join the family but they do hug Callis. Because Callis has to be involved with everything.

MVP is begging for a legendary tag team to step up and challenge the Hurt Syndicate for the Tag Team Titles. MJF shouts about being the best in the world and being better than Hangman Page. If Page is the main character, MJF can be the villain because nice guys finish last.

Josh Alexander/Hechicero/Young Bucks vs. Jet Speed/Bandido/Brody King

The Bucks don’t get pyro, have a bare bones Titantron video, and are listed as “they used to be EVP but now they’re not!”. Alexander headlocks King to start before a running clothesline has no effect. King chops him in the back and it’s off to Hechicero vs. Bandido. Hechicero gets taken down a few times to start fast and a hurricanrana does it again. A double dropkick puts the Bucks down on the floor and Jet Speed hit stereo dives.

Back in and the Bucks get to clean house, including a Doomsday kick to Knight as we take a break. We come back with Knight fighting out of trouble but the Bucks cut off the tag attempt. The Bucks try the EVP Trigger but stop because they can’t use the name anymore. Knight fights up and brings Bailey in to clean house, including a missile dropkick to Matt. King comes back in to clothesline Alexander to the floor, followed by a Cannonball to Hechicero.

Bailey Asai moonsaults onto the Bucks and Knight springboard clotheslines Knight. Back in and some superkicks send King into a German suplex from Alexander but Matt superkicks Nick by mistake. Bandido X Knees Nick but the 21 Plex is countered. The TK Driver drops Bandido and Hechicero grabs a choke for the win at 13:36.

Rating: B. I’m not sure about having the Bucks win so soon after their big loss at All In, but at least it was more about Hechicero vs. Bandido more than anything else. The Bucks being a bit less focused and stupid was a good idea. Now just don’t have them do anything important anytime soon and things will be better.

Here is Cope, so we pause for the fans to sing his song. Cope thanks the fans and says no, of course he didn’t save Christian Cage. He doesn’t know what is wrong with Cage but he is proud of the Patriarchy. No, he came back at All In because he wanted to get his hands on FTR. They were the first people he called when he was getting back in the ring and they wanted to be Rated FTR.

But then FTR started complaining about being in Cope’s shadow. They put him on the shelf for four months and those are four months he doesn’t have. Cope is back to get rid of FTR, but here is Stokely Hathaway, with security, to interrupt. Hathaway doesn’t like Cope and apparently Cope using Spike got THREE anonymous letters sent to AEW.

Therefore, if Cope interferes in an FTR match, he is officially fired. So go find a hobby and leave FTR alone. Cope says Hathaway looks like a fat Oompa Loompa, and what a shame it would be if that caught on. Hathaway said Cope couldn’t get near FTR, but he can get near Hathaway, who is dropped with a spear. They’re planting the seeds for the Cope and Christian reunion and….I’m kind of interested but it’s only getting me so enthused.

Mark Briscoe says MJF ducked and dodged him like a b****, leading to Briscoe not accomplishing either of his goals at All In. MJF brought up Jay Briscoe and now Mark is going to make him pay for his sins.

Thekla vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Queen Aminata vs. Kris Statlander

For $100,000. Nightingale and Aminata are knocked outside to start, leaving Thekla to escape Statlander’s suplex. Thekla kicks away but Nightingale and Aminata are back in to slug it out inside. Aminata does her hips to the face deal but Nightingale is back up with a Rack Attack to Thekla. Back up and Thekla hits a big dive to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Thekla doing a sit up in the Tree of Woe and giving Aminata a spider superplex. The string of knockdowns leave Nightingale standing until she is knocked out as well and everyone is down. Nightingale is back up to plant Thekla for two but Statlander drives Nightingale into the barricade. Cue Julia Hart to mist Aminata and Thekla hits a Stomp for the pin at 10:42.

Rating: C+. The whole “this match is for a bunch of money” is becoming a bit too common thing lately, as it’s not like they have much meaning after the match is over. Maybe have people winning these matches and get closer to title shots? On top of that, Thekla vs. Aminata is still only so interesting and hasn’t really been doing much for the still new Thekla.

Here is Toni Storm in a balcony for a chat. She lists off all of her nicknames before saying that this tramp is still the champ. Storm thanks Mercedes Money for going all in with her but she warned Mone that if she made one mistake, she would eat Mone alive. Storm: “Well darling you were delicious!”

If Mone wants to come back for seconds, this buffet is always open for seconds. Unfortunately Luther was injured in the line of duty and it’s going to require reattachment surgery. Athena cuts her off and brags about her own abilities before saying that Storm’s demise is at hand. Storm: “If you are able, I will bend you over the table.” Athena feels different as a challenger and that is a very good thing.

The Patriarchy says they are now the Matriarchy and Christian Cage is now beyond his expiration date. Nick Wayne brags about being the youngest champion in company history and Cage created this monster.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Quintero

Non-title and the dropkick into the Rainmaker finishes at 1:02.

Post match Okada calls Swerve Strickland a b**** for screwing the Young Bucks. Cue Strickland to interrupt and ask what Okada meant, but Okada bails. I’d call that a good next challenger for Okada.

Death Riders vs. Mark Briscoe/Powerhouse Hobbs/Hangman Page

Hobbs goes after Castagnoli to start and fires off the clotheslines in the corner. Page comes in and gets to face Yuta, who is easily sent into the corner corner. We take a break and come back with Hobbs pulling Yuta out of the air but a cheap shot puts him down. Hobbs gets sent to the floor, where Marina Shafir gets in a cheap shot.

Moxley sends him into the steps and comes in for a running boot before handing it right back to Yuta. That doesn’t go as well and it’s off to Briscoe to clean house. Shafir cuts him off on top though and Moxley grabs the Paradigm Shift on the floor. We take another break (two hours and four minutes into the show) and come back again with Moxley grabbing an STF on Briscoe.

That’s broken up and Briscoe fights back, including a missile dropkick. Page comes back in with a pop up sitout powerbomb for two on Yuta and flips out of a Doomsday Device. The moonsault to the floor hits Yuta but Moxley breaks up the Buckshot Lariat. Instead Hobbs makes the save and Page rolls Castagnoli up for the pin at 17:42.

Rating: B. Good match here, with Page getting the win to keep things going after his title match. What matters the most is that Page and company won the match and beat the Death Riders again. It’s a solid way to wrap things up, but now we have to see what is next for Page, which could be a few different challengers. The Death Riders on the other hand probably have to deal with Darby Allin, which could be quite the next step in their downfall.

Post match the Death Riders beat Page down but Darby Allin pops up in the rafters. The distraction lets Page get in a Buckshot Lariat to Moxley. Allin looks down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. All In was a heck of a show and they had a good follow up as a result. I’m not sure that it needed a nearly fifteen minute overrun after the longest pay per view ever, but AEW is going to take their time no matter what happens. I’m curious to see where things go from here though and there was enough good action here, so this worked well as the next step after their biggest show of the year.

Results
Kyle Fletcher b. Mascara Dorada – Brainbuster
Young Bucks/Hechicero/Josh Alexander b. Jet Speed/Brody King/Bandido – Choke to Bandido
Thekla b. Willow Nightingale, Queen Aminata and Kris Statlander – Stomp to Aminata
Kazuchika Okada b. Quintero – Rainmaker
Hangman Page/Powerhouse Hobbs/Mark Briscoe b. Death Riders – Rollup to Castagnoli

 

 

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

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




Collision – July 10, 2025: They Didn’t Screw It Up

Collision
Date: July 10, 2025
Location: Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the last show before All In and that means it is time for the final push. That doesn’t always go as usual with Collision though as this show is so often based on what happens in the ring. Maybe there is a chance that is different this time though as All In is the biggest show of the year so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Don Callis Family vs. Paragon

Fletcher and O’Reilly start things off with an exchange of running shots. That means it’s off to Cole to work on Beretta’s arm before a belly to back neckbreaker drops Beretta. Paragon takes turns stomping away in the corner until Fletcher offers a distraction. Beretta takes over on Strong, who gets caught in the wrong corner. Romero’s Forever Lariats don’t last forever as Strong rolls away to bring in O’Reilly to clean house. Everything breaks down and O’Reilly hits some running shots off the apron. Romero cuts him off with a suicide dive though and we take a break.

We come back with Fletcher getting in a cheap shot to Cole on the apron. O’Reilly and Beretta clothesline each other, allowing Strong to come in and clean house. A Razor’s Edge spun into a cutter (cool) drops Romero but Fletcher is back in to make the save. The big tag brings Cole back in to clean house and he (intentionally) sends Beretta into the corner so Fletcher can come in. A half and half suplex drops Cole, who is right back with the Panama Sunrise for two. The Boom is cut off but O’Reilly and Strong are back in to take Romero down. Now the Boom can finish Romero at 13:40.

Rating: B-. That’s a very AEW style six man match and I can go with that as a way to open the show. The ending doesn’t exactly have me confident that Cole is going to retain the title on Saturday, but getting it on Fletcher is a good idea. If nothing else, it was nice to see the Paragon actually win, as they feel like they’ve lost a good deal lately.

Post match Cole and Fletcher have their big staredown, with Don Callis saying “don’t take the bait”. Fletcher backs down.

We get some special footage from after Dynamite, which is basically a promo from Jon Moxley and Gabe Kidd, who don’t think much of the talent around here. Kidd wants to face his mentor, Katsuyori Shibata, which he will do tonight.

We get a Technique By Taz video, looking at Mistico’s La Mistica. This is the kind of “real sports presentation” that works very well, especially with Taz, who sounds like he knows what he’s talking about.

We look at Scorpio Sky returning last week, along with Christopher Daniels, Top Flight and Leila Grey. Apparently they’re called Sky Flight.

Mistico vs. The Beast Mortos

Mistico starts fast and snaps off a running hurricanrana, followed by a springboard version. Mortos is sent outside for a hard suicide dive, which works so well that Mistico does it again. Back in and a springboard wristdrag drops Mortos again but he’s right back up with some corner clotheslines. A snap powerslam and neck crank have Mistico in more trouble as we take a break.

We come back with Mistico scoring with another running hurricanrana, followed by a handspring elbow for two. Mortos plants him down but Mistico is right back with a running sunset flip for two of his own. The pop up Samoan drop gives Mortos two and a Tombstone Codebreaker gets the same. Back up and they slug it out until Mistico grabs a running Canadian Destroyer. Mistico suplexes him into the corner and La Mistico finishes Mortos at 10:54.

Rating: B-. I don’t think there was exactly much doubt about the result here, as it was a way to have Mistico get in the ring and beat someone with a name. At the same time, it isn’t like Mortos ever wins anything of note, so Mistico only gets so much. Mistico is going to feel like a big deal no matter what due to his star power, so putting him on the show if possible is a no brainer.

Post match MJF pops up in the mask he stole from Mistico, saying he’s going to beat Mark Briscoe in three seconds. Then he’ll keep collecting Mistico’s masks until we see his face.

Mark Briscoe says he’s coming to win the Casino Gauntlet match, which is business. The stuff with MJF is personal though and he’s getting madder and madder after Dynamite. He has to beat up MJF. This was a serious Briscoe and he sold it well.

After Dynamite, Hangman Page wanted to talk about what happened, but not with Renee Paquette. Instead, he walks up to Swerve Strickland’s dressing room and lets himself in. Will Ospreay is there too and gets beaten them, but Swerve and Page say it’s ok. Prince Nana leaves too and they’re alone together. Page isn’t here to ask for help, but rather sits down and throws a chain on the floor.

Swerve is willing to listen and Page says he had nothing to do with the Young Bucks at Dynasty. What Swerve did to Page’s family though can never be forgiven. He thinks Swerve deserved what was done to him, and that’s why Page regrets it. Page wants to know if Swerve regrets what Swerve did to him. After everything that has happened, yes, he does regret it.

Page stands up and says his family will be at All In, with Swerve saying he’ll stay clear of them and hopes they have a good time. Page says he believes him and goes to leave, but Swerve stops him. Swerve wanted his family to live in the house that Page burned down, but maybe it was time to let go of the past. With Page gone, Swerve looks at the chain. Well that was intense and felt like a major step forward in their saga.

Here is Jon Moxley, with Marina Shafir, to ask what that was about. Page is no cowboy, but rather a *censored*. Moxley isn’t going to make any apologies after Saturday.

FTR/Patriarchy vs. Outrunners/Jet Speed

This is billed as an All Star match and…yeah not seeing that here. Bailey and Wayne start things off with Wayne being sent into the corner for some begging off. Knight comes in for a double big boot, with Wayne being sent outside. Back in and Christian knocks Knight into the corner for a hard chop but Knight manages a nice dropkick. Wheeler comes in and gets taken down with a springboard armdrag.

It’s off to Magnum, who is quickly dropped in the corner with some uppercuts. Magnum hands it off to Floyd for a spinning belly to back suplex and everything breaks down. Knight gets low bridged to the floor though and we take a break. We come back with Knight fighting out of trouble but Wayne cuts off the tag. That doesn’t last long as Magnum comes in, with Floyd helping to clean house.

The Megan Powers Elbow hits Wayne but Cage gets in a posting. The standing Sliced Bread hits Magnum to put him in trouble and the villains take turns beating him down. Magnum gets over for the tag to Floyd, but the referee doesn’t see it to keep up the beating. Wheeler grabs a cobra clutch but Magnum fights out and gets in a double knockdown. The hot tag brings in Bailey to clean house, including a standing shooting star press for two on Harwood.

Bailey’s springboard moonsault to the floor takes out a bunch of villains and it’s time for the parade of knockdowns. The Shatter Machine is broken up though and Bailey sunset flips Harwood for a VERY close two. Total Recall sends Christian outside and Knight’s spinning splash finishes Harwood at 18:02.

Rating: B. This picked up a lot at the end and that’s what you want out of this kind of a match. I do like that the Hurt Syndicate didn’t get involved here, as they are already more than established. FTR getting back into the title picture is a good idea as they are such a successful team, though I’d hope FTR vs. the Syndicate is saved for a special moment.

Big Boom AJ is back and wants the Don Callis Family. Big Justice and the Rizzler come in to meet Hologram and Tomohiro Ishii. The Don Callis Family comes in to issue the challenge, with Kyle O’Reilly coming in to even the score. The match seems to be made. Eh fine for a Zero Hour match, which is what it will likely be.

FTR wants revenge on the Outrunners and issue a challenge for Zero Hour.

Katsuyori Shibata vs Gabe Kidd

They go right to the slugout to start with Shibata hitting a running boot in the corner. They’re quickly on the floor, with Kidd getting the better of things but getting booted off the apron for his efforts. Another running shot against the barricade has Kidd in trouble but he hammers away back inside for a needed breather

We take a break and come back with Shibata shrugging off some chops to hit some of his own. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Kidd snaps off a Saito suplex for two and they trade big forearms. Shibata gets the better of things and hits some loud chops but has to go after an invading Wheeler Yuta. Kidd’s low blow into a piledriver finishes Shibata at 9:27.

Rating: B-. While Kidd has made an impact in AEW, he hasn’t felt like any kind of a major star. That was on display here, as beating Shibata only means so much. They went back and forth for a fine enough match, but this wasn’t the kind of thing that was going to make me all the more interested in Kidd.

Willow Nightingale/Thunder Rosa/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata vs. Athena/Thekla/Megan Bayne/Julia Hart

Kris Statlander is on commentary. Athena and Shirakawa start things off With Athena taking over and getting in her required trash talk. A Sling Blade lets Shirakawa dance a bit ant it’s off to Rosa. Athena gets two off a quick rollup and Nightingale comes in for the corner clotheslines. Bayne throws Rosa and Shirakawa at the same time (as you can do) and Nightingale is knocked outside as we take an early break.

We come back with Nightingale giving Hart a Death Valley Driver, allowing Animata and Thekla to come in for a change. Animata headbutts Thekla into a neckbreaker and Shirakawa hits a big dive to the floor. Hart’s moonsault hits Nightingale for two, before Hart and Thekla hit stereo spider superplexes. Thekla is pulled outside for a whip into the barricade, leaving Nightingale and Hart in the ring. Shirakawa knees Hart into the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 12:41.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure who is going to win the Casino Gauntlet match (partially because I don’t know who is in it) and that’s a nice feeling to have. Matches like this do offer a bit of momentum and Nightingale winning is certainly a nice possibility. Whomever it is, hopefully they don’t wait long to use their title shot, as the waiting around can kill off momentum in a hurry.

Post match the brawl is on again, with Tay Melo and Anna Jay running in to join the brawl and end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Much like this week’s Dynamite, the biggest issue here was avoiding losing steam before the pay per view. Other than the Hangman/Swerve segment, most of this stuff was skippable, but if you do watch it, you won’t be wasting your time. All In is all that matters here and this didn’t weaken my interest in the show, so we’ll call that a success.

Results
Paragon b. Don Callis Family – Boom to Romero
Mistico b. The Beast Mortos – La Mistica
Outrunners/Jet Speed b. FTR/Patriarchy – Spinning splash to Harwood
Gabb Kidd b. Katsuyori Shibata – Piledriver
Willow Nightingale/Thunder Rosa/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata b. Athena/Thekla/Megan Bayne/Julia Hart – Babe With The Powerbomb to Hart

 

 

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

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




AEW Collision – July 5, 2025: I’ll Take That

Collision
Date: July 5, 2025
Location: Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the 100th episode and we are also just a week away from All In. That means we’re going to be having quite the busy week, as there are a lot of things that need to get done. Hopefully the quality is still there with the show as well, though you never quite know what you’re getting around here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is Adam Cole to get things going. He thanks the fans for being here for 100 episodes and calls them the best audience he has ever wrestled for in his career. Cole says he’ll hold onto that title through this year and beyond but here is Kyle Fletcher to interrupt. Fletcher says the next 100 episodes of this show belong to him. Fletcher talks about losing to Cole at All In 2023 and it was the worst night of his career. Now he has killed that version of Fletcher and now he wants to make Cole feel just as bad.

No one deserves the title shot as much as he does but here is Daniel Garcia to interrupt. When you talk about the future of AEW, you better be talking about him. Cole says Garcia can have a title shot anywhere, but he’ll lose. The idea of a triple threat is thrown out but Fletcher wants this one on one. Fletcher says he’s beaten Garcia, who says that everyone has beaten him (maybe not the best thing to point out). Garcia and Fletcher are already fighting tonight so let’s make it for a title shot at All In. Works for Cole. This was a long way to set up the main event.

Toni Storm is ready to take out Mercedes Mone and keep the big shiny belt around her waist.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Nick Wayne vs. Kevin Knight

Their respective seconds are all here too and Knight has bad ribs coming in. Knight clears the ring to start but Benjamin pulls him outside. Benjamin sends the bad ribs into the barricade so Wayne can steal a near fall but Knight is back up to cradle Benjamin for the same. Back up and Benjamin gets dropkicked out to the floor, leaving Wayne to knock Knight down.

We take a break and come back with MVP arguing with Mother Wayne. Benjamin powerbombs Nick but Knight springboards in with a sunset flip (nice) for two. A double superkick drops Benjamin, leaving Nick and Knight to slug it out. Benjamin is sent outside and Nick hits a big flip dive, followed by Knight’s springboard double clothesline to drop both of them. Back in and Benjamin gets the ankle lock but Nick breaks it up with Wayne’s World. Knight comes off the top with the UFO to break it up and pins Benjamin at 10:23.

Rating: B-. This was a nice way to set up the now three way Tag Team Title match at All In, which is a lot better than the regular tag match. There is only so much that you can get out of Jet Speed getting the title match so adding the Patriarchy is a good idea. I still don’t believe that the titles are in danger, but this should be an upgrade.

The Death Riders challenge the Opps for the Trios Titles at All In.

Mark Briscoe/Hologram/Mistico vs. Don Callis Family

Mistico gets double teamed to start with Romero working on the arm. Back up and a rope walk wristdrag brings Romero down, followed by a running hurricanrana. It’s off to Briscoe who loads up the chair, but Beretta cuts off the step up dive. A drop toehold sends Briscoe face first into the chair for two and we take a break.

We come back with Hechicero avoiding Hologram’s superkick so Hologram snaps off an anklescissors to take him down. Back up and Hologram is thrown into a Canadian Destroyer to plant Romero but Hechicero Spanish Flys Hologram for two. A running knee gives Beretta two as everything breaks down.

Mistico comes off the top rope with something like a tornado DDT to Hechicero and a hurricanrana puts Beretta on the floor. Beretta suplexes Hologram but Briscoe is back in to low bridge him to the floor. The running flip dive takes out Romero on the floor, leaving Briscoe and Hologram to hit their step up flip dives onto Beretta and Hechicero. Back in and La Mistica makes Romero tap at 17:04.

Rating: B. This was the usual “take a bunch of people and let them fly around the ring for awhile”. It’s an entertaining match and I can always go for Briscoe getting a win like this, though I have no idea what Hologram is supposed to be. Other than the local luchador who has fun matches, he never really moves up or down the card. After so long, it would be nice to see that change a bit.

Post match the winners celebrate (with Briscoe rocking some air guitar for Mistico’s song) but MVP and MJF pop up on the screen. MJF doesn’t like either Mistico or Briscoe and tells the fans to go back to counting food stamps. MVP insults Mistico in Spanish and MJF agrees.

Some AEW stars did some things at a recent NASCAR race, including Swerve Strickland driving the pace car. Anything that gets AEW associated with more mainstream sports is a good thing.

Here is Max Caster, who does not like the fans singing along with his song. He instead tries to get them to chant THIS CROWD SUCKS and asks who will be answering the challenge this week. We get a video of Scorpio Sky of all people, as he is back in training and accepting the challenge.

Scorpio Sky vs. Max Caster

Caster jumps Sky to start and is knocked down just as fast. A TKO ends Caster at 55 seconds.

Ricochet doesn’t want to talk about his interactions with the Gates Of Agony. He walks off and finds the Gates, who have attacked Blake Christian.

Willow Nightingale vs. Vipress

The spinebuster looks to set up the Babe With The Powerbomb but Vipress slips away. That earns her the Pounce into the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 1:26.

Anthony Bowens is banged up after his loss when Billy Gunn comes in. Bowens says thank you for helping him now, but Gunn tells him that it doesn’t happen overnight. Bowens wants to win the Casino Gauntlet and Gunn tells him to trust him. Works for Bowens.

FTR vs. Outrunners

Harwood takes Floyd into the corner to start and gets punched in the face for his efforts. It’s off to Wheeler, who takes Magnum into the corner but some clotheslines have him in trouble. Floyd comes in for an assisted faceplant but Wheeler drops Floyd. A suplex gets Floyd out of trouble though and it’s back to Magnum to clean house. The Mega Powers Elbow is broken up though and we take a break.

We come back with Magnum busted open and getting brainbustered to make it worse. Wheeler misses a running dropkick in the corner but he gets over to break up the tag to Floyd. A high crossbody gets Magnum out of trouble but Harwood is back in with a Razor’s Edge/neckbreaker combination.

Naturally Magnum gets up to knock both of them down and make the hot tag off to Floyd. House is quickly cleaned and now the Mega Powers Elbow hits Wheeler for two. A sunset flip gets two on Wheeler, followed by the Shatter Machine for a VERY near fall. Back up and the regular Shatter Machine hits Floyd for the pin at 18:26, with Stokely Hathaway holding Magnum’s foot to cut off the save.

Rating: B-. I think the idea here was to have the Outrunners get elevated by working a long match with FTR, but the Outrunners are just feeling a bit dated. The fans are still cheering for them, but they lose every big match and only feel like a bit of a threat to win. At the same time, FTR needs something bigger to do, though I’m not sure I can picture them going after the titles again.

Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Queen Animata/Thunder Rosa vs. Athena/Julia Hart/Megan Bayne/Thekla

Aminata and Thekla start things off with a running headscissors taking Aminata down. Rosa comes in to face Athena, who hands it off to Bayne instead. Bayne powers her into the corner but misses a charge, allowing Rosa to hit a running dropkick. Aminata comes in with a top rope double stomp and it’s already back to Rosa as we take a break.

We come back with Hart hitting a spider superplex to Rosa. That doesn’t get her very long though as Rosa pops up and brings in Melo to clean house. Everything breaks down with Rosa diving off the apron to take out Athena. Cue Skye Blue to take out Melo, leaving Jay to avoid a charge in the corner. Penelope Ford offers a distraction though and Bayne hits a running Liger Bomb for the pin at 10:19.

Rating: C+. It wasn’t quite a random match, but Bayne has already smashed through these women a few times. I can go with watching Bayne wreck people though as she does it really well, but again she needs to move up the ladder a bit. At the same time, Rosa looked strong on the way to what is likely a loss to Athena at Supercard Of Honor, but I’ll take what I can get.

Video on Alex Windsor, who is coming back from a knee injury.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Daniel Garcia

Don Callis and Adam Cole are on commentary and Fletcher takes him into the corner for some dancing. A headlock has Garcia in trouble but he fights up for a running shoulder. Some right hands in the corner rock Fletcher and they go to the floor, where Garcia gets in a shot of his own. Back up and Fletcher hits him with a lawn dart into the barricade to bust Garcia open.

We take a break and come back with Garcia hitting a suplex onto the apron. A running dropkick against the barricade connects and Garcia’s top rope superplex, leaving them both down. Fletcher is back up with a sitout powerbomb for two and he tries a running knee, which is countered into the Dragontamer. The rope is reached and they crash out to the floor, where Garcia hits an apron powerbomb. Garcia beats the count but Fletcher gives him a Helluva Kick into a brainbuster for the pin at 14:40.

Rating: B-. Another good match here and in this case it sets up a title match at All In, where Fletcher should be moving on to become the new champion. At the same time, Garcia is sliding down the card and hopefully the solution isn’t a heel turn. This worked well enough for a main event and they didn’t stay too long, which is always nice to see.

Overall Rating: B. This was a good show with the action working well throughout. It was an attempt to have a big milestone show and that went rather well all things considered. They did some good work setting up a few details for All In and you don’t get that kind of a show very often around here. Throw in some solid action and I’ll take this every week.

Results
Kevin Knight b. Shelton Benjamin and Nick Wayne – UFO to Benjamin
Mistico/Mark Briscoe/Hologram b. Don Callis Family – La Mistica to Romero
Scorpio Sky b. Max Caster – TKO
Willow Nightingale b. Vipress – Babe With The Powerbomb
Megan Bayne/Thekla/Athena/Julia Hart b. Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Thunder Rosa/Queen Aminata – Running Liger Bomb to Jay
Kyle Fletcher b. Daniel Garcia – Brainbuster

 

 

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

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




AEW Collision – June 26, 2025: Don’t Rile Kyle

Collision
Date: June 26, 2025
Location: ShoWare Center, Kent, Washington
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re rapidly closing in on All In and this week features another Thursday show, which is a good way to go and I would love to see it become permanent. Other than that, FTR is going to be talking to the Outrunners after what happened last week. Hopefully we get to see something on top of that so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Tony Schiavone brings in the Outrunners and FTR, with Stokely Hathaway, for a face to face chat. Hathaway thinks FTR should be getting a Tag Team Title shot but they have to be dealing with this first. He is FLABBERGASTED at the Outrunners’ actions and Cash Wheeler is the same. They have done all kinds of things for the Outrunners but the second FTR starts looking out for themselves, everyone has a problem with it.

We see a video of the four of them working together before Dax Harwood talks about the Outrunners becoming a big deal. Then they got a title shot and what happened? The Outrunners embarrassed themselves and that’s when everyone started seeing them as a comedy act. Harwood yells at the fans for cheering for the Outrunners, who turned their backs on FTR. This little shtick might make them money, but it will never make them FTR money because the Outrunners aren’t that good.

FTR goes to leave but hold on though because Truth Magnum sees all of these Outrunners shirts and knows the people believe in them. The Outrunners believed in FTR and then they got dropped in a hurry. They want a fight but Hathaway says we’ll do it next week. I like the idea of tying up the loose end of their issues and history, though I’m not sure if this was worthy of the opening spot of the show.

Dynamite recap.

Patriarchy vs. Big Bill/Bryan Keith

Keith and Wayne start things off with Wayne backing away into the corner to start. They fight over hammerlocks with Wayne’s shot to the face making Keith smile. Cage comes in and gets to face Bill, which has Cage thinking twice about things. Bill shoves him face first into the mat so Wayne gets to try his luck instead. Everything breaks down and Bill and Keith clear the ring, with Keith hitting a big dive.

We take a break and come back with Cage chopping at Keith with the reverse layout DDT getting two. Keith gets in a shot of his own and Bill comes back in to wreck various people. The spinning Boss Man Slam hits Wayne and the Patriarchy is sent into each other. Hold on though as Bill goes outside to beat up Kip Sabian and Mother Wayne offers a distraction. Keith powerbombs Wayne but Mother Wayne offers a distraction, allowing Cage to make the save. Bill misses a charge into the post and Cage spears Keith down to break up another powerbomb. Wayne kicks Keith in the head for the pin at 12:45.

Rating: C+. The more I see of Keith and Bill, the more I like them, though they’re kind of directionless at the moment. At the same time, the Patriarchy going for the Tag Team Titles could be a spot on the way towards their split. That might be a long way off, and it’s not like the Hurt Syndicate has any other major challengers at the moment (no, Jet Speed are not major challengers).

Josh Alexander is ready to win the TNT Title.

Post break, Christian Cage praises Nick Wayne but they run into MVP. He thought it was a nice debut and their first step towards coming for the Tag Team Titles. MVP tells them not to do it, but Cage says never trust a criminal, especially one like MVP who got caught. MVP isn’t impressed and says good luck, because they’ll need it. That doesn’t sound great.

Brody King/Templario vs. Rocky Romero/Hechicero

Hechicero and Templario start things off with Templario taking him down. Back up and Hechicero hits a running knee in the corner and it’s off to King vs. Romero. King takes over and brawls out to the apron with Hechicero. That doesn’t last as King comes back in for a double clothesline and a backsplash as we take a break.

Back with Templario faceplanting Hechicero and bringing King back in to clean house. King’s cannonball gets two on Hechicero but what looks like a Hart Attack is broken up. Romero and King go to the floor and Templario wheelbarrow suplexes Hechicero for two. King comes back in to chop Templario down but he misses a charge into the corner. Everything breaks down and Templario takes Hechicero down with a dive to the floor. The Ganso Bomb gives King the pin on Romero at 10:14.

Rating: B-. It was a fun match, or at least as fun as something involving Romero can be. King and Templario teamed well enough for someone who were out there together for the first time, though it just makes me miss Buddy Matthews all the more. Hechicero continues to do some amazing stuff in the ring, but sticking him with the Don Callis Family isn’t helping things.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Toni Storm. Mone is ready to win while Storm responds with a silent movie…which Mone destroys. Mone’s boots have Storm’s picture on the bottom and she’s ready to take out Mina Shirakawa next week.

Toni Storm is ready to beat up Mercedes Mone but Mina Shirakawa promises to get revenge next week. Storm wants Shirakawa to save a piece for her.

Megan Bayne vs. Vertvixen

Penelope Ford is here with Bayne, who knocks Vertvixen into the corner for some shoulders to start. Vertvixen’s shot to the face just annoys Bayne and it’s a running clothesline into Fate’s Descent for the fast pin at 1:47.

Anthony Bowens is officially in the Casino Gauntlet qualifying match next week and he’s ready for a new strategy with Billy Gunn.

TNT Title: Josh Alexander vs. Adam Cole

Alexander is challenging and has Trent Beretta with him. Alexander goes for the leg to start but gets taken down into a hammerlock. That’s reversed into a front facelock before Alexander sends him into the buckle a few times. A fireman’s carry doesn’t work for Alexander as Cole grabs a neckbreaker (or cutter according to Tony) for a breather. Back up Alexander sends him to the apron for the running crossbody to the back as we take a break.

We come back with Cole hitting some running shots to the face, followed by a Backstabber for two. The Panama Sunrise is countered into a flapjack and Alexander fireman’s carries him on the middle rope, which is broken up with some elbows to the head. Now the Panama Sunrise connects for two but Alexander drops down before the Boom can launch. Alexander is back up with the ankle lock, which Cole breaks up rather quickly. A bridging German suplex drops Cole but Alexander’s neck gives out on the bridge. Cole is back up with the Boom to retain at 12:35.

Rating: B-. Cole and the Paragon vs. the Don Callis Family is a fine enough way to go and it gives Cole a string of opponents to come after the title. This was a good way to have Cole get a title defense, even if Alexander’s stock continues to drop. In theory the Family needs someone who is there to take a fall, though they seem to have that spot covered in droves already.

AR Fox confronts Ricochet in the back when the Gates Of Agony jump Fox. Ricochet approves.

Queen Aminata vs. Skye Blue

Julia Hart is here with Blue. They run the ropes to start and Hart grabs Aminata’s foot from the apron so Blue can take over. Aminata shrugs that off and hits a headbutt, only to be sent head first into the apron. Blue hammers away on the floor and we take a break. We come back with Aminata hitting a running boot in the corner.

A fisherman’s neckbreaker is broken up and Blue’s fall away slam gets two. Aminata is back with her hips to the face deal and knees Blue out to the floor. Ford offers a distraction though and Aminata gets sent into the steps, allowing Blue to hit a top rope dive. Back in and Code Blue is blocked, setting up Off With Her Head to give Aminata the win at 8:33.

Rating: C+. And Blue’s return continues to go pretty much nowhere, which is a shame as she was starting to take off before her injury. Aminata continues to be a perfectly fine hand in the ring, but they’re going to need to change something up with her before she feels important. The in-ring talent is there, but she’s been treated like a lower level star for a long time now.

Post match Hart and Aminata have a staredown but Thekla comes in for the beatdown on Aminata. Anna Jay and Tay Melo make the save. Cue Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford for the big staredown. Putting Thekla with the lower level of the division isn’t likely going to make her feel like a star in the slightest.

Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard are cut off by Rocky Romero, who says the Don Callis Family has no issues with Garcia. Romero suggests that Garcia’s friends are just trying to get what they can out of him. Garcia doesn’t seem convinced.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Kyle O’Reilly

They go to the mat to start with Fletcher rolling away for a standoff. Fans: “THIS IS KYLE!” O’Reilly knocks him to the floor but Fletcher is back in with a knockdown as the various Kyle chants continue. A cross armbreaker has Fletcher bailing over to the ropes and sending O’Reilly to the apron for a running knee.

We take a break and come back with Fletcher slamming him down a few times while holding onto the arm. O’Reilly pulls him into a triangle choke before they kick each other down for a double breather. Back up in and O’Reilly strikes him down before grabbing a guillotine choke. That’s broken up so O’Reilly kicks him away as we’re back to the KYLE chants. O’Reilly bends the leg around the ropes and adds a top rope knee drop to really rock Fletcher.

A top rope knee to Fletcher’s knee gets two and O’Reilly grabs some weird leglock. Fletcher escapes and gets outside, where he nails a loud superkick. O’Reilly is back up with a running dropkick off the apron into Fletcher in a chair. Cue Lance Archer to boot O’Reilly in the face though and a Michinoku Driver gives Fletcher two. A running knee into the brainbuster finishes for Fletcher at 13:31.

Rating: B. While it felt like a lot of this match existed for the sake of allowing the fans to do their KYLE chants, the match was a hard hitting, back and forth fight. Fletcher wasn’t going to lose to O’Reilly, but I’ll take Fletcher having to put in the effort to get there. Solid main event here, with Archer being there to help protect O’Reilly a bit.

Post match O’Reilly gets beaten down again but the Paragon and Daniel Garcia run in for the save.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty nice show this week, with the main event being the strongest part. As tends to be the case though, this show only felt so important, with most of the stories being on the lower side of things. That’s still stuff that needs to be addressed, but having two straight hours of it can be a bit tiring. I’ll take this for a special edition of the show though, with the title match and main event both being solid.

Results
Patriarchy b. Big Bill/Bryan Keith – Kick to Keith’s head
Brody King/Templario b. Rocky Romero/Hechicero – Ganso Bomb to Romero
Megan Bayne b. Vertvixen – Fate’s Descent
Adam Cole b. Josh Alexander – The Boom
Queen Aminata b. Skye Blue – Off With Her Head
Kyle Fletcher b. Kyle O’Reilly – Brainbuster

 

 

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

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




Collision – June 11, 2025: There’s Your Plot Point

Collision
Date: June 11, 2025
Location: Theater Of The Clouds At Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

It’s the second half of the four hour block and that means we could be in for an interesting show. You never quite know what you’re going to get with something like this and last week’s show did not feel like the strongest effort. Hopefully they can do a bit better this time around so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We pick up where Dynamite left off, with Kenny Omega being loaded onto a stretcher but Kazuchika Okada, now a member of the Don Callis Family, gives him a top rope elbow. Then Okada drops another elbow off the apron to make Omega spit up blood. Callis and Omega jump into a waiting car to get away.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Anthony Bowens

Billy Gunn and Lance Archer are here too with Adam Cole on commentary. Fletcher poses to start and throws a crotch chop at Gunn so Bowens drives him into the corner and poses back. Bowens kicks him in the face and hits a running faceplant but gets knocked out to the floor. We take a break and come back with Bowens hitting the running Fameasser for two. They go outside where Bowens flips out of a powerbomb and drops him face first onto the apron.

Back in and a running clothesline gets two, followed by a DDT for the same. Fletcher superkicks him into a sitout Last Ride for two but Bowens’ twisting Side Effect gets the same. Fletcher needs a breather on the floor and Bowens hits a big dive, allowing Archer to take Gunn out. The distraction lets Fletcher hit a Helluva Kick into a brainbuster for the pin at 10:23.

Rating: C+. So Bowens gets built up for a bit and then loses every following match. I get that you need some fresh jobbers to the stars but Bowens felt like he was actually getting somewhere before this losing streak started. He has something to him and it would be nice to see that expand, but it isn’t exactly happening.

Video on MJF being the amazing American before his match next week in Mexico City against Mistico.

Spanish announcer Carlos Cabrera brings out Atlantis and Atlantis Jr. for a chat but FTR cuts them off. Stokely Hathaway runs down the two of them, plus everyone that has come after FTR. They’re ready to wrestle in Arena Mexico but don’t have a match yet. Dax Harwood makes fun of Atlantis for being old and the brawl is on, with a bunch of people running in. Atlantis rips Harwood’s shirt off and chases him away. I still do not get the appeal of Atlantis Jr.

Big Bill and Bryan Keith want fresh competition so here are the Workhorsemen of all people to take them up on it.

Julia Hart vs. Toni Storm

Non-title and Mercedes Mone is eating at ringside. Skye Blue is here with Hart and jumps Storm before the bell, earning an ejection. Storm gets in and says ring the bell so Hart trips her down and mostly hits the moonsault for two. Storm fights back and knocks her outside as we take a break. Back with Storm rolling the German suplexes, followed by a fisherman’s suplex for two. A chokebomb gives Storm two but Hart STO’s her down. Another moonsault misses though and Storm grabs the small package for the pin at 7:56.

Rating: C. This was a quick way for Storm to get a win before her showdown with Mone, which feels like Mone’s to win. Otherwise, it’s another loss for Hart, who isn’t quite sinking as low as Bowens from earlier but neither has the brightest future at the moment. Storm is rolling well enough though and that should make the big showdown that much better.

Post match Mone gets in the ring and whispers something in Storm’s ear before beating her down. Mina Shirakawa makes the save but gets taken down so Mone can hold up the title.

Ricochet is still looking for his perfect team. Blake Christian and Lee Johnson come in to offer their services. Ricochet isn’t overly impressed though and says they’re still missing something.

Mark Briscoe/Tomohiro Ishii/Willow Nightingale vs. MxM Collection/Taya Valkyrie

Johnny TV is here with the villains. Mansoor hurts himself chopping away Ishii to start so it’s off to Taya, who gets taken down by Nightingale. The basement crossbody has Valkyrie down so it’s off to Madden for a standing legdrop to Briscoe. The running hip attack hits Briscoe as everything breaks down.

Nightingale drops Valkyrie and she hits a middle rope dropkick to send Valkyrie outside. Back in and the men exchange some shots to the face until Briscoe escapes a Doomsday Device. Nightingale and Ishii double superplex Madden into Briscoe’s Froggy Bow. The Babe With The Powerbomb gives Nightingale the pin on Valkyrie at 5:15.

Rating: C+. Another short and to the point match here with Briscoe and company getting a win. None of them have much of note going on at the moment save for Nightingale possibly getting to face Kris Statlander again, but that’s only so big of a match. In other words, this felt right at home on Collision.

Kris Statlander is done with Willow Nightingale but Wheeler Yuta of all people comes off to offer advice. Statlander isn’t interested but gets in a staredown with Marina Shafir.

Bandido vs. The Beast Mortos

Non-title. Bandido runs the ropes to start but his hurricanrana is blocked. Instead Bandido sends him outside for the running dive but a frog splash misses back inside. Mortos starts ripping at the mask and Bandido is sent outside for a big spinning dive. We take a break and come back with Mortos missing a charge into the corner.

A rather spinning headscissors takes Mortos down and Bandido gets in his gorilla press. Now the frog splash connects for two but Mortos hits the pop up Samoan drop for two of his own. Back up and Bandido hits something like a GTS but Mortos catches him on top. The super flipping World’s Strongest Slam gives Bandido the pin at 11:50.

Rating: C+. It’s better than a loss but Bandido, again, has pretty much nothing going on at the moment. He doesn’t have a big feud for the Ring Of Honor World Title and that isn’t likely to change until just before their pay per view next month. Fun enough match, but nothing that stands out.

Mercedes Mone wants the CMLL Women’s World Title so champion Zeuxis comes in to accept, decking Mone in the process.

Hangman Page is interrupted by the Young Bucks, who suggest that they are all in on a big plan. Page wants nothing to do with that and tells them to stay out of everyone, including Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland’s, business. Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland overhear everything. That might be your big plot point.

Thekla vs. Queen Aminata

Thekla moves around like a spider to start before getting faceplanted. A slap to the face annoys Aminata, who fires off some hair mares. Back up and Thekla snaps off a running headscissors as we take a break. We come back with Thekla grabbing a choke over the ropes but Aminata fires off some clotheslines.

A DDT/suplex plants Thekla again and Off With Her Head gives Aminata two. One heck of a headbutt drops Thekla again and a top rope double stomp connects to give Aminata two more. Back up and Thekla does her spider walk into a spear, setting up the Death Trap for the pin on Aminata at 11:28.

Rating: C+. Thekla has a little something with the spider deal but you’re only going to get so far in a match like this. Aminata is someone who has lost so many matches that it is a bit difficult to get invested in what she is doing. Also, again, Thekla is on in the fourth hour of a four hour block and that doesn’t make her seem overly interesting.

Nick Wayne receives a present from (the non-present) Christian Cage: a highlight package of his run in the Best Of The Super Juniors tournament. Kip Sabian says he doesn’t know where Wayne would be without Cage, which has Wayne confused.

We look back at Kenny Omega being attacked earlier in the night.

Daniel Garcia/Paragon vs. Hechicero/Don Callis Family

Hechicero takes Garcia down to start so Garcia dances at him and gets a quick two. Back up and Hechicero hits a running knee in the corner before it’s off to Cole to hammer on Takeshita. Paragon starts with the fast tags to work over Takeshita, who manages to get over to Archer. Everything breaks down and Archer cleans house as we take a break.

Back with O’Reilly knocking Alexander down, allowing the tag off to Garcia. A running clothesline hits Takeshita in the corner and Garcia hammers away. The fisherman’s neckbreaker gets two on Takeshita and we hit the Sharpshooter. That’s broken up and Strong comes in to clean a good bit of the house. The good guys all get submission holds but Archer breaks them up. O’Reilly low bridges Archer to the floor but Takeshita knocks Strong into a German suplex to give Alexander the pin at 11:59.

Rating: B-. Another technically fine match but neither of these teams feel overly exciting. It seems that we’re coming up on Cole defending the TNT Title against someone in the Don Callis Family and there certainly are options, but egads it would be nice to find a more interesting way to get there. The Paragon has felt like they have been spinning their wheels for months now and that isn’t a great sign.

Overall Rating: C+. Well, it wasn’t as dull as last week, but it still wasn’t overly interesting. This was another show that felt like it was just a bunch of stuff happening without much having that great of an impact. The wrestling wasn’t bad, but it’s not a show you really need to see for the most part. That makes for a tedious two hours, though it was a step up from last time.

Results
Kyle Fletcher b. Anthony Bowens – Brainbuster
Toni Storm b. Julia Hart – Small package
Mark Briscoe/Tomohiro Ishii/Willow Nightingale b. MxM Collection/Taya Valkyrie – Babe With The Powerbomb to Valkyrie
Thekla b. Queen Aminata – Death Trap
Hechicero/Don Callis Family b. Daniel Garcia/Paragon – German suplex to Strong

 

 

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

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




AEW Dynamite – June 4, 2025 (Fyter Fest): Just Like Muppet Treasure Island

Dynamite
Date: June 4, 2025
Location: Mission Ballroom, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

It’s Fyter Fest, and that means we are in for an especially big show. In this case, this is a four hour special, which I guess means we have Dynamite and then Collision. That means we could be getting some big things over the course of one night, including a four way for the International Title on this show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Toni Storm is ready to tango.

Here is Will Ospreay for a chat. We see a clip of Ospreay and Swerve Strickland getting into it backstage last week. In the ring, Ospreay says he wants Swerve and Hangman Page to realize that Jon Moxley is the real enemy. Maybe they could put their differences aside for one night and then kill each other. Moxley hates what AEW has become. Well then maybe p*** off.

Ospreay is going to do his part to get the title back from Moxley but Swerve might be getting in the way. That’s why he wants to face Swerve next week…but here is Cru (Ospreay: “Who is this?”) to interrupt. Cru doesn’t want to hear from the crowd and says that Brits like Ospreay LOVE to talk a lot. Lio Rush has some energy to burn off and that’s fine with Ospreay, who is down for a match. The more I hear from Ospreay, the more I get vibes that he might cost Page the title at All In.

Mark Briscoe does not like the implication that he gave up to Jon Moxley last week. Now his kids are doubting him and it’s time to man up, even if it’s not about the World Title.

Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe

Non-title and the Death Riders are here with Moxley. Briscoe backs him up against the ropes to start and Moxley bails to the floor. That earns him some chops from Briscoe but Moxley takes over back inside. A choke doesn’t work for Briscoe so he fires off some right hands. Moxley rips at his face in the corner but gets sent outside for a running dropkick through the ropes.

Another dive misses though and Wheeler Yuta sends Briscoe into the post to earn his keep for the week. We take a break and come back with Briscoe busted open and flipping out of a backdrop. Some Redneck Kung Fu sends Moxley outside for the running flip dive, followed by a boot to the face back inside. The Jay Driller is broken up so Briscoe knocks him down again.

The Froggy Bow is pulled into a rear naked choke, followed by a cross armbreaker to send Briscoe over to the ropes. Yuta posts Briscoe again but he manages to come back in for a Jay Driller and a very delayed two. The Cutthroat Driver is countered into a Stomp and the Bulldog Choke goes on again. Briscoe can’t flip out and the referee stops it at 14:11.

Rating: B-. Just in case you thought Briscoe might get something out of the rematch you see. Of course Moxley beats him in the exact same way again, because Moxley needed to conquer another popular star. Briscoe had a reason to fight for his own honor and all that jazz but Moxley chokes him out, again, because Moxley is amazing and tough or whatever it is this week.

Video on Mistico, who is back next week….for another four hour AEW block.

Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart/Skye Blue

Mercedes Mone is at ringside and eating steak with some wine. Storm tries to do Shirakawa’s dance to less than enthusiastic results. Blue misses a running shot in the corner to Shirakawa and gets hit in the face. Storm comes in as a launch pad for Shirakawa to land on Blue but it’s too early for the Glamorous Driver.

Hart comes in for the Tarantula to Shirakawa before Blue sends Storm into the barricade. Back in and Shirakawa gets planted and we take an early break. We come back with Hart hitting Old School but Shirakawa comes back with a top rope Sling Blade. The tag brings in Storm to clean house, including a jiggle exchange with Shirakawa, followed by the stereo running hip attacks. The TCM Chickenwing finishes Blue at 9:50.

Rating: C+. Blue’s downward slide continues, though there are worse things than getting beaten by the champ. Storm and Shirakawa are fine as the fun tag team, though that’s not something we have time to go into at the moment as Storm is getting ready to likely lose to Mone at All In. I’m not sure what is next for her after that, but it might be time for her to step away from the title picture anyway.

Post match Storm eats Mone’s steak.

MJF comes up to Will Ospreay who says Ospreay can’t get the World Title if Hangman Page wins it. Ospreay goes to leave but MJF mocks him again, earning a grab by the jacket. The Hurt Syndicate comes in and Ospreay thinks better of it.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate for a chat. Bobby Lashley used to live here and is glad that he left for Texas. MVP talks about how there is no one who can challenge them for the titles. NO ONE. With that out of the way, MJF says he wants the World Title back. That brings him to Mexico and Mistico, who needs to understand that the best wrestlers in the world come from the greatest country in the world: the United States.

MJF sold out Arena Mexico because he is a star and Mistico is a big fish in a small pond. Next week he’ll watch Mistico’s match and maybe, maybe, he’ll agree to face him at Grand Slam in Mexico. Cue Komander, Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight, with Komander insulting MJF in Spanish. Bailey says they’re a group of international killers….and MVP laughs at him. The challenge seems to be issued though. It’s not a good sign when you ask for challengers to step up for the titles and no one does so. The tag division really is that dead at the moment and that needs to be fixed.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Mike Bailey/Komander/Kevin Knight

The fight starts fast and everyone goes out to the floor with the good guys taking over. Rush gets caught in the corner back inside for some running shots, setting up Bailey’s basement dropkick. The rest of the villains come in to take over on Bailey and knock all three of them to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Komander cleaning house and bringing Knight back in to hammer on Rush. That doesn’t last long as Rush sends Knight into the corner for the cocky kick to the face and everything breaks down again. A triple dropkick puts La Faccion on the floor for the triple dives. Back in and Komander gets suplexed into a pop up Samoan drop for two. Bailey comes back in for the moonsault knees on Mortos before tossing Knight at him for a clothesline. Komander hits his rope walk flip dive and Knight’s twisting top rope splash finishes Mortos at 14:28.

Rating: C+. Knight continues to look good out there while Komander and Bailey were their usual selves. This was only so interesting as it was another six man tag designed to pop the crowd with big spots. AEW likes to feature these things a lot and it feels like something we’ve seen quite a few times around here.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate comes out to say that the winners can face them next week. The Syndicate comes to the ring and is quickly cleared out, setting up the triple slingshot dives.

The Paragon and Daniel Garcia agree to team up to fight the Don Callis Family tonight.

The Patriarchy is in the back. Christian Cage tells the fans to sit down and shut up while he conducts his business. Cage talks about Nick Wayne’s run in the Best Of The Super Juniors in New Japan….and tonight he gets to defend the TNT Title in a four way. Wayne does not seem thrilled.

Here is Max Caster with a petition to declare him the best wrestler alive. Caster asks the referee to sign it while he gets the fans doing his chant. The challenge is on.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Max Caster

Spinebuster finishes for Hobbs in 48 seconds.

International Title: Kenny Omega vs. Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Mascara Dorada

Omega is defending and this is one fall to a finish. King and Castagnoli hammer Omega down in the corner to start but wind up fighting each other. Castagnoli is knocked outside and King joins him, leaving Dorada to flip away from Omega. King and Castagnoli come back in, with Castagnoli hitting a Cactus Clothesline.

Dorada hits a big dive of his own and King crushes Dorada and Castagnoli against the barricade. Omega snapdragons King on the floor and then busts out the big flip dive as we take a break. Back with Castagnoli escaping You Can’t Escape with some raised knees and King crushes Omega in the corner. Dorada is Death Valley Drivered into Omega in the same corner but Castagnoli plants King for two.

Omega tries a One Winged Angel on King but winds up being the base for a Doomsday uppercut from Castagnoli. The bleeding King gets tossed off the top and Omega hits a V Trigger to Castagnoli. The parade of knockdowns sees King hit a clothesline for two on Castagnoli, who is right back with the Swing to King. Dorada grabs something like a West Coast Pop for two on Castagnoli before monkey flipping him to the floor. Dorada dives onto King but gets caught in the One Winged Angel to retain Omega’s title at 17:37.

Rating: B. Well aside from the time being the same date as the whiskey that Long John Silver offers the crew in Muppet Treasure Island, this was the usual fast paced and exciting match that AEW knows how to do rather well. Omega gets a good win to show that he still has it, along with likely setting himself up for the title match with Okada at All In. I was a bit surprised that Dorada took the fall here, but it’s better than King or Castagnoli getting pinned again.

Overall Rating: B. I had a good time with this show as it went by fairly quickly and the action worked well enough. Hobbs being the latest person to smash Caster is a good use for him and Storm stealing the steak was fairly funny. Other than that, this was more about setting things up for the next few shows, including a bit about tonight’s Collision. I’d call this a pretty solid show, and hopefully the other one can back that up.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Mark Briscoe via referee stoppage
Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa b. Julia Hart/Skye Blue – TCM Chickenwing to Blue
Mike Bailey/Komander/Kevin Knight b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Top rope twisting splash to Mortos
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Max Caster – Spinebuster
Kenny Omega b. Brody King, Claudio Castagnoli and Mascara Dorada – One Winged Angel to Dorada

 

 

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

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




Collision – May 31, 2025: Yeah Yeah We Know

Collision
Date: May 31, 2025
Location: El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re in the early days of the build towards All In and that means it is time to start getting going towards the biggest show of the year. It helps that two of the major matches are already set but before we get there, we have a four way for the International Title next week. One of those spots will be filled tonight so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander

For a spot in the International Title match on Dynamite. We get an insert promo where Komander says he is ready to win in the heart of lucha libre country. Castagnoli starts fast and stomps away in the corner, followed by a shoulder to cut off Komander’s comeback. A shot to the face lets Komander walk the ropes and grab a springboard armdrag.

Komander’s dive is countered into the Swing though and they head outside, where Castagnoli sends him into the barricade. Castagnoli gets in a drop onto the barricade and they head back inside, where Komander hits another double springboard into a headscissors. This time Castagnoli is sent outside but the rope walk takes so long that Castagnoli runs back in to pull him out of the air for a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

The half crab doesn’t last long as Komander fights up but it’s too early for Cielito Lindo. Castagnoli fireman’s carries him to the top, where Komander snaps off a super hurricanrana for the counter. Something like Whisper In The Wind is blocked though and Castagnoli Neutralizes him for the win at 7:38.

Rating: B-. Komander being in a match of this magnitude is all but a guarantee that he’s going to lose and that’s getting a bit annoying. Having a jobber to the stars is fine, but unless he wins something of note at some point, this might as well have been a bye for Castagnoli. You know what you’re getting with Komander and that is very rarely going to be success.

We recap the fallout of Hangman Page winning the Owen Hart Tournament, with Swerve Strickland not being willing to stand behind him, even if it means taking out the Death Riders.

Strickland still isn’t in on this but Will Ospreay wants him to get on the same page. Strickland will not accept that Page is the best option and brings up that Ospreay hasn’t beaten him. A fight breaks out.

Don Callis Family vs. Paragon/Tomohiro Ishii

Don Callis is on commentary and the Family jumps them from behind to start fast. Takeshita sends Ishii into the barricade but Strong makes the save with some chops. O’Reilly hits a running charge to take the villains out and we settle down to Ishii chopping away at Romero in the corner. Romero gets over for the tag off to Beretta though and O’Reilly gets taken into the corner as we take a break.

Back with Strong Angle Slamming his way out of trouble, allowing the tag off to O’Reilly. House is quickly cleaned and it’s off to Ishii vs. Romero, which is apparently a feud. Takeshita comes in and gets dropped with a suplex, followed by the sliding lariat for two. Back up and Takeshita gets two off a Blue Thunder Bomb and they trade the big shots to the face. Romero hits Ishii low though and it’s the Raging Fire to give Takeshita the pin at 10:20.

Rating: C+. Ishii is one of the standard guest stars around here and while he’s still good enough, it’s getting less and less interesting to see him. Granted it doesn’t help to have him in there with RPG Vice, who aren’t much to see in their own right. I could go for Takeshita against Adam Cole for the TNT Title though, and there is a real possibility that is coming up.

Anthony Bowens vs. Kazuchika Okada

Non-title and Billy Gunn is here with Bowens. Okada backs him into the ropes to start and we get the tap on the chest. Bowens does the same, but offers a scissoring pose instead. The running jumping Fameasser takes Okada down for two and they head outside to strike it out. Okada gets in a knockdown on the floor and we take a break.

Back with Okada dropping the top rope elbow but the middle finger is cut off with some scissoring. Bowens cuts him off on top and hits a spinning hanging DDT. Okada misses the dropkick and gets rolled up for two but comes back with the Air Raid Crash onto the knee. The Money Clip is broken up and Bowens hammers away. The Rainmaker misses and a superkick gives gives Bowens a quick breather. The Mollywop is cut off with a Rainmaker though and Okada gets the pin at 10:31.

Rating: C+. I really hope that Bowens isn’t falling into the trap of “well he has good matches and that makes up for not winning”. It’s something that has been an issue around here for a long time and it would be a shame to see it happen to someone with his potential. Things seemed to be coming together for Bowens and now he’s on a losing streak, which doesn’t bode well for his future.

Matt Menard tries to perk up a disappointed Daniel Garcia. Don Callis, with Lance Archer, comes in to mock Menard but he might want Garcia on the team. Callis wants him to think for a change. It would at least be something for Garcia to do.

Tony Schiavone brings out FTR, with Stokely Hathaway, for a chat. Well not really as Schiavone leaves, with Hathaway talking about how FTR crushed Daniel Garcia and Nigel McGuinness at Double Or Nothing. They’re close to the Mexico border and issue a challenge (which they have written down) to any team from south of the border. Cue Templario and Atlantis Jr. (good thing they were by the entrance) but Wheeler says they’re somewhat living lucha legends themselves.

Maybe they should go win the CMLL Tag Team Titles. Wheeler brings up the upcoming Arena Mexico show and asks what it’s like to be popular with your countrymen. After mocking the “Power Ranger masks”, Harwood says he knows Tony Khan will have big plans for FTR at the show, so they can’t have the match. Harwood tells Atlantis Jr. to tell his dad to stay away from the team, earning some insults in Spanish. The brawl is on but the luchadors fight back to clear the ring. Did it really have to be Atlantis Jr.? I’ve yet to see him do anything interesting either here or in ROH.

We look at Mercedes Mone and Toni Storm’s face to face showdown from Dynamite.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Skye Blue

The fight over a lockup doesn’t get them anywhere to start so Shirakawa gets the better of an exchange of forearms. A snap suplex drops Shirakawa but she grabs the wrist and runs the ropes for a dancing clothesline. Blue plants her on the apron and we take a break. Back with Shirakawa hitting a running knee but Blue powerbombs her out of the corner for two. A superkick staggers Shirakawa again but she hits Blue in the face for a breather. Shirakawa’s super sling Blade gets two and they trade rollups for two each. More strikes to the face set up Shirakawa’s Glamour driver for the pin at 9:10.

Rating: C+. Again, Blue is back and losing, making her big return after nearly a year away feel completely wasted. She wasn’t going to be a major star, but you can’t have her win a few quick matches before taking losses like this one? If that’s the case, why bother making her return into a thing at all?

Post match Julia Hart jumps Shirakawa but Toni Storm (holding her skirt) makes the save.

Video on the Gates Of Agony.

Gates Of Agony vs. Gmo Kaminari/Cosmo Orion

Kaun gleefully beats up Orion in the corner to start and an Irish Curse sets up a running suplex. Orion tries a hurricanrana and it goes horribly, earning himself a toss across the ring. Kaminari comes in and gets beaten up as well, setting up Open The Games for the double pin at 2:19. Yeah yeah I’m sure this will be the time when the Gates break out. Any day now.

Max Caster teaches fans how to do his chant and gets them to sign a petition saying he is in fact the greatest wrestler alive. Now he’s supposed to take photos…but he runs down the hallway for some reason instead. Ok then.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Top Flight/AR Fox

Leila Grey is here too. La Faccion jumps them to start and a turnbuckle pad is quickly pulled off. Fox sends Dralistico to the apron and flips onto Mortos, leaving Dante to hit the big flip dive. Back in and Dante’s tornado DDT gets two on Rush and we continue the string of running shots to the face. Rush crushes Fox in the corner and hits the mocking boot, followed by the Tranquilo pose as we take a break.

Back with a string of running dropkicks in the corner hitting Fox but he gets in a shot off the top for a needed breather. Darius comes in to clean house, including a shotgun dropkick into a DDT on Rush. An assisted cutter gets two on Dralistico, who is right back with a springboard Canadian Destroyer. The springboard Codebreaker into a dive has Dante down on the floor, leaving Rush to Bull’s Horns Darius for the pin at 10:22.

Rating: B-. Top Flight is in the same spot as Komander, as you know they’re probably going to lose the second you hear that music. They might not be the greatest team in the world, but they deserve a better spot than they have at the moment. Again: they aren’t good enough for the ROH Tag Team Titles? Really? That’s beyond their abilities?

Post match Rush chokes Darius with a camera cord but Mike Bailey and Komander make the save.

Mark Briscoe had to tell his son that he did NOT quit in the six man tag on Dynamite. Now he wants Jon Moxley one on one.

Hechicero vs. Mascara Dorada

For the final spot in the International Title match on Dynamite. They fight over wrist control to start with Dorada taking him down into an early leglock. Hechicero reverses into one of his own and grabs a quickly broken surfboard. Dorada grabs one of his own but Hechicero is out and starts the sliding underneath the ropes.

That doesn’t work for Dorada, who grabs a running hurricanrana around the post and out to the floor. Back in and Hechicero scores with the running hurricanrana driver. We take a break and come back with Dorada snapping off a hurricanrana to the floor. That means a dive to drop Hechicero again but he flips Dorada into a choke. That’s broken up as well and they trade some quick near falls.

A double knockdown gives them a double breather, followed by Dorada’s anklescissors getting two. Hechicero grabs a dragon screw legwhip over the rope, followed by a top rope elbow for two of his own. They strike it out until Dorada grabs a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, followed by a springboard super poisonrana (geez). The shooting star press gives Dorada the pin at 13:52.

Rating: B. It helps a lot when you can see just how good these people are in the ring. Hechicero is someone who has out wrestled Daniel Bryan and Dorada is incredibly smooth with everything he does. It made for a very entertaining match and I like that they went with the star who hasn’t done as much around here, as it gave a bit of a surprise result.

Overall Rating: C+. While it wasn’t the case in every match, there were too many instances here where the results were pretty obvious coming in. That’s something that happens on every show, but having stuff like Okada beating Bowens, Komander and Top Flight doing their usual and the latest Gates squash all in one show makes for kind of a tedious night. It’s not that the action was bad, but you probably could have guessed who would win all but the main event without much doubt. As usual, shifting some of the bigger stuff over from Dynamite, even a bit of it, would help, but that doesn’t seem to be likely.

Results
Claudio Castagnoli b. Komander – Neutralizer
Don Callis Family b. Paragon/Tomohiro Ishii – Raging Fire to Ishii
Kazuchika Okada b. Anthony Bowens – Rainmaker
Mina Shirakawa b. Skye Blue – Glamour Driver
Gates Of Agony b. Gmo Kaminari/Cosmo Orion – Double pin
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Top Flight/AR Fox – Bull’s Horns to Darius
Mascara Dorada b. Hechicero – Shooting star press

 

 

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

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




Dynamite – May 21, 2025: The Home Run Go Home Segment

Dynamite
Date: May 21, 2025
Location: Rio Ranchos Events Center, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the last Dynamite before Double Or Nothing and that means it is time to put most of the final touches on the pay per view. Odds are that means something getting us ready for Anarchy In The Arena, plus a bunch of build towards the Owen Hart Cup finals. That should be more than enough to get us through the night so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out Will Ospreay and Hangman Page for a chat. They agree to get physical and Ospreay has the security go to the back, though he does promise they’ll get paid (nice guy). He asks if Page still drinks and apologizes for the shot to the face last week. Ospreay has some beers brought in but puts his down and says he has an official request for Tony Khan: the two of them should be in the main event at Double Or Nothing.

That is a lot of pressure, but the winner goes on to All In and the winner has the responsibility of taking the World Title back. Ospreay flies around all the time and is jet lagged every Tuesday but puts on his crime fighting pants and says ring the bell. That’s what he wants more than anything else. He wants to be the World Champion at Forbidden Door in London, thirty minutes from his house.

More than that though, he wants his six year old to look at him as the World Champion. Ospreay knows Page wants it, but he wants it that much more. Page says that’s the difference between them. Ospreay wants it bad and Page has had that feeling before. There is no greater prize than being the World Champion, but for Ospreay, it could be a professional accomplishment.

It’s just that though: professional. Page calls it personal for him though because he doesn’t want it, but rather needs it. Page has not won anything in two years and those moments have killed him more every day. He needs his son to look at him and see his father and for his wife to look at him and see her husband. What he needs is for Ospreay to be wrong when he said it was “too little, too late” for Page.

Ospreay asks what Page is going to do about it. Wrap a chair around his skull? On Sunday, he is showing up and doing his best, which hasn’t been enough before. Yes he has lost but he has never given less than everything. Page asks if that is enough to beat Jon Moxley and the Death Riders but Ospreay doesn’t know. Ospreay asks if what Page is now is enough either.

The best of Ospreay has beaten a lot of people because he is the best in the world. Anything can happen when that bell rings and if Page wins and needs someone to have his back at All In, Ospreay has his back. He hopes Page will do the same if Ospreay wins, so meet him in the desert. They both drink the beers and stare hard at one another. They go up the aisle and get to the entrance at the same time for quite the staredown. This was GREAT, with both of them laying out why they want to win. I’m not sure who is going to win, but I’m almost more curious to see what happens when one of them loses.

Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir arrive, with Moxley saying the spoils will go to those who embrace the anarchy.

Jon Moxley/Young Bucks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs/Samoa Joe/Swerve Strickland

Marina Shafir and Prince Nana are here too. Joe and Moxley slug it out to start with Joe having to be held back. Hobbs and Matt come in with Hobbs running him over but not being able to hit the powerslam. Swerve comes in to backbreaker Nick and hits a neckbreaker as everything breaks down. Moxley’s dive is cut off by Hobbs so he dives onto Hobbs instead. The Bucks superkick Joe down but Swerve plants Matt and hits a dive to take him out as well. Now Joe can hit his suicide elbow as we take a break.

Back with Moxley hammering on Hobbs in the corner before going after the knee. For some reason Nick decides to slap Hobbs in the back, earning himself a World’s Strongest Slam. Swerve comes in to plant Nick, who avoids a running shot, allowing Matt to superkick Swerve down. Back in and an assisted Sliced Bread plants Swerve, who gets his knees up to cut off a Swanton. That’s still not enough for the tag though as Moxley is back in for a Crash Landing on Swerve.

Matt dives onto Joe and Hobbs, followed by Risky Business for two more. The hanging Swanton gets two on Swerve with Hobbs having to make the save this time. We take another break and come back again with Moxley’s piledriver (with a middle finger to the fans) getting two more. Something like the Rings Of Saturn bring the fans back to cheer Swerve so Moxley grabs a full nelson.

A headbutt drops Moxley and it’s Joe coming in to clean house, followed by Hobbs’ frog splash for two. Everything breaks down and the Bucks head fake Hobbs into a double DDT. Joe drops them with a double clothesline but Moxley is back in to take Joe down. Swerve gives Moxley the House call and adds a Swerve Stomp off the apron onto the Bucks. Back in and Hobbs busts out some spinebusters to clean house but Moxley is there to send him into Swerve. A double superkick puts Joe down but Swerve rolls Matt up for the pin at 21:17.

Rating: B. The length helped here, as the match had the time to build up rather than having to hurry through everything. As good as that part was though, it was another example of why the Bucks can be so annoying. Just like always, they got in all of their stuff, beat up just about everyone, and then lose on a fluke rollup. I’m sure they’ll get some kind of heat back later, because the Bucks just have to be part of everything no matter what.

Post match the Death Riders run in to beat the winners down but Katsuyori Shibata returns for the save. Marina Shafir cuts Shibata off with a low blow though so here is Willow Nightingale to Pounce Shafir. Kenny Omega runs in for the real save. A table is set up and Matt has to be saved from a One Winged Angel. The villains leave but Joe says they’re coming after them tonight.

The Hurt Syndicate says MJF should be the excited one tonight and he has a new suit for the occasion.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate to officially induct MJF into the team. MJF comes out and says his mom told him that the most important day of his life is the day you marry the love of your life. MJF: “It’s clear that that b**** never joined the Hurt Syndicate!” MJF and MVP take turns mocking the fans who boo a lot and everyone but Bobby Lashley signs. Lashley seems unsure but ultimately signs, and yes there is a commemorative hat.

Cue the Sons Of Texas, with Dustin Rhodes telling MJF to shut up. Rhodes and MVP have a long history of respect but Rhodes thinks he shouldn’t trust MJF. We hear about how they changed the business and now they want more gold. If they like to hurt people, jump on Rhodes and try to hurt him. They have been beaten up and hurt by bigger people and now they’re ready to fight with heart. He would bet on the Day One guys. As usual, Sammy Guevara is the guy just standing there nodding as Rhodes does everything.

Kazuchika Okada isn’t letting Mike Bailey call him out for Double Or Nothing….because he’s calling Bailey out instead. And no catchphrase!

Ricochet vs. Anthony Bowens

Billy Gunn is here with Bowens and this is to crown the true Scissor King. Bowens jumps over him in the corner to start and hits a clothesline to the floor. Ricochet stops to glare at Gunn, earning himself another shot from Bowens. They go back in where Bowens hits a quick knee, only to get sent hard into the post.

We take a break and come back with Bowens hitting the running Fameasser into something like a reverse Angle Slam. They trade forearms until Bowens hits a superkick for a quick two. The Arrival sets up the Mollywop but Ricochet is knocked outside. The referee goes after Gunn, allowing Ricochet to pull out a pair of scissors to stab Bowens. Stabbing a man in the head is of course a setup for the Spirit Gun to give Ricochet the pin at 9:26.

Rating: C+. I really don’t know if Bowens should be losing so soon into his singles run, but at least it was to a bigger name and through some cheating. That being said, I still have no idea why Ricochet uses scissors. It’s such a random weapon with no real connection for him, but that’s what he gets to do. On top of that, he’s in for kind of a weird gimmick match on Sunday, though at least he’s on the show.

Post match Mark Briscoe brings out a stretcher and beats up Ricochet.

Double Or Nothing rundown.

Stokley Hathaway, with FTR, wants to sign the contract for the Double Or Nothing tag match face to face. Nigel McGuinness and Daniel Garcia can even bring Matt Menard.

Renee Paquette brings out Jamie Hayter and Mercedes Mone for their own face to face interview (with chairs). Hayter says so be it if she is seen as the underdog because she is used to being there. She will fight back every single time because that is who she is. Hayter doesn’t have people running around here doing her dirty work and yes she is rough around the edges.

This means more to Hayter and they both know that, because it’s about not being forgotten. If she doesn’t win, what does it mean for her? Mone laughs it off and calls herself the Beyonce of wrestling. She’s going to All In to win the Women’s Title because she is the greatest TBS Champion of all time.

Mone hasn’t gotten here through luck because it’s about leaving her legacy. Hayter’s chapter finally ends at Double Or Nothing. Hayter points out Mone losing the NJPW Strong Women’s Title and that is going to be her destiny. Mone jumps her but gets dropped with Hayterade. Cue Toni Storm, who will be on commentary for the main event. It’s hard to believe that Mone is in any danger, and my goodness she gets less and less interesting every week.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart

Toni Storm is on commentary. Hart grabs a wristlock to start and hits Old School but Shirakawa does something similar, albeit with some hip shaking. Shirakawa goes outside to mock Storm, allowing Hart to take her down as we go to a break. Back with Shirakawa hitting a running knee, followed by some clotheslines.

Hart grabs something like a Tarantula but Shirakawa hits a spinning backfist. A not great top rope crucifix bomb gets two on Hart but she’s back up with a knockdown of her own. The moonsault misses though and Shirakawa goes after the knee. The spinning backflst looks to set up the Glamorous Driver but Hart rolls out. That’s reversed into a cradle to give Shirakawa the pin at 9:30.

Rating: C+. This was a bit of a weird choice for the main event, but there is only so much you can do on a three match show. Shirakawa is in a good place where she’s not new but she’s still fresh, so she doesn’t have to really be built up that much for the title shot at Storm. I can’t imagine she wins the title, but having her lose so soon in a high profile match would be a fairly odd way to go.

Post match Hart goes after Shirakawa, who ties up Hart’s bad leg. Skye Blue comes in to deck Shirakawa so Storm makes the save. Shirakawa and Storm get in a tug of war over the belt and Shirakawa goes after Storm’s knee, tying it around the post with the Figure Four.

The Young Bucks try to leave but Powerhouse Hobbs and Samoa Joe jump them. Cue the rest of the people in Anarchy In The Arena for the weapons filled brawl. The fight goes into the arena where the Bucks beat up Kenny Omega, who fights back as this is anarchy in the arena to set up the Anarchy In The Arena. Gabe Kidd runs in and helps the villains with the beatdown and the Bucks hit stereo dives to put Omega and Swerve through tables to end the show. This was a good example of a week that didn’t need an overrun as this was just a long brawl to set up the already announced long brawl at the pay per view.

Overall Rating: B. Double Or Nothing is going to be quite the booking challenge, as so many people are in one match. That leaves the two tournament finals to carry the thing and thankfully the men’s match got an incredible go home segment that really elevated things. Those are by far the two biggest things on the show, and it should be interesting to see if the rest of the card can live up to that hype. I’ll take a two match show, but they are in for a challenge if one of those matches doesn’t deliver.

Results
Samoa Joe/Powerhouse Hobbs/Swerve Strickland b. Young Bucks/Jon Moxley – Rollup to Matt
Ricochet b. Anthony Bowens – Spirit Gun
Mina Shirakawa b. Julia Hart – Cradle

 

 

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

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




Collision – April 17, 2025: They’re On A Roll

Collision
Date: April 17, 2025
Location: MGM Music Hall At Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a special Thursday edition of the show and hopefully that means AEW uses the chance that they have to crank things up a bit. We still have a long time to go before Double Or Nothing but we are coming off one heck of a Dynamite so this show is going to have its work cut out. Hopefully they can live up to the hype so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence, still with the Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting theme.

We get a big recap of Dynamite.

Marina Shafir beats up…I guess a production worker and here are the rest of the Death Riders to wreck a bunch of stuff. Jon Moxley says everyone who was celebrating last night, enjoy it while you can. He officially doesn’t like the Young Bucks and threatens their future if they cross his path again. That brings him to Samoa Joe, who Moxley has always respected but Joe has started something that Moxley has to finish. That is why Moxley is challenging Joe for a World Title match and the team leaves.

We run down the card.

Kevin Knight vs. Lance Archer

Don Callis is here with Archer, who unloads on Knight in the corner to start. Knight slips out of a chokeslam and dropkicks him onto the ramp. A dive takes him down again and Knight unloads in the corner, only to get dropped with a single shot. Archer misses a shot to the face and gets knocked down by a heck of a running shoulder. They go outside with Knight being swung into the steps.

We take a break and come back with Knight still in trouble and being dropped with a single right hand. An overhead German suplex sends Knight flying again but the Blackout and a chokeslam are both escaped. Knight avoids a charge in the corner but gets kicked down to cut him off again. A super hurricanrana brings Archer out of the corner and a splash gets two. Archer buckle bombs him into a chokeslam for two but Knight breaks up Old School. Knight hits a diving clothesline to the floor and another one connects for the surprise pin at 11:42.

Rating: B. I dug this, with Knight fighting from beneath the entire way and finally knocking the giant down for the win. Knight is clearly someone AEW sees something in and if they are going to push him as a big deal, he needs to win matches like this one. Good win here, with Archer being someone who can be rebuilt rather quickly.

The Opps are still serious but they’re happy with their Trios Titles win.

Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter respect each other but they’re ready to face off in the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament.

FTR has sent in an apology to Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness, though Schiavone needed to be scared a bit. They didn’t want to hurt Nigel either, as his body and mind are fragile.

We look at Josh Alexander joining the Don Callis Family.

Josh Alexander/Konosuke Takeshita vs. Rocky Romero/Tomohiro Ishii

Takeshita and Ishii slug it out to start until Ishii shrugs off a running shoulder. Takeshita clothesline him down and it’s a double tag to Alexander and Romero. Alexander easily takes over and we go to a break. Back with Romero hitting a super Sliced Bread on Takeshita and handing it back to Ishii to slug away. Everything breaks down and Ishii drops Takeshita with a clothesline.

Alexander’s torture rack bomb plants Ishii for two but Romero is there with a springboard spinning crossbody. A German suplex gives Alexander two on Ishii but he’s back up to save Romero from a powerbomb. Ishii shrugs off a German suplex and a double shot to the face leave Ishii and Alexander down. Romero is knocked down as well, leaving Alexander and Takeshita to hit stereo discus forearms to Ishii. A powerbomb gives Alexander the pin at 10:22.

Rating: B-. Another good, hard hitting match here, even with Romero there as his usual annoying self. This was a way for Alexander to look good and while he probably would have gotten more out of doing this on his own, I’ll take him getting a win where I can. Takeshita gets a win after his loss to Will Ospreay in their classic on Dynamite, so this was a good way to go.

Post match Ishii and Romero have issues and the fight is on. Cue a man in a hoodie to help take Ishii out….and it’s Trent Beretta. They pull out a monkey wrench to lay Ishii out again.

Mercedes Mone is excited to be in Boston but Harley Cameron pops up with the puppet. Mone gets annoyed that she started talking to the puppet and storms off.

Megan Bayne vs. Rebecca Scott/Ashley Vox

Penelope Ford is here with Bayne. A double dropkick doesn’t hurt Bayne, who suplexes both of them at once. Three straight powerbombs have not Bayne in trouble and Fate’s Descent drops Vox onto Scott for the double pin at 1:15. The fans were WAY into Bayne here and it’s no surprise given how awesome she looked.

Video on Anthony Bowens.

TNT Title: Adam Cole vs. ???

Cole is defending in an open challenge against….Claudio Castagnoli. Well that’s a big one. Castagnoli throws stuff on the way to the ring and seems to have banged up Nigel’s knee. Cole gets powered into the corner to start and knocked down but grabs a quickly broken sleeper. Cole’s running knee gets two and Castagnoli is frustrated on the floor.

That’s fine with Cole, who avoids a running uppercut against the barricade, only to get sent flying over said barricade. Since countouts aren’t a thing around here, Cole gets back inside, where Castagnoli grabs a chinlock. Someone is bleeding from somewhere as Cole is sent outside again and we take a break.

Back with Castagnoli charging into a superkick in the corner and we get a double breather. Castagnoli blasts him with a clothesline but gets caught with a Death Valley Driver onto the knee. Back up and the swing has Cole down into a crossface, followed by Swiss Death for two. Castagnoli unloads with uppercuts in the corner and a top rope superplex gets one…and Cole reverses into a crucifix to retain at 15:14.

Rating: B. This was almost a squash until the ending, which came so out of nowhere that it took me by surprise. It’s nice to see the Death Riders losing clean again, even if it came after Castagnoli beat the fire out of Cole. That’s not the worst way to go and I liked how well it went, even if it was Castagnoli getting caught rather than being defeated.

Post match Castagnoli wrecks a bunch of things and Jon Moxley and the Death Riders have to get him away from ringside.

We recap Chris Jericho walking out on the Learning Tree last week.

The Learning Tree is disappointed in Jericho but Bryan Keith tells Big Bill to keep it private. They want to handle it like family, but Bill doesn’t seem happy.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. KM/Rosario Grillo/LSG

La Faccion jumps them at the bell and the beatdown is on in a hurry. LSG gets taken apart and KM is knocked into the corner. Dralistico hits a big flip dive to the floor and the Bull’s Horns finishes Rush at 1:52. Complete destruction.

Kevin Knight is happy with his win but not so much with the Don Callis Family. Mike Bailey congratulates him but Ricochet interrupts. Ricochet tells him to not mess with the chain of command, though Knight says he respects Ricochet for what he has done. Knight mocks Ricochet’s lack of hair and a fight is teased, with Bailey saying they’ll do this later.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Nick Wayne vs. Komander

Wayne is challenging and gets hammered into the corner to start. Komander cuts him off with a kick to the head but it’s too early for Cielito Lindo. Instead Komander hits a springboard high crossbody, only for Wayne to snap the back of his neck across the top rope. Another springboard is broken up and Komander is sent crashing out to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Komander putting him on the top and running the corner for a kick to the head. A running Swanton hits Wayne on the ramp but he rolls Komander up for two. Komander’s poisonrana gets two more so Wayne kicks him in the head. Wayne’s World is broken up and Komander knocks him to the floor for a big dive. Back in and Cielito Lindo hits raised boots and a fisherman’s buster gives Wayne the pin and the title at 11:03.

Rating: B. This got going near the end and I’ll take Wayne getting the title rather than having Komander just being around as champion and not doing much. I could go for Christian Cage coming after the title and not being able to get it, but at least Wayne is doing something. Now if only he could be doing that on Ring Of Honor instead of around here.

Video on Hologram.

Top Flight is ready to fight Cru next week. Cru comes in for some shouting.

Kris Statlander/Julia Hart vs. Mercedes Mone/Harley Cameron

Toni Storm is on commentary. Cameron tries to throw the puppet in to start and it is promptly stomped down. A headscissors sends Statlander down for a bit better success but she muscles Cameron over for a suplex. Hart comes in with Old School and a basement lariat for two but Cameron is back up with an enziguri. Mone comes in but gets sent outside as we take an early break.

Back with Mone grabbing a wristdrag out of the corner, setting up Three Amigos to Statlander. That’s fine with Statlander, who rolls double suplexes to show off. Mone and Cameron wind up on top of each other so Hart moonsaults onto both of them. Everything breaks down and Hart is up first (Storm: “That is one spooky b****.”) for the moonsault to Mone’s raised boots. Statlander muscles Mone up but Cameron tags herself in, allowing Statlander to hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Statlander hits Hayterade to pin Cameron at 11:03.

Rating: C+. The ending was a fine enough way to set up Hayter vs. Statlander and that’s all this match really needed. Cameron taking the fall is a good enough way to go as losing to Statlander isn’t going to hurt her. At the same time, Mone and Cameron could wind up being a fun wacky pair if they go that way, though it could go in a few different directions.

Overall Rating: B. Another pretty awesome show here with some solid action throughout and the Death Riders taking another step towards falling apart. That’s what we have been needing around here for a long time now and while they have a long way to go, this is definitely a step in the right direction. Other than that, the stories were advanced well enough and they still have time to get ready for Double Or Nothing. This show felt like another edition of Dynamite and that’s what it should have been given the situation they were in here.

Results
Kevin Knight b. Lance Archer – Springboard clothesline
Josh Alexander/Konosuke Takeshita b. Rocky Romero/Tomohiro Ishii – Powerbomb to Alexander
Megan Bayne b. Rebecca Scott/Ashley Vox – Double pin
Adam Cole b. Claudio Castagnoli – Crucifix
La Faccion Ingobernable b. KM/Rosario Grillo/LSG – Bull’s Horns to Rush
Nick Wayne b. Komander – Fisherman’s buster
Kris Statlander/Julia Hart b. Harley Cameron/Mercedes Mone – Hayterade to Cameron

 

 

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6redit