Collision
Date: September 27, 2025
Location: Marshall Health Network Arena, Huntington, West Virginia
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back to the regular Collision and that means we’re going to be seeing something interesting this week. In this case, we’re done with All Out and less than a month away from WrestleDream. That means we should be in for some nice action, as well as the build towards the next pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

The Death Riders, Paragon/Matt Menard, Jamie Hayter, the Triangle Of Madness, Kommander and Hologram…well normally they’re ready to fight but Kyle Fletcher runs in and jumps Hologram (who was interrupted by the CLON deal anyway).

Death Riders vs. Paragon/Matt Menard

Garcia and O’Reilly get things going, with Garcia having to use the ropes to escape a headscissors. Castagnoli comes in to beat up Menard before it’s off to Moxley for a knee to the head. It’s back to Garcia, who gets taken into the corner for the alternating strikes, including O’Reilly firing off the knees. Menard hammers down the right hands in the corner and O’Reilly adds a running dropkick against the barricade. We take a break and come back with O’Reilly in trouble.

O’Reilly fights back but Castagnoli is right there to pull Menard down before the tag. Instead O’Reilly gets over for the tag off to Strong who strikes away at everyone. The Sick Kick hits Moxley for two but Castagnoli is back to swing Strong into Moxley’s dropkick for another near fall. Menard comes in for the big showdown with Garcia and hammers him down but it’s quickly off to Moxley to take Menard down. Garcia’s stomp finishes Menard at 14:23.

Rating: C+. The problem here is very simple: the big climax of the match is the goofy commentator getting his hands on one of the least interesting heels in the company. Simply put, it’s just not something that I cared to see and the live audience didn’t seem thrilled either. It doesn’t feel important and they are going to need something more interesting than that if they want Garcia to feel like a big deal. Oh and look: Paragon losing. What a novel concept.

Video on Bandido/Brody King.

King wants to get his hands on the Don Callis Family and wants to settle the score with Josh Alexander and the Young Bucks. On Dynamite. When he teams with Bandido. And Kenny Omega.

We recap the Opps/Hangman Page/Death Riders brawl from Dynamite but in a bit of a production gaffe, Nigel tries to throw it to a post show interview but we go to the ring instead.

Death Riders vs. Rachael Ellering/Rosario Grillo

Yuta jumps Grillo to start fast and stomps away in the corner. The elbows to the head have Grillo in more trouble and Yuta drags him over for the tag to Ellering. Shafir quickly kicks her down and Mother’s Milk gets the tap at 2:11.

Post match Yuta is not happy with Kris Statlander, who betrayed the people who cared about her the most. He’s the reason she’s the champion today and on Dynamite, she will pay for making the wrong choice. Speaking of people making the wrong choice, Darby Allin will not give up and go away. Allin saw a lot of dead bodies on Mount Everest, so the Death Riders will put him right next to them. Jon Moxley yells about the Opps a bit more.

We look back at Darby Allin challenging Jon Moxley for WrestleDream and the I Quit match is official.

Now we get the video from after Dynamite, with Hangman Page and the Opps being ready to destroy the Death Riders next week. Samoa Joe promises a lot more lessons in violence.

Anthony Bowens/Max Caster vs. Swirl

Bowens and Caster argue over who gets to start and keep changing places until Caster drops to the floor. Then Caster pulls Bowens out with him so they can argue some more, with Christian diving onto Caster to take over. Back in and Swirl rolls into a right hand to Bowens, who comes back with a snap suplex. What used to be Scissor Me Timbers is broken up and Caster gets chopped in the corner as we take an early break.

We come back with the fans getting behind Caster but Christian kicks him in the face to cut if off. Bowens goes to leave but Jerry Lynn comes out to yell at him, forcing Bowens back. The tag brings Bowens in to clean house, including something like a reverse Angle Slam to Johnson. Christian is back up with a running flip dive to Caster, followed by a handspring kick/brainbuster combination for two on Bowens. Caster tags himself in but Johnson shoves Bowens into him for the crash out to the floor. Bowens is back up with a heck of a right hand, allowing Caster to get the rollup pin at 11:15.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure if the former Acclaimed are going to get back together but I’ll take this over another loss. If nothing else, the division could certainly use the help, though I’m not sold on another old 90s veteran being what it takes to get them back together. If that’s what they’re doing, why not just have Billy Gunn in the role again?

Post match Lynn wants some scissoring but Bowens walks away despite a tease.

The Matriarchy isn’t happy with Luchasaurus being gone but Nick Wayne is ready to go after Christian Cage.

Women’s Tag Team Titles are coming.

Anna Jay and Tay Conti are very excited about the titles being introduced and this is what they have been wanting for years now.

Outrunners/Dalton Castle vs. Corey Sparks/Cowpoke Paul/KM

KM is a good eight inches taller than his partners. Paul (as in COWPOKE Paul) gets taken down by the Outrunners to start and it’s off to KM, who gets suplexed by Castle. The Mega Powers Elbow into the Bang A Rang finishes KM at 1:30. Eh I like it.

Video on Mark Briscoe beating MJF in a table n tacks match at All Out. Now Briscoe is back with the Conglomeration and they’re funny, but they’re no joke.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Kommander

Fletcher is defending and gets rolled up for a fast two. A sunset flip gets the same on Fletcher, who is right back with a slam to cut Kommander off. Some stomping and another slam give Fletcher two but Kommander kicks right back. The very bouncy springboard takes Fletcher outside and Kommander sends him into the barricade. Fletcher cuts off the charge though and powerbombs him onto the apron twice in a row as we take a break.

We come back with an announcement that Hologram is going to be out of action for “quite a while” so his TNT Title shot is off. Kommander gets two off a tornado DDT but Fletcher knocks him down again. They head to the apron, where Kommander has to escape a brainbuster and Tombstone.

Instead it’s a running headscissors to the floor but Fletcher is right back with a Michinoku Driver for two. Fletcher gets kicked outside for a step up twisting moonsault. Back in and a springboard Canadian Destroyer sets up a 450 for two Cielito Lindo hits raised boots though and Fletcher lawn darts him into the buckle. The brainbuster retains the title at 13:30.

Rating: B. I wasn’t expecting much here and they wound up having a heck of a match, with Kommander doing some amazing high spots but Fletcher kept reeling him in and eventually caught him. Above all else, you can see the star power in Fletcher growing every week and this felt like an important person getting a win. Kommander did his part too and I liked this a good bit.

We look at Hologram being attacked earlier, plus Kyle Fletcher’s win.

Fletcher says this was about reestablishing dominance and he’s just so upset about not facing Hologram. Now he has no one to face but he wants someone to step up to give him a challenge on Dynamite.

And it’s going to be Orange Cassidy.

Big Bill/Bryan Keith vs. Hook/Eddie Kingston

Hold on as Hook has talked to Tony Khan and this is now a Texas Tornado match. Sure why not. Hook throws Keith down to start as the other two fight on the floor. Kingston comes back in and gets side slammed by Bill but Hook and Kingston clothesline him out to the floor. Keith gets double shouldered as well but Bill pulls Kingston outside for a ram into the steps as we take a break.

We come back with Hook still in trouble, with Bill hammering away. Schiavone gives us some breaking news: Dynamite will be TWO AND A HALF HOURS this week. Well to be fair, it has been a full week since they’ve gone longer than two hours. Kingston crotches Bill, who pops back up to try a double chokeslam. That’s broken up and a double suplex puts him down for two. Back up and Bill boots Kingston and hits a clothesline for two, only for Kingston to dragon screw leg whip him down. Keith is knocked down as well and the spinning backfist sends him into Redrum for the pin at 10:18.

Rating: C. This was pretty much exactly what you would have expected, as it was a rather unnecessary stipulation with Bill getting to be a wrecking ball until his partner lost. Kingston’s return felt important enough but his stuff in the ring is only so good. At the same time, I guess Kingston is the latest person Hook will be attached to in a desperate attempt to get him over.

The Bang Bang Gang agrees that they need new numbers and Ace Austin comes up. He seems to be the newest member. I still want to know why they aren’t selling Ace Austin playing cards.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart

Skye Blue is here with Hart. Hayter powers her down to start fast and a big boot drops Hart again. Hart gets thrown into the corner again but bails to the floor, allowing Blue to get in a cheap shot. We take a break and come back with Blue pulling Hayter outside again, only to get suplexed down this time. Hayter sends Hart into the buckle over and over and a dropkick sends her into the corner.

The Saito suplex gives Hayter two and she gives Hart a Samoan drop, which is countered into a crucifix for two. Hayter is right back with a fireman’s carry onto the knee but Hart manages a neckbreaker. Hart kicks her down and this the moonsault for two as Hayter’s foot is on the rope. An Octopus has Hayter in more trouble, which is reversed into a Tombstone for two. Hayterade gives Hayter the pin at 10:47 (because in AEW, you have to kick out of one big move before the pin).

Rating: B-. Nice main event here, with Hayter trying to get back the star power that was absolutely there before she got hurt. At the same time, the Triangle Of Madness is only looking so strong, though you know they’re going to be a factor in the Tag Team Title tournament. Hart’s moonsault still looks awesome though and it’s good to see her use it occasionally.

Post match Blue comes in to jump Hayter, who gets double superkicked. Queen Aminata runs in with a belt for the save. Thekla is here as well and Hayter says she had an idea. There is one simple way to solve this: Blood & Guts! You knew the women would get their own version at some point, which is fine, but PLEASE don’t let it be another 45 minute match which should be half of that at most. Schiavone says it might be on Wednesday, only to say actually it won’t be to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The Fletcher vs. Kommander match was rather good and the main event was fine enough, but dang that stuff with the Death Riders at the start was more than a bit tedious. Collision still feels like it would be a lot better as just an hour long show but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Either way, not a bad show here, but it felt rather long multiple times, save for the TNT Title match.

Results
Death Riders b. Matt Menard/Paragon – Stomp to Menard
Death Riders b. Rosario Grillo/Rachael Ellering – Mother’s Milk to Ellering
Anthony Bowens/Max Caster b. Swirl – Right hand to Johnson
Outrunners/Dalton Castle b. KM/Cowpoke Pete/Corey Sparks – Bang A Rang to KM
Kyle Fletcher b. Kommander – Brainbuster
Hook/Eddie Kingston b. Big Bill/Bryan Keith – Redrum to Keith
Jamie Hayter b. Julia Hart – Hayterade

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

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All Out 2025
Date: September 20, 2025
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Bryan Danielson

It’s back to pay per view and the show is looking decent at best. The main event, or at least the World Title match, is Hangman Page defending against Kyle Fletcher, whose TNT Title isn’t on the line. Other than that we have Darby Allin facing Jon Moxley in a coffin match, which could go in a few ways. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Opps vs. WorkHorsemen

Henry strikes away at Hobbs to no avail to start and gets slammed down a few times to start. Drake breaks up the seventh or so slam, only to take it himself. It’s off to Joe for the snap jabs to the seated Drake but Henry comes back in with a DDT for two. Joe is right back with a powerslam and it’s back to Hobbs to run both WorkHorsemen over. Drake tries a dropkick and Joe walks away, setting up the Koquina Clutch for the tap at 5:22.

Rating: C-. This is a good example of a match that works fine if it starts ten minutes before the pay per view to warm the fans up a bit. Instead, it’s one of four matches with a team who is two thirds of the Trios Champions beating a team that means absolutely nothing in AEW. This added nothing other than content for the sake of content and that’s not the most thrilling start.

Kickoff Show: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia

Marina Shafir is here with Garcia. Shibata charges in and boots him in the face to start fast as they’re quickly out on the floor. Garcia gets sent into the barricade as Shibata is more aggressive than usual here. We actually take a break and come back with Garcia ignoring Matt Menard (smart move) and dropkicking the steps into Shibata’s head. A basement forearm gives Garcia two and they trade forearms, as is their custom.

An exchange of German suplexes leaves Garcia down in the corner but he escapes a triangle choke. They go to the apron with Garcia hitting a Death Valley Driver and we take another break. We come back with an exchange of slaps leaving both of them down. Another exchange of forearms lets Garcia get a front chancery into a piledriver for two. Shibata is back up with the sleeper and Garcia taps but Shafir has the referee. The distraction lets Garcia hit a Gotch style piledriver and a curb stomp for the pin at 14:48.

Rating: C+. Well, Garcia is now a villain and getting to do matches like this. I mean, nothing is really different about him and he’s still about as dull as he was before, but now he has Shafir helping him win. He’s perfectly acceptable as a midcard guy, but if AEW tries to push him beyond that, I don’t see it going well.

Kickoff Show: Hologram/Paragon vs. Frat House

The Frat House jump the good guys to start but that’s broken up in a hurry. Strong suplexes Hologram onto Vance but a distraction lets him send O’Reilly throat first into the ropes. O’Reilly is right back up for the tag off to Hologram to clean house and a triple strike puts Vance down. Hologram hits a big dive and a top rope double stomp finishes Garrison at 3:18.

Rating: C. It was a match you might see on any given edition of Ring Of Honor, though I can appreciate just getting them in and out rather than wasting time on something where the result was never in doubt. The Frat House means nothing in AEW (and have barely ever wrestled here) while Hologram never loses (and never moves up the card). At least Paragon didn’t lose again, though I’m sure they will in the next match that matters in the slightest.

Kickoff Show: Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford/Triangle Of Madness vs. Harley Cameron/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale

Tornado Tailgate Brawl, basically meaning a street fight. Cameron and company get into a football formation to start and throw something, which is enough of a distraction for them to run over the villains. Bayne isn’t having that and starts throwing people to the floor before getting a slugout with Nightingale. Everyone gets back in and it’s a quadruple suplex for Bayne’s team to get sent flying. It’s time to bust out the weapons and we take an early break.

We come back with Nightingale being powerbombed onto…I think it’s a cooler? Shirakawa and Aminata come back in and swing a cooler each to take over. Ford is put in a trashcan for a handspring elbow in the corner before Nightingale Pounces Bayne. The Triangle is put in a barbecue grill, leaving Ford to get caught in the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 11:29.

Rating: B-. I had fun with this as it was a big themed brawl, but more importantly, the match had been set up in recent weeks. This was the biggest match on the Kickoff Show and it made things feel more important. It’s also nice to see Nightingale get a win, though I’m more curious about what is next for Bayne, as she is kind of lacking anything to do at the moment.

And now, the show proper.

The opening video looks at the bigger matches on the card, with a theme of going north. To Canada you see.

Bryan Danielson comes out for commentary.

We recap Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. FTR. The Canadians don’t really like each other, but they’re agreeing to get back together to help each other with their respective problems.

Earlier today, Copeland and Cage arrived and ran into some Toronto Maple Leaf legends. And a guy in a messed up mask with a makeshift title belt named the Green Bastard. That last one was a bit odd.

FTR vs. Adam Copeland/Christian Cage

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR and Harwood has a broken nose. Fans: “OH F*** THE REVIVAL!” Cage backs Harwood into the corner to start and it’s an early clean break. Harwood takes Cage down and walks on his back, only to be sent into the post for his efforts. Copeland comes in for a double hiptoss and Wheeler comes in for a change. Wheeler grinds away on a headlock, which is reversed into a Thesz press so Copeland can fire off some right hands.

It’s back to Cage, who bites Wheeler in the corner as the fans sing about wanting Cage to be their a******. Wheeler stomps on Cage’s back to take over and we hit the chinlock. Harwood takes Wheeler’s place but Cage fights up, only for Wheeler to distract Copeland in a simple but classic move. Back in and Wheeler’s Vader Bomb hits raised boots, which is enough for the big tag off to Copeland.

The Edge-O-Matic gets two on Harwood, who is sent into the post. Copeland even returns the favor from a recent Smackdown with a Five Knuckle Shuffle, which gets the fans chanting for someone who will be wrestling on another company’s show later tonight. Cage cuts off a Hart Attack to Copeland and it’s a double Sharpshooter, with Hathaway having to offer an assist for the save. Stokely gets scared on the floor and the brawl heads outside with the Canadians taking over again.

Back in and a Twist Of Fate is broken up, with Harwood sending Cage into Copeland for the crotching on top. The Shatter Machine is broken up and Copeland/Cage use each other’s finishers to put FTR down again. Hathaway has to pull the referee…which brings out Beth Copeland (Phoenix) to drop him with a spear. Wheeler brings in the ring bell but Copeland cuts him off. Harwood begs Copeland’s forgiveness before Cage is sent into the announcers’ table.

A bell to the head and a spike piledriver get two on Copeland but he’s right back with a pair of Impalers. FTR is back with the Shatter Machine for two as the kickouts are getting ridiculous again. Another Shatter Machine connects…and Copeland staggers up for a spear to Wheeler for the pin at 18:03 as Cage cuts Harwood off.

Rating: B-. The fan reaction was fun and really made this better, as did the Beth interference, but WOW that ending was ridiculous, as Copeland got hit with a bell, a spike piledriver, and two Shatter Machines but popped back up with his finisher for the win anyway. The match was good but never reached some higher level, though it felt like it was more for the live fans than anything else. Seeing Copeland and Christian together again was fun though, and a run at the titles shouldn’t be out of the question.

Post match Mother Wayne and Nick Wayne come out for a distraction, allowing FTR to jump Cage and Copeland from behind. Copeland gets handcuffed to the ropes as Kip Sabian comes in to help with the beatdown, including a spike piledriver. Beth fights back as well but gets caught in a spike piledriver of her own.

We recap Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston. Bill randomly started calling Kingston out as Kingston had been out of action for almost a year and a half after a leg injury. Now Kingston is back and that’s about it.

Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston

Bryan Keith is here with Bill. Kingston, in a CLAUDIO SUCKS EGGS shirt, gets a big reaction and chops away at Bill to start fast. A big boot drops Kingston in a hurry and Bill mockingly pounds him down, with Kingston telling him to bring it. Bill’s clothesline gets two but Kingston catches him with a backfist.

The exploder sends Bill flying but the spinning backfist is countered into a not so great swinging Boss Man Slam. A better version gets two but Kingston DDTs his way out of a chokeslam attempt. The spinning backfist gets one and Bill kicks Kingston down again. Bill misses a charge into the corner though and another spinning backfist (which really didn’t seem to connect) finishes for Kingston at 7:25.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t the greatest return for Kingston, as the feud pretty much came out of nowhere and then the match itself wasn’t exactly smooth. Kingston looked banged up and slow and the ending came out of absolutely nowhere. Not much to this one, as while it’s nice to have Kingston back, it wasn’t a good return.

Post match Keith comes in for the beatdown but Hook comes in for the save.

We recap Mark Briscoe vs. MJF. They hate each other and have cost each other title shots. MJF wants to fight Briscoe so much that he’s allowing Briscoe to pick the stipulation. Therefore, it’s a Tables And Thumbtacks match, which can’t possibly go well.

Mark Briscoe vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Tables And Tacks with wins coming by pin or submission and MJF is in white so you know what’s coming. MJF immediately heads to the floor, leaving Briscoe to pour out a bunch of tacks. Then he pours out even more but MJF stalls even more, which is enough for MJF to come outside and start hammering away. A low blow gets MJF out of trouble and they get inside, with the tacks scaring MJF again.

They slug it out and tease slams onto the tacks before trying to send the other’s face into the tacks. MJF gets the first slam to send Briscoe into the tacks and then presses him head first into the tacks. It’s time for the first table, which MJF puts right back under the ring. Back in and an Alabama slam sends Briscoe into the tacks again and MJF drags him over the tacks. MJF puts some tacks into Briscoe’s mouth for a right hand but Briscoe is back with a backdrop.

As MJF looks like he wants to cry, Briscoe rips off MJF’s shirt and then powerbombs him onto the tacks for two. It’s too early for the Froggy Bow so MJF rolls outside, where Briscoe (with tacks in his back) hits a running flip dive. The table is set up and MJF is quickly put through it and it’s already time for another table. MJF is elbowed through that one as well so Briscoe sets up a third one, only for MJF to throw tacks into Briscoe’s eyes.

Briscoe powerbombs him onto the tacks again and it’s time for a thumbtack chair. MJF takes it away and hits Briscoe to the back, followed by a Tombstone onto the tacks for two. With Briscoe down, MJF puts a table up in the ring and pours more tacks on top. They go up top, where Briscoe knocks him down and then puts him through the table. The Froggy Bow sets up the Jay Driller onto the tacks to finish MJF at 19:23.

Rating: C+. What is there to say about this? They used the tacks and then they used the tacks and then they used the tacks and then they used some tables and then they used tacks on a table and then they used more tacks. It was fun to see MJF get hurt, but it was really hard to get interested when it was the same weapons time after time. I don’t care for this kind of match in the first place and this wasn’t an interesting way to go either.

Earlier this week, Jerry Lynn got the former Acclaimed a tag match for next week because he knows they work well together. They don’t want to do it but Lynn threatens them with suspensions.

We recap the Gates Of Agony/Ricochet vs. the Hurt Syndicate. The Gates and Ricochet coat them the Tag Team Titles and now the Syndicate wants some revenge, with MVP even getting in the ring.

Gates Of Agony/Ricochet vs. Hurt Syndicate

Ricochet and the Gates are known as “The Demand”, as the names for teams actually get worse around here. MVP and Kaun get things going but MVP wants Ricochet. That’s exactly what he gets but Ricochet bails out to the floor for the always dumb “my time” response. Kaun comes in and gets drop toeholded, followed by a jumping knee. Benjamin comes in and is having none of Kaun’s clothesline before grabbing an ankle lock.

That’s broken up so Lashley comes in to take over on Ricochet. The delayed suplex connects, with Ricochet’s foot hitting MVP on the way down. Ballin hits Ricochet for two and MVP exploders him out of the corner for the same. Liona comes in off a distraction though and kicks MVP’s knee out to put him in trouble for a change. A clothesline puts Ricochet down for a breather and MVP sends him to the apron, allowing the tag off to Lashley.

We get the Lashley vs. Liona showdown but it’s quickly back to Benjamin to send Ricochet flying. Benjamin German suplexes Kaun and Ricochet at the same time (because that’s a thing) and Lashley’s spear cuts Kaun down. Ricochet makes the save with a springboard 450 and Kaun hits a Backstabber into a running elbow.

Everything breaks down and Benjamin hits a step up knee on the floor, only for Ricochet to hit a big running flip dive over the post to take Benjamin down as well. Liona is sent into Lashley and Benjamin but MVP suplexes Ricochet anyway. The Playmaker is broken up with a chop block though and the Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 13:46.

Rating: B-. It was a fun and pretty wild match, with MVP being the weak link in the team, which shouldn’t be a stunning result. It is kind of a stunning result to see Ricochet and the Gates win, as the Gates aren’t exactly known for winning a big match. I’m not exactly convinced this is leading to something big, but it’s certainly a surprise win for a change.

We recap Riho challenging Mercedes Mone for the TBS Title. Mone is defending because she is the eternal champion and Riho is challenging because she exists and therefore must get title shots after being gone for long stretches.

TBS Title: Riho vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending and comes out with a team of guards, all wearing her titles. Riho doesn’t like being shoved in the face to start so she rolls Mone up and goes after the leg. Mone’s arm is tied up in the arm and Riho stops to mock her dance. A 619 puts Mone on the floor and a double stomp off the apron has her in more trouble.

Riho hits a second off of the announcers’ table but she misses a third off the top. A crucifix bomb gets two on Mone but she’s back with a ram into the announcers’ table on the floor. The Meteora off of said table gets two and Mone hits a dropkick, with Mone’s boot hitting Riho in the throat. Mone stomps her down but gets pulled into an armbar, followed by a crossface.

That’s broken up so Riho hits a double stomp to the banged up ribs and a German suplex gets two. Mone is back up with Three Amigos because we needed another Eddie Guerrero tribute. The frog splash hits raised knees and Riho hits the top rope double stomp for two. Mone is back up with the running knees in the corner but Riho ties up the leg again. The leg is grabbed for the escape so Riho switches to a northern lights suplex for two. Mone goes to the eyes and the Moneymaker retains the title at 15:53.

Rating: B-. Hey look: Mone wins again. She lost her one match to Toni Storm and now it’s back to what it always is: her bragging about all of the titles she’s won in promotions that mean absolutely nothing, followed by keeping the TBS Title in a pretty good match. She’s been champion for about a year and a half now. Find something else for her to do already.

We recap the Unified Title match. It’s a rather unnecessary tournament to set up a triple threat for the title, with the champion having to win a qualifying match to earn the right to defend his title.

Unified Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada

Okada is defending. Dorada is sent outside and runs back in to split the other two up, making it all the clearer that he doesn’t need to be in this match. Takeshita takes over with a boot to put Dorada down as Don Callis and Bryan Danielson explain Japanese wrestling culture, because we apparently need to know that to understand the match. Back up and Okada is sent to the floor, followed by Dorada’s hurricanrana to send Takeshita outside.

Dorada’s dive is cut off though and he gets dropped hard on the floor, setting up a camel clutch back inside. That’s broken up and Okada comes in for a DDT, with Takeshita not being happy on the cover. Dorada uses the distraction to send both of them outside, with a big dive taking Takeshita down. Back in and Dorada takes over, with Excalibur wondering if Dorada can defeat “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time.”

As I cringe so hard at the fact that someone in this company thinks that’s a good moniker, Dorada gets two off an electric chair flipped into a neckbreaker. Takeshita is back up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Okada but Dorada is back with a running Canadian Destroyer for two. Okada and Takeshita go up top so it’s a double springboard hurricanrana from Dorada, which even has Callis impressed. That earns Dorada a double big boot to put him back down so the other two trade forearms.

An exchange of suplexes put them both down so Dorada moonsaults both of them for two. Takeshita is back up with a Last Ride but Okada blocks a knee lift. Back up and Takeshita German suplexes both of them at once, but Dorada manages to stick the landing. A hurricanrana gets two on Takeshita and a DDT puts Okada down on the apron. Back in and Takeshita gives Dorada Raging Fire but Okada makes the save and hits the Rainmaker to pin Okada and retain at 20:57.

Rating: A-. Dorada looked great in there and Takeshita was his usual awesome self. At the same time, hearing about Okada being “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time” is every bit as dumb as it was in the first place. Putting together some nothing qualifying matches to officially make this a tournament is as much of a stretch as you can get, as having that many tournaments is hardly some kind of a great idea. All that being said, match of the night by a lot here, with Dorada getting an absolute star making performance before we get to Okada vs. Takeshita down the line.

We recap Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley in a coffin match. They hate each other, Moxley is violent and Allin likes coffins.

Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin

Coffin match and Allin jumps him in the crowd to start fast, with a Coffin Drop from a balcony dropping Moxley again. Moxley manages to cut him off for a drop onto the barricade and they fight to ringside, with Allin going after the ear. Moxley knocks the coffin over but Allin puts him inside for a near close.

That seems to freak Moxley out so he hits a Crash Landing to put Allin onto the coffin for a nasty crash (landing). Cue the rest of the Death Riders to help the bleeding Moxley put the coffin inside. Moxley actually sends the team to the back and mockingly kicks Allin, who whips out a fork to stab Moxley in the head. Allin twists the fingers around and hits a Coffin Drop before finding a pipe.

More ear assaulting continues, with Allin biting said ear. Moxley drops him onto the coffin again but Allin blocks the lid from being closed. Allin hits him with a pipe and whips out a plastic bag to choke Moxley out. Fans: “THIS IS MURDER!” Cue Pac for the save (of course) and a toss Razor’s edge over the top onto the other coffin. Pac puts Allin in a body bag and Allin is put in the coffin (by Pac) to give Moxley the win at 19:16.

Rating: C-. The action was fine, but good grief I can’t stand this nonsense. Between the fork, the ear nonsense, the plastic bag over the head, and of course HAHA MOXLEY WINS AGAIN, I was getting more and more annoyed watching the match. It’s more stupid stunts and violence for the sake of stunts and violence and the good guy doesn’t even win after his big return because Moxley has to instead. Just more nonsense and incredibly annoying.

Mark Briscoe and the Conglomeration are happy with their wins so Briscoe issues a challenge for a six man tag against the Don Callis Family. We even get a tease of the return of Orange Cassidy.

We recap the Women’s Title match, with Toni Storm defending against three challengers in a big movie.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Thekla vs. Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter

Storm is defending. Wheeler Yuta comes out to give Statlander her usual applause before leaving again, making things that much better. Statlander clears the ring rather quickly to start and moonsaults off the apron to drop Hayter. Storm and Thekla crash outside as well (with one of them asking if the other is ok) before Storm is put on top back inside. A spider suplex takes her down and Hayter gets the same treatment.

Storm is back up with some running hip attacks but Hayter fires off some hard clotheslines. Statlander comes back with some kicks and forearms until Hayter and Storm team up to get rid of her. Staturday Night Fever plants Thekla on the floor but Storm hits a hip attack and Storm Zero for a fast two. Thekla is back in with a leg choke on Storm (naturally Danielson is right there to explain the physics behind the move) until Hayter breaks it up. Thekla hits a heck of a spear to knock Hayter off the apron…and Statlander uses the seatbelt to pin Storm and win the title at 11:59.

Rating: B. They kept the energy going here and it was a rather nice good match as a result. It’s a fine example of a match where they got in, did their thing, and got out before it went too long. The ending is a bit odd, but Statlander is instantly launched up the ranks and that’s a great thing to see. Much better than I was expecting here.

We recap the Tag Team Title ladder match. There are champions and three sets of challengers. Since it’s a ladder match, tagging means nothing so it’s time for another car crash.

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King vs. Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family vs. Jet Speed

Bandido and King are defending in a ladder match. The Family cleans house to start until Jet Speed come in to take them out. The Bucks get to take over until Bandido breaks that up, including an X Knee to Matt. King comes back in and German suplexes three people at once before bringing in the first ladder.

Bailey is there to take them out with a dive so the Family sends him into a ladder in the corner. Alexander is sent into a ladder as well and has to get checked out, leaving the Bucks to beat up Bailey. King comes back in and tries a dive, which is cut off with a ladder to the head. Nick hits a dive to crush King on the ladder but Knight is back in to make a save. Jet Speed goes up so King cuts them off, only for Bailey to fire off the kicks.

Alexander ankle locks Bailey as he climbs the ladder so they both go up. Hechicero is back in and bridges a ladder into the standing one. Bailey knocks him down and hits moonsault knees before it’s time to set up tables on the floor. The Bucks and Hechicero hit a bunch of dives to put people through tables, with Bailey and King getting the worst of things as they went through a ladder. Knight is one of the few people left standing and go up, with Matt going up for the slugout.

That’s broken up and King climbs as well, until Alexander pull shim down for a crash. Knight goes up again so a bunch of people pick up the ladder and carry him over to the ropes for a crash through a table. The Bucks hit the BTE Trigger and go up until King turns the ladder over. King hands the ladder to Bandido to flip onto a pile of people, leaving him to go up and retain the titles at 24:36.

Rating: B. It’s fun, the spots were good, and I’m rather happy the champions retained. I’m just sick of ladder matches, especially ones where they have this many people. Either way, it’s the definition of “turn your brain off and have fun” and I’ll absolutely take it over the tacks and screwdriver and all that nonsense.

Post match everyone but the Bucks leave…and Jack Perry is back. He flips them off and takes out an interfering Rocky Romero but gets superkicked by the Bucks. The lights go out and we see a car coming to the arena…and a video shows Perry reviving Luchasaurus. The Jurassic Express is back, as that’s apparently a thing again.

Jon Moxley is in the back with the coffin and sends the Death Riders off. Allin pops out of the coffin and fights back to put Moxley in a body bag. Which he lights on fire. Because of course he does.

Tony Khan will have a big announcement on Dynamite. Oh geez.

We recap the main event. Hangman Page won the World Title but Kyle Fletcher wants to prove he’s ready. Page sees potential in him but wants to avoid interference so Fletcher can prove what he can do. Works for Fletcher and we’re on.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Kyle Fletcher

Only Page is defending and the Don Callis Family is barred from ringside, though Callis himself is on commentary. The lights appear to go blue here (I kind of like it) as Fletcher takes over on the arm to start. They chop it out until Fletcher head fakes him into a superkick for a smart move. Fletcher takes Page outside and sends him over the barricade for a big running dive.

Back in and Fletcher elbows away at the neck, followed by a powerbomb onto the apron. The table (because we haven’t had enough of those tonight) is loaded up but Page fights out of a brainbuster from the apron. Instead Fletcher grabs a hanging DDT for two, followed by a Michinoku Driver for the same. The Boston crab keeps Page in trouble but he manages to fight up and hit a backdrop.

A fall away slam sends Fletcher into the corner for two but Page keeps favoring his neck. Page grabs a pop up powerbomb for two and tries a middle rope moonsault, which is superkicked out of the air. A sitout powerbomb gives Fletcher two and they head outside, with Page managing a Tombstone on the floor. Page’s hanging DDT onto the floor has Fletcher in more trouble (Danielson: “An eye for an eye and a neck for a neck!”) and they get a double breather.

Fletcher kicks him down and hits a brainbuster through the timekeeper’s area. The brainbuster gets two back inside and they trade hard shots to the face. Page is back up with the Deadeye off the apron and through the table (at a scary angle) for the big double down. Back in and Fletcher collapses as Page tries the Buckshot Lariat and they’re both down again.

Page is up with a V Trigger but the One Winged Angel is broken up. Instead Page hits a Deadeye for two and then plants him for two more. The Buckshot is countered into a brainbuster for another near fall, which has Callis and Danielson losing it on commentary. With nothing else working, Fletcher pulls off a turnbuckle pad and takes Page into the corner. The super brainbuster is blocked though and it’s a super Deadeye into the Buckshot to retain the title at 38:07.

Rating: B+. Really good match here, though my goodness get over it with the tables and the weapons and all that jazz. You have two people here who can have a great match without them but they’re involved anyway. All that being said, this was a lot better than I was expecting as Fletcher more than hung in there with a much bigger star. Solid main event, albeit at the end of a very long show.

Overall Rating: B. The show is good overall with most of the big matches delivering, but they have got to cut back on the garbage wrestling/weapons stuff. It’s choking the life out of these shows as it feels like putting things in the matches for the sake of having them there. The Unified Title match and main event are both worth seeing, but there is still a lot that could be cut off the show. I liked it, but as usual I’m exhausted and not wanting to see AEW for a long time, which is always the case on these pay per views.

Results
Opps b. WorkHorsemen – Koquina Clutch to Drake
Daniel Garcia b. Katsuyori Shibata – Curb stomp
Hologram/Paragon b. Frat House – Top rope double stomp to Garrison
Harley Cameron/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale/Mina Shirakawa b. Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford – Babe With The Powerbomb to Ford
Adam Copeland/Christian Cage b. FTR – Spear to Wheeler
Eddie Kingston b. Big Bill – Spinning backfist
Mark Briscoe b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Jay Driller onto tacks
Ricochet/Gates Of Agony b. Hurt Syndicate – Spirit Gun to MVP
Mercedes Mone b. Riho – Moneymaker
Kazuchika Okada b. Mascara Dorada and Konosuke Takeshita – Rainmaker to Dorada
Jon Moxley b. Darby Allin – Allin was put in the coffin
Kris Statlander b. Toni Storm, Thekla and Jamie Hayter – Seat belt to Storm
Bandido/Brody King b. Young Bucks, Don Callis Family and Jet Speed – Bandido pulled down the titles
Hangman Page b. Kyle Fletcher – Buckshot Lariat

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

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It’s time for the next pay per view and the show isn’t exactly feeling like a hot one. In addition to having come off of an only so good Forbidden Door, there are a lot of big names missing due to injuries or health issues. That’s going to make for a bit of a messy show, but the wrestling can often pull them out of the fire. Hopefully that’s the case again here so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Opps vs. WorkHorsemen

This was reportedly set for the show though I didn’t see it officially announced. I can’t blame AEW for not publicizing it more because…well would you really want to see it? The WorkHorsemen are another team that has a bigger guy who can move around fairly well and that’s about it for their appeal. They’re a team who aren’t bad at all but they don’t really stand out, which makes their addition to the show a bit unnecessary.

There is a grand total of no doubt about the winners here, as Joe and Hobbs can get a nice victory in what should be dominant fashion. I say should be because it won’t be, because this is a match that will likely get way more time than it needs. Joe getting to smash people is always fun though and that’s the appeal here, as he’s really good when he gets to do his thing.

Kickoff Show: Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata

It’s the third match in a trilogy where the first two matches were only so interesting in the first place. This is also coming just after Garcia joined the Death Riders so he’s going to be even more evil and….whatever you call the Death Riders. Shibata is likely going to be his usual self and that’s going to mean a lot of cool looking stuff without a ton of charisma behind it.

I have no reason to believe that Shibata is winning here as Garcia can get his revenge and get off to a nice start as part of the Death Riders. That’s a good way to go as beating Shibata still feels like an impressive feat. Garcia needs to show that he has gotten something out of his turn and this is as good a chance as he is going to have to start off pretty fast.

Kickoff Show: Harley Cameron/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale vs. Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford/Triangle Of Madness

This is likely going to be the Kickoff Show main event as it’s a Tornado Tailgate Brawl, which is the latest term for a hardcore/weapons match. The good thing is that these teams have been fighting for a few weeks now so there is at least a story to the whole thing. I’ll take that over another randomly thrown together match and there will at least be some nice violence to start things off.

I’ll take Bayne and company to win here, likely beating Aminata in the process. Cameron’s team is a bunch of more fun people rather than tougher stars, which is going to be a problem against a monster like Bayne. Either way, there should be some fun spots in here and it feels a good bit more interesting than some of these things that we have seen over the previous shows.

Hurt Syndicate vs. Ricochet/Gates Of Agony

This is a rare instance of MVP getting back in the ring and that’s one of the only reasons to believe that the Syndicate is in danger. The Gates Of Agony are not going to be threats to Lashley and Benjamin, as has been proven before, so the only real chance the team has is to take out MVP. I’m not sure what is where it is going to go, but it makes for the only interesting option.

I keep wanting to say Ricochet sand the Gates win but I’ll take what feels like the more reasonable pick and say the Syndicate. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them move up to something more important in the near future (they might want their Tag Team Titles back) and that doesn’t involve losing here. Either way, it should be a nice power brawl, with MVP being able to hold up his end despite not being in the ring in a good while.

Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston

So this one is just kind of happening, as Kingston has been gone for about a year and a half due to his injuries and didn’t have any major issues with Bill. Then one day Bill just randomly started talking about Kingston and the match was set. I kind of like the idea of mixing up a return rather than having Kingston show up to end a show for a change, but this is kind of out there.

Again, I don’t see any reason to believe that Kingston is losing here, as you don’t bring him back to lose in his first match. At the same time, I kind of wish it wasn’t Bill getting stuck with a loss as he’s been doing well, but the match is so random and out of nowhere that it’s not like they have another choice. Kingston wins here, because there is pretty much no reason for him to lose.

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King(c) vs. Young Bucks vs. Jet Speed vs. Don Callis Family

Hey look: a ladder match for the titles. It’s another match where they can do all of their stunts and dives without having to really put together a coherent match and that’s what always tends to happen. In this case we have the Bucks getting back into the title hunt because they’re the Bucks, Jet Speed because they’re the new tag team that AEW wants to push and the Family because…well there are so many of them that they have to go somewhere.

I’ll take the champs to retain here, as they haven’t had the belts for very long and could use a big win. While it would be better to have them beat some teams clean in a regular match where they can tear the house down, the best we’re going to get is this kind of a thing because AEW really likes having ladder matches. You knew this was coming so just enjoy the popcorn style match because it has to be checked off a list.

Unified Title: Kazuchika Okada(c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada

This is two matches in one as you have the “get it before it’s gone” portion as the Unified part will be taken away for the sake of this year’s Continental Classic, along with the “here’s a match that would be better with two people but we’re doing three” with Dorada added. My guess is that AEW needs an excuse to talk about Okada being “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time” even though this has been a tournament only in the loosest sense of the word.

While Takeshita is the red hot hand at the moment, I’m thinking they keep the title on Okada so we can get Takeshita’s moment later on, perhaps in the tournament final. As in the other tournament final later this year with the Continental Classic. Dorada is likely there to take the fall as this keeps stretching out, despite it being the perfect time for Takeshita to end Okada’s however long reign with whatever title you say he has at the moment.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone(c) vs. Riho

It’s time for the annual Riho push as she’s back from her hiatus for whatever reason it was this time and of course she’s right in the title picture. At the same time, Mone is coming off her loss to Toni Storm and needs another victim, so we’ve been lucky enough to have Riho get moved up to the front of the line. This match has felt entirely tacked on and yet it gets a pay per view spot anyway because Mone is a major star or something.

This feels like the next regularly scheduled victory for Mone so we’ll say the title stays in one place for the time being. I have no idea who is supposed to take the thing from her but hopefully she drops it sooner rather than later. Her matches are good but just watching her stack up her eleventy billion belts from places like BestYa Wrestling (yes that’s a real place) isn’t exactly interesting. Either way she retains here.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Thekla vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Kris Statlander

Here we have another match that feels like it should be a singles match as Thekla has been coming after Storm for a few weeks now but Hayter and Statlander are just kind of here too. That makes for another messy match where they can trade off on occasion, though I’m wondering if Willow Nightingale is going to get involved and cost Statlander the match in some way.

I’ll go with Storm retaining here, as she has been champion for a long time now but I’m scared that we’re building up to Mone taking the title from Storm in a rematch. For now though, it’s going to be a wild match with a bunch of things going on and people flying around, but Storm probably retains here. It still should be Thekla vs. Storm, though why do that when you can put more people into the match?

Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. FTR

This is a match that is about as much of a layup as you can get on paper, but somehow they’ve managed to make it feel less important. The problem here is that FTR has been doing their side feud with Adam Priest/Tommy Billington and had trouble beating them in two straight matches. Then they jumped back to Copeland and Cage, which just kind of made FTR seem weak leading into their huge match.

That being said, I’ll of course take Cage and Copeland to win here, as there is no reason to have them lose. It isn’t like FTR is doing much of note at the moment so having them lose to the legendary team is a smart way to go. Hopefully they don’t bother trying to do anything ridiculous for the sake of heat, as this should be one result without veering off the path no matter what.

Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley

Well at least Moxley isn’t champion anymore. This is a coffin match, which is now Allin’s signature deal and hopefully a way to write Moxley off for a bit. In short, AEW needs a breather from Moxley, who has dominated the company for far too long. He’s no longer the World Champion but now he gets the chance to beat Allin for good and wrap up their feud that started like a year ago and then stopped for the sake of mountain climbing.

There’s no reason for Allin to lose here so we’ll go with Moxley losing to hopefully start the downfall of the Death Riders. There is little reason to even consider Moxley winning here, as he dominated the company for so long that he needs to lose some big matches for a change. While I’m scared that Moxley might get the win to set up some final showdown with Allin, I’ll take the logical move of Allin winning.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Mark Briscoe

This is a Tables N Tacks match because reasons of tables n tacks need to be a thing. It’s supposed to be little more than violence and Briscoe getting revenge on MJF for everything he has done, which will work out well enough. At the same time though, it’s hard to believe that Briscoe is going to win here because Briscoe is just not the kind of person who wins big time matches.

So yeah, I’ll take MJF to win here, as it’s one of those matches that seems to be set up for him to lose, only for him to pull off the win in the end. It’s the kind of thing that makes the most sense, with MJF getting to head back to his World Title feud with Page, while Briscoe heads back to being the kind of weird guy who pops up and beats midcarders but loses to bigger opponents. It makes sense, even if I could go for Briscoe getting a nice win for a change.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page(c) vs. Kyle Fletcher

I’m liking Fletcher more and more in recent weeks, but at the same time I’m nowhere near close enough to seeing him as a viable World Championship challenger. He feels like someone who is being thrown out there because we need someone to face Page. The idea of having Fletcher doing this on his own is a good move, but I’m not sold on the idea that the Family stays out.

I can’t imagine this actually closes out the show but either way, Page wins to retain the title. He’s likely going to be moving on to the next challenger, whomever that might be, as Fletcher is dispatched in a long match. That’s where it should go at least and I can’t imagine it being much of anything else. Fletcher is going to be fine after the loss, though I have no idea how he is the best option available as a reigning champion.

Overall Thoughts

I’m still not feeling this show, as a lot of it feels like it should be featured on a big time TV special rather than a pay per view. There are some parts that look good, but a lot of it feels like they threw things together without many better options. The action will wind up being very good as every AEW pay per view is, but I’m not overly interested in seeing this show and that’s not a great feeling.

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

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Dynamite
Date: September 17, 2025
Location: Canada Life Place, London, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Bryan Danielson, Excalibur, Taz

It’s the last night before All Out as we have both Dynamite and Collision airing back to back, albeit with only one hour of the second. That means we could be in for some big stuff this week, as they need to push All Out over the line. The show is only so interesting right now and needs a nice final night of build. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We’re starting with a contract signing for All Out so here are Hangman Page and Kyle Fletcher, with Tony Schiavone running things. Don Callis cuts Schiavone off though and talks about how Page took the title from him by beating Kenny Omega. Now though Callis has a better challenger for the title and no one can do anything to a star like Fletcher.

Page talks about being tired of all the interference in his title matches and he sees the potential in Fletcher. That’s why he wants Fletcher to be a star of the future without the Family helping him. Page has a new rule in the contract: if the Family interferes or if Fletcher gets disqualified, he loses the TNT Title.

Callis panics but Fletcher is more than fine with the terms. He knows he’s better than Page and signs but Page talks about how he knows what Fletcher is feeling right now. What Fletcher doesn’t know is how it will feel after All Out and that’s how his future will be defined. Page signs as well and we should be done but Fletcher promises to leave as a double champion. Violence is promised for later tonight but until then, say his full name. While I don’t believe that the Family won’t get involved, Fletcher has more than held his own in these promos and that’s a good sign for his future.

Video on Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley in a coffin match.

Jon Moxley vs. Roderick Strong

The Death Riders are here with Moxley while Strong has Kyle O’Reilly. Strong starts fast by dropkicking Daniel Garcia on the floor but Moxley goes outside to rake Strong’s eyes. Strong drops Moxley onto the barricade and it’s time to chop it out back inside. Another dropkick sends Moxley outside and we get a double staredown on the floor.

We take a break and come back with Strong striking away and hitting some suplexes for two. Moxley cuts off an exchange of strikes and gets two off a piledriver. The cross armbreaker is broken up as Strong makes the rope. They go up top with Strong hitting a super belly to back faceplant for two of his own. Garcia grabs Strong’s boot so O’Reilly jumps him, which allows Wheeler Yuta to come out and trip Strong. The Paradigm Shift into the bulldog choke finishes Strong at 12:48.

Rating: B-. This was about all you would expect from this match and that’s not the most thrilling thing in the world. Strong is able to have a good match with some hard hitting shots but he’s pretty much never a threat to win anything important. Moxley is on his way to a big grudge so it wasn’t so much about if the Death Riders would cost Strong but rather when they would do it.

Video on MJF in a tables and thumbtacks match. This includes MJF going to yell at Tony Khan about the match but Khan yelled back and said no. MJF suggested he’ll kill Briscoe.

Bobby Lashley vs. Toa Liona

Their respective seconds and thirds are here too. They fight over a lockup to start and Lashley powers him into the corner to hammer away. Lashley charges into a boot in the corner though and they go to the apron, where Liona hits a Samoan drop. We take a break and come back with Lashley managing an electric chair out of the corner. They trade clotheslines until Lashley hits an overhead belly to belly. Liona rolls outside to avoid the spear and everyone else gets into a brawl. Back in and Liona hits a Pounce for two but Lashley is back with the Hurt Lock for the tap at 10:02.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure if I’d have the Hurt Syndicate’s representative win here, as the team feels like a major favorite going into the six man in the first place. It was nice to see Lashley have someone who could match him size and power wise though, even if Liona got knocked out at the end. Still maybe not the best way to go in the end, as the Gates Of Agony hardly have the best results in the first place, but maybe there’s a surprise on Saturday.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate easily clears the ring.

Tony Schiavone brings out Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for a chat and yeah they’re crazy over in their home country. They’re joined by FTR, with Stokely Hathaway recapping their issues. Hathaway makes it clear that Copeland will be heavily fined if things get physical here. Wheeler talks about meeting Copeland 16 years ago when he was a huge star and then he and Harwood became a legendary team.

Harwood talks about the Canadians being a great team but it was only because their competition was mediocre. We hear about the greatness of FTR until Copeland cuts him off. Copeland talks about how he helped Wheeler, even letting him live in his apartment when Wheeler was homeless.

Yes FTR is in the discussion of the greatest tag teams ever. Copeland and Cage have been there for twenty five years. They pioneered a match that became a pay per view. Cage disagrees about the team name and says that a $500,000 fine for jumping FTR right now is worth it because he’s right. The brawl is on and FTR is cleared out. FTR vs. Copeland and Cage is a dream match on paper, but the build for this has been draining my interest in the match more and more every week.

The Young Bucks are back in suits and pay off production to make their entrance better this week. As an apology, they give Renee Paquette $10,000.

Young Bucks vs. Bang Bang Gang

Qualifying match for the Tag Team Title ladder match at All Out. Matt and Robinson start things off with Matt working on an armbar. The Bucks get to pose for a bit and it’s a double clothesline to take them down. Gunn comes in to slug Nick down but gets caught with a neckbreaker. Matt adds a slingshot hilo and we take a break.

We come back with Gunn missing a diving tag, allowing Matt to knee him in the face for two. For some reason Nick grabs some of the money, which is knocked away by Gunn, who grabs a tilt-a-whirl slam. Robinson comes in to clean house before it’s already back to Gunn (Danielson thinks it’s too early) but Robinson comes back in rather quickly.

A slingshot X Factor hits Robinson but Nick misses a moonsault and gets taken down by a Fameasser on the floor. Back in and an assisted German suplex sets up a double basement superkick for two on Robinson. The EVP Trigger is broken up and a Downward Spiral drops Nick for two. We get a pinfall reversal sequence for two each, followed by a TK Driver to pin Robinson at 11:39.

Rating: B-. The Bucks winning again isn’t the most thrilling result in the world, but I can live with it over the remnants of the Bang Bang Gang. The group has been absolutely decimated so having these guys lose to the Bucks is hardly a stretch. I’m not sure what is next for the Bucks, but I’ll be fine as long as they don’t get the titles back anytime soon.

Video on the eight woman tag on Saturday’s Kickoff Show.

Unified Title Qualifying Match: Mascara Dorada vs. The Beast Mortos

They trade armdrags to start and Mortos runs him over with a shoulder for no count. An anklescissors into an enziguri has Mortos in trouble but he’s back with an even bigger shoulder. Dorada is sent outside for a big corkscrew dive and we take a break. We come back with Mortos missing a charge into the corner and getting taken down by an armdrag. They go to the apron where Dorada hits a Canadian Destroyer, followed by his own big corkscrew dive.

Back in and Dorada misses a 450 and gets flipped into a piledriver for two. Dorada reverses a torture rack into a crucifix bomb but Mortos catches him on top. They both go up top and a super anklescissors brings Mortos back down for one. Dorada is back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker into a shooting star press to pin Mortos at 10:03.

Rating: B. Power vs. speed works just about every time and Dorada is one of the better stars from CMLL, so this worked well for a good match. I still have no idea why the title match needs to be a triple threat but it’s the kind of choice that feels like it’s being overthought. That being said, at least Dorada had a heck of a performance here, even if it’s over Mortos, who never wins anything important.

Post match Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita come out for a staredown. Dorada dives onto Okada and glares at Takeshita. The dive helped, but Dorada in the background while Takeshita and Okada stared at each other was a perfect representation of this match in one visual.

Here is Toni Storm for a chat and she lists off her usual nicknames. She’s still the champ, but it isn’t clear how long that will last. She has spent every day of her reign like it is her last and loved every second of it. If you aren’t willing to put your life on the line every time you get in the ring, you ain’t s***. If any of those three women want her title, be ready to burn her body and smoke the ashes. Jamie Hayter comes in to say she’s coming for the title because Storm invited her into the match. Kris Statlander comes in to say she’ll win but Storm says “trim your bushes b******” because they’re going all out.

Thekla vs. Queen Aminata

Anything goes. The brawl is on outside to start with Aminata getting the better of things and throwing some weapons inside. Thekla uses those weapons to beat the fire out of her and knocks Aminata over the barricade. We take a break and come back with Aminata hitting a hanging Twist Of Fate for two. Thekla hits a spear to send Aminata into an open spear for two and they slug it out from their knees.

Aminata’s big headbutt gets two as Dynamite officially ends and Collision starts. Thekla sits up to escape the Tree of Woe and trashcan lids Aminata in the head. Aminata cuts off the spear though and a fisherman’s buster onto some chairs gets two. A middle rope legdrop misses though and Thekla Stomps her onto some chairs for the pin at 10:29.

Rating: B-. It’s another odd choice to have Thekla doing this side feud with Aminata while she’s on her way to the title match, but it hasn’t exactly made her feel like a big deal. Thekla has some appeal to her and she could be a threat to the title, but it’s another case where it feels like AEW is trying to focus on too much at the same time and it’s hurting things.

Post match Thekla calls out Toni Storm so the brawl is on, with Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander and the rest of the Triangle Of Madness joining in. Statlander leaves and the Triangle is chased off, leaving Hayter and Storm to have a big staredown. We’ll wrap this show up there.

Overall Rating: C+. There were some good matches here but man alive All Out does not feel important. This was the bigger portion of the go home show and I’m not exactly interested in seeing the pay per view at all. Hopefully they find something better with Collision, but it’s not exactly a promising sign so far. What we got here was fine, but it didn’t help All Out that much and that’s not great to see.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Roderick Strong – Bulldog choke
Bobby Lashley b. Toa Liona – Hurt Lock
Young Bucks b. Bang Bang Gang – TK Driver to Robinson
Mascara Dorada b. The Beast Mortos – Shooting star press
Thekla b. Queen Aminata – Stomp onto chairs

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

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Collision
Date: September 13, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s finally the last show in Philadelphia and we’re also just a week away from All Out. That means the show is pretty much officially coming together and now we get to see some of the last pieces of the buildup. In this case, we’re seeing FTR vs. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington II because…I’m really not sure. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Ian Riccaboni is in the ring to start and brings out MJF for a chat. MJF gets right to the point: Ian is to stand there while he does the talking. He talks about how stupid the fans are, which is somehow as stupid as Mark Briscoe. MJF brags about his recent and future successes, which make him ok with Briscoe picking their All Out stipulation.

Cue Briscoe on screen to say he hasn’t been this excited since he was a kid waiting on Santa Claus. That’s why he’s been thinking about things, like the fact that they’re in Philadelphia. This city is known for its love of tables, so we’ll make that the first piece of the puzzle. We’ll throw in thumbtacks as well, and he means tens of thousands of them. He’ll even throw in a wedding present, which involves Briscoe running in and jumping MJF, who escapes a Jay Driller onto the thumbtacks.

We look at Daniel Garcia joining the Death Riders.

Hologram and Paragon (complete with the corrupt file thing) yell about Garcia turning on his friends. Paragon is ready to give the Death Riders a beating.

Unified Title Tournament First Round: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Anthony Bowens

Takeshita strikes away to start and hits a running clothesline. Bowens is back with a running faceplant and a neckbreaker gets two. A dragon screw legwhip in the corner has Takeshita in trouble and Bowens sends him into the post. Bowens hits a big dive to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Bowens striking away for two but Takeshita snaps off a poisonrana. Bowens pops up for a running Fameasser and a middle rope neckbreaker gets two. The Mollywop knocks Takeshita outside but he’s right back in with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Raging Fire finishes Bowens at 9:10.

Rating: B-. Well, the latest unnecessary tournament is on and I’m really not sure why. Was anyone buying Bowens, who is known for losing, having a chance here against one of the hottest stars in the company? That’s not a great sign, but at least the whole tournament, as much as it is one, is only going to be four matches.

Mascara Dorada is ready for The Beast Mortos on Dynamite.

Video on Riho vs. Mercedes Mone.

Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford vs. Harley Cameron/Kris Statlander/Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Jamie Hayter

For $500,000 and Toni Storm is on commentary. Earlier today, Cameron and company got in an argument, with Hayter and Statlander in particular not getting along, despite Cameron’s cheerleading. Cue Wheeler Yuta to cheer for Statlander, who wants to start with Bayne but Hayter comes in instead. They fight over the lockup to start and neither can get a hiptoss.

Instead Bayne powers her into the corner and it’s off to Cameron, whose shoulders don’t get very far. A headscissors works a bit better though and it’s off to Jay as everything breaks down. Cameron and company rain down right hands in the corner but get reversed for some quadruple stomping. Ford sends Melo into the ropes for a running shot to the back and we take a break (and yes Storm throws us to commercial).

We come back with Bayne hitting a Falcon Arrow for two on Hayter, with Statlander making the save. Everything breaks down again and the Triangle starts taking over. We hit the parade of knockdowns until it’s down to Bayne vs. Hayter for the slugout. The double tag brings in Thekla to spear Jay for the pin at 9:13.

Rating: C+. This was the latest All Star tag match and not much different than last week’s version. Storm was funny on commentary and it’s smart to give Thekla the pin as she’s still getting established around here. I still don’t buy Storm in much danger in the title match but at least they’re building up one of the challengers.

Post match the brawl stays on but Queen Aminata and Mina Shirakawa run in with…a spatula and a cooler for the save. Storm gets in a dive of her own and counters Thekla’s spear into Storm Zero to clear the ring.

Here’s Max Caster for another open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Big Bill

Even Caster seems to know this isn’t good. Bill knocks him into the corner to start and talks a lot of trash, including about Eddie Kingston. The beating is on in the corner and, after mocking Caster’s clap, Bill finishes with the swinging Boss Man Slam at 1:58.

Post match Bill calls Eddie Kingston out again, saying he’s tired of people yelling at him for not showing Kingston respect. Bill doesn’t care about Japanese wrestling and the challenge is on for All Out. He doesn’t think Kingston will show up.

Jerry Lynn talks to Anthony Bowens again but Bowens jumps Max Caster and they brawl into the arena. Caster fights back but gets choked down, drawing Lynn out to break it up. Lynn remembers how good of a team they were but then they wanted singles runs. Neither of them are doing anything but here is the Swirl to interrupt. Blake Christian is tired of Lynn trying to become Billy Gunn II and jump him but Caster helps Lynn fight back. Bowens runs in as well and the Swirl is cleared out. Neither caster nor Bowens seem to want any part of a reunion though.

Mistico is cut off by MJF, with a guy who looks like a short Abraham Lincoln. MJF is ready to take Mistico’s mask for the better of wrestling. The Lincoln guy runs his mouth and gets slapped.

FTR vs. Tommy Billington/Adam Priest

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Billington and Wheeler lock up to start before Billington runs him over a few times. Harwood comes in and gets taken down as well, only to come up with some right hands in the corner to Priest. Back up and Priest starts in on Harwood’s arm, with Billington coming off the middle rope with an elbow to said arm. Billington gets caught on top though and a belly to back superplex brings him down.

We take a break and come back with Priest cleaning house but Wheeler low bridges him to the floor. Priest gets dropped onto the apron and some double teaming knocks him back inside. A backbreaker lets Wheeler taunt Billington a bit and Priest’s slap just makes Wheeler angrier. Priest Saito suplexes his way out of trouble but Harwood is there to backdrop Billington on the apron. Priest makes the comeback on his own, including a kick to the leg to set up a half crab.

That’s broken up so Billington missile dropkicks Harwood into the post. The snap suplex drops Harwood again but he catches Billington up top. Priest is back up with a tornado DDT to plant Wheeler on the apron and there’s a suicide dive to drop him again. Stereo flying headbutts get two on Harwood before Priest and Wheeler crash out to the floor. Billington crossfaces Harwood but a foot on the ropes gets him out. Wheeler catapults Priest into a post and the spike piledriver finally finishes Billington at 17:11.

Rating: B. It was a good match and absolutely should not have been happening here. Just like last week, the idea is that FTR is going into a dream match and one of the biggest challenges of their career. This week though, rather than using their experience against this brand new team, it takes them even longer to win. These matches haven’t made FTR look like they’re ready for a huge match, but rather that they’re not as sharp as they used to be.

Post match FTR celebrates and we’re told about a four way ladder match for the Tag Team Titles at All Out.

Various teams are ready to qualify for the ladder match.

Unified Title: Michael Oku vs. Kazuchika Okada

Okada is defending and this is part of the tournament as well because…..oh let’s just move on. Okada strikes away to start but Oku knocks him to the floor for the Fosbury Flop. Back in and a frog splash misses for Oku and Okada knocks him to the floor as we take a break. We come back with Oku kicking him away and hitting a superkick. The top rope Lionsault gets two but the half crab is broken up. Okada’s Rainmaker is countered into a small package for two but Okada Tombstones him into the Rainmaker to retain at 9:16.

Rating: C+. Let me see if I can remember this. Okada just won this match to qualify to defend his title in a three way a few months before it is vacated for the Continental Classic, during which the Unified Title will be split, making it no longer unified. Did I get all of that right? Either way, there was no reason to believe Oku was going to win here, making it just another not exactly inspiring Okada match.

Post match Konosuke Takeshita comes in for a staredown.

Video on Kyle Fletcher vs. Hangman Page.

Death Riders vs. Paragon

Garcia, now in black shorts, takes O’Reilly down to start and it’s quickly off to Strong for a change. Strong wins a wrestle off and Paragon chases Garcia outside for a series of strikes against the barricade. Back in and Moxley has to break up a cross armbreaker so Strong goes after him, only for Garcia to take out the leg. A Figure Four around the post has Strong in more trouble and we take a break.

We come back with Moxley working on O’Reilly’s leg but O’Reilly fights out and brings Strong back in. Strong’s belly to back faceplant gets two on Moxley and the top rope superplex puts him down again. Naturally Moxley, who just got superplexed from the top, is able to grab a choke from his back, followed by the big clothesline.

The Riders get stereo holds but Paragon gets out and strikes away at Moxley for two. O’Reilly dives onto Moxley with a dropkick against the barricade, followed by the cross armbreaker to Garcia. That’s broken up and the Dragontamer on the bad leg makes O’Reilly tap at 12:48.

Rating: B-. The team that loses pretty much every important match they have loses an important match. Let me show you my big surprised face. Paragon matches can be entertaining as they work well together, but egads it would be nice to have had some double about the result. Garcia is now a villain and…yeah he’s the same not very interesting wrestler that he’s been for years, but now in different gear. What a thrilling adjustment.

Post match Matt Menard yells at Garcia, who just leaves to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. As much as I liked last week’s show, this was a show that you could easily skip and not lose much of anything. It was a bunch of matches that had no realistic question about the winners or no real consequences (I’m sure the winning women’s lives will be changed by the money), with the only important changes to All Out being….a thumbtack/tables match and of course, a ladder match. I was bored throughout a lot of this, as it was a show that made me realize just how long Collision can feel a lot of the time.

Results
Konosuke Takeshita b. Anthony Bowens – Raging Fire
Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford b. Kris Statlander/Anna Jay/Tay Melo/Jamie Hayter/Harley Cameron – Spear to Jay
Big Bill b. Max Caster – Swinging Boss Man Slam
FTR b. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington – Spike piledriver to Billington
Kazuchika Okada b. Michael Oku – Rainmaker
Death Riders b. Paragon – Dragontamer to O’Reilly

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

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Dynamite
Date: September 3, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re less than a month away from All Out and the card is rather slow out of the gate. There is only one match announced so far so there is a good chance that some of the matches might come together this week. AEW is still in the old WCW Arena and that means we should be in for a rowdy crowd. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is Gabe Kidd to interrupt the show’s opening but Darby Allin jumps him from behind. Allin sends him neck first into the turnbuckle rod but Kidd fights back with a clothesline. Allin fights up with the skateboard and some tacks, even taking out an intervening Wheeler Yuta. The rest of the Death Riders come out but here are Hook, Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Willow Nightingale for the big brawl. Kidd and Allin fight to the back, where Kidd tries to crush Allin’s head with a hammer. Allin chokes him out though and puts him in a body bag, which is tied to a truck and driven away. And that’s the first eight minutes of the show.

We recap Alex Windsor vs. Mercedes Mone for the latter’s TBS Title.

TBS Title: Alex Windsor vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending and forearms away to start but gets caught in an early Sharpshooter attempt. With that broken up, Windsor settles for some armdrags but has to use the ropes to get out of a quick Statement Maker. Windsor sends her outside for a flip dive off the apron and slams Mone’s knee into the apron. Another Sharpshooter in the ropes is broken up and Mone drops her onto the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Windsor hitting some clotheslines and a flying shoulder. A Blue Thunder Bomb sets up the Sharpshooter, which is reversed into the Statement Maker, which Windsor reverses into a crucifix bomb for two. The Sharpshooter attempt sends them outside, where the Sharpshooter goes on again outside but has to be released due to the count.

Back in and Mone grabs the Statement Maker but Windsor is back up with a running clothesline. They forearm it out and a Grace Driver gives Windsor two more. The Statement Maker goes back on, with Windsor using the ropes to escape but Mone rolls her up to retain at 15:03.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match that I was hoping to see, even with the spamming of the dueling submission holds (Natalya does it all the time in WWE so maybe it’s a Sharpshooter thing). Other than that it’s the two of them going after each other after a story was set up for a few weeks. Windsor got a lot out of the build and match, but Mone losing the title is going to be a major deal and it wasn’t likely to happen here.

Post match Mone puts the Statement Maker on again….and Riho returns to make the save. Riho kicks Mone to the floor and picks up the title, as I guess it’s time to treat Riho like the biggest star ever before she leaves for months again. Lucky us.

Hook comes up to Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs, saying he can fight his own battles. He’s not happy with the Opps replacing him so fast but Joe says the Opps are about opportunities. Joe made the call and the team will still have Hook’s back when he needs it, whether he wants it or not. Hook doesn’t look pleased as he leaves.

Ricochet, with the Gates Of Agony, talks about how his legacy with the Hurt Syndicate, which started a long time ago. The Gates are a bit more assertive and issue the challenge for a six man at All Out.

Here is Mark Briscoe for a chat. Briscoe talks about how he and his brother fell in love with wrestling in this very building. Now his focus is on Kyle Fletcher and the TNT Title so he has to talk to a man named Don Callis. He has to beat a member of the team to get the title shot so here are Callis and some of his Family. Callis emphasizes the name MARK and says that he’ll be facing Konosuke Takeshita on Collision. Takeshita comes out for the staredown but Briscoe wants to fight right now.

Mark Briscoe vs. Lance Archer

They slug it out to start and Briscoe knocks him to the floor, only for Archer to cut off the dive. Archer chokeslams him onto the steps and we take a break. We come back with Briscoe still in trouble but knocking Archer outside. The running flip dive connects but Archer is right back with a buckle bomb. The chokeslam gives Archer two and Briscoe goes up, where he bites Archer’s head on top. A sunset bomb sets up the Froggy Bow to finish Archer at 7:59.

Rating: B-. This is where Archer can be well used, as the idea is to make Briscoe feel like a threat to the TNT Title. Therefore, he beat a monster and looks like he could pull off the upset against Takeshita and then Fletcher. It’s a simple way to go and one of the perks of a huge stable like the Family, as you can throw one member after another like this.

Toni Storm knows the history of this building and is ready to be the baddest b**** it has ever seen. Now it is time for someone new to step up and come after the title.

Kris Statlander takes off Harley Cameron’s mask and reveals…what looks to be pink paint. They’re ready to win more but Wheeler Yuta comes in to say the Death Riders have their back. Marina Shafir comes in for the staredown, with Statlander saying tell their friend she got his message. Yuta: “Ok I’m going to go wrestle now.”

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King vs. Death Riders

Bandido and King are defending. Yuta works on Bandido’s arm to start but Bandido is right back up with a headscissors. Castagnoli and King come in to slug it out, with King getting the better of things. Bandido comes back in and manages to muscle Castagnoli over with a suplex. Castagnoli sends him outside though and Yuta hammers away as we take a break.

We come back with Bandido managing a springboard hurricanrana to Castagnoli, allowing King to come back in. Bandido hurricanranas King into Castagnoli in the corner and King superplexes Castagnoli as everything breaks down. Cue Jon Moxley to post King and the Fastball Special gets two on Bandido. The Swing into the dropkick gets two so Moxley tries to get involved again, only to get taken out by Darby Allin. King decks Yuta from the floor and the 21 Plex gives Bandido the pin at 12:45.

Rating: B. Good match here as Bandido is turning into a bigger star almost every time he’s out there. That’s a rather positive sign for his future and now we are going to see how far he and King can go. I’m not exactly picturing them as long term champions, but they’re a hot team right now and that’s what they need to be.

Kazuchika Okada is happy with his win with Konosuke Takeshita last week but Takeshita needs to realize that Okada is the crown jewel of the Don Callis Family.

The Hurt Syndicate isn’t sure what happened to Ricochet and don’t want the Gates Of Agony to be turned into punchlines. Yes they accept the challenge and they’re ready to give Ricochet and the Gates a beating.

Here is Adam Copeland for a chat…and FTR run in to jump him. Christian Cage runs in for the save and the brawl is on. Harwood is busted open as security gets the four of them apart. Some other wrestlers come out and FTR hits a jobber with a spike piledriver. Adam Priest isn’t happy and goes after FTR.

Video on Daniel Garcia vs. Jon Moxley.

Stokely Hathaway and FTR are ready to take out Christian Cage and Adam Copeland. Adam Priest comes in and gets yelled at as well.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision.

Young Bucks/Don Callis Family vs. Jet Speed/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page

Apparently the Bucks had issues at a meet and greet because they need the money. Page takes Alexander down by the wrist to start and everything breaks down. The villains are sent outside for a quadruple slingshot dive. Alexander gets double chopped down and we take a break. We come back with Bailey coming in to pick up the pace, including a middle rope dropkick to Matt. Knight takes Matt down as well but the spinning splash hits raised knees.

A tornado DDT gets Knight out of trouble and it’s back to Page to pick up the pace. Alexander saves Fletcher from the Buckshot Lariat but Fletcher gets caught with a sitout powerbomb. Bailey comes back in to kick away at Alexander, who rolls some German suplexes. The Bucks are back in with a pair of TK Drivers to Jet Speed and we take another break. We come back with the Bucks hitting a top rope double stomp to Bailey’s back with a bunch of people making a save. Bailey is back up with a poisonrana to Alexander and Omega comes in to clean house.

Some snapdragons and we get the big Page/Omega vs. Bucks showdown and it’s a big four way strike off with Page having to pull up from hitting Omega. Everyone is down until it’s Fletcher coming in to slug it out with Page. Fletcher’s jumping Tombstone plants Page but Jet Speed is back in to clean house. Knight DDTs Fletcher but the top rope splash misses. Fletcher kicks Knight in the face and another team Tombstone plants him again for the pin at 22:11.

Rating: B+. It was a wild match, with the Bucks getting to look awesome again but it’s different because they’re being mocked this time. Other than that, it was the bad guys getting to dominate again, though at least Knight took the loss rather than the bigger stars. Fletcher seems to be coming for the World Title, even if Mark Briscoe is after him as well. That could go either way, but for now the villains stand tall.

Post match the villains keep up the beating and the rest of the Don Callis Family comes in to help. Fletcher brainbusters Page through an open chair and a table is set up at ringside. Omega gets chaired down again and a brainbuster sends him through the table. Omega is put in a neck brace to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling itself was pretty nice, though I wasn’t wild on some of the developments. Seeing the heels standing tall in the end, even if it’s a different group of heels, is a bit much after watching the Death Riders do it for so long. Throw in Riho being back and it didn’t leave me overly interested in the future. Hopefully it’s not just more heel dominance for weeks on end, though we still need a good deal of work on the All Out card.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Alex Windsor – Rollup
Mark Briscoe b. Lance Archer – Froggy Bow
Bandido/Brody King b. Death Riders – 21 Plex to Yuta
Young Bucks/Don Callis Family b. Jet Speed/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page – TK Driver to Knight

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

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Collision
Date: August 30, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re still in Philadelphia as the residency continues and this time around it’s the more wrestling based show. We’re rapidly approaching All Out and some of the matches have either been set or are coming together. This week will likely be more about getting us ready for those matches so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Daniel Garcia vs. Blake Christian

Matt Menard is here with Garcia…and here are the Death Riders to give Garcia some pointers. Christian hits a quick dropkick and Garcia is already out on the floor. Garcia fights back but gets sent face first into the barricade. Back in and Christian grabs a chinlock but Garcia fights up and chops away. Christian knocks him down again and tries a 450, which is pulled into a guillotine choke, followed by the piledriver for the win at 6:05.

Rating: C. The match was fine, with Garcia getting a win to get some momentum back after losing to Jon Moxley. I’m not sure what Garcia is going to be doing with Moxley, but as long as it doesn’t involve Moxley getting the World Title back, we should be fine. Christian is someone who keeps feeling like he could become something in Ring Of Honor, though being a jobber in AEW isn’t helping that effort.

Post match Garcia won’t say what Moxley said to him, instead challenging Moxley for next week. Cue Wheeler Yuta to say the challenge is accepted.

The Conglomeration is ready for tonight but Roderick Strong isn’t happy with Kyle O’Reilly for teaming with Tomohiro Ishii.

Conglomeration vs. Don Callis Family

Alexander and O’Reilly start with O’Reilly taking him down into a quickly broken cross armbreaker. Fletcher and Ishii come in to slug it out before it’s back to O’Reilly, who gets elbowed down. O’Reilly comes right back and grabs a cross armbreaker, which he floats into an ankle lock. Fletcher comes up with a bloody eye as Ishii and O’Reilly kick away. O’Reilly is sent outside and kicked down though, allowing Fletcher to pose as we take a break.

We come back with O’Reilly fighting out of a super fireman’s carry and grabbing a Kimura on Alexander. That’s broken up as well so it’s a double clothesline to leave both of them down. Ishii is back in to take over on Fletcher, including the brainbuster for two. A German suplex rocks Fletcher but he comes back with a nasty Falcon Arrow.

O’Reilly and Alexander come back in to slug it out until O’Reilly gets a cross armbreaker. Ishii pounces Fletcher out of the way but Alexander makes the rope. O’Reilly’s flying knee to the floor only hits chair though, leaving Ishii to knock Alexander down. Fletcher is back in for the save though and Alexander grabs a straitjacket piledriver for the pin at 13:04.

Rating: B-. The Family’s dominance continues as they rack up another win, even if it’s over a team who are only kind of regular partners. That isn’t going to sit well with Roderick Strong, who wants revenge, and now we might be getting to see what he’ll be doing about it. I’m not sure if that’s going to be with or without the Conglomeration, though it’s not like the team has much in the way of a standard lineup.

Post match Strong comes out to check on O’Reilly but doesn’t seem to want to help Ishii.

Jamie Hayter and Thekla are brawling in the back, with Hayter getting the better of it until security breaks it up. Thekla dives off a balcony to take Hayter down though.

Mother Wayne wants Kip Sabian and Killswitch to calm things down but Sabian blames him for everything. Mother tells Sabian to take a walk.

Jay Lethal vs. Hologram

This is something of an upgrade for Hologram. They trade some early knockdowns to start with Hologram flipping over him out of the corner and it’s an early standoff. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker plants Hologram and a faceplant does it again as we take a break. We come back with Lethal hitting a running clothesline against the ropes, followed by the suicide dive.

Hologram comes right back with one of his own before grabbing a kneebar back inside. That’s reversed into a Figure Four from Lethal, with Hologram making the ropes. A Backstabber slows Lethal down though and it’s the spinning torture rack bomb for the pin at 9:51.

Rating: B-. It’s still taking its sweet time, but at least Hologram is getting wins over some bigger names. He’s been needing something to do for way too long now and this is about as good as anything he can get. As usual, Lethal is good at making someone else look better in the ring and that seems to be his role these days, which is a smart use for him.

Post match the Hologram code appears but stops working. Instead we see a black and red Hologram, with a graphic saying SOON. So we’re doing an evil twin. You have 184 titles in this promotion and that’s what you have for someone on a thirty one match winning streak?

Video on Ricochet/the Gates Of Agony vs. the Hurt Syndicate.

Alex Windsor vs. Ashley Vox

Windsor shoves her down to start but Vox is back up with a quick dropkick. A Blue Thunder Bomb and powerbomb get Windsor out of trouble and a Sharpshooter makes Vox give up at 1:11.

Post match Windsor calls Mercedes Mone “one pissed off little woman”. Windsor says Mone crossed the line by bringing up Will Ospreay and issues the challenge for the TBS Title.

Earlier today, Mark Briscoe and Don Callis met up in the back, with Callis avoiding Briscoe’s challenge for the TNT Title. Instead, Callis says he has to beat a member of the Family to get the shot, which works for Briscoe.

Adam Priest/JD Drake vs. FTR

Priest takes Harwood down by the leg to start but gets reversed into a headlock. Priest goes for the leg again and hands it off to Drake for more of the same. That’s broken up and Wheeler comes in to suplex Priest, who gives him a dropkick. Drake goes up but gets knocked down by Harwood as we take a break.

We come back with Drake hitting a moonsault for two but FTR is back up with a Shatter Machine. Priest comes back in to clean house until a shot to the face cuts that off. Harwood strikes him down in the corner but gets pulled out with a German suplex. Priest gets sent into the post a few times though and a Border City Stretch gives Harwood the win at 8:50.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure how much this made FTR feel like they’re ready for Copeland and Cage at All Out but at least they won in convincing enough fashion. FTR isn’t a team who needs to be built up and they would have been better off getting to talk a bit after a squash. The match is going to be something of a dream match in the first place so this only gave them so much.

Post match Wheeler says this is isn’t about Adam Copeland, but rather that FTR should have the Tag Team Titles back. They’re ending this in Toronto. Harwood says this will be a dream match but the fans almost yell him down. This is going to be a charity exhibition for two guys who made their names off the letters TLC 25 years ago. They’ll be facing two men who made their names off the letters FTR, so don’t make them wreck Copeland and Cage.

The Don Callis Family is ready for the eight man tag on Dynamite.

Big Bill vs. Juice Robinson

Bryan Keith and Austin Gunn are here too. Bill puts him on top to start so Robinson grabs a rather aggressive headlock. A belly to back suplex can’t get Bill out of trouble but a big boot to the face knocks Robinson silly as we take a break. We come back with Robinson being dropped onto the barricade but managing to send Bill into a lighting structure. That’s shrugged off and Bill grabs a bearhug, which is broken up rather quickly. Robinson starts in on the leg and his big left hand gets two. Keith offers a distraction though and the swinging Boss Man Slam finishes Robinson at 9:29.

Rating: C+. This is a feud that has been going on for a few weeks now and I’m not sure where it’s going to go. The problem is the Bang Bang Gang is barely a group anymore as you have the midcard wrestler teaming with one half of the tag team. That’s only so much to go on and it’s not like Bill and Keith have anything going on either. At least Bill got to look all dominant again though, as it suits him well.

SkyFlight wants to keep winning but Darius Martin wants gold. Like the ROH Six Man Tag Team Titles. If that’s your goal, you might want to look into another career.

Gabe Kidd is ready to hurt Darby Allin.

We look at Allin’s various extreme antics. Eh apparently it’s for a fundraiser so fair enough.

Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata vs. Billie Starkz/Triangle Of Madness

No Thekla for the evil team here. Storm and Blue start things off with Storm headlocking her into an armbar. Starkz comes in with a facebuster but charges into a backbreaker, allowing Shirakawa to fire off a kick to the chest. It’s off to Hart to headscissor Aminata but some hip attacks send the villains outside. Mina adds a huge dive onto the pile and we take a break.

We come back with Aminata and Hart knocking each other down, allowing Storm to come in and dropkick Blue. Everything breaks down until Storm is left alone with Blue, who drops her for a double down. Mina and Hart get the tags, with Mina grabbing a quick backbreaker. Blue reverses the Figure Four before it’s back to Starkz, who gets hit in the head. The Glamorous Driver finishes for Mina at 12:00.

Rating: B-. Kind of a weird choice for a main event here as you had two members of a trio in there against a fairly makeshift hero team. It wasn’t bad at all and Storm certainly brings star power to anything she does. She’s going to need a new challenger soon and while this didn’t feel like it was about setting that up, it did feel like a good way to get Storm and Mina on the show.

Post match Thekla runs in to jump Mina and the big beatdown is on, with Storm being left laying. Mina and Aminata gets the same treatment and the Triangle poses. Jamie Hayter doesn’t appear for the save.

Overall Rating: B-. This was very much a run of the mill Collision, with the focus being on the stories you rarely get on Dynamite and a more relaxed pace. It’s rarely a show you need to see, but it’s a different kind of show from Dynamite in a good way. Sometimes you need to mix it up a bit and while the show still feels like it has a lot of filler, it’s nice to do something differently from the Dynamite model of everything going as fast as it can.

Results
Daniel Garcia b. Blake Christian – Piledriver
Don Callis Family b. Conglomeration – Straitjacket piledriver to Ishii
Hologram b. Jay Lethal – Torture rack bomb
Alex Windsor b. Ashley Vox – Sharpshooter
FTR b. Adam Priest/JD Drake – Border City Stretch to Priest
Big Bill b. Bryan Keith – Swinging Boss Man Slam
Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata b. Billie Starkz/Triangle Of Madness – Glamorous Driver to Starkz

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

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Dynamite
Date: August 27, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

We’re done with Forbidden Door, back in the United States, and the show is in some holy ground at the old ECW Arena. That is the kind of thing that can make a show even better than it would be otherwise, which will very likely be the case again here. The pay per view ended with Will Ospreay being laid out by the Death Riders, which probably won’t go well. Let’s get to it.

Here is Forbidden Door if you need a recap.

The set definitely has a bit of an ECW flavor to it, which is rather logical.

Here are FTR and Stokely Hathaway to get things going. After some technical issues, Dax Harwood talks about how the illegal man pinned him at Forbidden Door. Harwood brings in referee Paul Turner, who has been doing this for 27 years and whose wife is here tonight. He refuses to reverse his decision so Stokely gets in his face. Cue Adam Copeland, allowing Christian Cage to sneak in from behind and jump FTR. The Canadians appreciate the reaction and the match is officially announced for All Out.

Darby Allin, with his bad ear, wants to take everything from Jon Moxley. He talks about crying over the bodies on Mount Everest and thinks about Moxley taking everything from him. At All Out, he’s taking everything from Moxley.

Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia

The Death Riders are here with Moxley. They go with the grappling to start and Garcia takes him to the ground. Back up and Moxley sends him into the corner for some rakes at the eyes, only for Garcia to dragon screw leg whip him down. The running dropkick sends Moxley into the barricade but the Riders’ distraction lets Moxley get in a big boot. Cue Matt Menard to help Garcia back inside and yell at Marina Shafir (who still has the briefcase key despite the lack of briefcase). Garcia goes for the leg again and Moxley bails outside as we take an early break.

We come back with the two of them on top and Garcia hammering away. A top rope superplex drops Moxley and some clotheslines put him down again. Moxley is right back up with a cutter for two but Garcia slaps on a half crab. That’s broken up as well and they go to the apron with Moxley DDTing him onto the steps. Back in and Moxley’s cross armbreaker is countered into the Dragon Slayer, which is escaped as well. Garcia hits a piledriver but Moxley is right back with a small package for the pin at 13:58.

Rating: B. This was a nice back and forth match, with Moxley selling the leg a bit more than I was expecting. Moxley needed the win and it isn’t like Garcia is going anywhere anytime soon. Garcia still has enough status to do something around here and this was a good way to use him. With Moxley getting ready for Allin, he could use some wins like this, though I wouldn’t give him the best odds at All Out.

Post match Wheeler Yuta gets the mic and turns down Darby Allin’s challenge for All Out.

Post break, Yuta is still in the ring and talks about how he grew up around here and used to be on the ring crew. He has broken bones in this building and now look at what he has been doing. Will Ospreay, Chuck Taylor and Bryan Danielson are all gone and Yuta has taken Danielson’s place. Cue the returning Hook to lay Yuta out and leave without saying a word.

MJF rants about how he had the World Title won but Mark Briscoe cost him the title. The only mistake he made was not lighting Briscoe on fire so he’ll get his revenge later. Now he can’t even use his contract at any time because of Tony Khan (because that’s how contracts work) so he’ll be coming for Hangman Page, but this time for his soul. Fired up stuff from MJF here.

Penelope Ford/Megan Bayne vs. Kris Statlander/Harley Cameron

Statlander chops Ford into a dropkick to start and a backbreaker into a lariat makes it worse. Cameron comes in and gets dropped onto Ford to give Statlander two. Bayne comes in so Cameron demands a shot, with Bayne easily pulling her out of the air. Ford drags Cameron into the corner and we take a break.

We come back with Bayne tossing Ford at Statlander for a cutter. The villains miss stereo moonsaults though and Cameron is back up with an assisted faceplant to Bayne. Back up and Bayne kicks Cameron in the face but Statlander hits a nice spinning lariat. Statlander and Bayne trade big boots to the face but Ford comes in off a blind tag. That’s fine with Statlander, who pulls Ford out of the air and grabs something like a reverse Rings Of Saturn for the tap at 10:13.

Rating: B-. Well you put Ford out there with Bayne for the sake of taking a fall and that’s exactly what we had here. Cameron being back is good and the fans are still reacting to her, but it’s only getting her so far. Other than that, Statlander looked like she was able to hang in there with Bayne, which means we could be in for a heck of a hoss fight in the near future.

Post match Bayne jumps Statlander again but gets knocked to the ropes as Willow Nightingale runs in. Cameron tries to negotiate peace and things seem to be at least decent.

Renee Paquette, with most of Mercedes Mone’s titles on a table, brings out Mone for a chat. Paquette recaps Mone’s recent success and Mone brags about being the greatest of all time. She’s ready to smash Ultimo Dragon’s record of ten titles at once and is NOT happy with the idea that Alex Windsor made her tap. She was swatting a bug away, but maybe Windsor is upset that Mone was dancing all over Will Ospreay. Mone threatens to put Windsor in a hospital next to her husband and now it’s time to dance. And scene. Really she just came out there, showed off her belts, said she didn’t tap and then danced.

Mark Briscoe talks about this place being EXTREMELY important to the Briscoes’ history and presents what I’m assuming is his newborn son (who can’t be more than a few weeks old). He’ll deal with MJF, but he recently heard Kyle Fletcher saying his name. Briscoe has beaten him before, so now he wants Fletcher and the TNT Title.

Don Callis Family/Kazuchika Okada vs. Jet Speed/Bandido/Brody King

As usual, Don Calls handles (and butchers) Hechicero’s intro in Spanish. Hechicero and Bandido trade rollups to start in a preview of their match at Friday’s Death Before Dishonor. King comes in to strike away at Alexander and Takeshita before Jet Speed gives Alexander a release gordbuster. Alexander fights back but Okada and Takeshita both want the tag, meaning it’s a bit of a glare among partners. King is back up with a running flip dive to the floor, followed by another dive from Bandido as we take a break.

We come back with Knight trying to fight over for a tag but getting sent into the wrong corner. A double dropkick gets Knight out of trouble and the much needed tag brings in King to clean house. Everything breaks down (as you probably expected) and Hechicero gives Bandido a swinging hammerlock backbreaker. King cuts Hechicero off and it’s back to Bailey for the moonsault knees to Takeshita.

The villains run in for the save but Takeshita pulls Bailey out of the way before Okada can hit a clothesline in the corner. Takeshita hits his own clothesline and gets glared at and shoved by Okada, with King pulling Takeshita outside. Back up and Takeshita hits a big running flip dive, leaving Alexander to get caught with a super hurricanrana. Alexander rolls away from the Ultimate Weapon though and cradles Bailey for the pin at 11:19.

Rating: B. Obviously the big story here is the distention with the villains, as Takeshita continues to feel like he could become a major breakout star if given the chance. If he’s going to become the one who turns on Callis and company, the sky could be the limit for his potential. Aside from that, King and Bandido didn’t get much of the focus here, with Alexander getting the pin on Bailey being quite the odd way to go.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. He shouts out Will Ospreay and says everyone will miss him while he’s gone. Page hopes that when Ospreay comes back, he can challenge for the World Title. We move on to MJF, who now has to wait a week before he can cash in his contract, which is going to earn him an even bigger beating.

Cue Don Callis to interrupt, talking about their history together. Page won his World Title from one of Callis’ men, but that man was a weakling. Calls says he has half the roster under contract so it is a matter of time before someone takes it from Page. The question is which one will it be, so here is the Family. Page goes after them first, with a bunch of other good guys coming in for the brawl. Kenny Omega (the aforementioned weakling) makes the real save and poses with Page. That’s how Omega is best used, as he felt like the superstar here.

Toni Storm mocks Athena for losing on Sunday and says Mina Shirakawa (“the Love Bum”) is going to take the title. She asks about Mina’s hand, earning her a slap. Storm: “By God you’re back!” Shirakawa wants to win the title so the two of them can dance on top of the arena. We cut to Athena, who says she wants to throw Shirakawa off the roof and promises to do things that will make the Blue Meanie quiver (there’s a sight).

Trios Titles: The Opps vs. Ricochet/Gates Of Agony

The Opps are defending. Hobbs gets annoyed at Ricochet’s chops to start and tosses him into the corner, only to miss a charge. Shibata comes in to forearm it out with Kaun, with Shibata pounding him down into the corner. Back up and Shibata is sent outside, where Ricochet and company stomp him quite a bit as we take a break. We come back with Kaun striking away at Shibata, who manages an STO.

Hobbs and Liona come in for the big slugout, meaning Hobbs gets to fire off the clotheslines in the corner. A double clothesline staggers both of them and it’s off to Joe to slug away at Ricochet. The snap powerslam into the backsplash gives Joe two but the Gates come in to take Joe down. Ricochet’s running shooting star press gets two, only for MVP to sneak in with a cane shot to put Ricochet down. That’s enough for Shibata to kick Ricochet to the Koquina Clutch for the win at 10:24.

Rating: B-. Nice match here, though there was only so much you could get out of a match with about a third spent in a commercial. The good thing is the Opps are getting to defend the titles, though it’s not the best idea to have them running through challengers like this. At least they had an out so the team is far from done, though I’m not sure who is next to come after the titles.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate comes out to brawl with the Gates.

Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Falls Count Anywhere. Castagnoli jumps Allin from behind in the back and puts him in a shopping cart for a crash. They go into the arena, where Castagnoli swings him into the barricade for two. Allin manages to get inside for a suicide dive and a dropkick against the barricade, followed by a dive off the lighting structure for two of his own. Back in and Castagnoli takes over again before telling commentary to move. They get up, allowing Castagnoli to launch him onto the announcers’ table as we take a break (at a minute before 10pm EST).

We come back with Castagnoli dropping him onto the apron as there are a bunch of tables and chairs in the corner. Allin grabs a quick guillotine choke and then a sleeper but Castagnoli flips him away. Castagnoli misses a charge through the table in the corner but he’s able to catch Allin on top. The gutwrench superplex onto the pile of tables gives Castagnoli two so he powerbombs Allin through the table in the corner. Allin reverses a catapult into the corner into a double stomp, followed by a Code Red for two. The Coffin Drop finishes for Allin at 14:35.

Rating: B-. This was the “we’re in the ECW Arena so here’s a violent match” main event of the week and that’s fine. I hope they don’t do it every show for the entirety of their run here but it worked well enough here. Allin needs to start racking up some wins before he gets to face Moxley at All Out (as he obviously will) and they accomplished that rather well. Beating Castagnoli only means so much, but it’s better than nothing.

Post match the Death Riders run in and go after Allin, who manages to send Moxley and Kidd together and escape to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. They were in a tough spot with this one as they had the fallout from Forbidden Door but All Out needs to get set up in a hurry. You can see a lot of what is coming at the next pay per view already coming together and what we got here was a nice first step. It’s nice to be getting back to a more normal build after the Forbidden Door stuff requires some adjustments, so hopefully things continue in this more traditional direction.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Daniel Garcia – Small package
Harley Cameron/Kris Statlander b. Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford – Reverse Rings Of Saturn to Ford
Don Callis Family/Kazuchika Okada b. Jet Speed/Bandido/Brody King – Cradle to Bailey
Opps b. Ricochet/Gates Of Agony – Koquina Clutch to Ricochet
Darby Allin b. Claudio Castagnoli – Coffin Drop

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

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Forbidden Door 2025
Date: August 24, 2025
Location: 02 Arena, London, England
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Bryan Danielson

We’re back to the international show, but this time the guest star aspect has been toned down a good deal. That’s made for a better build to the show, which feels like more of a regular AEW pay per view with a few bonuses rather than a big side trip before we can get back to what matters. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Yuya Uemura/El Desperado/Paragon vs. Cru/Don Callis Family

Don Callis is here with the villains. Hechicero and Desperado start things off and go to the mat, which is good for an early standoff. An exchange of rollups gets two each and Desperado rolls out of a leglock. Cru comes in to send Desperado into the corner but he rolls over for the tag off to O’Reilly. Kicks to the chest put Cru down and Strong comes in for the save. The backbreaker/middle rope knee drop combination hits Hechicero but Andretti slips out and hammers away for a bit.

O’Reilly fights up and gets the cross armbreaker on Andretti. That’s switched into a leglock on Rush but Andretti is back in with a running shooting star. Uemura and Alexander slug it out with Uemura getting the better of things off a dropkick. Hechicero is back in to kick Uemura into a DDT and Rush hits the Final Hour for two as everything breaks down. Andretti hits a big corkscrew dive to the floor and Uemura grabs a butterfly suplex for two on Rush. A double arm capture suplex gives Uemura the pin on Rush at 12:04.

Rating: C+. Fun match, but this was a case where you could drop Paragon and Cru without losing much. Paragon has been losing a good bit lately and Cru hasn’t wrestled on TV in over a month. I’m not sure why they needed to be here, save for adding more people to the card. Still though, nice fast paced match to start the show, which is often a good idea.

Post match the beatdown is on but Tomohiro Ishii comes in for the brawl with Lance Archer. Ishii gets to stand…well not very call but he gets rid of Archer at least.

Zero Hour: Gates Of Agony/Ricochet vs. Jet Speed/Michael Oku

The Gates and Ricochet jump them to start and pose on the apron, only for Jet Speed to slap Ricochet in the head. Back up and a Pounce sends Oku over the top and out to the floor for a big crash. We settle down to Liona dropping a knee on Oku, who manages to avoid a shot and bring in Jet Speed (yeah both of them) to clean house.

Everything breaks down and Oku hits a missile dropkick, followed by Bailey’s standing moonsault knees to Kaun. A missed charge sends Kaun into the post and Oku hits a frog splash for two on Ricochet. Bailey moonsaults onto the Gates, leaving Oku to Lionsault Ricochet into the half crab. A rake to the eyes breaks that up though and it’s Open The Gates into the Spirit Gun to finish Oku at 9:54.

Rating: B-. The flips and dives were nice, with Jet Speed and Ricochet getting to do their flips and dives. I’m still not sure I get the appeal of Oku, but he’s a talented star in the ring. Other than that, the Gates getting to smash through smaller people was fun, though they are little more than Ricochet’s goons at this point. Granted that’s better than pretending that they’re going to be serious title challengers anytime soon.

Zero Hour: Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne vs. Willow Nightingale/Queen Aminata/Kris Statlander/Harley Cameron

It’s a big brawl to start, with Cameron shouting FEEL THE WRATH as the villains are sent to the floor. Some dropkicks through the ropes have Bayne and the Triangle down until Thekla comes back in to kick Nightingale in the face. Statlander comes in to take over on Hart but the Triangle knocks her outside. Bayne sends Aminata and Cameron flying and a pair of dives drop them on the floor.

Blue’s front facelock is broken up but Statlander intentionally brings in Cameron instead of Nightingale. Cameron hits some running shots in the corner before it’s back to Aminata, who gets clotheslined by Bayne. The hips to the face just annoy Bayne but Aminata pulls her down with a headscissors.

Nightingale comes in to a big reaction as everything breaks down. Thekla hits a big dive to the floor and brawls to the back with Aminata. That leaves Cameron to take her mask off and hit Bayne in the face, setting up a tornado DDT for two. Bayne kicks Nightingale off the apron and Statlander kicks Nightingale, setting up Bayne’s Liger bomb for the pin at 11:16.

Rating: C+. Well thank goodness Cameron came back and got to take a pin so fast. It’s not like Aminata was right there to take the fall or anything. The match was basically another chance for Bayne to come in and wreck people, which she does rather well. As has been the case here though, there are too many people in the match for someone to really stand out, including Bayne.

Zero Hour: Trios Titles: Opps vs. Bullet Club WarDogs

The WarDogs (Clark Connors/Robbie X/Drilla Maloney) are challenging. Connors and Shibata slug it out to start with Shibata getting the better of things and taking him outside for some rams into the barricade. Back in and Joe comes in, which scares Maloney away. It’s off to Robbie X, who gets knocked into the corner, with Shibata coming back in for a running dropkick.

Everything breaks down and Connors sends Shibata into the barricade with Hobbs making the save. Back in and Maloney takes over on Shibata, with Shibata dropping an elbow. Connors chops away with Shibata telling him to keep going before coming back with an STO. Hobbs comes in to clean house but the numbers take him down. Robbie X’s Spiral Tap gets two but Hobbs is back in with a spinebuster for two. Joe kicks Robbie X into the corner as everything breaks down. Shibata chokes Maloney and Joe MuscleBusters Robbie X to retain at 7:21.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have much time here and you could see how rushed they were as a result. Again though, it isn’t like there was much of another option because Zero Hour absolutely had to have four matches with that many entrances and people. Anyway, it’s nice to see the champs get a win over an established group, as there are only so many of them out there to come after the belts.

And now, the show proper.

The opening video talks about how special it is to have wrestlers from so many promotions on one show. That would have more of an impact if these wrestlers weren’t around so regularly.

Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. Matriarchy

This is Copeland and Cage’s first match as a regular team in over 14 years. As usual, the fans sing Copeland’s song to him. Copeland and Sabian start things off and it’s already time for a chase, with Copeland managing to send him face first onto the floor. Cage comes in and hammers on Sabian in the corner before it’s off to Killswitch. That’s enough for Cage, who lets Copeland have him for a change.

A superkick cuts Copeland down and now Sabian is willing to come back in for a neck snap across the top rope. Killswitch sends Sabian hard into Copeland in the corner and we hit the neck crank. That’s broken up so Sabian tells Killswitch to tag him, earning a chop for a tag. Sabian comes in and takes Copeland up top, with Cage coming in for an electric chair and a Doomsday spear.

That’s enough for Cage to come in and face Killswitch with Cage sending him into the post. Cage chokes both Killswitch and Sabian on the rope and then hits a big dive onto Killswitch. Back in and Killswitch kicks out at one but Sabian tags himself in. A double implant DDT drops Killswitch and Copeland spears him to the floor. Cage fights out of Sabian’s Killswitch attempt and throws Sabian into the air cor Copeland’s spear and the pin at 13:48.

Rating: C+. The second the match was announced, it was a question of whether Sabian would get pinned off the spear or a Killswitch from Cage. Killswitch got to look awesome as you knew he would in his return to the ring but there was no way Copeland and Cage were going to lose here. They’re in for a major match at All Out in Toronto so this was little more than a warmup which went a good bit longer than it needed to last.

We recap Kyle Fletcher defending the TNT Title against Hiromu Takahashi. Fletcher recently won the title and needs a top challenger so here we go.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Hiromu Takahashi

Fletcher, with Don Callis, is defending and shoves Takahashi down to start. Back up and Takahashi strikes away but Fletcher kicks him in the face. Takahashi strikes away in the corner but gets knocked down just as fast. The chinlock does on to keep Takahashi in trouble, only for him to fight up and snap off a hurricanrana.

Fletcher is right back with a Michinoku Driver and they’re both down for a breather. A hard belly to back suplex into a sitout powerbomb gives Fletcher two more. Back up and a boot to the face makes Takahashi come up smiling so they go to the apron. Fletcher’s suplex is reversed into a DDT and Takahashi powerbombs him to the floor.

A clotheslines gives Takahashi two and he reverses a powerbomb into a Canadian Destroyer for two more. Fletcher is back with a jumping Tombstone for two and a running boot in the corner. The brainbuster is countered into a rollup to give Takahashi two, only for Fletcher to come back with the brainbuster to retain at 15:23.

Rating: B. This took its time to get going but then it really picked up once Takahashi made his comeback. What mattered the most is that Fletcher had to break a sweat against someone with that kind of a resume. Fletcher is going to be a big project for AEW and having him win here is the right way to go. There was no reason to believe Takahashi was winning here, but at least the match went as it should have.

We recap the TBS Title match, which has Mercedes Mone defending against challengers from three companies. Only Alex Windsor has gotten a serious focus and it would be a lot better off with her getting her own shot.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Bozilla vs. Alex Windsor vs. Persephone

Mone is defending. It’s a staredown to start with Mone being sent outside, leaving the rather large Bozilla to clothesline the other two. Back in and Mone gets gorilla pressed out to the floor as it’s all Bozilla to start. Mone comes in again and gets flapjacked by Persephone and Windsor, only for Bozilla to come back in and run them over.

Bozilla drives Mone into the corner but a Codebreaker over the ropes sends Bozilla outside. Mone’s dive is countered though, leaving Persephone to make a save. Back in and Persephone gets some rollups for two on Mone, only to get bearhugged by Bozilla. That’s broken up and Mone comes off the middle rope with a double knee to put Bozilla down. They go to the corner for the Tower Of Doom with Windsor getting the best of it.

Windsor ties up Mone and Persephone in a double half crab, at least until Bozilla making some saves. Bozilla clotheslines Windsor for two but Persephone is back with a Razor’s Edge. Mone breaks up Windsor’s Sharpshooter and counters Persephone’s Razor’s Edge into a hurricanrana to retain at 15:34.

Rating: B. Kind of like the Copeland/Cage match, there wasn’t much doubt here as the question was more who was taking the pin. Persephone and Bozilla were both basically just there to fill in the international quota, as the build for this was all about Mone vs. Windsor, which will likely take place at All Out.

Bozilla absolutely stood out here, as someone with her size and power is going to get attention no matter what she’s doing. On the other hand, Persephone didn’t really get the chance to show up until the ending, which again goes back to the theme of having too many people in the match. That’s always an issue and it was certainly the case again here.

We recap Nigel McGuinness challenging Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. McGuinness is mostly retired but he’s a technical master who has Daniel Garcia in his corner. Ignore Garcia seemingly all but saying “I’m going to turn on you.”

McGuinness trained with wrestling legend Johnny Saint by playing chess. To be fair, McGuinness did win.

IWGP World Title: Nigel McGuinness vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Sabre is defending and McGuinness has Daniel Garcia with him. Feeling out process to start and they both roll through a snapmare attempt to start. McGuinness takes him down with a headlock but Sabre slips out as only he can. Sabre’s headlock takes him down as well, with McGuinness slipping out too.

Some arm cranking has McGuinness down again but he comes up with a middle finger to a nice reaction. McGuinness pulls him down into an armbar, which is reversed into the neck twist, allowing Sabre to go after the arm again. Back up and McGuinness avoids a charge into the corner and hits a clothesline for a needed breather. The big lariat gives McGuinness two but Sabre gets to the rope to avoid the London Dungeon.

The Tower Of London is countered as well and Sabre gets in a Disarm-Her, which is escaped rather quickly. They uppercut it out until the rebound lariat blasts Sabre for two. Something close to a Rainmaker drops Sabre for two more so it’s something like the London Dungeon again. Sabre makes the rope again but McGuinness grabs another Tower Of London for another near fall. They trade rollups for two each until Sabre gets a sunset flip to retain at 17:01.

Rating: B. Points for not having Garcia cost McGuinness the title here, though McGuinness was a long shot at best to take the title here. Sabre is an absolute monster when it comes to the technical stuff, though McGuinness more than held his own out there. This was more a “here’s one last great moment for McGuinness in his hometown” and there is nothing wrong with that, as they had a heck of a match.

Post match Tony Schiavone gets in the ring for a special presentation, which (after Garcia and McGuinness stand there for a second and realize it has nothing to do with them) is the pro wrestling record attendance for the venue: 18,982.

Queen Aminata and Thekla brawl from the back into the arena, with the Triangle Of Madness running in to beat Aminata down. Jamie Hayter returns for the save to quite the strong response.

We recap the Tag Team Titles. The Hurt Syndicate are the dominant champions and Bandido/Brody King and FTR…well they didn’t win a tournament but they didn’t lose it either, so it’s time for a three way title match.

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate vs. FTR vs. Bandido/Brody King

The Syndicate is defending and Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. The challengers pair off to start, with FTR taking Lashley to the floor while Bandido and King take over on Benjamin. We settle down to Bandido headscissoring Harwood to take over. Lashley is back in with a double clothesline and a suplex. Harwood dares to chop at Benjamin, who just glares at him in response.

Bandido comes in to send Benjamin outside for a suicide dive, only for Lashley to take Bandido down. Benjamin can’t hit a suplex as Bandido slips out but FTR drops to the floor to avoid a tag. Bandido’s spinning high crossbody drops Benjamin and it’s off to King to clean house. King crushes FTR in the corner and hits a cannonball, followed by the showdown with Lashley (the fans like this).

The big spinebuster drops King but he’s back up with a clothesline to send Lashley outside. Back in and Benjamin rolls some German suplexes on King but walks into a Shatter Machine. King makes the save and sends Wheeler into the Syndicate on the floor, with King taking them down. Bandido’s top rope flipping fall away slam onto the pile leaves everyone down. Cue some guys in New Japan gear (we can’t see their faces) to brawl with the Syndicate, leaving Bandido to kick a chair into Harwood’s face.

Wheeler gets punched out of the head but Harwood chairs King in the head. The New Japan guys are Ricochet and the Gates Of Agony, who can’t believe King kicks out. The PowerPlex is loaded up but Bandido breaks it up and hits a frog splash. King monkey flips Bandido into the 450 to Harwood for the pin and the titles at 15:07.

Rating: B+. Good stuff here and while the Syndicate wasn’t even involved in the decision, they did have a reason for being taken out. At the same time, it would have been better to have Bandido and King win the tournament and the titles, even with the interference. Just let them be the best team rather than a team that escaped with the belts. Either way, best match of the night thus far and the new champs are an interesting choice.

We recap Kazuchika Okada defending the Unified Title against Swerve Strickland. Okada is the dominant champion and Strickland doesn’t like him, so the title match is on.

Unified Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Swerve Strickland

Strickland is challenging and Okada gives him the pat on the chest against the ropes to start. That’s shrugged off and Strickland hits a dropkick to send him outside. Strickland follows with a knee, which he seems to bang up on contact. Back in and some rolling neckbreakers put Okada down, followed by the middle rope elbow to the back of the neck.

Okada catapults him over the top so Strickland tries to stick the landing, over to hurt his knee again in the process. Okada sends him into the steps to keep the knee in trouble and they go back inside with the pace slowing a good bit. Strickland manages to roll some suplexes, followed by a belly to back superplex for two. They head back outside, with Okada hitting a tombstone on the floor.

Back in and the Rainmaker is countered into the House Call and Strickland fires off some clotheslines. The Rainmaker misses again and Strickland hits a dropkick. A powerbomb is swung into a powerslam (cool) to plant Okada, followed by the Swerve Stomp for two. Okada gets smart by going back to the knee, meaning it’s another dropkick, only Strickland to hit another House Call. Strickland tries it again but walks into the Rainmaker to retain the title at 16:33.

Rating: B. This got going in the end, though Strickland’s knee injury seemed to go away for a long stretch in the middle. I wasn’t quite sold on Strickland winning here but it felt like there was at least a reasonable chance he would get the title. It was a good, hard hitting match with Strickland going for it but ultimately coming up short, which is a good way to go.

Post match Okada goes after the knee again but Prince Nana makes the save with a pipe. Freaking WARDLOW of all people comes in for the beatdown though, laying out both Nana and security. Then Wardlow hugs Don Calls, whose Family somehow has another member. Konosuke Takeshita comes out to show his approval.

We recap Athena challenging Toni Storm for the Women’s Title. Athena is cashing in her Casino Gauntlet title shot and has been coming after Storm, who finds Athena rather annoying.

Women’s Title: Athena vs. Toni Storm

Only Storm is defending and Billie Starkz is here with Athena. Storm hammers away in the corner to start and they head outside, where Starkz offers a quick distraction. Athena dropkicks her up against the barricade and we hit the neck crank back inside. A backsplash misses for Athena but she swings Storm’s head into the post.

Storm gets knocked into the corner but Athena takes too long loading up a running hip attack. A clothesline drops Athena for two, though the TCM Chickenwing is broken up. Athena hits a snap belly to back suplex and they forearm it out. Storm Mongolian chops her down but Athena hits an elbow to the face for two. Starkz’ distraction lets Athena hit a running boot in the corner, followed by a powerbomb for two more.

A Koji Clutch has Storm in even more trouble until she makes the rope and gets outside. Storm sends Athena face first into the steps, followed by Storm Zero for another near fall. Starkz offers another distraction though and the O Face across the top rope connects but here is Mina Shirakawa to cut Starkz off. Another O Face is countered into the TCM Chickenwing to retain the title at 15:15.

Rating: B. Gah I was getting into this one near the end and I was wanting to see Athena win the title. While there are other challengers waiting for Storm, it would be great to see Athena’s incredible Ring Of Honor reign rewarded with a run with the real title. Either way, good match here, though the ending left me a bit disappointed.

We recap Hangman Page defending the World Title against MJF. They don’t like each other as MJF says they’re the villain/main character of the AEW story, with MJF cashing in his Casino Gauntlet contract. Then he changed his mind, but got the title shot anyway by threatening to burn Mark Briscoe alive (as you do).

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF (in a snazzy green feathered robe) is challenging and Page can lose the title via countout or DQ. After the Big Match Intros, MJF bails out to the floor, with Page following him to hammer away against the barricade. Page drops him throat first across the barricade, followed by a belly to back suplex back inside. They’re already back on the floor, with Page teasing using a chair and getting sent into the post as a result.

Back in and a quick piledriver gives MJF two before he goes after the arm. Page is suplexed into the corner by the arm but he’s fine enough to hit a top rope clothesline for two. MJF is sent outside for the moonsault, followed by a sitout powerbomb for two back inside. Somehow MJF grabs a quickly broken Salt Of The Earth but the Heatseeker is blocked. A hammerlock DDT gives MJF two and he sets up a table at ringside, only for Page to snap off a moonsault.

Rather than covering, Page loads up the table (Danielson disagrees) and hits the Deadeye through the wood (now Danielson approves). MJF manages a foot on the rope back inside and they’re already back outside, with MJF avoiding a charge to send Page into a chair. They jumping (and running) Tombstone onto the broken tables rocks the (bleeding) Page but he beats the count at nine.

Back in and the turnbuckle is exposed, with Page sending MJF into it to bust him open as well. They pull themselves up and slug it out (I’ll take it over forearms) until stereo rolling elbows drop both of them. A rather rapid fire pinfall reversal sequence gets a bunch of twos (and ones) until the Deadeye gives Page a rather near fall. Page is frustrated so MJF hands him the ring and insults him, only for Page to use a regular punch.

The referee gets bumped and MJF gets in a low blow into the Heatseeker, with Page’s foot on the rope. Cue Mark Briscoe for a distraction as the referee gets up and sees the foot on the rope, meaning no count. MJF kicks Page low again and hits him with the contract for two but Page is back with the Deadeye. The Buckshot Lariat FINALLY retains the title at 31:10.

Rating: B-. WAY too long here as they proved the point time after time: MJF was trying to steal the title through any means he could but Page kept surviving. The idea was explained multiple times in there and it was getting to the point of “get on with this already”. Page winning is good, but dang I was annoyed when they pulled back the contract and that’s still the case now. Just let Page move on already, but he can’t because of that stupid contract.

The cage is lowered.

Quick recap of the main event. The Death Riders and the Young Bucks are bad and a bunch of people are after them. Put them all in a cage, including the injured Will Ospreay, non-sanctioned.

Young Bucks/Death Riders/Gabe Kidd vs. Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi/Darby Allin/Hiroshi Tanahashi/Will Ospreay

In a cage, which is VERY wide and basically a Cell without the roof. Ospreay gets a special entrance video for quite the hero’s welcome. The Bucks’ pyro and entrance stuff isn’t exactly right, but at least the chyron spells their names properly. It’s a huge brawl to start and yes there are weapons already provided around the ring. Tanahashi does the air guitar inside but gets decked by Kidd, who gets in a brawl with Ospreay.

Back up and Ospreay hits a big flip dive to the floor onto Kidd and Allin hits his own running flip dive. We get the Bucks vs. Omega/Ibushi showdown with the Bucks being sent outside for stereo moonsaults. Allin and Moxley are handcuffed together as the Bucks fight back and beat up Omega and Ibushi inside.

The Legos are poured out and Tanahashi comes in to faceplant Matt, followed by Omega powerbombing him into Ibushi’s German suplex. A ladder is brought in and the Bucks (amazing how they keep popping back up) powerbomb Allin into said ladder, allowing the Bucks to clear out the Legos. The bleeding Ospreay is up and wraps a chair around Moxley’s neck (no longer handcuffed) but Kidd is back in with a piledriver.

Castagnoli swings Omega and catapults him into a superkick from Matt. The TK Driver gets two on Ibushi and Allin gets launched over the top and into the cage for a crazy crash. Tanahashi is back in to clean house until Moxley drops him with a DDT. Back in and Allin is duct taped to a chair….so Moxley can try to use a fork to cut his ear off. Hey did you know that Moxley is hardcore? I’m not sure we made that clear.

The barbed wire table is loaded up as Allin is out as well (because not much has a lasting impact in this match). Moxley is sent face first into the barbed wire but Castagnoli gives Tanahashi the Neutralizer. The BTE Trigger connects on Tanahashi but Ospreay dives in for the save. Tanahashi drives Moxley through the barbed wire board and Omega takes Kidd down with the snapdragon.

Ibushi adds a snapdragon of his own (he’s been looking WAY better here) and everyone goes out to the floor. Naturally Ospreay goes up to the top of the cage for a moonsault back down, because he’s kind of out there. Kidd and Omega have their staredown but everyone else gets back in and brawls for the big everyone down.

Omega beats up Moxley and hits the one Winged Angel for two with multiple saves being made. A big stack of four tables are set up outside of the cage so of course Allin goes up, with Kidd trying to choke him. They go crashing through the tables, leaving Nick to take the Golden Trigger. A top rope Hidden Blade into the One Winged Angel drops Matt and the High Fly Flow gives Tanahashi the win at 32:36.

Rating: B-. I get the appeal of the match, but this felt like they were trying to do Anarchy In The Arena without going around the arena. Having this be in a cage only added a few spots, to the point where you could probably have gotten rid of the cage and done about the same thing. Other than that, it felt like a big collection of violence and spots without anything that really felt like it belonged in the main event spot of the pay per view.

Post match Ospreay gets the big moment (as he’s likely off to have neck surgery)…but the Death Riders jump him for a big beatdown. They lock the cage and Pillmanize Ospreay’s neck until the cage is raised, allowing the Opps and company to run in for the save. Everyone is sad and serious as Ospreay is checked on to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was in a weird place as the wrestling itself ranges from good enough to rather good, with only the opener being a bit lower on the scale. The problem here was that with the guest stars concept mainly being just a feature rather than the focus (Tanahashi could have been taken out of the main event without losing much of anything), there was only so much that felt really high level about this show. It came off like a pretty weak level pay per view (at least by comparison to other AEW shows) and hopefully they come up with something better next year.

The biggest problem though is I really didn’t care that much about what was happening. The action was good and it’s a fine enough show, but in addition to the usual length issues, the two main events don’t really change anything. MJF still has a World Title shot in his back pocket and the main event was really just about revenge. That doesn’t make it feel must see, especially when the two matches added up to over an hour. Anyway, a good show overall, but it really didn’t feel special.

Results
Paragon/El Desperado/Yuya Uemura b. Don Callis Family/Cru – Double arm capture suplex to Rush
Gates Of Agony/Ricochet b. Michael Oku/Jet Speed – Spirit gun to Oku
Megan Bayne/Triangle Of Madness b. Queen Aminata/Harley Cameron/Kris Statlander/Willow Nightingale – Liger Bomb to Cameron
Opps b. Bullet Club WarDogs – MuscleBuster to Robbie X
Adam Copeland/Christian Cage b. The Matriarchy – Spear to Sabian
Kyle Fletcher b. Hiromu Takahashi – Brainbuster
Mercedes Mone b. Alex Windsor, Persephone and Bozilla – Hurricanrana to Persephone
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Nigel McGuinness – Sunset flip
Bandido/Brody King b. Hurt Syndicate and FTR – Monkey flip 450 to Harwood
Kazuchika Okada b. Swerve Strickland – Rainmaker
Toni Storm b. Athena – TCM Chickenwing
Hangman Page b. MJF – Buckshot Lariat
Hiroshi Tanahashi/Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi/Darby Allin/Will Osprey b. Death Riders/Young Bucks – High Fly Flow to Matt

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

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Dynamite
Date: August 20, 2025
Location: OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland
Commentators: Bryan Danielson, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s the last Dynamite before we get to this weekend’s Forbidden Door. As a result, that means we are probably going to get some rapid fire build to the show. The good thing is that most of the card is already set, including a rather big lights out steel cage match, which should be…something. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Bryan Danielson comes out to be a special guest commentator. Yeah that still works.

Here is Will Ospreay to get things going. Ospreay says he’s been having one of the worst months of his career. He talks about the first time he ever came to Glasgow and got screwed over by a promoter. Ospreay praises the UK’s ability to drink and brings up Greggs’ sausage rolls (which are delicious) and we pause for a SAUSAGE, SAUSAGE ROLLS chant. Ospreay: “None of that vegan crap either!”

After calming Danielson down (that was funny), Ospreay talks about feeling human for the first time after having a bunch of health issues. A lot of wrestlers have gone down this same road and they never come back the same. Last week, he was not cleared for Forbidden Door, which is why he wanted the match to be lights out, meaning unsanctioned by AEW. He knows the risks and is willing to take them, and if he can’t be Will Ospreay after Sunday, then he’s going to give everything he has. This is about revenge and he is ready to enter the cage and tear the Death Riders apart.

Cue the Death Riders to interrupt, with Ospreay asking why Jon Moxley needs people to fight his battles. Ospreay is coming to get rid of Moxley, so Moxley should be ready to fight on his own. Cue Jet Speed to brawl with the Death Riders (before their scheduled six man tag tonight) and here is Hiroshi Tanahashi so let’s do the match now.

Jet Speed/Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Death Riders

Tanahashi crossbodies Moxley down to start but gets kicked in the face by Castagnoli to cut him off. Bailey comes back in to kick away at Yuta, who knocks him down to take over again. Marina Shafir gets in a cheap on the floor, with the referee looking right at her, before we continue. Thankfully she is ejected, with Will Ospreay coming out to carry her to the back, and we take a break.

We come back with Knight in trouble in the corner, allowing Castagnoli to strike away. Knight kicks his way to freedom and it’s Tanahashi coming back in to clean house. Triple Twist And Shouts take the Riders down but cue the Bullet Club Wardogs from New Japan for a distraction. Cue Will Ospreay with a body bag, leaving Tanahashi to hit the High Fly Flow for the pin on Yuta at 11:04.

Rating: B-. Tanahashi is retiring in a few months and that is pretty much the best for everyone. He’s an all time legend and one of the best ever, but my goodness his body is horribly broken down and it’s sad to see what he can’t do these days. The rest of the match was fine and Yuta losing is always worth a look, but Tanahashi’s inability to run is just sad to see.

Post match the Wardogs and the Death Riders beat down the winners, with the Young Bucks running in to superkick Ospreay. The Conglomeration cuts them off but Darby Allin pops out of the body bag to help with the brawl. Cue the Opps to help clear the villains out but the brawl goes into the crowd, where Allin Coffin Drops off the balcony to wipe everyone out. Total people involved in this whole thing: 19.

Video on MJF vs. Hangman Page, focusing on the main character vs. villain angle.

Here is Adam Copeland for a chat, along with a serenade from the crowd. Before he can say anything though, here is Christian Cage to join him in the ring. Cage goes to tell the fans to be quiet but Copeland cuts him off, saying these people love him. Copeland admits that Cage is an a******, but he’s COPELAND’S a******.

As Copeland realizes that wasn’t the best way to word things, Cage acknowledges that he has found himself…which is someone who does not need to change. They aren’t on the same page, but at least they are reading the same book. This is a reunion of necessity because they are agreeing to help each other with their respective problems. We get the handshake and here are Kip Sabian and Mother Wayne to interrupt.

Nick Wayne pops up on screen, carrying a pair of crutches though, because he has a broken foot. Wayne won’t be at Forbidden Door, so consider it a blessing that he can’t cost Copeland and Cage everything. He is always one step ahead though…and Killswitch is back. A chokeslam plants Copeland and Cage is laid out as well, as Sabian seems to have a replacement partner. Copeland and Cage being back together is what matters here, and I’m sure they’ll be on the same page sooner than later. It’s the Canadian way.

Mark Briscoe is in England to hurt MJF.

MJF interrupts Ricochet and the Gates Of Agony, asking for their help with Briscoe tonight. Ricochet is in.

#1 Contenders Tournament Finals: FTR vs. Bandido/Brody King

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Bandido shoves his way out of the corner to start before Harwood takes him down by the arm. Harwood’s running shoulder drops Bandido again and they trade takedowns until Bandido does the gun point at Harwood’s head. Wheeler comes in and gets dropkicked to the floor as the Hurt Syndicate is watching in the back. Harwood is so frustrated that he grabs a chair as King comes in to shove Wheeler down.

King strikes away at Harwood, who is right back with a piledriver…which King shrugs off. Bandido is dropped onto Harwood for two but Wheeler comes in to send King outside. Hathaway gets in a cheap shot with a loaded sling and King is in trouble as we take a break. We come back with Bandido and Harwood coming in to pick the pace back up. Everything breaks down and Bandido’s dive to the floor is cut off, with FTR dropping him onto the apron.

A Demolition Decapitator gives Wheeler two, though Danielson wasn’t impressed by the cover. The chinlock goes on but Bandido fights up and hits a middle rope crossbody for two more. We take another break and come back again with Bandido hitting a double hurricanrana, followed by a double DDT. That’s finally enough for the tag back to King to clean quite a bit of house. The cannonball in the corner gets two on Harwood, with Wheeler having to make the save.

Bandido hits a big flip dive to hit Harwood but he has kick Hathaway down and get his mask back. A frog splash gives Bandido two and Wheeler tornado DDTs King on the floor. The PowerPlex is cut off by King’s choke but King gets crotched on top. The top rope belly to back superplex into the top rope splash gets two as we hear the five minute call. A quick Shatter Machine gets two as Bandido is back in for some rollups. King saves Bandido from a Shatter Machine and chokes Harwood, who is chopped out to the floor.

Harwood is back up with a spike piledriver on the apron but Bandido is up with a moonsault to the floor. Back in and the Shatter Machine is blocked, as is the 21 Plex. Another Shatter Machine connects with King making the save…so FTR grabs a table with less than a minute left? King sends them into the barricade but Wheeler is up to miss a suicide dive through the table as time expires at 30:00.

Rating: B+. The ending with the table was rather odd and the ending setting up another triple threat for the titles is rather annoying. Maybe it’s a way to get the titles off of the Hurt Syndicate without them having to lose, but at least the match was rather good. King and Bandido are a team who were thrown together and wound up working very well, though being in there with FTR isn’t hurting things. Heck of a match here, weird table aside.

Post match Bandido gives Harwood the 21 Plex, as his timing is a bit off. And then we get the announcement of the three way title match because…well because of course.

Video on Swerve Strickland vs. Kazuchika Okada.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Last week, he was attacked in the parking lot by MJF and that shouldn’t be a surprise, because MJF is a coward. Page needs him to know that at Forbidden Door, there are no second chances and Page is sticking his boot up MJF’s checkered a**. MJF’s music plays but he’s nowhere to be found. Tony Schiavone says that MJF is in the back and has a message for Page, and if Page leaves the ring before he’s done, something bad is going to happen.

MJF is with Ricochet and the Gates of Agony, who have kidnapped Mark Briscoe. They threaten to LIGHT HIM ON FIRE unless Page agrees to three conditions at Forbidden Door: the title can change hands via countout or via DQ and the contract is NOT being used. MJF whips out a lighter and Page agrees. OH SCREW OFF with the contract still being a thing. Just get rid of the stupid contract and move on.

Post break, Page jumps Ricochet with a chair and then beats up security.

Mercedes Mone/Athena vs. Toni Storm/Alex Windsor

Billie Starkz is here with Mone/Athena. Mone headlocks Windsor to start but it’s too early for the Statement Maker. Windsor fall away slams Mone into the corner, where Storm kisses the side of her head before coming in. Athena backs Storm into the corner but gets caught with a basement dropkick. Mone breaks up a double suplex as everything breaks down. Double headbutts put Athena and Mone in the corner, though they avoid the double hip attack. Athena plants Storm on the floor but gets taken out by Windsor’s dive as we take a break.

We come back with Storm getting to come in and clean house, including a PerfectPlex for two on Athena. Windsor’s short arm lariat gets two and it’s right back to Storm, who gets Codebreakered into the Statement Maker. That’s broken up and Mone misses the running knees in the corner. Storm gives Athena a tornado DDT, which is enough for the diving tag back to Windsor.

A running clothesline and Blue Thunder Bomb get two each, leaving Athena to piledrive Storm on the steps. Windsor decks Athena and gives Mone a Samoan drop. The Sharpshooter makes Mone tap…but she’s not legal so it means nothing. Athena comes in with the O Face to finish Windsor at 16:02 in a smart finish (and extra points for Athena looking all fired up after the win, which doesn’t happen often enough in modern wrestling).

Rating: B. That ending was awesome and clever, which is a nice combination to see. I’m always a fan of taking two title matches and mixing them together like this, with the result working well. Good match here, and I’m becoming more and more convinced that Athena is winning the title.

Post match Mone gets shoved down by Persephone, another of her challengers at Forbidden Door, to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I get that it makes sense for the person doing it, but that whole deal with the contract took me out of a lot of the show. It feels like a twist for the sake of a twist or some massive backtracking, neither of which are something you want to see. Other than that, the show was rather good, with the tournament final and main event offering good action and Forbidden Door’s build going well, even without bogging the show down with all kinds of guest stars.

Results
Jet Speed/Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Death Riders – High Fly Flow to Yuta
FTR vs. Brody King/Bandido went to a time limit draw
Mercedes Mone/Athena b. Alex Windsor/Toni Storm – O Face to Windsor

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

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