Ring Of Honor – November 6, 2025: The Problem Is Still There

Ring Of Honor
Date: November 6, 2025
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re about a month away from Final Battle and that means it’s time to start getting ready to get ready for the build. Maybe in three weeks or so. You never know what you might get on that show, though there is always the chance that they throw something out there earlier. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a look back at the great Bandido vs. Mascara Dorada ROH World Title match from Collision with Bandido retaining the title.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Beef/Workhorsemen vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

The Promotions are defending. Henry and Bravo trade arm control to start and it’s off to Beef to hammer away. That doesn’t work for the Promotions, who clear the ring and pose on the apron. Taylor comes in for the forearms in the corner, followed by a running splash. Dean hits a Bronco Buster and a belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combination drops him again. Beef fights out without much trouble and brings Henry in to clean house. Anthony Ogogo offers a distraction on the floor though and Rush comes in with a belt shot to Beef’s head. The double stomp retains the title at 7:08.

Rating: C. It’s not a good sign when you need help to beat Beef and the Workhorsemen, but I’ll take a fairly nothing match like this over the titles sitting on the shelf for months. I’m not sure where that ending is leading, but I would hope that Beef and the Horsemen aren’t going to be going after the Tag Team Titles now. There has to be a better option for Final Battle. Right?

Post match the beatdown is on but SkyFlight runs in for the save.

Skyflight vs. Matt Menard/The Kingdom

Darius and Bennett get things going with Darius getting two off a rollup and armdragging him into an armbar. Dante comes in and gets tossed into a right hand but Taven is cut off with a double dropkick. It’s off to Menard as everything breaks down, leaving Menard to DDT Darius. A catapult into a kick to the face staggers Darius again and some corner clotheslines have Darius in trouble.

Taven neckbreakers Dante but misses a Lionsault, allowing Darius to grab an assisted tornado DDT for two. Sky comes in to clean house, including a Sky High (makes sense) for two on Taven. Bennett is back in with a Death Valley Driver into Just The Tip for two on Sky, who snaps off the TKO to pin Menard at 8:06.

Rating: C+. I like SkyFlight a bit more every time I see them and hopefully they get to be out there a bit more often. If nothing else, put them in the Six Man Tag Team Title scene. Or just give them the titles already. If nothing else, just getting a single win should put them in title contention.

We recap the Costco Guys vs. the Don Callis Family, with QT Marshall being dragged in to help the Guys at Full Gear.

Don Callis Family vs. The OXP/Orion

Hechicero shoves OXP in the face to start and then easily moves out of an armbar. A twist of the leg has OXP in more trouble and Hechicero pulls him out of the air again. Archer comes in to backdrop OXP onto Orion as Riccaboni recommends just walking out. A spinning facebuster plants OXP again and Hechicero grabs a surfboard. Archer gets a running start and faceplants OXP out of it, followed by a chokeslam. The spinning seated cobra clutch gives Hechicero the win at 4:05.

Rating: C. Total squash but it was fun enough while it lasted. There is something entertaining about seeing Archer throwing them around and Hechicero just tormenting them in various ways. That’s what a squash should be, especially without Callis himself being there to drag it down.

We look at Alex Windsor’s time with Yuka Sakazaki.

Alex Windsor/Yuka Sakazaki vs. Robyn Renegade/Taya Valkyrie

Sakazaki and Renegade start things off but it’s quickly off to Windsor to chop away at Valkyrie. A basement dropkick gives Windsor two and Sakazaki’s rollup gets the same. Renegade comes back in and hammers on Sakazaki, setting up Valkyrie’s running knees in the corner. Valkyrie works on the armbar but Sakazaki fights up and hits a missile dropkick.

Windsor comes back in with some corner clotheslines and a Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Renegade. A quick Eat Defeat gets two on Windsor and it’s Valkyrie gives Sakazaki a hard clothesline for two. Back up and Sakazaki grabs a quick sliding German suplex to drop Valkyrie, followed by the Magical Girl Splash for the pin at 8:28.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match that was technically fine but not exactly interesting. I’m assuming Windsor and Sakazaki will be a team going forward and might wind up facing the Women’s Tag Team Champions after the tournament in AEW. If nothing else, it’s nice to see some consistency. Just maybe get some slightly more interesting opponents?

We finally get it confirmed: the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament final will be at Final Battle. That’s not exactly shocking, but dang if this is the best you can do, maybe don’t start it up so early?

Women’s Pure Rules Title Tournament First Round: Trish Adora vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Purrazzo hits her in the face for the official warning less than ten seconds in, only to be knocked right back down. Adora takes her down and hits a kick to the back, followed by a headscissors for two. Purrazzo’s quick Fujiwara armbar sends Adora to the ropes for the first time before she works on the arm as well. A big headbutt gives Purrazzo two and Adora’s bridging German suplex gets the same. Back up and Purrazzo’s Fujiwara armbar into the Venus de Milo makes Adora give up at 7:02.

Rating: C. Here’s the problem with this tournament (among many other things): the matches are just ok. We waited over a month for this thing to pick back up and we get a seven minute match that is….well, pretty much fine. There’s nothing to this that is worth getting excited over and now we’ll have a champion of this so called division in about a month. There is still no need for this title to exist and the tournament matches, which will likely ramp up soon, aren’t making it much better.

Aaron Solo/Angelika Risk vs. Death Riders

Yuta takes Solo down to start and works on the arm but Solo is back up with a middle rope armdrag. Risk comes in to yell a lot and slaps Shafir in the chest, earning a judo throw down. Shafir chokes her down and works on the arm while taking off her own shoes and socks for some reason. Risk gets up and it’s back to Solo, who double stomps Yuta. Everything breaks down and Risk gets caught in Mother’s Milk for the tap at 4:10 while Yuta knees Solo down.

Rating: C. Yeah this was the Death Riders’ weekly match as they get to squash someone else. Just in case you didn’t get to see them enough on Dynamite and Collision, here they are again. It doesn’t add anything here other than making the show go on longer, which isn’t a good feeling.

We look back at Bandido bringing his grandmother to see him for the first time. We’ve seen this package on a recent AEW show.

Satnam Singh vs. Gino Adonis

Adonis slugs away to start and has as much effect as you would imagine. Singh sends him flying and hits a lawn dart. The chokeslam finishes Adonis at 1:57.

We look at Swirl annoying Jay Lethal.

Willie Mack/Alex Zayne vs. Swirl

Mack and Johnson start things off with Mack’s headlock not getting him very far. Johnson slips out of a slam attempt but gets taken down by a running knee to the face. Zayne and Christian come in to exchange a miss of flips and kicks. Christian hammers away in the corner and sends him outside, where Johnson hits a cheating clothesline. Back in and Zayne has to fight out of the corner, allowing Mack to come back in and clean house.

It’s already back to Zayne for some running kicks in the corner, setting up the running kick/brainbuster combination…for two. Mack and Johnson go up top, where Zayne grabs a running hurricanrana to bring Johnson back down. Mack gives Christian a super Stunner for two but Mack is sent outside. That leaves Johnson to Death Valley Driver Zayne while Christian adds a top rope double stomp for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: B-. Easily the best match of the night thus far as the Swirl continues to be a pretty nice heel team. They could be a thing if they were given the chance, though that’s the problem with ROH: it takes so long for anyone to actually get a chance. Mack and Zayne were just the designated opponents here, but they did well enough as a team.

Komander vs. Lee Moriarty

Non-title Proving Ground match under Pure Rules, meaning that if Komander survives the ten minute time limit or wins, he gets a future title shot. They go to the mat to start with an exchange of grappling, with Moriarty getting the Border City Stretch. That means the first rope break for Komander, who gets tripped down to the mat.

That’s reversed into something like an Indian deathlock, sending Moriarty over to the ropes. A hurricanrana drops Moriarty again but he sends Komander into the buckle to cut him off. We reach the halfway point as Moriarty grabs a quickly broken chinlock. Moriarty switches to an armbar, with Komander using his second rope break.

Komander’s choke has Moriarty burning another rope break and a quick DDT gives Komander two. They knock each other down with two minutes to go and Moriarty misses a charge into the corner. A tornado DDT gives Komander two more and a springboard moonsault gets the same. They trade some rollup attempts until Moriarty gets a choke with thirty five seconds left. Komander flips out and ties up an arm and leg but time runs out at 10:00.

Rating: B-. They picked up here at the end, though it continues to make me wonder why Komander would be going for the win as just a tie is the same thing. In theory it’s because he’s a good guy, which fair enough, but it doesn’t make much in the way of drama at the end. Either way, nice match and you can pencil the rematch in for Final Battle.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The main event helped a bit but this show has had the same underlying problem since it came back: the majority does not feel important. There might be some stories here or there, but far too much of it comes off as “this stuff doesn’t matter”. When you have months waiting to finish the first round of a tournament, most of the matches having no long term impact and almost everything involving the World Title taking place elsewhere, it makes this show feel pretty useless. As usual, decent wrestling up and down, but nothing that makes me want to watch week after week.

Results
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Beef/Workhorsemen – Double stomp to Beef
SkyFlight b. Kingdom/Matt Menard – TKO to Menard
Don Callis Family b. OXP/Orion – Spinning seated cobra clutch to OXP
Alex Windsor/Yuka Sakazaki b. Robyn Renegade/Taya Valkyrie – Magical Girl Splash to Valkyrie
Deonna Purrazzo b. Trish Adora – Venus de Milo
Death Riders b. Aaron Solo/Angelika Risk – Mother’s Milk to Risk
Satnam Singh b. Gino Adonis – Chokeslam
Swirl b. Willie Mack/Alex Zayne – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Zayne
Komander vs. Lee Moriarty went to a time limit draw

 

 

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

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




Ring Of Honor – October 9, 2025: Of Course Those Are The Good Parts

Ring Of Honor
Date: October 9, 2025
Location: RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s another week of Ring Of Honor and that means we’re likely to get about the same things we get here most of the time. That doesn’t make for the most exciting shows but some of them can work pretty well. If nothing else, maybe we can find out an idea of when we’ll see the next first round match in the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament. Nah I don’t believe it either. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a quick preview of the IWGP Women’s Title match.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

We’re mixing it up a little bit. From Arena Mexico in Mexico City.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Hechicero vs. Bandido

Bandido is defending. They go technical to start with Hechicero taking him down and cranking on the arm. That’s reversed into a bow and arrow but Hechicero reverses into a surfboard. Bandido reverses into one of his own, which is escaped as well so Bandido spins him around into an armbar. They go to a standoff before an exchange of rollups gets two each. That’s enough for Hechicero to bail out to the apron so we can reset a bit.

Back in and Bandido gets two off a sunset flip before a hurricanrana drops Hechicero again. Hechicero is able to send him to the floor, setting up a big dive. Bandido is draped over the barricade for a running knee and they have to run back inside to beat the count. Hechicero starts in on the arm and the shoulder is looking banged up. They go back outside with Bandido being sat on the barricade but Hechicero…I think misses a dropkick but it was close.

Either way, Bandido is fine enough to hit a shooting star off the apron, followed by a frog splash for two back inside. A backbreaker gives Hechicero two of his own but he hurts his knee in the process. Bandido is back with the gorilla press into another frog splash for another near fall. Hechicero goes back to the arm and sends Bandido outside, where the trainer seems to pop the shoulder back into place.

We pause for the shoulder to be taped up, which Bandido rips off. Well that’s just wasteful. They trade some running shots to the face and Hechicero’s knee is banged up, meaning Bandido can grab a poisonrana. Hechicero is smart enough to go back to the arm, followed by the headscissor driver for two. Bandido pops back up with the X Knee but can’t hit the 21 Plex. Instead he settles for a leg trap rollup to retain at 22:03.

Rating: B+. It wasn’t quite as good as their classic at Death Before Dishonor but it was more than enough to keep my interest. The shoulder giving out was a great obstacle for Bandido to overcome and Hechicero tormenting Bandido was worth seeing. Very good match here and a rather nice surprise compared to the usual stuff around here, with the venue making it even better.

We recap Skyflight losing but now they want the Trios Titles.

Shane Taylor vs. Beef

Taylor has the rest of the Promotions with him and fires off the left hands to put Beef into the corner. Beef avoids a charge though and hammers away, only to be sent crashing to the floor. Back in and Taylor fires off some knees but Beef cartwheels away and hits a dropkick. The release Rock Bottom cuts that off though and Taylor’s splash gets two. The really big right hand knocks Beef cold at 4:18.

Rating: C. This was a hoss fight and it worked well enough to make Taylor look good. Beef isn’t going to win anything important anytime soon so he can put Taylor over without losing anything. Well other than the match but that kind of goes without saying. If nothing else, at least Taylor is finally doing something after years of living off that TV Title reign.

Post match the Promotions beat Beef down until the Workhorsemen make the save. LFI run in to drop the Workhorsemen though.

Billie Starkz vs. Viva Van

Starkz has to wrestle her way out of a wristlock as commentary says Starkz might still be in a Pure Rules mode. She’s wrestled two Pure Rules matches ever and the most recent was about a month ago. Sweet goodness this Pure Rules stuff is making everything around here dumber. Van gets in a headbutt, followed by a running hurricanrana. A faceplant drops Van and Starkz hammers away but stops to yell at the referee (and at Van, whose face she hates). Starkz kicks her down but the Swanton hits raised knees. Not that it matters as she punches Van down and hits the Swanton for the win at 6:31.

Rating: C. The match was fine, but just hearing about the Pure Rules Title is getting annoying at this point. We’re coming up on two months since the first tournament match, as well as six months since the tournament was first announced. It means next to nothing in the first place, but we keep having to hear about it week in and week out. Drop the thing or just have the matches already, because this is turning into even more of a joke than it was in the first place.

We go to QTV, who talk about the Costco Guys getting challenged to a tag match at Full Gear. Big Boom AJ comes in and asks if QT Marshall is eating a chocolate cookie. Apparently this is his way of asking Marshall to be his partner.

Last week, Sareee and Alex Windsor won a tag match.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Logan Cruz/Tyshaun Perez

Angelico and Perez trade wristlocks to start and it’s off to Serpentico with a top rope double stomp to the arm. Serpentico gets hiptossed onto Cruz but he’s taken into the corner. Perez’s standing moonsault gets two but a double belly to back suplex is escaped. Angelico comes back in for some kicks to the head, followed by a cloverleaf lock to make Cruz tap at 5:18.

Rating: C. For the life of me I do not understand the thinking with the Project. They’re a fine enough team and yet they never do anything around here. Either put them into the title picture or stop putting them out here, because otherwise they’re just making these shows longer week after week.

The Frat House invaded this week’s Jacksonville Jaguars game.

We actually preview some of next week’s show, including a quick video on Shannon Moore, who debuts next week.

Blake Christian is ready to beat up a has been like Moore.

IWGP Women’s Title: Sareee vs. Alex Windsor

Sareee is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and Sareee goes to the ropes for an early break. An exchange of armdrags means it’s a standoff so Windsor fires off a forearm. Sareee is right back with a running dropkick but Windsor hammers her down. Some shots to the back have Sareee in trouble but she’s right back with the Black Widow. That’s broken up as well so Windsor sends her outside for a flip dive from the apron.

Back in and Sareee knocks her down again for a middle rope double stomp and two. Windsor knocks her right back down and the Sharpshooter goes on. Sareee is out of that again so it’s time to trade forearms. Then they trade slaps until Sareee sends her into the ropes for the hard running dropkick.

A top rope double stomp gets two on Windsor, who plants her down with a powerslam for two more. Another Sharpshooter attempt is broken up so Windsor grabs a twisting superplex for another near fall. Sareee makes the rope and fires off a bunch of headbutts to put Windsor down. A Rock Bottom suplex finishes for Sareee at 13:42.

Rating: B. Good match here, and it’s nice to actually see what Sareee can do instead of just hearing about it. She didn’t get to do much of anything last week so it’s nice to have her mixing it up in the ring this time instead. I could go with commentary not acting like the IWGP Women’s Title is more important than either the AEW or ROH Women’s Title, but at least the match was good.

We get a handshake to wrap up the show.

Overall Rating: B. The two feature matches were more than good enough to make up for the not so interesting midcard stuff. Ring Of Honor has its usual issues, which means it’s no surprise that the best parts are either not from around here or taking place elsewhere. I’ll take that for a one off show, but the usual ROH stuff was as uninteresting as ever.

Results
Bandido b. Hechicero – Leg trap rollup
Shane Taylor b. Beef – Right hand
Billie Starkz b. Viva Van – Swanton
Spanish Announce Project b. Logan Cruz/Tyshaun Perez – Cloverleaf lock to Cruz
Sareee b. Alex Windsor – Rock Bottom suplex

 

 

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

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




Collision – October 4, 2025: AEW Is Better Than This

Collision
Date: October 4, 2025
Location: RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re two weeks away from WrestleDream and some of the matches have been put together in recent days. This includes Hangman Page defending the World Title against Samoa Joe, which could make for quite the brawl. Other than that, it’s time to build up some other matches, which might start here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Stokely Hathaway, Kevin Knight, LFI, Eddie Kingston, Anna Jay, Orange Cassidy and the Paragon are ready to fight. Pac comes up to Cassidy and says he has six months of pent up frustrations to get out. The challenge is issued for Dynamite and Cassidy is on, after guaranteeing it’s one on one.

We run down the card.

Death Riders vs. Jay Lethal/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington

Lethal cartwheels into the basement dropkick to Garcia to start but Billington gets backdropped out to the floor. Back in and the Riders take over on Billington in the corner but he dives over to Garcia, who comes in and hammers on Moxley. Castagnoli cuts off the suicide dive though and gorilla presses Priest into the barricade. We take a break and come back with Lethal trying to make a save but getting stomped down for his efforts. Garcia rains down the right hands to Priest in the corner and Castagnoli unloads with uppercuts.

Castagnoli’s charge hits the post though and it’s off to Billington to start the comeback. A missile dropkick hits Garcia and the diving headbutt gives Billington two. Stereo crossbodies leave both of them down and Lethal gets to come in to face Moxley. The Lethal Combination looks to set up Hail To The King, which is countered into a rear naked choke. That’s escaped so Garcia tags himself in, with Moxley hitting a quick cutter. The Dragontamer, with a Stomp from Moxley, finishes Lethal at 11:08.

Rating: C+. The Riders winning is fine, though it’s kind of odd to see Priest and Billington continue to get what amounts to a push for them. They’re good enough at what they do, but they’re a fairly small team and are just getting a lot of TV time out of nowhere. With as many people as there already are on the roster with nothing to do, it’s quite the odd choice.

Post match Matt Menard yells at Daniel Garcia, who asks if Menard can take a hint. Garcia says Menard was like a brother to him but Garcia lost when they were friends, because Menard is a loser too. If he stayed around Menard, he would wind up a parasite like Nigel McGuinness (who doesn’t like those words, though we do cut to a closeup of Moxley who says “d***” in a funny reaction). My goodness can we please just stop with these two? With all the people sitting on the sidelines, we have time for this?

Video on Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley.

Nick Wayne is going to be out another 6-8 weeks. He doesn’t accept this diagnosis and says he’ll go find a real doctor.

Anna Jay vs. Jamie Hayter

Hayter headlock takeovers her down but gets shouldered over without much trouble. Back up and Hayter rams her into the buckle a few times but charges into a Downward Spiral. We take a break and come back with Jay fighting out of a chinlock, followed by some running forearms. The Queenslayer is broken up and Hayter hits a middle rope dropkick. A backdrop driver gives Hayter two but Jay is back with a DDT for the same. Jay’s middle rope Blockbuster gets another near fall but another Queenslayer is countered into Hayterade for the pin at 10:07.

Rating: C+. As usual, Jay can hang with the bigger names before losing in the end. I’m not sure what is going to happen with her in the future, but you can almost guarantee Jay and Tay Conti getting a run in whatever competition we have for the Women’s Tag Team Titles. One might wonder why she’s losing here if that’s the case, but one issue at a time.

Max Caster is happy with having won a match but Bryan Keith and Big Bill come in to mock him. Cue Anthony Bowens, who has a bunch of his own covers and awards. A match is set up, but they are NOT the Acclaimed.

Video on Sareee defending the IWGP Women’s Title against Alex Windsor next week on Ring Of Honor. Hokey smoke they actually acknowledged it.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Shayne Stetson/Cha Cha Charlie

The ROH Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line and LFI is Sammy Guevara/Rush with Dralistico. Charlie dances to start so Rush comes in and hits him in the face. Rush beats up Stetson on the floor, followed by the Bull’s Horns to Charlie. Guevara adds a Swanton for the pin at 1:48.

Eddie Kingston vs. Dralistico

Sammy Guevara is on commentary and Hook is here with Kingston. Dralistico grabs a headlock but it gets broken up as Kingston takes the leg out to send Dralistico outside. A running knee has Kingston down and we take a break. We come back with Dralistico working on the knee but Kingston is back with an STO. Dralistico’s springboard Codebreaker sends Kingston outside…and he comes back in with the spinning backfist for the pin at 8:17.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure if he’s just shaking off the rust or what, but Kingston’s return has been rather dull to put it mildly. Granted he hasn’t exactly had much to do thus far, but this was another match where he didn’t do much until the finish. Hopefully he shakes it off, because this is going to get rough if he keeps it up.

We look back at the return of Andrade El Idolo on Dynamite, where he laid out Kenny Omega and joined Don Callis. Hologram’s clone joined the team later in the night.

Here is MxM TV to issue an open challenge.

MxM TV vs. Don Callis Family

Takeshita and TV start things off and everything breaks down in a hurry, with the Family cleaning house. Back in and MxM TV manages a double clothesline but stops to pose, allowing the Family to drop them again. Fletcher hits a big dive onto Madden but TV hits Alexander with the Flying Chuck. Mansoor avoids a Helluva Kick from Fletcher, who pops up to belly to back superplex him down. A C4 Spike into the brainbuster finishes Mansoor at 3:13.

Rating: C+. It was certainly not dull, though the comedy team got in a bit more offense than they should have against one of the big heel teams. At least the right team won, as the Family gets to run through some people. I’m not sure why that needed to be a comedy heel team, but the match could have been much worse.

Dalton Castle and the Outrunners want the Trios Titles. Castle isn’t so sure though, because they have to top their amazing performance from last week. The pressure is crashing down on him, so the Outrunners pick him up and carry him off. Castle thinks he’s in good hands.

The Triangle Of Madness jump Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata.

Dax Harwood vs. Kevin Knight

Cash Wheeler, Stokely Hathaway, Mike Bailey and Willow Nightingale are here too. Harwood hammers away to start but gets knocked outside, only to come back in and get chopped rather hard. A knee that looked a bit low cuts Knight off but he’s able to send Harwood outside for a slingshot dive. Knight backdrops out of a piledriver on the apron and dives onto Harwood to send him over the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Knight grabbing a rolling DDT for two but his reverse frog splash hits raised knees. Back up and Knight manages a Sky High before they trade headbutts on the mat. Harwood’s slingshot powerbomb is countered into a sunset flip for two. Another attempt connects for two on Knight, who is right back with a springboard clothesline. Wheeler offers a distraction but gets taken out by Nightingale and Bailey, leaving Knight to hit his spinning frog splash for the pin at 13:50.

Rating: B-. Two weeks ago, FTR did what was supposed to be something totally heinous to Beth Copeland. Then her husband just walked out and now they’re losing a singles match to half of Jet Speed. I’m really not sure I get that, but FTR has been booked in some rather bizarre fashions for a long time now.

Post match FTR has to save Hathaway from Nightingale so here is Megan Bayne to take Nightingale out.

Skyflight wants the ROH Six Man Tag Team Titles. Shane Taylor Promotions are in.

Here is Kris Statlander to call out Toni Storm for a chat. Naturally they lay on the mat with their heads next to each other, with Statlander talking about how they have never faced each other. They’re having the match because they’re both fighting champions, but Statlander is going to fight even harder.

Statlander is going to knock her back into black and white. Storm has always been impressed by Statlander and now she gets to see what kind of a woman Statlander is. There is no one she would rather lose to, but there is no one she would rather beat. They can do this right now and the fight is on, with the Triangle Of Madness running in to jump them both. Harley Cameron runs in for the save and the Triangle is cleared out. And yes, the six woman tag is set before the segment even ends.

Video on Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe.

Don Callis Family vs. Paragon/Orange Cassidy

O’Reilly and Hechicero go to the mat for some grappling, with O’Reilly working on the leg. The grappling continues and Hechicero actually has go to over to the rope. Romero comes in so Strong powers him into the corner, meaning chopping can ensue. That’s broken up by Archer, who clears the ring and we take a break.

We come back with Cassidy coming in for a staredown with Archer, who gets low bridged out to the floor. Romero comes in and gets hit with the lazy forearms but Cassidy starts firing off some more serious shots. The Stundog Millionaire hits Romero and it’s back to O’Reilly to strike away on Hechicero. Archer comes back in and gets triple teamed down, leaving Romero to get caught with a tornado DDT. The cross armbreaker makes Romero tap at 10:54.

Rating: B-. Even with Romero out there, I’m surprised to see Paragon actually win what passes for a big match for them. The team is not likely going to be anything important, but if they’re going to put so many other teams over, they need to win now and then. Not a bad main event at all here, with the ending being a surprise.

The rest of the Don Callis Family comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was fine and there aren’t any real complaints about it, save for maybe Kingston. The problem here was how dull the whole thing felt. This was like the show you get when everyone that matters is either gone or not doing anything important. There was pretty much nothing important here (even the storyline developments that took place didn’t feel like they mattered) and it was a heck of a chore to get through this thing. It just felt like a show that didn’t matter in the slightest and that made for a very tedious two hours.

Results
Death Riders b. Jay Lethal/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington – Dragontamer to Lethal
Jamie Hayter b. Anna Jay – Hayterade
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Shayne Stetson/Cha Cha Charlie – Swanton to Charlie
Eddie Kingston b. Dralistico – Spinning backfist
Don Callis Family b. MxM TV – Brainbuster to Mansoor
Kevin Knight b. Dax Harwood – Spinning frog splash
Paragon/Orange Cassidy b. Don Callis Family – Cross armbreaker to Romero

 

 

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

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




Ring Of Honor – October 2, 2025: So, So Boring

Ring Of Honor
Date: October 2, 2025
Location: Marshall Health Network Arena, Huntington, West Virginia
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We continue our usual deliberate pace around here, which likely won’t include another match in the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament. One of those took place last week so we’re probably months away from seeing the next step. Other than that, we need some new challengers for various titles so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

MxM TV is ready for a big night but apparently the TSA took away Mansoor’s giant load of Seed. It’s ok though because they’re still ridiculously good looking and ridiculously good wrestlers.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

MxM TV vs. Skyflight

Grey and Valkyrie start things off and shove each other a bit until Valkyrie misses a charge into the corner. A knee to the face staggers Valkyrie and it’s off to Darius vs. Mansoor, with the latter grabbing a headlock. That’s broken up and Darius mocks Mansoor’s pose, allowing Dante to come in, only to get dropped by Madden. A chokebomb gives Madden two and Mansoor’s running backsplash hits Dante.

Valkyrie even gets in a running hurricanrana so Madden can add a running hip attack for two more. Dante gets up and manages a springboard flip dive and it’s back to Darius as everything breaks down. Madden gives Darius a fireman’s carry flipping slam for two but he accidentally crotches Mansoor on top. Top Flight’s double double arm DDT finishes Mansoor at 6:25.

Rating: C+. I know they don’t have a chance to do anything going forward but it’s nice to see Skyflight, or in this case Top Flight, actually winning something. It’s better than nothing, as they’ve been running on a treadmill for so long that it feels like they’ll never get a chance. The villains were their usual funny selves and that’s all they needed to be here.

Workhorsemen vs. Chance Prophet/Rosario Grillo

Grillo works on Henry’s arm to start but Henry gets in a pop up knee to take over. Drake comes in and gets his eyes raked so it’s off to Prophet, who gets slammed down and headbutted. A Downward Spiral/enziguri combination finishes Prophet at 2:32. This was in fact a Workhorsemen match and there was nothing you haven’t seen them do before.

Post match LFI comes out for a staredown with the Workhorsemen. Of all the teams who might get a title shot…the Workhorsemen? That’s the best you have.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Zoey Lynn

Pure Rules and of course it’s not a tournament match. Sakazaki works on the arm to start and Lynn uses her first rope break less than forty seconds in. A dropkick puts Lynn outside and Sakazaki gives her a clothesline on the floor for two. Lynn gets in a high crossbody for two and a middle rope stomp to the back gets two more. Sakazaki kicks her in the face and grabs a spinning hammerlock slam to finish Lynn at 4:23.

Rating: D+. As a regular match it was fine, but it’s another case where the Pure Rules adds absolutely nothing. It’s adding in a match (and don’t worry because there’s another one tonight) for the sake of having Pure Rules and that’s a waste of time. The whole tournament is but we’ll be seeing it for months on end because this tournament, which was announced in April and started in August with two matches in two months, has to exist.

We go back to the Frat House, with Blue Meanie, as they get yelled at for making too much noise. The complaint comes from GLACIER, in his Coach gear. Then we cut to Glacier, in his Glacier gear, beating up some of the team. With Glacier gone, the team decides to drink anyway. What in the world am I even watching?

Frat House vs. Nick Hammer/Casey King/Corey Sparks

The House jumps them to start fast and beat up the very tall King. Sparks comes in and gets sent into the corner for a double kick to the face. That doesn’t last long either as Hammer comes in and gets to slug away but gets dropped with a discus lariat. The 450 gives Karter the pin at 2:19. If you ignore the team getting taken out by the 61 year old Glacier about five minutes ago, the Frat House can be so dumb that it’s fun. They also had a nice enough squash here.

LFI is willing to give the Workhorsemen a Tag Team Title shot at any time.

Aaron Solo vs. Jay Lethal

Solo knocks him off the top during his entrance but Lethal is right back up with a triangle dropkick. The suicide dive drops Solo again and now we ring the bell. Some kicks to the head stagger Solo but he’s able to reverse the Lethal Injection into a small package for two. Lethal hits a superkick but gets cuttered and they’re both down.

Hail To The King is countered into a rollup for two more and the Figure Four is blocked…so Lethal quickly switches legs and puts the Figure Four on the other leg (that was great). Solo escapes and hits a spinning enziguri for two, followed by a top rope double stomp. Lethal shrugs that off and the Lethal Injection finishes at 4:58.

Rating: C+. The match was the usual back and forth trading of moves with very little standing out, though that quick switch on the Figure Four was rather smart. Lethal continues to be good at just about anything he does, though he’s not going to be doing anything of note anytime soon. At least he had a nice enough match here.

Premiere Athletes vs. Cowpoke Paul/Gen Z/Reese Ramone

Daivari gives Z a rough handshake and gets shoved away to start. Z gets taken into the corner and stomped but it’s off to Paul to…well get dropped just as fast. Denali comes in and Ramone slugs away, which works about as well as you would expect. Paul gets chokeslammed and a spinebuster finishes Ramone at 2:58. Remember last week when the Athletes squashed a team? They did it again here.

Video on Serena Deeb, who wants the Pure Rules Title.

Serena Deeb vs. Katie Arquette

Pure Rules. Deeb easily wins a battle over the arm to start and a neckbreaker over the middle rope drops Arquette. Why that isn’t a rope break isn’t clear but that’s the least of this concept’s problem. A hammerlock lariat cuts Arquette off again and a Black Widow makes her give up at 2:27.

Post match Yuka Sakazaki comes out for a staredown with Deeb.

Diamante/Billie Starkz vs. Alex Windsor/Sareee

Windsor backs Starkz into the corner to start and takes her down with a headlock takeover. Sareee comes in and hits a dropkick, followed by a Mega Powers elbow for two on Starkz. Windsor misses a charge though and gets tripped down by Diamante, who comes in to take over. A double snap suplex gets two on Windsor and Diamante gets to choke her in the corner.

Starkz’s chinlock doesn’t last long as Windsor forearms her way out of trouble and it’s back to Sareee to pick up the pace. A Muta Lock has Diamante in trouble…and Sareee just lets it go. Diamante fights back and makes Windsor Stun Sareee, who pops back up with a suplex. Windsor’s Sharpshooter makes Diamante tap at 8:36.

Rating: C+. This was right back to the same issues that have plagued AEW when it comes to international stars. Rather than let us see what Sareee can do, it’s basically “she’s AWESOME” and then she has a pretty mediocre match. Outside of a pretty nothing run in NXT, Sareee is hardly that well known around here. Show us what she can do rather than tell us.

We get a preview of a sitdown interview with Lee Moriarty.

Beef vs. Dralistico

Dralistico rolls outside at the bell but the rest of LFI offers a distraction so he can take over. A running knee hits Beef on the apron and Dralistico gets to pose on the buckle. Beef comes back with a dropkick and hammers away in the corner, only to get caught with the top rope double stomp. Riccaboni declares that “Beef is ground” and a top rope Codebreaker finishes Beef at 4:03.

Rating: C. So Beef was set up with some kind of a story with Lance Archer, which was mentioned at the start of the match, and then he loses to perennial midcarder Dralistico. Why would I want to see Beef going on after this? Actually why would I want to see Beef in the first place?

Post match the beatdown is on but the Workhorsemen make the save.

Alex Windsor is happy with teaming with Sareee but challenges her for the IWGP Women’s Title for next week.

We take a quick look back at the opening video.

Johnny TV vs. AR Fox

The rest of MxM TV is here too. TV kicks him into the corner to start but Fox is right back with a spinning suplex. Mansoor offers a distraction and Fox is pulled outside, followed by a running shooting star press to give TV two. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Fox is sent outside, where the other villains get in a stomping.

Valkyrie gets in to kiss TV, who gets two off the Flying Chuck. Fox fights out of a chinlock and hits a pendulum DDT, followed by an enziguri. A rolling cutter gets two and Fox takes out the rest of the villains with a flip dive. The Swanton gets two on TV but Valkyrie offers a distraction. That doesn’t exactly work though as Fox reverses a neckbreaker into a rollup for the pin on TV at 6:47.

Rating: C+. I can go with the result, as Fox has not been having much success in recent months but has been putting in all kinds of solid performances. I have no reason to believe he’s going to become a big deal, but I’ll take a win over doing nothing. It’s not much of a main event, though there is something to seeing Fox overcome these odds.

Overall Rating: C-. My goodness I can’t believe what I just watched here. This was one of the least interesting, most useless shows I’ve ever seen. The wrestling was completely adequate, but in an hour and twenty minutes, absolutely nothing interesting happened. It was a bunch of matches from the same people who are here most of the time, naturally including TWO Pure Rules matches because that STILL has to be a thing. I haven’t been so bored during a show in a long time and unfortunately I don’t expect it to get any better anytime soon. Or ever.

Results
Skyflight b. MxM TV – Double double arm DDT to Mansoor
Workhorsemen b. Chance Prophet/Rosario Grillo – Downward Spiral/enziguri to Prophet
Yuka Sakazaki b. Zoey Lynn – Spinning hammerlock slam
Frat House b. Nick Hammer/Casey King/Corey Sparks – 450 to Hammer
Jay Lethal b. Aaron Solo – Lethal Injection
Premiere Athletes b. Cowpoke Paul/Gen Z/Reese Ramone – Spinebuster to Ramone
Serena Deeb b. Katie Arquette – Black Widow
Alex Windsor/Sareee b. Diamante/Billie Starkz – Sharpshooter to Diamante
Dralistico b. Beef – Top rope Codebreaker
AR Fox b. Johnny TV – Rollup

 

 

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

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




Collision – September 17, 2025 (September To Remember): Well, They Tried

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

It’s the second show of the night as Dynamite and Collision are separate shots, likely for the sake of contracts or something. It’s also the last show before All Out and the pay per view needs another push. There was only so much done on Dynamite so hopefully this show features more pay per view build than usual. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Collision officially opened with the end of the Thekla vs. Queen Aminata match from Dynamite, with Thekla winning off a Stomp onto some chairs. A big brawl with the women in the four way title match at All Out, plus the rest of the Triangle Of Madness, followed.

Christopher Daniels gives Top Flight a pep talk before their qualifying match later tonight.

Matriarchy vs. Jet Speed

Tag Team Title qualifying match. Sabian and Knight start things off with Knight hitting a quick dropkick and scaring Sabian into the corner. Bailey comes in for a kick to Killswitch’s leg and a dropkick before some kicks to the face drop the villains. More running kicks stagger Killswitch but Sabian pulls the rope to send Bailey outside. We take a break and come back with Sabian planting Bailey for two.

Bailey isn’t having that and is back up with the bouncing kicks, allowing the tag back to Knight. A double super hurricanrana (as it sounds) brings Killswitch down for two but Sabian is back up with a springboard tornado DDT. Back up and Killswitch chokeslams Bailey but Sabian slaps Killswitch for a tag. That makes Killswitch break up Sabian’s rollup with feet on the ropes and then drops away from a tag attempt. Knight kicks Sabian into the Tornado Kick to give Bailey the pin at 12:02.

Rating: B-. AEW is going to get Jet Speed over through either pure willpower or the fans just accepting them. The team isn’t bad by any means but Bailey continues to be so uninteresting and so non-threatening that it’s hard to take him seriously. Knight is at least better, but the team screams midcard flippy guys and that’s about it. On the other hand you have the Matriarchy and I have no idea what they’re doing or why I’m supposed to care about these losers.

Big Bill is still ready for Eddie Kingston but doesn’t believe it’s happening until Kingston shows up. If Kingston shows up, Bill will prove he’s a fraud.

Earlier today, Bryan Danielson sat down with Darby Allin, who climbed Mt. Everest because he was tired of living someone else’s life. He thought he was going to die up there a few times but he was going to plant the AEW flag on top of the world. Allin talks about his uncle dying in the car they were in when Allin was five and Sting, who he would never let down. Danielson has to promise to not interfere on Saturday. Danielson agrees, but whispers something he wants Allin to do, which Allin agrees to as well. Since when was there a worry that Danielson would get involved?

Riho vs. Robyn Renegade

Mercedes Mone is on commentary. Renegade grinds away on a headlock but Riho sends her outside and hits a big dive. We take a break and come back with Renegade knocking her down in the corner as Mone certainly approves. Riho fights back but misses a double stomp, allowing Riho to snap off a German suplex. The crucifix bomb finishes for Riho at 4:54.

Rating: C+. Riho is another name who pops in every so often, is shoved into a title match, and then vanishes again. I’m sure there are people in the back who are big fans and fair enough, but dang it’s hard to get myself to care about this match with her being out there again. They didn’t have much time here, but it was just a warmup for Riho anyway.

Post match Mone stares at Riho, with Renegade jumping Riho from behind. Mone hits a Backstabber to leave her laying.

Daniel Garcia wants to finish Katsuyori Shibata.

Samoa Joe accepts on Shibata’s behalf.

Don Callis Family vs. Top Flight

The final qualifying match for the All Out Tag Team Title match and Don Callis is on commentary. Hechicero takes Darius down to start but Darius is back up with a rollup for two and a standoff. Dante dives in to drop the Family as everything breaks down. The Family is sent out but Alexander is back with his crossbody to the back as we take a break.

We come back with Darius kicking his way out of trouble and bringing Dante in with the Nose Dive for two on Alexander. Hechicero is back in for an assisted DDT from Alexander and Darius is dropped with an elbow. Dante dives onto Alexander but gets caught with a running hurricanrana driver to give Hechicero the pin at 10:41.

Rating: B. Another fast paced and entertaining match, even as Top Flight continues to go around in circles as they have been for years now. I still see no reason for them to not get some kind of a chance (and no, the injuries don’t explain it away as AEW has pushed all kinds of injury prone stars). Either way, we already have a high flying team in the title match with Jet Speed so the Callis Family is a more unique option here.

Post match the rest of the teams involved in the ladder match run in for a brawl, with Bandido hitting a big dive to take out the pile. Hangman Page runs in to help take out the Don Callis Family but Rocky Romero grabs his leg, allowing Kyle Fletcher to run in and beat him down. Page fights back but gets belted in the face. A brainbuster off the apron and through a table leaves Page laying to end the show. So what was Fletcher’s plan to leave Page laying (as he promised on Dynamite) if Page didn’t run out there?

Overall Rating: B-. Well it did do something more for All Out, but focusing on the Tag Team Titles and TBS Title only offered so much interest. All Out just does not feel important and there isn’t much of a way around it at this point. Hopefully the pay per view winds up working, as this only offered so much extra interest in the show. They did something a bit different with this Collision and while it covered some ground for All Out, there was only so much they could do.

Results
Jet Speed b. Matriarchy – Tornado Kick to Sabian
Riho b. Robyn Renegade – Crucifix bomb
Don Callis Family b. Top Flight – Hurricanrana driver to Dante

 

 

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

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




AEW Collision – August 30, 2025: The ECW Arena Likes It Slow

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:

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




AEW Collision – August 23, 2025: The Rod And Todd Show

Collision
Date: August 23, 2025
Location: OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the night before Forbidden Door and the card is pretty much all set. That means this show is going to be centered around getting everything set up. There is also the chance of adding in some more matches, as that whole Zero Hour has the space for at least three or four matches. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Don Callis Family vs. SkyFlight/Hiromu Takahashi

Don Callis handles his team’s introduction and screws up the Spanish for Hechicero. Takahashi runs the ropes to start and hits a quick dropkick to Alexander. Darius comes in for an assisted DDT to Alexander but Archer cuts off a dive and chokeslams him onto the apron. Back in and Hechicero takes Dante down and Archer fires off a kick to the chest. Romero gets to dance a bit before Hechiero gets to work on the leg. Alexander adds a gutbuster into a gutwrench suplex and we take a break.

We come back with Archer missing a charge into the corner, allowing the tag off to Sky so everything can break down. Everything breaks down and Archer gives Sky a swinging Boss Man Slam. Hechicero kicks Sky into a DDT from Alexander and everything breaks down with Archer getting double suplexed. Romero’s Sliced Bread is countered into a TKO from Sky before Skyflight hits a triple dive. Back in and the Time Bomb finishes Romero at 12:31.

Rating: B-. This was a fun opener and it’s nice to see SkyFlight actually win a match (even if they didn’t get the pin) before they are likely put into the jobbing vortex. If nothing else, it’s nice to see Romero losing the fall for a change instead of Alexander. It’s not like Romero has much else in the way of value in the ring so let him lose the fall here for the good of the team.

Post match Kyle Fletcher comes out for a staredown with Takahashi.

Video on the Forbidden Door four way for the TBS Title, with a look at all four participants.

Hook is coming back.

Megan Bayne vs. Isla Dawn

Penelope Ford is here with Bayne, who runs Dawn over without much trouble to start. Dawn’s waistlock attempt goes nowhere and Bayne snaps off a few slams. A hard clothesline sets up a running boot in the corner but Dawn fires off some kicks to the leg. Dawn’s running knee connects in the corner but Bayne shrugs it off and hits a running powerbomb for the win at 4:44.

Rating: C. Pretty much a squash here with Dawn getting to make a nice appearance. I’m not sure if she’s going to get a run around here, but putting a former WWE star with connections to the live crowd is a smart idea. The same can be said of having Bayne destroy her, as Bayne is on the way to getting somewhere around here, if she can get out of the midcard quagmire.

Post match Willow Nightingale comes out for her match and passes Bayne/Ford on their way to the back.

Willow Nightingale/Queen Aminata vs. Triangle Of Madness

Blue chokes Nightingale on the ropes to start but gets run over with a shoulder. Some corner clotheslines have Hart in trouble but it’s off to Aminata, who gets caught with Old School. Aminata gets in her hips to the face thing and is taken down by the hair as we take a break.

We come back with Nightingale spinebustering Hart for two but a double DDT gives Hart the same. Aminata gives Blue a reverse DDT but misses a top rope double stomp. Everything breaks down and the Triangle get stereo holds, which are broken up rather quickly. Aminata headbutts Blue into the ropes and the running knee gives Aminata the pin at 9:30.

Rating: C+. This was another example of taking a bunch of women with little going on and putting them in a tag match. It’s nice to see Nightingale on the winning side more often than not for a change, though I’m not sure if this is going to lead anywhere. At the same time, the Triangle continues to be off to a hit and miss start, though at least it wasn’t the full version here.

Post match Thekla comes in for the beatdown, with Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford joining the villains. Harley Cameron makes a failed save attempt but Kris Statlander is back for the real thing.

Daniel Garcia is disappointed about not getting the IWGP World Title shot but he’ll be there for his friend, Nigel McGuinness.

Here is Max Caster for another open challenge and the fans are starting to get into him. So get him an opponent out here.

Max Caster vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Non-title and oh dear. Caster is a bit frustrated and Sabre starts working on his arm. A headlock takeover doesn’t work for Caster so he ax handles Sabre in the neck instead. That’s cut off as well and a cobra twist gives Sabre the win at 2:20.

Post match Sabre comes out for a staredown with McGuinness and they shake hands, though McGuinness doesn’t let go immediately. With Sabre gone, Anthony Bowens runs in to beat Caster down, with Billy Gunn having to come out and yell at Bowens.

Harley Cameron is thankful to Kris Statlander for her help but Statlander hasn’t gotten her $100,000. Apparently it was supposed to come out of the Young Bucks’ salary but there are insufficient funds. Cameron is off to get it, but is told next week. The Death Riders come in to glare a lot, with Jon Moxley producing Statlander’s money.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Believe it or not, they trade forearms to start until Takeshita takes him down with a flying clothesline. Back up and Ishii knocks him to the floor but Takeshita gets a hanging DDT from the apron as we take a break. We come back with Ishii hitting a delayed superplex, meaning it’s time to trade more forearms.

Takeshita gives him a knee but gets dropped for the sliding lariat. A Blue Thunder Bomb cuts Ishii off for two but Raging Fire is blocked. Takeshita reverses the brainbuster into the poisonrana, only for Ishii to enziguri him for a double down. An exchange of clotheslines gives Takeshita two and the Raging Fire finishes at 10:33.

Rating: B. Ishii is nowhere near what he used to be but dang this was working. They were beating the fire out of each other here, which is where Takeshita tends to shine. There wasn’t going to be much drama about the winner here before Takeshita won the G1 and now that he’s gotten the biggest win of his career, it was even less likely for Ishii. Heck of a hard hitting match here.

Big Bill vs. Mark Andrews

Bryan Keith is here with Bill, who jumps Andrews in the corner. A big boot sends Andrews to the floor, followed by a swinging Boss Man Slam for the pin at 1:46.

Post match Bill chokeslams him through two open chairs. Bill and Keith go into the crowd but stop to watch the next entrance.

Gates Of Agony vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Ricochet is here with the Gates (whose entrance Bill and Keith were watching) for commentary as Liona sends Drake flying to start. Kaun comes in for a bow but can’t get a suplex, allowing the Veterans to double team him down. A running boot in the corner knocks Liona to the floor but Ricochet offers a distraction so the Gates can take over again.

Drake gets whipped into the barricade and apron over and over and we take a break. We come back with Kaun missing a charge into the post, allowing Gibson to come back in and clean house. A Saito suplex gets two on Kaun and a Michinoku Driver/dropkick combination gets the same. Liona is back in to clear the ring and Open The Gates finishes Gibson at 9:07.

Rating: C+. The Gates continue to be fine in matches like this with no pressure on them, but there is no reason to believe that they’re going to be a big deal anytime soon. They’re good enough as Ricochet’s lackeys, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up for them going after any gold. Well maybe the Trios Titles with Ricochet, though that’s a stretch as well.

Gabe Kidd brings in the Bullet Club Wardogs, who are coming for the Trios Titles at Zero Hour.

Young Bucks vs. Paragon

The Bucks (Rod and Todd) are already in the ring and don’t like their name changes. O’Reilly works on Matt’s arm to start and snaps on the cross armbreaker. That’s blocked so O’Reilly tries an ankle lock, which doesn’t work either. Nick comes in and gets kicked down, with Matt tripping on the way in for the save and hurting his foot by kicking the announcers’ table.

Back up and Matt takes over on O’Reilly, who hands it off to Strong without much trouble. The belly to back faceplant drops Nick, followed by the Bucks colliding for another mistake. Matt kicks O’Reilly down though and the draping 450 hits Strong. The spike Tombstone plants O’Reilly on the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Matt giving O’Reilly a flipping cutter on the floor while Nick superkicks Strong for two. More Bang For Your Buck is broken up and O’Reilly is back up on the apron so Strong can get the needed tag. That means O’Reilly gets to clean house, including a cross armbreaker to Nick.

The Bucks manage to superkick their way out of trouble but O’Reilly catches them with a rebound double clothesline to leave everyone down. Matt suplexes his way out of a guillotine and Strong is sent outside for Nick’s running twist drive. An assisted Sliced Bread gets two on O’Reilly but the TK Driver is broken up. End Of Heartache hits Nick but here is Don Callis for a distraction. Cue Kazuchika Okada to give Strong the Rainmaker and the TK Driver finishes O’Reilly at 15:46.

Rating: B. I’m not sure about the Bucks winning again after their fortunes started to turn bad, though at least they had some help. Paragon continues to look good in defeat, but unfortunately they’re getting rather experienced in that area. They’re basically the upper midcard jobbers of the tag division and that’s only going to have an impact for so long. Good match though, and a solid main event.

Post match the beatdown is on until Swerve Strickland makes the save. The numbers game gets to Strickland though, with Okada taking out his knee. A Rainmaker takes Strickland out to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show was about getting things ready for Forbidden Door and the matches that got some time here did the job well. At the same time, we had some nice action, which is a good way to fill out what is basically a big commercial for the pay per view. Collision continues to be unnecessary in its current form, but it can work well at times, which was the case here.

Results
Skylight/Hiromu Takahashi b. Don Callis Family – Time Bomb to Romero
Megan Bayne b. Isla Dawn – Running powerbomb
Willow Nightingale/Queen Aminata b. Triangle Of Madness – Running knee to Blue
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Max Caster – Cobra Twist
Konosuke Takeshita b. Tomohiro Ishii – Raging Fire
Big Bill b. Mark Andrews – Swinging Boss Man Slam
Gates Of Agony b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Open The Gates to Gibson
Young Bucks b. Paragon – TK Driver 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:

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




Collision – August 16, 2025: The Purchasing Power Of A Swear Jar

Collision
Date: August 16, 2025
Location: Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We are just over a week away from Forbidden Door and in this case we have something to set up a major match on the show. This week is the “Technical Spectacle” as we have a four way for the #1 contendership to the IWGP World Heavyweight Title, which should be a good one. Other than that, the Death Riders are here so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is Toni Storm to get things going. She praises Athena as a history breaking woman but “holy s*** you are annoying.” How many nicknames does someone need? She is the American Joshi, meaning neither country has accepted her and she is the Fallen Goddess, meaning the Good Lord took one look at her and said “holy s*** you are annoying.”

However, if Athena is a goddess, Storm better pray. “Dear fallen goddess Athena, I pray that you will be leaving London on a budget airline with my a** print on your face.” Cue Athena and the brawl is on, with Billie Starkz coming in to beat Storm down. Athena promises to expose Storm as nothing but a bunch of sexual innuendos. She mocks Storm’s pose but here is Mina Shirakawa, which has Athena DIVING onto security for protection in a funny bit. Storm was hilarious here, as she often can be.

Video on Hangman Page vs. MJF.

Jet Speed vs. Death Riders

Marina Shafir is here with the Riders. Jet Speed dives onto them to start fast and some stereo dropkicks have Yuta down as we officially get going. Yuta fights back and brings in Moxley (the fans approve) to send both of them outside. Back in and Yuta’s fisherman’s suplex gets two on Knight, followed by a knee drop for the same. Knight gets two of his own off a rollup and dives over to Bailey to pick up the pace.

Some kicks put Yuta down for a standing moonsault and two more. A crane kick sends Yuta outside and a double dropkick sends Moxley outside with him. Knight gets suplexed on the floor though and we take a break. We come back with Bailey in trouble but armdragging his way out of an Angle Slam. Knight comes back in to strike away and a splash gets two on Yuta. Bailey and Moxley trade forearms (because we trade forearms in AEW) and the other two trade chops until Moxley cutters Bailey for two.

Knight springboards in to take Moxley down and Bailey’s big kick to the head gets two on Yuta. A middle rope hurricanrana into a powerbomb plants Yuta for two more and a superkick into a backslide gets the same with Shafir making a save. Shafir misses a charge into the steps and Yuta knees Moxley by mistake. The tornado kick into the frog splash gets two on Yuta as Shafir had the referee. Moxley Death Riders Bailey on the floor and Yuta’s low blow into a rollup finishes Knight at 16:26.

Rating: B. It was a rather fast paced and wild match, with Jet Speed coming close a few times but ultimately getting caught by the numbers game. The Death Riders should be able to beat a team like Jet Speed as they need some momentum going into the Forbidden Door cage match. Good, fast paced opener here.

Video on tonight’s Technical Spectacle.

Video on the Outrunners, who are trying to get back in touch with “Brother Nature”.

Ricochet vs. Ace Austin

This is Austin’s (former TNA X-Division/Tag Team Champion) debut. The fans point out that unlike Ricochet, Austin has hair. Austin kicks him to the floor to start and does his handstand on the apron, followed by a kick to Ricochet’s chest. Back in and Ricochet breaks up a springboard before standing on the aforementioned hair. A 619 in the corner sets up a springboard clothesline for two on Austin and we take a break.

We come back with Austin getting two off a kick to the face but cue the Gates Of Agony for a distraction. Ricochet hits a superplex into a brainbuster, followed by a standing shooting star press for two. Vertigo is countered into a rollup for two more and Austin crotches him on top. Austin’s big dive takes out all three villains but Ricochet goes to the eyes back inside. The Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 10:24.

Rating: B-. This was a nice debut for Austin, who is a heck of an athlete but might have some issues with being on the smaller side. At the same time, he was fighting 3-1 here so there was only so much he could do in the first place. We’ll have to see where he goes from here, but he did well to start.

The Hurt Syndicate is ready to hut either whichever team comes out of the tournament.

Paragon is ready to get back to the ring, with Roderick Strong wanting revenge on Kyle Fletcher for injuring Adam Cole. Tomohiro Ishii and Hologram seem to approve.

Paragon vs. Lee Johnson/Blake Christian

Paragon strikes away to start and an early snap suplex gets two on Christian. Johnson tries to fight back but a Christian cheap shot actually slows O’Reilly down. Christian’s top rope clothesline gets two but Strong Rock Bottoms him from the apron onto O’Reilly’s knees. Strong comes in to clean house, including a string of running knees. The High/Low finishes Christian at 4:26.

Rating: C+. Pretty much a squash for the Paragon here, who needed a win after some less than great times lately. Christian and Johnson have been a decent team in Ring Of Honor, though things have started to fall apart for them since they announced that they wanted the Tag Team Titles. Such is life in Ring Of Honor, but it might be even worse for them here as they were little more than cannon fodder.

Post match Ishii and Hologram come in to celebrate but Strong leaves (seemingly focused, not out of anger). O’Reilly says he’ll call the other two.

FTR jumps Brody King in the back and they brawl into the arena. King fights back but Stokely Hathaway breaks up a Cannonball. Some powder to the eyes sets up the Shatter Machine. Hathaway, with his arm in a sling, gets a Bandido (not here) mask.

Skyflight issues a challenge to the Don Callis Family for next week. They don’t care if it’s a singles, tag or trios match, with Leila Grey promising to f*** Don Callis up. That’s $5 to the swear jar but they’re off to train.

Julia Hart vs. Kris Statlander vs. Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford

For $100,000 (that could buy a lot of swearing) and thankfully the seconds all leave. They pair off to start with Statlander hitting a basement dropkick to the back for two on Jay. Hart goes Old School for a hurricanrana to Statlander and Ford dropkicks Jay in the back. We take a break and come back with Statlander suplexing Ford out of the corner.

Jay hits a Blockbuster for two and gets two clean a bit of house. Ford is back up with a cutter to Jay and a poisonrana leaves everyone down. Hart and Ford both miss moonsaults and some kicks leave everyone down again. Jay Gory Bombs Hart for two with Ford making the save. Ford and Jay fight to the apron, leaving Statlander to headscissor choke Hart for the win at 9:45.

Rating: B. They went nuts here and it made for another action packed match, which is all you can ask for in this situation. The money stipulation doesn’t mean much as they keep doing these things, but maybe it could move Statlander up towards a title shot. It likely won’t, but at least she gets money which changes…well nothing for her around here really.

Post match the rest of the Triangle Of Madness run in for the beatdown, triggering a bunch of run-ins for beatdowns. Harley Cameron runs in to chase the villains off.

The Don Callis Family is ready for Hiromu Takahashi at Forbidden Door. They’ll see Skyflight on Dynamite too.

Kris Statlander is happy with her win and Harley Cameron runs in to celebrate with her. The Death Riders come in, with Jon Moxley saying “d*** right” and Statlander ignoring Wheeler Yuta. As you should.

Juice Robinson vs. Bryan Keith

Austin Gunn and Big Bill are here too. Robinson headlocks him down to start and armdrags him into a hiptoss. Keith tosses him outside for a crash though and we take a break. We come back with Robinson punching his way out of trouble and getting two off a faceplant. The other two get in a fight on the floor and Robinson’s forward DDT gets the pin at 6:46.

Rating: C. They barely had time to do anything with the break in the middle but at least Robinson got a win. He’s been needing some of those since his return so it was nice to see things going as they should. Both of these teams need something new to do, though there is only so much point in pushing whatever is left of the Bang Bang Gang given how much of the team is gone.

Robinson seems to have banged up his knee.

Anthony Bowens yells at Renee Paquette for asking him about Max Caster. Why is he always hearing that chant when all Caster does is lose???

Daniel Garcia vs. Nigel McGuinness vs. Hechicero vs. Lee Moriarty

For an IWGP World Heavyweight Title shot at Forbidden Door. McGuinness and Moriarty pair off to fight over a top wristlock while the other two do the same. Garcia and McGuinness get the better of things and work on the arms until all four head outside. Hechicero starts in on Garcia’s arm as McGuinness sends Moriarty’s hand into the steps. Back in and Garcia hammers on Hechicero in the corner before they trade small packages for two each.

Moriarty joins them for some rapid fire rollups until McGuinness breaks it up with a stomp. Moriarty loads up a Gory Bomb on Garcia but McGuinness ties up Moriarty’s leg…and Moriarty ankle locks Hechicero at the same time. That’s not something that can last long so they all collapse as we take a break.

We come back with McGuinness hitting the Tower Of London on Hechicero with Moriarty making the save. Garcia rolls McGuinness up for two more and Hechicero chokes McGuinness. Somehow McGuinness gets a leglock on to break the choke but Garcia pulls him into a LeBell Lock while Hechicero cranks on Moriarty’s arm. McGuinness reverses into a leglock on Garcia, which is broken up before Hechicero headscissor drivers Moriarty.

Garcia and McGuinness get stereo holds until McGuinness lets his go to elbow Garcia. The London Dungeon (seated armbar) has Moriarty in trouble but Hechicero grabs a hold on both of them at the same time. Garcia breaks that up and Sharpshooters Hechicero as McGuinness puts Moriarty in the London Dungeon. McGuinness cranks back even harder though and Moriarty taps at 15:33.

Rating: B+. The name was accurate as that was one hold after another with some incredible creativity. McGuinness winning is by far the most interesting way to go as it will be great to see him getting the title shot in his home country. Hechicero looked awesome as usual and I had a blast with this, though the Ring Of Honor champion being the one to tap out is about as appropriate as you can get.

Garcia is rather upset and that doesn’t bode well for McGuiness’ future. McGuinness says the match with Zack Sabre Jr. is a dream match and asks for some applause for Garcia. He even asks for Garcia to be in his corner at Forbidden Door, with Garcia accepting to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Another rather awesome show here, which focused on the in-ring side of things but also set up a bunch of stuff. The main event and post match makes it pretty clear where things are going, along with Roderick Strong being a lot more serious and whatever is going on with the Death Riders and Kris Statlander. I had a really good time with this one and that’s a nice thing to get to say about Collision.

Results
Death Riders b. Jet Speed – Low blow to Knight
Ricochet b. Ace Austin – Spirit Gun
Paragon b. Lee Johnson/Blake Christian – High/Low to Christian
Kris Statlander b. Julia Hart, Penelope Ford and Anna Jay – Headscissor choke to Hart
Juice Robinson b. Bryan Keith – Forward DDT
Nigel McGuinness b. Lee Moriarty, Daniel Garcia and Hechicero – London Dungeon to Moriarty

 

 

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

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




AEW Collision – August 9, 2025: As I’ve Been Saying

Collision
Date: August 9, 2025
Location: Berglund Center, Roanoke, Virginia
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Paul Walter Hauser

Things are picking up a bit on the way to Forbidden Door later this month. The card is getting some matches together but now the question becomes how many additional stars will be brought in from around the world. That’s something that is going to need to be addressed rather soon so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Ishii is a surprise challenger. They trade forearms to start (as Ishii tends to do) and then…well they continue to trade forearms. Ishii’s clothesline sets up a failed brainbuster attempt but Fletcher wants a breather on the floor. Back in and they trade chops, which is quite the difference from trading forearms.

With that not working, Fletcher goes with the tried and true method of kicking Ishii in the face before grabbing the chinlock. Ishii suplexes his way to freedom but Fletcher grabs a powerbomb as we take a break. We come back with Ishii suplexing him again before firing off more chops in the corner. A superplex gives Ishii two and they go to the apron, where Fletcher grabs a brainbuster.

Back in and a top rope elbow gives Fletcher two but Ishii shrugs off a German suplex. Ishii’s German suplex into an enziguri has both of them down for a bit before they trade forearms again. The big lariat gives Ishii two but Fletcher hits some running kicks in the corner. The brainbuster retains the title at 16:45.

Rating: B. It was a hard hitting fight, though you know what you’re going to get with an Ishii match. This pretty much followed his usual trend and that was only going to be so good. Fletcher gets another win though and that’s a good sign for his future, as it’s pretty clear that he’s a big star in the making.

Post match Fletcher calls out the best of New Japan for Forbidden Door. Then everyone will have no choice but to say his full name.

Don Callis is ready to fulfill his destiny at Forbidden Door and wants New Japan to send his best. Then he’ll use his custom New Japan tie to choke them.

Nigel McGuinness is going to be in a four way on Dynamite for a shot against Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door.

Earlier today Ricochet and the Gates Of Agony beat up a bunch of people. Ricochet said give them what they want or this will keep happening.

The Patriarchy is asked about the Conchairto to Christian Cage last week. Cage had said he respected them for standing up to them but now they’re being questioned. Nick Wayne is a shooting star who has been released and now their mission is to end Cage’s career.

Megan Bayne vs. Emily Rose

Total squash with Bayne hitting a middle rope clothesline and a powerbomb out of the corner for the pin at 1:06.

Big Bill and Bryan Keith swear vengeance on Juice Robinson.

Juice Robinson vs. Ricochet

Austin Gunn is here with Robinson. Ricochet bails outside to start before taking Robinson into the corner. Robinson breaks that up and sends him outside again, where Ricochet knocks down the cardboard cutouts. That’s too far for Robinson, who hammers him down inside and drops a backsplash for two.

Ricochet misses a moonsault out of the corner but here is Bryan Keith for a distraction. The Gates Of Agony drop Robinson on the floor and Ricochet adds a dive as we take a break. We come back with Robinson fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a spinebuster. Robinson’s running side kick gets two but the forward DDT is blocked.

Ricochet kicks him down in the corner and hits a slingshot dropkick for two. A springboard clothesline into a Lionsault gets two but the Spirit Gun misses. Robinson’s Downward Spiral gets two, leaving the Gates to beat up Gunn. That’s enough of a distraction for Big Bill to come in for the big boot, setting up the Spirit Gun to pin Robinson at 12:26.

Rating: B-. This was more about the interference than anything else, which should set up a tag match with Robinson and Gunn against Bill/Keith next week. Ricochet and his team are still finding their footing but beating Robinson is a nice enough win. A run at the Trios Titles certainly doesn’t feel out of the question either.

We get a By The Numbers video on Athena vs. Toni Storm.

We look back at Max Caster surviving against Rush last week.

Caster says Rush got a moral victory last week and he doesn’t need AR Fox’s help. Tonight it’s another open challenge so he does some pushups and claps with some nutcrackers.

FTR/Stokely Hathaway vs. Ryan Zukko/Joe Keys/Josh Fuller

Hathaway throws his crutch down to start and Wheeler trades shoulders with Keys to start. Harwood and Zukko come in, with Harwood taking him into the corner. Fuller gets his turn and is knocked down, meaning Hathaway can come in for some slapping. Fuller’s enziguri drops Harwood but Zukko walks into the Shatter Machine. A double spike piledriver lets Hathaway finish Zukko at 3:23.

Rating: C. This was all you would have expected it to be, with Hathaway getting in his basic stuff before FTR did the heavy lifting. I’m not sure what to expect from Copeland vs. Hathaway but odds are it’s going to include some sort of shenanigans. Hathaway barely got to do anything here, but that’s exactly the point, especially him looking so nervous.

Hathaway standing on Zukko to celebrate the win is rather amusing.

Video on Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin.

Hechicero vs. AR Fox

Daniel Garcia is on commentary. Hechicero takes him down by the leg to start and drops a quick elbow on his back. Back up and Fox hits a neckbreaker to send Hechicero outside, setting up some suicide dives. The Swanton hits Hechicero’s raised knees though and he adds a backbreaker as we take a break. We come back with Hechicero knocking him down again but Fox hits an enziguri. A rolling cutter drops Hechicero again but Fox misses his 450. Hechicero grabs a choke for the win at 8:13.

Rating: B-. This was a technical vs. high flying match and that’s a formula that works rather well. Fox has enough credibility to make Hechicero look good, especially with Hechicero on his way to a Ring Of Honor World Title match (which of course is barely, if ever, mentioned around here). Both of these guys are always worth a look though and they did well here.

Video on what seems to be a double turn between Max Caster and Anthony Bowens.

A woman with a bandaged face is watching Harley Cameron get hurt. The woman puts on a mask and, after doing a Jim Carrey impression, turns into Harley Cameron.

Triangle Of Madness vs. Tay Melo/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale

Thekla and Aminata start things off with Aminata doing her always their comedy deal early on. A slap sends Thekla into the corner and it’s off to Melo to kick Hart down. Nightingale fires off the corner clotheslines and then suplexes Hart and Thekla at the same time. A camel clutch has Blue in trouble, with Melo and Aminata coming in to pose next to her as we take a break.

We come back with Nightingale in trouble and going over for the tag…which the referee of course doesn’t see. Nightingale and Thekla knock each other down though and it’s Aminata coming back in to clean house. A swinging neckbreaker gets two on Blue and Melo is back in to kick away in the corner. Melo’s DDT gets two with Thekla making the save, followed by the spider walk. That’s cut off with one heck of a Pounce (the fans approve) but Hart is back in with a kick to the head. An assisted swinging Rock Bottom finishes Melo at 9:28.

Rating: B-. The Triangle is starting to get some chemistry together here and that is great to see. There hasn’t been much in the way of female stables recently so hopefully this one works out. Melo not having Anna Jay there with her is a bit surprising, but at least the fans still care about Nightingale and her Pounce.

Video on Skyflight, who want to fight the Don Callis Family.

FTR and Stokely Hathaway are happy with their win and they’re ready for bigger and better things.

Here is Max Caster for his latest open challenge. Even Caster has to point out that the fans are doing better on their clapping.

Max Caster vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Shibata chops away in the corner to start and kicks away but Caster gets two off a quick rollup. That earns him a bunch of forearms in the corner and we hit the sleeper. The PK finishes for Shibata at 2:08. So last week he survives the time limit and this week he’s nicer to the fans but loses to a face anyway? Interesting choice.

Post match La Faccion Ingobernable comes in for the beatdown but Jet Speed makes the save.

Hangman Page/Jet Speed vs. La Faccion Ingobernable

The fans are VERY happy to see the home state Page. Mortos headlocks Page to start before they flip up to a standoff. Page kicks him in the face and it’s off to Rush for a staredown. The chop it out until Mortos gets in a cheap shot from the apron. Everything breaks down and Page hits his moonsault off the top to take Rush down. Page gets double teamed on the floor and sent back inside, where he’s fine enough to hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Knight comes in to kick Dralistico down so Bailey can get two, only for Bailey to be taken into the corner. That doesn’t last long as he fights out and brings Knight back in to pick up the pace, including a great looking springboard double clothesline to the floor. We take a break (with less than ten minutes left in the show) and come back with Knight dropkicking his way out of trouble and Page coming back in to clean house.

The fall away slam drops Dralistico and a slingshot dive to the floor takes down Mortos. Back in and Page Death Valley Drivers Rush, who suplexes him into the corner. The Bull’s Horns is broken up by Knight and we hit the parade of knockdowns. Dralistico springboards in for a crucifix bomb and a near fall on Page. Dralistico’s springboard is countered into a sitout powerbomb and Bailey moonsaults down onto Mortos. The Buckshot Lariat finishes Dralistico at 14:43.

Rating: B-. Nice main event here, where the whole point was in having Page get a win in front of his local(ish) fans. The people went nuts for his entrance so it was certainly close enough to have the desired result. Page and Jet Speed are kind of an odd combination, but odds are this is just going to be a one off pairing anyway.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty run of the mill Collision here, with good enough action, a few stories moving forward and some promos to hype up the bigger show. It’s still not a show you really need to watch, but there are worse ways to spend a Saturday night. At the same time, it would still be nice if this show felt important even in the slightest, and that’s really not the case most of the time.

Results
Kyle Fletcher b. Tomohiro Ishii – Brainbuster
Megan Bayne b. Emily Rose – Running sitout powerbomb
Ricochet b. Juice Robinson – Spirit Gun
FTR/Stokely Hathaway b. Ryan Zukko/Joe Keys/Josh Fuller – Double spike piledriver to Zukko
Hechicero b. AR Fox – Choke
Triangle Of Madness b. Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale/Tay Melo – Assisted swinging Rock Bottom to Melo
Katsuyori Shibata b. Max Caster – PK
Hangman Page/Jet Speed b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Buckshot Lariat to Dralistico

 

 

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

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




AEW Collision – July 31, 2025: In The Castle Of Pain, Collision Sat On A Throne Of Blood

Collision
Date: July 31, 2025
Location: Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re wrapping up the run in the Ballroom and the shows have been good enough while they’ve lasted. This week is going to include quite the title match, as Dustin Rhodes is defending the TNT Title against Kyle Fletcher in a street fight. That is a big enough match and we should be in for a nice show so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We start fast, with the Death Riders jumping a security guard. Jon Moxley talks about how the team attacked Darby Allin a few months ago and wants him out here right now. Cue Allin the crowd and the team goes after him. More on this later it seems.

We look back at Hangman Page retaining the AEW World Title over Jon Moxley last night on Dynamite.

#1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament First Round: Bandido/Brody King vs. Gates Of Agony

Kaun shoulders Bandido down to start, earning himself a nip up right back. Bandido kicks Kaun into the corner and it’s off to Liona vs. King for the power showdown. They trade running shoulders until King hits a running clothesline to the floor. King drops Kaun as well and then slams Bandido onto him for two. Back up and the Gates clear the ring as we take a quick break.

We come back with Bandido still in trouble but he manages to kick Liona down and tag King. House is quickly cleaned before it’s right back to Bandido for stereo dives to the floor. Back in and a frog splash gives Bandido two on Liona with Kaun making a save. Kaun’s superbomb gets two more on Bandido but King hits a Death Valley Driver to plant Liona on the apron. King isn’t done as he superplexes Kaun and flips Bandido into a 450 for the pin at 12:43.

Rating: B-. This got going and I can go with a makeshift team getting to make a nice run in this kind of tournament. I don’t believe that Bandido and King are going to move on after this, but they looked good against a team like the Gates. They were all working and moving out there, which made for a rather nice opener.

Don Callis, with Lance Archer, is ready for Kyle Fletcher to win the TNT Title tonight. That gives them the power and the titles but Shane Taylor comes in to protest (calling Callis “Vigo The Carpathian looking”). Archer and Taylor are about to brawl but Callis seems to have an idea.

We look back at last night’s MJF/Mark Briscoe argument.

The Paragon is upset by the loss of Adam Cole but give the Conglomeration a pep talk.

The Death Riders are looking for Darby Allin, who jumps Jon Moxley and puts a towel over Moxley’s face.

Kris Statlander vs. Lena Kross

Kross is rather tall but Statlander shoulders her down anyway. Back up and Kross grabs a German suplex but gets electric chaired into a faceplant. Statlander pulls her into an armbar with a headscissors for the tap at 1:26. Well Kross was impressive while she lasted. She just didn’t last very long.

Post match Statlander poses and Willow Nightingale comes out for her match, though they pass without issue.

Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla

The rest of the Triangle Of Madness is here with Thekla. Nightingale grabs a waistlock to start and sends her flying into the corner without much trouble. Thekla spiders away from a clothesline and we have a rather odd faceoff. Nightingale cuts off a spin with a backbreaker and nails a big Pounce to send Thekla out to the floor.

We take a break and come back with Thekla grabbing an Upside Down choke, with the rest of the Triangle approving. Nightingale gets back up and hits a middle rope dropkick, followed by a clothesline on the apron. Back in and Thekla catches her on top, setting up a heck of a spider superplex. Thekla hits a nice dive to the floor but Nightingale is right back up. Julia Hart offers a distraction though and Thekla drops Nightingale with a spear. The running stomp finishes for Thekla 11:15.

Rating: C+. This match was designed to keep the feud going for at least another match, with Nightingale getting distracted by the numbers game. That’s going to result in her needing some friends to help fight the Madness and we should be in for something decent as a result. If nothing else, at least Thekla won something, which she has been needing to do more often.

Post match the Triangle beats Nightingale down, with Penelope Ford joining in on the fun. Megan Bayne loads up a powerbomb but Queen Aminata (with a chair) leads Tay Melo and Anna Jay out for the save.

Billy Gunn isn’t sure what happened with Anthony Bowens last week when Bowens interrupts. Bowens says Gunn hasn’t contacted him since last week and yells a lot, with Gunn saying he doesn’t know who Bowens is anymore.

Swerve Strickland is happy with taking everything away from the Young Bucks. The Bucks are still trying to abuse the power they have though and Strickland isn’t going to let that happen. He’s going to be there to stop Kazuchika Okada too.

Don Callis and Okada don’t think much of Strickland, or Prince Nana for that matter. Okada is willing to face Strickland at Forbidden Door and the match is set.

#1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament Semifinals: FTR vs. Bang Bang Gang

Schiavone is impressive, as he has moved from calling this the first of four semifinals earlier in the night to the final semifinal here. Wilder and Robinson start things off before quickly going over for the double tag. Harwood grabs a headlock on Gunn and then shoulders him down for a bonus. Robinson comes back in to send Harwood into the corner but Harwood is fine enough to hit an elbow to Gunn’s face. Everything breaks down and FTR is double clotheslined to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Wheeler missing a Bronco Buster but Harwood grabs an abdominal stretch on Gunn. That’s broken up and Gunn gets over for the tag, which the referee doesn’t see so the beating continues. A Hart Attack gets two on Gunn and he’s sent outside, where Wheeler misses a dive into the barricade. Back in and it’s off to Robinson to clean house.

Stokely Hathaway tries to help on a rollup but the referee breaks it up, allowing Robinson to get two off a sunset flip. A PowerPlex gets the same on Harwood, with Wheeler making the save. Robinson’s spinning Downward Spiral gets a very close two on Harwood and he knocks Wheeler into the Fameasser. Hathaway distracts Robinson though and Wheeler sends him into the steps. Back in and Wheeler gets a cheap shot, allowing Harwood to roll Gunn up for the pin at 15:23.

Rating: B. It shouldn’t be a surprise that FTR and the Gang had a good match, as they had a great one a year or two ago. They work well together and that was the case again here, even with the roles reversed. FTR has felt destined to make the finals and now they have, which shouldn’t be stunning, but I’m not sure how it’s going to go in the finals. Either way, pretty awesome stuff here, which is no shock at all.

We get a Technique By Taz video on Athena’s O Face. Good stuff, as usual.

Athena brags about pinning Toni Storm last night and now she is ready to sign the contract for Forbidden Door. Works for me.

Here is Max Caster for his latest open challenge, plus an insult at Anthony Bowens (who is apparently a boring, bland b****).

Max Caster vs. Rush

Caster gets smart and runs to the floor, with the chase burning off the first minute. Some laps around the ring take off even more time but Rush goes outside to drop Caster. Rush sends him into the barricade and pounds Caster down, only for Caster to come back with a slingshot dive. Back in and Rush gives him the cocky running boot in the corner as we have less than a minute to go. Another toss sends Caster into the corner and Rush chokes away but spends too long posing as time expires at 5:00.

Rating: C. This was more of an angle than a match and I’m actually digging the idea of Caster turning after all of those losses. He’s almost goofily sympathetic and that could make for a nice run. If nothing else, the pre-match promo should mean we’re on the way to something else with Bowens, and that could be fun.

Post match Rush gives him the Bull’s Horns so the rest of LFI runs in for the beatdown. Jet Speed and AR Fox make the save. Caster is laid out but raises a fist from the mat.

Mercedes Mone has won a women’s title in Poland. She’ll be back next week.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Skyflight

Sky knees away at Taylor to start but gets powered into the corner for his efforts. It’s quickly off to Bravo, who gets elbowed down by Top Flight. Dean trips Darius down though and Taylor drops a leg on the apron as we take a break. We come back with Dante cleaning house, including a high crossbody for two. Dante has to roll away from some double teaming and it’s back to Sky. Things pick up again and a quick TKO finishes Bravo at 6:54.

Rating: C+. I’ve always liked Sky and Top Flight so this is a pleasant surprise. It’s not like there are teams beating the door down to come after the Opps, or possibly even the Sons Of Texas in Ring Of Honor. At the same time, Taylor and company losing again is almost funny, as it’s become a running joke at this point.

Darby Allin tries to dump Jon Moxley out of a fire escape but security does their job to break it up.

TNT Title: Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher is challenging in a street fight. They go outside rather quickly and Rhodes knocks a kendo stick away, only to get DDTed onto the steps. It’s time for a table as Rhodes is already busted open. Fletcher misses a dive and crashes through the table, allowing Rhodes to grab another table. Before we get there though, it’s the cowbell to the head for two but Fletcher sends him through the table at ringside.

We take a break and come back with Fletcher busted open as well and using the cowbell to hammer on Rhodes’ knee. Rhodes fights up and hits Cross Rhodes before unloading with a chair to the back. Fletcher superkicks said chair into Rhodes’ face, setting up a jumping Tombstone onto an open chair for two. A third table is set up but Rhodes catches him on top with a super Canadian Destroyer. It’s time for a glove loaded up with thumbtacks, meaning the Claw can go on.

Fletcher breaks that up and brings in the bag of thumbtacks (of course), only to get powerslammed onto them for two. Rhodes pours the tacks into Fletcher’s trunks for Shattered Dreams but Don Callis slips Fletcher the screwdriver. Fletcher stabs the screwdriver into Rhodes’ knee (it sticks) but the doctor gets it out. A brainbuster is countered into a small package to give Rhodes two, followed by the brainbuster onto the tacks to give Fletcher the title at 16:42.

Rating: B. They beat each other up and it’s rather nice to see Rhodes lose the title so soon. Fletcher winning the title is what should have happened and hopefully this lets them give Rhodes his big moment and start to wrap up his time as a focal point. It made for a big time feel to the main event, and at least Rhodes didn’t hold the title very long.

Post match Fletcher smashes a chair over Rhodes’ knee against the post, leaving Rhodes to be taken out on a stretcher. If this is how they get both ROH titles off of him….honestly I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.

Overall Rating: B. The two rather good matches carried this one and they did at least set up some matches for Forbidden Door. I’m more interested in the pay per view than I was coming in and that’s a sign of a good show. This needs to be the first of more than a few focused on Forbidden Door though, as the show is needing a lot more work.

Results
Bandido/Brody King b. Gates Of Agony – Assisted 450 to Kaun
Kris Statlander b. Lena Kross – Headscissors armbar
Thekla b. Willow Nightingale – Spear
FTR b. Bang Bang Gang – Rollup to Gunn
Skyflight b. Shane Taylor Promotions – TKO to Bravo
Kyle Fletcher b. Dustin Rhodes – Brainbuster onto thumbtacks

 

 

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

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