Dynamite
Date: September 9, 2026
Location: Akins Ford Arena, Athens, Georgia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

So this is a special show called Rebel Heart, with a focus on Rebel, the AEW performer who was diagnosed with ALS earlier this year. That could make for a rather special show, but we also have the recent passing of the Butcher Andy Williams, who tragically passed away last week. This could be a heavy show and we’re also less than three weeks away from All Out. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

In memory of Andy Williams.

Commentary is a bit more subdued this week, which is rather appropriate. They run down the card as usual.

And now, we have the return of the Waiting Room, with Rebel welcoming the dancing Britt Baker. That means a rather nice moment as Baker tells “Reba” how much of an inspiration she is but now let’s bring in Persephone. She is rather pleased with saving the TBS Title and isn’t happy with Maya World. Baker brings in Hikaru Shida, who is teaming with the two of them in a six woman tag tonight. The three of them leave, with Rebel saying Baker forgot her glove. Rebel getting to be in this segment was outstanding and rather emotional.

Trios Titles: Conglomeration vs. Swerve Strickland/New Level

Strickland and the New Level, with Prince Nana, are defending. Kofi and Cassidy start things off and they trade legsweeps, though Cassidy just walks away from Kofi’s attempt in a funny bit. O’Reilly and Creed come in with Creed actually winning a strike off so Strong runs inside to clean house.

Kofi gets taken into the wrong corner and we take a break. We come back with Creed fighting out of trouble but getting struck back down by O’Reilly. A suplex doesn’t work though and it’s off to Kofi to clean house. It’s back to Strickland, who holds Strong up for an apron double stomp from Kofi to the floor. Back in and a top rope splash to the back and Creed’s top rope elbow combine for two on Strong.

Cassidy gives Strickland a Stundog Millionaire but O’Reilly gets caught in a Fameasser/wheelbarrow combination to put him down as well. Cassidy is back up with his hands in his pockets to kick away at Strickland, followed by a double DDT to New Level. Creed is sent into the barricade but Kofi is up with the big dive to the floor. Back in and the Day Break to Cassidy retains the titles at 15:03.

Rating: B. And we have a party match as the titles are successfully defended again. Strickland and New Level are working together well enough so far, though they’ve only been doing this for a few weeks yet. If nothing else, New Level can be fine as a regular tag team if that’s where they need to go. Rather energized opener here.

Post match respect is shown but the Demand, with the Swirl, comes out to say that Toa Liona’s shoulder wasn’t down for the three count. The brawl is teased but Hangman Page/Brodido run in for the save. The villains leave and Page/Brodido have a staredown with the champs but peace holds.

Darby Allin and Steven Borden are ready for their debut tonight, with Borden talking about wanting to get out of his father’s shadow. Tonight he wants to run right at what scares him the most and that is why he wants to team with Allin.

Commentary praises Andy Williams, with Excalibur breaking down. That was a rough one as 48 is an insane age to lose anyone. Apparently he’s getting a bigger tribute on Collision.

The Don Callis Family are ready for their tag matches tonight. Kazuchika comes in for a staredown with Kyle Fletcher but the mics seem to have been turned off.

Hyan/Maya World/Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker/Persephone/Hikaru Shida

Baker runs away from Rosa to start and it’s off to Persephone, who hammers away in the corner. World comes in for a basement dropkick and a leg lariat gives Hyan a fast two. That’s cut off with a powerslam so Shida comes in, where she is quickly dropped into the corner. Baker offers a distraction though and Shida gets in a kick to the head as we take a break.

We come back with World getting elbowed in the corner but flipping away for the tag off to Rosa. The running dropkicks in the corner hit Persephone and Shida, who almost take each other out. Hyan crossbodies both of them but Baker’s fisherman’s neckbreakers her down. Rosa comes back in to chase Baker off, only to run into Persephone’s spear on the floor. Cue Rebel in a wheelchair to give Baker her glove, meaning Lockjaw can finish Hyan at 10:24.

Rating: B-. The ending was the big important part here and that’s the best thing imaginable. Rebel got to go out there and get the spotlight one more time. The period with Baker was the highlight of Rebel’s career and she got to relive it on her special night. The rest of the match should keep the TBS Title picture going but we can worry about that later.

Baker gets a ride to the back with Rebel, dubbed the Roll Model.

We get a video on Rebel’s time in AEW, with Rebel and various people talking about the seriousness of ALS and the importance of funding for research and treatment. This includes various AEW names taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. If you have an issue with any of this being on the show, go outside and play in the traffic.

Video on Andrade El Idolo.

National Title: Andrade El Idolo vs. The Beast Mortos

Andrade is defending and avoids a cheap shot to start, meaning it’s an anklescissors to take Mortos down early. That means Andrade can get his picture out of the way early on but Mortos uses the distraction to get in a backbreaker. Mortos gets in a dive and Andrade is in trouble as we take a break.

We come back with Andrade nipping up and taking off his pants, with the latter drawing quite the reaction. Mortos cuts off the running knees with a pop up Samoan drop and a gutbuster for two. A pop up electric chair drop of all things is countered into a rollup to give Andrade two of his own. Back up and the Dia de los Muertos sets up the DM to retain the title at 7:19.

Rating: C+. That was rather quick with the break eating up a lot of the time. I’m thinking that electric chair deal didn’t go as planned, as they went home almost immediately. Either way, this was Andrade getting out there to keep his momentum going as he waits for the big challenger to come up. And it wasn’t even an open challenge!

Post match Andrade hits the catchphrase but the Dogs run in for the beatdown. Will Ospreay (facing David Finlay tonight) runs in for the save. Andrade and Ospreay clear the ring but here are Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir to interrupt.

Will Ospreay vs. David Finlay

Non-title. Andrade gets rid of the Dogs as Moxley sits in on commentary. Finlay hits a running elbow in the corner and sends Ospreay flying, only for Ospreay to come back with some right hands. They switch places and Finlay hammers away as well but gets sent outside. Ospreay scores with a dive and we take a break.

We come back with Ospreay fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a top rope forearm. Ospreay’s handspring kick to the head and some Kawada kicks wake Finlay up for some reason and he grabs a Rock Bottom backbreaker for two. A pop up powerbomb gives Ospreay two and Finlay rolls to the apron before the Hidden Blade can become unhidden. An Oscutter gives Ospreay two and it’s a Stundog Millionaire into a Styles Clash to pin Finlay at 10:32.

Rating: B-. You don’t see Ospreay getting to have that kind of a match and it was nice to get this kind of thing out there on occasion. Ospreay got in some of his big moves and won in the end, all with Moxley out there to scout him. I’m sure we’ll get more on this tonight, as they only have so much time before the title match.

Hangman Page and Brodido agree that they’re still a trio, even if this wasn’t what Page had in mind when he came back.

Darby Allin/Steven Borden vs. Don Callis Family

Borden and Davis start things off with Davis grabbing a running armdrag. Allin comes in and helps catch Davis between some forearms. That earns Allin a backsplash and we take a break. We come back with Davis holding Allin in a Texas Cloverleaf, with Allin breaking out rather quickly. Davis isn’t about to let the tag go through though and it’s Alexander coming in for a slam.

Allin gets in a knockdown but Davis sends Borden into the barricade to cut the tag off again. A belly to back suplex is broken up though and NOW the tag brings Borden in to clean house. Borden gets in the big jumping elbow but Davis breaks up a superplex attempt. Instead it’s a torture rack bomb to send Borden crashing again with Allin having to make the save. That means a Scorpion Death Drop/Coffin Drop combination can finish 11:51.

Rating: B-. The point here was to get Borden in the ring for his first televised match and it makes all the sense in the world to have it be with Allin. I’m not sure if he’s ready to be a full time AEW star but at some point you have to get in the ring for some time and that’s what he’s been doing for months now. Borden definitely has a long way to go and he’s still very green, but he has the athleticism to get him through a lot of his issues. Now just get some more ring time and develop, as he seems to understand.

Video on the not-TLC TLC match at All Out.

Here is Thekla to mock Mercedes Mone’s comments about making moments last week. She was playing guitar in a bar in Vienna when she saw some wrestling and knew she could do it better than anyone. Mone pops up in the crowd to suggest that the title dangling between her legs is something rather large. They both mock Willow Nightingale, who runs in to chase Thekla off. The Sisters Of Sin pop up and it’s a big staredown. The only thing I learned from this: Mone isn’t a great talker, which is hardly new information.

The Death Riders yell at Jon Moxley for trusting Will Ospreay but here is Ospreay to say he’s not surprised. He owes Moxley for training him to help win that title and that makes Moxley the #1 contender. The match will NOT be under Continental Rules and Ospreay is coming in with a plan. They’ll be ready for each other in Chicago. Pac isn’t convinced and Moxley is rather annoyed.

Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family

Tables match and both members have to be put through a table with an offensive maneuver for the win. The Bucks run in and the fight is on fast with the Family being cleared out to the floor. Back in and a sunset flip/German suplex combination puts Fletcher down but he’s back up to pull Knight off the table. The table is set up in the corner but the Family breaks up a double northern lights suplex.

Instead they’re sent outside, where Matt’s running flip dive is pulled out of the air for a double powerbomb onto the apron. Nick gets dropkicked and Knight hits a big dive to drop both Bucks and we take a break. We come back with Matt hitting a Sliced Bread off the table in the corner, plus a DDT. Fletcher gets faceplanted and the top rope double stomp flips him into a powerbomb onto the table.

The Meltzer Driver onto the apron is broken up with a super hurricanrana as the fans want tables. The tables are already in play so do they just want the show to end? Back up and they slug it out, with the Bucks giving Fletcher the BTE Trigger. A superkick into a powerbomb off the apron puts Knight through a table but Matt gets backdropped through a table of his own. Nick uses a table for a running Canadian Destroyer to Fletcher before superkicking him onto the table. Cue FTR for a distraction, allowing Fletcher to hit a brainbuster through the table for the win at 15:13.

Rating: B. FTR interfering to cost the Bucks in the end made perfect sense as they have the title match coming up in a few weeks. Fletcher and Knight are definitely some of the bigger names in the Family so the result is hardly some ridiculous choice. I’m assuming we’ll be seeing a chairs match and a ladder match in the near future, which is quite the way to set up a title match.

Post match FTR and Knight go after the Bucks but Steven Borden and Darby Allin run in for the save. The Bucks shake Borden and Allin’s hands to end the show. I was expecting Adam Copeland and Christian Cage here so that was kind of a surprise finish.

Overall Rating: B. I know I have a reputation of complaining about AEW a lot, but I can’t bring myself to do it with this show. This week was about paying tribute to Rebel and saying goodbye to the Butcher (with more to come). That stuff was incredibly emotional and that’s more than enough to make this show special. We got enough of a build towards the two big All Out matches but that was just a bonus. AEW did a good job here and it felt like a different kind of show here, as it should have been.

Results
Swerve Strickland/New Level b. Conglomeration – Day Break to Cassidy
Britt Baker/Persephone/Hikaru Shida b. Hyan/Maya World/Thunder Rosa – Lockjaw to Hyan
Andrade El Idolo b. The Beast Mortos – DM
Will Ospreay b. David Finlay – Styles Clash
Steven Borden/Darby Allin b. Don Callis Family – Coffin Drop/Scorpion Death Drop combination to Davis
Don Callis Family b. Young Bucks – Brainbuster to Nick through a table

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
Date: September 5, 2026
Location: Credit Union Of Texas Event Center, Allen, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Walker Stewart

We’re rapidly on the road to All Out and the main event is already set, even if it seemed to be a surprise to the participants. New AEW World Champion Will Ospreay is set to defend against Jon Moxley, who helped train him to win the title. Throw in the (unofficial) TLC for the Tag Team Titles and we’re mostly set. Let’s get to it.

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

Don Callis Family vs. Young Bucks

The Family jumps them from behind to start and sends them outside. Back in and Doyle chokes Matt in the corner but Matt slips through the legs and dives over for the tag to Nick. Everything quickly breaks down and a double dropkick has the villains on the apron for the running flip dive. Cage is fine enough to grab an apron superplex and Matt is knocked down as we take an early break.

We come back with Nick being pulled out of the air but coming out with a Canadian Destroyer. Matt comes back in and everything breaks down again, with a Swanton and top rope elbow combining for a double near fall. The Bucks fire off the superkicks until Cage counters the Meltzer Driver into the F5. Cage and Doyle are sent into each other though and the BTE Trigger finishes Doyle at 11:51.

Rating: B-. This was the usual match from the Bucks and any members of the Family. You could pretty much guess what this was going to be from the second the teams were announced and shockingly enough, the match was completely acceptable. The Bucks weren’t going to lose to the random Family members at any time, especially after the All Out match was announced but it worked for a Collision opener.

Video on Thekla coming after Mercedes Mone, though Willow Nightingale isn’t happy.

Hangman Page/Brodido vs. Braddah Kaimi/LVJ/Vin Parker

Parker chops King to start and…yeah it goes as well as you would expect. The non-stars are stacked up in the corner for a running Cannonball. The Deadeye into King’s big lariat into Bandido’s frog splash finishes Parker at 1:43.

The Bang Bang Gang doesn’t think much of Swerve Strickland and New Level but they’re ready for the Don Callis Family tonight.

The Brawling Birds aren’t done with Megan Bayne/Lena Kross so let’s do it again in a street fight at All Out.

Nick Wayne vs. Komander

Wayne backs him into the corner to start and hits the pose but Komander flips over him without much trouble. Komander sends him outside without much trouble and then does it again with a headscissors. Wayne pulls him down by the mask though and grabs a suplex into the corner as we take a break.

We come back with Komander fighting out of a chinlock but getting forearmed in the back. Komander gets up for a springboard Canadian Destroyer but Cielito Lindo hits raised knees. Wayne’s World is broken up as well so Komander goes up, only to dive into a cutter. The ProdigyPlex finishes Komander at 10:29.

Rating: B-. Wayne certainly seems to be getting more of a push in recent weeks and that’s not the worst thing. If nothing else, having him rack up some wins is better than having him just randomly get a title shot in Ring Of Honor. Let him show what he can do and why we should be impressed. That was what we saw here as Wayne looked good.

Post match Chris Jericho comes in to give Wayne a Judas Effect.

The Conglomeration (minus Roderick Strong) wants some more gold and Konosuke Takeshita seems to have similar goals.

TBS Title: Vertvixen vs. Persephone

Persephone, with Britt Baker (on commentary), is defending and fires off some knees to the ribs to start. Vertvixen gets in a trip for a quick near fall but gets caught in a fall away slam to send us to a break. We come back with Vertvixen fighting out of a rear naked choke and kicking her in the head. Back up and Persephone rolls into a basement dropkick to put Vertvixen down, setting up the Razor’s Edge to retain the title at 7:23.

Rating: C. This was just a way to get Persephone in the ring shortly after winning the title, with Baker being there to sing her praises. Vertvixen is little more than one of the bigger named jobbers and she’s good in the role, but there wasn’t much to be seen here. Persephone and Baker are an interesting combination and I could go for seeing where it goes, but we’re still really early in their story.

Post match the double beatdown is on but Maya World and Thunder Rosa make the save.

We recap Andrade El Idolo and Gabe Kidd’s rivalry in New Japan.

The Swirl vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Shelley and Johnson trade wristlocks to start and it’s off to Christian, who gets chopped into the corner. Sabin snaps off an armdrag into an armbar and everything breaks down, with the Guns taking over again. Sabin’s suicide dive takes both of them down and we take a break. We come back with Shelley making a diving tag to Sabin so house can be cleaned again.

Shelley works on Christian’s arm but Christian takes over, setting up an assisted top rope splash for two. Everything breaks down again and Sabin cutters Christian, setting up the Dream Sequence. The Dirt Bomb (kind of a double Death Valley Driver) finishes Johnson at 12:28.

Rating: B. The Swirl is a good pair of hands and it’s nice to see them being used in the right way. The point here was to establish the Guns in AEW and while the fans know them, we have to see what they can do. They beat a team who is established enough and looked good doing it. That’s a perfectly fine way to start and as usual, the Guns did their part.

Jack Perry still wants the World Title and will face the best to become the best.

The Demand wants the Trios Titles.

National Title: Gabe Kidd vs. Andrade El Idolo

Andrade is defending and Kidd jumps him from behind to start, setting up a brainbuster for two. They go outside with Kidd going for some toys but getting sent into the barricade. Back in and Andrade grabs Three Amigos and they head outside again, with Kidd going into the steps. That lets Andrade take off his pants but his frog splash hits knees as we take a break.

We come back with Andrade taking his usual picture and busting out the double moonsault for two. The running knees in the corner miss though and Kidd gets in a sitout powerbomb for two of his own. Andrade sends him into the corner again and now the running knees connect. Kidd slugs away until he charges into Dia de los Muertos for two and, since that’s a secondary finisher, Andrade grabs the DM for the pin seconds later at 11:44.

Rating: C+. I still do not see the appeal in Kidd most of the time and this was a match where the story was “well they’ve feuded in Japan”. Somehow that’s more than you get for a lot of title defenses around this show, and it’s fine for Andrade to get a title defense. I’m not sure why he needs to be the National Champion if he has the version of the Money In The Bank but Andrade is hot right now and the fans like him enough.

Post match Andrade talks about how he’s hoping to become the best National Champion of all time. Given that he’s the fourth champion, the title hasn’t been around for a year yet and he is already over a third of the way to the longest reign ever, that shouldn’t be hard. Anyway he’s going to defend the title every week.

Tommaso Ciampa wants some new gold.

Isla Dawn vs. Athena

Non-title Proving Ground match. Dawn gets kicked out to the floor to start and it’s time to trade forearms, with Athena getting the better of things. That means Athena can send her into the barricade but gets small packaged for two back inside. Dawn’s running knee gets two but Athena is back up with some rolling German suplexes. The O Face finishes for Athena at 5:00.

Rating: C. If you’ve been watching Ring Of Honor for any time in the last few years, this was nothing new for you. Athena has run through so many people that there are very few wrestlers left who can reasonably challenge her for the title. Dawn was little more than a human for Athena to beat here, in what will probably be another one off AEW match before she goes back to doing the same thing on Ring Of Honor for whatever reason.

Bang Bang Gang vs. Don Callis Family

That would be Ace Austin/Juice Robinson vs. Kevin Knight/Kyle Fletcher in this case. Austin and Fletcher start things off with Austin taking over with an armbar. Knight tags himself in and walks into a clothesline, allowing Robinson to hit a splash for two. Fletcher comes in for a save and Knight isn’t happy, meaning it’s time for an argument as we take a break.

We come back with Austin getting the tag to Robinson to clean house. The big jabs set up a DDT on Fletcher and Robinson dives on Knight on the floor. A running faceplant gives Austin two and he kicks Fletcher in the face. Fletcher hits a quick Michinoku Driver for two more but Austin has to go after Knight, allowing Fletcher to catch him with a superkick. Fletcher hits his brainbuster and Knight tags himself in to hit the UFO Splash for the pin at 12:15.

Rating: B-. Yeah of course this is how it went. I’m sure this was just thee way to set up this version of the Family to go after a bigger team, because if there is one thing AEW loves, it’s more of the Don Callis Family. And of course Austin looks like a star and then loses, which is the case way too often with him.

Post match The Family vs. the Young Bucks in a tables match is set for Dynamite. There it is.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a very typical Collision, as it was absolutely an acceptable wrestling show. The matches were good, there was some star power involved and it set up some things for Dynamite. At the same time, nothing on here felt overly important. It was a bunch of matches with people being thrown out there with little reason other than to get them on a show. It comes off like a cross between Dark and Ring Of Honor, albeit with some bigger names. I understand that you don’t want to burn stuff off on a Saturday night when fewer people are watching, but adding something of value to this show would be great.

Results
Young Bucks b. Don Callis Family – BTE Trigger to Doyle
Hangman Page/Brodido b. Braddah Kaimi/LVJ/Vin Parker – Frog splash to Parker
Nick Wayne b. Komander – ProdigyPlex
Persephone b. Vertvixen – Razor’s Edge
Motor City Machine Guns b. The Swirl – Dirt Bomb to Johnson
Andrade El Idolo b. Gabe Kidd – DM
Athena b. Isla Dawn – O Face
Don Callis Family b. Bang Bang Gang – UFO Splash to Austin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Austin Aries (MLW) vs. Esfinge (CMLL)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bandido (ROH) vs. Barbaro Cavernario (CMLL)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dynamite
Date: July 1, 2026
Location: Viejas Arena, San Diego, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with Forbidden Door (thank goodness) and it’s time to get ready for Redemption, the pit stop in July, on the way to London for All In. Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone are in line for title shots, but first up is Mark Briscoe challenging MJF for the World Title tonight. Let’s get to it.

Here is Forbidden Door if you need a recap.

We get a clip from after Forbidden Door with Will Ospreay being rather happy with his win. Ospreay then ran into Jon Moxley and asked what Moxley meant about seeing something in him. If Moxley could explain it in words, he would explain it to anyone. This place could be something special but if Ospreay wants the Death Riders’ patch, he has to ride with them

Ospreay went on to see Kenny Omega, who praised him for his win but not being wild on the Death Riders tease. MJF came in to mock them both, with Omega threatening to come after the title and MJF not really caring. With MJF gone, Omega seemed to suggest that everything was fine with Ospreay.

AEW World Title: Mark Briscoe vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF is defending and insists on being announced from the Best Coast, the east coast. Briscoe knocks him down to start but MJF is right back up to rip the bandage off of Briscoe’s head. MJF bites at the cut but Briscoe flips out of a backdrop, meaning it’s time for Red Neck Kung Fu.

Briscoe gets crotched on top but knocks MJF down, with the Froggy Bow getting two. Another shot sends MJF outside for the dive, followed by the chair step up flip dive for a bonus. The table is set up on the floor but Briscoe takes too long and knocks him off the top. That lets him return the table under the ring and we take a break. We come back with Briscoe winning a slugout and knocking him out to the floor, with Briscoe pulling the pads back.

MJF is able to backdrop him onto the concrete but can’t hit a Tombstone, instead getting slammed on the concrete. The Bang Bang Elbow on the floor and a Cutthroat Driver connect for two back inside, allowing Briscoe to set up the table again. Once again it takes too long but once again Briscoe cuts MJF and gives him a Blockbuster on the floor.

The Froggy Bow puts MJF through the table for two, as the foot on the rope saves the title. MJF goes to the eye but gets clotheslined for a double down. Another Froggy Bow connects and the Jay Driller gets a rather near fall. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Briscoe so he tries another Jay Driller, which is countered into an Alabama Slam. The Heatseeker retains the title at 18:23.

Rating: B. Well, that was quite the use of Briscoe’s title shot after building it up for a good while. I was expecting this to be at Beach Break but I guess they want to clear the way for Ospreay for the next month and a half. The match wasn’t an instant classic but it was physical and hard hitting, with Briscoe being so easy to cheer for to make it better.

Post match MJF loads up the Diamond Ring and knocks him silly. He loads up another shot but Kenny Omega runs in for the save. Omega wants a title shot tonight but MJF shoots that down, saying he’s beaten Omega before. MJF will face Omega next week, but if MJF wins, Omega can never challenge for the World Title again (note that MJF did not say Omega had to win the title). Omega has until the end of the night to decide.

Post break, MJF promises that payback is coming for Andrade El Idolo. With that out of the way, he lists off all of the names he has beaten, including Cody Rhodes, with Kenny Omega being 0-2 against him. He knows Omega won’t agree because MJF is gutless. Will Ospreay comes in to ask why the stipulation, with MJF saying it’s because he’s the champion. MJF will see Ospreay at Wembley.

He is Andrade El Idolo for a chat. He is done with the Don Callis Family and wants the World Back Title. How you know? Cue the Family to jump him from behind and the big beatdown is on. Don Callis wants Andrade out of here for Kevin Knight’s match.

Mercedes Mone brags about winning the Women’s Owen Hart Cup because she is the conversation no matter where she was going.

TNT Title: Kevin Knight vs. Lio Rush

Only Knight is defending. Rush scares him to start and throws Knight a backpack, containing…a black version of the ROH TV Title. Knight is freaked out so Rush sends him into the ropes, with Knight bailing to the floor. Rush does his run around the ring for the suicide dive and we take a break.

We come back with Knight hitting a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker but banging up his knee on a springboard attempt. Rush grabs a weird choke (as in Rush looks like he’s trying a cutter but just holds on when they’re on the mat) until Jake Doyle pulls Knight outside. Back in and Knight hits a sitout spinebuster, followed by a Rock Bottom to retain at 8:45.

Rating: B-. The match was fine, but did they really need to have Rush lose here? Rush is A, on fire with his new gimmick and B, a champion in ROH. Bandido and Athena have already lost recently and it would be nice for the ROH champions to be something other than jobbers to the main roster stars. I get that they’re beneath the AEW stars, but there are so many people in AEW/ROH who aren’t champions who could lose just as well.

Post match Darby Allin comes out to say he wants the TNT Title shot or the same things are going to keep happening to Knight. That has Knight ready to agree but Callis cuts him off because Allin was a criminal at Forbidden Door. Allin says that’s Knight digging his own grave.

We look at Chris Jericho beating up JD Drake and mocking Tommaso Ciampa.

Ciampa calls Jericho a bully but Jericho jumps him from behind. They go outside, where Ciampa rolls a shopping cart at him and then tries to stab Jericho in the head with a drill. Security tries to break it up but Jericho dives out of a truck to take out both Ciampa and some guards. The drill was dumb but I want to see these two fight.

Kenny Omega talks to the Young Bucks about the stipulation but Omega hasn’t made a decision just yet. He didn’t like what he had to do to win the title in the first place and wants to do it on his own. The Bucks have his back no matter what but Omega still hasn’t decided.

Will Ospreay/Jon Moxley vs. The Swirl

The Swirl jumps Moxley to start fast and seem to hurt his knee. Moxley fights back like he’s Jon Moxley and they’re the Swirl, allowing him to roll over for the tag to Ospreay. A running hurricanrana sends Christian outside and there’s the running flip dive to take the Swirl out again.

We take a break and come back with the Swirl’s Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination getting two on Moxley. Marina Shafir beats up Jay Lethal on the floor and Moxley makes the comeback, allowing Ospreay to come back in. Johnson gets beaten up in the corner and Christian springboards into a cutter. The Paradigm Shift into the Hidden Blade finishes Johnson at 9:15.

Rating: C+. On one hand, I get the idea of Ospreay and Moxley as the unlikely super team, but at the same time, I’m still not sure why they’re together in the first place. In theory Ospreay got the help that he needed and now wants to see how far they can take him and Moxley is happy with getting the new member of the team. I guess that’s the story and while it makes sense, I’m not sure I buy Ospreay just suddenly being cool with the Death Riders. Or Moxley being cool with him for that matter.

After retaining their Tag Team Titles, Christian Cage and Adam Copeland weren’t sure about Jay White. Cage still doesn’t like him and Copeland isn’t sure what to think.

Here is the Bang Bang Gang for a chat. Jay White says they have waiting for well over a year to do this and he’s glad to get to say the catchphrase again. He remembered people not liking the Death Riders but now they’re hanging with the biggest fraud in wrestling. That aside, he wants to talk about the Dogs, who he doesn’t like because of things that happened in New Japan.

White remembers joining the New Japan Dojo with David Finlay, who is a fourth generation wrestler and raising a fifth generation star. Finlay has wrestling in his blood but he’s still a whiny little boy. White is still the catalyst of wrestling and this is still his era. If the Dogs, or anyone, has a problem with that, Guns Up. I still like White a lot and he can talk very well, but he has to prove that he can go more than a few months without a major injury.

Shane Taylor Promotions want the Bang Bang Gang in an eight man tag on Collision.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Maika vs. Harley Cameron vs. Persephone vs. Queen Aminata vs. Hikaru Shida

Survival Of The Fittest (six way elimination match) for the vacant title. It’s a brawl to start with Persephone standing tall but Shida takes her down with a rollup for two. Cameron is back in with a Shining Wizard to Maika before hammering on Aminata in the corner. Persephone sneaks up on Cameron for a Razor’s Edge and the elimination at 2:33. Well there goes the crowd favorite. Statlander Angle Slams Persephone and we take a break

We come back with Maika and Statlander slugging it out until Shida comes in with the kendo stick. Maika drops Shida with a discus clothesline but Statlander takes away the kendo stick. Shida hides behind the referee and rolls Maika up for the elimination at 7:52. We’re down to four and it’s Aminata coming back in to slug it out with Shida. Aminata’s fisherman’s neckbreaker gets two but she misses a top rope double stomp. The big headbutt sends Shida into the ropes for the running knee, only for Persephone to roll Aminata up for the pin at 9:49.

Persephone actually does the L on her forehead to mock Aminata as we take another break. We come back again with Statlander’s Blue Thunder Bomb getting two on Persephone. A bridging German suplex drops Statlander for two but Shida is back in, only for Statlander to chop Shida and Persephone. Staturday Night Fever is broken up but Statlander cradles Persephone for the pin at 15:30.

Shida kicks Statlander in the head, only for Statlander to grab the Falcon Arrow for two more. They fight over a rollup until Shida gets the ankle lock, with Persephone getting in a belt shot (fine with the referee). Shida grabs the leg and adds a choke to the out cold Statlander for the title at 17:27.

Rating: B-. This was kind of a strange match as there wasn’t a heavy betting favorite coming and a few different people could win the thing. Shida certainly fits the description, as she has a long history of winning titles so this is a nice fit. She might not be champion for a long time (though it wouldn’t be crazy), but beating her means enough that it could be a big moment.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision and next week at Beach Break.

Will Ospreay tries to talk Kenny Omega out of making a bad decision but Omega says if he’s going out, it’s with guns blazing.

Here is Omega for his big decision. Omega talks about how he has been doing this for over half of his life and he always gives this everything he has. He has a career that he could hang his hat on and be proud about but there is a part of him that believes he still has it. If the Elite can believe and the people can believe, then he knows he can be a champion AEW can be proud of one more time. At Wembley, against Will Ospreay.

All he has to do is put everything on the line against MJF, but Cody Rhodes and Hangman Page have done the same thing. He is still the best bout machine and yes the match is on and he’ll be ready for whatever MJF has for him. MJF runs in for the brawl but Omega fights back, with security breaking it up to end the show. That’s a huge match and they’re throwing it out there pretty quickly, but the result feels far from certain, which helps a lot.

Overall Rating: B. There was a lot on this show but the best part about it is that the show flew by. Nothing felt like it was dragging here and I had a good time with the show. It set up something big for next week and gave us the MJF vs. Briscoe match, even if it came and went rather quickly. There’s a new TBS Champion as well so that gap is covered, making this a pretty eventful night for the Forbidden Door follow up. See how nice it is when AEW can focus on AEW?

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Mark Briscoe – Heatseeker
Kevin Knight b. Lio Rush – Rock Bottom
Will Ospreay/Jon Moxley b. The Swirl – Hidden Blade to Johnson
Hikaru Shida won Survival Of The Fittest last eliminating Kris Statlander

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

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WrestleCon Supershow 2026
Date: April 16, 2026
Location: Horseshoe Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Joe Dombrowski, Veda Scott

Here we have one of the featured attractions of the week, with a bunch of independent wrestlers getting together and having a show. That’s the kind of thing that can make for some fun moments, though it can also lead to some absolute headscratchers as well. This could go anywhere so let’s get to it.

We open with the traditional tribute video to Mark Hitchcock, a Highspots employee who died on his honeymoon and as a result, the show has been named in his honor. This year’s also includes some of his friends talking about how much this would mean to Hitchcock.

The ring announcer is ready for the opening match but here is Teddy Long as a surprise. He’s going to make the first match a TAG TEAM MATCH PLAYA! Nice moment there as the surprises can often be good.

Heath/Rhino vs. Headbangers

Hold on as Mosh has a big brace on his arm due to a recent torn bicep so he can’t wrestle tonight. He does however have a replacement tonight in the form of…Headbanger Swoggle! Heath and Thrasher start things off and that’s good for an early standoff. A hiptoss puts Heath down but he’s back up with a flying shoulder. Thrasher is fine enough for a hiptoss but Swoggle wants in. He does indeed come in and thrusts his hips a lot, to the point of wearing himself out.

After not being able to nip up, Swoggle wants Rhino and…no he can’t slam Rhino. Some kicks to the leg don’t work either (Swoggle: “Son of a b****!”) so Swoggle bites the back of Rhino’s tights to send him outside. Heath comes back in and gets sent into the corner for some swats at the top of his head. Thrasher gets to hammer on Heath for a bit before it’s back to Swoggle for the same.

A big boot finally cuts Swoggle down and Rhino comes in to hammer on him as well. Heath even gets in a cheap shot from the floor before coming back in for a clothesline from his knees. Heath’s right hands in the corner are countered into a powerbomb and it’s back to Thrasher to clean house. Everything breaks down and Swoggle chokeslams Heath…but gets Gored by Rhino. Thrasher is right back with a rollup to pin Rhino at 12:00.

Rating: C+. Now this is what I was hoping to see from this show (fair enough on Mosh’s injury as there’s nothing you can do about that) as it’s just goofy fun. They weren’t trying to do anything here besides have a good time and tie back into a story from ten years ago (when Heath and Rhino first teamed together against the Headbangers) and it went as well as it could have. Swoggle was was a great choice for a replacement and I liked this a lot.

Mala Fama vs. Love And Peace vs. The StarMen vs. CPF

That would be, in order, Latigo/Toxin vs. Ben-K/Hyo vs. Starboy Charlie/Starman vs. Danny Black/Joe Lando and this is elimination rules. Starman is a guy in very generic gear (it’s based on an NES character) and has to be someone surprising. Lando and Charlie start things off with an exchange of legsweeps before they trade missed dropkicks. Mala Fama runs in to clear the ring and everything breaks down.

Starman is double teamed down but manages a double suplex into a backsplash. Charlie’s running shooting star press gets two on Ben-K and it’s Mala Fama back in to put Charlie in trouble. Mala Fama collide by mistake though and Charlie is back in with a springboard headscissors. Starman gets to come back in and chop away, followed by a cutter. CPF come in and get dropped by Starman as well but he freezes (ala NES).

With nothing working on him, Charlie picks him up and puts him in the corner before going after Mala Fama. That doesn’t work either so here are Love And Peace to take Mala Fama outside. Starman wakes up but misses a charge into the corner (ignore that no one was in the corner), only to pop up for a moonsault onto the pile. Charlie is sent outside though and Starman gets double kicked in the corner. Black dives onto the floor and Lando’s shooting star elbow finishes Starman at 9:50.

Starman rapidly walks off like he (probably) does in the game as we’re down to three. Love And Peace take over on Latigo, with Toxin making a save. Ben-K spears Toxin though and Hyo adds the middle rope backsplash for the pin at 11:54. So we’re down to CPF vs. Love And Peace and they start fast with a pulling piledriver dropping Hyo before all four collide for a double down. They slug it out from their knees and Hyo hits a middle rope cutter, setting up Ben-K’s spear to pin Lando for the win at 15:44.

Rating: B. Starman of course stole the show (I would bet on that being Joey Janela, as it’s the kind of goofy stuff he would do) and as usual, Dragon Gate guys get to look awesome. The other teams got to showcase themselves as well, which is great to see as they aren’t the most well known teams. The fans get to see some new (or at least new to them) stars and that is a great thing, as it was here.

Here is our official WrestleCon ambassador: Sgt. Slaughter. His job is to basically to tell us to have fun and come see him at WrestleCon. Nothing wrong with that.

Mark Davis vs. Masato Tanaka

Tanaka rams into him to start and gets dropped with an even bigger shoulder. Back up and Tanaka hammers away in the corner but Davis knocks him back down for a big slam. The knees to the chest have Tanaka in more trouble and it’s a backbreaker into a Boston crab. That’s broken up with a rope though and Tanaka snaps off a big suplex. Back up and Davis puts him on the apron for a running shoulder to the floor, followed by another beating in the corner.

Tanaka fights back and grabs a superplex, but Davis pops up for a jumping enziguri. That’s not enough to keep him down either though and it’s a clothesline to leave them both down. Back up and they slug it out, with Davis missing an enziguri and getting caught with a sliding lariat. Tanaka tries it again but gets rolled up for two, allowing Davis to hit another enziguri. A big lariat gives Davis two and the piledriver finishes Tanaka at 8:26.

Rating: B. I appreciate a match where it is exactly what you would expect it to be. This was two guys beating on each other very hard until one of them couldn’t get up again. Tanaka has been around for the better part of ever and it still means something for him to get beat. Davis is getting somewhere with that piledriver and it’s cool to see him win a match like this. The lack of Don Callis helps a lot too.

Subculture vs. The Swirl

Webster and Johnson go to the mat to start, with Johnson grabbing a headlock. That’s broken up and it’s off to Andrews vs. Christian as the pace picks up. That doesn’t last long either as they go to a staredown, with Andrews knocking Christian into the corner. A standing moonsault gives Andrews two and Webster’s imploding Swanton gets two.

Johnson comes back in and Andrews is knocked outside, leaving Webster to get 619ed in the corner. Christian makes Webster clap before it’s an enziguri into a dragon screw legwhip. Webster elbows his way to freedom though and moonsaults onto both of them. That’s enough for the diving tag to Andrews, who Falcon Arrows Johnson for two.

Johnson is sent face first into Christian’s knees in the corner and it’s a top rope flipping Stunner to put Christian down. Webster’s Swanton to the back gets two but Johnson is back in for the brainbuster/enziguri combination. Andrews makes a save of his own and they strike it out until a quadruple clothesline leaves everyone down again. A Meltzer Driver hits Andrews and the Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination finishes Webster at 12:14.

Rating: B+. This got rolling near the end and that’s not a problem. These teams have a history of working very well together, with the Swirl being rather underrated as they almost never get out of Ring Of Honor. On the other hand you have Subculture, who are a rather good team that I would love to see get back in a bigger company. They’re more than good enough to do it and can hang with anyone. If they’re interested, it would be great to see.

Team Mancer vs. Team Beast

Mancer: Mancer Warner, Steph de Lander, Vaughn Vertigo, Gravity, LJ Cleary
Beast: The Beast Mortos, Danny Jones, Derek Dillinger, Jimmy Townsend, Lacey Lane

This is the ten person tag, the show’s signature match. De Lander and Lane start things off with Lane charging into a boot in the corner and getting side slammed for two. Dillinger and Warner come in to chop it out with Warner getting the better of things. Vertigo comes in and avoids a basement dropkick, allowing Townsend to avoid a kick on the apron.

Townsend gets in and is kicked in the chest for the standing moonsault. Jones and Cleary come in, with Cleary begging off from the much bigger Jones, who isn’t impressed. Jones hits a discus lariat and Cleary is right over for the tag to Gravity. It’s off to Mortos for the exchange of armdrags but gets kicked out to the floor.

Lane can’t shoulder Cleary down and he finds the attempt rather amusing. Instead it’s Gravity coming back in to argue with Dillinger before all ten get in for the slow motion Gravity walk. With almost everyone on the floor, Warner teases a dive but goes outside to poke the other five in the eyes. Mortos powerbombs Gravity into a backbreaker but Vaughn plants him with a tornado DDT.

We hit the parade of knockdowns, with Warner hitting his lariat but walking into Jones’ Falcon Arrow. De Lander spears Jones and Warner chairs him in the back a few times. Gravity’s top rope splash gets two but Mortos is back up with the spear to Cleary. The spinning piledriver finishes for Mortos at 19:37.

Rating: B-. This is the usual insane tag match that you would expect in this spot and that’s a great thing to see. What matters the most is that they got some new names in there and it wasn’t just some wild scramble. I liked the match well enough and was surprised at how long it went so well done on not getting dull.

Bandido vs. Galeno del Mal

Bandido’s Ring Of Honor World Title isn’t on the line (of course). We get a nice handshake to start and Bandido is a bit slow to go after the much bigger Mal. They trade headlocks to little effect until Bandido hits a dropkick. A top rope hurricanrana brings Mal down but he sends Bandido to the apron and then out to the floor. Mal sends him crashing into the chairs and then into the post, allowing Mal to grab some water.

A big boot staggers Bandido but he avoids a character to send Mal into the seats for a change. Back in and Mal rips off part of Bandido’s mask, followed by a big boot to put him down again. They trade running corner clotheslines and Bandido scores with a leg lariat. A tornado DDT drops Mal to the floor and Bandido is right there to take him down with a dive. Back in and Bandido rips at Mal’s mask for a change, followed by a high crossbody for two.

Mal mixes it up with a reverse suplex and a discus lariat cuts off Bandido’s comeback. Mal goes up…and gets pulled out of the air for a World’s Strongest Slam (that looked amazing). Somehow Mal is up first for a backsplash for two, setting up a Michinoku Driver for the same. Back up and Bandido shrugs off a big boot and muscles him up for a suplex. The 21 Plex finishes Mal off at 16:27.

Rating: B. I’ve seen Mal a few times now and the guy definitely has something to him. He’s a bigger guy and can go out there and keep up with the athleticism, which isn’t something you would expect. On the other hand you have Bandido, who feels like a star and should be a much bigger deal than he’s presented as being. Like maybe having him defend the title at some point.

Post match Bandido thanks everyone for coming and praises Mal, his former student, calling him the next big Mexican superstar.

Progress World Title: Man Like DeReiss vs. Ethan Allen

DeReiss is defending in a bonus match. They start fast with Allen missing some kicks and going outside to yell at a fan. Back in and DeReiss hits some running shoulders but Allen pulls him off the top. Allen slows the pace down and they fight over a suplex with DeReiss finally getting him up. Allen knocks him out of the corner though and hits a falling top rope elbow. They fight over a pinfall reversal sequence until DeReiss catches him with an elbow to the face. A spinning belly to back suplex sets up a 450 to retain the title at 8:40.

Rating: C+. For a bonus match, I’ve seen far worse. That’s one of the great perks of this weekend, as you can get random matches like this thrown on and it makes things that much more interesting. DeReiss got in a quick title defense and the fans got the cool moment of his entrance. It’s no classic, but it certainly didn’t hurt anything.

Jet Speed/Michael Oku vs. The Demand

Oku and Ricochet start things off with Ricochet flipping over him and blocking an O’Connor roll. They both miss dropkicks until Ricochet sends him out to the floor. Everything breaks down and Jet Speed hit some dives to the floor as they pair off on the outside. Oku is back in to try the Fosbury Flop but Liona kicks him out of the air, with Oku’s leg getting tied in the ropes.

Liona throws Knight through the entrance (off camera) as Oku is taken into the corner for some hard shoulders to the ribs. Ricochet comes in to get the two count as Knight is finally starting to come back towards the ring. Oku gets beaten down in the corner again as the villains get to take more turns on him.

A missile dropkick finally gets Oku out of trouble and Knight is back up for the tag to start the comeback. Some uppercuts knock Liona down and a twisting splash gives Knight two. Back up and Kaun hits a heck of a clothesline, allowing Liona to come back in for a backsplash. Knight gets knocked into the tag off to Bailey for the rapid fire strikes and he avoids a backsplash.

It’s back to Oku for the moonsault as everything breaks down. Liona tosses Jet Speed without much trouble but Oku is back up. We get the parade of knockdowns and Ricochet kicks at Bailey, who moonsaults onto the Gates on the floor. Back in and Oku half crabs Ricochet for the tap but the referee doesn’t see it. The Gates get back in for Galaxy Impact (double Doomsday Device) for the pin on Oku at 18:51.

Rating: B+. These six man tags have been the recurring theme of the weekend and this was another good one. That shouldn’t be a surprise as the people involved are rather good with Oku being more than talented enough to hang in there. The Gates were a good choice as well as they add in something different than just the same people flying around. Rather strong main event here.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a nice flashback to some of the better Supershows as it felt fun. That’s been missing a bit in recent years as this show isn’t supposed to be anything more than a fun night of wrestling. Adding in a bunch of surprises and having one match after another is a good thing and they made that work here. Stuff like Swoggle and Starman and the rather good tag matches made this work, as did having DeReiss as a surprise. I had a great time with this and it’s nice to be able to say that again.

Results
Thrasher/Swoggle b. Heath/Rhino – Rollup to Rhino
Love And Peace b. The StarMen, CPF and Mala Fama last eliminating Mala Fama
Mark Davis b. Masato Tanaka – Piledriver
The Swirl b. Subculture – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Webster
Team Beast b. Team Mancer – Spinning piledriver to Cleary
Bandido b. Galeno del Mal – 21 Plex
Man Like DeReiss b. Ethan Allen – 450
The Demand b. Michael Oku/Jet Speed – Galaxy Impact to Oku

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

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Uprising
Date: March 28, 2026
Location: St. Clair College SportsPlex, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the second night of the Ring Of Honor/Maple Leaf Pro shows and this one has quite a great show to follow from last night. Odds are this on will deal with some fallout from last night, including another Deonna Purrazzo vs. Gisele Shaw title match and a four way for the Interim Canadian Title. Let’s get to it.

The opening video more or less says this is the sequel to Global Wars.

Michael Allen Richard Clark (MLP)/Jake Crist (Wrestling Revolver) vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL)/Bhupinder Gujjar (MLP)

Clark and Gujjar start things off with Gujjar picking up the pace into a dropkick. Dorada comes in and sticks the landing on Crist’s headscissors. Some dropkicks put Crist and Clark on the floor, setting up stereo dives. Back in and Clark knocks Gujjar to the floor for a dive of his own and Crist gives him a Russian legsweep back inside.

Clark comes in for the pushups (they’re his thing) on Gujjar’s back, which has Gujjar up for the high crossbody. The tag brings in Dorada to clean house and a spinning slam gets two on Crist. Gujjar’s TKO drops Crist for two, only for Clark to come back in with a powerslam/sliding neckbreaker combination for two on Gujjar. Everything breaks down and Dorada dives onto Crist, leaving Gujjar to spear Clark for the pin at 11:04.

Rating: B-. Pretty standard fast paced tag match here and that’s a good way to open the show. Clark is nice in the overly cocky heel style and Gujjar is fine as a middle of the road hero. As usual Dorada was the big star here and easily the flashiest thing in the match, though he didn’t get a ton of focus. Either way, perfectly fine way to get things going.

Sheldon Jean, Bryce Hansen and Brent Banks are ready to take the Tag Team Titles, though Hansen is told to get a haircut. Hansen is annoyed and yells at some people so Daisuke Sasaki throws a chair at him.

Taylor Rising/Chris Chambers (MLP) vs. Evil Uno (ROH)/Alice Crowley (JCW)

The women trade legsweeps and covers for two each before it’s off to Uno vs. Chambers. Uno can’t get very far working on the arm so Chambers is up with a dropkick. It’s back to Crowley to kick away at Rising, with a Saito suplex for two. Chambers pulls Crowley down from the apron though and Rising gets two off a victory roll.

It’s back to Chambers to work on Crowley and Uno has to come in for a quick save. That just lets Rising choke on the rope but Crowley backdrops her way out. That’s enough for the tag off to Uno for the house cleaning. Uno is sent into Rising, allowing Chambers to grab a rollup for two. Crowley is back in with a suplex though, allowing Uno to piledrive Chambers for the pin at 8:50.

Rating: C. And we continue yesterday’s issue of MLP not doing so well over this weekend. The best thing is that Alice continues to showcase herself well. She got my attention yesterday and kept it going today. There is something to her that makes her stand out, with Rising not being far behind. Not a thrilling match, but it was nice to see another Canadian get a pin, even if Uno doesn’t work here.

The Swirl (ROH) vs. El Reverso/Mo Jabari (MLP)

Jimmy Jacobs is on commentary. Jabari and Johnson run the ropes to start, with Parker taking him down and then dropping Reverso on top. Reverso hammers away in the corner but gets taken into the wrong corner. That doesn’t last long as Reverso escapes and brings Parker back in for the comeback. This time it’s Parker being taken into the wrong corner, with Johnson stomping away and Christian adding a suplex. A double clothesline leaves both of them down though and it’s back to Reverso as the pace picks way back up

Reverso’s Canadian Destroyer gets two but Johnson powerbombs him into Christian’s knees in the corner. Chasing The Dragon gets two on Reverso as Parker makes the save, leaving all four down. That’s enough for Jacobs to get up and hand Parker a chair. Parker drops it but gets speared on the apron by Christian. Reverso gets kneed in the head, setting up a top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to give Johnson the pin at 11:35.

Rating: B-. The Swirl continues to be one of the better things about Ring Of Honor so it was nice to see them getting to do something on this show. You just want to see them get what’s coming to them and that’s a good feeling to have for some villains. Reverso and Parker were fine, but there was nothing to them that especially stood out.

We recap Bishop Dyer vs. Kaito Kiyamiya. They were partners last night but had issues and lost the match. After it was over, Dyer turned on him.

Dyer is asked why he turned on Kiyamiya. Dyer: “Because I’m an a******.”

Bishop Dyer (MLP) vs. Kaito Kiyamiya (Pro Wrestling Noah)

Dyer shoves him down to start so Kiyamiya jumps on him to slug away. Some more right hands in the corner have Dyer in trouble but he shoves Kiyamiya down again. They go outside with Dyer chopping away against the barricade but hits the post by mistake. Back in and Dyer kicks the rope for a low blow, followed by the Deep Six for two. A hard whip sends Kiyamiya crashing over the corner to the floor and Dyer rams him hard into the apron.

Back in again and Dyer misses a charge in the corner, allowing Kiyamiya to hit a running clothesline. A nice dropkick puts Dyer down but the shining Wizard is countered into an AA. Dyer’s brainbuster gets two and a chokebreaker has Kiyamiya in even more trouble. Another chokebreaker is countered with a kick to the head and Dyer’s powerbomb is countered with a sunset flip to give Kiyamiya the pin at 13:01.

Rating: B-. It’s fascinating to see someone like Dyer be a bit less than successful as a main event heel but absolutely thrive as a midcard star. This is the role he was perfect for and it worked great here. Dyer knows how to wrestle like a monster bully and ultimately he got caught as he tried to do too much. Fun match here, though say it with me: MLP loses AGAIN.

Post match Dyer knocks Kiyamiya cold and hammers on him, followed by the End Of Days.

We get the announcement that MLP is coming to TSN this July.

Rohan Raja, with Aurora Teves, wants the Canadian Title because he’s already had the Champion’s Grail for over 500 days. He’ll win the title tonight anyway.

Daisuke Sasaki (DDT) vs. Bryce Hansen (MLP)

No DQ. Sasaki’s chair shots misses and Hansen kicks him outside. Back in and Sasaki gets in the chair shot before wrapping said chair around Hansen’s neck for a ram into the post. A running boot to Hansen, whose head is still in the chair, gets two and it’s already time for a table. As usual that takes too long though and Hansen fights back, only to set up his own table on the floor.

Even Callis thinks this is taking too long and Sasaki proves him right by choking him down onto the table. Hansen is able to fight up and grab a gutwrench powerbomb from the apron through the table. That’s only good for two back inside so Hansen grabs a kendo stick. Said stick hits the top rope though and bounces back onto Hansen’s own head. The spear through the table sets up a top rope chair shot as Hansen has a seat right over there to give Sasaki the pin at 8:12.

Rating: C. This was pretty much exactly what it should have been, as Sasaki took Hansen apart and basically dismantled him in a few minutes. Hansen got in some offense, but this was about Sasaki destroying him without much trouble. It’s a good example of “don’t overthink this” and it wound up going perfectly well.

Stu Grayson is feeling the pressure going into the main event but Evil Uno comes in to fire him up.

MLP Tag Team Titles: Good Brothers (MLP) vs. Sheldon Jean/Brent Banks (MLP)

The Brothers are defending after becoming the inaugural champions last night. Anderson chops the heck out of Banks to start and then takes him into the corner to do it again. Gallows comes in for his weird uppercuts and a fall away slam as the fans are ALL behind the Good Brothers here.

A big legdrop gives Gallows two but Banks gets in a shot of his own and ax handles away. It’s off to Jean so Gallows clotheslines them both down and brings Anderson back in to keep up the pace. A backsplash gets two on Jean but a trip brings Anderson down. Jean hits a clothesline and the challengers take over for a change, with Banks getting some quick near falls.

Anderson is right back up to send Jean outside, followed by a neckbreaker to Banks. It’s back to Gallows to clean house and the belly to back neckbreaker gets two on Banks. Jean breaks up the Magic Killer so Anderson grabs the spinebuster for another near fall. The Gun Stun is broken up though and Banks gets in a belt shot for the pin and the titles at 11:02.

Rating: C+. Hey MLP finally won something! I mean of course they lost at the same time but call it a step in the right direction. The Good Brothers being the inaugural champions give the belts a bit of prestige before another team won them, which is a tale as old as time in wrestling. The pesky heels get one over on the popular veterans and we move on to see who’s next. Nothing wrong with that.

Gisele Shaw says Deonna Purrazzo beat her in Pure Rules, which isn’t the same as pro wrestling. Purrazzo won on a technicality but tonight, everything will be different.

MLP Women’s Title: Gisele Shaw (MLP) vs. Deonna Purrazzo (ROH)

Shaw is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and then trade headlocks to no avail. Purrazzo shoulders Shaw in the arm that was banged up last night, with the Fujiwara armbar sending Shaw straight to the ropes. The fight heads outside with Purrazzo sending her face first into the apron, only for Shaw to come back with a posting.

Back in and Shaw grabs an armbar with some elbows to the head as a bonus. Purrazzo fights up and wins a test of strength, followed by a running knee. The Fujiwara is broken up though and Shaw grabs an anarchist suplex for two. A spear gives Shaw two more but Purrazzo fights right back to put her down again. The Fujiwara goes on again, with Shaw making the rope to save herself.

Back up and Shock And Awe gives Shaw two so they get up and slap it out. That turns into a slugout until they trade kicks to the face, with Shaw pulling the referee into the way of Purrazzo’s boot. Shaw sends the bad arm into the post and then crushes it with the steps to make it worse. Purrazzo is back with a Fujiwara and Shaw taps but there’s no referee. Since that isn’t enough cheating, Shaw finds some brass knuckles to knock Purrazzo silly and retain at 17:25.

Rating: B. This got going with the submission attempts, though I did like Shaw just going full on villain. There’s a good way to set up a rubber match down the line in there and that could make for a nice Multiverse match. Shaw has impressed me most of the time I’ve seen her and she hung in there with an established name, albeit by cheating in almost every possible way.

Interim Canadian Title: Elimination Challenge

It’s a six man gauntlet match for the vacant title. Jay Lethal (ROH) is in at #1 and Michael Oku (RevPro) is in at #2. They trade some rather fast rollups to start and it’s off to the exchange of forearms. Oku manages a dropkick to the floor and adds the running flip dive for the knockdown. Back in and Lethal gets in a knockdown of his own, with Oku’s leg getting tied up in the ropes.

Oku has to beat the count back in so Lethal hammers away and goes after the leg some more. The chinlock goes on for a bit but the Figure Four is blocked. A DDT gives Oku two but he can’t get the half crab. Instead it’s a Lethal Combination for two, setting up Lethal’s Figure Four. That’s reversed into another failed half crab attempt so Lethal goes up for Hail To the King…which is reversed into a rollup to give Oku the pin at 12:05.

Rohan Raja (MLP) is in at #3 and sneaks in to jump Oku, with a jumping Downward Spiral finishing for Raja at 13:04. Rich Swann (MLP) is in at #4 but Raja’s manager Aurora Teves grabs his leg, meaning it’s a jumping Downward Spiral for a near fall. A choke with a knee in Swann’s back is broken up but Swann knocks him down for two. Raja heads outside and gets taken down with a running flip dive.

Swann actually puts him in a chair and gets a running start for some running boots to the face. He tries it once too often though and Raja is back up with a boot of his own. Back in and Swann superkicks him out of the air and they’re both down. A frog splash gives Swann two more, followed by the middle rope 450 for the same. Teves offers a distraction though and another 450 misses. Raja’s Backstabber into a jumping Downward Spiral finishes Swann at 20:23.

Stu Grayson is in at #5 and the cut open Raja bails out to the floor. Grayson goes outside to get him and nails a quick Pele. Teves breaks up a torture rack and is finally ejected, leaving Raja angry on the ramp. He slides back in and gets kneed in the face, setting up Knightfall (torture rack dropped down into a backbreaker) to give Grayson the pin at 24:41. Jonathan Gresham (apparently freelance) is in at #6 to complete the field but hold on though as Raja chairs Grayson down before leaving.

Gresham glares at Raja before getting in and lets Grayson get a breather before going after him. They grapple around to start and neither gets anywhere so let’s shake hands. Grayson takes him down for an armbar and Gresham gets over to the ropes in a hurry. Grayson’s hurricanrana and dropkick have Gresham on the apron and the dive connects. Back in and a battle of the chops goes to Grayson, as Gresham wants a timeout. A sneaky low blow cuts Grayson down and they go to the mat, where Gresham can’t force the arm down.

With that not working, it’s a crucifix for two on Grayson before Gresham ties up the arms. Gresham pulls on one of the legs for some painful stretching before going back to the arm. They fight over a suplex until they both crash out over the top for a nasty double crash. Back in and Gresham goes after the arm again but Grayson sends him flying with some overhead belly to bellys.

A spinning Downward Spiral into a Lionsault gives Grayson two but Knightfall is blocked. Grayson settles for a springboard tornado DDT for two but Gresham is right back to the arm in a smart move. Gresham’s crossface is broken up with a grab of the rope so it’s off to an Octopus. With that broken up, Gresham goes up and gets superplexed back down, setting up a running knee. Knightfall gives Grayson the pin and the title at 42:27.

Rating: B-. This was a match where it felt like they were going for something epic and it really just felt long more than anything else. Grayson winning was pretty obvious once they got down to the final two as there was almost no way an American was winning the title in the end. It’s a good enough main event, though anything involving an interim title feels kind of weak by definition. Still though, at least Grayson looked like a star in the end, as he did last night.

Grayson celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show’s problem is it came after Global Wars, which was great, while this one was just pretty good. It’s certainly not a bad show and there are far worse options, but nothing on here felt must see. At the same time. MLP still feels like a higher end independent effort and I’ll absolutely take that every time. Good enough show here, though dang can the home promotion have a better success rate?

Results
Mascara Dorada/Bhupinder Gujjar b. Jake Crist/Michael Allen Richard Clark – Spear to Clark
Evil Uno/Alice Crowley b. Taylor Rising/Chris Chambers – Piledriver to Chambers
The Swirl b. Mo Jabari/El Reverso – Top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to Reverso
Kaito Kiyamiya b. Bishop Dyer – Sunset flip
Daisuke Sasaki b. Bryce Hansen – Top rope chair shot
Sheldon Jean/Brent Banks b. Good Brothers – Belt shot to Anderson
Gisele Shaw b. Deonna Purrazzo – Brass knuckles punch
Stu Grayson won an Elimination Challenge last eliminating Jonathan Gresham

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: March 12, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re onto the second week in the studio this time and hopefully the show has a bit more of a chance to breathe this week. If nothing else, there are some titles on the line this time, with the Pure and Tag Team Titles being defended. There are also some Proving Ground matches, which I guess count for something. Let’s get to it.

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

Deonna Purrazzo talks about Athena trying to teach her a lesson and it hasn’t worked. She’s ready to face Billie Starkz next week in pure rules (implying the title is on the line) but tonight, Athena needs to worry about Maya World.

Athena vs. Maya World

Non-title Proving Ground match. Athena knocks her hard into the corner and shouts a lot but World gets in a spinning kick to the ribs. They head outside where World kicks her in the face but Athena fires off some kicks of her own back inside (nice mirroring of the counters there). World shrugs off some choking and fires off the forearms, only to get clotheslined out to the floor.

The ensuing dive connects for Athena, who drops her off the steps. Back in and the cravate goes on, followed by a chinlock, which is reversed into a rollup for two. Some rollups give World two so Athena hits her in the face as we have two minutes left. The O Face is broken up and World hits a spinning Falcon Arrow for two more. We have less than thirty seconds to go and World gives her a faceplant for two as time expires at 10:00.

Rating: B-. Well, at least Athena is going to have to defend the belt, which hasn’t been done since December. World might not seem like the biggest threat to the title but she’s certainly better than having no challenger. They had a good match here and the time flew by, mainly due to how well they pulled me into things. Nice job.

Women’s TV Title: Hyan vs. Red Velvet

Velvet is defending and they go to the grappling to start. A pump kick drops Velvet for two but she’s right back with a boot of her own for two of the same. Some rollups give Velvet two but she gets knocked into the corner for a running knee. Hyan’s Falcon Arrow gets two so she tries a tiger suplex, which is countered into a rollup to give Velvet two more. That’s enough for Velvet as she nails a spinning kick to the head to retain at 5:11.

Rating: C+. That kick looked great as Velvet absolutely blasted her. Hyan and Maya World seem to be the fresh blood in the division and that is not a bad thing at all as it could certainly use the help. At the same time, Velvet has been doing rather well lately and deserves a lot of credit for her rapid improvement.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Aaron Solo/Nick Comoroto/QT Marshall

Non-title Proving Ground match because these titles just aren’t defended these days. The champs jump them to start but Bravo gets caught in the corner for some running shots. Solo gets tripped from the floor though and a shot to the back of the head has him down on the apron. The Promotions get to pose a bit and it’s back to Bravo for a springboard Vader Bomb.

Bravo starts stomping on the ankle and Bronco Buster gets two. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a slingshot spear to keep Solo in trouble. Something like a Demolition Decapitator gets two more but Solo is back with that always stupid looking counter where someone DDTs their own partner, allowing the tag off to Marshall.

Everything breaks down and the Promotions mock Big Boom AJ (there’s a Revolution Zero Hour match), only to get caught with a springboard double Stunner. Taylor and Comoroto come in for the big man trade of shoulders before they knock down the other four with clotheslines. Comoroto slams Taylor for two and a double clothesline drops Bravo and Dean as we’re already past the ten minute time limit but oh well. Taylor punches Comoroto down and the double stomp finishes at 10:47.

Rating: C. I mean, the titles mean nothing so why bother keeping track of the time either? It’s not like they were calling the time or anything, so this was basically just a six man tag, which makes me wonder why they didn’t bother just making it a title match. The match was a long stretch of heat on Solo until Comoroto come in to do his big brawl with Taylor. Either way, it’s just more proof that these titles do not need to exist as Ring Of Honor can’t even bother following their own internal rules for finding challengers. Oh and thank goodness they let Comoroto look like a monster and then pin him when Solo was available.

Tag Team Titles: La Faccion Ingobernable vs. ???

La Faccion is defending in an open challenge (because winning tag matches around here means nothing) against any former Tag Team Champions. In this case that would be….the Colons, who were champions in WWE a cool thirteen years ago. Mortos, in his torn up suit, hands it off to Guevara to start with Eddie, but we’ll bring Mortos back in. Eddie gets tired of waiting and rolls Mortos up for two, followed by a double dropkick.

Orlando gets knocked down as we talk about the history of wrestling in Puerto Rico. Guevara doesn’t want to tag in so the champions go to the floor, where it’s a double dive to take them down. Back in and Mortos takes over on Orlando, with Guevara now willing to come in for a delayed suplex.

Orlando gets sent into the corner but manages a reversal, with Guevara accidentally powerslamming Mortos. Guevara is fine enough to hit a middle rope cutter for two on Orlando but the GTH is countered into a Downward Spiral for two. Eddie comes back in to clean house until he gets crotched on top. Mortos’ pop up Samoan drop finishes at 8:11.

Rating: C. The only thing that came into my mind here was how little Ring Of Honor seems to care about these titles. Since the start of 2025, they’ve been defended eight times total, often in random one off matches like this one. I have no idea why that is the best way to go, but at least we got the Colons. No not the biggest star in Carlito, but those other two! What a big deal!

Premiere Athletes vs. Angelica Risk/Mark Davidson/Parker Li

Davidson and Daivari trade wristlocks to start and it’s off to Denali, with Davidson crossing himself in fear. Denali drops Risk face first onto the turnbuckle and it’s off to Nese, who strikes away at Li. Everything breaks down and Denali chokeslams Risk for the pin at 2:30.

Jay Lethal and the Swirl want the World Title.

Scorpio Sky vs. Bryan Keith

Feeling out process to start with Sky taking him down for a stomp onto the arm. The armbar goes on for a bit until Sky switches over to the leg. Back up and Sky is knocked outside before being chopped down on the apron. Keith suplexes him for two before chopping Sky out to the floor again. Sky is able to come back with some running shots to the face, followed by a sitout powerbomb for two. Back up and Keith scores with a running headbutt, only to walk into a TKO for the pin at 9:35.

Rating: C+. This was in fact a wrestling match between two middle of the road stars. They’re both talented stars but neither of them are doing a single thing right now. Thankfully we didn’t hear about how this could put one of them into title contention because, well….well because it’s Ring Of Honor.

Post match Big Bill and the Grizzled Young Veterans run in to lay out Sky and Christopher Daniels.

Nick Wayne is defending the TV Title against Komander next week. Well that’s nice of him.

We look at Lee Moriarty retaining the Pure Title over Josh Woods back in September. This sets up the rematch, because it’s not like there is anyone else to come after the title.

Pure Title: Josh Woods vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty is defending. They go with the grappling to start and Moriarty grabs a headscissors. Woods reverses into a headlock before rolling some German suplexes. That’s enough for Moriarty to go to the ropes for his first break so Woods grabs an ankle twist. Woods slams the knee into the mat and Moriarty has to use his second rope break. Moriarty starts working on the hand, with an armbar sending Woods over to the ropes for his first break.

A reverse Koji Clutch goes on, with Woods using another break to even things up. Back up and they trade forearms and big boots for a double down. Moriarty gets sent to the apron so he comes back in with a springboard forearm. The Border City Stretch makes Woods use his third rope break so Woods is back with a running knee. A one knee Codebreaker gets two and an armbar makes Moriarty use his last break. Moriarty comes back with a leg lariat for the pin at 11:19, with Woods’ grab of the rope meaning nothing.

Rating: B-. It was fine, as is often the case with everything Moriarty does. At the same time, it’s another match that went pretty much the same way as every Moriarty match. It doesn’t help that the process for getting a title shot seems to be “win a Pure Rules match” and that’s about all. Moriarty has held the title for the better part of ever anyway and this was just another successful defense.

Overall Rating: C. This was another good example of what’s wrong with Ring Of Honor, as outside of a few things, it feels like a lot of the show is thrown together. Title matches are thrown out almost at random and you have things like the Proving Ground match going too long and it just being a thing that happened. The wrestling is fine but there is almost no reason to pay attention to anything around here because if Ring Of Honor doesn’t care, there’s no reason for fans to care.

Results
Athena vs. Maya World went to a time limit draw
Red Velvet b. Hyan – Spinning kick to the head
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Nick Comoroto/QT Marshall/Aaron Solo – Double stomp to Comoroto
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Colons – Pop up Samoan drop to Eddie
Premiere Athletes b. Angelica Risk/Mark Davidson/Parker Li – Chokeslam to Risk
Scorpio Sky b. Bryan Keith – TKO
Lee Moriarty b. Josh Woods – Leg lariat

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

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

Collision
Date: March 7, 2026
Location: Tucson Arena, Tucson, Arizona
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We are eight days away from Revolution and the card has mostly already come together. There are still a few spots to be filled though and some of those might be taken care of this week. Other than that, the Tag Team Titles are on the line here as the Rascalz challenge FTR. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Rascalz

FTR, with Stokely Hathaway, is defending and Myron Reed is here with the Rascalz. Wentz takes Wheeler down to start so it’s off to Harwood for a hiptoss. Harwood takes him into a corner for a slap, only to get slapped out to the floor. Xavier comes in and slugs away but gets elbowed in the face. With Xavier on the floor and fighting off both champions, Wentz is there with a big corkscrew dive to take out FTR.

Back in and Wentz stomps on Harwood’s arm, setting up a quickly broken armbar. Harwood takes Wentz outside and suckers him into a clothesline from Wheeler. We take a break and come back with Wentz kicking FTR down and rolling through the legs for the tag off to Xavier. Harwood isn’t having any of this comeback thing and drops Xavier with a clothesline as everything breaks down.

The Rascalz hit stereo dives and Wentz hits a Swanton for two back inside. Wheeler takes Xavier out on the floor and Harwood’s top rope belly to back superplex gets two on Wentz. Harwood and Wentz strike it out until Wentz gets a small package for two. The Hot Fire Flame (or Flash according to Nigel) hits raised knees and FTR is back with a BTE Trigger to Wentz. The Tony Khan Driver is broken up though and Wentz strikes away, only to walk into the Shatter Machine to retain the titles at 15:06.

Rating: B+. There was no reason to believe that FTR was losing the titles here but I was pulled into the match well enough that I was buying some of the Rascalz’s near falls. That takes quite the effort and they made it work here. FTR gets to show what they can do, which is a nice reminder as they have mainly just been talking on the way to Revolution.

Post match Mark Briscoe comes out to do commentary for the next match and has a tense yet respectful meeting with FTR.

Anthony Bowens tells Hook he can be a killer so Hook says take over the camera from Katsuyori Shibata. Hook then Redrums a random wrestler and has Bowens follow them.

Daniel Garcia vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Mark Briscoe is on commentary. Ciampa wrestles Garcia to the mat to start and Garcia is in the ropes for a trip to the floor. Back in and Ciampa fires off some running chops in the corner, followed by a Garcia style dance on the middle rope. Garcia slips out of a suplex though and dragon screws the leg, which is wrapped around the post.

We take a break and come back with Garcia diving into a jumping knee to the face to leave both of them down. Ciampa knees him outside for some rams into the announcers’ table but Garcia gets in another dragon screw legwhip. The STF is broken up so Garcia dropkicks him into the corner instead. Garcia hammers away, only to be reversed into Project Ciampa for two. Back up and Garcia goes outside to shove Briscoe, with the distraction allowing Ciampa to be shoved into Briscoe. Garcia grabs a rollup to pin Ciampa at 10:18.

Rating: B-. The midcard is starting to develop a bit more and that is nice to see, especially with a title not being directly involved. You need to be able to do something away from championships all the time and this is getting somewhere. It helps that Briscoe and Ciampa are both a blast and Garcia is good enough in the ring to hang in there with them. Nice match here.

Post match Garcia leaves and Ciampa wants nothing of Briscoe’s handshake. Cue FTR and Stokely Hathaway again to go after Ciampa. Briscoe gets in to even things up before any violence breaks out and Ciampa is appreciative. Then Ciampa jumps Briscoe and lays him out with a knee.

Video on Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita, which went to a time limit draw in the Continental Classic.

Swerve Strickland vs. Gravity

Prince Nana is here with Swerve, who kicks Gravity down to start and seems rather confident. Gravity is back with a kick between the shoulder blades, which just seems to annoy Swerve. That earns Gravity a knockdown on the apron and a Swerve Stomp, allowing Swerve to go after the mask. Another Swerve Stomp connects inside and the House Call finishes at 4:00.

Rating: C. It wasn’t quite a squash but this was Swerve coming in and mauling Gravity for the most part. That’s what the match should have been, as Swerve is starting to feel it with his new heel style and this kind of a win makes him look dangerous. Swerve is one of the best things going in AEW today and seeing him back it up in the ring is rather fun to see.

Kris Statlander wants Thekla one more time at Revolution, 2/3 falls.

Post break here is Thekla to say no in a variety of languages. Since when does she have to listen to some b**** from outer space? What even makes Statlander think she can win twice in one night? Thekla sent Thunder Rosa back to the graveyards. Everything Statlander is afraid of is what Thekla is. Great line to end a kind of odd promo, though Thekla’s charisma carries everything.

We get a clip of Renee Paquette’s interview with Jon Moxley, who knows he can beat Konosuke Takeshita at Revolution.

LFI vs. The Swirl vs. Private Party vs. Outrunners

For $200,000 and Dalton Castle is on commentary. Johnson headlocks Magnum to start and it’s off to Dralistico to run Quen over. LFI takes Quen outside for some whips into the barricade, with Kassidy being whipped around as well. Back in and the Swirl/LFI hit some running splashes to Kassidy, followed by a quadruple dropkick. Dralistico is back up with a heck of a springboard hurricanrana to Christian and Rush drops Johnson as we take a break.

We come back with Kassidy backdropping his way out of trouble and handing it back to Floyd. Castle loses his mind as Floyd cleans house, including Christian being superplexed onto a pile at ringside. LFI breaks that up but Kassidy takes them out, only for Dralistico to hurricanrana him off the apron. Back in and Rush’s Bull’s Horns is cut off by Quen but the Swirl is back in with a poisonrana. The top rope Canadian Destroyer drops Quen for two, with Kassidy making the save. Private Party hits their top rope double stomp/neckbreaker combination and a Doomsday Cutter gives Kassidy the pin on Johnson at 11:52.

Rating: B-. This was your weekly “here are a bunch of people going nuts for awhile” match and that’s not a bad way to go. The money prizes don’t exactly feel important, but at least Private Party got to do something for a change. They’re a team who could be given a shot here or there, but this might be the best they can do for the time being.

We look at the Don Callis Family winning the Trios Titles on Dynamite.

Jet Speed will be teaming with Mistico against the Family for the titles at Revolution. That’s a great example of a match that doesn’t need to be on pay per view, or even Zero Hour. Anyway, Swerve Strickland comes in to tell Kevin Knight to be more of a killer.

Megan Bayne and Lena Kross jumped the Babes Of Wrath earlier today.

Megan Bayne/Lena Kross vs. Timeless Love Bombs

Bayne powers Shirakawa (Nigel calls her the former Ring Of Honor Women’s TV Champion when it was actually the INTERIM Women’s Champion. Geez get your totally unnecessary titles right McGuinness.) until Storm comes in for the save. That earns the Bombs stereo fall away slams but Storm gets the tag to come in and clean house. Some hiptosses and a hip attack to the face have Bayne down and Shirakawa hits a big dive to the floor to take out both villains.

Storm is staggered though and Bayne is up with a heck of a dive of her own to put the Bombs down again. We take a break and come back with Storm fighting out of the corner and rolling over for the tag to Shirakawa. A springboard tornado DDT and La Mistica put Bayne down, followed by something like a spinning Big Ending to drop Shirakawa onto her. Bayne is back up to fall away slam both of them, leaving Kross to hit a Tower Of Doom.

We hit the parade of strikes until Storm DDTs Bayne, who gets caught in Shirakawa’s Figure Four. Kross and Storm take turns turning the hold over until Kross actually breaks it up. Cue Marina Shafir to choke Storm under the ring, leaving Kross to Jackhammer Shirakawa for the win at 12:47.

Rating: C+. It’s kind of sad that my first though was “how does Shirakawa get pinned this time?”. One would think that somebody with that kind of talent and charisma would be able to do something other than lose all the time. Instead, she’s basically the designated jobber and that’s a bit sad to see. At the same time, Kross has fit in rather well with Bayne, as a pair of monsters like that will always have a place in a tag division.

Mark Briscoe says he’s known Tommaso Ciampa for a long time but something has felt off. Then tonight Ciampa jumped him and that’s the Ciampa he knows. Now Ciampa is aligned with FTR so Briscoe will just team with Dem Bucks on Dynamite.

The Dogs vs. Cosmo Quarry/Gino Catanari/Kayden Monroe

I’m going off my best guess for the latter’s names as there’s no graphic. Kidd knocks all three of them down and one heck of a powerbomb knocks Monroe silly. An implant DDT, a piledriver and a suplex knee to the face finish Monroe at 1:46. Total decimation and the Dogs looked impressive.

Here is a ticked off Toni Storm who wants to face Marina Shafir at Revolution, seemingly anything goes. Then she wants her title back.

We look at Persephone winning the CMLL Women’s Title from Mercedes Mone last night.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Non-title and Jon Moxley is on commentary. They go to the mat to start with Takeshita working on the leg. Back up and they trade running shots in the corner, with Castagnoli getting to stomp him down. Takeshita hits a leg lariat but gets his arm snapped across the top rope to put him in trouble. A hurricanrana takes Castagnoli down and Takeshita sends him face first into the buckle over and over.

We take a break and come back with Castagnoli taking him down by the arm but not being able to keep a short armscissors. Back up and Takeshita forearms him out of the air before snapping off a suplex. Castagnoli is right back with a Swing into an armbar with the legs tied up.

That doesn’t last long either as Takeshita is up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Castagnoli fights back again and throws in some chairs, allowing him to grab the CMLL World Title. Hechicero comes in to take it away, allowing Takeshita to hit a running knee for two. Another knee is blocked and they trade the big forearms. The Riccola Bomb is countered though and the running knee into Raging Fire finishes Castagnoli at 14:36.

Rating: B. This was Takeshita’s warmup for the match with Moxley at Revolution and that’s a great spot for Castagnoli. It’s pretty firmly established that Castagnoli isn’t going to be THE guy, but having him as Moxley’s policeman is a good fit for him. Let him play to his strengths and make Takeshita look good, which is exactly what happened here. Sidenote: like him or not, Moxley is actually pretty good at commentary, as he sounds like he is having a great time out there every time.

Post match the Don Callis Family and Death Riders brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Another rather good Collision again, as they don’t have matches or angles that really extend stories but they have solid in-ring action. That was the case again here and I had a good time watching the whole thing. Collision works best when they don’t do much talking and that was what they did again here. Rather fun show and the time flew by for a change (but please don’t make the overruns a thing here too).

Results
FTR b. Rascalz – Shatter Machine to Wentz
Daniel Garcia b. Tommaso Ciampa – Small package
Swerve Strickland b. Gravity – House Call
Private Party b. LFI, The Swirl and Outrunners – Doomsday Cutter to Johnson
Megan Bayne/Lena Kross b. Timeless Love Bombs – Jackhammer to Shirakawa
The Dogs b. Cosmo Quarry/Gino Catanari/Kayden Monroe – Suplex knee to Monroe

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
Date: February 28, 2026
Location: Mission Ballroom, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re getting closer to next month’s Revolution and that should be the focus for the next few weeks, including this show. The pay per view now has a main event with MJF defending the World Title against Hangman Page in a Texas Deathmatch, with MJF talking about the match this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is a ticked off MJF to get things going. We’re not starting this show until Revolution is fixed so he wants Tony Khan out here right now because a Texas Deathmatch is NOT happening. Cue Kevin Knight instead, saying he sees MJF trying to hide while Knight has been out here getting the job done. Knight says he has better fashion and swagger than MJF but he’s also the future and here and now. MJF isn’t impressed…but gives Knight a World Title shot on Dynamite anyway, promising to make Knight history. Well that worked.

Mark Briscoe wants to face Tommaso Ciampa again but tonight, Ciampa is facing Jay Lethal, who beat Ciampa for the ROH TV Title (I was at that show).

Death Riders vs. Don Callis Family

Eight man tag with Jon Moxley on commentary as the feud continues. Garcia and Romero start things off with Garcia avoiding a dropkick and hitting a basement version of his own. It’s off to Castagnoli vs. Alexander with Alexander blocking a Swing attempt. Castagnoli throws him down with the gutwrench suplex so Archer comes in to take over.

Everything breaks down and we get the parade of knockdowns. Archer hits a chokeslam but gets taken down by Yuta. The big flip dive lets Yuta wipe out the pile at ringside and we settle down to Pac kicking away at Beretta. Romero is back in with a missile dropkick to knock Pac off the apron and we take a break. We come back with Alexander chinlocking Pac, who gets up with a rebound German suplex. That’s enough for Castagnoli to come back in and fire off the uppercuts.

It’s already back to Yuta, who gets dropped by some jumping knees. Archer gives him a chokeslam and Yuta has to fix his hat to hide the baldness. Marina Shafir comes in to choke Archer, who breaks it up in a hurry. The Riders are back in to strike away at Archer, including a string of shots in the corner. The Fastball Special gets two, with the Family making the save. They brawl back to the floor and it’s Yuta’s running knee to finish Romero at 15:20.

Rating: B-. This is the big team feud in AEW at the moment and it wouldn’t shock me to see it go all the way on to either Anarchy In The Arena or Blood & Guts (or both). It’s smart to use the lower level wrestlers in the fall for a change, as it isn’t like Romero is going to be hurt by a loss. Nice match here, which might be due to Don Callis himself being nowhere in sight.

Post match Moxley gets in the ring to celebrate but Konosuke Takeshita runs in for the brawl.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal

The Swirl is here with Lethal. They go technical to start and a headlock takeover is broken up, giving us a standoff. With that not working, it’s time to slug it out until Ciampa grabs a belly to back suplex. Blake Christian offers a quick distraction though, allowing Lethal to hit his own suplex. Lethal shoulders him down and there’s the strut before Ciampa is sent outside. That means Ciampa can take out the Swirl, only to get wiped out with a suicide dive.

We take a break and come back with Ciampa catching him on top with a chop. Lethal knocks him right back down but the Figure Four is countered into a small package. The Lethal Combination puts Ciampa back down but Hail To The King is countered into a crucifix for two. Lethal grabs a cutter and tries the Lethal Injection, which is cut off with a basement dropkick. Ciampa kicks away and hits the running knee for the pin at 9:20.

Rating: B-. Again, this is where Lethal is at his best, as he can help boost up anyone around here. That’s certainly a good thing for Ciampa, who is already doing well establishing himself in his new surroundings. It would be nice to see him get another title shot, though I’ll take him being on his own for a change after so long in a tag team in WWE.

The IInspiration are here and seem to want to fight the Brawling Birds on Dynamite.

Video on Clark Connors.

Brawling Birds vs. Gypsy Mac/Tyra Russamee

Hayter forearms away on Mac to start and sends her to the corner for the tag to Russamee. Windsor hammers her down in a different corner and it’s back to Hayter with a running boot into a backbreaker. The double chops and double shoulders set up a Hart Attack (Two Birds One Stone, a rather clever name) for the pin on Russamee at 3:01.

Rating: C. Total squash here but I’m liking the Birds thus far. They’re both talented women who had nothing better to do and it’s nice to see them getting a chance. Hayter just hasn’t been quite the same since returning from her terrible injury so this is good for a rehab assignment. Maybe it works long term, as it’s not like there are a lot of teams to jump over.

Video on a four way tag match for $200,000 next week. I guess that’s a thing again.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Kyle Fletcher/Kazuchika Okada vs. Top Flight

Christopher Daniels is here with Top Flight and Don Callis is on commentary. Okada and Darius start things off as Callis explains the idea of Okada, the senior man in the team, giving the younger men a hard time. A double big boot drops Darius, who pulls himself back in to dropkick Fletcher. Dante comes in and gets knocked outside, where Okada gives him a DDT as we take a break.

We come back with Dante fighting his way out of trouble but Okada is in to cut off the tag. Said tag goes through about five seconds later and it’s Darius coming in to clean house. Fletcher misses a charge into the corner and Darius comes back in to kick him into a German suplex. Darius and Fletcher strike it out until Okada comes in for the dropkick. The Rainmaker drops Darius and Fletcher adds the brainbuster for the pin at 9:40.

Rating: B. This got going near the end but ultimately it was what Top Flight does best: putting in a solid effort but coming up short against a bigger name team. Unfortunately that has been their situation for far too long now and there isn’t much hope that they’ll shake the funk. I’m sure this will lead to even more of the tease of Okada vs. Takeshita, which has only been teased for the better part of ever thus far.

Post match Fletcher declares himself and Okada as the best champions in AEW history and a challenge is issued. Cue Jet Speed, who beat them in singles matches in the Continental Classic. A tag match is teased, along with Okada getting a World Title shot once Knight wins the thing, and a Trios Title match. General thought: SWEET GOODNESS THERE ARE TOO MANY TITLES AROUND HERE.

Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy want to fight the War Dogs.

Toni Storm vs. Zayda Steel

Storm’s early headlock takeover doesn’t get her very far so she tells Steel to give her some running shoulders. Steel can’t put her down so it’s a hurricanrana to send Storm into the corner instead. The running knee staggers Storm, who is right back with a suplex. A Codebreaker sends Storm outside for a suicide dive, followed by a high crossbody for two back inside. Three straight German suplexes knock Steel silly and the hip attack into Storm Zero finishes her off at 3:32.

Rating: C+. Steel got in some offense here but she has been little more than cannon fodder since coming to AEW. I get the idea that you don’t want some rookie becoming one of the big players around here, but there has to be something of a middle ground between that and her one singles win. Other than that, Storm would seem likely to be facing Marina Shafir in a big showdown soon, which should be good.

Post match Shafir comes in for the brawl, with Wheeler Yuta joining in. Storm fights back and steals Yuta’s hat, revealing a mostly bald head, though the hair is already starting to grow back in. At least they did it early enough.

Hook is recruiting for the Opps and Anthony Bowens offers his services. That’s only a maybe though, because Bowens might not be enough of a killer. Hook talking is not a great idea.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Sisters Of Sin vs. Kris Statlander/Thunder Rosa

Rosa hammers away on Hart to start and takes her down, only to be driven into the corner. Blue comes in for a double flapjack but gets sent into the wrong corner as well. That’s broken up so Hart comes back in and gets reverse slammed. Statlander’s big suicide dive is cut off though and we take a break.

We come back with Statlander catapulting Blue into Hart in the corner, allowing Rosa to come back in. Blue jawbreaks her way out of trouble and everything breaks down. The superkick gets two on Statlander, with Rosa diving in to make the save. They slug it out from their knees but the super swinging Rock Bottom is broken up. Staturday Night Fever drops Hart and Rosa’s package powerbomb gets the pin at 10:17.

Rating: B-. The Sisters remain little more than lackeys for the rather awesome Thekla and that’s a pretty solid choice for them. I’m not sure how that’s going to go for their future but the trio deal does seem to be the right idea. Rosa and Statlander feel like two singles stars working as a team, meaning they’ll likely stay this way for the time.

Post match here is Thekla, who says if there is one thing she can’t stand, it’s two dumb b******. She’s ready to beat Rosa, who should just retire already. Give it up for the past of the women’s division because it belongs to her. Yeah she’s good at this.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Andrade El Idolo

Don Callis is on commentary as they fight over a lockup to start. Andrade tries to pick up the pace but gets caught on top, where Ishii can’t hit an early superplex. Instead Andrade gets two off a high crossbody, with Callis saying he has his eyes locked onto Andrade’s physique at all times.

Ishii gets dropkicked out to the floor, where he drops Andrade onto the apron to take over. Back in and Andrade’s big boot gets two and they’re already back on the floor. Andrade sends him into the announcers’ table and stops for a photo with a fan as we take a break.

We come back with Ishii fighting up, leaving Callis so frantic that he gets back on commentary. Andrade’s Three Amigos get two but he misses the running knees in the corner. Ishii’s German suplex is shrugged off so he headbutts Andrade down. A missed charge sends Ishii face first into the buckle and the running knees knock him silly for two. The double moonsault gets two more but the DM is blocked. Instead Andrade’s spinning back elbow gets two, followed by the DM to pin Ishii at 14:04.

Rating: B-. Yeah it was fine, but you know what Ishii is going to do most of the time. He’s pretty much just playing the greatest hits these days and that’s only going to get him so far. Andrade is on his way to a match with Bandido, which should make for a good use of both of them at the pay per view.

Post match Bandido comes out for the staredown with Andrade and the match is announced for Revolution. There’s no word on if the Ring Of Honor World Title will be on the line, which would be about as appropriate as you could get for that title.

Overall Rating: B. This show did a nice job of setting some things up for the future or simply advancing a few things that were already established. That’s often the best you can get out of Collision and I’ll take it over what we got last week. This did a nice job and the tag match was rather good stuff. Nice show this week.

Results
Death Riders b. Don Callis Family – Running knee to Romero
Tommaso Ciampa b. Jay Lethal – Running knee
Brawling Birds b. Gypsy Mac/Tyra Russamee – Two Birds One Stone to Russamee
Kyle Fletcher/Kazuchika Okada b. Top Flight – Brainbuster to Darius
Toni Storm b. Zayda Steel – Storm Zero
Kris Statlander/Thunder Rosa b. Sisters Of Sin – Package powerbomb to Hart
Andrade El Idolo b. Tomohiro Ishii – DM

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
Date: February 21, 2026
Location: Frontwave Arena, Oceanside, California
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re inching closer to Revolution and things are starting to pick up, with a few matches officially set. That doesn’t include the World Title match, which has a few stipulations which may or may not be added in. There is a good chance we hear something about that match this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Trios Titles: Hangman Page/Jet Speed vs. The Demand

Page/Jet Speed are defending and my goodness they’re actually on screen together. The Demand takes over to start but Page backdrops Ricochet to the floor. Jet Speed dropkicks the Gates out to the floor and we settle down to Kaun chopping at Knight. That doesn’t last long as it’s off to bailey for the rapid fire kicks. Everything breaks down and Liona does a Braun Strowman run around the ring series of tackles. The Demand gets to pose on the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Bailey kicking away at Liona, who misses a backsplash. Bailey dropkicks Liona down and it’s off to Ricochet vs. Page. Everything breaks down again with Page being knocked down so Ricochet can hit a springboard 450. Jet Speed start firing off superkicks but Liona fall away slams both of them at once.

We get a parade of knockdowns until Page Tombstones Ricochet, leaving everyone down. Liona gets Deadeyed onto the apron but Ricochet pulls the referee in the way to stop the Buckshot Lariat. Vertigo gets two but here is Jack Perry for a distraction (My goodness that feud is STILL going?), allowing Page to hit the Buckshot Lariat to retain at 14:29.

Rating: B. Why? Why would you keep the titles on Page and Jet Speed? They had teamed together once before winning the titles and then barely associate with each other after winning them. Also, Ricochet has beaten Perry twice and there is no reason to keep this feud going. Let someone else come after that useless title already instead of just doing the same thing over and over. As usual, these titles have pretty much no reason to exist whatsoever.

The Rascalz are in a smoky room when FTR come in to complain about the smoke. They’ll have a match tonight.

Young Bucks vs. The Swirl

The Bucks’ family is in the front row and Jay Lethal is here with the Swirl. He even dubs the team the Lethal Swirl because EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE A STUPID NAME THESE DAYS. Matt gets double stomped down to start and everything breaks down, with Christian and the Bucks doing a string of standing switches. The Bucks are sent outside for a running flip dive through the ropes from Christian but come back inside for more superkicks. The top rope elbow/splash connect for the Bucks as we take an early break.

We come back with Nick being kicked outside, leaving Matt to be caught in the Tree Of Woe for a 619. Matt northern lights suplexes both of them and brings Nick back in to clean house. Everything breaks down and the Bucks’ top rope stomp flips Christian into a sitout powerbomb for two. Matt hits a super hurricanrana to Christian and the Doomsday Device knocks Johnson onto Christian with a moonsault. The BTE Trigger finishes Christian at 10:00.

Rating: B-. This was indeed a Young Bucks match, where they did all of their impressive athletic stuff, posed a lot and followed the clearly defined step by step instructions for the match. Naturally they’re back in the title picture because they have to be every so often and hey look it’s against FTR. Again. Because this is a thing that has to happen.

We look back at the MJF vs. Hangman Page showdown from Dynamite.

MJF was at an indy show last night, where according to Schiavone, he defended the Ring Of Honor World Title. Naturally he retained, despite interference from Andrade El Idolo.

After the match, MJF went after Andrade, who said he wanted the title. MJF makes it clear that he’s going to beat Hangman Page, then he’ll deal with Andrade.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

CMLL World Title: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Alexander

Castagnoli is defending and gets jumped to start fast, including a slam to put him down. A clothesline puts Alexander on the floor and a running uppercut knocks him down again. Back in and they chop it out with Castagnoli easily getting the better of things. They head back outside where Castagnoli is sent knees first into the steps.

We take a break and come back with Alexander slowly hammering away even more. Castagnoli manages a quick gutwrench suplex and uppercuts away in the corner to stagger Alexander. A jumping double stomp puts Alexander down again and the pop up uppercut gets two. Alexander is right back with the ankle lock but Castagnoli muscles him up into a suplex for two more. The Swing and Neutralizer retain the title at 13:46.

Rating: B-. It’s another hard hitting fight between two big men which wasn’t enhanced whatsoever by having a foreign title involved. Granted that’s the case with a lot of the titles around here and odds are it isn’t going to change anytime soon. Castagnoli is in pretty much the same place he’s been for years and Alexander has been beaten so many times that wins over him mean nothing, but it was a title match so that makes it interesting.

Megan Bayne vs. B3cca

Bayne throws her around to start and sends her into some buckles. The Mega Bomb finishes for Bayne at 1:32.

Tommaso Ciampa would love to face Mark Briscoe again, but he also wants the TNT Title back because he isn’t done with Kyle Fletcher.

Death Riders vs. Don Callis Family

Takeshita and the hatted Yuta start things off with Takeshita kicking him down. Clon comes in and exchanges flips with Pac. A monkey flip is cut off though and Pac gets sent into the corner, where Davis comes in to choke him down. Pac gets over for the tag off to Moxley, who comes in to hammer away on Davis. The Riders take turns firing off running shots in the corner until Moxley grabs the bulldog choke.

We take a break and come back with Moxley fighting out of a chinlock and sending Takeshita outside. Davis German suplexes Moxley, who pops up with a clothesline and brings Pac back in to pick up the pace. Pac’s big moonsault to the floor takes the Family out as everything breaks down.

Moxley’s double DDT only half works as Clon flips away and trades stereo kicks with Pac. Marina Shafir takes a chair away from Davis, who gets Cactus clotheslined out to the floor. Takeshita charges into a superkick and the Fastball Special gets two. Back up and Takeshita starts clearing the ring with kicks to the face. That leaves Yuta to get Raging Fired for the pin at 14:33.

Rating: B. Good stuff here, with a push towards the Moxley vs. Takeshita rematch, which should be a heck of a fight. At the same time you have more of the same feud between these two teams that has been going on for a few matches now. I’m not sure where that leads, but Blood & Guts seems like a realistic option.

Post match Moxley gives Takeshita a Paradigm Shift.

The Babes Of Wrath aren’t worried about Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford.

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Thunder Rosa vs. Julia Hart

This is Rosa’s first match in months and she snaps off some armdrags to start in a hurry. Hart rakes the eyes to cut her off and grabs a neckbreaker over the rope as we take a break. We come back with Rosa hitting a running clothesline in the corner, followed by a running dropkick against the ropes. Hart pulls her into a quick Tarantula and then a Black Widow to keep up the theme. A leg trip sets up the moonsault but Rosa gets her feet up for a painful looking block. The package piledriver slam finishes for Rosa at 9:11.

Rating: C+. It’s a nice comeback for Rosa, but she feels like a relic of the past after being gone for so long. That’s not her fault, but it’s her second really long layoff in just a few years. She’s basically starting from scratch for the time being and while she has the talent to make it work, that’s going to be tricky. At least she’s back though and that’s what matters.

Post match Thekla pops up to insult Rosa, who is apparently rather stupid. AEW is now toxic and Hart tries to jump Rosa, only for Kris Statlander to make the save.

Private Party is having a party and glad to be back.

Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors pop up to say they want to get rid of Darby Allin. Oh and Orange Cassidy is going to take a beating as well.

Rascalz vs. FTR

Non-title eliminator match, Myron Reed is here with the Rascalz and Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Harwood slaps Wentz in the face to start so Wentz flips around and hits him in the jaw. Back up and Harwood strikes away in the corner, allowing Xavier to hit a twisting splash for two. A cutter and rollup give Xavier two on Wheeler but Harwood low bridges him to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Wentz hitting a middle rope moonsault to the floor, leaving Xavier to get two off a sunset flip. Harwood drops Xavier with a clothesline as commentary reveals Swerve Strickland was fined $100,000 for his attack on Kenny Omega on Dynamite. A tiger driver gives Harwood two on Wentz and everyone but the illegal Wheeler is down.

Wentz is back up for a handspring spinning kick to Harwood’s head but Harwood pops up with a brainbuster for two. Wheeler drives Reed into the steps and loads up his glasses but here are the Young Bucks to distract him. That’s enough for the Hot Fire Flame to pin Harwood at 10:55.

Rating: B-. It was a nice win and thank goodness if this results in the Tag Team Title match being something other than the Bucks vs. FTR, but the Rascalz aren’t exactly standing out. They’re just another team who can do a bunch of cool looking flips and dives, which is already covered around here. It’s not that they’re a bad team, but other than the smoke jokes, what makes them stand out?

Post match the Gates Of Agony run in to jump the Rascalz and FTR jumps the Bucks’ family. The big beatdown is on, including a spike piledriver to the Bucks’ brother, and the villains stand tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was back to normal for Collision, as there was pretty much nothing going on that made the show feel important. The Trios Titles haven’t meant anything in the better part of ever and the CMLL World Title means even less. I do like having Thunder Rosa back and the Rascalz winning gives me a bit of hope, but this show being cut down to an hour would do it wonders. While there is no chance of that happening anytime soon, all I can do is keep waiting for the big stuff on Dynamite.

Results
Hangman Page/Jet Speed b. The Demand – Buckshot Lariat to Ricochet
Young Bucks b. The Swirl – BTE Trigger to Christian
Claudio Castagnoli b. Josh Alexander – Neutralizer
Megan Bayne b. B3cca – Mega Bomb
Don Callis Family b. Death Riders – Raging Fire to Yuta
Thunder Rosa b. Julia Hart – Package piledriver slam
Rascalz b. FTR – Hot Fire Flame to Harwood

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