By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 89)
Boston, Massachusetts at MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Simulcast live April 17, 2025 on TNT and Max
[Hour One] The “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” opening aired… The broadcast team of Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness stood on the stage and recapped Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite. The started to run through the Collision lineup before they were interrupted.
Marina Shafir brought a woman onto the stage and dumped her to the floor. Shafir entered the ring and took the mic from ring announcer Arkady Aura. Jon Jon Moxley joined Shafir inside the ring while Claudio Castagnoli beat up a cameraman and broke the camera. Wheeler Yuta threw a chair and jawed with fans at ringside.
The crowd chanted “you tapped out” at Moxley, who took the mic and said everyone who celebrated in the ring last night should enjoy it because it’s the last chance they’ll have to celebrate for a long time. Moxley said he decided that he doesn’t like The Young Bucks and told them to stay in their own lane or he would make sure they are never seen in the business again.
Moxley said he’d always treated Samoa Joe with reverence. Moxley challenged Joe to a match. The crowd chanted Joe’s name. Moxley said Joe has known him long enough to know exactly what he is dealing with. Moxley dropped the mic and then exited through the crowd along with the rest of his crew…
Schiavone and McGuinness ran through the lineup from their broadcast table and then entrances for the opening match took place. Kevin Knight came out first. Lance Archer followed with Don Callis and then immediately attacked Knight to start the match
1. Kevin Knight vs. Lance Archer (w/Don Callis). Knight battled back with a shotgun dropkick Knight performed a springboard moonsault onto Archer, who was on the entrance ramp, which met the apron. Archer came back with a lariat that turned Knight inside out. Archer followed up with a short-arm clothesline. Archer took Knight to ringside and swung him into the ring steps before the first commercial break. [C]
Schiavone noted that Dynamite will air at the usual 7CT/8ET start time and will be broadcast coast-to-coast. He said next week’s Collision will be back on Saturday and will air after NBA playoff coverage.
Late in the match, Knight rallied from giving up a lot of offense. Knight hit a springboard clothesline and then covered Archer for the three count…
Kevin Knight vs. Lance Archer in 11:40.
Powell’s POV: The match effectively made Knight look resilient for fighting back and beating a bigger opponent. I’m not crazy about the springboard clothesline as the finisher because it looked tamer than some of the other moves used by both wrestlers.
Footage aired from after Dynamite of new AEW Trios Champions “The Opps” Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata speaking backstage. Joe said they are men who commit violence Joe said they are the AEW Trios Champions, “and we’re coming for so much more”…
A brief Will Ospreay narrated ad for AEW All In Texas aired… [C]
Renee Paquette interviewed Jamie Hayter and Kris Statlander about meeting for the first time in the Owen Hart Foundation semifinals on Dynamite. Hayter said she knows Statlander is good, just as Statlander knows she is good. Statlander said it’s been a long time coming and the person who wins better go all the way…
Schiavone stood behind his desk and read a letter from “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler that the live crowd could hear. The letter apologized and said the one-week suspension wasn’t enough and claimed they would not have gone through with the piledriver on Schiavone. They also apologized for what happened with McGuinness while adding that he has a fragile mind and body…
Footage aired from after Dynamite of Don Callis stating that he’s so happy to have Josh Alexander in his family while the other members stood by and appeared to be happy with the move… Entrances for the Callis Family’s tag team match took place…
2. AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Josh Alexander vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Rocky Romero. Don Callis sat in on commentary. McGuinness said the word of the week is proliferation. He said Mark Briscoe is adding a ninth child to his family. He cracked that Briscoe goes by Chicken, but his nickname should be Rabbit. The heels got the better of Romero heading into a break. [C]
Powell’s POV: Mark will have enough kids to start a Little League baseball team.
Ishii took a hot tag and worked over Alexander. Ishii suplexed Alexander and then covered him for a two count. Takeshita threw a kick at Ishii from the ropes. Ishii no-sold it and then turned around and knokced Takeshita off the apron. Takeshita entered ther ing and ended up putting Ishii down for a moment, but Ishii got up and drilled him with a lariat.
Alexander got Ishii in the ankle lock, but Romero broke it up. The picture cut out a couple of times for a second or two. Alexander ducked an Ishii clothesline that hit Romero. Alexander rolled up Ishii for a near fall. Alexander followed up with a German suplex that Ishii no-sold. Ishii blasted Alexander with a headbutt that both men sold by falling to the mat.
Ishii went for a tag, but Romero dropped from the apron. Takeshita threw a kick at Ishii and then suplexed him. Alexander followed up with a suplex. Alexander and Takeshita struck Ishii simultaneously. Alexander powerbombed and pinned Ishii.
AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Josh Alexander defeated Tomohiro Ishii and Rocky Romero in 10:20.
After the match, the crowd chanted “Rocky suck” while the Callis team left the ring. Romero returned to the ring and tried to help Ishii up, but Ishii shoved him. Trent Beretta entered the ring wearing a black hoodie, which distracted Ishii. Romero attacked Ishii and then Beretta removed his hoodie and joined in.
Takeshita, Alexander, and Callis returned to the ring. Takeshita went face-to-face with Beretta, but Callis pulled him back. Calils presented Beretta with a wrench that he struck Ishii with. Callis held up the arms of Beretta and Romero…
Powell’s POV: Oh, AEW and their over-the-top weapons. The focus should have been on Alexander after he lost his debut match on Dyamite, but he took a backseat to a Roppongi Vice reunion. Meh.
Backstage, Lexi Nair interviewed TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, who played to the Boston crowd. Harley Cameron used the Mercedes puppet, which annoyed Mone, who told Cameron to stay out of the way and stop being such a loser…
An ad aired for AEW Double Or Nothing, which will be held on Sunday, May 25… [C]
Megan Bayne made her entrance with Penelope Ford. Bayne’s opponents were already in the ring…
3. Megan Bayne (w/Penelope Ford) vs. Rebecca Scott and Ashley Vox in a handicap match. Scott and Vox channelled Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson by hitting Bayne with a double dropkick to start the match. Bayne came right back with a double suplex. Bayne powerbombed Scott twice and then hit her with a running sit-out powerbomb. Bayne clotheslined Vox and then hit her with Fate’s Descent on top of her partner, which led to the pin.
Megan Bayne defeated Rebecca Scott and Ashley Vox in 1:20 in a handicap match.
Afterward, Bayne grabbed both opponents by the back of the head and shoved their faces onto the mat…
An Anthony Bowens video package aired. He spoke about being the perfect combination of power, athleticism, and intelligence. He said he has the look and the It Factor. He also said he’s led by a Badass. Bowens asked who is ready to step up to face the Five Tool Player…
Powell’s POV: I’m cheering for Bowens, but there’s something that feels off about him saying these things about himself. There are some successful braggadocious babyfaces. I just don’t know if Bowens is that guy. And don’t even get me started on Billy Gunn still being a part of his act.
Adam Cole made his entrance for his open challenge.
[Hour Two] Claudio Castagnoli made his entrance as the challenger. Once he arrived at ringside, Castagnoli launched a chair at the broadcast table. McGuinness claimed he was fine…
4. Adam Cole vs. Claudio Castagnoli for the TNT Championship. Castagnoli took an early powder and then Cole kicked him when he tried to return to the ring. Castagnoli pulled Cole to the floor and ran him into the barricade. Castagnoli went for a running uppercut that Cole avoided.
Castagnoli dumped Cole on top of the barricade, which drew “holy shit” chants. The referee counted to seven and then just stopped. Castagnoli went back to ringside and tossed Cole over the barricade. Cole was down at ringside heading into a break. [C]
Castgnoli used the giant swing to get a two count and then put Cole in a crossface. Castagnoli jumped from the ropes into a superkick. Cole covered Castagnoli for a two count. Castagnoli came right back with a pop-up uppercut for a near fall. Castagnoli hit Cole with punches in the corner and then superplexed him. Cole hooked Castagnoli into a pin and got the three count.
Adam Cole defeated Claudio Castagnoli in 15:15 to retain the TNT Championship.
After the match, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly came out dressed in matching blue t-shirts and black jeans. Castagnoli threw a fit and tipped over the broadcast table, then turned it upright before tipping it over again. Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Marina Shafir came out to calm down Castagnoli while the fans chanted “loser” at him…
Powell’s POV: A good match. I’m not sure why they didn’t just announce the match beforehand, as it felt like a letdown to have a regular take the open challenge. And after taking so many losses over the years, why did this one make Castagnoli’s character flip out? Because he lost the worthless trios titles?
Big Bill and Bryan Keith were interviewed in the backstage area by Lexi Nair, who asked them about Chris Jericho. Bill recalled Jerihco saying he was disappointed in them. Bill said he’s disappointed in Jericho. Bill said he’s getting angry. Keith said not right now. Bill said they talked about it in private and asked what the difference is. Keith recalled Jericho saying they are family and said that means something to him.
Keith said they should handle it internally. Keith said Jericho may not have left them had Bill not put him on blast. Billy said he gets that Keith wants to keep the family together. Bill said he doesn’t know if they should be living and dying by Jericho’s whims. Bill said the strategy moving forward is to get in the ring, crack some skulls, and stack some wins…
“La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos made their entrance while their opponents were already in the ring…
5. “La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos vs. KM, Rosario Grillo, and LSG. The referee rewarded LFI for attacking their opponents before the match by calling for the opening bell. In the end, Rush hit Bull’s Horns on one of his opponents and then pinned him…
“La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos beat KM, Rosario Grillo, and LSG in 1:50.
Powell’s POV: I feel like I’m experiencing deja vu. LFI squashes teams for a few weeks. Rush disappears. Rush returns and then LFI squashes teams until he disappears again.
Renee Paquette spoke with Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey until Ricochet interrupted them. Ricochet accused Knight and Bailey of screwing him and stealing $400,000 from him. Bailey said his team beat Ricochet’s team fair and square. Ricochet said he would give them veteran advice. He told them not to upset the top talent or mess with the chain of command. Knight said there’s something he can do that Ricochet can’t do. Knight shook his hair. Ricochet got upset. Knight acted like he was going to slap Ricochet, who flinched. Knight was willing to fight, but Bailey said they’d go, but just not today. Paquette did a hair toss and walked away…
Entrances for the ROH TV Title match took place…
6. Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. Nick Wayne for the ROH TV Title. Komander hit a top rope crossbody block and followed up with a dropkick. Wayne rolled onto the entrance ramp and pulled Komander’s neck over the top rope. Christian Cage, Mother Wayne, and Kip Sabian were shown watching the match on a backstage television. Wayne was on the offensive heading into a break. [C]
Komander hit a nice moonsault for a near fall. Wayne avoided a charging Komander, who hit his head on the middle turnbuckle. Komander came right back with a Poison Rana for a two count. Wayne suplexed Komander and bridged while getting a good near fall. Wayne went for his finisher, but Komander cut him off and then jumped from the top rope into a Destroyer that sent Wayne to the floor. Komander went up top and moonsaulted onto Wayne on the floor.
Komander got Wayne back in the ring and went for a top rope move, but Wayne put his feet up. Wayne followed up with a kick and a fisherman’s suplex for the win…
Nick Wayne defeated Komander in 10:55 to win the ROH TV Title.
Powell’s POV: Is Komander allergic to winning singles matches on Collision? Please tell me that Christian is going to heel on Nick for winning a title from a promotion that barely exists. Even Mother Wayne should tell Nick to win a belt that matters.
A Hologram video package aired and closed with a graphic stating that he will return next week… [C]
Backstage, “Top Flight” Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Leila Grey delivered a promo. The Martins said they spoke with Tony Khan and will face Lio Rush and Action Andretti in a tornado tag match. Rush and Andretti showed up and jawed with the Martins, but security quickly got between the two teams…
Toni Storm and Luther made their entrance, and then the entrances for the main event tag match took place…
7. TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart and Kris Statlander. Toni Storm sat in on commentary. Mone and Statlander were fighting at ringside heading into an early break. [C] Jamie Hayter was shown watching the match on a backstage television.
[Overrun] Speedball Bailey and Kevin Knight vs. “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson was announced for Dynamite. In the ring, Statlander set up Mone for her finisher, but Cameron, who was legal for her team, broke it up.
Hart caught Mone in a tarantula. Cameron rolled up Statlander for a two count. Statlander performed a backbreaker on Cameron and then hit her with a lariat clothesline before pinning her. McGuinness said Statlander used Hayter’s finisher to send a message to her.
Julia Hart and Kris Statlander defeated Mercedes Mone and Harley Cameron in 11:05.
After the match, Storm stood on the apron and applauded Statlander. Storm blew a kiss at Statlander and then fell off the apron and into the arms of Luther to close the show…
Powell’s POV: The match concluded with the logical outcome of Statlander going over heading into her semifinal match with Hayter. The match would have been more interesting had Hayter teamed with Statlander.
Overall, I wish AEW could have dropped the mic after the hot Dynamite and called it quits for WrestleMania week rather than run this fine if you saw it, fine if you missed it episode. Will Pruett’s AEW Collision audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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Yeah, Bowens feels like he is auditioning for LFG with those overconfident babyface catchphrase promos.