By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Collision (Episode 104)
July 31, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois at Aragon Ballroom
Simulcast live on TNT and Max
Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness joined on commentary to start the show. They bantered a bit until the Death Riders showed up. They tossed around security guards at ringside as Moxley got in the ring and grabbed a microphone. Moxley said he wasn’t there to talk about him. He said he thought he sent a pretty strong message to Darby Allin to get gone and stay gone 8 months ago when he threw him down a flight of stairs. Moxley said he’s not stupid, and he knows Darby is there, so he demanded he come out and show himself.
Darby appeared on the second floor of the building standing next to the balcony. Moxley told him to get his ass to the ring, but Darby just walked away and Moxley was pissed off. He said this building isn’t that big and they would have that tough conversation one way or another. The announce team introduced some video highlights of the AEW World Championship match from Dynamite last night. Afterward, the announce team said we’d see the final quarterfinal match in the AEW Tag Team Tournament. First out was Brodido, the team of Brodie King and Bandido, followed by the Gates of Agony.
1. Brodido (Brody King and Bandido) vs. The Gates of Agony (Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun) in an AEW Tag Team Championship Tournament Match: Bandido and Kaun started the match. Both men hit the ropes and traded evasions and reversals. Kaun managed to land a lariat, but Bandido fired back with an arm drag. Liona tagged in and pointed for Brody King. Bandido fired up the crowd and stayed in the match. Liona overpowered him and tossed him into the corner, where King tagged in.
They traded strikes and collided after hitting the ropes. King managed to use a lariat to sent Liona to the floor, and then performed a back body drop on Kaun when he tried to enter the match. Bandido got involved and landed a springboard splash on Kaun. King and Bandido then landed a big assisted splash on Liona for a one count. The heels managed to take control before the break. Liona delivered a back body drop on King on the floor, and Kaun knocked Bandido from the top turnbuckle and sent him to the floor…[c]
My Take: I guess Mox is moving into a feud with Darby immediately. I’m still hoping it’s brief and Moxley gets some much needed time off.
Kaun and Liona landed a combination backstabber and running splash on Bandido for a near fall. Bandido managed to reverse out of a double team suplex attempt, and make a tag to King. He entered the match and immediately took over. He dumped Kaun to the floor and performed a cannonball on Liona in the corner. He then tagged Bandido back in, and then splashed Kaun and Liona at ringside with suicide dives.
Bandido sent Kaun into the crowd, and King sent Liona back into the ring. The crowd went nuts for Bandido as he went to the top and splashed Liona, but Kaun broke up the fall. Kaun pulled Bandido to the top and performed a big Avalanche Powerbomb for a close near fall. Kauna and Liona then delivered a double team pendulum facebuster, and King broke up the fall.
King tagged himself into the match and delivered a Death Valley Driver on the apron to Liona. He then picked up Kaun and placed him on the top rope and delivered a Superplex. Bandido then tagged in and used King for an assisted 450 and got the win.
Brodido defeated The Gates of Agony by pinfall 12:31
They celebrated after the match. FTR vs. The Bang Bang Gang is later in the show. Lexy Nair then interviewed Don Callis and Lance Archer in the back. Callis said Fletcher is prepared to defeat Dustin Rhodes, and then The Callis family would have all the titles and the power. Shane Taylor walked up and said Callis better pay what he owes him. Callis said he might have a point, but asked him to do something for him and take out Skyflight, which he has identified as a problem.
A video package then aired that focused on MJF and Mark Briscoe, and their Main Event match on Dynamite next week…[c]
My Take: A solid opening match. The finish seemed pretty obvious due to the Bucks winning on Dynamite, but I like the idea of a Brodido vs. Bucks semifinal match.
Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly were interviewed backstage. Kyle confirmed that he had never left The Conglomeration, and Roddy was upset about it. He said the Conglomeration was a lifestyle, and they were a loose group that uplift each other. Roddy said he came to AEW to support his friend, and now he had lost his friend, and he wasn’t sure what he was doing anymore. Willow Nightingale, Hologram, and Tomohiro Ishii walked up and Kyle thanked them for the Brazilian Butt Lift party over the weekend. Strong was uncomfortable with Kyle’s friendship with them, and Willow said she had a match with Thekla. Kyle acted very excited, but it was distractingly forced enthusiasm. Kyle did his best to act conflicted as they parted ways, and headed off with Strong.
Elsewhere backstage, The Death Riders searched for Darby Allin, but Jon Moxley ended up getting kidnapped when Allin put a rag over his face and pulled him into the darkness.
2. Kris Statlander vs. Lena Kross: Total domination from Statlander. She tossed Kross around and then applied a head triangle and got a tap out victory.
Kris Statlander defeated Lena Kross at 1:02
After the match. Statlander celebrated as Willow Nightingale passed her making her entrance. Thekla then made her entrance with Sky Blue and Julia Hart.
3. Thekla vs. Willow Nightingale: They traded reversals and evasions for the opening minute, and then had a staredown. Willow got a two count after a heavy shoulder block. She followed up with a side slam and a splash for another two count. Willow then followed up with the pounce and sent Thekla to the floor. On the outside, Thekla reversed an irish whip and sent Willow into the ring steps…[c]
My Take: That backstage promo with Kyle, Roddy, and The Conglomeration was rough. Thekla and Willow is a bit slow going, hopefully things pick up after the break.
Willow landed a trio of lariats and then a hip attack in the corner. She followed up with a dropkick from the middle turnbuckle for a near fall. Thekla fired back with some chops and an elbow. Willow fired back with a lariat, and then a Death Valley Driver for a close near fall. She then took Thekla to the top rope, but she worked free. Thekla fell down out of the corner and they had to reset. She then delivered a superplex. WIllow rolled to the floor, and Julia and Skye forced her to back up into a Thekla splash from the top rope.
Back in the ring, Willow fired back with a big lariat and a cannonball in the corner. She set up for a sit out powerbomb, but got distracted by Blue and Hart. Thekla delivered a spear and a running stomp, and covered for the win.
Thekla defeated Willow Nightingale at 11:11
After the match, the three women continued the beatdown on Willow. Meghan Bayne and Penelope Ford walked down to the ring and joined in on the beating. Bayne set out to deliver a Powerbomb, but Queen Aminata, Tay Melo, and Anna Jay made their entrance with some weapons to run them off. Backstage, Billy Gunn was interviewed backstage. He was interrupted immediately by Anthony Bowens. He told Gunn that he busted the slump that he set up for him last week, and when he needed him, he put his hands on him instead of joining him in beating down Caster. Gunn said he didn’t recognize him anymore, and when he figured out who he is, he’ll be at home.
My Take: I think Bowens has a decent shot as a heel, and Caster should do well as a babyface with his natural charisma. The double turn should be completed pretty quickly.
A pre-taped promo from Swerve Strickland aired. He mocked the Young Bucks for losing their EVP titles and said they had to join their peers again. He chastised them for taking it out on his talented friends the Outrunners, and said they would all get their revenge on Okada and The Bucks. Video was then shown of Swerve making the save for The Outrunners yesterday on Dynamite.
Elsewhere backstage, Don Callis was with Okada and called him the best big match wrestler he’s ever seen. He said they have to listen to Swerve howling like a wolf every week, and that he should stop taking advice from his degenerate coffee salesman manager Prince Nana. Okada spoke briefly and said they don’t need to talk, at Forbidden Door they just needed to fight…bitch.
In the arena, FTR made their entrance with Stokely Hathaway. They were followed by Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson, who had cardboard cutouts of Jay White and Colten Gunn.
4. FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. The Bang Bang Gang (Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson) in and AEW Tag Tournament Semi-Final: Things started pretty slowly. Juice rolled up hardwood in a small package for a two count. Austin Gunn tagged in and area shoulder block. Harwood followed up with a hip toss. Juice tagged back in and took over, slamming Harwood into the buckle multiple times. Gunn tagged back in, but Harwood quickly made a tag to Wheeler. They traded chops, and Wheeler got the better of it.
Juice tagged back in and righted the ship. He and Austin ended up sending FTR out to the floor with lariats, where they regrouped with Hathaway…[c]
My Take: Okada and Swerve has been underwhelming so far. I’m very much looking forward to the match, but it seems like AEW’s strategy for building Okada matches is to avoid promos at all costs. I would think Callis and Swerve could work out a pretty good in-ring promo segment if they wanted to.
Harwood applied an abdominal stretch on Austin, and used some leverage from Wheeler in the process. Gunn battled back and made a tag, but the ref was distracted and didn’t see it. Juice tried to chase Wheeler around the ring, but it caused FTR to deliver a double team slam on Gunn for a near fall. Harwood sent Gunn to the floor, but Wheeler crashed and burned into the apron trying to attack him. Gunn managed to break free after a bit of deception and made a tag to Juice.
He delivered some rapid fire punches and a spinebuster to Harwood. Juice then took out Cash with a hard right hand and delivered a running lariat to Harwood. Near the ropes, Harwood tried to steal the match using a roll up using the crutch of Stokely again, but the ref noticed and stopped the count. Juice then rolled up Harwood for a near fall. FTR attempted a spike piledriver on Juice, but Gunn broke it up and sent Wheeler to the floor.
Juice and Austin landed a powerplex on Harwood. Wheeler tried to break it up with a splash, but Juice moved and he landed on Harwood. They went back and forth with several reversals, and Juice landed a Bladerunner on Harwood for a near fall. Gunn tagged in, and traded roll up attempts with Hardwood to no avail. Juice and Gunn managed to deliver a combo Fameasser and rolling elbow, but Wheeler broke up the pinfall.
Wheeler then sent Juice into the ring post on the floor. Gunn rolled up Harwood, but Stokely caused a distraction. Wheeler helped Harwood reverse the leverage and Harwood got the pin.
FTR defeated the Bang Bang Gang at 15:14
After the match, FTR celebrated and mocked the cardboard version of Jay White. We then got a video highlight reel of Athena’s O-Face finisher. Backstage, Athena explained why she didn’t execute her contract last night. She said she realized when she pinned Toni Storm that she didn’t respect her, and it would be easy to take the title whenever she wanted. She then said she deserved her supernatural moment, and it would be in the O2 Arena in London where no door is forbidden to her. She told Toni to keep her title warm because when she activates no one is going to stop her. The match was then confirmed for Forbidden Door by Tony Schiavone.
Back in the arena, Max Caster was in the ring and said he had some bad memories in this city. He called the city Chiraq and said he would cheer them all up by allowing them to chant his name. He mocked the crowd for being boring like that bland bitch Anthony Bowens, and then put 5 minutes on the clock for his open challenge. Rush then made his entrance to answer the challenge.
5. Rush vs. Max Caster: Caster successfully ran away for the first 90 seconds, until Rush followed and blasted him with a punch on the floor. He then ran him into the barricades all around the ring. Max managed to land a couple of shots on the floor, but Rush quickly turned the tables. He mocked Caster and delivered an insulting kick in the corner. Rush paid no attention to the clock and even picked up Caster on a pin with 46 seconds left on the timer. He set up for the Horns in the corner, but the bell ran before he could do it.
Max Caster and Rush ended in a draw at 5:00
Rush delivered the Horns after the bell and posed on a downed Caster. Dralistico and Mortos then ran down and stomped out Caster, and security got beat down for attempting a save. Jet Speed and AR Fox eventually ran down to make the save and clear LFI from the ring. Caster raised his fist from the mat as he was checked on by referees…[c]
My Take: FTR and Bang Bang Gang was a fun tag match. The only quibble for me was that I never really bought into Juice and Gunn as potential finalists. Caster continues his slow burn babyface turn. Surviving 5 minutes with Rush builds character.
Shane Taylor promotions made their way to the ring. They were followed by SkyFlight.
6. Skyflight (Scorpio Sky, Dante Martin, Darius Martin) vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo): Bravo and Darius Martin started the match. The heels cut off Martin early on and Taylor delivered a big leg drop on the apron. Shane Taylor Promotions gloated to the camera afterward…[c]
Dante Martin landed a springboard splash on Shawn Dean as the show returned. Taylor tagged in and took down Martin with a big lariat. Dean and Bravo then attempted a double team, but Martin escaped with a knee strike and tagged in Scorpio Sky. The Martins dove on Taylor and Dean on the floor, and Sky delivered a TKO to Bravo in the ring and got the win.
Skyflight defeated Shane Taylor promotions at 6:57
Outside, Darby Allin had Jon Moxley nearly unconscious with an ether soaked rag maybe? He tried to throw him off a fire escape, but was prevented from doing so by AEW security…[c]
My Take: Ether Soaked rags and Murder. Darby Allin and Jon Moxley are made for each other.
Kyle Fletcher made his ring entrance for the Main Event. He was followed by Dustin Rhodes, who entered to his “The Natural” theme..
7. Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher for the AEW TNT Championship: Both men went face to face, and they quickly ended up on the floor. They battled with a kendo stick, and Rhodes hit Fletcher over the back multiple times. Fletcher then delivered a DDT onto the ring steps, and sold his back afterwards. Fletcher set up a table against the barricade, and then placed Rhodes on it. He then attempted a dive into Rhodes, who moved and Fletcher crashed and burned.
Rhodes then grabbed a cowbell and set up another table. He cracked Fletcher in the face with it a couple of times and covered for a two count. Both men were bleeding at this point. Rhodes set up Fletcher at ringside on a table, but ended up going through it himself when he attempted a splash…[c]
Dustin landed a Code Red for a near fall. Both men then traded punches. Dustin delivered a CrossRhodes and covered for a close near fall. He then retrieved a couple of chairs and smashed Kyle over the back. He then lifted the chair again, and Fletcher kicked it into his face. He then set up two chairs, and drove Dustin into the chairs with a jumping tombstone for a close near fall. Fletcher set up a table near the corner and set up Dustin in the corner.
He then set up for a Superplex, but Dustin fought back and delivered an avalanche Destroyer into the table for another 2.99 near fall. Dustin then grabbed a gardening glove from under the ring that had tacks embedded in it. He managed to apply an Iron Claw to Fletcher with it, but he broke free by kicking him in the balls. Fletcher then poured out a bag of tacks. Both men battled back and forth for leverage, and Dustin used a powerslam to dump Fletcher onto the tacks for a near fall.
Dustin set up Fletcher in the corner and poured tacks down his shorts. He then kicked Fletcher in balls with Shattered Dreams. Callis then snuck Fletcher a screwdriver, which he used on Dustin’s head. He then had Callis hold Dustin against the ropes, and stuck the screwdriver repeatedly into Dustin’s knee Fletcher then went for a Brainbuster, but Dustin rolled him up for a near fall. Fletcher then hit his brainbuster for the win.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Dustin Rhodes at 16:51
After the match, Fletcher celebrated briefly before going back to the assault on Rhodes. He wrapped his knee around the ring post and then hit him repeatedly in the knee with a chair. The show closed with Hechicero and Lance Archer holding up Lance Archer with his title. Dustin Rhodes was rolled off on a stretcher.
My Take: I enjoyed the vast majority of that match, but it jumped the shark late with Fletcher recovering nearly instantly from thumbtacks in the dick, and then all the silly screwdriver nonsense that has never added anything to a match. I’m genuinely happy that Fletcher is now holding the TNT Title, as he’s an exciting young performer, but all the sicko deathmatch stuff is niche and AEW would do well to save it for very special occasions.
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