By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Dot Net reader Brian Wilkins attended the AEW Dynamite/Collision event on Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts, at Agganis Arena and sent the following report.
AEW returned to Boston’s Agganis Arena on Wednesday night with a three-hour Dynamite/Collision taping — the company’s first show in the market since their two-night run at the more intimate MGM Music Hall back in April. The Boston crowd was clearly excited to have AEW back.
The night opened with Bobby Lashley (with MVP) facing Ricochet (with Gates of Agony) to determine the No. 1 entrant in Saturday’s Full Gear Casino Gauntlet. After the entrances, Ricochet grabbed a mic, took shots at the New England Patriots, and said the only good thing to come out of the state was his wife. As the crowd turned on him with loud “Shut the f— up!” chants, Lashley shut him up physically — hoisting Ricochet and tossing him over the top rope onto the Gates of Agony. The match included outside brawling and quick counters before Lashley sealed the win with a spear.
Up next, Matt and Nick Jackson teamed with Josh Alexander to face Top Flight (Darius & Dante Martin) and Scorpio Sky. The match delivered fast-paced, high-flying action and ended when Alexander locked in the ankle lock on Dante for the submission.
Afterward, Don Callis prompted The Bucks to officially announce they were joining the Don Callis Family, saying it was in their best interest. The Bucks hesitated, and Callis hinted that he didn’t want to see something happen to them like what happened to Kenny Omega. Omega’s music hit, and the former World Champion — dressed in a black suit — confronted Callis, only for Alexander to cut him off. Callis called for the Bucks to hit Omega with the BTE Trigger, but before they could, Jurassic Express’ music hit. Jack Perry (armed with a shovel) and Luchasaurus (carrying a vacuum) made the save, chasing off Alexander and The Bucks. The crowd erupted, helped by the “Tarzan Boy” theme.
Mike Bailey then faced Shelton Benjamin for the No. 2 Casino Gauntlet spot. After a respectful handshake, the match turned into a stylistic clash with plenty of ringside action. Bailey hit a shooting star press and a second-rope moonsault for a near fall, but Benjamin ultimately scored the win with a superkick.
To open hour two, the Death Riders — Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli (with Marina Shafir, Daniel Garcia, and Wheeler Yuta) — took on Roderick Strong and Orange Cassidy. The Boston crowd gave Moxley and Claudio a huge reaction, and the match quickly spilled into a wild brawl around the arena reminiscent of ECW’s late-’90s Revere shows. Moxley finished Cassidy with the bulldog choke.
After the match, Kyle O’Reilly stormed the ring, attacking Moxley and applying an ankle lock as the crowd chanted “You tapped out!” The Death Riders pulled O’Reilly to the floor, but he grabbed a mic and challenged Moxley to a No Holds Barred match at Full Gear.
Pac appeared on-screen for an intense promo, claiming he sent Darby Allin to the burn unit after Blood & Guts and that no one had seen him since. Pac challenged Allin to a match with no weapons, cattle prods, or fire — saying Allin could never compete with a legitimate athlete like him.
The final segment of Dynamite featured AEW World Champion Adam Page vs. Katsuyori Shibata in a non-title bout. Samoa Joe joined commentary with Bryan Danielson, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur. Page attacked Shibata before the bell and received loud “Cowboy Shit!” chants throughout. He won with the Buckshot Lariat.
After the match, Page low-blowed Shibata and stared down Joe, telling the crowd that Will Hobbs was in the hospital, Shibata was headed to the “dick clinic,” and at Full Gear, Joe would have to face him alone in their cage match.
During the break, AEW staff swapped the ring apron and commentary desk branding from Dynamite to Collision. Ring announcer Justin Roberts kept the crowd engaged during commercials, handing out merchandise — including a gift to a girl celebrating her birthday — and free PPV codes.
Boston fans erupted into “Pay-Per-View” chants during nearly every break, reminding AEW how strongly the city has supported the promotion since 2019. Roberts acknowledged the chants, saying “they’re always listening in the back,” referencing Tony Khan and AEW leadership.
Collision opened with a women’s tag team tournament match pitting Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir against Tay Melo and Anna Jay. Both teams drew solid reactions from the crowd, though a noticeable portion of fans used the match as a chance to head for the exits. Shafir and Bayne dominated much of the action, and the finish saw Shafir drop Jay with a Judo throw before securing the tapout with her Mother’s Milk submission. After the match, Shafir made her way out through the crowd, flipping off the audience as she left.
AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada then faced CMLL World Trios Champion Máscara Dorada. Despite Okada’s reduced presence in AEW, the crowd was on its feet for his entrance. The match showcased Dorada’s acrobatics and Okada’s presence. A top-rope battle ended with Okada hitting a brutal-looking jumping powerbomb. After Dorada countered the Rainmaker, Okada hit a dropkick and then connected with the Rainmaker to win.
The Collision main event saw Mercedes Moné battle Red Velvet, with AEW Women’s World Champion and Moné’s Full Gear opponent Kris Statlander on commentary. While some fans left early, Moné still received a massive “C-E-O” chant from the hometown crowd. Moné won with a top-rope lungblower, becoming the undisputed ROH Women’s World TV Champion.
Afterward, she celebrated on the announce desk before hitting Statlander with a Meteora and continuing her celebration with the newly won title.
To close the night, Tony Khan came out to address the crowd, saying he hears them and promising to bring a PPV to Boston as soon as possible — though he wasn’t sure exactly when. He noted that Dynamite or Collision might return first, but a PPV would eventually come to the area.
Be the first to comment