By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 123)
Taped earlier in the day in Cardiff, Wales, at Utilita Arena
Simulcast December 13, 2025, on TBS and HBO Max
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone welcomed viewers to the show and was joined on commentary by Nigel McGuinness. They ran through the lineup while the Elton John theme song played… Footage aired from AEW Dynamite of Hangman Page saying that he would be coming for the AEW World Championship…
Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions for the opening match while the entrances took place. Prince Nana stood on the stage and plugged his coffee before Swerve Strickland made his entrance with a chain around his neck. Josh Alexander made his entrance with Don Callis…
1. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) vs. Josh Alexander. Don Callis sat in on commentary. Swerve performed a backbreaker and two neckbreakers. A “F— Don Callis” chant broke out. Alexander came back by hoisting up Swerve in vertical suplex position while standing on the floor, and then dropped him so that his knees struck the broadcast table. Swerve was down on the floor heading into the first picture-in-picture commercial break. [C]
Swerve regained offensive control, yet sold his bad right knee. Swerve performed a suplex from the top rope and covered Alexander for a near fall. Alexander went to work on Swerve’s knee by putting him in a single crab, which Swerve broke by reaching the bottom rope. Swerve came back and hit the House Call, which knocked Alexander’s headgear off. Swerve covered Alexander and got a two count, then came right back with JML Driver and got the pin.
Swerve Strickland beat Josh Alexander in 13:25.
After the match, Swerve got the mic and recalled that he was the AEW World Champion the last time he was in Cardiff. He said it was about time he got the title back. Swerve said he didn’t come back to fight the Don Callis Family or Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata. He declared himself as being in contention for the AEW World Championship…
A brief video recapped The Young Bucks recruiting Kenny Omega for their upcoming trios match against Callis Family members… [C]
Powell’s POV: The match was fine, but nothing special. The post-match interview is interesting in that Swerve said he wants the AEW World Championship after Hangman Page said he wanted it on Dynamite. While nothing is official, it looks like they could be going with Samoa Joe defending against Swerve and Hangman in a Triple Threat at AEW Worlds End.
Backstage, Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa indicated that they would be attending the celebration for new AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron…
Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter made separate entrances for their tag team match. Thekla walked onto the stage and provided a distraction, while Julia Hart and Sky Blue attacked Statlander and Hayter from behind…
2. AEW Women’s Champion Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart and Sky Blue. Statlander and Hayter quickly regrouped from the pre-match attack. Hart distracted the referee while Blue hit Hayter with a knee strike from the apron. Hart followed up with a standing moonsault and covered Hayter for a two count before a PIP break. [C]
Blue performed a Destroyer on Statlander and had her pinned, but Hayter broke it up. Moments later, Statlander stuffed Blue’s suplex attempt and then threw a kick at Hart that mostly missed, but Hart sold it anyway. Hayter avoided a charging Blue, who accidentally knocked Hart off the apron with a knee strike. Hart returned to the ring and was hit with Hayterade, which led to Hayter getting the pin.
AEW Women’s Champion Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter beat Julia Hart and Sky Blue in 10:15.
After the match, Hayter poked the AEW Women’s Championship belt with her finger to indicate that she wants a title shot. Statlander and Hayter left the ring together, and Thekla was shown watching them from a luxury box… [C]
Powell’s POV: Another Triple Threat? I’ll be surprised if they go with Triple Threats for the two world championships on the same show, but stranger things have happened. The tag match was fine, yet forgettable.
Lexi Nair spoke with Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter on a backstage interview set. Statlander agreed to defend her title against Hayter, who called for the match to happen at AEW Worlds End. They continued to jaw at one another while Hayter exited the set…
Powell’s POV: I guess we’ll see if they stick with that match or add Thekla. It is a bit odd that Hayter was given a chance to pick the location of the match, and she opted for Worlds End rather than on Wednesday, when AEW will be in her home country.
Claudio Castagnoli and Konosuke Takeshita made their entrances while Renee Paquette checked in and said the winner of the match would take the lead in the Continental Classic’s Blue League…
3. CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Claudio Castagnoli (6) vs. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita (6) in a Continental Classic tournament Blue League match. Yes, Don Callis sat in on commentary again. Schiavone announced that Tony Khan made the Statlander vs. Hayter match for the AEW Women’s Championship official for Worlds End. Both men fought on the entrance ramp. Takeshita charged Castagnoli, who cut him off with a backbreaker before a PIP break. [C]
Takeshita hit Castagnoli with a flip dive on the floor. Back in the ring, Takeshita picked up a near fall. He tried to follow up with a knee strike, but Castagnoli stuffed it, performed the Giant Swing, and then applied a Sharpshooter. Castagnoli gave up that hold and transitioned into a crossface.
[Hour Two] Takeshita came back with a tombstone piledriver and then powered up Castagnoli for a German Suplex. Takeshita followed up with the Venom Blade for a near fall. Castagnoli came back with an uppercut. Takeshita countered a powerbomb by rolling Castagnoli into a pin for a two count. Takeshita and Castagnoli traded elbow strikes and then hit simultaneous clotheslines that left them both down.
Both wrestlers ended up fighting on the apron and traded more elbow strikes and then big boots. They threw simultaneous big boots that sent them both down to the floor. Castagnoli threw another kick. Takeshita came back with a few kicks and then ran Castagnoli into the barricade. Castagnoli dropped him with a big boot, which left both men down. Takeshita returned to the ring, and then Castagnoli beat the count at nine. Takeshita went for Raging Fire, but Castagnoli countered with a Neutralizer for a near fall shortly before the time limit expired.
CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Claudio Castagnoli (7) fought IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita (7) to a 20:00 draw in a Continental Classic tournament Blue League match.
There were some boos from the crowd. Takeshita and Castagnoli threw punches in the middle of the ring. A few referees struggled, yet were eventually able to pull them apart…
Powell’s POV: You had to know this was going to be a draw, given the titles that both men hold. While CMLL and NJPW are allies, I’m sure neither company wanted their world champion to lose to the other company’s world champion. This was easily the best match of the night thus far. The predictable outcome work against the match, yet was unavoidable.
Lexi Nair interviewed Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight. The JetSpeed duo spoke about their Continental Classic match. Both men said they need the points, and they agreed to pull no punches…
The updated leaderboards were shown. Castagnoli and Takeshita are tied for the lead in the Blue League with seven points each after they both earned one point for their draw…
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron. Willow recalled facing Cameron the last time they were in the host venue. Cameron started to ramble about not having clothes and how other wrestlers lent her their clothes. Willow stopped her and spoke about how there’s no one she’d rather team with. Cameron spoke about who their first challengers would be and said it could be anyone.
Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa made their entrance and entered the ring. The fans sang Storm’s name. Shirakawa said they asked for a fight to remember. Storm said she and “her lover” may not have won, but “we shook their tits and gave them a fight to remember.”
TBS Champion Mercedes Mone’s entrance music played. Mone spoke from the stage, and they couldn’t hold a championship celebration without her. Shirakawa told her to shut up. Mone said all she saw in the ring was a bunch of losers, just like everyone in the building. Mone boasted that she led a Blood & Guts team that kicked the asses of everyone in the ring.
Storm called for a fight. Mone declined, saying Wales isn’t even a real country (that’s what I told former Dot Net staffer Haydn Gleed for years!). Mone said she doesn’t need friends, but she would bring a team of killers for a match on Wednesday in Manchester, England. Storm said they would raise a glass and wax her ass. Mone looked baffled by Storm’s line as she headed to the back…
Powell’s POV: So, another all-star eight-woman tag match?
AEW National Champion Ricochet delivered a backstage promo. He announced that he was entering the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale. He said he would go on to win the AEW World Championship. Ricochet said that “Ricky Two Belts” had a nice ring to it…
A video package aired with Mark Davis, Brody King, and Anthony Bowens talking about winning the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale. King used the “has a nice ring to it” line while he spoke about winning the AEW World Championship, which was just seconds after Ricochet used a similar line. Max Caster was shown delivering his “best wrestler alive” line. Bowens got upset and asked if Caster was in the match. MVP announced that Bobby Lashley was injured, but Shelton Benjamin would be in the battle royale…
Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey made their entrances while Renee Paquette checked in with comments about both men…
4. Kevin Knight (3) vs. Mike Bailey (3) in a Continental Classic tournament Gold League match. Both men adhered to the Code of Honor (or something). They did a hand slap bit, and then Knight rolled up Bailey, who had tape on his lower back. Moments later, Bailey kicked Knight off the apron and then ran up the ropes and hit him with a moonsault before a PIP break. [C]
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