By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 142)
Peoria, Illinois, at the Peoria Civic Center
Simulcast May 2, 2026, on TNT and HBO Max
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary. Arkady Aura was the ring announcer and introduced the opening match…
1. Jon Moxley, Pac, Claudio Castagnoli, David Finlay, and Clark Connors (w/Marina Shafir) vs. Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, Myron Reed, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin in a ten-man tag. Everyone started brawling before the bell. Reed matched up with Castagnoli as the bell rang. The brawling continued around ringside. Highlights included a chop battle between Moxley and Reed, Moxley throwing Reed to the floor, which allowed Shafir to attack Reed while he was down, Connors tossing Wentz into the announce table, and Reed being caught with a forearm by Moxley when Reed jumped off the top rope. [C]
Reed made the hot tag to Xavier. More chaos down the stretch. Darius was tagged in, and he and Dante had some spotlight moments against Pac. Tons of crowd-pleasing spots and near falls until the Death Riders had Darius alone in the ring and took turns delivering running European uppercuts in the corner. Pac followed up with a running lariat on Darius, followed by his Brutalizer submission for the win. [C]
Jon Moxley, Pac, Claudio Castagnoli, David Finlay, and Clark Connors defeated Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, Myron Reed, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin in 16:21 in a ten-man tag.
Don’s Take: If you like lots of spots and action, this was a fine opener. It didn’t do much to forward the Death Riders storyline, but it was fine. I am not thrilled that the Rascalz continue to rack up losses even though they didn’t take the fall.
2. Jack Perry vs. Mascara Dorada for the AEW National Championship. The match started evenly. Dorada sent Perry to the floor and dove onto him. Perry retaliated by throwing Dorada into the ring post. Both men battled on top of the ringside barricade. In an impressive yet scary spot, Dorada hit a Destroyer on Perry on the top of the ringside barricade. [C]
Down the stretch, tons of great action and near falls by both that the live crowd bought into, particularly when Dorada was in control. The finish saw Dorada go for a shooting star press, but Perry got the knees up and rolled up Dorada for a near fall. The two battled on the second rope. Perry hit a hurricanrana from the second rope on Dorada for the pin.
Jack Perry defeated Mascara Dorada in 14:17 to retain the AEW National Championship.
The two shook hands and hugged after the match.
Don’s Take: This was sensational. There was no reason to believe that Dorada had a chance to win, but they managed to pull in the audience so that the near falls were believable. It is worth noting that Perry had the name “Liz” written across his knuckles. It is also worth noting that the announce team has done a good job tonight, reminding viewers that Dynamite and Collision will be part of a three-hour block this coming Wednesday night, while a one-hour “Fairway to Hell” special will air on TBS next Saturday at 8 pm ET.
A segment taped after Dynamite aired, where Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida. Paquette spoke about their failed attempt to win the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles and that Statlander would have been a Grand Slam champion. Shida said they almost won and that it wasn’t Statlander’s fault. Statlander shoved Shida against the wall and said it was Shida’s fault because she kicked her in the stomach and kept tagging herself in. She said that she had heard enough from Shida and stormed away. Shida said they had been friends for seven years and that she would make it up to her…
3. AEW Trios Champions Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Mansoor, Mason Madden, and Johnny TV. This was a brief match with the heels working over Cassidy for several minutes until Cassidy tagged in Strong. In a fun spot, Cassidy choke-slammed Mansoor from the second rope onto Madden on the floor while Cassidy was sitting on Strong’s shoulders. In the ring, Strong and O’Reilly double-teamed TV, allowing Cassidy to hit a flying elbow for the pin.
AEW Trios Champions Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly defeated Mansoor, Mason Madden, and Johnny TV in 4:27.
After the match, Tommaso Ciampa came out and taunted the champions. [C]
Don’s Take: This was fine and served to build to the eventual match between the Conglomeration vs. FTR and Ciampa.
From the announce desk, Tony Schiavone sent out prayers and well-wishes to Rebel, who announced that she was diagnosed with terminal ALS earlier this week…
Don’s Take: A nice, classy touch, and I share those prayers and best wishes.
[Hour Two] A video recapped the recent segments involving Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay…
4. Willow Nightingale vs. Anna Jay for the TBS Championship. The match was even to start, with Nightingale daring Jay to show her fire and Jay responding with a series of offensive moves in the early moments. Nightingale regained control, sent Jay to the floor, and hit a cannonball off the apron. [C]
Down the stretch, back and forth action, with Jay getting in offense and some near falls. The finish saw Jay lock in her Queen Slayer submission, which Nightingale broke by backing into the corner. Nightingale went for a power slam, but Jay broke free. Nightingale immediately caught Jay in a power bomb for the win.
Willow Nightingale defeated Anna Jay in 9:43 to retain the TBS Championship.
The two shook hands and hugged after the match…
Don’s Take: This was fine, but I have a small issue with this “Comeback Killer” storyline that they are doing with Willow right now. I feel like both women’s divisions need credible challenges for their respective titles. That being the case, it’s good when talent returns, but I feel like any momentum they may have is stunted right out of the gate when they’re immediately fed to Nightingale and lose. I’d much rather see someone built up to face her, as opposed to the match happening right away.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, Harley Cameron, and Mina Shirakawa. Shida apologized to Statlander again and said she got them another tag team match against Cameron and Shirakawa. Cameron sarcastically asked Shida if she was allowed to face a team that’s not on her level. Shirakawa asked Statlander how she could trust Shida and where she was when Toni Storm was attacked. Statlander stood deadpan the entire time and eventually stormed off. [C]
5. Juice Robinson and Ace Austin vs. Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia (w/Jon Moxley, Marina Shafir). Jon Moxley joined the commentary team for the match. The babyfaces gained the early advantage until Austin was sent to the floor where he was worked over by Garcia and Shafir. Yuta continued the attack on Austin in the ring. [C]
Austin battled back and attempted to tag Robinson, but the heels knocked Robinson off the apron. Austin fought back again and was successful the second time in making a hot tag to Robinson. There were several interesting spots down the stretch. Of note, Garcia had Robinson held for Yuta to dive onto him. Robinson moved out of the way, and Yuta hit Garcia. Robinson then rammed Yuta’s head into the announce table, which busted him open.
The finish saw Garcia back drop Austin over the top rope, and it appeared that Austin hit his head on the steps on the way down. Garcia followed up with a piledriver on Robinson and launched Yuta onto him for a near fall. Yuta missed the busaiku knee on Robinson, while Austin took out Garcia. Robinson hit a DDT on Yuta for the win.
Juice Robinson and Ace Austin defeated Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia in 12:05.
After the match, Robinson taunted Moxley, but he and Austin were attacked by Yuta and Garcia. Moxley went to join in on the attack when Austin and Colten Gunn returned to even the odds and run off the heels.
Don’s Take: I didn’t think much of this when I saw it on the lineup, but this ended up being a pleasant surprise. I like Austin and Robinson getting the win, and Robinson challenging Moxley for the Continental Championship should be fun. It’s also nice to see the Gunns back.
Lexy Nair was backstage with the AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions, Megan Bayne and Lena Kross. Bayne said the only chance anyone has of beating them is if God were to strike them both down. Kross said that otherwise, the other teams should stop trying.
6. Skye Blue vs. Nixi Xs. Xs got in some hope spots, but this was all Blue, who picked Xs up from the pin after a running knee. Blue followed up with her Descent into Madness sleeper hold for the submission win. [C]
Skye Blue defeated Nixi Xs in 2:16.
Don’s Take: Given the role Blue plays as a sidekick in the Triangle of Madness, this seemed a bit unnecessary, but it was fine for what it was.
The following matches were advertised for Wednesday’s show: Darby Allin vs. Kevin Knight for the AEW World Championship, as well as Harley Cameron and Mina Shirakawa vs. Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander.
For the Fairway to Hell show next Saturday, Jack Perry will meet Mark Davis for the AEW National Championship, which should be fun.
7. Kevin Knight vs. Hook (w/Katsuyori Shibata) for the TNT Championship. The match started slowly and evenly. Knight drop-kicked Hook to the floor, but missed a dive when Hook did the Samoa Joe move of walking away. Shibata attempted to attack Knight, but Knight evaded him and dove into Hook. Hook caught him and suplexed him over the ringside barrier. [C]
The pace picked up down the stretch, including several attempts at interference by Shibata. At one point, referee Aubrey Edwards inexplicably turned her attention to Hook while Knight was on the top rope, allowing Shibata to crotch him on the top turnbuckle. Hook followed up with a high-angle suplex from the top rope for a near fall. Hook locked in his Red Rum finisher but Knight escaped. Knight rolled up Hook for a near fall, and on the push off, Knight knocked Shibata off the apron. Knight hit Hook with a DDT, followed by his UFO splash finisher for the win.
Kevin Knight defeated Hook in 12:04 to retain the TNT Championship.
Knight celebrated, and Shibata helped Hook out of the ring as Collision came to a close…
Don’s Take: A good main event. I had my guard up for a title change after Dynamite when Knight was selling his knee. Unfortunately, he didn’t follow up on that here. Knight challenging for the world title also gave me pause, but I guess they’re OK with having champion meet champion. I do think they could have shaved a couple of minutes off the opening ten-man and added it here. I felt like it was just starting to peak at the top of the hour.
This was an above-average/very good edition of Collision. It didn’t have much in the way of storyline advancement, but the action was very good.
That’s all for me for tonight. Will Pruett’s review of tonight’s episode will be available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). I’ll also be back next week for another review, as well as my predictions for WWE Backlash. Until then, enjoy wrestling!
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