By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 160)
Taped on September 2, 2026, in Allen, Texas, at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
Simulcast September 6, 2026, on TNT and HBO Max
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Walker Stewart from New Japan Pro Wrestling checked in on commentary. The announcers ran down the evening’s lineup. Arkady Aura was the ring announcer and introduced the opening match….
Don’s Take: I’m not familiar with Stewart, so I’m interested to hear what he brings to the broadcast.
1. “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. Jake Doyle and Brian Cage. Cage and Doyle attacked at the bell and held the advantage on Matt for the first several minutes. Matt shifted the momentum with a tag to Nick. The Bucks showcased their double-team skills for a bit. The heels regained the advantage when Doyle was on the floor, and Nick went for a kick from the apron. Doyle grabbed Nick’s leg, allowing Cage to clothesline him. The heels worked over Nick. [C]
The heels continued to work on Nick until he hit a destroyer on Cage and made the hot tag to Matt. Down the stretch, it was typical speed and high spots by the Bucks, along with power moves by Cage and Doyle for several near falls. The finish saw the Bucks for the BTE Trigger on Cage. Doyle tried to stop it and ended up colliding with Cage. The Bucks then brought Doyle to his knees with a series of super kicks, followed by the BTE Trigger for the win…
“The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson defeated Jake Doyle and Brian Cage in 11:57.
Don’s Take: I really liked how at All In, AEW set the table by showcasing the teams that are chasing Adam Copeland and Christian Cage. Hopefully, this means more meaningful tag team matches moving forward. The triple threat ladder match between the Bucks, Copeland/Cage, and FTR is a step in the right direction. I do want to point out two things. First, it was announced that Will Ospreay will face David Finlay on Dynamite in an AEW Championship Elimination Match. Secondly, on commentary, Schiavone said, “The Young Bucks are the best tag team I have ever seen, and I’ve seen many.” Come on, Tony. I get you are on the payroll. I would have bought it if you said “the last 20 years” or so. I wouldn’t agree, but I would have understood. Putting them ahead of great teams like the Midnight Express, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, and the Rock and Roll Express…there’s no way. That’s just my opinion and, of course, Tony is entitled to his opinion if he genuinely feels that way.
A Willow Nightingale video package aired, with highlights from All In and Wednesday’s Dynamite. Nightingale said that she learned that she and Mercedes Mone were a lot alike. She added that she doesn’t make excuses for her losses and doesn’t hide for six months. She gets up and fights. She said she heard what both Mone and Thekla said about her on Dynamite and wondered what they would say to her face…
2. Hangman Page, Bandido, and Brody King vs. Braddah Kaimi, LVJ, and Vin Parker. This was a squash with Bandido hitting the frog splash on Parker for the win…
Hangman Page, Bandido, and Brody King defeated Braddah Kaimi, LVJ, and Vin Parker in 1:44.
Don’s Take: This was fine, and I expect a rematch with Page, Bandido, and King challenging the New Level and Swerve Strickland at some point.
Jay White, Juice Robinson, Ace Austin, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn cut a backstage promo. White said that they left All In empty-handed but are interested in facing the New Level for the AEW Trios Titles. The Gunns took some verbal jabs at the New Level, while Robinson spoke about his tag team match later tonight with Ace Austin vs. Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight. Robinson said that Fletcher and Knight weren’t on the same page. He said that he and Austin were so close that Austin knows what deodorant he has on. Knight said he didn’t and that it stinks, but not as much as losing both of their titles in the same Knight. He said the bad luck for the Callis Family would continue… [C]
A brief video package previewed Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley and the triple threat ladder match between Adam Copeland/Christian Cage, The Young Bucks, and FTR. Both matches are booked for All Out on September 26.
“After Dynamite,” AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Alex Windsor and Jaime Hayter were backstage. They challenged Lena Kross and Megan Bayne to a rematch at All Out, with the stipulation being a Chicago Street Fight.
3. Nick Wayne vs. Komander. The match was even to start, with Komander gaining the early advantage. Wayne turned things around by taking Komander down with a mask pull, followed by a suplex into the turnbuckles. [C]
Komander mounted a comeback with several impressive moves and near falls. Wayne caught Komander coming off the top rope and delivered a cutter, followed by a roundhouse kick and his Prodigy Plex/Fisherman’s buster finisher for the win.
Nick Wayne defeated Komander in 10:27.
After the match, Chris Jericho came out, raised Wayne’s hand, and dropped him with a Judas Effect…
Don’s Take: OK, Chris. When you re-signed with AEW, I heard about how you were coming back to work with and build young talent. Your first two programs fell short in that effort. Now is your chance, as Wayne has good upside.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, Orange Cassidy, and Konosuke Takeshita. Lair pointed out that they’ve lost all their titles and asked where they go from here. Strong walked off. O’Reilly said they weren’t done until they all had backpacks full of gold. Takeshita asked what a conglomeration is. Cassidy said we’ll never know. Takeshita said he will get his title back because he is the alpha…
4. Persephone vs. VertVixen (w/Britt Baker) for the TBS Championship. Baker joined the commentary team. The match was fairly even to start. Persephone delivered a sliding dropkick to Vixen’s head for a near fall. [C] Persephone was still in control. Vixen made the babyface comeback and scored several near falls. In the end, Persephone delivered the Razor’s Edge to Vixen for the win.
Persephone defeated VertVixen in 7:23 to retain the TBS Championship.
After the match, Baker and Persephone continued to attack Vixen, but were run off by Maya World and Thunder Rosa…
Don’s Take: I’m not feeling the Persephone/Baker pairing, but let’s see where it goes.
A video package recapped the history between Andrade El Idolo and Gabe Kidd…
5. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. “The Swirl” Blake Christian and Lee Johnson (w/Jay Lethal). The Machine Guns concentrated on Christian’s arm.
[Hour Two] The Guns kept up the offense. Sabin dove onto Christian and Johnson on the floor. [C] The heels worked over Shelley, who made the hot tag to Sabin. Good action and near falls down the stretch. The Guns hit their Skull and Crossbones move on Johnson for a near fall that was broken up by Christian. The Guns discarded Christian and hit a pendulum slam on Johnson for the win…
“The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated “The Swirl” Blake Christian and Lee Johnson in 12:26.
Don’s Take: A good start for the Machine Guns, and as I said, I am more interested in the AEW tag division than I have in some time. On a side note, the following was announced for Dynamite, which is the special Rebel Heart edition. Britt Baker and Rebel will host The Waiting Room with guests Persephone and Hikaru Shida. In addition, Baker, Persephone, and Shida will face Maya World, Hyan, and Thunder Rosa in a six-woman tag team match. It will be great to see the return of “Reba.” She’s a true inspiration, and it’s really cool that they’re doing this show for her…
Jack Perry was backstage and said that even though he lost the Casino Gauntlet. He will become the AEW Champion. He said he will “beat the best to become the best”… [C]
Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona were backstage. They said All In was a disaster for them, as they lost to the New Level and Swerve Strickland. Kaun said they weren’t even a real trios team, and Ricochet called them rookies. Liona said they needed to carry their bags and pay their dues. Ricochet hit the group catchphrase about being the Demand and being able to make demands…
6. Andrade El Idolo vs. Gabe Kidd for the AEW National Championship. Kidd attacked El Idolo from behind and was rewarded with referee Aubrey Edwards, starting the match. The beginning of this match mostly included offense by Kidd. El Idolo regained the advantage when the two were battling on the floor. Back in the ring, Kidd got the knees up to block an attempted splash by El Idolo. [C]
Back-and-forth action down the stretch. Kidd delivered three forearms, but El Idolo countered with Dia de los Muerto, followed by the DM for the win.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Gabe Kidd in 11:45 to retain the AEW National Championship.
After the match, El Idolo took the mic and said he would wait for the right time to take his AEW title opportunity that he won at All In in the Casino Gauntlet. He said he wanted to be the greatest National Champion of all time and would defend the title every week. He said for those who think he can’t do this, “How you know?”…
Don’s Take: I’m surprised to see Kidd playing more of an enhancement talent. It was a competitive match, but I think he could mean more. A split away from the Dogs would be a good start.
Tommaso Ciampa was backstage and reflected on his time in AEW thus far. He talked about the crowd at All In and addressed the sickos, saying, “I see you, and I hear you.” He said it was time for the Psycho Killer to become the Psycho King by collecting a new title…
7. ROH Women’s Champion Athena vs. Isla Dawn in a Proving Ground match. Dawn got some spots of offense in, but this was mainly Athena roughing up Dawn inside and outside of the ring. Athena hit a handstand elbow, followed by her O Face finisher for the win. [C]
ROH Women’s Champion Athena defeated Isla Dawn in 5:00 in a Proving Ground match.
Don’s Take: This “hot and cold” approach with Athena on AEW TV doesn’t do it for me. Either feature her regularly, or don’t. Most of us aren’t seeing her behind the paywall, so unless there’s some consistency, these fall flat. I’m also not a fan of the Proving Ground concept, but that’s another story. If the rules of the Proving Ground match are that the challenger has to last ten minutes with the champion, a countdown clock would be helpful.
8. Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight (w/Don Callis and Lance Archer) vs. Ace Austin and Juice Robinson. Callis joined the commentary team. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, and Jay White joined Robinson and Austin on the stage before returning to the back.
The babyfaces worked over Knight for the first several minutes. Fletcher turned the tide by hitting Austin with a body slam. Fletcher and Knight argued. Knight shoved Fletcher out of the way and dropkicked Robinson off the apron. [C]
Austin made the hot tag to Robinson. Tons of action down the stretch. Highlights included a blocked brainbuster attempt on Austin into a roll-up for a near fall. There was also a good-looking Michinoku Driver by Fletcher – also for a near fall. Austin kicked Knight from the apron as Knight was on the floor. Austin was met by a super kick from Fletcher, followed by a double knee in the corner. Knight blind tagged himself in. Fletcher hit the brain buster and went for the pin, but Knight was the legal man. Knight hit the UFO splash on Austin for the win.
Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight defeated Ace Austin and Juice Robinson in 12:14.
As the show went off the air, additional matches were announced for Wednesday’s Dynamite. The Young Bucks will face Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight; The New Level and Swerve Strickland will face Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Orange Cassidy for the AEW Trios Titles; and Steve Borden will team with Darby Allin to face Mark Davis and Josh Alexander…
Don’s Take: This was fine, and I’m interested to see where this goes as Fletcher becomes more and more disenchanted with the Don Callis Family. It will also be interesting to see where they go with Knight coming off his TNT Title loss to Darby Allin.
This was a decent follow-up to All In and Dynamite, and I continue to be interested in what we will see going forward. There was also some movement toward All Out. Walker Stewart was fine on commentary. I don’t fully focus on the announcers, but nothing felt overly good or overly bad. He just blended in with Excalibur and Schiavone.
That’s all for me for tonight. Will Pruett’s weekly audio review of tonight’s episode will be delayed until Sunday evening, before it will be available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). I’ll be back next week with another Collision review. My WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event predictions are available on the main page. Until next time, enjoy wrestling!
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