By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 86)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
Simulcast live March 29, 2025 on TNT and Max
[Hour One] The “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” opening montage kicked off the show… Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary with Nigel McGuinness…
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm made her entrance and was introduced by ring announcer Arkady Aura. Storm, who was dressed like Rosie the Riveter, stood in the middle of the ring and said she loves Milwaukee. She called out Megan Bayne, but she didn’t come out.
A spotlight shined on Storm as she recalled being laid out by Bayne. Storm said she ended up on her back as if Bayne bought her a steak dinner. Storm said it made her wonder if the same thing would happen at AEW Dynasty, but she took a piss and then remembered who she is.
Penelope Ford showed up on the apron and kicked Storm, who quickly battled back. Megan Bayne ran in and attacked storm. Bayne hit Storm with her Fate’s Descent finisher. Bayne put her foot on Storm and posed while Ford stood by. Bayne held up the AEW Women’s Championship belt and then dropped it on Storm before wiping her feet next to Storm…
Powell’s POV: An brief yet effective segment that put more heat on Bayne heading into next week’s AEW Women’s Championship match at Dynasty.
Backstage, Claudio Castagnoli called for a match against Adam Copeland on Dynamite. Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir stood by while Castagnoli said he wanted the match as revenge for what Copeland did to him. Moxley said the only people he feared in life were his mother, his sister, and his wife until he met Shafir.
Moxley said the day that Shafir snaps, he doesn’t want to be the one who pisses her off. Moxley said part of him feels like he and Swerve Strickland should grab some popcorn and watch Shafir and Willow Nightingale tear it up, but Swerve talked a big game and now he has to back it up. Shafir told Willow to try to keep smiling when she rips her liver out and shoves it down her throat.
Jay White made his entrance for the opening match. Kevin Knight came out to a flat reaction from a presumably unfamiliar crowd while some brief footage of him wrestling in New Japan Pro Wrestling was shown…
1. Jay White vs. Kevin Knight. White took Knight down with a dragon screw leg whip and then blasted him with a chop. White followed up with a brainbuster and got a two count heading into the first commercial break. [C]
White threw more chops at Knight, who called for more. Knight took one chop and then ducked another and threw a couple of his own. Knight threw a great dropkick that put White down. Knight slammed White and then jumped up before splashing White, which led to a two count.
A short time later, Knight pulled White off the ropes with a huracanrana. White came back with a Flatliner and a German suplex. White put Knight down with a uranage and then signaled for his finisher. White hit the Bladerunner and scored the pin.
Jay White defeated Kevin Knight in 10:40.
After the match, White got a microphone and asked the crowd to give it up for Knight. The fans applauded. White said Knight went through the New Japan Dojo like he did. White said that while Knight won’t be winning the Owen hart Cup tournament, he’s sure we’ll see more of him in AEW.
The fans applauded and then chanted “Kevin” while Knight smiled. White said that was Knight’s cue to leave, but Milwaukee thought otherwise. White shook Knight’s hand and then said he’d see him around. Knight made his exit.
White spoke about how he needs to win the Owen Hart Cup tournament. White said he will show at All In Texas that it is still the Switchblade Era…
Powell’s POV: A good match that could have used some creative love beforehand. The brief footage of Knight working in NJPW wasn’t nearly enough. That said, the match definitely got Knight over with the live crowd. While it seems a little odd that so much attention is being given to the All In Texas show when it doesn’t take place until July, it’s definitely establishing the show as being a premier event.
Schiavone said the Owen Hart Cup tournament will kick off at AEW Dynasty…
MJF narrated a brief video package that chronicled him throwing out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game. MJF boasted that Bobby Lashley lives in Texas, yet the Rangers asked for him. MJF said he still thinks Lashley is a great guy…
A tweet was shown of Athena standing outside the dressing room of Mercedes Mone. Athena wrote that maybe she would say hi tonight. Schiavone hyped Mone’s appearance for after a break… [C] Mercedes Mone made her entrance while her opponent was already in the ring…
2. TBS Champion Mercedes Money vs. Robyn Renegade in a non-title match. Mone hit a lungblower for a two count. Mone hit a meteora from the middle rope for another two count. Mone hit the awkward Moneymaker and then applied the Statement Maker for the submission win.
TBS Champion Mercedes Money defeated Robyn Renegade in 3:10 in a non-title match.
After the match, Schiavone entered the ring for an interview with Mone, who took the mic and boasted that she’s the greatest TBS Champion of all-time. She said she came to AEW to win more gold. Mone declared her entry in the Owen Hart Cup tournament. Mone said she will win the tournament and then go on to become the AEW Women’s Champion.
Schiavone said the tournament will have a lot of competition. He mentioned Billie Starkz, but Mone said she didn’t want to hear about her. Mone said to give it up for Robyn Renegade, who was still down in a corner of the ring. The crowd responded with a polite round of applause.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena made her entrance with her spinner belt. Athena entered the ring and Mone said off-mic that she likes her title belt. Mone tried to hit Athena with a title belt, but Athena ducked it and then dropped Mone with a forearm strike.
Athena went to the ropes while Renegade helped Mone to her feet. Mone bolted out of the ring while Athena jumped off the ropes and ended up taking down Renegade with her O-Face finisher…
Powell’s POV: The first Mone and Athena meeting should have felt bigger than it did. That said, it’s great that Athena has finally escaped from being stuck behind the ROH paywall.
Backstage, Lexi Nair spoke with Queen Aminata, who had her hand and wrist taped. Nair noted that Aminata was not medically cleared to compete in her match against Jamie Hayter. Nair said Aminata would be replaced by Billie Starkz.
Serena Deeb showed up and took issue with Aminata for not listening to her advice. Aminata spoke about choices and said she still chooses not to listen to Deeb’s advice. Deeb handed her the notebook folder she calls a book and told her it was reading for the time she’ll spend at home recovering…
Powell’s POV: The Aminata and Deeb storyline is a snoozer thus far, but hopefully the talented Aminata won’t be sidelined for long.
3. Big Bill and Bryan Keith vs. “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin (w/Leila Grey). Both entrances were televised. Keith booted Darius off the apron and then chopped him at ringside going into a PIP break. [C]
Bill ran Darius into the barricade. Dante performed a top rope dive onto Bill on the floor. Dante returned to the ring and went for a frog splash, but Keith put his knees up. Bill chokeslammed Dante moments later and then pinned him clean.
Big Bill and Bryan Keith beat “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin in 9:45.
After Bill and Keith made their exit, “The Cru” Lio Rush and Action Andretti entered the ring behind the Martins, but AR Fox showed up and cut them off. Rush and Andretti backed down once the Martins turned around and stood by Fox…
Schiavone hyped the Daniel Garcia and Adam Cole segment… [C]
Powell’s POV: The outcome was no surprise given that The Hurt Syndicate told Bill and Keith to get a win and then come talk to them about an AEW Tag Team Title match. Well, that and Top Flight are caught up in the longest build to an undercard tag team rematch in history.
Backstage, Lexi Nair interviewed Jamie Hayter, who said being in the main event of the show is just another Saturday night for her. Hayter spoke about how she’s excited to be facing the “young whippersnapper” Billie Starkz.
[Hour Two] Hayter said she respects that Starkz gets knocked down and keeps getting back up. Hayter said Starkz shouldn’t mistake respect for mercy. She said that if Starkz steps up, she’ll hit her back and knock her on her ass. Hayter said there will be no second chances. Hayter also declared for the Owen Hart Cup tournament…
Adam Cole made his entrance with Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly. TNT Champion Daniel Garcia made his entrance with Matt Menard. Cole said he has respect for Garcia despite how tense things have become. Cole said he didn’t get the job done when he faced Garcia, but neither did Garcia. Cole said he doesn’t want it to end in a draw. He said it needs to end with a the better man winning and he feels that is him.
Garcia praised Cole and started to talk about how he is frustrated that he hasn’t been able to beat Cole. Menard took the mic and asked how many chances Cole is going to get. Menard said Garcia doesn’t have to do this. Garcia said he doesn’t have to, but he wants to.
Strong yelled “Danny” and said he has all the respect in world for Garcia. Strong said Garcia is the future, but Cole is one of the best pro wrestlers on the planet and Garcia isn’t there yet. Menard took offense and bickered with Strong.
Garcia said he and Cole will meet at AEW Dynasty for the TNT Title with no time limit and no one allowed at ringside. Garcia told Cole that there will be a winner and said that Cole was looking at him. Garcia held up his title belt and then he and Cole jawed off-mic…
Powell’s POV: A logical development to determine a winner in the Garcia and Cole feud. Menard wasn’t happy about Garcia granting Cole the match. It might be that he’s selling the idea that he fears Garcia could lose the match, but hopefully this is leading to a split between the two. I’m just not a fan of Menard being tied to Garcia’s hip. Is anyone going to tell Roddy that his name yelling bit lost its appeal months ago?
Backstage, Athena and Billie Starkz delivered a promo. Athena said that if Mercedes Mone is going to be a passive aggressive bitch then she’s going to get hit. Athena told Mone to keep her name and her minion’s name out of her mouth. Athena announced her entry in the Owen Hart Cup tournament. Athena asked Starkz if she was ready for her match against Jamie Hayter. Starkz said she was and wouldn’t let her down. Athena said she would be watching very closely…
Powell’s POV: Athena, Hayter, and Starkz entering the tournament is great. Now it would be nice if AEW would give viewers a couple of graphics that list the entrants in the men’s and women’s tournaments as opposed to hoping they are keeping score at home.
Dax Harwood made his entrance via the stage. Wheeler Yuta made his entrance through the crowd…
4. Dax Harwood vs. Wheeler Yuta. Schiavone hyped a lot of upcoming AEW and ROH dates as the match got underway. Yuta superplexed Harwood heading into a PIP break. [C] Yuta caught Harwood in Cattle Mutilation, but Harwood fought his way free. Harwood heabutted Yuta and then put him in the Sharpshooter. Yuta reached the ropes to break the hold. Yuta went to the apron. Harwood pulled Yuta over the ropes, but Yuta hooked him into a pin and got the three count.
Wheeler Yuta beat Dax Harwood in 12:25.
After the match, Yuta rolled out of the ring and celebrated his win. Yuta hopped the barricade and Claudio Castagnoli was waiting for him. Yuta held his arms open for a hug, but Castagnoli patted him on the back instead.
Harwood complained to referee Paul Turner that it was only a two count. McGuinness said it was clearly three, and Turner held his ground. Harwood grabbed Harwood by the collar and backed him into a corner of the ring.
Four security guards entered the ring to pull Harwood away. Harwood hit a couple of the security guards, but they held him in the corner. Cash Wheeler entered the ring and pulled the guards off Harwood, who spun around and shoved Wheeler to the mat.
Wheeler at on the mat and looked up at Harwood, who held his hand out. Wheeler slapped Harwood’s hand away. Wheeler stood up and got in Harwood’s face. Wheeler left the ring and headed to the back while fans chanted “You f—ed up” at Harwood…
Schiavone hyped Hologram vs. Blake Christian as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: I just can’t buy undersized Yuta as an in-ring force regardless of how talented he is. But they are telling a story with Harwood’s growing frustration, and I got a kick out of Claudio blowing off the overzealous Yuta going for a hug. Meanwhile, you can break into a rival’s home and stand over his child’s crib or burn down a rival’s house down and AEW management doesn’t care, but they will fine you if you grab a referee’s shirt. Well, at least this week. I guess they want us to forget about all those other times it happened and no one cared.
Backstage, Alicia Atout spoke with Nick Wayne, Kip Sabian, and Mother Wayne. She mentioned that Christian Cage wasn’t with them. Before they could address it, Lio Rush and Action Andretti showed up and asked Nick about “your boy (AR) Fox.”
Nick said Fox isn’t his boy and their business is finished. Wayne said Rush and Andretti just want him to take care of their problem. Sabian said they should hear their point. Rush said there are “three of them and two of us.” Andretti said when the time is right, nobody knows Fox better than Nick…
Hologram made his entrance while Blake Christian was already inside the ring…
5. Hologram vs. Blake Christian (w/Lee Johnson). Schiavone said Hologram is 21-0 since arriving 36 weeks ago. Christian sent Hologram to ringside and then there was an awkward spot where Hologram ducked, yet not far enough because a sliding Christian collided with him. Moments later, Christian ran Hologram into the ring steps. [C]
Christian and Hologram traded kicks. Christian powerslammed Hologram, who came right back with a standing Spanish Fly. Christian hit a series of strikes and went for a handspring move, but Hologram caught him and performed the airplane spin into a sit-out powerbomb for the win…
Hologram beat Blake Christian in 9:20.
Backstage, Lexi Nair spoke with Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander after stating that they will both be in the Owen Hart Cup tournament. Statlander said she was in a different place last year. She sent a message to the other women in the tournament that they “can’t stop this.”
Rosa said unless Statlander faces her. Rosa spoke about her desire to win the Owen Hart Cup. Statlander said unless Rosa faces her. She shook hands…
The broadcast team listed the following for Dynamite: The brackets for the Owen Hart Cup tournaments will be revealed, Adam Copeland vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir vs. Swerve Strickland and Willow Nightingale in a tornado mixed tag match, Will Ospreay returns, and AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm vs. Penelope Ford in a non-title match…
McGuinness hyped the main event for after the break… [C] Entrances for the main event took place. Schiavone said this was Hayter’s first match in AEW in over sixty days…
6. Jamie Hayter vs. Billie Starkz. There were some “Billie” chants as the match started. Hayter caught Starkz on the ropes and tossed her to the mat. Hayter hit Starkz with a missile dropkick. [C] Hayter had Starkz locked in a single crab until Starkz reached the ropes.
Starkz sent Hayter to ringside and then hit her with a suicide dive. Starkz rolled Hayter back inside the ring and hit a Swanton for a near fall. Later, Hayter hit a basement clothesline and covered Starkz for a near fall. Hayter showed frustration over not getting the pin.
Hayter set up for her finisher, but Starkz avoided it and suplexed her. Starkz threw a kick. Hayter came back with multiple kicks and a German suplex for a near fall. A short time later, Hayter jumped from the middle rope while holding Starkz and hit her with a variation of her Hayterade finisher. Starkz covered Starkz and got the three count.
Jamie Hayter defeated Billie Starkz in 10:00.
After the match, Athena walked onto the stage and had a long distance staredown with Hayter. The wrestlers jawed at one another from a distance while Schiavone and McGuinness ran through the Dynamite lineup. Hayter said that as good as Athena is, Hayter is great…
Powell’s POV: This match felt out of place as a television main event. I enjoy the work of both wrestlers, but Hayter felt a little cold even before she had to take time away due to work visa issues, and Starkz is barely known to AEW fans who don’t watch ROH. That said, it was a quality match and I like that the company seems to be setting the table for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament.
Overall, a slightly better than average episode with some storyline developments and several wrestlers declaring for the Owen Hart Cup tournaments. Speaking of which, I am anxious to see the brackets on Wednesday, as it looks like these will be the most loaded versions of the tournament to date. Will Pruett’s excellent audio reviews of Collision are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I just dont buy that anyone cares all that much about Dax/Cash as singles wrestlers.
I vote that you start live reviewing NXT, even if it comes at the expense of Collision! I’m assuming you cant review NXT bc you need to pay special attention to Book’s dazzling commentary?