By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 145)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Liacouras Center
Simulcast live on May 27, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
The screen went black for a moment to signify the end of Dynamite and the start of Collision. They picked up with the aftermath of Mark Davis beating Jack Perry to advance to the semifinals of the Owen Hart Cup tournament.
Renee Paquette stood in the ring with Davis and Don Callis and mentioned that Davis would face Will Ospreay in the semifinals. Callis spoke for a bit and introduced the returning Kyle Fletcher, who came to the ring dressed in a suit, along with Rocky Romero.
Fletcher told Callis to give him some sugar, and then they shared a hug. Fletcher said they could talk about the elephant in the room. Fletcher said people wondered how he could attack Konosuke Takeshita. Fletcher said he is a genetic anomaly and a perfect performer.
Fletcher announced that he was medically cleared to return as of today. Fletcher said he tried to hold the Callis Family together, but Takeshita only does what’s best for himself. Fletcher said Takeshita never cared about the Callis Family or him. Fletcher called Takeshita a selfish prick.
New AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita walked out with the title belt. Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly walked out behind him. They all headed to the ring, causing the Callis Family members to exit. A “you deserve it” chant broke out. “Kyle Fletcher, I want you,” Takeshita said…
Powell’s POV: I hope this was a one-off between Takeshita and the Conglomeration. Let Takeshita be his own man.
Will Ospreay delivered a backstage promo about his tournament match with Mark Davis, which was advertised for next week’s Dynamite. Ospreay said nothing is stopping him from going to Wembley Stadium. Jon Moxley, Pac, and Marina Shafir entered the picture. Ospreay fist-bumped Moxley. Ospreay offered a fist-bump to Pac. Shafir fist-bumped Ospreay, while Pac blew him off.
Ospreay made his entrance via the stage. Moxley, Pac, and Shafir were shown with Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta. Pac was seated in a chair. Moxley, Pac, and Shafir made their entrance through the crowd. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer. The Rascalz entered via the stage. Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone were on commentary…
Powell’s POV: The backstage segment with Ospreay and the Death Riders was listed as being live. So now I can’t help but picture the Death Riders running over to their pre-match red-light area, and Pac sitting down on a chair for no good reason.
1. Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and Pac (wMarina Shafir) vs. “The Rascalz” Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, and Myron Reed. A few minutes into the match, Reed hit Ospreay with a lungblower, and then Xavier jumped from the middle rope and double stomped Ospreay’s back. Wentz and Reed performed simultaneous dives onto Moxley and Pac before a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Late in the match, Reed charged Moxley, who turned him inside out with a lariat. Ospreay tagged in and dodged Xavier and Wentz, who were then put in submission holds by Moxley and Castagnoli. Ospreay put Reed in a cross-arm breaker and got the submission win.
Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and Pac (wMarina Shafir) vs. “The Rascalz” Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, and Myron Reed in 10:20.
After the match, Osperay and Pac shared a laugh, and they ended up slapping hands…
Powell’s POV: A solid match that didn’t overstay its welcome. It’s a shame that the Rascalz seem to lose more than they win in AEW, but there was no reason to think this match was going to be the start of something for them.
Backstage, Samoa Joe stood with Hook, Anthony Bowens, and Katsuyori Shibata. Joe admitted that it wasn’t a great week for The Opps. He said that doesn’t mean the mission changes. Joe said when he founded The Opps, it was about resistance and opportunity. Joe said Hollywood calls, and he’d be stepping away for a few months. He said the others know how this works, and he expects them to hold it down. After Joe had a moment with each man, Hook cut in front of Bowens to stand front and center…
A video package set up the Philly Street Fight… [C]
Backstage, Lexi Nair said she wanted to get a word with Anna Jay and Tay Melo. AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross entered the picture. Kross said something about lasting only 30 seconds, and Bayne said better luck next time. Nair found Jay and Melo lying on the floor…
Powell’s POV: That was a turn your brain off segment, as the attack took place less than ten feet away from Nair, yet she acted surprised by what transpired.
Andrade El Idolo made his entrance. Ace Austin walked onto the stage with Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn, and then headed to the ring by himself…
2. Andrade El Idolo vs. Ace Austin. Austin shot Andrade toward the ropes, and Andrade hooked himself between the top and middle rope and struck a pose before a PIP break. [C] Andrade posed for a selfie with a female fan in the front row.
Excalibur announced Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta, and Lance Archer for the AEW Trios Titles for Saturday’s live Collision episode. Late in the match, Austin went for The Fold, but Andrade hit him with a back elbow strike and followed up with The DM for the win…
Andrade El Idolo defeated Ace Austin in roughly 8:00.
Excalibur hyped the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: This was basically a spotlight match for Andrade. I’m not a fan of Austin doing his card gimmick before he goes for his finisher when he’s working as a babyface. It’s fine when he’s a heel, but he looked silly here because it came off like he wasted time showboating, and it cost him when Andrade stuffed his finisher.
Justin Roberts stood in the ring and explained that the lights were going to turn off, and AEW would not be responsible for what happened during the unsanctioned match once the lights were turned on. Kris Statlander made her entrance, followed by Hikaru Shida, who brought two kendo sticks with her…
3. Hikaru Shida vs. Kris Statlander in a Lights Out Philly Street Fight. Schaivone said there were no time limits. Statlander pulled a chair out from underneath the ring and slid it inside the ring. Shida grabbed it and jabbed Statlander’s abdomen with it.
Shida, who had red handprints on her chest and “Shida Best Around” written on the back of her white shirt, worked over Statlander with a kendo stick. AT ringside, Shida stood on the barricade and threw ten punches at Statlander while some fans counted along.
Shida pulled out an apple and shoved it in Statlander’s mouth before hitting her with a roundhouse kick at ringside. Shida went to the apron, but Statlander got up and hit her. Statlander powerbombed Shida on the floor.
Statlander took Shida to the stage and then to the backstage area, which drew some boos from the live crowd. Shida reversed a suplex onto a piece of barricade that was leaning on a chair. The wrestlers returned to the stage as the show went to a PIP break. [C]
Excalibur listed the following matches for AEW Collision: The status of the TBS Championship will be addressed, Megan Bayne and Lena Kross vs. Anna Jay and Taya Melo in a five-minute eliminator challenge, and Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta, and Lance Archer for the AEW Trios Titles.
Excalibur listed the following matches for next week’s AEW Dynamite: MJF vs. Rush for the AEW World Championship, Kevin Knight vs. Mike Bailey for the TNT Championship, Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis in an Owen Hart Cup tournament semifinal match, and Alex Windsor vs. a Wild Card wrestler in an Owen Hart Cup tournament quarterfinal match.
In the ring, Shida performed a falcon arrow and got a two count, but Statlander stood up and threw a chair at her face. Shida rolled out of the ring. Shida stacked some chairs on the floor. Statlander ran over, and Shida tripped her, causing her to fall face-first onto the chairs.
Back in the ring, Shida slammed a light tube over Statlander’s back. Shida performed another falcon arrow for a near fall. The production team focused on Statlander’s bloody back, and then Shida beat Statlander with a kendo stick.
Statlander tossed another chair at Shida. They ended up on the apron, where Statlander blocked a kendo stick strike, broke it in half, and jabbed it into Shida’s head. Statlander performed Wednesday Night Fever off the apron and through a table on the floor. Statlander rolled Shida back inside the ring.
Harley Cameron ran out and passed a kendo stick to Statlander, who hit Shida with it and then scooped her up and hit Wednesday Night Fever for the win…
Kris Statlander defeated Hikaru Shida in 15:50 in a Lights Out Philly Street Fight.
Excalibur hyped the previously advertised Collision and Dynamite matches to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Good effort from the wrestlers, but it felt like they skipped a couple of chapters in this story. After weeks of Shida doing heelish things while teaming with Statlander, they officially turned Shida on Sunday and then rushed into tonight’s hardcore match. Worse yet, Statlander already gave Shida her comeuppance. Strange.
Overall, though, I appreciate the attempt to make the Collision hour feel like it mattered, avoiding the massive drop-off after Dynamite concluded. For those wondering, they are doing three hours of Collision this week, because they only did one hour last week. Tonight’s three-hour block actually ran just shy of three hours and twenty minutes. AEW Double or Nothing lasted five hours and ten minutes (including the one-hour pre-show). So by the time Collision is finished on Saturday, that will be roughly 10.5 hours of AEW programming in one week. I’ll let you decide whether that’s great or overkill.
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