By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 169)
Live from Miami, Florida, on the Norwegian Jewel
Simulcast live on November 7, 2026, on TNT and HBO Max
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, and Paul Wight checked in on commentary and ran down the evening’s lineup. Arkady Aura was the ring announcer and introduced the opening match.
1. Chris Jericho vs. Blake Christian (w/Jay Lethal). Christian attacked Jericho at the bell. Jericho quickly retaliated and removed his jumpsuit to reveal a Taco Cat shirt. I don’t understand the reference, but the live crowd seems to enjoy it. Jericho dove onto Christian and Lethal on the floor. Christian retaliated and held the advantage into the first break. [C].
Jericho delivered a hurricanrana from the top rope and went on the offensive. Christian regained the advantage, and the two exchanged blows. After a few more minutes of back and forth, Christian jumped off the top rope and was caught in the Walls of Jericho for the submission.
Chris Jericho defeated Blake Christian in 10:45.
After the match, Jericho had referee Aubrey Edwards remove his Taco Cat T-shirt while he played to the crowd…
Don’s Take: As a cruise aficionado myself, this looks like a lot of fun, and the crowd looks to be ready to have a good time. The match itself was fine, but Jericho is showing his age by the way he moves in the ring.
A Nick Wayne video package aired. It was more of the same, with Wayne walking around while bragging that he beat Chris Jericho twice…
Lexy Nair was in the ring and introduced Kofi and Austin Creed, The New Level. Nair asked them if they felt Swerve Strickland was manipulating them into the Texas Death match at Full Gear. Creed said that Strickland attacked Bandido, but Bandido chose to attack Kofi, which created a problem between Bandido and them. Creed said that at Full Gear, they would not only take their titles back, but also their pound of flesh.
Kofi said they know that this is what Strickland wanted from the start, as well as his hatred for Hangman Page. He added that they didn’t want this and they’re scared. He clarified that they’re not scared of Page, Brody King, or Bandido. They’re afraid of what they have to become to win. Kofi said they don’t want any problems, but since Page, King, and Bandido seem to want a problem, then they say, “no problem.” Creed closed the segment by saying that next week, they will go to a place they’ve never been before and it will be a new level…
Don’s Take: As you know, the trios titles don’t excite me, but they’ve done a good job building to what will likely be the finale of this feud.
A recap from this past week’s Blood and Guts edition of Dynamite aired….[C]
2. “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (w/Stokely Hathaway) in the fourth match of the best of five series (MCMG lead 2-1). Shelley brawled with Wheeler and Harwood on the floor and in the ring until the heels gained the advantage. After several minutes, Shelley was able to make the hot tag to Sabin.
Sabin dove onto both Wheeler and Harwood and cleaned house. After several minutes, Sabin got caught in a modified Doomsday Device from Wheeler and Harwood, as the heels regained the advantage. [C]
Wheeler and Harwood delivered a stump piledriver for a near fall. Sabin battled back, delivered a double DDT, and went to make the hot tag to Shelley, but Harwood knocked Shelley off the apron. Sabin battled back again and eventually made the successful tag. Shelley cleaned house.
Down the stretch, there was a lot of action between all four competitors. In one spot, referee Brandon Martinez avoided getting knocked down by performing a nice-looking leapfrog. The finish saw Hathaway grab Shelley’s leg, which FTR had focused on for most of the match. Shelley ran after Hathaway, allowing Harwood to roll Shelley up for the pin.
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeated “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in 15:50 in the fourth match of the best of five series (Series tied 2-2).
Don’s Take: This was fine, but you had to figure FTR was going over to force a fifth and final match at Full Gear. The predictability took something away, but I’m sure the finale is going to be the best of the series.
A video recapped the history between Kyle Fletcher and Will Ospreay, as the two will meet at Full Gear for the AEW World Title. It was announced that the two will meet face-to-face on Wednesday’s Dynamite/Collision three-hour special.
Arkady Aura read a statement, asking the fans to stand and cheer as Nick Wayne made his entrance…
3. Nick Wayne vs. Marcus Mathers. This was fairly even to start. Wayne would have the advantage, but Mathers hung with him. Mathers delivered a punt kick to Wayne from the apron while Wayne was on the floor. [C] More back and forth, with the highlight being a nice top rope superplex from Wayne.
[Hour Two] Mathers hit a destroyer for a near fall and went for a 450 splash, but Wayne got the knees up. Wayne delivered his Wayne’s World finisher for the win.
Nick Wayne defeated Marcus Mathers in 8:35.
After the match, Nick Wayne announced that he was the captain of the ship because he beat Chris Jericho twice. The horn blew when he said that…
Don’s Take: Cute. Fans may be familiar with Mathers’ work in WWE Evolve. He looked good here, though I’m wondering why they paired him with Wayne, someone who would benefit from looking strong after beating Jericho. If the goal was to highlight Mathers, I might have put him with someone lower on the card.
A video highlighted Brady Booker of Survivor fame. Highlights of his AEW Dark and ROH matches were shown…
4. Gabe Kidd, Jon Moxley, and Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean, and Carlie Bravo (w/Trish Adora, Christyan XO) in a trios match. Shane Taylor Promotions attacked the Death Riders at the bell. The Death Riders recovered and focused on Bravo. Taylor tagged and spiked Garcia as the heels stood tall. [C]
The heels continued to work over Garcia, who made the hot tag to Moxley. Moxley traded blows with Taylor. Moxley delivered a double DDT to Bravo and Dean. The Death Riders took turns delivering lariats to Taylor in the corner. After Kidd delivered a running lariat, the Death Riders did their circle dance. XO distracted Kidd, allowing the heels to regain the advantage. Moxley broke up the attack on Kidd by delivering a cutter to Taylor. Kidd hit a fisherman’s buster on Bravo for the win.
Gabe Kidd, Jon Moxley, and Daniel Garcia defeated Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean, and Carlie Bravo in 10:17 in a trios match.
After the match, Moxley took the mic and told Jay White and the Cut that he didn’t care what the odds were; at Full Gear, the Death Riders were going to make the Cut earn it.
AEW Women’s Champion, Mercedes Mone, came out and asked Moxley where Marina Shafir was. Mone speculated that Shafir heard that Mone was on the boat and jumped ship. Mone said that she would beat Shafir at Full Gear and that Moxley would need to “keep his bitch on a leash.” Moxley sold this line well.
Moxley said that he wouldn’t take that personally, as he knows that Mone is flustered being around Daniel Garcia. He said even his own mother feels a certain way around Garcia. Moxley said that there were kids on the ship and there was no need for foul language. He added that of all the Death Riders, the last one he would want to piss off would be Shafir.
Mone brought out Jay White, Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, David Finlay, and Clark Connors. The heels attacked and laid out the Death Riders. White took the mic and said that Moxley asked for this and that they would take what’s theirs at Full Gear. Mone and the Cut stood tall to end the segment… [C]
Don’s Take: The match was filler, but the post-match angle was another chapter building to Anarchy in the Arena at Full Gear.
5. Persephone vs. Mina Shirakawa. This was even to start with Persephone gaining the advantage going into the break. [C] Shirakawa held a lot of the offense and near falls down the stretch. Shirakawa was distracted and caught off the top rope, as Persephone argued with the referee and grabbed his shirt. With Shirakawa down, Persephone delivered a frog splash for the win.
Persephone defeated Marina Shirakawa in 12:15 .
After the match, Persephone continued the attack until she was run off by TBS Champion, Queen Aminata…
Don’s Take: The match was nothing special, but it’s clear that they’re going to run back Persephone vs. Aminata. And, with Shirakawa re-emerging and looking strong in defeat, I’m wondering if Toni Storm’s return is on the horizon.
Lexy Nair was on one of the decks with Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, David Finlay, and Clark Connors. Apparently, Juice Robinson was taken out by the Death Riders and was being taken to the hospital. The deck showed blood stains and a fork. White vowed that at Full Gear, the Death Riders’ blood would be freshly squeezed. [C]
The announcers ran down the Full Gear lineup….
Jake Doyle and Mark Davis delivered pre-recorded comments saying that they beat the Young Bucks in three minutes and destroyed them at Blood and Guts. They vowed to take the AEW Tag Titles at Full Gear and bring them back to the Don Callis Family…
In addition to Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher meeting face-to-face on Dynamite, the following matches were added: Brody King and Bandido vs. Kofi and Austin Creed, and Mercedes Mone and Jay White vs. Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir.
6. Andrade El Idolo vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the AEW National Championship. Ciampa attacked El Idolo at the bell. El Idolo recovered and delivered the “three amigos” series of suplexes. [C]
El Idolo delivered a rough-looking power slam on the ring apron/edge of the ramp. Ciampa retaliated, tore off El Idolo’s pants and discarded them. At least he didn’t attempt to pin them this time. Ciampa then took out referee Aubrey Edwards in the corner, when El Idolo moved out of the way as Ciampa was charging.
El Idolo hit the DM and had the visible pin, but there was no referee. Ciampa delivered a low blow and running knee for a near fall after a slow count by a recovering Edwards. El Idolo and Ciampa traded near falls. The finish saw El Idolo hit the back elbow and go for the DM. Ciampa blocked the attempt and turned into a pin for the win.
Tommaso Ciampa defeated Andrade El Idolo in 12:23 to win the AEW National Championship.
Mike Bailey entered the ring to check on El Idolo as Ciampa celebrated to end the show.
Don’s Take: I figured this was where they were heading. As I’ve said, if anyone can make the National Title mean something, it’s Ciampa. And it frees El Idolo up to fully enter the main title picture.
Aside from the title change and the “best of five” tag team match, this was pretty standard. Fans who attended the show live likely enjoyed this more, as it looked like a really fun atmosphere.
That’s all for me for tonight. Will Pruett’s audio review of tonight’s episode will be available for Dot Net Members (including Patreon patrons. And I’ll be back next week with my AEW Full Gear picks. Don’t forget that the first hour of Collision airs Wednesday night right after Dynamite, with the second hour serving as the Full Gear pre-show. Until next time, enjoy wrestling!
