By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 95)
Taped May 28, 2025, in El Paso, Texas, at the El Paso County Coliseum. Collision
Simulcast on May 31, 2025, on TNT and Max
[Hour One] Pryo shot off on the stage. Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered introductions for the opening match. Claudio Castagnoli entered through the crowd on the main floor. A pre-taped promo from Komander and Alex Abrahantes aired while they made their entrance…
Powell’s POV: The show started at roughly 10:43CT/11:43ET after the NBA Conference Finals game. With the show airing late, I’m pulling back on the match recaps, but I’ll still list the highlights.
1. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes) in a qualifier for the four-way match for the AEW International Championship. Castagnoli caught Komadner going for a springboard move and then gave him the Giant Swing. Komander had a late flurry of offense. He went for a moonsault off the top rope and the idea was that Castagnoli caught him with an uppercut. Castagnoli followed up with The Neutralizer and scored the pin…
Claudio Castagnoli defeated Komander in 7:30 to qualify for the four-way for the AEW International Championship.
The updated graphic showed Kenny Omega will defend the AEW International Championship in a four-way against Castagnoli, Brody King, with one wrestler to be determined later tonight…
Powell’s POV: It looked like the timing was off on the moonsault into the uppercut spot, as they used a jump cut to cover it up. It was a fine match otherwise, but this was a strange choice to open the show if the goal is to take advantage of the NBA playoffs lead-in.
A video package recapped the opening segment from Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite involving Hangman Page, Swerve Strickland, and Wil Ospreay…
Footage aired from after Dynamite of Renee Paquette interviewing Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana in the parking area of the arena. Paquette asked Swerve if he could work alongside Hangman Page and Will Ospreay to take out The Death Riders. Swerve said he owned up to the things he did to Page, but that doesn’t make them friends. He said they are not a team or a squad and never will be.
Will Ospreay showed up and asked Swerve if the Death Riders or Hangman are the bigger threat. Ospreay said the AEW World Championship belt should be around the waist of the best in the world. Ospreay said Page is the best. Sweve said he’s not. Swerve said he beat Hangman twice.
Ospreay asked Swerve if he beat Jon Moxley. Swerve asked if Ospreay beat him. Swerve said he went after the Death Riders in Ararchy in the Arena, and he’s done with it. Swerve tried to leave. Ospreay said he wasn’t done talking. Punches were thrown and security had to pull Swerve and Ospreay apart…
Powell’s POV: I would have opened the show with this footage rather than the match they selected. It will be interesting to see what finally brings Swerve, Ospreay, and Page together.
Don Callis led Konosuke Takeshita, Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero, and Lance Archer to the ring…
2. Konosuke Takeshita, Trent Beretta, and Rocky Romero (w/Don Callis, Lance Archer) vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong. Callis sat in on commentary. The heels attacked the babyfaces from behind, and the referee rewarded them for it by calling for the opening bell. Callis got up and punched Strong while the referee was distracted before a commercial break. [C]
Late in the match, Takeshita blocked an Ishii suplex and then shoved him into the referee in the corner. REF BUMP!!! Romero entered the ring and low-blowed Ishii. Takeshita hit Ishii with his Raging Fire finisher and then pinned him…
Konosuke Takeshita, Trent Beretta, and Rocky Romero defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong in roughly 10:00.
Powell’s POV: Did they really need to go with a nut shot finish? It’s bad enough that Takeshita isn’t in a meaningful program at the moment, so why not put him over strong in this match?
An ad aired for AEW All In Texas. The show was listed as being 42 days away… [C]
Anthony Bowens made his entrance and was accompanied by Billy Gunn, who then headed backstage. Kazuchika Okada’s entrance followed…
3. AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Anthony Bowens in an eliminator match. Schiavone explained that a Bowens win would earn him a title shot. Okada and Bowens threw forearms and elbow strikes on the floor. Bowens got the better of it and rolled back inside the ring to break the count. Bowens returned to ringside and was put down with an Okada DDT heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Late in the match, Bowens ducked a Rainmaker and put Okada down with a series of strikes that concluded with a superkick. Bowens called for a Mollywhop, but Okada dropkicked him. Okada followed up with the Rainmaker and scored the clean pin…
AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Anthony Bowens in 10:30 in an eliminator match.
Powell’s POV: A fine match with no suspense. It’s hard to get invested in most eliminator matches. I continue to wish AEW would turn most of the eliminator matches into title matches since they typically result in the champion going over anyway. By the way, I would be totally cool with Bowens winning the AEW Continental Championship. No one is allowed at ringside during Continental matches, so Bowens could finally ditch Billy Gunn.
Backstage, Lexi Nair interviewed Daniel Garcia while Matt Menard stood by. Nair asked what’s next after the tough loss to FTR at Double or Nothing. Garcia said tough loss was an understatement. Menard cut him off and said scolded Garcia for moping around all week.
Don Callis and Lance Archer showed up and asked Menard if that was his version of an inspirational speech. Callis asked what Garcia was doing with Menard. Garcia said Menard is his mentor. Callis said Garcia is like a Lamborghini. He said you don’t take a Lamborghini to someone who has never been under the hood of a car, you take it to the number one mechanic in town. Callis said he’s that mechanic, and Garcia needs to be in his family.
Menard said they should ask Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay how good of a mentor Callis is. Garcia told Callis that he’s sick of old men telling him how to do his career. Callis said he is an old man, a rich, successful old man. Callis said his family wants volunteers, not hostages. Callis told Garcia to do something he hasn’t done in a while – think… [C]
Powell’s POV: I suspect Garcia would get lost in the Callis Family shuffle, but this Matt Menard alliance continues to be a groaner.
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced ‘FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, who were accompanied by Stokely Hathaway. McGuinness said he has a new appreciation for FTR. He said it took a few days before he could breathe properly after taking their Shatter Machine move. Harwood held the ropes open and motioned for McGuinness to join them in the ring, but he remained at the broadcat table.
Hathaway said McGuinness belongs at the broadcast table. He said FTR decided to issue an open challenge to any tag team south of the border for a match on Dynamite or Collision. Hathaway read the terms of the contract that read: “Andele, andele, mami, EI, EI, (uh oh). What’s poppin tonight?” Wheeler showed the supposed contract.
Atlantis Jr. and Templario made their entrance and joined FTR and Hathaway inside the ring. Wheeler claimed that he and Harwood respect the luchadores. Wheeler said he and Harwood are living lucha legends. Wheeler teased the idea of going to Mexico and winning gold. He asked the luchadores for a scrimmage to warm them up.
Harwood took the mic and did a mic check. The mic worked, but he swapped it out anyway. Harwood introduced himself and Wheeler to Atlantis Jr. and Templario. The fans chanted something in Spanish. Hathaway said they were chanting “God bless you.” Schiavone, who was back at the broadcast table, said that’s not what the fans were chanting.
Harwood said he and Wheeler are really big stars in the United States, and they are recognized everywhere they go. Harwood brought up the June 18 show that AEW and CMLL are holding at Arena Mexico. Harwood said no one knows who the luchadores are because of their “stupid Mighty Morphin Power Rangers masks.”
Harwood asked what their dream match would be, but then pulled the mic away before they could answer. Harwood assumed it would be to face him and Wheeler, but he assumed that Tony Khan had bigger plans for them. Harwood spoke about Atlantis and how he’s 62 and still wrestling. Harwood told Atlantis Jr. to tell his father to keep his old ass at home and not to mess with FTR.
Atlantis Jr. took the mic and said something in Spanish, which got a rise out of the crowd. Harwood said they don’t want any trouble, then acted apologetic. Harwood hit Templario with the microphone, and then Wheeler put Atlantis Jr. down. FTR set up for a spike piledriver on Templario, but Atlantis broke it up and hit a crossbody block on Harwood. The luchadores cleared FTR from the ring, and then Templario dove onto them. Atlantis spoke on the mic and said they would see FTR soon and beat their asses…
Powell’s POV: A good segment. The FTR heel mic work was fun and got good heat from the live crowd. It went a little long for television, but it didn’t seem to be an issue with the fans in the building.
[Hour Two] A video package recapped the Toni Storm and Mercedes Mone segment that closed Dynamite… Entrances for the women’s match took place…
4. Skye Blue vs. Mina Shirakawa. Both wrestlers fought on the apron. Blue stuffed a suplex and then drove Shirakawa’s face on the apron heading into a PIP break. [C] Shirakawa jumped from the top rope and hit a neckbreaker on the way down, which led to a near fall. Sky stuffed a Glamorous Driver and then they traded pin attempts for two counts. Shirakawa hit a back fist and then hit the Glamorous Driver for the win.
Mina Shirakawa defeated Skye Blue in roughly 9:00.
After the match, Julia Hart entered the ring and hit Shirakawa from behind. AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm ran out in non-wrestling attire and suplexed Blue, and then tossed Hart out of the ring. Storm set up for a hip attack on Blue, but Hart pulled her ally to the floor…
Powell’s POV: A bounce-back win for Shirakawa coming off her loss to Storm at Double or Nothing. The post-match angle looked like it was meant to set up a future tag team match.
A Gates of Agony promo video aired, and a graphic listed them as being in action after the break… [C] GOA made their entrance coming out of the break while
5. “Gates of Agony” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun vs. GMO Kaminari and Cosmo Orion. Schiavone announced Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart and Sky Blue for Wednesday’s four-hour block of Dynamite and Collision. Liona and Kaun slammed one opponent on top of the other, and then Liona pinned them both…
“Gates of Agony” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun beat GMO Kaminari and Cosmo Orion in 2:15.
Powell’s POV: A squash win for GOA. I hope this is the start of something and wasn’t just setting up GOA to be fed to another team.
Footage aired of Max Caster trying to lead a room full of people at the All Elite Experience in chanting that he’s the best wrestler alive. He wanted them to sign a petition to acknowledge that status. Caster had the first row of fans sign the petition and then told them to come up for photos. Caster ran out of the room to avoid taking pictures with the fans…
6. Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos vs. AR Fox, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin (w/Leila Grey). Both entrances were televised. Rush teased hitting Fox with his finisher, but he stopped short and then kicked him in the face. Rush struck his Tranquillo pose. [C] In the end, Rush hit Darius with Bull’s Horns before pinning him.
“La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos vs. AR Fox, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin in roughly 10:00.
After the match, the LFI trio continued to work over Darius. Rush got a camera cable and whipped him once with it before choking him. Mike Bailey, Komander, and Alex Abrahantes ran out. Bailey and Komander helped clear LFI from the ring…
Powell’s POV: Good action, but every Rush match feels the same. He teases Bull’s Horns early and strikes the Tranquilo pose. He eventually hits Bull’s Horns if he’s going over. And at some point during or after the match, he chokes an opponent with the camera cable, and yells about how if you mess with the bull, you get the horns. Yes, I’d like to see him shake it up.
A pre-taped Mark Briscoe promo aired. He recalled Jon Moxley choking him out during the trios match on Dynamite. Briscoe said one of his sons asked him if he had quit. Briscoe said he did not quit, and he never quits. Briscoe called for a singles match against Moxley. Briscoe said it’s not about the title, it’s about rounding up his kids around the TV while he whoops a man’s ass…
Powell’s POV: Now I feel like I had a shitty childhood because my father never gathered me and my brothers around the television to watch him whoop a man’s ass. Thanks for nothing, Dad. Can we get a split-screen shot of Briscoe’s kids gathered around the television on Wednesday?!?
Schiavone hyped the following matches for Wednesday’s four-hour Fyter Fest (back-to-back editions of Dynamite and Collision) in Denver: AEW World champion Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe in a non-title match, “La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos vs. Komander, Kevin Knight, and Mike Bailey, Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart and Skye Blue with Mercedes Mone on commentary, “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler vs. Atlantis Jr. and Templario, and the in-ring debut of Thekla, comments from The Hurt Syndicate, and the four-way match for the AEW International Championship…
7. Mascara Dorada vs. Hechicero in a qualifier for the four-way match for the AEW International Championship. Both entrances were televised. Hechicero was in offensive control heading into a PIP break. [C] In the end, Dorada hit a shooting star press. The crowd counted along with the referee’s count in Spanish while Dorada got the win…
Mascara Dorada defeated Hechicero in roughly 15:00 to qualify for the four-way for the AEW International Championship.
The updated graphic listed Kenny Omega vs. Brody King vs. Mascara Dorada vs. Claudio Castagnoli in a four-way for the AEW International Championship for Wednesday’s four-hour Fyter Fest event…
Powell’s POV: We’ve seen countless luchadores from other companies appear on AEW programming, and they haven’t made any really stand out in a major way since El Hijo del Vikingo. I don’t know if there’s enough time to change that before the Grand Slam Mexico event.
Yes, this was yet another “fine if you saw it, fine if you missed it” episode. It’s understandable given the late start time, but AEW should at least try to take advantage of the big lead-ins they get from live sporting events by loading up the first 15-20 minutes of the show. Will Preutt’s audio review of Collision will be available on Sunday for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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