AEW Collision 100 Review – 07.05.25

AEW Collision 100 comes to us on the heels of Dynamite 300 from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. The announcers for tonight’s show are Tony Schiavone on play by play, Nigel McGuinness on analysis, Arkady Aura with ring announcements and Renee Paquette and Lexy Nair with backstage interviews. The show was taped after Dynamite on Wednesday.

AEW TNT Champion Adam Cole makes his entrance and has a microphone. Cole is excited about 100 episodes of Collision, and well, WHO ISN’T? AEW has the best wrestlers and the best matches, and the best pro wrestling fans Cole has ever been in front of. Cole is the TNT champion and the title is going nowhere. Here’s Kyle Fletcher to interrupt. Fletcher congratulates AEW for 100 episodes and Cole on his run as champion, but the next 100 episodes and more belong to him. Fletcher says it’s now Storytime with the Protostar and brings up All In 2023 when Cole was teaming with MJF. Fletcher blames Cole’s ego for Aussie Open’s loss of the ROH tag titles, and says it was the worst night of his professional life. Fletcher says he’s killed that version of himself and he wants to make sure Cole feels the same way he did two years ago. Fletcher wants Cole at this year’s All In because according to him, there’s nobody more deserving of the shot. Here’s Daniel Garcia to chat. Garcia says that Cole and Fletcher talking about the TNT title should include his name. Garcia and Fletcher have a match later, but Garcia is distracted by Cole’s title and he wants it back. Cole says he respects Garcia and would give him a shot any time or place, but he beat him before and he’ll do it again. Cole then tells Fletcher he’s living in “la la land” because the last time Cole faced Fletcher, the Don Callis Family had to come out and get involved because Cole was beating him so badly. Cole says he’ll face both of them at All In, but Fletcher says no. Fletcher beat Garcia when he was TNT Champion during the Continental Classic and never got a shot at the title. Garcia says he loses a lot, but every time he loses, he gets back up. Garcia proposes that tonight’s main event with him and Fletcher be for the shot at All In. Cole says that’s how it’s going to be and his music hits to wrap this segment up.

A pre-tape promo for the AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm vs AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone match with narration from Storm airs next. Storm wishes Mercedes good luck and will see her next week.

Shelton Benjamin vs Nick Wayne vs Kevin Knight

Benjamin is seconded by MVP. Wayne has Mother Wayne and Kip Sabian with him, and Knight is seconded by “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Knight is still selling his ribs from the Hurt Syndicate attack on Dynamite.

Knight attacks Benjamin as the bell rings, and Wayne bails to the floor. Benjamin knees Knight in the ribs twice to slow him down as Wayne re-enters. Benjamin turns his attention to Wayne, who immediately bails to the floor again. Knight recovers and sends Benjamin to the floor with a dropkick, but when he goes to the floor, Benjamin clobbers Knight with a clothesline. Benjamin whips Knight back-first into the ring apron and then the barrier several times and then tosses him in the ring. Benjamin stops to gab with MVP and Wayne sneaks in for a cover on Knight that gets two. Wayne ducks a clothesline and tries to hit a springboard cutter on Benjamin, but Benjamin catches him and casually back body-drops Wayne. Benjamin awkwardly runs into a roll-up from Knight that gets two. Benjamin charges again and eats a big boot from Wayne, and then Wayne and Knight hit a double dropkick on Benjamin that sends him to the floor. Wayne urges Knight to dive out on Benjamin so when Knight goes to do just that, Wayne hits him with a jumping uppercut and then poses for the crowd. Wayne kicks Knight in the ribs and then shoulders Knight repeatedly in the corner. We go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP Wayne hits a snap legdrop on Knight for a two count. Benjamin suddenly looms behind Wayne before nailing him with a Saito suplex. Wayne bails to the floor as Benjamin whips Knight back-first into the corner. Benjamin tosses Knight to the floor and stalks Wayne. Benjamin bodyslams Wayne twice and then goes back to Knight. Knight hits a couple of chops on Benjamin, but Benjamin just destroys Knight with one of his own. Benjamin whips Knight back in the ring and stalks Wayne, but Wayne hits a jawbreaker on Benjamin to slow him down. Wayne pops back in the ring to slap a headlock on Knight.

Back live with Knight and Wayne slugging it out. Knight runs the ropes and Benjamin catches him with a huge toss as Knight again lands on his ribs. Benjamin hits Wayne with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for two. Wayne gets a sneaky roll-up on Benjamin for two. There’s a series of pin attempts that all get two, and then Wayne and Knight hit simultaneous superkicks on a charging Benjamin. Wayne and Knight hit each other with clotheslines, and everyone is down. Knight and Wayne slug it out and that ends with Knight superkicking Wayne. Knight whips Wayne towards Benjamin, so Benjamin scoops Wayne up and tosses him back at Knight sending everybody flying. Benjamin starts hitting release German suplexes on both Wayne and Knight, before hitting them both with high knees. Benjamin charges Knight who flips him onto the apron and forearms Benjamin to the floor. Wayne hits Benjamin with a tope before Knight hits a springboard clothesline on both Wayne and Benjamin. Wayne hits a Destroyer on Knight for two. Knight gets a sneaky rollup on Wayne for two. Wayne bails as Benjamin is back in. Benjamin puts the ankle lock on Knight while he’s holding the top rope but Wayne sneaks back in and kicks Benjamin in the head. Wayne hits the Wayne’s World cutter on Benjamin for but Knight breaks that up with the UFO splash and covers Benjamin for three.

Well that puts a little juice back into the Hurt Syndicate – Jet/Speed feud at least, because it had been one-sided as hell for a while now. Benjamin tossing these two guys around was good fun. Three ways can be hard to agent but this one was laid out well and made sense within the current storylines. 3*

Winner – Kevin Knight (UFO splash on Benjamin)

Cameras caught up with the Death Riders on Wednesday night. Jon Moxley pushes the camera away but Claudio Castignoli has something to say. Castignoli is sick of the Opps sticking their noses in Death Rider business. Castignoli and Yuta want the Trios titles and there’s business to settle at All In. We go to commercials.

Mark Briscoe, Hologram and Mistico vs Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero and Hechicero

The heels attack as the bell rings and it will be Romero and Mistico to start. Hechicero holds Mistico so Romero can kick him in the arm. Romero catches a springboard back elbow from Mistico. Mistico rope-walks and then hits Romero with an armdrag take-down. Romero flips Mistico to the apron, and Mistico catches him with a jumping enziguri and a big forearm. Mistico tags in Briscoe before hitting Romero with a rana, sending him into his corner where Beretta tags in. Briscoe hits both Romero and Beretta with chops, and then hits a Pele kick on Romero before doing his redneck kung fu pose to a pop. Briscoe slips a charging Hechicero before nailing Beretta with a diving forearm. Hologram and Mistico hit simultaneous tope suicidas on Hechicero and Romero. Hologram tosses a chair to Briscoe. Beretta pushes the chair out of the way as Briscoe was lining up to use it as a spring over the top rope. Beretta hits Briscoe with a drop toe hold on the chair as Aubrey Edwards back is turned. Beretta gets only a one count as Edwards was late to the pin attempt. We go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP the heels work over Briscoe as Hechicero tags in. Hechicero puts Briscoe in a single leg crab but Briscoe makes the ropes. Hechicero starts dropping rights on top of Briscoe’s head before tagging in Romero. Romero hits a running shotgun dropkick on Briscoe and we go to full commercials.

Back live with Hologram hitting a twisting spinning rana on Hechicero. Romero and Beretta come in to try a double-team powerbomb but Hologram slips out of it and hits an awkward poison ran of sorts on Beretta. Hologram superkicks a charging Romero, and then a sequence with Hologram and Hechicero ends with Hologram hitting a Spanish Fly for two as Romero breaks it up. Beretta drapes Hologram over the top rope and Romero hits Hologram with a double stomp as Beretta follows that with a shotgun dropkick. Hechicero slaps an armbar on Hologram, but Beretta can’t hold off Briscoe from breaking it up as I have zero idea who is legal right now. I guess it was Hechicero as he tags in Romero. Romero and Hechicero send Hologram into their corner but Hologram just dropkicks Beretta to the floor instead. Hologram ducks a charge from Romero and flips over Hechicero to tag in Mistico. Mistico hits a springboard armdrag on Hechicero and then walks the ropes to hit a leaping rana on Hechicero. Mistico and Romero have a sequence that ends with Romero hitting a back kick sending Mistico down.

Hologram charges over and monkey flips Romero halfway across the ring. Beretta comes in and nails Hologram with a half-snap German that had some stink on it. Briscoe charges in and hits Beretta with a throat thrust and chops. Briscoe runs the ropes and hits Hechicero with a dropkick through the ropes sending him back to the floor. Briscoe charges down the apron and hits Romero with a rolling tackle. Briscoe tosses two chairs in the ring and he and Hologram hit simultaneous topes on Hechicero and Romero. Back in the ring, Mistico slaps the La Mistica armbar on Romero and he immediately taps out.

I know Scott calls these “party matches” and that’s pretty much what that was, as Edwards was very liberal with her refereeing in terms of enforcing who was actually legal. I know that is not a big deal in lucha culture, obviously, and it always killed me when JR would get nettled by it. Mark Briscoe can take an asskicking with the best of them and the long heat sequence in the middle with him was solid. I enjoyed it. 3*

Winners – Mark Briscoe, Hologram and Mistico (La Mistica armbar on Romero)

Post-match sees the crowd and Briscoe really enjoying Mistico’s theme music. The video screen lights up with MJF flanked by MVP. MJF wants to talk to Mistico and Briscoe. MJF doesn’t want to have a one on one chat with Briscoe next week, he rolls with his “clique” and they ride together. MJF says Mistico is entered in the Casino Gauntlet at All In, but he’ll never make it into the match because MJF is going to pin Briscoe before anyone else can enter. MVP says Briscoe is definitely out of his league, and then MVP calls Mistico a “cabron” while chirping at him in Spanish. MJF hits the never personal, strictly business line as Briscoe yells “kiss my ass” at the screen. Mistico’s theme hits again.

Swerve Strickland, The Outrunners and Anna Jay were at NASCAR at Echo Park Speedway and Swerve got to drive the pace car. That’s pretty cool.

Platinum Max Caster tells Ontario that they are looking live at the Best Wrestler Alive. Caster knows the fans lives are horrible but they are going to have the best moment of their lives when they chant his name. The crowd sings along with the chant but Caster stops them and asks if they think this is a joke. Caster says this is his life’s work. He’s got a new chant for them and it’s THIS CROWD SUCKS. It’s time for the Open Challenge and here’s a video for the returning Scorpio Sky with Christopher Daniels doing voiceover.

Platinum Max Caster vs Scorpio Sky

Top Flight join Sky and Daniels on the entrance ramp, but they leave as Daniels and Sky head to the ring. Caster immediately attacks Sky as the bell sounds. Sky reverses an irish whip and back-kicks Caster, and then hits a knee lift and lariat to knock Caster to the mat. The crowd chants “Welcome back!” to Sky. Caster charges in as Sky slips it and hits Caster with a painful looking Manhattan drop. Sky picks up Caster and hits the TKO cutter on him for three. The whole thing was 55 seconds from bell to finish.

Not much to rate here but it was good to see Sky, who is in tremendous shape, return from purgatory. 1.5*

Winner – Scorpio Sky (TKO cutter)

Back from commercials and Ricochet is with Lexy Nair backstage. She asks him about working with Gates of Agony but Ricochet tells her it’s not her or anybody else’s business what he said to them. Ricochet tells the camera person to follow him to the hallway behind where the Gates of Agony have apparently wrecked Blake Christian and Lee Johnson. Ricochet tells Christian if he wants his respect he has to earn it. Ricochet cackles and leaves with Liona and Kaun.

Willow Nightingale vs Viperess

Schiavone lets us know that Vipress has trained in the New Japan Los Angeles dojo. Viperess slaps away a handshake from Nightingale. Nightingale goes behind and dumps Viperess down before splashing Viperess in the corner. Nightingale hits lariats on Viperess in the corner, and as Viperess escapes Nightingale nails her with a big boot. Nightingale hits a spinebuster but Viperess escapes a powerbomb attempt and dumps Nightingale face-first into the second turnbuckle. Kris Statlander is watching the match on a monitor. Wheeler Yuta taps her on the shoulder and she angrily tells him she doesn’t need his help. Statlander walks off as Yuta stares after her. Maybe he just needed a quarter for the vending machine, Stat, sheesh. Viperess is making the terrible mistake of slapping Nightingale in the face, so Nightingale just wallops her with an open hand slap to the chest. They yell at each other and it’s apparently fully on now as Viperess puts her hair up. Viperess again slaps Nightingale and goes to run the ropes, so Nightingale wrecks her with a Pounce before pulling the straps down. Nightingale hits her sit-out powerbomb for three.

I love watching Willow Nightingale wrestle. She connects with the crowd, her offense is powerful and credible, and she seems to really like what she does. There wasn’t much to this one but for a sprint, it was solid. 2.5*

Winner – Willow Nightingale (sit-out powerbomb)

On Dynamite, Renee Paquette caught up with Anthony Bowens after he was unsuccessful in the four way Casino Gauntlet qualifying match. Bowens says there’s no time for negativity as Billy Gunn enters. Gunn lifts Bowens off the floor, but Bowens questions where Gunn was during his match. Gunn says he was in the back because he thought that’s what Bowens wanted. The camera makes Gunn look positively enormous next to Bowens, by the way. Bowens says he has to win the Casino Gauntlet match and Gunn asks him if he trusts him. They do the scissors gesture as we fade to the 100 logo.

FTR vs The Outrunners

FTR are seconded by BIG STOKE. Floyd and Harwood start with a lock-up, and Harwood pushes Floyd to the corner but breaks cleanly while berating Floyd. They end up in the opposite corner but this time Harwood nails Floyd with a right. Floyd fires up with some rights of his own but Harwood puts him in his team corner and he and Wheeler go to work while Magnum charges over to help. The Outrunners hit stereo back body drops on FTR before clotheslining them over the top rope to the floor. Harwood gripes at Schiavone while everyone regroups. Harwood and Magnum lock up and Harwood just slaps Magnum dead in the face. Magnum chases Harwood to the floor and around the ring, with Harwood tagging in Wheeler as he scoots by him with Magnum following. Wheeler hits Magnum with a bulldog and then chokes him from behind while Magnum is draped over the second rope. Wheeler hits a euro uppercut, but Magnum slips the next one and reverses to start throwing bombs at Wheeler.

Schiavone tells us that Collision will be live next Thursday night as Magnum beals Wheeler over. Magnum hits two flying headscissors on Wheeler and tags in Floyd. Floyd and Magnum hit double team offense on Wheeler before Floyd nails him with a backdrop suplex for a one count. Wheeler tosses Floyd towards his corner where Harwood nails Floyd with a right. Harwood tags in and hits Floyd with a suplex and some short snap legdrops. Harwood drops an elbow and then chops Floyd in the chest. Harwood rakes Floyd by the nose and then snaps him into an abdominal stretch which Wheeler assists with from the apron. I love old school heel tag tactics so very much. Magnum comes in to complain so Harwood fakes a tag as Wheeler comes in to resume the abdominal stretch. Referee Paul Turner says he didn’t visually witness the tag so Wheeler is out. As Wheeler is arguing with Turner, Floyd rolls up Harwood and Turner finally turns to count two as Harwood escapes. Harwood trucks Floyd with a lariat and tags in Wheeler. Wheeler drops a big elbow on Floyd’s neck. Floyd reverses a suplex but Wheeler tags in Harwood before Floyd can make the tag.

Floyd finally kicks Harwood off and makes the tag. Magnum runs wild on both Harwood and Wheeler. Magnum splashes Harwood and Wheeler in opposite corners, then he and Floyd hit a combination bulldog and lariat on both members of FTR. The Outrunners want their big stereo elbow drop but Wheeler breaks it up as everyone goes to the floor and we go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP Wheeler runs Floyd into the ring steps. Wheeler tucks Floyd’s leg behind the ring steps as Harwood dropkicks the steps. Wheeler then kicks the steps from the other side. Wheeler holds Magnum up so Harwood can clubber him as I’m pretty sure that Turner isn’t even thinking of counting anyone out. Harwood kicks Magnum in the face and then pops him in the mouth with a right in a move eerily reminiscent of how Bobby Eaton used to do it. Harwood finally tosses Magnum back in the ring as Magnum is busted open. Harwood just tortures Magnum’s wound with clubbing blows before chopping Magnum to his knees. Wheeler tags in and continues to work on Magnum’s bloody wound, and he shows off his bloody knuckles to the camera. Harwood tags back in and he and Wheeler hit a double team leg drop and elbow drop combo on Magnum. Floyd has not returned to the apron yet, presumably still selling the leg.

Back live with Magnum trying to fire up with chops. Wheeler has snuck around to drop Floyd knee-first on the ring steps as Harwood is back in control with Magnum in the corner. Harwood puts some stink on a sheer-drop brainbuster while he’s berating Magnum. The crowd chants “You’re still bald!” at Harwood. Wheeler tags in and slaps on a side headlock. Magnum gets to his feet and breaks loose with a right, but as he runs the ropes Wheeler catches him with an overhead bodyslam. Wheeler covers lazily and Magnum kicks out at two. Wheeler charges but Magnum slips his dropkick attempt as Floyd struggles back to the apron. Wheeler tags in Harwood who blocks Magnum and sends him into the ropes. Magnum comes off with a big kick to Harwood and both guys are down. They recover and as Harwood is holding Magnum from making a tag, Wheeler dumps Floyd off the apron to the floor and continues to work over his knee. Harwood hits Magnum with a running clothesline in the corner before lighting him up with chops and punches. Harwood tags in Wheeler and they hit a double-team draping Flatliner DDT. Wheeler stands with his foot on Magnum as Turner counts two. Wheeler sets Magnum on the top turnbuckle but Magnum fires off some rights and a headbutt.

Magnum comes off with a huge cross body and both guys are down again. Harwood tags in and again blocks Magnum from his corner. Magnum fires up on Harwood and Wheeler, but his clothesline is met with one from Harwood at the same time and both guys are down. Wheeler once again antagonizes Floyd before Harwood knocks him off the apron to the floor. FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Magnum for a two count as the whole place is stunned. Harwood misses a flying headbutt attempt as Magnum finally gets the tag to Floyd. Floyd clubbers Harwood and Wheeler but when he goes to slam Wheeler, his leg gives out. Wheeler smacks Floyd on the back and runs the ropes, but Floyd lariats him down and fires up again. Floyd then does hit the bodyslam and he and Magnum set up for the elbow drop. They hit it and Floyd covers Wheeler for two. Wheeler recovers with a dragon screw leg whip on Floyd sending him to the apron. Floyd escapes a double team attempt and hits a sunset flip on Wheeler. Harwood tries to prevent the cover but Magnum leapfrogs Floyd and breaks that up, as Floyd rolls up Wheeler for two. Harwood and Wheeler crash heads as Floyd once again rolls up Wheeler for two. The Outrunners hit the Shatter Machine on Wheeler as the crowd is losing their minds. Floyd covers for two as Harwood breaks it up. Harwood and Magnum battle it out with chops but Harwood eventually dumps Magnum over the top rope to the floor. Floyd clobbers Wheeler with rights but Wheeler shoulders Floyd in the stomach to break it up. Harwood charges back in and they hit Floyd with the Shatter Machine as Wheeler covers for three. Big Stoke had ahold of Magnum’s leg preventing him from breaking up the pin.

This was a hell of a battle. It was a little squash-y at times but it turned into the Outrunners fighting from underneath against what most would say is a superior team. There was good psychology and a good pace, and Magnum got some impressive color. I know we talk about “bangers” a lot with AEW but this one actually was and had a story to go with it. I really loved this in the end. 4.5*

Winners – FTR (Shatter Machine on Floyd)

Tay Melo, Anna Jay, Queen Aminata and Thunder Rosa vs Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Thekla and Athena

Penelope Ford and Skye Blue are seconding for the heels. Julia Hart looks to start but Thekla tags in before any physicality to continue her rivalry with Aminata. They run the ropes and Thekla ends it with a rana. Thekla slaps Aminata hard and reverse kicks her, but when she comes off the ropes Aminata just annihilates her with a slap. Julia Hart tags in but Aminata greets her with a backbreaker and her Chocolate Kisses move. Hart bails and tags in Athena. Rosa tags in and Athena immediately turns and tags in Bayne. Bayne kicks Rosa and hoists her up, but Rosa slips off and dropkicks Bayne to little effect. Bayne tells Rosa to bring it on, so she runs the ropes and tries to splash Bayne down. Bayne shrugs that off and slams Rosa back-first into the corner. Bayne charges Rosa who slips it and ascends. Rosa hits two shotgun dropkicks on Bayne and tags in Aminata. Aminata comes off the top with a double stomp and then gripes at the heel corner. Aminata tags in Rosa again as Bayne rises. Aminata and Rosa work Bayne over with chops as we go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP Bayne hits a giant double leaping lariat on both Rosa and Aminata. Bayne dumps Rosa in the heel corner and rams some knees into Rosa’s gut. She runs the ropes and hits the Kevin Nash running big boot before tagging Thekla in. Thekla covers and Rosa kicks out at two. Thekla puts the boots to Rosa, and then dumps her down so she can kick her in the head. Thekla covers for two. Rosa fires up with chops and staggers Thekla in the corner. Thekla reverses an irish whip before crushing Rosa with a back elbow. Rosa slips another Thekla charge but eats a big boot when she charges into the corner. Thekla does her draping spider hold and only releasing it when the ref counted to four. Julia Hart tags in and slaps on a headlock before putting Rosa in a submission hold that Jay breaks up. Thekla charges in to deal with Jay and her and Hart put Jay and Rosa on the top turnbuckles in opposite corners. They both hit superplexes on Jay and Rosa, and Hart and Thekla dangle upside down afterwards as we’re back live.

Hart tries a moonsault but Rosa gets her feet up. Thekla and Melo tag in. Melo runs Thekla over with clotheslines and then hits her with a Tour of the Islands-like side slam. Melo hits Thekla with three running pump kicks in the corner before lining her up for her running knee strike and that gets two as the entire heel delegation is on the floor and nowhere near to break anything up. Melo tags in Jay and they hit their double-team Gory bomb-knee combo for a two count as Athena breaks it up. Athena again runs from Rosa (who will be her opponent at ROH’s Supercard of Honor). As Rosa turns, she eats a superkick from Hart. Aminata hits her twisting fisherman’s neckbreaker on Hart. Bayne flies in with a dropkick that sends Aminata to the floor. Melo and Jay hit superkicks on Bayne and Schiavone is not calling ANY OF THIS and just listing upcoming matches to my unbelievable annoyance. Athena manages to not only punch Melo in the head, the punch causes Melo to accidently DDT Jay. Athena hits a leaping Codebreaker on Aminata before bailing as Rosa approaches her. Rosa cross-bodies Athena on the floor and they brawl to the back.

Jay hits Bayne with a DDT and goes to tag in Melo. Ford leaps on the apron to chat with the referee as Skye Blue has snuck around to yank Melo off the apron and run her into the barrier. Bayne hoists Jay up for Fates Descent but Jay elbows her way out of it. Jay slips a charging Bayne who goes shoulder-first into the ring post. Blue eats a Jay right hand as she’s climbed on to the apron, before Jay runs Ford into the turnbuckle a few times by her hair. Bayne flies out of the corner and just crushes Jay with a Decapitator lariat. Bayne hits a running sit-out powerbomb on Jay and that gets three.

It was fine for what it was, which was advancing some story stuff with Rosa and Athena, and the ongoing thing with Aminata and Thekla. Bayne showed off her power moves and the heels cheated and won. Nothing you have to go out of your way to seek out, I’d say, but it was mostly harmless fun. 2.5*

Winners – Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Thekla and Athena (Bayne running sit-out powerbomb to Jay)

We get a short post-match pre-tape promo from Alex Windsor. I’m excited to see her debut. We go to commercials.

Kyle Fletcher vs Daniel Garcia

Fletcher is seconded by Lance Archer and Don Callis. Adam Cole has joined the commentary team, and then Callis joins them as well. Matt Menard seconds Daniel Garcia but leaves before the match starts.

Fletcher bullies Garcia into the corner and then rolls away to stand up and do Garcia’s dance move. Garcia pulls the same thing on Fletcher but as he goes to dance Fletcher just calmly kicks him in the stomach. Fletcher snaps Garcia down into a side headlock. Garcia breaks out of it but Fletcher shoulders him down twice before going back to the headlock. They run the ropes again and Garcia knocks Fletcher down with a double thrust. The crowd says this is awesome and well, it’s not there yet guys. Garcia has Fletcher in the corner and he ascends to the second rope and gives Callis the bird before punching Fletcher in the head. Fletcher flies out of the corner with a kick that sends Garcia immediately down.

Fletcher hits a snappy bodyslam on Garcia as Cole and Callis bicker on commentary. Garcia ducks a Fletcher charge and then shotgun dropkicks him to the floor. Garcia eyes up Fletcher on the floor but as he charges in Fletcher again nails him with a big kick. Callis and Fletcher hug before Fletcher confronts Cole. Garcia flies in with his own kick that staggers Fletcher and then Garcia reluctantly fistbumps with Cole. As Garcia turns, Fletcher superkicks him and then runs Garcia face-first into the barrier. Fletcher has some fans in the audience and he poses with them as the ref checks on Garcia, who is busted open. Fletcher goes after the wound and then dumps Garcia back-first on the ring apron. We go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP Fletcher berates a bloody Garcia before yanking him up for another snap bodyslam. Fletcher stomps a prone Garcia’s back. Garcia fires up with forearms but Fletcher ends that with an enormous right hand. Fletcher shows the crowd the blood on his wrist tape and mugs for them. We go to regular commercials.

Back live with Garcia clubbering away at Fletcher in the corner while perched on the second rope. Fletcher slips a Garcia charge and with Garcia on the apron, Fletcher nails him with an enziguri. Garcia puts on a front choke while Fletcher is draped in the ropes. Fletcher escapes it but Garcia nails him with a backdrop suplex on the apron as Cole is stunned. Garcia pulls back the ring apron, and then hits Fletcher with a running shotgun dropkick as Fletcher was perched in a chair at ringside. Garcia hits another two dropkicks and tosses Fletcher back on the apron. They both ascend as Garcia hits Fletcher with a massive superplex and covers him for two. Fletcher kicks Garcia off of him and they jostle and it ends with Fletcher superkicking Garcia and hitting him with a sit-out powerbomb for two. Lots of sit-out powerbombs tonight for some reason.

Fletcher is pissed so he starts dropping elbows to the top of Garcia’s head, and we get a look at what is probably a broken nose for Garcia. Fletcher charges in and Garcia rolls him up into the Dragon Tamer leg lock and sinks it in. As he’s doing so, it gives Fletcher enough leeway to grab Garcia’s head and pull him off. They both tumble over the top rope to the floor in a scary spot. Garcia recovers first but walks into a snap half-nelson suplex on the floor from Fletcher. Fletcher stares down Cole before powerbombing Garcia on the apron (a spot that he did to Cole, as well). Cole leaves the table to give some words to Garcia as he manages to beat the ref’s count. Fletcher immediately hits the Helluva kick and sheer-drop brainbuster on Garcia for the three count. Kyle Fletcher will face Adam Cole for the TNT Title at All In.

This actually did get awesome as it went along. Garcia, much like Mark Briscoe, can take a hell of a beating and do it creditably. Fletcher has gotten SO good since breaking out of tag wrestling it’s almost scary. He’s just got that young Randy Orton feel to him where you think he’s dangerous to everyone with a title, not just Cole. This was a heck of a main event, and again, had storyline-driven stuff in it. 4*

Okay, so a couple things. I’ll be doing Collision from now on unless the boss decides to review it. Secondly, I have well documented issues with a few things in AEW that mostly involve booking, so we’ll see how this goes. Thirdly, I did not like three consecutive heel wins to end this show. Now, all that being said, this was really a great show for me to review for my first foray into the landmines of AEW reviewing. The FTR-Outrunners match was old school stuff that’s right in my wheelhouse, and the main event delivered as well. The show was paced well, there wasn’t too much yapping, and even with my annoyance at Schiavone just endlessly talking over the women’s eight person tag, I’m still pretty happy with what I watched. Thumbs definitely up from me.

Thanks for reading, stay cool and hydrated, and I’ll be back with NXT on Wednesday morning.