AEW Collision Review – 10.25.25

This show was recorded after Dynamite on October 22, 2025. It takes place at the Boeing Center Arena in San Antonio, TX.

The television hosts for tonight are Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness on match calls and analysis, Arkady Aura on in-ring announcements, and Lexy Nair on backstage interviews and breaking news.

Here’s AEW Men’s World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page to start the show. Page gets a huge pop from the crowd and grabs a microphone. Page quotes The Dark Knight and mentions the Opps being in a war with the Death Riders for a year and how they cleared the way for Page to beat Jon Moxley for the title. Page gave Samoa Joe a shot at the title because he owed him but he knocked Joe on his “big burly ass” and beat him. Page thinks Joe was embarrassed at not being able to “kill the Hangman” thus resulting in the Opps stabbing Page in the back. Page says they’ve become the very thing they fought against and should have known better to make an enemy out of Page. Page says he’s now hunting Joe’s “dumb ass” and he’s going to find Joe when he decides to. Page says he’s going to ruin Joe’s life when he finds him.

Hell of a promo from Hangman here. As someone who would have run with Page from Day One of the company, I’m glad to see him finally realize into a legitimate world champion that the company can be proud of. However, the losses of Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay and MJF hurt this reign a bit because as much as I love Joe, he’s not at this level anymore. So, we’ll see how all this goes because it feels like Hangman is treading water until some guys get back to competition.

EARLIER TONIGHT here’s PAC with The Death Riders to speak about his match with Tomohiro Ishii and claim that the Death Riders still dominate AEW whether we like it or not.

PAC vs NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii

PAC is accompanied by Marina Shafir, Wheeler Yuta, and Daniel Garcia. Nigel McGuinness informs us that PAC now has a steel plate in his FOOT after surgery. Ishii comes out alone but the Conglomeration has a cool new entrance video that I kind of love.

There’s a standoff after a series of strike attempts. PAC works a side headlock and after Ishii escapes PAC and Garcia work together on the floor to keep the ref busy while Garcia pounds away. PAC bullies Ishii in a corner and then stands on his neck. Ishii breaks out of that and a striking battle ensues before PAC ends it with a huge running uppercut. PAC hits a shotgun dropkick from the top rope as we go to commercials.

PAC is working Ishii over with chops when the show returns. Ishii responds in kind and then trucks PAC with a tackle. Ishii mounts PAC on a top turnbuckle and hits a massive superplex. Ishii’s cover gets two. PAC misses an enziguri and Ishii smashes him with a powerbomb that gets two. Ishii is selling his right shoulder as he and PAC trade strikes. Ishii snaps off a German and PAC responds with one of his own. Ishii waffles PAC with a lariat and both guys are down. They start striking again once both are recovered. PAC hits a piledriver and his bridging German gets two. PAC hits a brainbuster and gets two. PAC dumps Ishii to the floor and Yuta hits a Baisaku knee on Ishii. PAC hits a running lariat on Ishii and gets three.

Ishii literally never wins any matches on television unless he’s part of a tag and the Death Riders had a four-on-one numbers advantage. Why the Conglomeration don’t come out with their people to help prevent this stuff is beyond me, but here we are. For a match with two guys with their histories, this was a big old nothing-burger. 2*

Winner – PAC (Running lariat)

We go to commercials.

Thekla vs Mina Shirakawa

Both of these competitors are undefeated in singles matches on Collision and are 2-2 against each other overall, so something has to give here. Shirakawa mocks Thekla to start and takes control after some strikes on the apron and a dropkick. Shirakawa works a bow-and-arrow and then stomps on Thekla’s hands. Thekla ducks a clothesline and trips Shirakawa up for a one count. Thekla goes to work with kicks in a corner and beals Shirakawa by her hair several times. Thekla hits a kick to Shirakawa’s head and covers for two. Shirakawa recovers with a DDT and then starts working Thekla’s left knee. Here’s Julia Hart and Skye Blue making their way to ringside as Thekla punches a distracted Shirakawa in the back of the head. We go to commercials.

Thekla is in control when the show returns with assistance from Blue and Hart. Shirakawa tries to fire up and hits a sling blade, a lariat and a running knee. Shirakawa hits a torneo from the apron and gets two. Shirakawa hits a cloverleaf driver and then goes to ground and pound. Thekla reverses but Shirakawa recovers with a backfist that gets two. Shirakawa ascends but Thekla cuts it off and they slug it out. Thekla tosses Shirakawa from the Tree of Woe position but she eats a Shirakawa running knee after a charge. A backfist from Shirakawa gets two. Shirakawa’s sloppy sling blade gets two. Shirakawa fights off Blue and Hart but runs into a Thekla spear when she turns. Thekla hits the Death Trap and Shirakawa taps out.

Second match in a row with a bunch of heel interference on the floor and the heel wins because of it. You would think at some point someone in the back might look at this stuff from an agent perspective and say “Hey, maybe we should switch this up a bit” but nope, let’s just continue with endless heel interference and idiot referees who never see any of it. Anyway, this was okay for what it was due to what I’m guessing is mutual respect between the two combatants. 2.5*

Winner – Thekla (Deathtrap)

Lexy Nair is backstage with Tay Melo and Anna Jay. Jay says that they’ve been building this division for five years and here are Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize to issue a challenge. Melo says they’re rude but she enjoys a challenge so it’s on. We go to commercials.

MxM TV join us for the Casting Call. Mansoor calls the crowd “slack-jawed gelatinous goblinoids” but tells them it’s the luckiest night of their lives as they get to watch an MxM TV Casting Call. Mansoor bullies Arkady Aura, who announces it’s a singles contest. As it turns out, this time it’s for Taya Valkyrie.

Olympia vs Taya Valkyrie

Olympia is a super-jacked luchadora. Olympia trucks Valkyrie and then hits a Bronco Buster in the corner before covering and getting one. Olympia smashes Valkyrie into a corner but eats a boot when she charges. Valkyrie goes to the apron and gets caught by MxM when Olympia smashes her off. Olympia hits a huge cross-body on the entire group. Valkyrie crawls back in so Olympia snatches her up and squats with Valkyrie over her shoulders. Olympia hits a front facebuster and covers Valkyrie for three.

Squash tastes good as a side during Autumn meals, did you know? 1*

Winner – Olympia (Front facebuster)

There’s going to be a Fatal Four-way on Dynamite for a shot at the AEW Men’s World Champion that includes Bobby Lashley, Ricochet, HOOK and Samoa Joe. I’m not sure what the purpose of that would be considering that Hangman Page basically said he was going to beat Joe’s ass and ruin his life in the opening promo but sure.

Bryan Keith vs Ace Austin

Keith barks at Austin prior to locking up. Austin works a side headlock and rolls Keith over for two. Keith, who is definitely wearing the PANTS THAT ATE FRED MERTZ, finally gets a side headlock of his own. Austin trips up Keith and hits an enziguri to the back of Keith’s head. Austin’s roll up gets two. Austin hits a swank dropkick and a springboard cross-body but only gets one on the subsequent cover. They go to the floor and start trading chops. Austin kicks Keith and sends him back in, but Keith bails again. Austin hits a kick from the apron and then sends Keith back in. Keith dumps Austin to the floor over the top rope and then heads out to hit a high boot on Austin’s face. Keith rakes the eyes as we go to commercials.

Keith is in control when the show returns but Austin fires up with some forearms. Austin hits a sunset flip and gets two. Austin fires up and hits a lariat and a big knee. Austin hits a side Russian leg sweep and a leg drop. Austin hits a double stomp that smashes Keith’s head into the mat and his cover gets two. Keith snaps off a huge headbutt and gets a two count after a triangle suplex. Keith whales Austin with a forearm but Austin catches Keith with a springboard enziguri after he charges. Austin hits The Fold and covers Keith for three.

Not a bad outing for either here as Keith played the surly asshole heel to a tee. Austin is a solid worker who’s buried at this level but he wanted to swim in deeper waters so here we are. 3*

Winner – Ace Austin (The Fold)

Post-match sees Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson join Austin in the ring to celebrate.

Lexy Nair is backstage with Don Callis. Nair questions Callis about the situation with Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada and he says that there are going to be disagreements between the best athletes all the time. Callis says he’s an SME on the inner-workings of his Family. Callis says his group wants to please him and there’s going to be a Callis Family Summit for Dynamite and that he should get a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Hmm. We go to commercials.

Lexy Nair is with The Outrunners and Dalton Castle and asks about their big run of success. As it turns out, Anthony Bowens and Max Caster are arguing just nearby. A confrontation ensues and Caster and Bowens leave. Castle tells Nair that THAT is the secret to their success as everyone is baffled.

Griff Garrison vs HOOK

Garrison is accompanied by the rest of The Frat House and Hook is accompanied by Eddie Kingston. Hook dumps Garrison who bails to the floor. Hook hits a drop toe hold and smashes Garrison from behind. Garrison uses some distraction to take control as Schiavone reminds us that Garrison has been in AEW for five years now. I can’t remember the last time I saw him on television but sure. Hook hits some clotheslines and a big running double axe handle. Hook hits a toss Exploder suplex and puts on Redrum. Garrison taps immediately.

I really like spaghetti squash as a side with poultry. 1*

Post-match sees Kingston grab a chair to prevent any shenanigans from the jacked meatheads at ringside.

Olympia wants the CMLL Women’s title and challenges Mercedes for next week’s Collision. We go to commercials.

Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata cut a promo about the Women’s tag team tournament, as do Julia Hart and Skye Blue. They will meet in the tournament on this week’s Dynamite. Schiavone runs down the rest of the card for that show.

FTR and The Young Bucks vs Jet Speed and Jurassic Express

There’s a winners purse of $400K for this contest. “Tarzan Boy” is still wildly over as entrance music. Luchasaurus walks off with the bag of prize money so Cash Wheeler smashes the beach ball they’ve brought out in response. THAT’S GOOD HEELING RIGHT THERE PAL. Seeing the Bucks and FTR team is wild.

Nick Jackson starts with Knight. Matt tags in and they wipe out Knight with an assisted dropkick. Bailey tags in and he and Knight wipe out Matt with a double-team high boot. Matt rakes the eyes and tags in Wheeler. Bailey works his rapid fire kicks and tags in Perry. Perry rolls up Wheeler for two, but Wheeler responds with a huge lariat before taggin in Harwood. Perry slaps Harwood and scampers away to tag in Luchasaurus. A Pier Six erupts as Harwood takes control. FTR double-team Luchasaurus but he no-sells all of it until the Bucks come and to take control. Everyone gets some spots in and it ends with a huge Knight shotgun dropkick on FTR. There are three simultaneous moonsaults to the floor from Perry and Jet Speed before Luchasaurus hits a standing moonsault on Harwood that gets two. We go to commercials.

Perry and Wheeler are duking it out when the show returns and Harwood and the Bucks wipe everyone else off the apron. Wheeler hits a big tope con hilo after blocking Matt from doing so. Harwood snaps off a DDT on Bailey while Nick hits a Sliced Bread on Perry. Harwood puts Perry in the sharpshooter and Nick hits a springboard facebuster on Perry as well. Luchasaurus breaks the whole thing up so Harwood tags in Wheeler. Wheeler misses a charge and Perry tags in Knight while Matt tags in for the heels. Knight hits a big lariat and a UFO splash gets two. FTR charge in but Knight and Bailey hit them both with dropkicks. Knight dumps Matt and then Jet Speed hit springboard topes on the whole group. Knight runs Matt back in and Jet Speed hit a rana into a powerbomb that gets two. Stokely throws powder into Knight’s eyes and Nick hits an immediate superkick before covering and getting two. Nick hits some running knee strikes on Knight and covers for two as we go to commercials.

Wheeler misses a charge and gets caught in a Knight powerbomb when the show returns. Harwood tags in and wipes out Knight with a lariat. Knight hits a dropkick and tags in Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus stacks up the Bucks in one corner and FTR in another before charging both teams with hip attacks. Luchasaurus clotheslines all the heels and tags in Perry. Perry wipes out the Bucks with a rana on Nick that sends him tumbling into Matt. FTR go low on Luchasaurus as Stokely distracts THE WORST REFEREE IN THE WORLD RICK KNOX. The heels all hit top rope moves on Luchasaurus but the Harwood cover is broken up at two by Perry and Bailey. Another Pier Six erupts and the heels hit a double Shatter Machine on Perry and Bailey. FTR and the Bucks crash knees together as Luchasaurus escapes a four-way BTE trigger. Luchasaurus and Perry hit the Countdown to Extinction on Harwood. Bailey and Knight smash FTR with forearms and Knight hits the UFO splash on Wheeler for three.

I enjoy tag wrestling a lot but these multi-mans that are just move after move after move with no psychology or selling whatsoever just leave me cold. I very much appreciate that these eight men are athletically gifted and I heard the crowd saying that this was awesome so I’m inclined to be lenient because I’m old and may not be quite as in touch with what the current audiences want to see. I get that the PWG style is very heavily present in a lot of these Bucks matches but it just does nothing for me. Also, this “The Bucks are poor so they’re going to have to turn back to being babyfaces” story is dumb. I’ll be generous, I guess, since the crowd was into it. 3*

Winners – Jet Speed and Jurassic Express (Knight UFO splash on Wheeler)

Post-match sees Perry hand a dollar to Nick Jackson as Stokely bails into the crowd. Stokely daps up a kid before scowling at the babyfaces. The Bucks and FTR argue in the ring as it’s announced that these four teams will meet on Dynamite in a “four way fight”. The credits roll and we’re out.

This show is a baffling mélange of good and bad. Some weeks it’s can’t-miss television and then there are weeks like this where they tack this on at the end of Dynamite and hope for the best ratings-wise. The only, and I mean THE ONLY, things you have to maybe seek out are the opening Hangman promo and the main event if you’re into the Bucks and FTR showing off. Thumbs down tonight.

Thanks for reading and commenting and get back here on Thursday to read El Jefe’s thoughts on Fright Night Dynamite.