AEW Collision Review – 11.27.25

Let’s catch up with where AEW stands at the moment: Full Gear | Dynamite

Tonight’s Collision was taped directly before Dynamite on 11.26.25 at the The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN. Your television presenters are Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness on match calls and analysis, Arkady Aura on ring introductions, and Renee Paquette and Lexy Nair on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. Let’s watch some wrestling, shall we?

Who doesn’t love a tearful reunion, right?

Continental Classic Gold Division: PAC (0) vs “Speedball” Mike Bailey (0)

As a reminder, the C2 matches require that no one comes to ringside as a second and there will be a twenty minute time limit. Schiavone calls the C2 “the best tournament in professional wrestling” and I’m sure there won’t be any reaction to that from New Japan fans whatsoever. They slug it out to start and Bailey fires off his standard rapid fire low kicks to gain some momentum. They go to the floor and PAC snaps off a suplex before running Bailey into the barricade several times. PAC rolls Bailey back in and covers for one. PAC runs Bailey into a corner and then puts his boot on the back of Bailey’s head while he’s draped on the second rope. PAC torques Bailey’s neck and then releases to fire off a shotgun dropkick. PAC hits a Euro uppercut and covers for two. PAC bullies Bailey in a corner but Bailey fires up with a dropkick to stop the flurry. Bailey hits some kicks and a running Shooting Star Press. Bailey’s cover gets two. Bailey hits a springboard moonsault after PAC bails to the floor. We go to commercials.

PAC hits a top rope release belly-to-belly suplex and covers Bailey for two when the show returns. They exchange kicks and PAC fires off a release German. Bailey fires up with a double knee standing moonsault and we reset with both down. A kick battle ensues and both guys end up on the floor in the aftermath. Bailey stares at the Continental title as PAC stalks over to smash him with another release German. Bailey makes it back in at nine but misses a top rope move as PAC slips it. PAC hits a release German that sends Bailey head-first into a bottom turnbuckle. Bailey catches PAC with a reverse heel kick but PAC grabs a quick roll up for two. Bailey escapes another German and hits PAC with a poison rana and a reverse thrust kick. Bailey hits a roundhouse but then misses a double knee drop. PAC fires up with a huge lariat and then slaps on the Brutalizer. Bailey passes out and the ref calls it over.

This was better than I would have expected, but it would be cool if PAC sold a bit more. Bailey’s offense is always going to look like something out of a video game, but PAC’s offense looks like it would really hurt you and Bailey sold it the whole way. The lariat-Brutalizer combo finish is going to be something to see in this tournament, but as I mentioned I was surprised it was Claudio and Mox in one division and PAC in the other one, so we’ll see how this all plays out. 3*

Winner – PAC (Brutalizer – 3 points gained in the Gold Division)

Post-match sees Claudio Castignoli and Marina Shafir come down to ringside to congratulate PAC, while AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada watches the proceedings on a monitor. PAC and Okada will meet in the C2 on this coming Wednesday’s Dynamite.

Here’s Lexy Nair running into Daniel Garcia and Jon Moxley backstage. Garcia mentions that he has to drop some dead weight tonight when he makes Matt Menard bleed. Well, that’s a pleasant way to spend a holiday, I suppose. We go to commercials.

Here’s Renee Paquette with Bandido and Brody King. Bandido is sad about losing the AEW Tag Team championships but he’s very proud of their teamwork, and King calls Bandido his brother. King says they’ll keep teaming and will come back to get the titles. King puts over Bandido’s match at ROH’s Final Battle. Rush was supposed to be his opponent, but he’s out with a knee injury so the match will now be a six-way with the opponents being Blake Christian, Komander, The Beast Mortos, Hechicero and Sammy Guevara. Expect flips, team. Lots and lots of flips.

Daniel Garcia vs “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard

Jon Moxley seconds Garcia but opts to join the announce team instead. Menard yells at Garcia a bunch before they lock up. Menard clubbers away in a corner and they go to the floor. Garcia gets whipped into the barrier and then starts whaling away with rights. Menard smashes Garcia’s head into the ring steps and then pounds away with rights. Garcia takes control when they get back in the ring with some right hands and knee lifts. Menard is in fact busted open as Garcia promised. We go to commercials.

Garcia is working a Boston Crab when the show returns. Menard escapes and puts the same hold on Garcia. Garcia makes the ropes and bails to the floor. Menard stupidly follows him out and immediately eats a DDT. Garcia smashes Menard’s head into the announce desk several times and then puts Menard’s head between the ring steps and a post. Garcia delivers a dropkick to the steps as Moxley says that wrestling “ain’t supposed to be pretty”. Well, he’s not wrong with this one, anyway. Menard beats the count at nine and mocks Garcia’s dance. Garcia slaps Menard in the chest a bunch, so Menard fires up with some slaps of his own. Garcia hits a drop kick and then slaps on the Bulldog choke. Menard passes out and the ref calls it.

Nothing says good booking like two straight ref stoppages for the Death Riders! Please, for the love of God, let this be the end of whatever feud this was supposed to be. Garcia has clearly moved on and Menard just can’t let it go, and I have ceased to care about any of it quite some time ago. The match itself was fine mechanically, no major flaws, but just kind of there, you know? You didn’t miss anything, trust me. 2*

Winner – Daniel Garcia (Bulldog choke)

Post-match sees AEW TNT Champion Mark Briscoe emerge from the back and show his new title off to Garcia. Briscoe gets the Nashville pop by mentioning the city, and Moxley joins Garcia for some whispered words. Briscoe mentions that Garcia said he was coming for the title, but warns Garcia about writing checks with his mouth that his ass can’t cash. Briscoe puts over Thanksgiving food and then says he’s going devour Garcia’s ass. Well, that escalated quickly. Garcia bails to the floor after a nose-to-nose and he and Moxley leave.

Here’s AEW National Champion Ricochet with Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun. Ricochet says people are stupid when they doubt him because he’s done everything he’s set out to do since arriving in AEW. Ricochet runs down the list of people he’s beaten and is giddy about not having to be in the C2 since he’s a champion right now. Ricochet puts over Liona and Kaun and as it turns out they have dinner reservations so they make their exit.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and announces Stokely and new AEW Men’s Tag Team Champions FTR. Stokely orders Schiavone to leave the ring and he doesn’t seem too upset to do so. Stokely says this is the greatest night of his life because FTR are the new champs. Stokely runs down FTR’s history as the camera shows a “FART” sign in the crowd that has the same font that FTR use in their merch. I enjoy that very much. The lights go out and here are Juice Robinson and Austin Gunn on the ramp. Robinson’s mullet is only topped currently by Mike Bailey’s, if you’re keeping score. Gunn points out that they were the last team to beat FTR but congratulates them on their 11th world title reign. Robinson mentions the Rock & Roll Express and the Midnight Express as teams that FTR claim to be better than, and then also points out that the Bang Bang Gang have beaten FTR more than once. Robinson says he’s not “jacking around” and promises FTR they will beat them again. Dax Harwood tries to rebut but Robinson cuts him off, and Gunn actually mentions Colten Gunn and JAY WHITE and says they are fighting for them as well. They have two words for everyone, can you guess what they are? FTR and Stokely leave the ring as we go to commercials.

MxM TV join the proceedings dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz. Mansoor calls for challengers, so Arkady Aura announces a trios match.

MxM TV (Johnny TV, Mansoor and Mason Madden) vs The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum) and Dalton Castle

Castle daps it up with country “star” Michael Ray at ringside. After hitting the pose, the MxM guys attack prior to the bell. Johnny TV smashes Taya into Castle on the floor, while Madden attempts to stop Mansoor from being powerbombed. He fails miserably and Magnum hits the running powerbomb before tagging in Floyd. Floyd runs wild with powerslams but gets interrupted by a big boot from Madden. Madden and Mansoor mock the Outrunners pose and drop elbows on Magnum. Castle tags in and he runs wild as the Outrunners torture Madden on the ropes. Castle hits a fall-away slam on Madden as the Outrunners hit Total Recall on Mansoor. The Outrunners drop double fists on Mansoor and Castle wallops Mansoor with the Bangarang. Castle covers and gets three.

I hope you had some squash during your Thanksgiving feast, or if you’re not American, on your Thursday evening repast. 1.5*

Winners – Dalton Castle and The Outrunners (Bangarang on Mansoor)

Post-match sees Ricochet and The Demand emerge (Earlier, legit, Ricochet said they had dinner reservations. WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE IT’S VERY RUDE TO BE LATE!). Ricochet tells the crowd not to boo him as Bishop Kaun smashes Castle with a dropkick. Liona and Kaun smash the Outrunners around and then hit a double facebuster on Castle. Ricochet continues to berate the crowd and then makes fun of Michael Ray by calling him “Tim McGraw”. Ricochet yells at Ray who shoves him away. Ricochet dares Ray to jump the barrier but he’s cut off by referees. Ray actually does jump the rail as a bunch of refs and Security breaks it up.

Lexy Nair is backstage with the Don Callis Family. They mention all the things they’re thankful for at this joyous time of year with Rocky Romero putting over his new jacket. Kyle Fletcher has a new watch! IWGP World Champion Konosuke Takeshita is happy about being in the C2 and for being in the Family. Kazuchika Okada mentions that he’s grateful to no longer have to team with Takeshita and they go nose-to-nose as Don Callis tries to intervene.

Katsuyori Shibata vs Eddie Kingston

They start fighting on the ramp and then the floor. Shibata runs Kingston into the barrier and then smashes him with some kind of giant pool noodle looking thing. Shibata mounts Kingston on a chair and then kicks him in the head. Shibata runs Kingston in and we finally get a bell as Kingston fires up with some chops. Kingston hits a double underhook suplex and covers Shibata for two. Shibata bullies Kingston to a corner and chokes him. Shibata ducks a chop and hits Kingston with a German suplex. Shibata puts his boot on Kingston’s face as McGuinness and Excalibur discuss Bryan Danielson calling Kingston “the king of the bums”. Shibata stomps on Kingston’s elbow a couple of times and then grabs a double wristlock. Kingston makes the ropes to break it up. Kingston fires up and they slug it out. Shibata regains control with some knees as we go to commercials.

Shibata goes low when the show returns and slaps on an armbar, but Rick Knox chooses to just break it up rather than DQ Shibata. Shibata charges and eats a big boot. Kingston fires out of the corner and smashes Shibata with a gnarly DDT before covering and getting three.

The finish came out of nowhere and all of the good stuff presumably happened during commercials. That being said, this was fine for what it was with the idea being that Kingston is being established as a challenger for Samoa Joe. 2.5*

Winner – Eddie Kingston (DDT)

Post-match sees Kingston grab a mic to say that he’s not going to speak about what Hook did because he’s still Kingston’s “boy”. He says Hook has to pay for what he did with Hangman and Swerve, but not him hopefully. Kingston says they want him to come out here and shoot, so he’s going to do just that. Kingston says he’s not a [bleeping] actor and that he IS pro wrestling. Kingston says he loves the fans because they love pro wrestling. Eddie is cursing a LOT. Kingston says there’s a kid in the crowd who’s getting inspired to join the business right now. Kingston puts over Samoa Joe’s ROH title run, but he’s going to lead Hook down the wrong path. Kingston says that Joe should look in his eyes because he has no peace in his life. Kingston calls out Joe for Winter Is Coming in December, so we’ll see if that gets made. Kingston picks up a kid from the crowd and holds him up for a big pop from the crowd.

Here’s Red Velvet to chat about the Mercedes Mone-Kris Statlander battle from Full Gear. Velvet says she’s never seen Mercedes at Ring of Honor, but she wants her rematch for Final Battle. As it turns out, it’s been made official. We go to commercials.

Thekla vs Tay Melo

Thekla takes the early advantage as Excalibur mentions this is THE IDRINQ MATCH OF THE NIGHT. Melo fires off some elbows to break things up, and then tosses Thekla around with some armdrags. Melo kicks Thekla in the back and covers for two. Melo puts on a leg scissor submission that McGuinness calls a “reverse gogoplata”. Thekla makes the ropes to break that up. Thekla trips up Melo and then smashes her with some kicks on the ramp. Thekla hits a suplex on the ramp as we go to commercials.

Melo slugs Thekla who comes up laughing about it. Thekla slaps Melo who puts her hair up in a tie. Melo starts slapping Melo in the back but Thekla responds with a big right hand. Thekla puts on the Death Trap but Melo rolls her over and gets two. Thekla does the Toxic pose but Melo meets the spear attempt with a big knee. Melo’s cover gets two. Melo hits a Gotch-style piledriver and covers Thekla for two. Melo wants the Tay-KO but Thekla cuts it off with some kicks. Thekla hits her spear and then a curbstomp before covering Melo for three.

That was quite the physical match up, and I thought Melo very much had a chance to win it at points. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece or anything but anytime two folks go out there and make it look like a real fight I’m already on board. 3*

Winner – Thekla (Curbstomp)

Post-match sees The Sisters of Sin come to the ring to attack Melo. This brings out Jamie Hayter to guard Melo, but the numbers are not in her favor. Here’s AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander to join things and that finally causes the heels to bail. The main event is up next as we go to commercials.

Continental Classic Blue Division: Konosuke Takeshita (0) vs Roderick Strong (0)

Excalibur helpfully points out that Takeshita won the G1 this year as we’re also sadly informed that Don Callis is at the announce desk. That seems to be a specious way to get around the “no one at ringside” rule but what do I know. Excalibur also points out that Strong is in this tournament at Kyle O’Reilly’s expense since he was not medically cleared after catching a beating from the Death Riders.

Callis puts over Strong’s abilities as he and Takeshita lock up. Takeshita works a wristlock, but Strong reverses it and grabs a headlock. Strong’s abdominal stretch is broken up with a hip toss from Takeshita. Takeshita rakes the eyes and then snaps off a huge running forearm that staggers Strong. Takeshita misses a charge and Strong wallops him with a backbreaker. Strong works over Takeshita along the ropes and then waffles Takeshita with some forearms and chops. Takeshita fires off a couple of elbows before bailing to the apron. Strong dropkicks Takeshita through the ropes and then runs him into the barrier. Takeshita hoists Strong and drives his head onto the top of the barrier as we go to commercials.

Takeshita is in control but Strong elbows his way out. Strong fires off a dropkick and hits a leg lariat. Strong smashes Takeshita with a clothesline and a Saito suplex. Strong fires off some chops and a bunch of running forearms. Strong hits a Tiger Driver and covers for two. Takeshita escapes the Strong Hold attempt by making the ropes. Takeshita slips a charge and murders Strong with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Takeshita is stunned when Strong kicks out at two. Takeshita hits a giant running boot but Strong escapes a Raging Fire attempt. Strong hits some chops and then drops Takeshita back-first on the top turnbuckle. Strong covers and gets two. They reset and Strong hoists Takeshita up for a gutbuster. Strong hoists Takeshita up for a double knee backbreaker. Takeshita recovers with a bridging suplex that gets a two count. Takeshita hits a giant knee strike and then snaps off Raging Fire for three.

I’m pretty sure Roddy is not going to win many matches in his division, but it’s okay because he gets pinned a lot in singles and someone has to eat pins in a tournament. This was quite a battle and I enjoyed it thoroughly, frankly. 3.5*

Winner – Konosuke Takeshita (Raging Fire – 3 points gained in the Blue Division)

The credits roll as Excalibur runs down the card for Dynamite.

Hey, for a show that literally no one watches, this wasn’t too bad. The C2 matches were both pretty good, although PAC really has to tone it down with the chicken and broccoli. I enjoyed Kingston-Shibata and Thekla-Melo for varying reasons, and the FTR – BBG showdown was solid as well. For a show on a holiday evening with NFL and every other thing on television, this was decent enough viewing. Thumbs leaning up tonight.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Let’s keep it civil and happy, shall we? Enjoy Black Friday if you’re participating in that and if not, have a good day regardless.