Collision Review – 02.21.26

Just in case you missed it: Dynamite

Tonight’s episode of Collision comes to the TNT airwaves from the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, CA. The presenters of tonight’s broadcast are Tony Schiavone and Excalibur on match calls and analysis, Arkady Aura on ring announcements, and Lexy Nair on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Happy Year of the Fire Horse!

AEW World Trios Championship: Jet Set Rodeo (Speedball Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, and Hangman Adam Page)(C) vs The Demand (AEW National Champion Ricochet, Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun)

This is the Rodeo’s first defense of these titles since they won them in Phoenix. It’s Bailey and Ricochet to start and Ricochet runs Bailey into Knight while Page gets dumped to the floor by Kaun. Ricochet and Kaun double-team Bailey and he goes to the floor, so Knight comes in and gets smashed around by Kaun and Ricochet as well. Page comes in for more of the same, but he gets the better of them for a short time before Liona wrecks Page from behind. Page manages to fight everyone off before Knight and Bailey hit simultaneous missile dropkicks on Liona and Kaun. JetSpeed hit some double team moves on Ricochet and we finally get some semblance of a tag match. Knight tags in and slaps Ricochet on his bald head. Ricochet tags in Kaun who immediately goes to work on Knight with forearms and chops. Knight slips away to tag in Bailey who goes to his short kicks. Ricochet tags in and Bailey smashes him with kicks before walloping him with a running moonsault that gets two. Ricochet catches Bailey with an enziguri and then Ricochet dumps Page to the floor with a springboard enziguri. Ricochet sends Bailey to the floor with a running knee where Kaun just mauls him. Liona runs over Page and Bailey with shoulder tackles and the Demand celebrate on the apron as we go to commercials.

Liona is working over Bailey when the show returns. Bailey tries some kicks and Liona shrugs them off before smashing Bailey with a left. Liona misses a senton and Bailey ascends for a missile dropkick. Bailey tags a bleeding Page while Ricochet tags in as well. Page catches a Ricochet springboard and dumps Ricochet with a fall-away slam. Page goes out to smash Liona and Kaun around before going back in to drop Ricochet with a huge lariat that gets two. A Pier Six ensues and Liona and Kaun dump Bailey and Knight to the floor. Ricochet hits a springboard 450 on Page that gets two. Knight and Bailey yank Ricochet out but are caught by Liona for a double fall-away slam. Kaun dumps Bailey to the apron and Kaun misses a charge. Bailey nails him with a springboard moonsault to the floor while Knight handles Liona in the ring. Ricochet gets a quick rool up on Page for two. Page gets caught with a poison rana from Ricochet. We get a ‘everyone comes in and hits a move’ sequence that ends with Page crushing Ricochet with a tombstone piledriver. Page goes to the apron where he fights off Kaun and Liona with the latter getting a Deadeye for his troubles. Ricochet flies in with a running knee on Page, and Bailey hits a springboard moonsault on Kaun. Ricochet pulls the ref in front of a Buckshot attempt and then wallops Page with a Vertigo drop that gets two. Ricochet wants the Spirit Gun and “Tarzan Boy” hits in the background as Jack Perry comes to the aisleway. Page uses this opportunity to waffle Ricochet with the Buckshot and that gets three.

They really have something with Toa Liona if they ever want to break the Demand up. He’s big, the crowd enjoys watching him, and he’s got CHARISMA. Ricochet’s heel act is getting kind of stale for me, anyway. For once, the heels look like idiots for letting music distract them so the babyfaces can win. The match itself was a pure sprint with zero selling of anything, as is the usual way with Jet Speed’s involvement. Page bled from his mouth a tiny bit but it wasn’t anything to be concerned with. This was fine in a vacuum for what tag wrestling is these days. 2.75*

Winners AND STILL AEW World Trios Champions – Jet Set Rodeo (Page Buckshot Lariat on Ricochet)

Post-match sees Perry leave with a big shit-eating grin on his face as the Rodeo celebrate mid-ring.

The Rascalz are backstage in a very smoky room showing off their new merch. Here’s FTR entering while holding their noses to tell them they wish the Rascalz had won the match to face FTR. Des Xavier suggests an eliminator and FTR accept, but the Rascalz can’t seem to figure out who’s actually going to wrestle. Excal and Schiavone run down the rest of the card before the Young Bucks music hits.

The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) vs The Swirl (Blake Christian and Shotty Lee Johnson)

The entire Jackson family seem to be in the front row for this one. The Swirl are accompanied by Jay Lethal who made some comments prior to the match about being the LETHAL SWIRL. Sure, why not. Johnson and Christian attack Nick to start but Matt comes in to help his brother with an assisted German. The Bucks hit a double-team facebreaker on Johnson before hitting simultaneous topes on the Swirl. Christian fires up with a tope of his own, and then Johnson follows with another. Everyone comes in and the Bucks gain the advantage with superkicks. The Bucks ascend and hit top rope moves as we go to commercials. (There wasn’t one tag in this entire sequence, for the record.)

The Swirl have the advantage when the show returns and it ends with Christian hitting a top rope stomp on Matt before covering and getting two. Matt hits a couple of Northern Lights suplexes as Johnson flies in to smash Nick to the floor. Nick finally gets a tag and he goes to work with rights on Johnson and Christian. Nick gets a double noggin knocker before ascending and wiping out both Johnson and Christian. Matt tags in and he and Nick hit the buckle bomb enziguri on Christian. Nick and Matt then hit the double stomp into a sit-out powerbomb on Christian but Johnson breaks up the cover at two. Johnson ducks a Superkick Party and hits a double rana on the Bucks before Christian spears Nick on the apron. Christian and Johnson combine for a springboard reverse splash that drops Matt on the floor. Matt runs Johnson into a corner and Nick hits a super rana on Christian. The Bucks hit the BTE Trigger on Christian and Matt covers for three.

A standard Bucks match here with lots of high spots and a game set of opponents who kept up with them for quite some time. There was a long heat sequence on Matt during the break apparently but as soon as the show came back everything went right back to two on two. I counted one actual tag in the entire match, for the record. The crowd predictably ate this up and Christian and Johnson are much more cohesive than the last time I saw them. 3*

Winners – The Young Bucks (BTE Trigger on Christian)

Highlights are shown of the MJF-Hangman Page verbals on Wednesday night. MJF worked House of Glory last night against Zilla Fatu, with an appearance of Andrade happening to distract MJF who still managed to retain. Andrade and MJF had a confrontation after the match where Andrade accused MJF of being scared of him. MJF warned Andrade about messing with BIG HEBREW before calling him a cabron and leaving.

CMLL World Heavyweight Championship: Claudio Castignoli (C) vs Josh Alexander

Alexander is accompanied by Lance Archer while Claudio is seconded by Marina Shafir. Tony Khan does the traditional promoter’s pose with Alexander and Castignoli prior to the match. Alexander attacks at the bell and starts smashing Castignoli around before dumping him and going to work on Castignoli’s leg. Alexander fires off some rights before Castignoli fires up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Alexander goes to the floor and Castignoli catches him with a flying leg tackle. Castignoli waffles Alexander with a Euro uppercut that sends Alexander into the crowd. Castignoli sends Alexander back in and ascends. Castignoli hits a double sledge and covers for two. Alexander fires up with some rights and a chop battle breaks out. Castignoli pushes Alexander to a corner and chops away before winding up and chopping Alexander to the mat. Alexander eats a back elbow but Castignoli misses a charge. Castignoli catches a cross body attempt but Alexander runs Castignoli knee-first into the ring steps as we go to commercials.

Castignoli rolls over a Figure Four when the show returns but Alexander goes immediately to the ropes. Castignoli is favoring his knee and Alexander wades in with some uppercuts. Alexander trips Castignoli up before smashing him around with rights. They exchange uppercuts and Castignoli yanks Alexander up for a gutwrench Gorilla suplex. They exchange more uppercuts with Castignoli getting the advantage. Castignoli mounts Alexander and hits a cutter that gets two. Castignoli looks for the Giant Swing but Alexander reverses to an ankle lock. Alexander catches Castignoli and hits a cross-body from behind that sends Castignoli to the floor. Alexander rolls Castignoli in and gets a quick two. Castignoli fires up with a double stomp on Alexander as Archer and Shafir bark at each other at ringside. Alexander hits an enziguri but Castignoli immediately hits a lofted uppercut that gets two. Alexander clips the knee and slaps on an ankle lock. Castignoli rises and yanks Alexander into a reverse suplex that gets two. Castignoli wants the Neutralizer but Shafir and Archer are on the apron. Castignoli boots Archer to the floor but gets caught by an Alexander release German in response. Castignoli ducks a charge and puts on the Giant Swing before walloping Alexander with the Neutralizer. Castignoli covers and gets three.

This was a solid hoss fight from start to finish. Claudio sold the knee the whole way while Alexander kept trying to work it into either a submission or hitting him with enough power moves to get the pin. It was good to see a singles match on the card to break up all the tag stuff and these two delivered decently enough. Fun match, I’d recommend seeking it out if you like power/striking matches. 3.5*

Winner AND STILL CMLL World Heavyweight Champion – Claudio Castignoli (Neutralizer)

Post-match sees Shafir flip off the Callis guys as we go to commercials.

Megan Bayne vs B3CCA

This is a STAND-BY match and Penelope Ford is seconding Bayne. Bayne hits a dropkick at the bell and then smashes B3CCA with a release German. Bayne drives the shoulder in and chops away. Bayne smashes B3CCA with an elbow and then asks the camera if Willow Nightingale is watching. Bayne yanks B3CCA into a reverse suplex from the apron to the mat. Bayne hits the MegaBomb and covers B3CCA for three.

The squash family includes some of the largest, most diverse fruits in the plant kingdom. 1*

Winner – Megan Bayne (MegaBomb)

Highlights are shown of Kyle Fletcher winning the TNT title and then defending it in Australia. Tommaso Ciampa is with Lexy Nair and Ciampa runs down his 24 days in AEW, and mentions wanting to be back in the ring with Mark Briscoe when he’s back from recovering. Kyle Fletcher has apparently stayed in Australia and Ciampa is unhappy about it. Ciampa wants his title back and tells Fletcher to look out when he’s back state-side.

The Death Riders (AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta and PAC) vs The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, El Clon and Mark Davis)

Marina Shafir is with the Death Riders, but the Callis guys come out without a second. Yuta wears a beanie and starts with Takeshita. Yuta slaps on an octopus which Takeshita immediately breaks. Takeshita hits a flying forearm and tags in Clon. PAC tags in and he and Clon do some acrobatics to a standoff. PAC hits a backbreaker and some reverse kicks before walloping Clon with an enziguri. Davis tags in and puts the boots to PAC. Davis bullies PAC in a corner and then slams him. Davis misses a senton and PAC tags in Moxley. Moxley starts clobbering Davis and then smashes him with a shotgun dropkick. Moxley hits a tope suicida and pushes Davis back in. Davis misses a butt drop and Moxley runs him into a corner to start dropping rights on Davis’s head. Davis runs into a cutter and the Death Riders clean house in the Callis corner. The Death Riders attack Davis in succession in their corner and Moxley sinks in the Bulldog choke, but Takeshita breaks it up. Davis smashes Moxley down as we go to commercials.

Takeshita is holding Moxley in a rear chinlock when the show returns. Takeshita misses a charge and goes to the floor but he sneaks back in and tags Davis. Davis and Moxley start throwing hands and Moxley gets the advantage before Davis fires up with a big boot and a German. Moxley no-sells it and drops Davis with a lariat. Moxley tags PAC in as Davis tags in Clon. PAC hits a flying forearm that sends Clon to the floor, and then PAC drops a charging Takeshita with a rana. PAC hits Davis with a springboard dropkick and ascends to hit a moonsault on all three Callis guys. PAC runs Clon back in and nails him with a release German. PAC hits a tombstone piledriver and covers Clon for two. PAC drags Clon to a corner and gets walloped by Takeshita when he comes off the top. Everyone flies in to hit moves and Moxley ends up hitting a double DDT on Clon and davis. Clon no-sells that and drops Moxley with a reverse thrust kick and everyone is down. Davis grabs a chair and Shafir jumps up to take it from him. Moxley drops Davis to the floor while Clon nails PAC with a Pele kick. PAC and Yuta hit a rocket launcher on Takeshita and Yuta covers for two. Takeshita and Yuta slug it out and Takeshita smashes Yuta with a pump kick and a huge right. Takeshita hits Yuta with the Raging Fire and covers for three.

After Claudio beat Alexander, I expected the DCF to get a measure of revenge here and that’s exactly what happened. Takeshita and Moxley didn’t mix it up too much to keep some type of freshness for their upcoming match at Revolution. This was an interesting match in a vacuum but overall everyone worked really hard and shock of all shocks, Yuta ate the pin. Davis and Clon worked hard and held their own, and PAC was really sharp tonight. This was fun but the crowd was a little more quiet for this than I would have expected. 3.5*

Winners – The Don Callis Family (Takeshita Raging Fire on Yuta)

Post-match sees Moxley and Takeshita eyeing each other up. Moxley sneaks back in as Takeshita was beefing with Shafir, and he and Takeshita go nose to nose. Moxley drops Takeshita with the Paradigm Shift and the Death Riders leave in a huff. We go to commercials.

Lexy Nair is backstage with Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron. Nightingale is tired of seeing Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford and Cameron runs down all the matches they’ve had lately. Nightingale says she’ll fight for any belt they want to fight for and do it with a smile on her face.

Thunder Rosa vs Julia Hart

They lock up to start and Rosa hits a couple of armdrags. Hart ducks out to the floor and Rosa gives chase. Rosa bullies Hart along the barricade with chops and then runs Hart back in. Hart fires up with some chops of her own and Rosa counters with an armdrag and a dropkick. Rosa hits a running lariat and covers Hart for two. Hart rakes the eyes and smashes Rosa with a forearm. Hart does her ropewalk and then nails Rosa with a neckbreaker as we go to commercials.

Rosa smashes Hart with some rights when the show returns. Rosa hits a drop cutter and then smashes Hart with a running lariat. Rosa smashes Hart with a double knee and a running dropkick. Rosa hits the Northern Lights suplex and covers Hart for two. Hart fires up with a kick and a lariat of her own. Rosa misses a charge and Hart slaps on a tarantula. Hart hits a forearm and then slinks in to put on a modified octopus. Rosa powers out of it and drops Hart on her back before covering for two. Rosa fires up with elbows and forearms but Hart trips her up and drags Rosa to a corner. Hart ascends and meets Rosa’s boots on her moonsault attempt. Rosa hits Hart with a Fire Thunder Driver that gets three.

Rosa looked good in her return, but she needs to knock off some ring rust as she’s moving slower than she used to. Hart was fine for a first opponent back type of deal. Nothing major you need to seek out but it was good to see Rosa back as this division could use some new-old faces around. 2*

Winner – Thunder Rosa (Fire Thunder Driver)

Post-match sees AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla start barking at Rosa from the crowd. Thekla calls Rosa one of the dumbest bitches alive because she called out Thekla for her first wish. Thekla says the title is no longer Rosa’s domain. Hart goes to attack Rosa and here’s Kris Statlander to jump in to prevent anything further from happening.

There’s a gathering backstage being held by Private Party and they mention wanting to take on any team at any time. We go to commercials.

Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors start barking at Tony Schiavone when the show returns. Kidd calls out Darby Allin and then says he’s going to wreck Orange Cassidy the next time he sees him. Connors and Kidd leave. Schiavone and Excal run down the upcoming Dynamite card.

AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match: FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (C) vs The Rascalz (Desmond Xavier and Zach Wentz)

FTR are accompanied by the wheelchair-bound Stokely Hathaway, and Myron Reed is at ringside with the Rascalz. Wentz and Harwood start and Harwood slaps Wentz to begin the proceedings. Wentz returns one of his own and that serves to fire up Harwood who goes to work in a corner. Wentz hits a reverse torneo and tags in Xavier. The Rascalz hit some double team stuff and Xavier covers Harwood for two. Harwood bullies Xavier to the FTR corner and they take control. Wheeler tags in and smashes Xavier with some chops and right jabs. Xavier fires up and drops Wheeler with a cutter that gets two. Harwood sneaks in and gets dumped back out before dumping Xavier to the floor as we go to commercials.

Everyone is on the floor when the show returns. Xavier misses a dive and Harwood gets rolled up for two. Xavier fires off some rights and a kaman giri. Xavier gets a roll up on Harwood for two as Wentz flies out to smash Wheeler with a torneo. Xavier smashes Harwood with some rights and elbows, but Harwood cuts it off with some rights of his own. During this, Schiavone announces that Swerve Strickland has been fined $100,000 and banned from coming to Collision. Well, part of that sucks, I guess. Harwood mounts Xavier and they slug it out for a bit. Xavier hits Harwood with a twisting Shooting Star press and covers Harwood for two. Wentz gets a tag and he and Xavier ascend. Wheeler dumps Xavier as Wentz misses his dive. Harwood yanks Wentz into a Tiger Driver that gets two. Wheeler slides in and Wentz grabs a roll up on Harwood for two after a botched Shatter Machine attempt. Wentz drops Harwood with a knee strike. Harwood hits Wentz with a sheer drop brainbuster after the Rascalz had missed a Hot Fire attempt. Harwood’s cover only gets two. Xavier gets swatted down after a suicide dive attempt, and then Wheeler runs Reed into the ring steps. The Young Bucks come down the aisle to confront Wheeler as the Rascalz hit the Hot Fire on Harwood. Wentz covers Harwood and gets three.

Interesting turn of events here with the Rascalz now earning a title shot of their own with this Eliminator victory. Presumably they’d still get the shot if the Bucks defeat FTR at Revolution, but that’s something to worry about later. Wentz and Xavier had a decent outing here tonight and FTR was in their “we have to make these guys look credible” mode. If you’re gonna bring in the Rascalz, you might as well see how they do in a high profile event. There’s some juice in the tag division now, regardless. A fun main event but the post-match was the bigger deal here. 3.25*

Winners – The Rascalz (Hot Fire on Harwood)

Post-match sees FTR glare at the babyfaces who are celebrating in the aisle. GOA come flying out from the back to wreck the babyfaces as FTR start barking at the Jackson family at ringside. FTR yank out Malachi Jackson and GOA force the Bucks to watch as FTR deliver a spike piledriver on Malachi. Ricochet has been wrecking Jack Perry on the stage as Harwood and Wheeler come out to yell some more at the Jacksons. The heels retreat en masse up the aisle as everyone is barking at each other. Schiavone wishes everyone a good night as we go to credits.

Live Collisions are always more entertaining than the taped shows and this one was no different. A decent show from start to finish even with the Bayne squash in the middle of everything. There were a LOT of tags, which is the norm for Collision, but a whole bunch of things moved forward for Revolution and they go into Dynamite with continued momentum. Thumbs leaning up from me for tonight.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a good rest of the weekend and if you’re in the path of this Nor’easter like I am, stay safe.