A TNT title match headlines tonight’s live AEW Collision from Oakland, California, as reigning champion Daniel Garcia defends against Adam Cole.
Garcia is looking for the fourth defense of the title he won in November while Cole is searching for his first AEW title of any kind.
Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will make an appearance ahead of his challenge of International Champion Konosuke Takeshita at Revolution.
After Garcia vs. Cole spun out of Wednesday’s Dynamite, former AEW Tag Team Champions FTR will take on Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly in another spinoff.
Powerhouse Hobbs and Bandido will face Big Bill and Bryan Keith in a continued feud between both teams.
Collision began with words from Daniel Garcia, FTR, The Undisputed Kingdom, & the team of Powerhouse Hobbs and Bandido. Julia Hart spoke on her match, but was interrupted by Kazuchika Okada coming out of his locker room and getting into a staredown with Brody King. Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuinness were on the call as FTR came out for the opening match.
Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defeated FTR
A fantastic opening match as the Kingdom continues to rehab themselves with good performances. The false finish with O’Reilly’s foot on the ropes was an odd spot, but it worked to get the crowd behind O’Reilly & Strong who would have been wrongly robbed if the result stood. The work from there built to a great finish, with O’Reilly surviving the punishment long enough for Strong to give them the opening to win. I would love a rematch, and the post-match suggests that one is on the way.
The announcers talked about how it had been seven years since these two teams last faced off. FTR won the opening exchange, driving Strong & O’Reilly to the floor. Strong and O’Reilly took control of Wheeler with offense on the floor before isolating him on their side of the ring. Wheeler slid his way to the corner to tag Harwood, who came in hot and peppered both Kingdom members with strikes.
O’Reilly caught Harwood with a kick and went to pick the leg, but Harwood caught O’Reilly with a piledriver and pinned him. O’Reilly put his foot on the ropes, but the referee didn’t see it and counted the three. FTR were announced as the winners, but Harwood refused the tainted win and demanded the match to be restarted. The crowd agreed, and the match was restarted. FTR worked over O’Reilly more as we went to a commercial break.
After the break, O’Reilly fought past Wheeler and crawled through another piledriver attempt to get Strong tagged into the match. Strong ran wild, scoring a nearfall with a gourdbuster on Harwood. Strong hit Wheeler and Harwood with Olympic Slams before O’Reilly came in to hit a double team strike for a nearfall.
O’Reilly caught Wheeler in an ankle lock and made Wheeler tap out, but legal man Harwood rolled O’Reilly up for a nearfall. O’Reilly got Harwood in an ankle lock, but Harwood rolled him into a forearm shot from Wheeler and rolled him up for another nearfall. Both teams attempted spike piledrivers, but FTR scored with one with the pin broken up by Strong. FTR fought off Strong to hit the Powerplex, but O’Reilly kicked out to a big pop. FTR went for the Shatter Machine, but Strong intervened with a jumping knee to Harwood. The Kingdom hit the Total Elimination for the win.
After the match, The Kingdom offered handshakes but FTR blew them off.
We got a video package of Willow Nightingale taking out Marina Shafir on Dynamite with the Con-Chair-To. Nightingale said that she had been through a lot in AEW and had done it all with a smile, but people had forgotten what happened when the smile fades. She was the Babe With The Power, and she wasn’t afraid to use it.
Wheeler Yuta defeated Willie Mack
A good set-up match for Yuta/Copeland on Wednesday. Yuta is Moxley’s last soldier standing, so seeing Mox re-embrace Yuta as his protégé instead of a useless underling works as he’s got no other options.
Yuta controlled Mack to start, locking on a single leg crab that forced Mack to the ropes. Yuta beat on Mack until the referee pulled him off of Mack, with Yuta shouting that he had until five. Mack rocked Yuta with an elbow, but Yuta pulled himself back into the ring and landed a German suplex. Mack came back with a big lariat and a cannonball and scored a one-count with a standing moonsault. Yuta shoved off a Stunner attempt and hit the Busaiku Knee for the win.
Jon Moxley came out after the match and brained Mack with the briefcase before handing it to Yuta. Moxley took the mic and said that he had a lesson to teach his protégé about finishing the job. He got back in the ring and told Yuta off-mic that he needed to take Cope out on Wednesday night, and to make sure Cope doesn’t leave on his own two feet. He told Yuta to finish the job and held up Mack for another briefcase shot, which Yuta obliged. Moxley left Yuta with the briefcase and left the arena.
We got a recap of the altercation on Dynamite between Mercedes Mone, Billie Starkz, & Momo Watanabe that left Watanabe with the TBS Title. Mone was backstage when Starkz walked in with the TBS Title, telling Mone to enjoy it now as Watanabe was going to take it from her at Revolution. Starkz got her own receipt from Dynamite, throwing a drink in Mone’s face to leave her steaming.
We got a video of a bedridden Toni Storm with a neckbrace on. The upside to getting piledriven on a stage is that it gave her time to think. Storm said that she could give Mariah May the spotlight she wanted at Revolution and made it clear that their rematch at the PPV would be no holds barred and falls count anywhere. She hoped May believed in God, because she was going to meet her.
Swerve Strickland defeated Clark Connors
A good showcase for Strickland here as he focuses in ahead of his #1 contender match. Connors looked good going against Strickland and helped Strickland to look good ahead of his PPV match.
We got a Connors highlight reel of his work in New Japan since his appearance at Forbidden Door 2022, mentioning him as a member of the War Dogs alongside Gabe Kidd. Strickland got an early advantage before Connors took him down with a shoulder block and got in the referee’s face for being in his way. Connors clubbered on Strickland before Strickland caught him with a backbreaker and transitioned immediately into an arm snap as we went to a commercial.
After the break, Strickland and Connors maneuvered around each other before Connors caught Strickland with a powerslam. Connors went for his Jeep Flip spear, but Strickland caught Connors with an upkick and a hurricane kick. Strickland took Connors to the top rope and hit an avalanche belly-to-back suplex for a nearfall.
Connors caught Strickland with a headbutt, but Strickland countered another Jeep Flip attempt with a rolling flatliner. Connors avoided the Swerve Stomp and landed the Jeep Flip, but a delayed pin due to his arm damage only got two. Connors went for No Chaser, but Strickland pulled Connors to the mat by the arm and drilled him with a sick House Call to the face for the win.
Swerve spoke to the camera and talked about his first step back to the main event being at Revolution as a contract signing between himself and Ricochet was announced for Dynamite.
We got video from after Dynamite with The Outrunners catching up with The Hurt Syndicate. MVP informed them that even though they beat a distracted Murder Machines, MVP was a man of his word. He granted the Outrunners a title shot and told them to get their affairs in order. The Outrunners were pleased, saying they had worked their entire rookie year for this shot.
After a commercial, Harley Cameron was at the announce desk with the announcers seeming confused as to why as she wasn’t scheduled for an interview. After showing highlights of her win on Dynamite, Cameron said that she was there to workshop names for her finishing move. She landed on calling it “Her Finishing Move.” She called Tony Schiavone a genius and told everyone to Feel The Wrath.
Big Boom AJ & Big Justice were backstage with Alicia Atout before they were immediately interrupted by Johnny TV. Johnny saw them disrespect MxM Collection some time back, so he challenged AJ to find two partners for a trios match at Revolution. He clarified that Big Justice nor a cookie would count.
Lee Moriarty & The Infantry (w/Shane Taylor) defeated Vinnie Massaro, Nick Ruiz, & Dave Dutra
Matt Menard joined commentary for this one. You may recognize Vinnie Massaro as the pizza guy from Lucha Underground. Shane Taylor Promotions got a quick win, with Moriarty scoring the fall with The Fang. As they were leaving, Adam Cole made his entrance for the TNT Title match.
AEW TNT Title Match – Daniel Garcia (c) vs. Adam Cole ended in a no contest
This was a very good match that was on its way to great when the finish happened. Garcia’s got this odd paradox going where he won’t get a strong reaction for his entrance but usually gets the crowds by the time his match ends. That work will pay off down the line. Shane Taylor Promotions hasn’t meant much in AEW up to this point, but if they’re going to do anything with them, they need to do it now as this angle got them a lot of heat from this Oakland crowd.
Cole won the first exchange and hit his catchphrase. Garcia won the second exchange and hit his dance. The two shook hands but got into it afterward, with Garcia hitting the Twist N’ Shout neckbreaker. Cole cut off the ten punches in the corner and hung up Garcia in the ropes before hitting a backstabber. Cole hit a neckbreaker and a Rude Awakening for nearfalls, softening up Garcia’s neck as a point of attack.
Cole landed an enzuigiri, but Garcia got to the apron and hooked Cole’s leg for a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Garcia hit a running dropkick to Cole on the floor as we went to a commercial. After the break, Cole caught Garcia with a superkick and got a nearfall with an Ushigoroshi. Garcia scored with a neckbreaker, but Cole countered a second one with a brainbuster over the knee for a nearfall.
Cole loaded up for the Panama Sunrise, but Garcia cut him off with chops. Garcia went to the top rope, and after a fight, Garcia brought Cole down with a superplex and quickly followed with a piledriver for a nearfall. Garcia set Cole up for another piledriver, but Cole jackknifed him for a nearfall. Cole scored with multiple superkicks and hit the Panama Sunrise for a nearfall.
Garcia hit a side suplex that sent Cole to the floor, but Cole baited him in with a superkick and hit The Boom on the floor. Cole rolled Garcia into the ring, but the extra time allowed Garcia to kick out. Cole decided that his ankle hurt too much for another Panama Sunrise, but Garcia caught the superkick attempt and locked on an ankle lock. Cole crawled across the ring and got to the ropes to break the hold.
Garcia hit a piledriver on the apron to send Cole to the floor, and rolled into the ring as the referee administered the count. Cole jumped in at the count of nine, and the two got into a hockey fight as the ring announcer made the call that five minutes remained in the time limit. The time limit wouldn’t be the issue here, as Shane Taylor Promotions came out and attacked both men. The Infantry laid out Cole and Moriarty locked Garcia in the Border City Stretch as Shane Taylor walked around with the TNT Title.
We quickly cut to a hype package for The Opps.
After a commercial break, Big Boom AJ updated us on his partner search. Big Justice found Orange Cassidy, and Cassidy brought in Mark Briscoe to do his Mark Briscoe promo. So it will be Big Boom AJ & The Conglomeration vs. Johnny TV & MxM Collection at the PPV.
Queen Aminata defeated Julia Hart
A lot going on here, as Aminata scores the biggest win of her AEW career with the advice from Serena Deeb, and we have a feud with Brody King and Kazuchika Okada forming after the post-match. The crowd was into this one.
During Queen Aminata’s entrance, we got a picture-in-picture promo from Serena Deeb. Deeb challenged Aminata to the first ever women’s Pure Rules match and said that we would see if Aminata was ready for it tonight against Hart. Deeb gave Aminata the gameplan, and now it was time to see if Aminata was smart enough to accept her advice.
Hart took Aminata over with a headscissors before some strikes in the corner got her a nearfall. Aminata traded strikes with Hart before taking her down with a chop block and jamming her knee into the mat, a la Serena Deeb. After the commercial, Aminata had Hart in a full nelson with her legs, with Hart escaping by stacking her up for a nearfall. Hart got a flash pin for a nearfall, then fired up with axe handles and a moonsault for a nearfall.
Hart locked on Hartless, but Aminata rolled Hart to her back for a nearfall. Hart dropped Aminata in the corner and went up for a moonsault, but Aminata moved out of the way and drilled her with the Brain Drain. Aminata hit the running kick in the ropes, called Off With Her Head, for the big win.
After the match, Brody King came out to check on Hart in the ring when Kazuchika Okada appeared and laid King out with the Continental Title.
Kenny Omega Speaks
We got a recap of Konosuke Takeshita beating Orange Cassidy on Dynamite, making Takeshita vs. Kenny Omega official for Revolution.
We cut to Omega at his home, talking about how he had to spend a year hearing Don Callis talking about Takeshita beat him twice in a week. It got on his nerves, but this wasn’t about revenge for Omega. It’s about the belt, and he who holds the belt is regarded as the best. Omega said that if Takeshita beat him a third time, he may have to admit that the old Kenny Omega is gone and that Takeshita is better. But after a year away to focus, he doesn’t have the baggage of friends that left him behind or the baggage of being an EVP. His entire focus is the belt, not because of Don or because of Takeshita. He wanted the International Title, and he was going to take it at Revolution.
Bandido & Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Big Bill & Bryan Keith
An energetic main event to give Hobbs a win in his hometown.
Hometown man Hobbs and Keith started, with Hobbs lifting Keith in a suplex and passing him off to Bandido in a gorilla press before Bandido dropped him in Hobbs’ arms for a fallaway slam. Keith was back in his bad yellow gear, but he dropped the singlet to a minor improvement. Big Bill tagged in and hooked Bandido for a chokeslam, but Bandido rolled through to his feet and pointed his six-shooter at Bill. Bill wanted a duel but charged at Bandido as he took his paces. Bandido, sensing the lack of honor in Big Bill, ducked the attack and laid in shots. Keith cut Bandido off on the apron as we went to a commercial.
The Learning Tree were in control as we were back from the break, but Bandido ducked a Big Bill charge and hit the Trish Stratus bulldog off the ropes on Keith to get the tag to Hobbs. Hobbs encouraged the MEAT chants as he ran wild in front of his home crowd. Hobbs hit a massive twisting slam off the top rope for a nearfall that Bill broke up. Bill caught a leaping Bandido in a Bossman Slam.
Hobbs cut off a Big Bill chokeslam attempt with a big shoulder block, leading to Bandido and Keith dropping each other with running boots. Hobbs and Bill faced off again, with Hobbs sending Bill to the floor. Hobbs told Bandido to go up, and Bandido did a moonsault off of Hobbs’ shoulders to Bill. Bandido went splat on the floor, that looked like it sucked. Hobbs took the straps down and dropped Keith with a main event spinebuster to win the main event.
During this match, Thunder Rosa & Kris Statlander vs. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford was made official for Dynamite.