‘AEW: Collision’ Review (May 3rd 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW’s, Collision, which brings wrestling back to Saturday nights. We’ve got the commentary team of Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness calling the action, so let’s get into our review!
Match #1: AEW Women’s Championship Eliminator Match – Toni Storm def. Lady Frost
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The AEW Women’s Champion, “Timeless” Toni Storm, was out next for a Women’s Title Eliminator Match against the red-hot Lady Frost. We opened with back-and-forth holds, strikes and more, before Lady Frost sent Storm tumbling to the outside, capitalizing with a cartwheel on the apron into a cannonball and a handspring on the ring barricade into a moonsault onto the champion. Back in the ring, Storm reclaimed the advantage with mounted punches on Frost – until Frost was able to counter into a handspring cannonball with Storm in the corner. Lady Frost managed to hit the Chiller Driller on Storm, but the champion kicked out at two. Storm recovered with a release German suplex, then a hip attack on a downed Frost. From there, Storm scored the submission victory with a chicken wing. But she wasn’t done, as she grabbed a microphone and called out the “sloptarts” in the locker room, asking who was next. After all, she’s not a hard woman to find.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: $100K High Speed Collision 4-Way Match – Sammy Guevara def. AR Fox, Kevin Knight & Rush
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
With $100,000 on the line, it was time for a High Speed Collision 4-Way Match between Sammy Guevara (accompanied by Dustin Rhodes), AR Fox, Kevin Knight and Rush. Chaos was the name of the game early in this one, with multiple combinations of these four rising stars squaring off. Guevara took a bow after hitting a dropkick on Fox, as Tony Schiavone reminded us it had been since September when we last saw Sammy on Collision. Rush and Kevin Knight, meanwhile, had their own back-and-forth, during which Rush showed off just how tranquilo he is after charging Knight in the corner. Rush continued to manhandle Knight, right up until the Jet managed to throw Rush into the ring steps. Just moments later, commentary spotted Hologram watching the action from above. He had a great angle to see Fox take flight and take out Knight. Guevara added a Shooting Star Press to the outside, before Rush came through like a wrecking ball and took out everyone, using the steps and barricades to full advantage. Back on the inside, Fox continued to display his athleticism, right up until Guevara landed a knee right to the face. Guevara followed up with the Go To Sleep to come away with the win – and $100K! While he celebrated on the turnbuckle, Guevara gestured to Cole, still at ringside for commentary, making it clear he has his eyes on the TNT Championship.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Megan Bayne def. Harley Cameron
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Feel the Wrath? Cameron was out for revenge on behalf of her friend, Anna Jay, and she opened with a vengeance, hammering the Megasus into the corner with shoulders then pounding Bayne in the midsection from the apron before hitting an axe kick. The tide turned somewhat quickly, as Bayne snatched Cameron out of the air and tossed her over in a suplex to the middle of the ring. Bayne maintained her dominance for several minutes, despite Cameron sneaking in a jawbreaker to momentarily fend off her opponent. Bayne literally dragged Cameron to the corner and delivered a massive chop, only for Cameron to counter with a boot to the face that allowed her to climb the turnbuckle – where she was met by Bayne. The Megasus set up for a superplex, only for Cameron to escape and hit a tilt-a-whirl DDT for a two-count. While Cameron remained game for the duration of the match, eventually, Bayne caught Cameron and delivered Fate’s Descent for the victory.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Josh Alexander vs. Brody King (Draw)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
We began with a tie-up, with King getting the advantage by forcing Alexander to the ropes then tossing the newest member of the Don Callis Family aside. Alexander cinched on a waist lock after dropping below a King blow, only for King to land a massive chop. King followed up with another thunderous strike to the chest, this time with Alexander draped across the top ropes in the corner. The punishment continued for Alexander, as King delivered a Death Valley Driver to the outside, then sent Alexander over the ringside barricade – and followed up with a vertical suplex back over the barricade for good measure. Yet all it took was Alexander doing damage to King’s left knee and ankle, both legally and not so much, for the match to quickly turn in favor of the Don Callis Family member. Alexander zeroed in on the injured limb, tying King up in the ropes. But a bit of daylight gave King room to land a blow that rocked Alexander. Alexander’s next mistake was engaging in an exchange of chops with King, who sent Alexander crashing to the mat twice with earsplitting strikes to the chest. The two warriors continued to go back-and-forth, with neither man able to secure the momentum for more than a few seconds at best. King’s strength tended to be too much for Alexander at any given moment, but the Walking Weapon showed off his savvy, all while King’s injured leg clearly continued to bother him. Once more to the top turnbuckle, King nailed a superplex on Alexander – but both men were so exhausted, neither could capitalize on the pain inflicted by the high impact. With just one minute remaining inside the time limit, Alexander evaded King and clamped on an Ankle Lock with a grapevine. But King managed to get to his feet and land a German suplex and a massive clothesline before a Gonzo bomb – only for Alexander to roll out of the ring for a time limit draw.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: Open Challenge – Daniel Garcia def. Max Caster
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
That time limit draw got Caster thinking – no one could survive five minutes in the ring with Platinum Max. So, Max requested that five minutes be put on the clock. Then, he asked the crowd to do his chant correctly: Let’s go Max. You’re the best wrestler alive! The man to answer the challenge: Daniel Garcia. As soon as the bell rang, Garcia rained blows down on Caster. “15 seconds gone!” Nigel McGuinness informed us. “20 seconds gone!” Garcia still had enough time to hit a couple quick dance moves, before putting Caster away in literally one minute for the win.
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #6: Gates of Agony def. Ray Jaz and Goldy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
This one was all Gates of Agony, as Bishop Kaun started things off by annihilating Ray Jaz in the ring and sending Goldy flying off of the ring apron toward the entrance ramp. After a bit of combination offense with “Open the Gates,” it was academic from there: One, two, three.
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #7: 2 Out of 3 Falls Match – FTR def. Paragon
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kyle O’Reilly and Cash Wheeler started this one off, with both trading holds in the opening moments. From there, this one was classic tag-team wrestling for every single moment, as O’Reilly continued to show off his unique mix of strikes and submission holds, including delivering massive kicks to both Wheeler and Dax Harwood while they were on their knees. O’Reilly and Roderick Strong were on fire, hitting multiple combinations on both members of FTR, before O’Reilly cinched in an Ankle Lock on Harwood. Strong was able to fend off Wheeler’s attempts to save his teammate by stomping on his fingers, and Harwood tapped out at the behest of Stokely in order to save his health in this 2 out of 3 Falls match. Both teams regrouped after the first fall, and when action resumed, it was FTR that took the advantage, with Wheeler putting the boots to O’Reilly. The Paragon member attempted to fight back, but a big shoulder to the gut by Wheeler slowed O’Reilly. But when Paragon reclaimed the advantage, they did so with gusto. Strong stacked up both members of FTR onto a chair at ringside that gave way before O’Reilly nailed a dropkick off the apron straight to the chests of his opponents. Yet FTR wouldn’t go away quietly, of course. With Strong down in the corner, Harwood took the opportunity to wrap Strong’s knee around the ring post not once, but twice, then slapped on the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. But Strong was able to make the tag to O’Reilly, who re-entered the match like a man possessed, taking out both members of FTR in equal measure. O’Reilly put another Ankle Lock on Wheeler, but Harwood came in to apply a sleeper hold as the illegal man. O’Reilly escaped and ran the FTR teammates into each other, giving him a window to once again apply the Ankle Lock to Wheeler – only for Cash to tag in Harwood. O’Reilly countered with a tag to Strong of his own – and that might not have been the right call. Moments later, Strong was heading up and coming down for the Shatter Machine, as FTR scored their first fall. That meant this one would come down to the third fall, with both teams having suffered more than their fair share of punishment. Paragon countered a Spike Piledriver attempt by FTR into a near-fall, then another, but Harwood kicked out twice. Another Shatter Machine attempt was countered into a high knee by Strong and a High-Low by Paragon. FTR avoided defeat with Harwood’s foot on the ropes. And from there, Wheeler took out Strong, and FTR hit another Shatter Machine to score the third and decisive fall.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
This week’s Collision demonstrated excellent pacing and balance between in-ring action and storyline advancement. FTR vs. The Paragon was a smartly structured main event, emphasising classic tag team psychology with a satisfying finish. Toni Storm’s match further reinforced her character-driven reign, even if the match itself stayed secondary to her persona, though her opponent Lady Frost easily gave her best performance in AEW so far. Sammy Guevara’s win in the four-way added momentum to the midcard, while Brody King and Josh Alexander’s time-limit draw effectively protected both men. Daniel Garcia’s rise feels deliberate and well-earned. Overall, Collision succeeded in advancing key narratives without sacrificing match quality, setting a strong foundation for Double or Nothing.
