AEW Collision rolled into Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Saturday night with a loaded evening of tag team wrestling, developing rivalries, and the continuing march toward Blood and Guts and Full Gear.
FTR looked to avoid falling behind two matches to none against the Motor City Machine Guns, Swerve Strickland faced Myron Reed, and Wrathlander battled Divine Dominion in a match that promised to shake up the women’s tag team championship picture.
Meanwhile, Jay White had plenty to say about his new alliance with the Dogs, and the Switchblade wasn’t content to limit himself to talking.
By the time the evening ended, FTR had evened their series, another Blood and Guts match was taking shape, and several factions were fighting over who could cause the most destruction.
Let’s get into the results.
Jay White Introduces The Last Outfit
Collision opened with Jay White, the Bang Bang Gang, and the Dogs making their way to the ring following their attack on the Death Riders and Conglomeration during Wednesday’s Dynamite.
White explained that their newly formed alliance needed a name. He teased reviving the Bullet Club name before dismissing the idea, eventually announcing that the combined faction would be known as The Last Outfit.
The Switchblade acknowledged his complicated history with David Finlay but insisted they could work together toward a common objective. He also took aim at Jon Moxley, declaring his intention to take the AEW Continental Championship from him.
White had plenty of insults for Orange Cassidy and Marina Shafir, making it clear that his new faction wasn’t interested in making friends.
The Conglomeration responded backstage, with Kyle O’Reilly promising to make White regret his actions.
Stinger’s View: Jay White is an excellent villain, and I enjoyed his explanation for the alliance. He has the personality to make this sort of faction warfare interesting.
I’m considerably less enthusiastic about the name.
The Last Outfit? Sounds like a clothing store that’s going out of business.
Still, the group has plenty of talent, and White pursuing Moxley’s Continental Championship gives the rivalry a meaningful objective.
Best-of-Five Series, Match Two: FTR vs. Motor City Machine Guns
Winners: FTR — Series tied 1–1
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler entered Collision facing a difficult situation. After losing the opening match of their Best-of-Five Series at WrestleDream, another defeat would leave them one loss away from losing the entire series.
Fortunately for FTR, they found a way to even the score.
The Motor City Machine Guns brought their familiar combination of speed, precision, and teamwork, while FTR attempted to slow the pace and impose their traditional tag team style.
The match developed into another excellent encounter between two of the most accomplished teams in wrestling. Shelley and Sabin demonstrated why they’ve remained relevant for so many years, while Harwood and Wheeler answered with the physicality and ring awareness that have become their trademarks.
Unfortunately, the finish wasn’t quite as impressive as the wrestling that preceded it.
Stokely Hathaway interfered by restraining Alex Shelley, allowing Cash Wheeler to secure a roll-up while using the ropes for leverage.
The referee counted three, and FTR escaped with the victory.
The series is now tied at one match apiece, with the third encounter scheduled for Wednesday’s Fright Night Dynamite.
Stinger’s View: Another terrific tag team match, and exactly the kind of wrestling I want to see from these four men.
I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the finish, however.
When you’ve got two teams this talented competing in a Best-of-Five Series, I’d prefer to see the matches decided by the wrestlers themselves rather than somebody interfering from ringside.
I understand that FTR are heels and cheating is part of their presentation. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Nevertheless, the series is tied, and I’m looking forward to the next encounter. Hopefully, the third match gives us a more satisfying conclusion.
Eight-Person Mixed Tag Team Match: Death Riders vs. Shane Taylor Promotions
Winners: Death Riders
The Death Riders returned to action against Shane Taylor Promotions in an eight-person mixed tag team match.
Following Wednesday’s attack by the newly formed Last Outfit, Jon Moxley’s group had plenty of frustration to work out, and Shane Taylor Promotions found themselves on the receiving end.
The match was a physical affair, with the Death Riders bringing their usual aggressive approach against opponents who were more than willing to fight back.
Marina Shafir ultimately secured the victory for her team, forcing Trish Adora to submit to the Brutalizer.
Afterward, Moxley addressed Jay White’s actions, warning that the Switchblade had made his move and now it was time for Moxley to respond.
Stinger’s View: I enjoyed seeing the Death Riders involved in an actual wrestling match instead of simply appearing for another backstage assault.
Shafir getting the submission victory was a good decision, particularly as AEW continues developing her championship ambitions.
The important thing now is giving the rivalry with White’s group some direction. With so many factions involved, AEW needs to make sure the audience understands what everybody is fighting over.
At least White has made his intentions toward the Continental Championship clear.
Josh Alexander vs. Blade Brown
Winner: Josh Alexander
Josh Alexander made short work of Blade Brown, forcing a referee stoppage with the Grapevine Ankle Lock.
The victory itself wasn’t particularly surprising, but the developments afterward were considerably more interesting.
Alexander challenged Darby Allin for the TNT Championship on Wednesday’s Dynamite before turning his attention toward Adam Copeland.
Copeland answered the insults by coming to the ring and confronting Alexander, but the numbers quickly turned against him when Mark Davis and Jake Doyle joined the attack.
Stinger’s View: Alexander is a talented wrestler, but beating an opponent in a brief squash match doesn’t accomplish much for me.
I’d rather see him competing against established AEW talent, particularly if he’s being positioned for a TNT Championship opportunity.
The confrontation with Copeland was more interesting than the match itself, and it helped advance the larger rivalry involving the Don Callis Family.
Swerve Strickland vs. Myron Reed
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland continued his pursuit of momentum with a victory over Myron Reed of the Rascalz.
Reed entered the match looking to make a statement against a former AEW World Champion, and he gave a strong account of himself. His speed and athleticism allowed him to challenge Strickland, preventing the contest from becoming the straightforward squash some might have expected.
Swerve eventually took control, delivering a Vertebreaker before following up with the Swerve Stomp to secure the pinfall.
The victory keeps Strickland moving forward as he continues pursuing another opportunity at the AEW World Trios Championship.
Stinger’s View: This was a good match, and I appreciate that Reed was given an opportunity to show what he can do.
Swerve is one of AEW’s most dependable performers, and he doesn’t need to defeat somebody in thirty seconds to look impressive.
In fact, allowing Reed to put up a fight makes the victory more meaningful.
I’d like to see AEW continue giving younger and less established wrestlers opportunities like this. A competitive loss against a major star can accomplish more than a dozen meaningless squash matches.
United Empire vs. Steven Allen & Robert Allen
Winners: United Empire
Andrade El Ídolo and Mike Bailey represented United Empire against Steven and Robert Allen in another brief contest.
The experienced duo made relatively quick work of their opponents, with Bailey securing the pinfall following their Time Adventure combination.
After the match, Andrade was attacked by Tommaso Ciampa, continuing their developing rivalry.
Stinger’s View: Another squash match?
Look, I understand the purpose of establishing dominant wrestlers, but AEW has an enormous roster. Surely there are established performers who could provide meaningful competition without damaging their own credibility.
Andrade and Bailey are both excellent wrestlers. I’d much rather see them have a competitive match than spend several minutes beating opponents who never had a realistic chance.
The Ciampa attack at least gave the segment some storyline importance.
Wrathlander vs. Divine Dominion
Winners: Wrathlander by Disqualification
Kris Statlander and Harley Cameron faced Megan Bayne and Lena Kross in a match with significant implications for the women’s tag team division.
Wrathlander are scheduled to challenge the Brawling Birds for the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship at Full Gear, but Divine Dominion have made it clear that they aren’t finished pursuing the titles themselves.
The two teams delivered a competitive, physical contest, with Statlander matching the power of Bayne and Kross while Cameron contributed her own unpredictable offense.
Unfortunately, the match ended when the Triangle of Madness interfered, resulting in a disqualification victory for Wrathlander.
Willow Nightingale attempted to help Statlander and Cameron after the match, but the combined forces of Divine Dominion and the Triangle of Madness overwhelmed all three women.
Later, Nightingale revealed that she had contacted the Brawling Birds, and the women issued a challenge for Blood and Guts.
Stinger’s View: Oh, for crying out loud.
I specifically said in the preview that I hoped we’d get a decisive finish, and what did we get?
A disqualification.
The wrestling was good, and I like that AEW is developing multiple teams in the women’s division. But this is exactly the kind of booking that frustrates me.
Wrathlander are supposed to be challenging for the championships at Full Gear. A clean victory over the former champions would have helped establish them as legitimate contenders.
Instead, we get another interference finish and another post-match attack.
At least the chaos served a purpose by setting up a women’s Blood and Guts match. That should be an interesting confrontation, especially with the Brawling Birds and Wrathlander temporarily putting their championship rivalry aside.
Still, would it really have hurt anybody to let the match finish first?
Main Event: Jay White vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Winner: Jay White
Jay White returned to the ring for the evening’s main event against Kyle O’Reilly, who was determined to avenge the Last Outfit’s attack on the Conglomeration.
The two delivered a hard-hitting contest, with O’Reilly relying on his submission skills and striking ability while White attempted to control the pace and capitalize on his opponent’s mistakes.
O’Reilly put up a strong fight, but White eventually connected with the Blade Runner to secure the victory.
Unfortunately, the fighting wasn’t finished.
The Last Outfit surrounded the ring after the match, bringing the Conglomeration out to confront them. The numbers favored White’s faction until Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli arrived to help even the odds.
Marina Shafir also joined the fight, attacking Juice Robinson, while White caught Castagnoli with a low blow.
Moxley managed to hit White with the Death Rider, but the Last Outfit continued overwhelming their opponents.
Orange Cassidy eventually arrived to help, only for a miscommunication to result in Cassidy accidentally striking Moxley with an Orange Punch.
Collision ended with the situation between the factions becoming even more complicated.
Stinger’s View: White and O’Reilly delivered a strong main event, and I liked seeing White get an important victory after introducing his new faction earlier in the evening.
O’Reilly is an excellent wrestler who can make almost any opponent look good, and this was a worthwhile contest.
The post-match brawl was entertaining, although I have to admit that AEW is rapidly approaching the point where keeping track of its faction rivalries requires a spreadsheet.
The accidental Orange Punch was an interesting development. Moxley and Cassidy have never exactly been natural allies, and this gives AEW another source of tension heading toward Blood and Guts.
Hopefully, the company can keep the story focused rather than adding another half-dozen wrestlers to the mix.
Stinger’s Final View: Good Wrestling, Questionable Finishes
AEW Collision delivered several enjoyable matches Saturday night, with FTR against the Motor City Machine Guns once again standing out as one of the evening’s strongest contests.
The Best-of-Five Series has been a welcome addition to AEW programming, giving two excellent teams an opportunity to build a rivalry through actual competition. I wasn’t particularly fond of FTR’s cheating to secure the victory, but the wrestling itself was outstanding.
Swerve Strickland and Myron Reed also delivered a good match, while Jay White and Kyle O’Reilly provided a strong main event.
Unfortunately, the evening wasn’t without frustrations.
Two squash matches on a roster as deep as AEW’s seems unnecessary, and the disqualification in the women’s tag team match was particularly disappointing. Wrathlander could have benefited from a decisive victory heading toward their championship opportunity at Full Gear.
On the positive side, AEW continued developing its Blood and Guts storylines, with the women’s division now preparing for its own major faction confrontation.
And Jay White’s Last Outfit certainly made an impression, even if I’m not convinced the name is going to grow on me.
Match of the Night: FTR vs. Motor City Machine Guns
Biggest Development: The challenge for a women’s Blood and Guts match
Biggest Frustration: Another promising women’s tag team match ending in disqualification
Moment of the Night: Orange Cassidy accidentally knocking out Jon Moxley with the Orange Punch
Overall, a good night of wrestling that would have been considerably better with a few cleaner finishes.
Until next time, this is Stinger, signing off from the rafters.
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