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AEW COLLISION REPORT – EPISODE 81
FEBRUARY 22, 2025 (Taped 2/19)
PHOENIX, ARIZ. AT ALLIANT ENERGY POWERHOUSE
AIRED ON TNT AND MAX
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
ATTENDANCE: PER WRESTLETIX 2.933
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur
Ring Announcers: Arkady Aura
[HOUR ONE]
-The Commentators announced that we would hear from Toni Storm later tonight, but while Storm was walking backstage, Mariah May jumped her. May slammed Storm on storage bins and dragged her to the ramp. May clocked Storm was headbutt and stiff-looking Storm Zero onto the ramp. May yelled for them to hit her spotlight. “Look what you made me do!” she said while Storm was in her lap. “You never knew how to write a good ending, did you? So I’m going to write one for you, and I’m going to write it in your own blood. This is our spotlight and moment. Let’s be stars together. At Revolution, let’s have a Hollywood ending.”
(Brian’s Thoughts: Good beatdown from May to set up the final match of their series at Revolution. I’m interested to see how serious or violent the match will be.)
-Highlights of Kazuchika Okada vs. Buddy Matthews from Grand Slam was shown.
-Okada cut a promo backstage and said, “I put the dog down because that’s what I do with a bith, and if everyone else wants to step up, I’ll put them down, too.”
(1) HOLOGRAM vs. THE BEAST MORTOS
Mortos charged Hologram and tossed him around like a rag doll. Hologram dropped Mortos with a dropkick to the outside and followed up with huracanrana from the top rope to take out Mortos. Hologram laid in forearms to Mortos but recovered with a pounce and dive on the outside. [c]
After the break, both men battled on the top rope. Mortos won the exchange and tossed Hologram with gorilla press slam off the top rope. Mortos went for a cover but only got a near fall. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Hologram hit another huracanrana and followed up with a head-first dive to the outside, which took out both men. The crowd chanted, “Lucha Libre!” Hologram went for stomp from the middle rope and landed on the ramp. Mortos quickly countered and drilled Hologram with a crucifix bomb on the ramp, which looked like it sucked to take. The crowd chanted, “Fight forever!” Mortos rolled Hologram back into the ring for cover but only got a near fall.
Both men battled on the ramp, and Hologram hit a sunset flip bomb. Hologram climbed to the top rope to hit a crucifix bomb, but when Hologram went for the cover, somehow, Mortos was able to get his shoulder up to break up the pinfall. Both men ran the ropes, and Hologram hit a Spanish Fly while Mortos drilled Hologram with a lariat. Both men were down in the middle of the ring. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” Mortos went for another press slam from the top rope in the match’s closing moments. Hologram blocked it and rolled Mortos up with a sunset flip to secure the pinfall victory.
After the match, Mortos jumped Hologram. Komander ran down to make the save.
WINNER: Hologram at 13:46
(Brian’s Thoughts: The match was a bit spotty at times, but both men got great reactions from the crowd.)
-A hype video was shown to promote the new signing of “Speedball” Mike Bailey
(Brian’s Thoughts: I don’t know where Bailey fits on the AEW roster now. He’s a great talent, but does his signing mean someone else will be moved down the card?)
-Harley Cameron came down to the ring with a promo with Lexy Nair.
-Lexy said, “Harley, you had an incredible showing at Grand Slam, Australia. Although it was not necessarily the outcome you would have hoped for, you and everyone else were behind you.” Cameron said: “Lexy, I want to tell you a story about a little girl. A little blonde girl, a little blonde girl from Australia. Yes, a little blonde girl from Australia who had big dreams. Yes, she loved to sing, she loved her dance, she loved puppets. But more than anything, Lexy, she loved, and every single week, that little girl would sit with her grandmother, and they would turn on the television, and she would say, ‘Grandmamma, one day, I will go to America. One day, I will become a wrestler. One day, I will make you proud, my country proud, and I will make myself proud.’ Lexy, do you know who that little girl was? Who? That little girl was my next store neighbor, Suzette Dickinson. You know, I don’t know what happened to her. Nevertheless, I took that dream and ran with it. Lexy, Grand Slam Australia was only the beginning, and I will not stop until everyone knows what it feels like to feel the wrath.”
(Brian’s Thoughts: I’m glad Cameron got a good follow-up from Grand Slam, and the fans still are behind her. It will be up to AEW to ensure Cameron isn’t lost in the shuffle.)
(2) GABE KIDD vs. THE BUTCHER
Kidd started fast with chops and stomps into the stomach of Butcher in the corner. Both men exchanged chops in the middle of the ring. Kidd hit a nasty-looking side suplex. Both men brawled on the outside. Kidd sent Butcher flying with another suplex on the outside. In the closing moments of the match, Kidd drilled Butcher with a lariat and followed up with a power driver to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Gabe Kidd in 3:40
(Brian’s Thoughts: More or less a showcase match for Kidd. At this point, I’m trying to figure out why he’s in AEW and what’s next.)
-Lexy Nair was backstage with Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher. Callis said he wants Lexy to stop gaslighting them with her questions. Fletcher said for years, you take and take from me, and at Revolution, I expect your challenge.
(3) JULIA HART vs. QUEEN AMINATA
The bell rang, and both women stared each other down in opposite corners. Aminata took down Hart with a headlock takeover into a near fall. Aminata took down Hart again with a snap mare takedown and landed a stiff kick on Hart’s chest. Hart tripped Aminata and mounted her to the mat. [c]
After the break, Aminata drilled Hart with a backbreaker and snap suplex. Aminata continued her onslaught on Hart with back-to-back snap suplexes. Aminata hit a kick in the corner and went for a cover but only got a near fall. Hart hit a superkick and lined up Aminata in the corner for a moonsault. Aminata got her feet up to block the moonsault and followed up with back-to-back German suplexes. In the closing moments of the match, Aminata went for another suplex, but Hart blocked it and positioned herself to lock in the flying octopus hold to secure the submission victory.
WINNER: Julia Hart at 9:48.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Aminata used her size and strength to throw around Hart like a rag doll, but Hart seized on an opportunity to lock in the submission for the win. That was great stuff. Aminata should be featured more in 2025!)
(4) MURDER MACHINES (Brian Cage & Lance Archer) vs. MONDO AVION & ROBBY AVION
Before the match even started, the Murder Machines dragged their opponents to the ring. Then they destroyed them.
WINNERS: Murder Machines in 1:15
-After the quick win, Cage grabbed a mic and called out the Hurt Syndicate. MVP, Benjamin, and Lashley made their way to the ramp. The crowd chanted, “We hurt people!” MVP said, “Who the hell do you think you are, calling out the Hurt Syndicate.” Security held back the Hurt Syndicate. MVP said, “Do you think beating up local wrestlers gets you an opportunity at the tag team titles? If you beat an actual tag, then maybe we can actually talk tag team business.”
-A vignette aired for Lio Rush and Action Andretti.
-A recap was shown from the post-match after math from Megan Bayne and Kris Statlander.
-Statlander was shown speaking to Thunder Rosa backstage and said the next time those bitches laugh at our faces, we should just swing at them.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
[HOUR TWO]
(5) DEATH RIDERS vs. ANGELO PARKER & DANIEL GARCIA & MATT MENARD – AEW World Trios Title Match
Pac finished Parker with a Brutalizer.
WINNERS: Death Riders retain the AEW World Trios at 16:52.
-After the match, Pac wouldn’t release the Brutalizer on Parker. The Undisputed Kingdom came down to make the save. The babyfaces beat down Pac. Adam Copeland made his way to the ring. While the babyfaces held off, the Death Riders Cope hit a concerto on Pac.
(Brian’s Thoughts: The work in the match overall was fine, but this was just used as an angle so Cope could take out Pac in the aftermath.)
-Lexy Nair was backstage with the Vendetta. Deonna said they have a problem with Cammeron, and at this point, she hasn’t seen the entire Vendetta yet.
(6) BRODY KING vs. MAX CASTER
WINNER: Brody King at 1:39.
-The Outrunners were backstage with Lexy Nair. They saw the Hurt Syndicate and asked if they beat the Murder Machines, could they get an AEW Tag Team Title match.
-The commentary team ran down the upcoming matches for this week’s AEW Dynamite.
(7) CHRIS JERICHO vs. BANDIDO
Bandido went for a handshake, and Jericho accepted. Jericho followed up with a thumb to the eye and a forearm shot. Bandido took Jericho outside and followed up with back-to-back dives. Bandido dove off the middle rope, but Jericho caught him with a Codebreaker. Jericho went for a cover and got a near fall. The crowd chanted, “Please retire!” Jericho landed ten punches and followed up with a Frankensteiner. Both men brawled on the apron, and Bandido took Jericho down with a huracanrana to the floor. [C]
After the break, both men chopped each other in the middle of the ring. Bandido hit a crossbody dive and a reverse slam for a near fall. Both men hit right hands and both went down. Bandido went for a GTS but Jericho blocked it and locked in the Walls of Jericho. Bandido inched his way to the ropes to break up the hold. Bandido hit a one-armed Gorilla press and frog splash but only got a near fall. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Jericho hit a Lionsault, but Bandidio kicked out at two. Both men brawled on the top rope. Bandidio landed body slam off the top rope, but Jericho kicked out at two due to the delayed cover from Bandidio. In the closing moments of the match, Bandidio went for the 21-plex, but Jericho used a forward roll to win the match and retain the ROH World Title.
WINNER: Chris Jericho retains the ROH World Title at 17:21.
(Brian’s Thoughts: This was the best Chris Jericho singles match since his ROH Word Title match against Tomohiro Ishii in late 2022. Bandidio looks like he’s the real deal in his return.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: You can’t have blowaway episodes every week, but I thought this was a solid episode that had a lot of storyline progression.
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