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AEW COLLISION REPORT – EPISODE 83
MARCH 8, 2025 (Taped 3/5)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA AT THE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
=AIRED LIVE ON TNT AND MAX
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Arkady Aura
Attendance (pre WrestleTix): 2.869
[HOUR ONE]
(1) THE OPPS (Hook & Katsuyori Shibata & Samoa Joe) vs. JACK BANNING & STARBOY CHARLIE & TITUS ALEXANDER
WINNERS: The Opps in 01:59
(Brian’s Thoughts: A fun, straightforward squash match for the newly formed trio. )
-Cope cut a promo backstage. Cope said Moxley hid behind the Death Riders, and he’s afraid. He’s scared to lose the AEW championship. He knows that without the title, we don’t have to listen to his word salad. I’m looking for the Moxley who once set this industry on fire. Cope said time is running out, and I know this could be the last time I fight for the world title, and I have to make this count.
(Brian’s Thoughts: The best promo Cope has delivered through the entire feud with Jon Moxley.)
(2) MOMO WATANABE vs. SERENA DEEB
Mercedes Mone joined the commentary desk before the match started. Deeb and Watanabe exchanged wristlocks to start the match. Deeb locked in a surfboard stretch, but Watanabe didn’t submit. Watanabe punished Deeb in the corner with three straight drop kicks to her face. Deeb hit a dragon screw leg whip followed by a twist and shout neckbreaker. [C]
After the break, Watanabe drilled Deeb with a nasty knee. Watanabe hit a PK for a near fall. Watanabe hit a snap suplex, and Billie Starkz was shown watching the match backstage. Deeb hit a Pepsi twist for a close near fall. The crowd chanted,” This is Awesome.” Deeb went for the Deebtox, but Watanabe countered with a kick to the chest. Watanabe locked in a deep half-and-half suplex to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Momo Watanabe in 11:15
(Brian’s Thoughts: The match was fine. I would have thought both women would have had better chemistry.)
-Post-match, Mone got in the face of Watanabe and put the TBS Title in her face. Watanabe hit Mone with a kick and climbed to the top rope to hit a meteora. Watanabe stood tall, holding the TBS Title.
-Will Ospreay cut a promo from the trainer’s room. “You know, I know how I’m feeling right now,” he said. “The pain that I feel physically does not equate to why I feel mentally right now. … I feel lost, confused, and anxious that I’m entering a match physically spent, emotionally spent.” He said he considered Kyle Fletcher a brother. He spoke about his arm band reflecting he and Kyle were once a band of brothers and he hoped that Fletcher still felt that bond. He at Revolution, though, he has no choice but to fight. “I love you more than anything in this world,” he said. “Instead, I have to fight back; I have to fight with every ounce of energy in my body; I will wrap your body against the flipping cage. Because my name is Will Ospreay, and I’m on another level.”
(Brian’s Thoughts: Excellent promo from Ospreay. He showed great vulnerability and passion throughout the entire segment.)
(3) HARLEY CAMERON vs. TATEVIK
Tatevik jumped Cameron before the bell rang. She held the advantage early after she hit Cameron with a Russian Leg Sweep. Cameron railed to hit a shining wizard and hit My Finishing move to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Harley Cameron in 2:10
-Kyle Fletcher cut a promo backstage. ”Will, you talk about the steel cage match on Sunday like it’s some stepping stone?” he said. “Like, what’s down the way? You can finally make your way to the World Championship to face Moxley and save this company. But you could not. … Now, our prophecy says that when this is all said and done, I will be remembered as the greatest professional wrestler of all time. And Will, I’m sorry, but all your accomplishments mean nothing because you will be remembered as Kyle Fletcher’s greatest rival. And now this band, this band that I ripped off the lifeless body, it’s supposed to represent a brotherhood, a United Empire, but just like the United Empire, this thing is, this is just a way for you to stroke your own ego. And this Sunday, there will be no brothers in your corner. You are being locked in the lion’s den. And this lion has been stuck far, far too long. And I am hungry for revenge. Those bears, they can shout ‘Ospreay! Ospreay!” as much as they want till they’re blue in the face, but it means nothing because I will paint that ring, that canvas, that steel cage in red with your blood. Now, I want you to remember all that caused me all these years because I will return it a thousandfold this Sunday. And don’t forget that you asked for this.”
(Brian’s Thoughts: Awesome follow-up from Fletcher from the Ospreay promo.)
(4) THE UNDISPUTED KINGDOM (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) THE INFANTRY (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean w/Shane Taylor)
Bravo talked trash as soon as the bell rang. Bravo and Dean doubled-teamed O’Reilly in their corner. O’Reilly made the hot tag to Strong, and he ran wild. Strong hit a backbreaker and went for the cover on Dean but only got a near fall. [C]
After the break, Dean hit a splash for the top rope onto Strong. Dean covered Strong, but only for a near fall. O’Reilly got the hot tag and ran wild. O’Reilly locked in a guillotine submission with body scissors, but Dean broke up the submission. Strong took out Dean but allowed O’Reilly and Strong to hit the high-low finish onto Bravo to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: The Undisputed Kingdom in 8:40
(Brian’s Thoughts: Another good win for The Undisputed Kingdom to continue to build the depth the Tag team division has needed.)
-Don Callis, with Konosuke Takeshita, cut a promo backstage. “Life is good, brother; life is very good,” Callis said. “We’re on a ride. And Kenny, we’re not gonna let you interrupt that ride. We called you the god of pro wrestling. Well, I’m gonna say there’s a new god of pro wrestling. Because he’s here each and every day defending the International Title. While Kenny Omega, God bless him, don’t wish any ill health on him, sits in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of his stomach. How long, Kenny, until your guts explode? And at Revolution, it’s gonna be the last match, the last time that the wrestling world sees Kenny Omega. Because we’re not just gonna beat you the third time, we’re gonna end you.”
-Highlights of the Ring of Honor were shown: The Learning Tree jumped Gravity and Bandido, and Gravity challenged Jericho to match at Revolution.
-Jon Moxley cut a promo. “Adam Copeland and I are so different,” he said. “We are not the same animal. We are barely the same species. But it’s funny how much we do have in common. Copeland came up the hard way: Poverty, starvation, drives across frozen lakes. We’re the last of a dying breed, you and I. On the road every single night, busting your ass through injuries, through illness, through every obstacle they want to throw in your path. Chasing a dream. This fantasy. You can’t see, but you can feel it in your heart. You can almost feel it on your fingertips.
“The dream is that chance to one day wrap that gold around your waist. To feel that gold in your hands. To be world champion. That’s what drives you, man. That passion. That drive. Every single night. You’d sacrifice it all. You need one more chance to play the game once you get there, man. You don’t want to give it up for anything. That’s what this is about. Respect. I want to respect Adam Copeland. I want to like Adam Copeland. I really do. And I really try. But I just don’t get what you’re about, man. When I get my hands around your busted neck, and I will. Should I show you mercy? Did you show me mercy? Did you show my people mercy? When you hear the sound of your spinal column busting and cracking and popping and breaking, and you hear that sound reverberating in your skull and your eardrums, you will feel What respect feels like.”
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Dynamite: CLICK HERE (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
[HOUR TWO]
(5) HOLOGRAM vs. DRALISTICO
Both men exchanged fast pin attempts. The crowd chanted, “Lucha!” Dralistico hit a flying shoulder block tackle. Hologram recovered to take Dralistico to the outside to hit his diving headfirst dive. Both men brawled outside, and Dralistico slammed Hologram’s head on the commentary desk. Dralistico hit a super kick while Hologram was in the corner. While Hologram was dazed, Dralistico hit the Tranquilo pose. [C]
After the break Hologram hit a Spanish fly on the outside. Both men brawled on the apron and exchanged hard chops to the chest. Dralistico hit a Frankenstiener from the appron. The fans chanted, “Holly shit!” and “This is Awesome!” Both men brawled outside until the official counted nine. Dralistico drilled Hologram with a diving Code Breaker, but Hologram kicked out at two. Hologram recovered to hit a powerbomb for a near fall. The match broke down, and both men exchanged power moves. Dralistico hit a Mexican destroyer and went to put his foot on the ropes before the official broke up the pin attempt. The Hologram hit the Protobomb to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Hologram in 13:32
(Brian’s Thoughts: Dralistico’s best match in AEW by miles. The match flew by. You have to admire the work of both to get a reaction as they did from the crowd when the premise of the in-ring action of this episode was inconsequential to AEW Revolution. )
-Post-match The Beast Mortos jumped Hologram after the match. Kommander came down to make the save, but Dralistico balanced the odds, and the heels stood tall.
-FTR cut a backstage promo with Daniel Garcia and The Undisputed Kingdom. FTR challenged The Undisputed Kingdom to a rematch next Saturday.
-Lexy Nair was backstage with the Hurt Syndicate
(6) THE OUTRUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) vs.THE PREMIER ATHLETES (Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese w/Mark Sterling)
WINNERS: The Outrunners in 8:33
-Mariah May jumped Toni Storm at the Queen of the Ring premiere.
-A great highlight package was shown to promote MJF vs. Hangman Page
(7) DANIEL GARCIA (C) vs. LEE MORIARTY – TNT Title Match
WINNER: Daniel Garcia retains the TNT tile in 14:57
-The show closed with a Kenny Omega promo. “Takeshita, I’ll give you credit,” he said. “You used me to get everything that you wanted. I gave you every single answer that I could to all of your questions because I wanted to see the best for 2021. It seems like a lifetime ago, but I still remember it very clearly. I still remember you being in this house. I still remember working out with you. I still remember watching tape giving you advice and I still remember you just absorbing everything like a sponge with your hands out. Give me something that takes me to the next level, and then when I gave it to you, it wasn’t enough. And I know that you think that dawn can take you to the top of the mountain.
“Don himself thinks that you’re the ultimate meal to him. That you’ll be the one to shower him with the riches, show him all of the gold. Take him to the next step. But then what happens when you don’t? What happens after Revolution? When I take your title away? Will you be thrown aside just the way that I was? Will you be thrown aside in the same way that Will Ospreay was? You see, the difference between you and Will is that opened his eyes. You’re still living in this fantasy world that Momsie, Dadsie, or Uncle Don is gonna be able to make something work magically, pull something out of thin air. And why is that? Because you’re afraid to go take it yourself?
“Well, I’m telling you right now, when it’s a singles match between us at Revolution, there’s your chance. There’s your chance, one-on-one, without Don or any help. Beat me, man to man. Show everyone that you’re willing to take that top spot. Show everyone that you are one of the best on the planet. At Revolution, Takeshita, you’re not facing the same guy that you had beaten twice in one week. Who you are facing is the guy that Don Callis himself used to call the god of professional wrestling. Do you really think you can beat this version of Kenny Omega? I guess tomorrow, we’re gonna find out. Until Revolution, I must bid you adieu. Goodbye, Takeshita. Mwah. Good. Night. Bang! ”
FINAL THOUGHTS: The sickos or even the bangers match quality wasn’t going to be the deciding factor in this episode. The idea of selling AEW Revolution to fans needed to be emphasized in this go-home event, and the promotional materials used to build up these feuds were superb from beginning to end.
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