Collision Course - Collision recap for August 16, 2025

"Timeless" Toni Storm shows up to start tonight's show. She calls out Athena, saying she is history making and record-breaking, but is annoying enough to attack her any time she sees her before "bullying a prepubescent teenager." She also asks how many nicknames a woman needs before praying to make light of the "Fallen Goddess" nickname, stating that she will beat her at Forbidden Door before Athena nearly boots her in the face. Toni and Athena brawl, but Athena gets the upper hand by the time Billie Starkz shows up. She tells Toni to pray that she does not expose her for the fraud and idiot that she is, and that without the grayscale and the sexual innuendos, she is nothing. Athena then asks "If AEW is where the best wrestle, why is this bitch sitting at the top?" Athena then has Billie bring Toni to the ring and tells Toni her days are numbered, and says that everyone will bear witness as she takes the division to new heights as "the forever AEW champion." She then proceeds to mock Toni before Mina Shirakawa shows up. As Athena is distraced, Toni suplexes Billie. Athena swan dives into security before Toni and Mina kiss.

The Death Riders (Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta) beat JetSpeed ("The Jet" Kevin Knight and "Speedball" Mike Bailey) after Marina Shafir distracts the referee, allowing Yuta to hit Knight with a low blow.

We see a video package for Rey Hechicero vs. "Taiga" Style Lee Moriarty vs. Nigel McGuinness vs. Daniel Garcia in a Technical Spectacle for a title shot versus Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door for later tonight.

We see The Outrunners (Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd) in another montage where they get back in touch with "Brother Nature."

Ricochet beats the debuting "Inevitable" Ace Austin. During the match, Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) show up to watch from ringside, but Ace Austin is able to fend them off after a dive to the outside that takes out Ricochet and Kaun. After the match, Gates of Agony slam Austin down in the middle of the ring.

Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews The Hurt Syndicate (MVP, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin). MVP says they do not care who wins the World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Tournament, as they will hurt the winners. He also says they are better than they ever been and that they are and will stay champions after the removal of MJF.

Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Paragon (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong). All of a sudden, Tomohiro Ishii and Hologram show up as O'Reilly asyas that they will get back to their winning ways, and Roderick Strong says that until he gets his hands on "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher, everyone will pay for what he did. I'Reilly says the word of the day is "momentum," and that after tonight, everyone will celebrate with chili.

Paragon (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) beat Blake Christian and Lee Johnson. When Tomohiro Ishii and Hologram show up to celebrate, Roderick Strong immediately walks away.

Backstage, it is revealed that FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) and Stokely Hathaway have attacked and unmasked Bandido. Brody King shows up, sees what has happened and fights FTR two-on-one, taking their brawl into the ring in the process. Stokely Hathaway soon grabs Brody King by the leg on the outside, and when Brody grabs him, Stokely throws powder into his face before FTR hits Brody with the Shatter Machine. Stokely then wears Bandido's mask.

Backstage, we hear from Skyflight (Scorpio Sky, Darius Martin, Dante Martin, Leila Grey, Christopher Daniels), who issue a challenge of their choice to The Don Callis Family before Leila Grey puts $10 in the swear jar.

Kris Statlander beats Julia Hart, Penelope Ford and Anna Jay in a $100,000 4-Way Fight by submission with a head scissors to Julia Hart. After the match, "The Toxic Spider" Thekla and Skye Blue attack Kris Statlander, with Queen Aminata, Tay Melo and Megan Bayne also showing up. All of a sudden, Harley Cameron shows up in a pink face mask with a board with a chain wrapped around it in her hand and clears the ring.

Backstage, we hear from "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher, Hechicero and Lance Archer. Fletcher considers Hiromu Takahashi a fine choice for an opponent, but says that his reign is just beginning and that Takahashi will be another legend he will mop the floor with. He also announces that "The Alpha" Konosuke Takeshita has made it to the finals of the G1 tournament and will bring home the trophy. Archer says that Skyflight (Scorpio Sky, Darius Martin, Dante Martin, Leila Grey, Christopher Daniels) should keep The Don Callis Family's name out of their mouths, and Fletcher says they will see Skylfight shortly while The Don Callis Family continues to bring home the gold and make Don Callis proud.

Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Kris Statlander, who says that she does not need anyone to tell her who she is and what she is worth. Harley Cameron shows up and is inspired by Kris Statlander's attempt at "women inspiring women" and is about to suggest what to do with the $100,000 Statlander just won when Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta show up impressed with Statlander's victory.

Juice Robinson beats "The Bounty Hunter" Brian Keith.

Cincinnati Reds catcher Jose Trevino is seen in the crowd.

Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Anthony Bowens. Bowens says he is sick of hearing about "Platinum" Max Caster and that he is the one who should be star, not Caster, especially when he is constantly representing AEW. He says that Caster does nothing but lose and that he cannot stop hearing Caster's chant, and that he is tired of this.

Nigel McGuinness beats "Taiga Style" Lee Moriarty, Hechicero and Daniel Garcia in a four-way Technical Spectacle with a submission hold to Lee Moriarty to face Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Forbidden Door. After the match, Renee Paquette interviews McGuinness, who says that he is ready for Zack Sabre Jr. and knows that it is a dream match for both competitors and a lot of fans, and that it will soon be a reality for a lot of people in London, England. McGuinness then has a word with Daniel Garcia, saying that he came very close and left it all in the ring and that his heart will take him far in the business. He also asks Daniel Garcia to be in his corner at Forbidden Door, saying it would be an honor if he did. Garcia shakes his hand to take him up on the offer.

Collision Course - Collision recap for May 25, 2024

Jon Moxley heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Suddenly, Don Callis also heads to the ring. Don Callis talks about how he cost Jon Moxley the AEW World Championship on his second night in the company and how Moxley got his pound of flesh, which causes him to be cut on the forehead when he inadvertently fell into a light fixture. He then talks about how he helped him beat Kenny Omega not long afterwards, then brings up how he always thinks of Jon Moxley every day because of the scar he gave him. He says most people would call this a deal breaker, but they are not like most people. Callis then brings up Jon Moxley meeting back up with him and saying "You're one of us now," and seeing nothing in his eyes. He says that they are both exactly alike, then says that it kills himself inside to see him face Konosuke Takeshita, as he sees himself in Moxley. Callis then tells Moxley to imagine the two of them running AEW together with Moxley as a member of Callis' family, then hands Moxley the microphone. All the while, everyone boos Callis out of the building and cheers Moxley. Moxley then tells Callis that he wants more commitment than the one scar on his forehead and wants to put 24 more on it, then he is then attacked from behind by Takeshita. Takeshita takes a metal folding chair and wraps it around Moxley's left arm, then goes to the middle rope and flips Moxley off before hitting the chair with a knee drop. He then presses a foot on the chair and stomps it before "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli chase Takeshita and Callis out of the ring.

We see footage from after Dynamite where a bloodied Will Ospreay says he has been through worse before he tells Roderick Strong that it is not the end and that his duty and spirit has bonded with the International title that he will take from him.

Claudio Castagnoli and Daniel Garcia's mystery partner is revealed to be Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia and Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Lance Archer and The Righetous (Vincent and Dutch) in a trios match.

We see another vignette bringing up The Elite's (Nicholas Jackson, Matthew Jackson, "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry) accomplishments and their attempts to change the world as we see them do various things in and around AEW before the vignette mocks and insults The Elite's opponents (Darby Allin, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson) in Anarchy In The Arena.

The Lucha Brothers (Penta el Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix) beat The Gunns (Austin and Colten Gunn). After the match, PAC celebrates with The Lucha Brothers and Alex Abrahantes, then "Switchblade" Jay White shows up and stares down Death Triangle (PAC, Penta, Fenix).

Backstage, Big Bill says that Chris Jericho has taught him to dig down and pull out the light, and Chris Jericho says that after everything that he has done in the business, he will have to work extra hard to retain, but he will come out with the win. As Jericho says he has to be ready for all kinds of opponents, "The Outlaw" Bryan Keith shows up and tells Chris Jericho that he may have missed his shot, but this will not be the last he sees of him.

Kyle O'Reilly beats KM with a cross arm breaker.

We see a video package chronicling the events leading up to Mercedes Moné vs. Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship at Double or Nothing.

Willow Nightingale heads to the ring. Willow brings up Mercedes Moné putting her hands on the TBS Championship last night on Rampage, and says she and Mercedes are past the point of respect and that tomorrow, she is going to wreck Mercedes and make her wish she was back on the shelf. Willow says she knows championships come and go, then says she will be damned if her TBS title reign ends tomorrow after working towards her dream, had knee surgery and nearly saw her career end after being paralyzed from landing on her neck. She says that she is just getting started, especially when she has to defend the TBS Championship in Stardom, and challenges Mercedes' claims that Willow cannot beat her at 100% by saying Mercedes cannot beat her at all as she says she will prove herself the better woman.

Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews Trent Beretta. Trent calls Orange Cassidy a "con man narcissist" and says he will show the whole world what he already knows, then Rocky Romero shows up and says that no matter who wins, he hopes everything going on is put in the past. Trent tells Rocky that is not happening, and to never interrupt him again.

The House of Black (Brody King and Buddy Matthews) beats The Infantry ("The Captain" Shawn Dean and "Bad News and Tattoos" Carlie Bravo), Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) and The Acclaimed ("Platinum" Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) in a four-way tag team match. After the match, we hear from Adam Copeland, who mentions Malakai Black taking away with wedding ring before telling Malakai that he walked the path he was walked before his balls dropped. He says Malakai Black wanted this darker version of him, and says it is fitting that their Barbed Wire Steel Cage match is in Las Vegas. He entertains the idea of joining forces with Malakai and becoming a powerful force, saying they deal in nightmares and not dreams, but also entertains the idea of beating Malakai and having The House of Black (Malakai, Brody, Buddy, Julia Hart) joining him. Copeland says there are many questions, then tells Malakai that when he sees evil in a man's eyes, it is already too late.

In backstage footage from after Dynamite, "Timeless" Toni Storm says things happen for a reason, and if Serena Deeb wants to be a victim, she will make her one. She tells Serena that her life has no meaning, and that she should put in her obituary that she lost to the champ.

Mariah May beats "Legit" Leyla Hirsch.

Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews Serena Deeb, who says that "Timeless" Toni Storm has had her fun and games and that it wasn't so fun for Toni to save Luther and Mariah May. She then says she will stretch Toni limb from limb and finally become Women's World Champion while "Timeless" Toni Storm is more like "Time's Up" Toni Storm.

We see a video package for Christian Cage vs. Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing.

We see footage of The Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson) at Champs Sports at Las Vegas, Nevada, where they signed boxes and copies of their new Reebok Pumps.

"The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson and FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) beat Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett and Satnam Singh in a trios match. After the match, Cash Wheeler talks about FTR's AEW debut and how he will live and die for the company, then says that fans, wrestlers and the entire wrestling world are better off because of AEW. He says that they might be hard and may limp into tomorrow night, but they and Darby Allin are the only ones walking out. Dax talks about AEW's fifth anniversary, then says that they are fighting not just for AEW, but for the fans. He then says that at Anarchy At The Arena, they will be the fans' heroes like they have always been one more time.