Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s coverage of "AEW Collision" on July 19, 2025, coming to you from the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois!
After unexpectedly winning the TNT Championship one week ago at All In, we'll hear from Dustin Rhodes.
Speaking of All In, Alex Windsor made her return in the Women's Casino Gauntlet match. Tonight, she'll make her "Collision" debut against Taya Valkyrie. Tay Melo and Megan Bayne have faced off in multi-woman matches, but will finally go one-on-one tonight with a guarantee of no outside interference.
The Gunns returned last week to help Juice Robinson (who also made his long awaited return) against Ricochet and the Gates of Agony. Tonight, both tag teams will be in a $200K 4-Way that also includes CRU and Big Bill and Bryan Keith. Ricochet will go one-on-one with AR Fox.
Hechicero and Bandido will continue their feud in opposite sides of an 8-man tag match. Bandido will be joined by JetSpeed and Mascara Dorada against Hechicero, Josh Alexander, and RPG Vice.
During his last "Best Wrestler Alive" open challenge, Max Caster lost to a returning Scorpio Sky. Will he finally be able to win tonight's open challenge?
One-third of the Trios Champions, Katsuyori Shibata will take on one-third of LFI when he faces RUSH.
We kick things off with Tony Schiavone interviewing Dustin Rhodes in the ring. Nigel McGuinness and Colt Cabana are on commentary. Rhodes looks up and tells his dad he wishes he was there with him. He told the story of his motto: "Keep Stepping" and how it came from his dad. "It means hope. Hope is something I've always had because of him." He's been in the business for 37 years. He talked about hitting rock bottom and all the doubts he had. "One thing I've never done is tell myself I wasn't good enough." He's been waiting 37 years to say "I am the face of TNT." He promises to give his all week in and week out as a fighting champion. "Mom, Dad. I kept stepping just for you."
Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis come to the ring. Fletcher says it's a really touching story, but "it's a gigantic load of crap. This celebration was supposed to be for me." Rhodes weasled his way into an opportunity and for that he congratulates him. He said Rhodes just signed his death warrant because that title belongs to him.
Rhodes has been impressed with Fletcher. He lists all the times he's fallen short of winning the TNT title. He said Fletcher constantly makes excuses and whines. "The fact of the matter is I pulled it off and you didn't." Callis asks Fletcher to step to the side so he can talk to Rhodes. Callis says Rhodes is a legend and a great man. "Of all the demons you've beaten, that's the one you're still chasing" as he points to the title. He asks who will wipe his tears when he loses that title to Fletcher and offers him a spot in the Don Callis Family. He said being in DCF is better than being "third wheel in the Rhodes family." Rhodes goes after Callis and exchanges blows with Fletcher.
Ricochet comes to the ring. AR Fox follows.
Ricochet gets out of the ring and tries to make Fox chase him through the crowd. Back in the ring, Ricochet takes him down with an armdrag. Fox picks him up and pounds on him. Fox hits Ricochet with a tope suicida and puts him in the ring as Gates of Agony approach him. Fox dodges Ricochet before doing a leg sweep and a double stomp over the ropes. Fox follows with a spinning suplex for two.
In the corner, they exchange punches. Fox slapped him repeatedly in the head and followed with an Irish Whip before splashing him. Toa Liona pulled Fox out of the ring while Ricochet distracted the ref.
After the break, Ricochet puts Fox on his shoulders on the apron, but Fox gets down and headbutts his opponent. He followed by driving his elbow into him repeatedly over the apron. Fox connects with another tope. Fox worked him in the corner before connecting with a senton dive. Ricochet rolled him, but Fox responded with an armdrag. They exchange multiple pin attempts. Ricochet with a big crucifix bomb.
Ricochet goes for Spirit Gun, but Fox ducks and hits him with an enzuiguri. He puts Ricochet over the ropes and hits another enzuiguri before connecting with a heat roll for two and a half. Fox goes up top, but Kaun distracts the ref. Ricochet hit Fox in the head and went up top. They battle, but Fox hits him with a gamengiri. He went for a 450, but Ricochet moved and hit the Spirit Gun for the win.
Winner: Ricochet
Marina Shafir chokes Cabana while he's at commentary before Mox hits him with a chain. Marina, Mox, and Yuta attack Cabana on the outside and make him bleed. They put him in the ring and Yuta wraps a chain around his neck. Mox hangs Cabana over the rope just like Hangman did to Mox. They leave him in a heap on the outside.
Bayne makes her way to the ring first. Melo follows. Everyone is banned from ringside.
Bayne sends her to the corner and hits her repeatedly with a shoulder. Melo hits her in the corner several times. Bayne shoved her down. Melo tries to suplex her, but Bayne sends her to the mat. Bayne slams her down before rushing her. Melo intercepts and puts her in a fujiwara armbar. Bayne flips outs and Melo locks her in a triangle. Bayne gets to her feet with Melo still locked in and slammed her down. In the corner, Melo kicks her in the face and she sends Bayne tumbling to the outside. Melo kicks her from the apron before trying to connect with a crossbody, but she gets caught. Bayne dumps her over her head.
After the break, Melo hits a jawbreaker and forearm shots. Bayne with an Irish Whip. Melo ducks out of the corner and hits three running pumpkicks. Bayne picks her up, but Melo pushed her and suplexed her. Bayne suplexed Melo. She lifts her up, but Melo fights out and locks in The Octopus.
Bayne with a falcon arrow, but Melo kicks out. Melo rolls up Bayne and hits her with a running knee. Melo hits a Canadian Destroyers and covered her for two. Bayne blocks the TayKO and hits a fallaway slam and flying lariat. Bayne with a running Ligerbomb for the win.
Winner: Megan Bayne
Taya Valkayrie is brought to the ring by Johnny TV and MxM Collection. Windsor follows.
They lock up and Taya sends her to the mat and she stomps her in the corner. In the opposite corner, she forearms her and does it again in the opposite corner. Taya covers her for one. She chops her in the corner. Windsor connects with two armdrags and a dropkick. Windsor chopped her in the corner and kicked her in the back before pulling her to the mat and covering her. Windsor puts her in a Boston Crab. Taya escapes and attacks her. Windsor connects with a sidewalk slam and a discus lariat. She put her in another Boston Crab for the win.
Winner: Alex Windsor
After the match, Athena came out on the balcony and says Athena Elite Wrestling is taking over. Athena mocks "Timeless" Toni Storm until Storm comes down the ramp. She says she's the only "balcony b****" and demands for her to sign the contract and come to the ring to fight her now. Athena refuses and tells Storm to get on her knees to beg, she might. Storm gets on her knees briefly and says she won't beg, but tells her to get to the ring. Athena tells her that Billie Starkz will dogwalk her. Storm said if Starkz beats her, she gets a title shot too. Athena said that wasn't part of her plan and tells Storm to catch her if she can and runs through the crowd.
