AEW Collision Review - March 1, 2025

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

The Undisputed Kingdom (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) def. FTR

Other than the six-man tag team match Undisputed Kingdom had with FTR and Daniel Garcia on Wednesday's Dynamite, I think the closest we came to getting this match was on WWE NXT all the way back in November 2019 (and even then it was Bobby Fish in there instead of Strong). This was a smart choice for the opener as they had a great match and I thought the restart finish was well done as it'll only add to FTR's growing frustration. I believe they've been babyfaces for almost three years now, so they could certainly benefit from a heel turn. I wouldn't complain about this turning into a full-fledged feud, either.

Wheeler Yuta def. Powerhouse Hobbs

Yuta is far and away the least interesting member of The Death Riders (an uninteresting faction to begin with), so although he's a perfectly competent wrestler, I can't say I care much for his matches, especially when he's on his own. You'd think this would've been a straightforward showcase for Yuta, but Mack scored more offense than I thought he would. This existed to give Yuta a win before he faces Cope on Wednesday's Dynamite.

Swerve Strickland def. Clark Connors

I don't know if it's been made official on the air yet, but I believe it was reported that Connors is AEW bound. He's a talented dude and had a strong showing here against Strickland, even though the outcome was never in doubt. I'm glad he was made to look credible in defeat because that will bode well for him going forward, assuming there's a plan in place for him and he won't be directionless. Of course, Strickland going over decisively was the right call.

Shane Taylor Promotions (ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty and The Infantry) def. Nick Ruiz, Vinnie Massaro and Dave Dutra

I was wondering what purpose this was supposed to serve since Shane Taylor Promotions seemingly wrapped up their rivalry with The Undisputed Kingdom and Daniel Garcia's crew a few weeks ago, but apparently not based on what happened at the end of the next match. This was a straightforward showcase for the group and I appreciated that it was over rather quickly to ensure it didn't overstay its welcome.

AEW TNT Champion Daniel Garcia vs. Adam Cole Ended in a No Contest​

I'm really surprised that this wasn't saved for Revolution. I was also surprised that it didn't headline this episode, but the finish made it clear why it didn't. The match itself was enjoyable and as well-wrestled as you'd expect. They had quality chemistry, so I'm looking forward to the eventual rematch. Shane Taylor Promotions interfering was unexpected but not completely random considering their recent issues with both men and their respective stables.

Queen Aminata def. Julia Hart

​​I totally forgot that Hart beat Aminata a few weeks ago on Collision following her loss to Jamie Hayter right before that. Hart having nothing substantial going on at the moment is odd seeing as how she was so protected upon her return late last year. The match was decent but was overshadowed by Aminata's shocking upset. We'll see if she can capitalize on it or if it will ultimately be forgotten about.

Powerhouse Hobbs and Bandido def. Bryan Keith and Big Bill

This definitely wasn't worthy of the main event spot on paper, but it was fun for what it was given who was involved. The action wasn't anything earth-shattering, but the crowd was into it and it gave Bandido a chance to bounce back from his loss to Chis Jericho last week. Hobbs being spotlighted in his hometown was cool, too. Hopefully it won't be much longer before Bill turns on Jericho.

Overall Show

Aside from the die-hard AEW fans, I can't imagine too many people watched this show live seeing as how it aired opposite of WWE's Elimination Chamber premium live event, but it was a solid edition of Collision, nonetheless. They filled the two hours nicely and there was the usual setup for Wednesday's Dynamite. As I've said before, AEW has done a better job lately of making Collision more worthwhile and less of a chore to catch up on.

SEE MORE: Collision Reviews