AEW Collision Results: Thanksgiving Day 2025 – PAC & Takeshita Win Continental Classic Matches, Kingston Beats Shibata, More

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at AEW! We were thrilled to be back in Nashville for a special Collision on TNT and HBO Max, as we continued Continental Classic opening week! 

Our main event saw IWGP World Heavyweight Champion “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita of the Don Callis Family come out on top with a hard-earned victory over Roderick Strong to earn three points. That puts him on top of the Blue League alongside Jon Moxley and Claudio Castignoli. In Gold League action, PAC continued a perfect week for the Death Riders by beating “Speedball” Mike Bailey. He joins Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight on top of the table with three points.

Eddie Kingston asked for Katsuyori Shibata and got everything he could handle from The Wrestler before picking up an impressive win. After the match, Kingston gave a heart-felt speech and issued a challenge to Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship at Winter is Coming on December 10.

Plus, Daniel Garcia beat Daddy Magic in what’s become a very personal rivalry, then had to answer to TNT Champion Mark Briscoe. And Red Velvet made a big challenge to Mercedes Moné for ROH Final Battle! All that and more went down on a special Thanksgiving Collision!

Here's everything that happened at AEW Collision for November 27, 2025, including your full results and match recaps.

AEW Collision Recap Tonight for Nashville

Continental Classic Gold League: PAC (3 points) def. “Speedball” Mike Bailey (0 points)

Night Two of the 2025 Continental Classic kicked off on Thanksgiving Collision with the Death RIders looking to keep their perfect start to the tournament intact when “The Bastard” PAC faced down the incomparable Speedball! PAC made his entrance first, without the Death Riders thanks to the Continental Classic’s prohibition on outside interference or people being at ringside, followed shortly by Bailey.

Both men looked to land strikes off the opening bell, with a series of ducks and counters. Bailey laid in a series of chops, which PAC countered with a kick to the lower part of Speedball’s mid-section. Bailey responded with a patented flurry of kicks, but PAC brought the action to the outside, where he momentarily incapacitated Speedball with a snap suplex. PAC followed that up by tossing Bailey into the guardrail, then brought him the length of the ringside area to slam him into the opposite guardrail. After the ref told PAC to get the match back in the ring, The Bastard obliged, where he continued to dish out punishment on Speedball, slamming him head-first into the turnbuckle and whipping him into the opposite corner.

The crowd tried to encourage Bailey with “Let’s go Speedball!” chants, but PAC wasn’t having any of that, as he pressed his foot against the back of his opponent’s head to choke him in the ropes. Back in the middle of the ring, PAC cranked on Bailey’s neck with a cravat before taking him to the mat and dropkicking him in the back of the head. PAC followed that up with a boot in the corner, as it was all The Bastard in the early going.

After a two-count, PAC pounded Speedball with an elbow to the top of the head then backed him into the corner. PAC tried to whip Bailey to the other side, but Speedball held on and reversed a second whip attempt, climbing to the middle turnbuckle and taking PAC down with a dropkick! Bailey landed three stiff kicks on PAC after both men got to their feet, then busted out a standing Shooting Star Press for a two-count, forcing PAC to roll to the outside. Speedball went to dive to the outside, but PAC was quick to get on the apron, where he caught a lunging kick from Speedball. Bailey countered and scampered up the ropes for the triangle moonsault! PAC was down as we went to commercial!

Back from the break, Speedball was perched atop the top turnbuckle, but PAC quickly climbed the ropes to snatch Bailey and toss him overhead nearly to the opposite corner, hurtling through the air! Both men were feeling the punishment at that point, but it was PAC who was back to his feet first. He pulled Speedball to the corner and climbed the turnbuckles, potentially looking for the Black Arrow. Bailey recovered and forced PAC down, as the two once again exchanged strikes and counters. PAC gained the upper-hand with an incredibly crisp German suplex, until Speedball found just enough strength to nail a downed PAC by driving both knees into his midsection.

The ref started to count to 10 with both men down, reaching eight before PAC and Speedball were able to stand. They kicked each other in the head, growing more and more staggered with each blow. Eventually, they began to rebound off the ropes for added force, until both men crushed the other simultaneously and rolled to opposite sides outside the ring to recover. As the ref counted to 10 once more, it looked as if both men were ready to get back in the ring. Instead, they circled to the same side and once again plastered each other with stiff kicks directly on the other’s chin!

With the ref’s count reset, the two brawled on the outside right in front of the Continental Title on display, only for PAC to duck a clothesline, send PAC flipping after countering a kick, then German suplexing Speedball to the ground after running him into the announce desk! Referee Paul Turner started his count again, reaching nine before Speedball barely made it back to the apron. PAC tried to seize the opportunity, but Bailey leaped out of the way and used the top rope to wipe out PAC with a high-arcing moonsault!

Speedball threw PAC back into the ring and climbed the top turnbuckle, but PAC was able to dodge the incoming high-risk maneuver. While Bailey landed on his feet, PAC was waiting for him and tossed him overhead into the turnbuckles. PAC ran the ropes to build up momentum, only for Speedball to rise to his feet and destroy PAC with a roundhouse kick! Bailey went for a huge spinning kick, but PAC reversed it into a pinfall for a two-count! The Bastard went for a German suplex, but Speedball landed on his feet and hit a poisonrana, followed by a thrust-kick right on the jaw and a spinning kick to PAC in the corner!

Speedball climbed to the top once again looking for the Ultima Weapon, but nobody was home! PAC ran the ropes and used that momentum to uncork a bone-jarring lariat on Speedball. Wasting no time, PAC locked in The Brutalizer, and with Bailey out like a light, the ref stopped the match, giving PAC the victory and three points in the Gold League!

Daniel Garcia Wants Daddy Magic to Bleed One Last Time

Backstage, Lexy Nair caught up with the Death Riders’ Daniel Garcia and Jon Moxley as they entered the building. Or, at least, she tried to catch up with them, but Garcia said that he didn’t even need her to ask a question, because he already knew what he wanted to say. 

"Tonight, I gotta drop off a lot of dead weight that I've been carrying for a long time, and Daddy Magic, that is you. I appreciate everything you've done for me, all the love you had for me, all the sacrifices you made, every time you bled for me. But tonight I just need you to bleed for me one last time."

Garcia continued that the bleeding would not be in vain. Tonight, when Garcia gets through Daddy Magic, he’s going for the TNT Title once again – and Magic won’t be by his side for any of it.

We Hear from Brodido

Backstage, Renee Paquette was with Brodido and asked about their really tough loss to FTR. Bandido said that he was a little sad, because they lost the titles, and he felt it was because of him, but he’s also very proud, because Brodido means so much to him. Brody is his brother, and he’s taught him how to never stop fighting. And so, the next time they’re fighting for the titles, Bandido will not let that happen again.

Brody said that Bandido is right, they are brothers. And he’s proud of what they’ve done, too – and that doesn’t have to be over. Brodido will be here in AEW fighting for those AEW World Tag Team Titles for a very long time. But Bandido is still a champion, and he has a match at Final Battle next Friday. And they both know what it takes for Bandido to get ready for that. So Brody doesn’t want his partner to be sad. He wants him to be proud and be the man that he is. Brody wants Bandido to walk into and out of Final Battle as ROH World Champion.

Daniel Garcia def. Daddy Magic via ref stoppage

Garcia was out first, accompanied by Jon Moxley, as the two Death Riders made their way through the Nashville crowd to the ring. Mox then made his way to the announce desk as Daddy Magic Matt Menard made his entrance next.

Daddy Magic was all business as he entered the ring, glaring at Garcia and turning to say something to Mox at the desk. The bell rang, and Garcia and Magic stood across from each other for several moments, with Daddy Magic screaming at Garcia. From there, they locked up in a collar-and-elbow tie up, as Moxley called Garcia a “future top guy.” 

Menard backed Garcia into the corner and gave a clean break. Garcia looked as if he might duck to the outside, but he stayed in the ring for another collar-and-elbow tie up. This time, Garcia made a reversal and put Magic in the corner. Daddy Magic replied by shoving Garcia to the ground and calling the newest Death Rider a piece of crap. Menard then mounted Garcia in the corner for punches, using an even stronger euphemism the second time around. Magic followed that up with massive clubbing blows to the back of Garcia, who went to the outside.

Daddy Magic gave chase and whipped Garcia into the barricade after Garcia got one kick in beforehand. With his former friend down, Menard turned to talk trash to Mox ever so briefly, as Mox told him to focus at the task at hand. Magic pounded on Garcia in the corner of the ring barricades, then slammed his face into the ring steps and returned to the corner for more punches. Garcia made his way back into the ring as Menard threw a chair in anger on the outside. 

Garcia had recovered enough to cut off Daddy Magic with a series of punches when the latter re-entered the ring, leaving Menard slumped in the corner. With Magic flattened, Garcia taunted the crowd from the corner, as Mox yelled words of encouragement. Garcia mimed as if he were going to do his old dance, but it appeared he flipped off the crowd instead, as Magic came to his feet with blood streaming down his forehead as a result of Garcia’s assault. And with that, we went to commercial.

Back from the break, Menard and Garcia exchanged stiff shots right in the center of the ring. Daddy Magic looked almost out on his feet, but he kept firing back up. The first time, he absorbed a lariat from Garcia, but on the second time, it was Menard who laid out Garcia with a clothesline of his own! Magic backed Garcia into the corner and once again mounted his former friend for punches to the dome. Menard brought Garcia back into the middle for an attempted piledriver, but Garcia blocked, flipped Magic to the mat, and locked in a double-leg Boston crab. Menard reversed and fought off Garcia, putting the latter into a Boston crab of his own, sitting down way deep! But Garcia got to the ropes for the break.

Garcia went back to the outside, and he was waiting for Daddy Magic when he followed, kicking Menard in the gut and planting him with a DDT on the outside. Garcia then lifted Magic to his feet and slammed him head-first into the announce desk, leaving Menard sprawled out across the surface. Garcia then moved the ring steps enough to put Daddy Magic’s head between the steel and the ring post, then delivered a resounding dropkick to the steps, as Menard got his hands up to protect his head just in the nick of time.

Garcia taunted the crowd once more as the ref started the 10-count, which Daddy Magic broke by getting back into the ring at nine – but only after staring daggers through Moxley. As Mox expressed a modicum of admiration for Magic, Menard did his own mocking version of Garcia’s dance, then rolled the Death Rider up for a two-count. Garcia didn’t take that lightly, however, as he began to chop at Menard’s chest. The two broke down into a pure brouhaha, punching, slapping and striking each other however they could. Garcia locked Daddy Magic into a choke, and just a few moments later, it was lights out for Menard. Garcia wins via ref stoppage!

New TNT Champion Mark Briscoe Has a Message for Garcia

As Garcia continued to taunt the beaten Daddy Magic, TNT Champion Mark Briscoe had seen enough and made his way to the ring to confront Garcia!

Before Briscoe said a word, the Nashville crowd welcomed him with a “DEM BOYZ!” chant.

“Now here on this sacred day of the giving of thanks, I am extremely grateful to be in the great city of Nashville, baby!” Briscoe started. “I am extremely grateful to be in the great state of Tennessee, baby! And I am thankful and I am humbled to be your TNT Champion!”

As the crowd told Briscoe he deserved it, Moxley heard enough and gave some words of wisdom to Garcia.

“Now Danny Garcia, young Danny Garcia. I’m also thankful for something you done did because I was having a hard time trying to decide who was gonna be the first man I was gonna knock off as champion. You said, you was gonna be gunning for the TNT Title, a title you once held yourself. Well let me make it real plain, real simple. I ain’t doing no ducking. I ain’t doing no dodging. I ain’t need to hear no more! Young Dan, let me give you some advice: don’t let your mouth write a check that your ass can’t cash! 

“Because just like I’m about to go right and finish off this plate of turkey, I’m gonna devour these deviled eggs. I’m gonna eat four or five of these deviled eggs. I'm gonna eat some macaroni and cheese, baby! Then, I'm gonna dust it off with some pumpkin pie with some whipped cream on top! Just like I'm gonna devour that delicious plate, I'm gonna devour your ass, young boy!”

And with that last line, Briscoe got right in Garcia’s face and Garcia shoved back with his head before leaving the ring.

As Briscoe celebrated with the crowd, Garcia and Moxley reconvened and left the scene.

Ricochet Has Plans for the AEW National Title

In the back, the new AEW National Champion Ricochet was with GOA, and Bishop Kaun gave “The Light-Skinned Kingpin” quite the introduction. Ricochet said he will set the tone because he knows what he's capable of. He ran down the list of opponents he's beaten, including Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, Kyle Fletcher, and The Hurt Syndicate. 

Ricochet said he's thankful that last year he was in the Continental Classic, but this year he doesn't have to do anything because he's a champion. And as the AEW National Champion, he will represent around the globe to the highest degree. He's a champion where the best wrestle. And he made sure to give props to GOA because they made sure the journey to gold was completed. Toa Liona said it was time to show their appreciation to Ricochet by having a feast fit for kings.

Bang Bang Gang Interrupts New AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR

Tony Schiavone was in the ring to welcome the now three-time AEW World Tag Team Champions, FTR, to the broadcast. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler were joined as they usually are by Big Stoke, who took the microphone from Schiavone to address the Nashville crowd.

“Tonight…” Boos! “Tonight…” Boos! “Tonight…” Boos! “Tonight …” and this time, Stoke finally completed the thought: “Tonight… tonight is the greatest night of my life. Why? Because FTR are the AEW World Tag Team Champions.” Stoke said that what we saw last Saturday at Full Gear was nothing but a spectacle. We saw it all. But the one match that everyone talked about was FTR vs. Brodido – another classic in the book of FTR.

Stoke took that opportunity to go into the lore of FTR. Every obstacle that’s been put in front of FTR in their lives, they have prevailed over. And Stoke is humbled and privileged to introduce the 11-time world tag team champions, the three-time AEW World Tag Team Champions, FTR!

At that moment, the lights in the house went black, and the call of “GUNS UP!” echoed across the venue! Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson were at the top of the entrance ramp. And as Excalibur reminded us, this is the same Bang Bang Gang that defeated FTR just a few short weeks ago.

Stoke berated Gunn, who pushed Big Stoke to the side and grabbed a microphone of his own. Given that Bang Bang Gang was the last team to beat FTR, Gunn wanted to congratulate FTR on their championship victory. But then he told the crowd to put their guns up if they’re sick and tired of FTR. Juice added that just because FTR are the greatest tag team of all time doesn’t mean everybody wants to hear it again. We get it. They’re greater than some of the greatest teams of all time. Blah blah blah.

But last week, Juice said, the Bang Bang Gang won $200,000. So now, they’ve got a little bit of green – which means they might want a little bit of gold. After all, that wasn’t the first time Bang Bang Gang beat FTR. So Juice wanted Dax and Cash to know he’s dead serious. It’s going to happen again. Bang Bang Gang don’t care where or when. All they care about is the next time FTR faces the Bang Bang Gang, the tag titles would be on the line.

Dax told Juice that he never wanted him to touch his belt again – and Austin slapped the belt right off of Dax’s shoulder! And Gunn said that they’re not just fighting for the two of themselves. They’re fighting for Colten. They’re fighting for Jay White. And they’re fighting for everybody in that arena who still rocks with the Bang Bang Gang. And if FTR aren’t down with that, they’ve got two words for them: Guns Up!

MxM TV Casting Call: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum) def. MxM TV (Mason Madden, Mansoor and Johnny TV) via pinfall

Something wicked this way came – and naturally, it was MxM TV dressed as the characters from Oz! Mansoor did his thing, running down the crowd in Nashville, before asking to see who would answer the Casting Call to get their asses kicked.

The answer to that question was quite the treat: Dalton Castle and The Outrunners were here to break some hearts! And Castle said that he saw his “third best friend” from summer camp in the crowd: country music star Michael Ray! Castle and The Outrunners went to say hello, then made their way into the ring, exchanging words with MxM TV on the outside. As Castle, Floyd and Magnum posed in the ring, MxM TV attacked them from behind!

Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie double-teamed Castle on the outside as the bell rang, with Johnny Taya-Bombing Valkyrie right into Castle! Meanwhile, Mason attempted to stop Magnum from power-bombing Mansoor, but Castle recovered to neutralize Madden, allowing Magnum to power-bomb Mansoor and make the tag to Turbo! Floyd cleared house on Johnny TV and Mansoor, but Madden sneaked back into the ring and leveled the Outrunner with a massive boot to the face. MxM then mocked The Outrunners “You son of a bitch!” pose and touched tips – but Turbo dodged the elbows and tagged in Castle, who was still in his jumpsuit!

Castle ducked under Madden, who ended up straddling the top rope, before Castle chucked Johnny TV around the ring with a couple of suplexes. While he was doing that, The Outrunners were crotching Mason on the top rope over and over and over again! 

When Madden finally made his way free, he walked right into a suplex from Castle, which The Outrunners followed up with Total Recall on Mansoor, followed by the Double Bi Double Elbow Drop, as Castle enjoyed every minute of the setup! Castle then lifted Mansoor onto his shoulders for the Bang-a-Rang, and that was all she wrote, as Mansoor stayed down for the three-count!

The celebration was short-lived, however, as just moments later, Ricochet and Toa Liona of The Demand appeared at the top of the ramp. Inaugural AEW National Champion Ricochet told the Nashville crowd not to boo him, then turned his attention to Castle and The Outrunners, telling them they were in HIS ring – and that they might want to turn around real quick “to get your ass beat real quick.” Sure enough, Bishop Kaun was stealthily lying in wait, and he planted Castle with a dropkick square to the chest that sent Planet Peacock’s favorite resident flying!

Liona leveled Turbo with a head-butt, then GOA made quick work of Truth. Turbo tried to recover, but he turned right into Open the Gates by GOA. That left Castle defenseless, and GOA lifted him up only to send him hurtling face-first into the mat.

With the ring cleared, Ricochet demanded the respect he felt he deserved – both from the crowd in general and specifically from the aforementioned Michael Ray, whom Ricochet went over to have a little chat with. The AEW National Champion called Ray “Tim McGraw” and poked at his chest. That was too much for Ray, who shoved Ricochet from across the guardrail. Security and several referees tried to de-escalate things, but Ray jumped the rail, forcing the officials to keep everyone separated.

The Don Callis Family Shares What They’re Thankful For

Backstage, Lexy Nair was with the bulk of the Don Callis Family, as she asked Don himself what he has to be thankful for. Callis said that after Wednesday, he’s thankful that the Don Callis Family got three points in the Continental Classic. He then asked various members of the Family what they’re thankful for. Rocky Romero was thankful for a sick Don Callis Family-themed jacket with Don’s face on the back. Hechicero was grateful for being among such great wrestlers in the Family. 

Mark Davis … well, he was grateful for nothing, because he’s a miserable pr*ck (which Don loves!). Josh Alexander was thankful for Don’s wisdom. “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher was grateful for his health – and for this wealth, baby! Takeshita was thankful to be in the Continental Classic, and he was thankful for this Family. And last but not least, Okada was grateful that he doesn’t have to team with Takeshita. That didn’t sit well with The Alpha, who started to walk toward Okada, before the Family kept them separated.

After all, isn’t that sometimes how it goes with Family at Thanksgiving?

Eddie Kingston def. Katsuyori Shibata via pinfall

Shibata was the first man to the ring, but it didn’t take long for the fists to start flying! As Kingston made his way down the ring, he gestured for Shibata to bring it, and The Wrestler obliged, meeting him outside the ring!

The crowd started “Eddie!” chants right off the bat as these two men brawled outside the ring, with Shibata grabbing some of the stiff padding from the ringside area and trying to beat Kingston down with it. Eddie dodged and got in a few blows, but Shibata kept the offense coming, countering when Kingston tried to slam his head into a chair on the outside. Shibata sat Eddie down in the chair then feigned as if he were going to deliver a MASSIVE kick to Kingston before stopping short and kicking the Mad King in the face.

Finally, Shibata rolled Kingston into the ring, and the bell rang! This match was officially underway! Kingston landed a couple of big chops then sent Shibata flying with a double-underhook suplex for a two-count. Shibata rammed Kingston into the corner and went for a choke. When the ref broke the hold, he did it again, but Eddie responded with another huge chop! Shibata ducked under a second chop and suplexed Kingston to the mat, then Shibata climbed the turnbuckles and taunted the crowd.

With Eddie down in the opposite corner, Shibata shoved his boot right into Kingston’s face. Shibata took Kingston over with a snap-mare then cinched in a double wrist-lock, only to stomp on the exposed triceps of his opponent. Shibata took Kingston down again and this time did the same thing to the other arm. Kingston tried to find some respite against the ropes, but Shibata refused to let up, putting Eddie in another double wrist-lock before the Mad King got to the ropes for the break. Kingston tried to fight out of the corner, but Shibata regained the advantage with a couple of stiff shots, as we went to commercial!

Back from the break, Kingston had managed to make things a little more even by winning an extended chop-battle against The Wrestler and hitting an exploder suplex. Shibata’s response was a clear low-blow using Kingston’s own arm that rocked the Mad King! When Shibata tried to capitalize with an arm-bar, referee Rick Knox wasn’t having any of it, as he had seen the illegal strike! Both men went to opposite corners, and when Shibata tried to charge into Kingston, Eddie was ready with a big boot that stunned The Wrestler! The Mad King followed up with a picture-perfect DDT that put Shibata down for the three-count! Eddie Kingston is your winner!

After the match, Kingston grabbed a microphone to address the loving Nashville crowd. He said that he wouldn’t speak on HOOK’s betrayal, because HOOK is still his boy. Sometimes, we make bad decisions, and you have to pay for them. Swerve and Hangman will take care of that.

One of the fans shouted that they loved Kingston, and Eddie frankly told them that he didn’t feel like he deserved that love. That’s just the way he is. He doesn’t do it for chants or anything else, this is just him. Kingston isn’t an actor. He IS pro wrestling. And that’s why when the fans say they love him, nah, he loves them, because they love pro wrestling. Kingston said he wakes up every day not knowing if he’s going to live or die, because who knows what’s going on “up here.”

But – and this isn’t for the fans to chant or go on social media – Kingston does this because somewhere out there, there’s a little kid watching who loves pro wrestling and is getting inspired to be in the pro wrestling business. But then Kingston looks at Samoa Joe, someone that Eddie once idolized, someone who had one of the greatest championship runs in professional wrestling history at Ring of Honor, and now Eddie sees what Joe is doing with The Opps, and that he’s going to lead HOOK down the wrong path.

Before Joe can corrupt HOOK, and before Joe can call himself a real AEW World Champion, he has to look in Kingston’s eyes and see who he is. When Kingston was out for 18 months with a knee injury, all he could think about was being back in the ring, because the ring gives him peace. It’s the only peace he has – when he’s in the ring, fighting. And on December 10, Winter is Coming. So Kingston wanted Joe to do him a favor: Don’t be a *****, and defend the AEW World Championship against the Mad King!

Then, just for good measure, Kingston spotted a young fan in the crowd, who was brought over to the ramp for Eddie to lift him up, take him to the ring, wave to the crowd, and then head back to his seat. 

Eddie Kingston is for the children!

Red Velvet Challenges Mercedes Moné for Final Battle!

Backstage, the former ROH Women’s World TV Champion, Red Velvet, addressed the AEW Women’s World Championship match between Kris Statlander and Mercedes Moné at this past weekend’s AEW Full Gear Presented by DC. Velvet acknowledged how incredible it was that 13 Belts Moné, who beat her to become the Undisputed ROH Women’s World TV Champion, was in pursuit of her 14th championship belt. But it turned out that 13 wasn’t such a lucky number for the CEO.

Velvet said she went back and watched their match, and the only reason Moné beat her is because she took advantage of a brief opening. Well, congratulations. But if Velvet knows anything about Mercedes, it’s that she’s a fighting champion – and so was she. But the last time she checked, she’s never seen Moné at Ring of Honor. So at Final Battle, she wants her rematch.

Thekla def. Tay Melo via pinfall

The Toxic Spider entered first, followed by a bubbly Melo, who took the time to wave to a multitude of fans in Nashville. When the bell rang, though, Thekla put an end to the smiles, charging Melo in the corner and throwing her to the mat by her hair! Melo responded, mounting Thekla. Both women rolled back and forth looking to gain an advantage before Melo was able to elbow Thekla in the face.

Melo maintained control on the mat, kicking Thekla square in the back when the Toxic Spider ducked under a potential head kick. Melo then cinched in a modified reverse gogoplata, as Excalibur noted that we’re not used to seeing Thekla in such a precarious position. On that note, Thekla got her foot on the rope to break the hold and turned the tide with a massive kick to the face of Melo against the ring ropes, sending both women out onto the ramp just outside the ring, where Thekla hit a suplex on Melo as we went to commercial!

During the picture-in-picture break, Thekla continued to handle Melo on the outside before bringing her back into the ring, taunting Melo with light kicks to the face before putting Melo into a cross-face then dragging her by the hair to the corner, bashing her head into the turnbuckle. With more damage done, Thekla went back to the cross-face, gouging Melo’s eyes at the same time, as we came back from commercial!

As Thekla admonished the referee – not the other way around! – Melo recovered long enough to surprise Thekla with a knee to the gut. Thekla went to tie Melo up in the ropes, but Tay slipped out of the initial effort. Thekla wasn’t fazed, however, as she simply used the middle rope instead of the top rope to choke her out! Thekla then went for an incredibly lackadaisical cover, which seemed to fire up Melo, who backed Thekla against the ropes. Thekla tried to fight her off with two forearms to the chest, but Melo just kept coming, hitting a huge pump-kick on Thekla’s jaw in the corner, then another, then a third! That sent Thekla slumping to the mat, as Melo stomped on Thekla’s face, threw her to the middle of the ring, then leveled the Toxic Spider with a huge kick for a two-count!

Melo lifted Thekla back to her feet, looking for a suplex. When Thekla attempted to reverse, Melo cracked her on the jaw, then did it again – but Thekla smiled and laughed, even though she was clearly in pain, telling Melo to, “Come on, little girl! Try me!” So Melo put her hair up and slapped Thekla right across the face. That wasn’t nearly enough, as Melo clubbed Thekla over and over on the back, only for Thekla to muster enough strength to stun Melo with an elbow to the jaw!

That gave Thekla the opportunity to put Melo in The Death Trap. It looked like Melo might have been out, but she rolled through to counter for a two-count! Melo ducked a kick from Thekla, but the second landed. The Toxic Spider let out a guttural scream then hit her spider pose and went for the spear … but Melo kneed Thekla in the face! Another two-count!

Melo followed that up with a Gotch-style piledriver on Thekla for another two-count, which seemed to frustrate Melo ever so slightly. Melo set Thekla up for the Tay-KO, but The Toxic Spider stomped on Melo’s foot to escape, leading to a spear and a stomp to the back of the head for the three-count! 

After the match, the Sisters of Sin came out to continue the beatdown on Melo, knowing full well that Anna Jay wasn’t in the building. But Jamie Hayter was! The former AEW Women’s World Champion and the target of so much of Thekla’s vitriol ran down to make the save but quickly realized she was outnumbered. Before the Triangle of Madness could strike, though, current AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander made a save of her own, running off Thekla & Co.!

Continental Classic Blue League: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (3) def. Roderick Strong (0) via pinfall

It was time for our main event on Thanksgiving Collision! First out was the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, as Don Callis made his way to the commentary desk – but strictly as an announcer, given the prohibition against outside interference or people at ringside in the Continental Classic.

At the bell, Takeshita and Strong went to a collar-and-elbow tie up, with Takeshita backing Strong into the ropes before the ref called for a break. Back in the middle of the ring, the two fighters laced fingers in a test of strength, as Takeshita powered Strong to the mat, only for Strong to reverse into a quick series of holds and counters with Takeshita. Strong established wrist control before putting Takeshita into a headlock, as Callis appreciated Strong’s efforts and conditioning.

Takeshita fought his way back to a vertical base, reversing another headlock from Strong into an attempted abdominal stretch, which Strong countered with one of his own, before Takeshita was able to throw Strong over and to the mat for the counter! The two men separated, but when they came back together, Takeshita overpowered Strong for a moment (and apparently got a swipe in at Strong’s face along the way).

Takeshita smashed Strong into the corner, but Roddy bounced out with vigor, nailing Takeshita with a backbreaker in the center of the ring. Strong picked Takeshita up and threw him into the ring, punching The Alpha in the back on the rebound, then delivered a couple of vicious chops in the corner and against the ropes. When Strong looked to take things to the mat for a bit of grappling, Takeshita escaped with elbows and went to the outside of the ring, only for Strong to level Takeshita with a dropkick! Strong gave chase on the outside and threw Takeshita into the barricade, but Takeshita reversed a subsequent attempt at further punishment from Strong with a BLUE THUNDER BOMB ON THE BARRICADE as we went to commercial!

Takeshita maintained the advantage throughout the break, and when we returned, The Alpha had Strong locked up in the middle of the ring. Strong fought back, though, and took Takeshita down with a dropkick after Takeshita came off the ropes – a dropkick, Nigel McGuinness noted, that even Okada would be proud of.

Both men were back to their feet and ran the ropes, with Strong getting the upper-hand, culminating in a high-angle suplex. Strong placed Takeshita against the ropes and chopped him twice, then bounced from corner to corner, laying in blows on the chin of Takeshita. Strong got a two-count, then immediately went for the Strong Hold after Takeshita kicked out – but The Alpha made his way to the ropes just as quickly to escape.

Strong charged Takeshita, but The Alpha got a boot up to fend off Roddy, then caught him in another Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count! Both men took a moment to catch their breath as the Nashville crowd chanted, “A-E-Dub! A-E-Dub!”

Takeshita and Strong regained their composure in opposite corners, but Takeshita struck first, running across the ring to plant a big boot right on the button of Strong. Takeshita took Strong to the top turnbuckle and looked as if he were going for a Raging Fire, but Strong escaped and dazed Takeshita with a couple of blows to the head, before snatching Takeshita up off of the top turnbuckle for a backbreaker on the ropes! Strong went for the pin, but Takeshita kicked out! 

Strong went for a vertical suplex on Takeshita, but The Alpha countered, only for Strong to float over the top. Takeshita landed an elbow on Strong’s chin, but Roddy fought back with a couple of kicks and a gutbuster, setting Strong up for an inverted fireman’s carry into another backbreaker! Takeshita rolled through as Strong rebounded off the ropes to continue his offense with an attempted Sick Kick, however, and landed a Chaos Theory suplex for a two-count on the bridge! 

Takeshita got back to his feet with Strong still grounded, crushing Roddy with the Power Drive knee strike, then quickly lifting Strong up for the Raging Fire and the three-count! Konosuke Takeshita is victorious in his opening Continental Classic Blue League match! Another three points for the Don Callis Family!

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