AEW Collision results (8/15): Murphy’s review of Katsuyori Shibata vs. Nigel McGuinness, Kyle O’Reilly vs. Roderick Strong, and Brian Cage vs. Hechicero in Continental Cup tournament matches

By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@DonThePredictor)

AEW Collision (Episode 157)
Taped August 12, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Pearl Theater at Palms Casino
Simulcast August 15, 2026, on TNT and HBO Max

[Hour One] Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Paul Wight checked in on commentary. Schiavone ran down the evening’s lineup. Arkady Aura was the ring announcer and introduced the opening match…

1. Hangman Page, Brody King, and Bandido vs. Jay Lethal, Blake Christian, and Lee Johnson for the AEW Trios Titles. The babyfaces held the early advantage, with offense by Page on Christian. Eventually, the heels got the upper hand and worked over Bandido. Christian dove onto Page on the floor. [C]

Bandido made the hot tag to King, who cleaned house. Down the stretch, there was action in and out of the ring, as the heels got more offense in on King than I would have expected. The finish saw Christian and Johnson go for a double-team move, but Page hit Christian with a Buckshot Lariat. Page and Bandido dove onto Lethal and Christian on the floor as King delivered a sloppy-looking Gonzo Bomb to Johnson for the win.

Hangman Page, Brody King, and Bandido defeated Jay Lethal, Blake Christian, and Lee Johnson in 12:18 to retain the AEW Trios Titles.

After the match, Ricochet came onto the stage and told the champions that if the left one doesn’t get you, the right one will. Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun attacked the champions from behind. They were eventually joined by Ricochet, Christian, Lethal, and Johnson. After the beatdown was complete, Ricochet said that when you’re in demand, you can make demands. Kaun said that “when you don’t follow demands”… Liona finished the line and said, “you get punked out”…

Don’s Take: This was fine with little doubt around the outcome. Before Dynamite, I would have said that the logical path would be a rematch between the champions, Ricochet, Liona, and Kaun at All In. And that still may be the case, but given the segment with Swerve Strickland this past Wednesday, that path may not be as cut and dry as it seems.

Lexy Nair was backstage with Don Callis, Brian Cage, Hechicero, and Lance Archer. Nair asked Callis about dissension in the Callis Family. Callis said that one man’s dissension was another man’s competition. He had Cage and Hechicero shake hands, and Hechicero said he loves the family. Callis told Archer that no one dies tonight… [C]

Lexy Nair was backstage with Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly. Nair asked Cassidy if he was feeling the pressure of the Continental Cup tournament. Cassidy said he was and may have to face Strong or O’Reilly in the next round. O’Reilly said that his relationship with Strong was a roller coaster and wouldn’t change after tonight. Strong said he never treated O’Reilly differently and he won’t tonight. The two wished each other luck…

2. Brian Cage vs. Hechicero in a Continental Cup tournament first-round match. This was back and forth, but Cage held the advantage headed into the break. [C]

Down the stretch, Cage went for the drill claw, but Hechicero blocked and hit a guillotine leg scissor takedown for a near fall. Almost immediately, Hechicero rolled up Cage for the win.

Hechicero defeated Brian Cage in 9:28 to advance in the Continental Cup tournament.

Hechicero and Cage shook hands after the match…

Don’s Take: Man, Brian Cage can’t catch a break. Neither one was going to win the tournament, but for someone of that size not being able to get a win is a bit crazy.

Darby Allin cut a promo outside by a truck. He said that he thought he would have to change to get to the top. Then he met Sting, who told him he didn’t have to change anything. He said Kevin Knight has changed and sees the Don Callis Family as family. Allin said his family was Sting and Sting’s son. He added that the potential he saw in Knight, he now sees in Sting’s son, Steven. He promised Knight he wouldn’t attack him until Wembley Stadium, when he beats him within an inch of his life… [C]

Zachary Wentz, Myron Reed, and Dezmond Xavier cut a weird backstage promo. Wentz and Xavier said that they were continuing the momentum from last week. Reed said he needed a win and wanted to know who booked tonight’s match. Lio Rush entered, and Wentz said it was Rush. Rush rambled nonsensically and repeatedly said, “it’s fine”…

3. AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross vs. Mazzerati and Rachelle Riveter. This was a basic squash, with Kross and Bayne hitting their Divine Intervention, double chokeslam finisher on Mazzerati for the win.

AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross defeated Mazzerati and Rachelle Riveter in 2:21.

After the match, Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor came out and cleared the ring of the champions…

Don’s Take: It’s fine to advance this storyline, especially since Kross and Bayne hold one of the major women’s titles. Unfortunately, I’m just not buying into Hayter and Windsor as serious challengers.

An interview aired “After Dynamite” with Renee Paquette and Zayda Steel. Steel said she was excited for the opportunity. Mercedes Mone entered and said she didn’t know who Steel was. Steel introduced herself and said she looked up to Mone until Mone attacked Willow Nightingale. Steel said she lost all respect for Mone. Mone punched Steel and said she would teach her respect in their match tonight…

4. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Nigel McGuinness in a Continental Cup tournament first-round match. The two shook hands to start. The opening minutes were all about submission-based mat wrestling. McGuinness gained the slight advantage. [C]

[Hour Two] Down the stretch, it was more submission wrestling, with McGuinness working on Shibata’s leg and Shibata trying to choke McGuinness out. In the end, McGuinness fell back while he was in a sleeper by Shibata and flipped over to lock Shibata in a pin for the victory…

Nigel McGuinness defeated Katsuyori Shibata in 12:26 to advance in the Continental Cup tournament.

Don’s Take: This was a nice break from the fast-paced spot fest that we get in most AEW matches. Unless the plan is to have Jon Moxley face his Death Rider teammate, Claudio Castagnoli, in the finals, I would love to see McGuinness get some hometown love at Wembley in the finals against Moxley. I can’t see him winning, but his style stands out from the high-flyers that we typically see.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Will Ospreay. Paquette asked him who his two partners will be on Dynamite against three members of the Don Callis Family. Paquette reminded him that Kenny Omega and members of the Death Riders weren’t options. Ospreay said he would have to have a difficult conversation with his friends in Japan, Francesco Akira and Henare. He said he was a little worried about speaking to Callum Newman but thought that all would be OK. [C]

A video package previewed Adam Copeland and Christian Cage vs. The Young Bucks at All In for the AEW Tag Team Titles…

5. Lio Rush and “The Rascalz” Myron Reed, Trey Miguel, and Zachary Wentz vs. Jeaux Braxton, Ice Williams, Frescomatic, and Watson. Rush dove onto all four opponents to start. This was another squash, with the Rascalz taking turns splashing Frescomatic. Rush tagged in and tapped Frescomatic out with a bridging chin lock.

Lio Rush and “The Rascalz” Myron Reed, Trey Miguel, and Zachary Wentz defeated Jeaux Braxton, Ice Williams, Frescomatic, and Watson in 2:26.

Afterward, Rush and Rascalz crossed paths with Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and MVP, who were heading to the ring for their match…

Don’s Take: I’ve given up on the Rascalz doing anything meaningful in AEW, so this was what it was, even though this was their second win in a row. I still get a kick out of Rush’s character.

6. Shelton Benjamin. Bobby Lashley, Shane Taylor, and Lee Moriarty (w/MVP, Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo, Trish Adora, Christyan XO, Tehuti Miles) vs. Sonico, Juli Montana, RO Montana, and Jake Redondo. Another squash. The Hurt Syndicate took out all four opponents and then left the ring so that Taylor and Moriarty could handle the rest. Taylor hit the Marcus Garvey Driver on Redondo for the pin.

Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, Shane Taylor, and Lee Moriarty defeated Sonico, Willie Montana, RO Montana, and Jake Redondo in 2:11.

Don’s Take: I’ll say it again. I can’t believe that this is what has become of the Hurt Syndicate. I’m willing to let this play out, but they should be so much more.

Tommaso Ciampa spoke about participating in the Casino Gauntlet as All In. He said the stakes couldn’t be higher, as the winner gets a guaranteed shot at the AEW World Title. He said he knows that MJF and Andrade are the first two entrants, and they should pray that he’s not the third one.

7. Mercedes Mone vs. Zayda Steel (w/Christopher Daniels). Steel got in some early offense until Mone gained the advantage. [C] Steel got in several hope spots and a small burst of offense. Mone caught her with a backstabber, followed by a Money Maker into the Statement Maker submission.

Mercedes Mone defeated Zayda Steel in 8:09.

After the match, Mone attacked both Steel and Daniels with her Owen Hart Cup Title belt. Willow Nightingale ran Mone off. Nightingale took the mic and challenged Mone to fight right now. Mone teased entering the ring but left. Nightingale said, “I’m still smiling bitch,” as Mone looked on

Don’s Take: I was high on Steel’s potential, but my opinion apparently isn’t shared. This was fine to add some juice to the AEW Women’s Title match at All In.

Jack Perry was filmed “After Dynamite.” He said the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital because he was bleeding. Perry said he doesn’t have time to bleed and has never been more confident that he can win the AEW World Title. He thanked Jon Moxley for showing him what he needs to do to get there because iron sharpens iron. He said he wanted to face everyone who has been at that level and named Kenny Omega, Samoa Joe, and Hangman Adam Page. Swerve Strickland entered and said that he has beaten everyone that Perry named but hasn’t been able to figure out Moxley yet. He told Perry he wasn’t ready to walk with killers yet. Perry said he thinks he is. Swerve told him to be careful when bringing a knife to a sword fight… [C]

A video package previewed Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Title at All In…

Kenny Omega cut a backstage promo and said that as much as he’d like to see a weakened Will Ospreay at the hands of the Don Callis Family, he doesn’t like bullies. Omega and the Young Bucks will face three members of the Callis Family next week…

Adam Copeland and Christian Cage entered. Omega left. Copeland and Cage wanted to know what happened in Mexico. Matt Jackson said these things happen and that Copeland and Cage are old enough to be their fathers. Cage responded, “Who says I’m not?” Great line. Cage told Copeland to let him know when he’s done trusting the Bucks…

8. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Roderick Strong in a Continental Cup tournament first-round match. The match was even to start and went to the floor. Strong slammed O’Reilly back first on the ringside barricade. [C]

Strong continued the offense. Eventually, O’Reilly recovered, and the two exchanged moves and strikes. In the end, after a series of reversals, O’Reilly took Strong down and wrapped him in a pin for the win.

Kyle O’Reilly defeated Roderick Strong in 12:57 to advance in the Continental Cup tournament.

After the match, O’Reilly offered a handshake, but Strong shoved him to the mat. Strong thought better of it and helped O’Reilly to his feet. The two embraced and were joined on the stage by Orange Cassidy as Collision came to an end…

Don’s Take: While this was the expected outcome, you knew these two were going to put on a heck of a match. You may wonder if this is going to lead to a Strong heel turn and a split-up, but I think they’ve done this before and we’re at the point where the Conglomeration will just be in the mid-card mix with no real change for the foreseeable future.

This was a good episode with more advancement in the Continental Cup and some decent filler content. Hopefully, AEW can come up with another hook for Collision post-All In. As for Dynamite, we’ll see Will Ospreay, Kenare, and Francesco Akira vs. Lance Archer, Rocky Romero, and Brian Cage. Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks will face Mark Davis, Jake Doyle, and El Clon. Renee Paquette will host a sit-down interview with Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay. Finally, we’ll see Maya World defend the TBS Title in a four-way against Kris Statlander, Persephone, and Hikaru Shida.

That’s all for me for tonight. Will Pruett’s review of tonight’s episode will be available for Dot Net Members (including Patreon patrons. And I’ll be back next week with another review. Until then, enjoy wrestling!