Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s coverage of "AEW Collision: Playoff Palooza" on April 26, 2025, coming to you live from the UNO Lakefront Front Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana!
On "Dynamite", a returning Queen Aminata answered "Timeless" Toni Storm's open challenge for an Eliminator match. If Aminata wins, she will receive a future title shot. In other women returning news, Anna Jay will make her AEW 2025 debut. While she represented AEW at a New Japan show in January, she hasn't been on AEW programming since December when she faced Mercedes Mon for the TBS Championship.
In their ongoing feud, Cru and Top Flight will continue their story in a Tornado Tag Match. Their last match was a Trios match involving Nick Wayne and AR Fox, respectively.Tonight, Fox will take on RUSH. Another member of Los Faccin Ingobernables will be in action when Dralistico challenges Bandido for the ROH World Championship.
Swerve Strickland will take on Blake Christian. Max Caster still hasn't won one of his Open Challenge matches, but that isn't stopping him from having one tonight.
FTR was suspended for a week after brutally attacking Daniel Garcia and 2point0 and attempting to attack Tony Schiavone. On Wednesday, they returned with a new manager: Stokely Hathaway. FTR attacked the Rock 'N Roll Express until Paragon stopped them. Tonight, FTR and Paragon (Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly) will face off.
Swerve comes to the ring with a mic, but before he could say a word, the Young Bucks came out. Nicholas asked for "respect for your founding fathers." Matthew says they pulled some strings to get his match moved to right now, even though Swerve is in street clothes.
Blake Christian is accompanied by "Big Shotty" Lee Johnson. The Bucks asked for chairs so they can watch from the ramp. Swerve caught a running Christian and spun him around, but Christian got out of it. Swerve responded with a back elbow. Christian distracted the ref while Johnson grabbed Swerve's ankle. Christian laid in blows and stomped him in the corner.
Swerve sent Chrisitian into the opposite corner, but Christian moved and delivered a shotgun dropkick to the back of Swerve's head while the Bucks celebrated. Swerve went for a full nelson, but Christian backed him into the turnbuckle. Swerve and Christian chased each other across the ring until Christian connected with a dropkick. Swerve went to the outside and Christian took him down with a dive. He slung Swerve into the barricades while the Bucks clapped. Swerve grabbed Christian's nose from behind and sent him into the barricade. Christian sent him into the steps. They battled on the apron. Christian went for a spear, but his legs got tangled on the rope and Swerve caught him with a neckbreaker over the middle rope. Swerve jumped off the apron and hit Christian in the back. Swerve slammed Christian, but Christian rolled through a second one. Christian with a neckbreaker of his own. He went up top, but Swerve rolled out of the way and did a Jumping House Call. He followed with a flipping powerbomb.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
After the match, Swerve stared down the Bucks and told them to come to the ring. As Matthew approached, Johnson attacked Swerve from behind. Swerve took him down and sent him out of the ring. Nicholas hit Swerve from behind and the Bucks double teamed him and hit the EVP Trigger. Nicholas mocked Swerve by doing his dance. Matthew was setting up for the Tony Khan Driver when Nana attempted to stop him. Matthew kicked him away when Kenny Omega's music hit. The Bucks attacked Omega, but he fought them off. He hit two snapdragons on Nicholas. Tony Schiavone announced an 8-man match for "Dynamite" with Omega, Mark Briscoe, Speedball Bailey, and Kevin Knight taking on the Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Ricochet.
