Browsing: Death

Daniel Naroditsky (Kelly Centrelli/Charlotte Chess Center via AP) Daniel Naroditsky, a prominent American chess grandmaster and instructor, has passed away at the age of 29. The Charlotte Chess Center announced his death on October 20, 2025, with the cause remaining undisclosed.Naroditsky, a Stanford graduate, achieved remarkable success in the chess world, becoming a grandmaster at 17. His most recent accomplishment was winning the US National Blitz Championship.”Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world,” his family said in a statement shared by the Charlotte Chess Center. “Let us remember Daniel for his passion and love for the game of chess, and for the joy and inspiration he brought to us all every day.”Days before his death, Naroditsky posted a video on his YouTube channel titled “You Thought I Was Gone!?” This was his first video in three months.In the video, Naroditsky explained his return after taking a creative break from streaming. He demonstrated live chess matches from his home studio while explaining his moves to viewers.The circumstances surrounding his death have sparked discussions within the chess community. Some fans have reported observing unusual behaviour during his final livestream.Several viewers noted concerning behaviour during his last stream, with one Reddit user describing trembling jaw movements, wide eyes, and occasional incoherent speech, including switching to Russian.Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik has raised questions about the death on his X profile. “What exactly happened? I received this two days ago from a friend who’s a chess fan, and I did what I could to warn people urgently through my posts,” Kramnik wrote. “To those who prefer blaming and shaming instead of helping: awful tragedy. I hope it is properly investigated.”Naroditsky achieved grandmaster status, chess’s highest rank, at age 17 and authored multiple books about the sport. In 2019, he began teaching chess on YouTube under the name Danya, helping introduce the game to a broader audience.Born in San Mateo, California, Naroditsky’s chess journey began at age six when his father taught him the game. He went on to win the World Youth Chess Championship in the under-12 category before earning his grandmaster title.Throughout his career, Naroditsky made significant contributions to chess education and commentary. His online presence and teaching methods helped make chess more accessible to new players.

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WWE.com

Brian Pillman was one of the most unique acts in WWE when he sadly died after a heart attack caused by previously undetected heart disease. Following his passing, WWE had a controversial interview segment between Vince McMahon and Pillman’s widow, Melanie, that was aired on television, which many felt was awfully distasteful at the time. However, according to John Bradshaw Layfield, there was method to McMahon’s madness at the time.

“I don’t see how you can possibly say no to this,” JBL said during an episode of “Something To Wrestle” after it was brought up that Melanie had requested to do the interview about her husband. “You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. If you don’t put her on there, and years later you find out the widow wanted to come on, why didn’t you have her on? Because she wasn’t a draw? People are gonna bash Vince for that.”

“There’s no right answer to this. Vince is a standup guy, and he was willing to sa,y ‘Okay, I did it, I made the decision. If you want to shoot arrows at somebody, shoot them at me.’ And a lot of people did,” JBL added, noting that if he were actually in McMahon’s position at that time, he would’ve also done the same thing that the then-WWE Chairman did. “Are you gonna tell the family themselves, ‘We don’t want you to do a eulogy on television’? Then you’re gonna look like the biggest jerk in the world!”

JBL claims he had a feeling that Brian Pillman was dead before the news of his passing broke

WWE.com

John Bradshaw Layfield also claimed that he was actually with Pillman the night before he passed away. “Brian and I were pretty good friends – I’d say good friends – and I’d always joked with him about something, a little personal joke, and he always kinda laughed and snickered at it,” he recalled, noting that the night before, he joked with Pillman again but the late wrestler snapped at him for the first time. “At the time I thought: that’s strange, that’s not like Brian? Brian was a really nice guy.”

Additionally, JBL told a story about a night between him and Pillman when the two were drinking where he found out that his friend was in a lot of pain all the time. “I said ‘Are you in pain?’ he goes, ‘Every step I take, every step I take hurts.’ He was in a tremendous amount of pain,” he recalled. “Later he didn’t make the show in Saint Louis, and I remember thinking right away back to the fact that it was different that he snapped at me and thinking ‘I don’t think Brian’s with us anymore.'”

JBL further claimed that he was saddened by the news of Pillman’s passing but not surprised, as he knew the late wrestler was a professional and wouldn’t no-show an event.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Something To Wrestle” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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  Michael RothsteinOct 14, 2025, 04:54 PM ET

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  Michael Rothstein, based in Atlanta, is a reporter on ESPN’s investigative and enterprise team. You can follow him via Twitter @MikeRothstein.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Questions surrounding the Los Angeles Angels’ culpability in the overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs in 2019 sat at the center of opening statements in the long-awaited wrongful death civil trial Tuesday.

Shawn Holley, the attorney delivering the plaintiff’s opening statement, blamed the Angels for Skaggs’ death and said the franchise put him “directly in harm’s way” because of Eric Kay’s continued employment. Kay, a former communication director for the Angels, was convicted in 2022 of providing the fentanyl-laced oxycodone pill that killed Skaggs. He is serving 22 years in prison.

The Angels’ attorney, Todd Theodora, insisted the team was not aware of Skaggs’ drug issues or that Kay had been providing Skaggs with pills. Instead, Theodora argued Skaggs died due “to his reckless decision to mix large amounts of alcohol with narcotics on the night he died.”

“Angels Baseball did not kill Tyler Skaggs, and Angels Baseball only wishes that he could have come forward and told us about his struggles,” Theodora said. “Told us about his challenges with drugs and we could have helped him.”

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Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and his mother sat in the courtroom behind their team of attorneys, led by Rusty Hardin. Carli Skaggs and the parents of Tyler Skaggs filed suit against the Angels in 2021. Holley said in her opening statement they are seeking $118 million for Tyler Skaggs’ estimated loss of earnings as well as damages for the Skaggs family’s suffering and punitive damage against the Angels.

Angels owner Arte Moreno sat in the first row of the gallery behind the Angels’ attorneys, next to team president John Carpino. Moreno stared mostly straight ahead during both opening statements, occasionally glancing at both attorneys.

Attorneys for the Angels and the Skaggs family presented vastly differing opening statements about the arguments of facts in the case and what the evidence would show the jury.

“If you just wanted to go out and look at two different people at the same accident scene and get 180-degree different views,” Hardin said as he left the courtroom, “today was the day.”

Holley gave a 52-minute opening statement in which she put the blame of Skaggs’ death clearly on the Angels. Theodora, the lead attorney for the Angels, gave a 58-minute opening statement focused on the argument the Angels were not aware of Skaggs’ illicit drug usage, they were unaware Kay had provided pills to Skaggs and that Skaggs made a “reckless decision” leading to his death.

Holley listed multiple times the Angels were made aware of Kay’s drug issues dating to 2013. That included stints in rehabilitation and showing up “high, very high” to work. Holley said jurors would hear testimony about an Angels clubhouse employee witnessing Kay snorting lines in the clubhouse kitchen in 2016 and a 2017 intervention when Angels public relations head Tim Mead showed up to Kay’s home, seeing pills in individual baggies.

“That sort of packaging was indicative of selling drugs,” Holley said. “…The Angels now knew.”

Holley said testimony would show Kay’s addiction being “on full display” in 2018, including at work for the Angels, and how in 2019 the Angels’ human resources department asked Kay to see an addiction specialist. Less than two months after returning to work, Kay was on the trip to Texas with Skaggs and the Angels when Kay provided the fentanyl-laced pill to Skaggs.

“It was a tragedy,” Holley said, “… that could have been prevented by the Angels.”

Angels players placed their jerseys with No. 45 in honor of pitcher Tyler Skaggs on the mound after a combined no-hitter two weeks after his death in 2019. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Holley argued the Angels ignored the team’s drug policies when it came to Kay while also pointing out other employees who were suspended or dismissed when drug or alcohol usage was discovered. Theodora said the franchise was aware of Kay’s bipolar diagnosis and a family history with mental illness. Theodora said the Angels offered him help to manage the diagnosis and any medication issues that arose from it.

Theodora said Kay “was the best we’ve ever seen him” following his outpatient treatment and that there was no reason to terminate him because Kay’s treatment was tied to prescription medication. As part of his opening, Theodora showed photos of the desk in Skaggs’ hotel room the night he died, including a magenta room key with drug remnants on it and a snorting straw used for the oxycodone and fentanyl.

Theodora also presented the autopsy report showing the levels of oxycodone, fentanyl and alcohol in Skaggs’ system.

“Really, this is a simple case,” Theodora said. “Tyler, and Tyler alone, decided to obtain the illicit pills and take the illicit drugs along with the alcohol the night he died.”

Theodora said multiple times the Angels wished Skaggs had told them about any drug issues because “we could have helped him.” He also said the Angels suspended and ultimately fired Kay after learning he had been in Skaggs’ hotel room on the night of his death.

Theodora said their evidence would prove Skaggs used illicit drugs when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks before joining the Angels and that multiple former Angels players (including Matt Harvey) and current players (including star outfielder Mike Trout) would either testify or have testimony read about Kay or Skaggs.

The oxycodone was not prescribed to Skaggs, Theodora said, and the fentanyl was a “counterfeit” pill, which was provided by Kay. Theodora said the amounts of oxycodone and fentanyl were in therapeutic ranges but that the addition of alcohol — 11 to 13 drinks — created a lethal combination.

“It was the mixture,” Theodora said, “of this much alcohol with this much oxycodone with this much fentanyl that caused Tyler’s death.”

The case, which is expected to take six weeks, will continue Wednesday morning with the anticipated testimony of Mead, the first of the trial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Everybody knew entering the season the top end of the Central Division was loaded. A few games into the schedule, though, itâ€s hard to spot a soft touch anywhere in the group.

Alternatively, it also feels like you canâ€t swing a Sherwood without whacking one of the numerous superstars or burgeoning superstars in the division.

The Colorado Avalanche won 3-1 in Buffalo on a holiday Monday and donâ€t have a 60-minute loss in four outings this season. The Winnipeg Jets do have one ‘L,†but are also now 2-1-0 after a Monday victory on Long Island. The Dallas Stars, meanwhile, account for the only blemishes on both Winnipegâ€s and Coloradoâ€s records, as the Stars are 2-0-0 with road wins over their chief division rivals.

Minnesota and St. Louis — the fourth and fifth teams the Central sent to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring — both also got victories on Monday and have decent 2-1-0 starts going.

Those squads being good is nothing new. Itâ€s at the bottom of the division, though, where things might be tightening up. The Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators not only finished in the Centralâ€s basement last season, they had the second- and third-worst goal differentials in the entire league (Chicago was No. 31 at minus-70 and Nashville was only slightly better, at minus-60).

Nashville spoiled Ottawaâ€s home opener on Monday with a 4-1 win and the Preds, who certainly had some bounce-back potential after last seasonâ€s miserable showing, are off to a 2-0-1 start. Meanwhile, in Mondayâ€s only all-Central affair, the young Blackhawks topped Utah 3-1. The victory marked Chicagoâ€s first ‘W†of the season, but all three losses were by just a single goal. As for Utah, the Mammoth have played only Central rivals this year — all as the visitor — and have a respectable 1-2-0 mark with a tight 2-1 loss in Colorado and a 3-2 OTW in Nashville in the mix.

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Now glance at the top of the NHL scoring charts and ask yourself if anything but the Central could be called the leagueâ€s “Group of Death.” Coloradoâ€s Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas lead the way with eight points, followed closely by the seven both Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy of the Wild have in one fewer contest. Right behind Minnyâ€s guys sits Mark Scheifele, whoâ€s just over here putting up 3-3-6 in three outings on his way to another boring point-per-game year as a six-foot-three centre. Scheifeleâ€s runningmate in Winnipeg, of course, is Kyle Connor, who has five points in three outings.

Truly, MacKinnon-Necas, Kaprizov-Boldy and Scheifele-Connor probably represent three of the best, what, half-dozen duos in the NHL? And we havenâ€t even mentioned the reigning league MVP and back-to-back Vezina winner, Connor Hellebuyck, or last yearâ€s top defenceman, superfreak Cale Makar.

Last season, the best team after Februaryâ€s 4 Nations Face-Off was the Blues and their top centre, Robert Thomas, was the most productive player in the league to close out the year. On Monday, St. Louis freshman Jimmy Snuggerud popped his first two goals of the year to give himself three points on the season.

One of the biggest off-season trades involved Utah acquiring young sniper JJ Peterka from Buffalo and heâ€s already on the board with a goal against the Blackhawks, the first of many heâ€s going to net for the Mammoth. In Minnesota, Zeev Buium (more on him in a minute) is showing why he was such a heralded prospect, just as his fellow Wild defenceman Brock Faber was a very short time ago.

There may still be a long road back to contention in Chicago, but weâ€re seeing early good signs from Connor Bedard, who has two goals, and a fantastic start for sophomore Frank Nazar, who has five points in as many outings with the Hawks.

With young studs and established megastars alike, the Central could be at the centre of NHL conversations for a long time to come.

• Itâ€s impossible not to be struck by the start Matthew Schaefer has had to his NHL career. The 2025 first-overall pick has picked up a point in each of his first three games, giving him a 1-2-3 line in his earliest days as an Islander. Perhaps more impressively, the defenceman who turned 18 barely a month ago is leading the team in ice time per game with an average of 23:18. In fact, Schaefer played over 26 minutes both on Saturday versus the Caps and Monday versus the Jets, and thatâ€s despite neither game going past three periods.

As it happens, Schaefer isnâ€t the only rookie teenager looking like he belongs in the worldâ€s best league right now. Beckett Senneke, the third-overall selection in 2024, scored for the second time in as many games on Saturday during Anaheimâ€s wild 7-6 overtime win in San Jose. The 19-year-old has been skating as a winger on the top line with Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier. A late bloomer in major junior, the six-foot-three Sennecke has good size and loads of skill.

Meanwhile, Zeev Buium has been living up to the hype early on in Minnesota. The 19-year-old defenceman who dazzled in the NCAA the past couple years had three points in two weekend games, netting his first NHL goal and assist in a 7-4 loss to Columbus on Saturday, before tacking on another helper in Mondayâ€s 4-3 shootout victory over the Kings.

• Though he had a career-best 31-goal season last season, Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko closed the schedule by going nine games without a goal as Columbus made a push for the playoffs that ultimately came up short. Well, Marchenko isnâ€t fooling around to start this season, netting a hat trick on Saturday in Minnesota, before chipping in another tally during Mondayâ€s 3-2 loss versus the Devils.Â

With four goals in the bank already, itâ€s easy to wonder if this talented 25-year-old can push up toward 40 this year in Ohio.

Red and white power rankings

1. Edmonton Oilers (1-0-1)The Oilers get a tough test right out of the gate with seven of their next eight games on the road, beginning Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden versus the Rangers.

2. Winnipeg Jets (2-1-0)It was nice to see Jonathan Toews pick up his first point as a Jet — and first in the NHL since April 13, 2023 — with an assist on Nino Niederreiterâ€s PPG on Long Island during a 5-2 triumph over the Isles.

3. Montreal Canadiens (2-1-0)ÂThe season began with an extension for Lane Hutson looking light a real long shot. Now, the Canadiens will play their home-opener Tuesday night knowing the dynamic, second-year defenceman will be in their midst — at a friendly $8.85-million cap hit — for the next decade after he inked an eight-year contract on Monday.Â

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (1-2-0)Now that Easton Cowan has debuted in the NHL, it looks like the young man might get a good run beside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line.

5. Ottawa Senators (1-2-0)ÂThereâ€s obvious concern over the health of Brady Tkachuk after the Ottawa captain left Mondayâ€s home opener following a cross-check from behind at the hands of Preds captain Roman Josi.Â

6. Vancouver Canucks (1-2-0)ÂThings only get tougher for the Canucks from here, with a five-game roadie beginning Thursday in Dallas.Â

7. Calgary Flames (1-2-0)ÂIt came in a loss, but Matt Coronatoâ€s two-goal game in Calgaryâ€s home opener on Saturday was a good sign the third-year NHLer is ready to build on last yearâ€s 24-goal showing.Â

• The NHLâ€s Board of Governors meet Tuesday in New York.

On the ice, Nikita Kucherov could hit a lofty benchmark with a big night in D.C. The Bolts scoring whiz needs four points to hit 1,000 for his spectacular career. After that, heâ€ll be only 137 behind Steven Stamkos for the all-time franchise lead.

Could you imagine if Alex Ovechkin potted goal No. 900 — heâ€s three shy — on the same night his countryman hit 1,000 points?

• Two teams — the Sabres and Islanders — have played three games this season without earning a single point. Buffalo will try to change that on Wednesday when it hosts old friend Dylan Cozens and the Senators, while New York will try to get the better of the Oilers the next night on Long Island.

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AEW/Lee South

2019 was a pivotal year for “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry both professionally and personally. On the professional front, Jack was one of the first people to sign for All Elite Wrestling and was immediately positioned as one of the brightest young stars the company had to offer. However, he was going through a very dark time on a personal level as his father, acclaimed actor Luke Perry, suffered two strokes and tragically passed away on March 4 at the age of 52. Luke never got to see his son wrestle on national television, but he can take solace in that Jack revealed in a recent interview with TVInsider that AEW helped him through such a turbulent time in his life.

“I felt very lucky I had something I could pour my entire self into. I was already obsessed with wrestling before that happened, but when it happened, it was right at the same time AEW was taking off. It was like my childhood dream was coming true. It just gave me something I could escape into and at all times work towards being better at. Whether that was wrestling or just being in the gym, it gave me a place I could go and occupy my mind with. I felt very grateful for that because not a lot of people have that. It ended up being a very good support system as well. I had some friends already and met some of the best friends I have now. I just feel it was a real positive thing for me, especially during that time of my life.”

Jack noted that signing for AEW and having his dad pass away was the best and worst thing to ever happen to him taking place at the same time, but that he is grateful to all the people who supported him during AEW’s formative days, and he is excited to see what the future has in store for him.

Please credit the original source when using quotes from this article, and thanks to TVInsider for the transcription.

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A popular WWE star has shared her honest thoughts on her former AEW character.

Last year, in 2024, Mariah May made her All Elite Wrestling debut following a successful Stardom stint in Japan. Soon enough, she climbed the success ladder and became a top name in the promotion.

After spending almost a year there and winning the Women’s Championship, May made her way into WWE NXT with a brand new character, Blake Monroe. Recently appearing with Bully Ray on Busted Open Radio, the English star shared her honest thoughts on keeping the name ‘Mariah May’ when joining WWE.

“No. If youâ€re familiar with my prior name, I feel like it was the end of a story, and I cherish that. Itâ€s kind of cool that she died and thatâ€s done. Mariah is my real name, and I wish Ihad never used that in wrestling because itâ€s weird. I did it and canâ€t change it. The chance to start something new, and with WWE, weâ€re going to make this new thing and make it a megastar. Week by week, we do that. I love it, and itâ€s a tribute to my niece.

“My niece is Blake. We used to watch WWE together and sheâ€d jump on the bed and be so excited. When they said, ‘How would you feel about the name? Would you be open to changing it?†I said, ‘I absolutely would.†Monroe was the first wrestling name I ever wrote down. I still have it in a book and a screenshot from 2017. I didnâ€t start wrestling until 2020. I wanted to do Monroe as a first name. The more I thought about it, people donâ€t like the name because they think itâ€s boyish, but thatâ€s why I like the name.

I feel if youâ€re in a really intense feud, itâ€s like, ‘Monroe,†while ‘Blake†is more serious. Blake is my niece and itâ€s unisex, and Monroe is so pretty, but a little gimmicky. I thought putting the two together was different. The name was a little controversial, which I like because people are talking about me.â€

H/t Fightful

The 27-year-old was known as Mariah May in both AEW and Stardom, and now cherishes the fact that the character ‘Mariah May’ has died and she has successfully moved on to Blake Monroe.

Blake Monroe Never Considered Joining WWE After AEW Exit

In the same interview with Bully Ray on the Busted Open Radio, Monroe revealed that WWE was never her immediate choice after leaving All Elite Wrestling.

“I had a fantastic experience and I did things that Iâ€m so proud of and cherish. I had a really short contract and when it came to an end, there were positives and negatives. It got to the point in wrestling where, I did have an amazing story, but that was the one thing. I didnâ€t have much else. I just thought, ‘Is this everything I want?â€

I also considered going to Japan, which nobody knows. Itâ€s something I talked to them about. When my deal was up, people were like, ‘Just talk to WWE and see.†I wasnâ€t considering it. Thatâ€s not an insult to WWE. I always just try to focus on one thing at a time and I just hadnâ€t considered it. When I talked to them and they cared so much about The Glamour and all these different things.

I was like, ‘Okay, now I do have a big choice to make.†I sat and thought about it. It was a really tough decision. It just came down to, I did everything I needed to do. I feel like I told a great story, and I made people feel something, and itâ€s time to close that chapter and start a new one.

Getting a new name and a whole new experience. There are so many women here. Womenâ€s wrestling is very important in WWE. As a woman, thatâ€s something I want to be a part of. All these different matches and possibilities, to me, it was a great deal. It was a challenge, and I want a challenge.â€

In other news: Bayley sent an unexpected message to Mustafa Ali after NXT vs TNA Showdown.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

AEW COLLISION REPORT
OCTOBER 4, 2025 (Recorded 10/2)
LAKELAND, FLA. AT RP FUNDING CENTER
AIRED ON TBS & MAX
REPORT BY JOSHUA WHITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuiness

Ring Announcer: Arkady Aura

Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 2,256 tickets had been distributed; the arena was set up for 2,371.

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

[HOUR ONE]

-Stokely started the cold open by proclaiming to expose Kevin Knight as a fraud. Speedball and Willow hyped up Kevin Knight, who said “the Jet is too fly.†Sammy Guevera and Rush called out Eddie Kingston. Kingston seemed annoyed having to record a promo, but still said heâ€d kick Sammyâ€s ass. Anna Jay told Jamie Hayter she was going give her everything sheâ€s got. Kyle Oâ€Reilly and Roderick Strong were with Orange Cassidy and excited to get their hands on the Don Callis Family. Pac wandered into frame and told Orange Cassidy that itâ€s been six months and heâ€s going to take out the frustration on Orange. Cassidy accepted his challenge for Tuesdayâ€s Dynamite.

-Schiavone welcomed everyone to the show as Elton John played throughout of the arena. He and Nigel ran down the nightâ€s card before the Death Riderâ€s music played.

(1) THE DEATH RIDERS (Jon Moxley & Daniel Garcia & Claudio Castagnoli w/ Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta) vs. ADAM PRIEST & “DYNAMITE KID†TOMMY BILLINGTON & JAY LETHAL

Jon Moxley walked through the backstage area before being joined by Marina, Yuta, Claudio, and Daniel Garcia. The group made their way to the ring as Matt Menard joined the commentary team. Billington and Priest entered as a team before being joined by Jay Lethal.

As they got in the ring, the Death Riders immediately attacked, and the bell rang to mark the start of the match at eight minutes into the hour. Lethal hit a dropkick on Moxley and dove out of the ring onto Claudio. Billington got the tag and took Garcia down with a monkey flip.

Garcia ducked Billington and backdropped him to the floor. Moxley tagged and followed Billington to ringside where he delivered a snap suplex onto the floor. Moxley tossed Billington onto the apron and delivered some clubbing blows before tagging Garcia in. Garcia hit a chop in the corner and Claudio followed it up with a running European uppercut.

Moxley tagged back in and continued to beat Billington into the corner. Moxley went for a suplex, but Billington flipped out of it and made the tag to Priest. Priest entered and beat Moxley into the corner. But Moxley fired out of the corner with a forearm that rocked Priest. Priest dodged a boot in the corner and delivered ten punches on the turnbuckle.

Priest threw Moxley out of the ring, got a running start, and dove through the ropes. But Claudio caught Priest in midair, pressed him over his head and slammed him into the barricade as they went to break. [c]

Back from break, Moxley bit into Priestâ€s head as he tried to escape a submission. Lethal ran in and rocked him with a right hand. In turn, Claudio ran in and knocked Lethal off of the apron. Garcia entered and dropped Priest with a back elbow. Garcia pushed Priest into the corner and delivered ten count punches. He teased doing his dance to a chorus of boos.

Claudio tagged in and beat Priest down into the corner. Priest attempted to come back with a sunset flip, but Claudio was too strong and lifted him out, tossing Priest back into the corner. Claudio charged into the corner, but Priest dodged. Garcia tagged in and Priest hit him with an enziguri, allowing him to make the tag to Billington.

Billington took Garcia down with a pair of arm drags, two clotheslines and a scoop slam. Garcia struggled to his feet as Billington climbed to the top rope. Billington connected with a shotgun dropkick from the top rope. Billington hit a snap sulked and went back to the top riope. Billington connected with the flying headbutt and went for the pin, but Garcia kicked out at two. Garcia and Billington both went for a crossbody and crashed into each other.

They crawled to their corners and tagged in Lethal and Moxley. Lethal went for a figure four but Moxley escaped immediately. Lethal hit the Lethal Combination backbreaker-into-flatliner. Lethal climbed to the top rope and went for the flying elbow drop, but Moxley caught him in a grounded choke.

Lethal struggled out as Garcia tagged in. Lethal went for the Lethal Injection, but Moxley shoved Garcia out of the way and caught Lethal with a cutter. Garcia followed up by locking Lethal in the Dragontamer. Lethal tried to crawl to the ropes, but Moxley hit him with a running stomp, ramming him face first into the mat as Garcia sat back into the hold. The ref called for the bell as Lethal was apparently unconscious.

WINNERS: The Death Riders in 11:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: This is almost a carbon copy of the opening match from last weekâ€s Collision. It was fine, nothing spectacular, further cementing Garciaâ€s position in the Death Riders.)

After the match, Matt Menard got into Garciaâ€s face asking, “is this who you are?†Garcia took a microphone and told Menard that he was like a brother to him, but hanging out with him made him into a loser. He said heâ€s hanging out with winners now, and heâ€ll be a winner too. He went on to say that heâ€d end up like Nigel if he continued to hang out with Menard.

-They went to a video package of the main event from Dynamite that leads into the Moxley vs Darby match and Toni Storm vs Statlander match. [c]

-They returned from commercial with Renee backstage with Nick Wayne and company. She asked how Nick was feeling. He said heâ€ll be back in no time, as the doctor looked at his foot. The doctor told him itâ€d be another six to eight weeks. Kip and Mother Wayne yelled at the doctor. Wayne said heâ€ll be back sooner and limped off. Kip said heâ€s got tigerâ€s blood as Mother Wayne shook her head at the doctor.

(2) ANNA JAY vs. JAMIE HAYTER

Anna Jayâ€s music played to bring her to the ring. Jamie Hayter entered to a better crowd response. The bell rang to start the match 28 minutes into the hour. They locked up and Hayter powered Anna into the ropes before breaking the hold.

They locked up again, this time Anna pushed Hayter back before the break. They locked up a third time and Hayter brought Anna down with a side headlock takeover. Anna powered out and shot Hayter off the ropes. Hayter dropped Anna with a shoulder tackle. Anna came back with a shoulder tackle of her own.

Hayter attempted a hip toss, but Anna blocked it and connected with a back kick to the head. Anna followed with a snap suplex into the pin for a two count. Anna slammed Jamie face first into the corner. She walked to the other corner and tried again, but Hayter blocked it and rammed Annaâ€s face into the turnbuckle repeatedly.

Hayter got a running start and charged, but Anna caught her with a flatliner out of nowhere. Anna made the cover, but Hayter kicked out at two. Anna whipped Hayter into the ropes and charged in after her, but Hayter popped her up and dropped her across the top rope. Anna clutched her ribs as they went to commercial. [c]

Back from break, Anna elbowed her way out of a headlock. Hayter and Anna traded strikes in the center of the ring. Anna hit a flurry of forearms and ducked a pair of clothesline attempts before connecting with a flying forearm. Anna hit a spin kick in the corner, followed by a snapmare into a running low kick. Anna made the cover, but Hayter kicked out at two.

Anna locked Hayter into the Queen Slayer submission. Hayter tried to fight out and they both fell to the mat. Hayter rolled through and put Anna into pinning position to break the hold. Hayter landed a dropkick from the top rope and then a second running dropkick that knocked Anna into the corner.

Hayter hit a clothesline in the corner followed by a backdrop suplex and went for the pin, but Anna kicked out at two. Hayter seemed frustrated, mounted Anna and pummeled her. Hayter set up for the Hayterade clothesline, but Anna ducked it and went for a backslide, but Hayter countered it into a backslide that got a two count.

Hayter hit a low dropkick on Anna and went for the pin, but Anna kicked out at two. Hayter lifted Anna onto her back, but Anna slipped out and drilled Hayter with a DDT. Anna climbed to the middle rope as Hayter got to her feet. Anna hit her with a blockbuster and went for the pin, but Hayter kicked out at two.

Anna went back for the Queen Slayer, but Hayter blocked it with her strength. She pried Annaâ€s hands off of her, held onto her wrist and pulled her back into the Hayterade. Hayter made the cover and got the victory.

WINNER: Jamie Hayter in 10:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Clunky in spots, but not bad. Even though Anna has improved sheâ€s still got some work to do. Meanwhile, Hayter has yet to get into a good groove since returning from injury.)

-After the match, Anna was bleeding from her nose as Hayter helped her to her feet.

-Lexy was backstage with Max Caster and congratulated him on his first win of the year. Big Bill stepped in and told Caster that heâ€d have no chance without Bowens. Bowens walked into the frame to agree. He was holding several framed magazines that feature him on the cover. Bill and Bryan Keith challenged Bowens and Caster to a match next week. They accepted but clarified that they are not “The Acclaimed.†[c]

(3) LA FACCION INGOBERNABLES (Sammy Guevara & Rush w/Dralistico) SHAYNE STETSON & CHA CHA CHARLIE

LFI made their entrance as their opponents were waiting in the ring. The bell rang to start the match with Sammy and Cha Cha 48 minutes into the hour. Cha Cha danced for a moment, so Sammy tagged in Rush.

Rush charged and dropped Cha Cha. He knocked Stetson off of the apron and followed him to the floor where he repeatedly rammed him into the barricade. Rush reentered the ring and beat Cha Cha down into the corner. Rush stomped him down before getting a running start and connecting with the Bullâ€s Horns.

Rush made the cover but purposefully broke the pin before the count of three. Rush tagged in Sammy, who connected with a swanton bomb from the top rope. Sammy made the cover and got the win.

WINNER: LFI in 2:00

(4) EDDIE KINGSTON (w/Hook) vs. DRALISTICO (w/Sammy Guevara and Rush)

-After that match, Eddie Kingstonâ€s music played. Eddie entered with Hook. Officials came out to prevent the two groups from clashing. The crowd chanted “Eddie†as the bell rang to start the match 50 minutes into the hour.

Dralistico took Eddie down with an armdrag. Sammy Guevara was on commentary and clapped for Dralistico. Eddie took Dralistico down with a pair of clunky arm drags. Dralistico seemed upset and walked around outside of the ring.

Dralistico got back in the ring where Eddie landed a pair of chops. Dralistico came back with a roundhouse that took Eddie down. Dralistico attacked Eddie as he crawled onto the apron and they went to commercial. [c]

Back from commercial, Eddie hit a hard chop, but Dralistico came back with an enziguri. Dralistico hit an overhand chop on Eddie in the corner and followed it up with a running dropkick to Eddieâ€s leg. Dralistico capitalized with a running low dropkick to Eddieâ€s face. Dralistico made the cover, but Eddie kicked out at two.

Dralistico went for a springboard move, but Eddie ducked him and then dropped him with a back leg trip. Eddie told Dralistico to bring it, and he did with a hard forearm that rocked Eddie. Dralistico connected with a springboard into a codebreaker. Eddie rolled out of the ring. Sammy took off the headset and went after Eddie, but Hook showed up to keep him off.

Dralistico threw Eddie back into the ring and got in Hookâ€s face. Back in the ring, Dralistico went for a suplex, but Eddie countered it into a rollup. Dralistico kicked out at two. Dralistico went for a spinning kick, but Eddie ducked it and then connected with a spinning back fist. Eddie made the dover and got the three count.

WINNER: Eddie Kingston in 8:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Eddieâ€s return has been kinda rough so far. Going fifty-fifty with Dralistico isnâ€t going to help. I like him with Hook, in theory, but he needs a feud to dig into where he can cut an impassioned promo.)

-The showed a replay of Andrade returning to attack Kenny Omega on Dynamite and subsequently joining the Callis Family along with the Hologram clone, El Clon.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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[HOUR TWO]

(5) MXM TV (Johnny TV & Mason Madden & Mansoor w/Taya Valkyrie) vs. THE DON CALLIS FAMILY (Konosuke Takeshita & Josh Alexander & Kyle Fletcher w/ El Clon)

MxM and Johnny TV entered along with Tya Valkyrie. They struck a pose in the center of the ring before Mansoor took a microphone and told everyone to shut up so he could make an important announcement. That announcement was a casting call, which is apparently an open challenger. They seemed upset when Takeshitaâ€s music played. Takeshita entered by himself before Kyle Fletcherâ€s music played to bring out Josh Alexander, El Clon, and Fletcher himself.

The bell rang to start the match with Takeshita and Johnny TV to start three minutes into the hour. Takeshita chased Johnny, who escaped and connected with a gamengiri from the apron. He flipped into the ring and Takeshita dropped him with a stiff forearm. Johnny slipped out of a scoop slam.

Mansoor hit Takeshita from the apron, and Takeshita turned and knocked him off the apron. Takeshita backdropped Johnny over the top rope onto him. Alexander brought him back into the ring and hit a powerslam.

Madden tried to chokeslam Fletcher and Takeshtia, but they escaped and hit a double forearm. Madden hit the ropes and dropped Fletcher and Takeshita with a double clothesline. MxM and Johnny posed as the Callis Family snuck up behind them. They hit German suplexes on Mansoor and Johnny but needed all three men to suplex Madden.

Takeshita and Alexander clotheslined Madden over the top rope and then Fletcher hit him with a suicide dive. In the ring, Takeshita hit Johnny with a blue thunder bomb. Mansoor took Takeshita down with a running kick. Mansoor went to the top rope, but Fletcher met him up there and brought him down with a back superplex.

Takeshita hit Mansoor with a wheelbarrow into German suplex. Alexander followed it up with a package piledriver and handed him over to Fletcher who planted him with the sheer drop brainbuster. Fletcher made the pin and got the win.

WINNERS: The Don Callis Family in 4:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: The MxM TV group is so annoying obnoxious that youâ€d assume they were setting up a babyface team to come out and shut them up. The Don Callis Family doesnâ€t exactly fit the bill. Very skippable, although I always like to see Takeshita and Fletcher.)

-Lexy was backstage with The Outrunners and Dalton Castle. Truth Magnum said they got the mass to kick some ass before Turbo said theyâ€re coming for the trios titles. Dalton seemed concerned, saying that last week they put on the greatest performance of all time, and heâ€s not sure how theyâ€e going to follow it up. The Outrunners aid theyâ€ll lift Dalton up, and then quite literally lifted him up as they went to commercial. [c]

-They returned from commercial backstage where Queen Aminata congratulated Jamie Hayter on her victory. The Triangle of Madness blindsided them and rammed both of them into the wall. They continued to beat them down before saying they have three words for them: “Triangle of Madness.â€

(6) DAX HARWOOD (w/Stokely & Cash Wheeler) vs. “THE JET†KEVIN KNIGHT (w/â€Speedball†Mike Bailey & Willow Nightingale)

FTR entered along with Stokely. No sign of the mystery opponent, as it is presumably a member of FTR. Kevin Knight entered along with Bailey and Willow as they showed a replay of Willow slapping Stokely.

FTR and Knight stood in the ring, apparently both preparing to fight Knight. The match started as Dax attacked Knight from behind and Cash rolled out of the ring fifteen minutes into the hour. Dax hit and uppercut in the corner. Knight reversed an Irish whip and executed a big back body drop on Dax.

Knight followed up with a dropkick and that dropped Dax. Dax rolled to ringside to recuperate with Cash and Stokely. Dax got a “bald†chant as he reentered the ring and hit Knight with a shoulder tackle. Knight came back with a pair of arm drags into an armlock.

Dax got to his feet and powered Knight into the corner. He hit a few body shots and then got a running start, but Knight dodged him. Dax rolled to ringside again to regroup. Knight dragged Dax back into the ring, but Dax hit him with a back elbow.

Dax chopped Knight in the corner, but Knight came out with some chops of his own. Dax shrugged it off and hit another big chop. Dax hit a low kick and then whipped Knight into the ropes. Knight came back and took Dax down with a jumping clothesline. Dax rolled to ringside, but this time Knight followed him and hit a plancha over the top rope. Cash and Stokely scattered as Dax and Knight fought onto the apron.

Dax and Knight traded strikes on the apron until Dax hit a low kick and set up for a piledriver. But Knight grabbed the rope and reversed it into a back body drop. Dax hit the apron hard but popped right up and grabbed Knight off of the apron into powerbomb position. Dax stumbled back and hit the barricade and both men went tumbled the top, crashing into the crowd. [c]

Knight rammed Dax face first into the turnbuckle and executed a sunset flip from the top rope. Dax rolled through, but Knight landed a leaping DDT. Knight made the cover, but Dax kicked out at two. Knight returned to the top rope, but Dax met him up there. Knight landed a pair of chops and a forearm that knocked Dax back to the mat. Knight went for the UFO frog splash, but Dax got his knees up. Dax went for the pin, but Knight kicked out at two.

Knight and Dax traded strikes in the center of the ring before Dax hit a back elbow and hard right hand. Dax missed a clothesline but came back with a clubbing left hand to the back of Knightâ€s head. Dax went for a brainbuster, but Knight escaped and hit a sitout spinebuster.

Both men were down. They got to their feet, butting heads before Knight hit a few forearms and a kick to the gut. Dax attempted a powerbomb, but Knight countered into a pin attempt for a two count. Knight followed up with a backslide for another two count.

Dax came back and connected with the slingshot powerbomb and held on for the pin attempt, but Knight kicked out at two. Knight came back with a dropkick, rolled to the apron and hit a springboard clothesline.

Knight climbed back up to the top rope, but Cash went to stop him from the outside. Willow got in Cashâ€s way and Speedball came out of nowhere with a dropkick on Cash. Speedball followed up with a springboard moonsault that took Cash out.

Meanwhile, in the ring, Stokely stood between Dax on the mat and Knight on the top rope. Knight didnâ€t seem to mind, as he leapt over Stokely and connected with the UFO frog splash onto Dax. Knight made the dover and got the three count.

WINNER: Kevin Knight in 14:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Probably the match of the night, which is partially an indictment on the showâ€s lackluster lineup. However, Dax is a pro and Kevin Knight continues to be exciting in the ring. A somewhat surprising finish as well.)

-After the match, Willow got in Stokelyâ€s face in the ring. It escalated into Willow giving him a kick to the gut and setting up for the powerbomb. FTR managed to hold her back while Megan Bayne came out of nowhere and clobbered Willow from behind. Knight tried to intervene, but Stokely threw a white powder into his face. Bayne connected with her flying clothesline on Willow. Penelope joined the group and posed in the center of the ring with FTR, Stokely, and Bayne.

-They went to a video of SkyFlight lamenting their loss in the tag title tournament, but reiterating their win over Shane Taylor Promotions, implying they deserve a shot at the ROH trios titles. [c]

-They returned from commercial with Kris Statlanderâ€s music playing. Statlander made her way to the ring. She grabbed a microphone and told Toni thatâ€s sheâ€s not finished with her. Toni Stormâ€s music played, bringing out Toni to address “Big Stat Daddy.†She introduced herself as “tight-titted Toni†and asked what she wanted.

Statlander said they just need to talk. They both laid on the mat, head-to-head. Statlander said none of it is personal, but sheâ€s been waiting for this match for a long time. Statlander went on to say she respects everything Toni did with the belt. She said Toni will find out why sheâ€s “the Galaxyâ€s greatest†and the “cosmic killer.†She then said that, even though itâ€s not personal, sheâ€ll happily knock her back into black and white.

Toni said it broke her heart when she lost the title, but said that there is no one more deserving than Statlander. Toni said when she first saw Statlander she said “My God, what a woman.†She said no she has to find out what kind of woman she really is. They both stood up, and Toni said that the belt is in her blood and the gold is in her veins. She said thereâ€s nothing more personal to her. She said thereâ€s no one sheâ€d rather lose to, but no one sheâ€d rather beat.

They shook hands, but Statlander held on. She said they donâ€t have to wait until WrestleDream. Toni said they could do it right now. Statlander said “no belts, no bells, right now.â€

They stood across the ring from each other and charged into the center of the ring, briefly brawling until The Triangle of Madness hit the ring. They hit Statlander with a tag team gourdbuster and then nailed Toni with the same. Thekla grabbed the mic and said sheâ€s not finished with either of them, as neither of them beat her.

Harley Cameronâ€s music played, and she came in from the crowd and tackled Thekla. Skye Blue and Julia Hart tried to pull her off, but Toni and Statlander took both of them out. And they immediately announced that Harley, Statlander, and Toni would face the Triangle of Madness next week on Collision.

(Whiteâ€s Take: Nice to see Toniâ€s character slightly shift away from the overtly sexual innuendos and focus on the title. This was on the higher end of Statlander performances, even though it wasnâ€t great.)

-They went to a video of Samoa Joe and Hangmanâ€s spat from Dynamite.

(7) THE DON CALLIS FAMILY (Rocky Romero & Lance Archer & Hechicero) vs. ORANGE CASSIDY & THE PARAGON (Kyle Oâ€Reilly & Roderick Strong)

The Don Callis Family all entered together and made their way to the ring. Kyle and Strong entered as a pair before Orange Cassidy made his way out. The bell rang to start the main event 47 minutes into the second hour with Kyle and Hechicero opposite of each other.

Kyle and Hechicero wrestled to the mat. Hechicero tried a pin, but Kyle escaped easily. The continued to chain wrestle on the mat with no one getting the advantage. Strong and Rocky tagged in. Rocky bounced off of Strong in a should block attempt and then got dropped by Strong chop.

Rocky ducked a clothesline attempt and took Strong down with a headcsissor. Strong and Kyle came b ack and hit Rocky with a double team backbreaker. Archer entered and took both men down. Orange tried to come in with a crossbody, but Archer caught him out of the air. Archer used Orangeâ€s body to knock down Kyle and Strong before hitting a sideslam on Orange before they went to commercial. [c]

Back from commercial, Archer had Strong down, standing on his ankle. Archer shoved Orange off of the apron. Rocky tagged in but ran into a pop-up gtubuster from Strong. Strong tried to crawl to the tag, but Hechicero tagged in and knocked Kyle off of the apron. Strong caught Hechciero out of nowhere with an Olympic slam, allowing Strong to tag in Orange.

Orange entered and put his hands in his pockets as Archer stepped over the top rope. Orange ducked a clothesline and hit a dropkick, but Archer didnâ€t budge. Archer charged him again, but Orange dropped down and pulled the top rope. Archer fell to ringside and Kyle hit a running knee from the apron.

In the ring, Rocky rolled Orange up from behind, but he kicked out at two. Rocky and Orange traded forearms in the center of the ring. Orange started lethargic before delivering some strong strikes. Rocky whipped Orange into the corner, but he flipped to the apron and slammed Rockyâ€s face into the turnbuckle.

Orange hopped onto the top rope and hit a flying elbow drop to a standing Rocky. Orange tried a running, swinging DDT, but Rocky shoved him off and connect with an European uppercut. Orange made the tag to Kyle, but Rocky didnâ€t see it. Rocky went for a suplex, but Orange countered it into the Stundog Millionaire. Kyle entered and hit a big boot to the back of Rockyâ€s head.

Hechicero entered and went back and forth with Kyle. Kyle went for a leg sweep, but Hechicero jumped it and came back with his own strikes. Hechicero forced Kyle into the corner and hit a knee lift. Hechicero charged into the corner again, but Kyle came out with a kick to the chest. Kyle followed it up with a low knee.

Rocky rolled Klye up out of nowhere for a two count. Rocky went for an enzigrui, but Kyle ducked it. However, Rocky landed and came back with a second enziguri that connected. Kyle came back and locked in an abdominal stretch, but Archer entered and grabbed Kyle by the throat. Orange entered and Archer grabbed him with his other hand.

Strong broke up the double choke slam with high knee. Orange connected with the Orange Punch and then Strong and Kyle hit the high-low combination to take Archer out. Hechicero choked Strong in the ropes until Orange hit him with an Orange Punch also. Strong dropkicked Hechicero off of the apron.

Kyle caught Rocky with a tornado DDT, held onto him and lifted him up into a suplex, which he immediately transitioned into an armbar in the center of the ring. Rocky struggled briefly but then tapped out.

WINNERS: Orange Cassidy & The Paragon in 11:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: This is one of those matches where you donâ€t know whoâ€s going to win because it doesnâ€t really matter. Rocky Romero tapped out to Kyle Oâ€Reilly. Good for him, but presumably next week he and Strong will be teaming with a difference partner against a different set of Callis Family members.)

-After the match, Kyle Fletcherâ€s music played, bringing out Fletcher, Takeshita, Alexander, and El Clon. They mockingly clapped as Rocky, Hechicero and Archer joined them on the ramp. Schiavone ran down some upcoming matches for Dynamite as Fletcher posed on the stage with the TNT title and they went off the air.

FINAL THOUGHTS: After a few weeks of flirting with the concept of adding some star power and newsworthy items to Collision, theyâ€ve regressed back to the format of a two-hour Rampage. The only interesting story beat was the face-off between Toni Storm and Kris Statlander. Otherwise, a fine night of wrestling. Nothing overtly bad, but nothing worth going out of your way to see. In other words, it was Collision.

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Moses Robinson/Getty Images

Professional wrestling has seen its fair share of tragedies over the course of its existence, none perhaps more harrowing than when a wrestler dies in the ring. While this has been a rare occurrence, it’s happened enough that each tragedy has been burned into the consciousness of wrestling fans everywhere, from Owen Hart’s death in 1999 due to a stunt gone wrong to Pedro Aguyo Jr.’s passing in 2015 after taking a move incorrectly. In most cases, at least there was an explanation for why it happened; a move gone wrong, a wrestler landing in a way they shouldn’t. It’s of little comfort, but it at least doesn’t leave everyone wondering why.

Then there’s the death of “Iron” Mike DiBiase. The 45 year old DiBiase, stepfather of future WWE Hall of Fame Ted DiBiase, was wrestling in Lubbock, Texas on July 2, 1969 facing off against Man Mountain Mike, when he suffered what’s been described as a massive heart attack. Another future WWE Hall of Famer, Harley Race, was on the scene and did all he could to save DiBiase, including performing CPR on him before medical attention arrived on the scene. It was no use, and DiBiase was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital, with Race by his side. And in the wake of DiBiase’s death, many fans and wrestlers couldn’t help but be confused over the loss.

Ted DiBiase Later Revealed Why His Stepfather’s Death Was So Sudden

Wwe/Getty Images

The reason for said confusion was due to how great of shape DiBiase was in. In fact, in wrestling circles, DiBiase was well known for keeping himself in peak physical condition, to the point that he once wrestled a Texas Death Match against Terry Funk that lasted four hours and ten minutes. That is not a typo; DiBiase and Funk legit wrestled four hours and ten minutes, and not just in any type of match, but an old school Texas Death match. While not as violent as some of the Texas Death matches seen in AEW today, the match up was still grueling, and under old school Texas Death rules, forced the wrestler to win a match by not only getting a pinfall, but keeping their opponent down for a ten count afterward.

While DiBiase was a few years removed from the match, and in his mid-40s, it still seemed hard to believe that a man who wrestled a four hour match once could succumb to a heart attack. The mystery was later solved years later by his stepson, when Ted gave an interview and revealed that DiBiase had a cholesterol build up in his heart. Because of this, DiBiase was predisposed to both heart disease and potential heart attacks, though it’s unclear whether he was aware of this at the time of his death. Still, despite the new information, it does little to change that Iron Mike DiBiase’s death in the ring was among the most jarring at the time, mainly because no wrestling fan thought it was possible that someone in as good of shape as DiBiase could die in the ring.

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Jack Perry has been through quite a bit since the launch of AEW back in 2019.

All Elite Wrestling‘s Jack Perry recently sat down with Scott Fishman of TVInsider. When asked about the passing of his father, Luke Perry, the same year that AEW launched as a company, Jack said it was the best thing to ever happen to him, along with the worst thing to ever happen to him at the same time.

“It was the best thing to ever happen to me with the worst thing to ever happen to me. They kind of went hand-in-hand,†Jack Perry admitted. “It was an interesting time. Iâ€m very grateful to have had this in my life and be a part of it with the people who have been there. Iâ€m looking forward to the future.â€Â

The launch of AEW was an escape for Jack Perry

When asked if All Elite Wrestlingâ€s launch helped him get through that difficult point in his life, Perry said he was very lucky to have something he could pour himself into.

“I felt very lucky I had something I could pour my entire self into,†Jack Perry said. “I was already obsessed with wrestling before that happened, but when it happened, it was right at the same time AEW was taking off. It was like my childhood dream was coming true. It just gave me something I could escape into and at all times work towards being better at.

“Whether that was wrestling or just being in the gym, it gave me a place I could go and occupy my mind with. I felt very grateful for that because not a lot of people have that. It ended up being a very good support system as well. I had some friends already, and met some of the best friends I have now. I just feel it was a real positive thing for me, especially during that time of my life.â€

READ MORE: Jack Perry: Certain People Seemed Hell Bent On Not Letting Jurassic Express Reunion Happen

What do you make of Jack Perryâ€s comments? Have you ever had anything come into your life to help you get through some dark times when you needed it the most? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

AEW COLLISION REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
HUNGTINTON, W. VA. AT MARSHALL HEALTH NETWORK ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON TBS & MAX
REPORT BY JOSHUA WHITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuiness

Ring Announcer: Arkady Aura

Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 2,021 tickets had been distributed; arena is set up for 2,305.

[HOUR ONE]

-The show opened with The Death Riders backstage with Daniel Garcia, saying few people have what it takes to be a Death Rider. They cut to Paragon with “Daddy Magic†Matt Menard. Jamie Hayter addressed her match with Julia Hart, saying sheâ€s aware of the likelihood of her partners. Julia said sheâ€ll have the Triangle of Madness by her side, and the Hart always wins. Komander and Hologram addressed the camera before the lights went red and Kyle Fletcher charged in and assaulted Hologram.

-They made it to the ring where Schiavone welcome everyone to the show as Elton John played. Schiavone and Nigel ran down the nightâ€s upcoming matches.

(1) THE DEATH RIDERS (Jon Moxley & Daniel Garcia & Claudio Castagnoli w/ Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta) vs. THE PARAGON (Kyle Oâ€Reilly & Roderick Strong) & “DADDY MAGIC†MATT MENARD

The Death Riders made their entrance from backstage, making their way through the crowd to the ring as the replayed Garcia beating Shibata. Matt Menard entered first, announced as “Daddy Magic.†Strong and Oâ€Reilly made their entrance as the showed a replay of Garcia tapping out Oâ€Reilly from a few weeks back.

The bell rang to start the match eight minutes into the hour. Kyle and Garcia wrestled to the mat. Kyle went for an early armbar but Garcia rolled into the ropes. Kyle dropped Garcia with a shoulder block and then landed a boot to the face. Garcia came back with a boot but then ran into a roundhouse to the chest.

Menard tagged in and yelled at Garcia to look at him. Garcia wouldnâ€t look at him and just tagged Claudio in. Menard forced Claudio into the corner, but Claudio muscled Menard up into a deadlift gutwrench suplex.

Moxley tagged in an chopped away at Menard. Menard chopped back, but Moxley gouged his eyes before tagging Claudio back in. Claudio hit a couple European uppercuts and tagged Garcia in. Menard forced Garcia back into the corner which allow Kyle to tag in. Kyle dropped Garcia with a roundhouse to the chest and tagged in Strong. Kyle and Strong hit a double team backbreaker and knee drop.

Kyle connected with alternating knees before tagging Menard in. Claudio pulled Garcia to ringside, but Strong came through the ropes with a dropkick on Claudio as Kyle hit Moxley with a running knee on the floor.

Back in the ring, Menard pounded Garcia in the corner. Menard scoop slammed Garcia and tagged Kyle in. Garcia rolled to ringside but Kyle followed and hit him with a running dropkick against the barricade. Claudio came in from nowhere and hit Kyle with a running European uppercut as they went to commercial. [c]

Back from break, Moxley was in control of Kyle. Claudio tagged in and hit a European uppercut followed by a snap suplex. Claudio floated into the pin for a two count. Moxley came in and bludgeoned Klye with a series of forearms and followed it up with a half and half suplex. Moxley made the cover, but Kyle kicked out at two.

Kyle ducked a charging Claudio and pulled down the rope. Claudio tumbled to ringside as Kyle crawled for the pin. Claudio swept out Menardâ€s feet before Kyle could make the pin. Claudio rammed Menard into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Garcia landed a swinging neckbreaker. Garcia held on and tried to transition into a suplex, but Kyle countered it with a suplex of his own. Kyle got the hot tag to Strong who went crazy with backbreakers on Claudio and Garcia at ringside.

In the ring, Strong hit a running kick and an Olympic Slam on Moxley. Claudio ran in and got a high knee. Kyle went over the top rope onto Claudio, but Claudio caught him in the midair with a European uppercut.

In the ring, Strong hit a gutbuster followed by a running kick. Strong made the cover, but Moxley kicked out at two. Strong hit the ropes, but Garcia s2ept out his feet. Strong stumbled into a giant swing from Claudio. Claudio swung Strong around until Moxley stopped his momentum with a dropkick.

Moxley made the cover but only got two. Moxley transitioned into the bulldog choke, but Kyle broke it up. Claudio went for the giant swing on Kyle, but he countered it into a DDT. Strong dropped Garcia with a running clothesline and tagged in Menard.

Menard teed off on Garcia, punching him down in the corner. Menard set up fort a piledriver, but Garcia escaped and tagged in Moxley. Garcia tripped Menard setting Moxley up to plant him with a running stomp. Garcia followed up with arm-trapped stomp, ramming Menard face first into the mat. Garcia made the cover and got the win.

WINERS: The Death Riders in 15:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Fine opener, but nothing special. Seems to be pointing to Garcia needing to essentially destroy Daddy Magic and fully embrace the darkside that is the Death Riders.)

-They showed a video of Brodido successfully defending the tag titles against GOA on Dynamite followed by highlights from the ladder match at All Out.

-Brody King was backstage and he addressed the Don Callis Family. He said theyâ€ve made a lot of mistakes. King went on to announce Josh Alexander and the Young Bucks facing Brodido with Kenny Omega teaming on Dynamite. [c]

-They returned from commercial with a replay of the Death Riders attacking Powerhosue Hobbs after the match on Wednesday, and Hangman coming to the rescue,

(2) WHEELER YUTA & MARINA SHAFIR vs. RACHAEL ELLERING & ROSARIO GRILLO – Mixed Tag Match

They returned to the ring as the bell rang 29 minutes into the hour. Yuta attacked Grillo with a back suplex followed by the hammer and anvil elbows. Yuta rammed him into the corner and forced Ellering to tag in.

Ellering hit Marina a few times, but she was unphased. Shafir told Ellering to do better and hit her with a few kicks followed by an exploder slam. Marina locked in the Motherâ€s Milk submission. Grillo tried to run in, but Yuta caught him with a running knee.

WINNERS: Marina Shafir and Yuta in 2:00

-After the match, Yuta grabbed a microphone and tossed Grillo out of the ring. Yuta seemed upset with Statlander and took credit for her championship victory. Yuta said Marina would make her pay. Yuta went on to call out Darby Allin, threatening to put him amongst the many dead bodies on Mount Everest.

-They threw to a video of the end of Dynamite with Darby coming out with a flame thrower and challenging Moxley to an I Quit match.

-Hangman was backstage with Hobbs and Samoa Joe. He said heâ€ll step in while Shibata is out to help with the Death Riders. Samoa Joe told the Death Riders they havenâ€t learned. Heâ€ll run them down in an open field and crush them. Joe promised to teach them a lesson to learn for life.

(Whiteâ€s Take: A Hangman sighting is always a nice treat, although this was mostly Samoa Joeâ€s segment. Which is fine, because Joe typically cuts a good promo, as he did here.)

(3) “THE PRIDE OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING†ANTHONY BOWENS & “PLATINUM†MAX CASTER vs. THE SWIRL (Lee Johnson & Blake Christian)

Anthony Bowens entered first by himself, before Caster ran out to the ring with his patent. The Swirl entered as a team and the bell rang to start the match 40 minutes into the hour. Caster and Bowens argued over who starts the match.

Bowens started against Johnson. Bowens and Caster argued at ringside and Blake nailed Caster with a dive through the ropes. Bowens chased him into the ring where Johnson dropped him with a flurry of fists.

Blake tagged in and hit Bowens with a rolling punch. Bowens came back with a suplex before Caster tagged himself in. Johnson rammed Caster into Bowens and followed up with a few chops and a running low forearm as they went to break. [c]

They returned from commercial as Cater dragged Blake out of the ring and threw him into the barricade. Blake came back with swinging kicks in the ropes on Bowens and Caster. Johnson tagged in and he assisted Blake with a. monkey flip into a clothesline. Johnson made the pin, but Caster kicked out at two.

Caster caught Johnson with a big back body drop. Caster didnâ€t want to tag Bowens in, and instead he and Blake caught each other with a double clothesline. Bowens walked up the aisle as Caster refused to tag him in. Jerry Lynn met Bowens int eh aisle and told him to go back to the apron.

Caster finally made the tag to Bowens. Bowens argued with Caster before hitting a flurry of strikes on Johnson and Blake. Bowens hit a leaping Famouser on Blake and then hit Johnson with an inverted Olympic Slam. Bowens made the cover, but Blake broke it up at two.

Bowens and Caster had a miscommunication that allowed Blake to hit a flipping dive to Caster on the outside. Blake and Johnson followed up with a double team suplex and thrust kick on Bowens. Johnson made the cover, but Caster made the save at the last second.

Bowens came back with thrust kick on Blake and dropped Johnson with a unique variation of a neckbreaker. Caster tagged himself and climbed to the top rope. Johnson shoved Bowens into the turnbuckle and knocked Caster off the turnbuckle. Johnson went for a roll up, but Caster countered it.

Johnson went for another rollup, but Caster pushed him into the ropes where Bowens caught Johnson with a big forearm. Johnson stumbled back into a schoolboy pin from Caster and he got the victory.

WINNERS: Anothny Bowens and Max Caster in 11:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: They went really heavy on these two not getting along, with several miscommunications and outright refusals to work together. The story of Jerry Lynn wanting them together for some reason isnâ€t particularly compelling. Blake Christian and Lee Johnson are maybe the more interesting team at this point, but when The Acclaimed finally scissor once again, it could garner a massive pop.)

-Jerry Lynn entered to celebrate the in with Bowens and Caster. The crowd cheered as they teased a scissoring. But Bowens rolled out of the ring.

-Mother Wayne was backstage with Kip Sabian and Nick Wayne. Kip was upset about Luchasaurus, but Nick said it doesnâ€t matter. Nick said a normal human wouldnâ€t be able to recover from the foot injury he sustained. He went on to say heâ€s coming for Christian and will be his biggest nightmare. Nick said heâ€s always one step ahead. [c]

-They returned from commercial with a replay of Tony Khan announcing the debut of the womenâ€s tag team titles.

-Lexy was backstage with Anna Jay and Tay Melo who were happy to have womenâ€s tag titles, as theyâ€ve been a tag team for five years. They said they will be the first ever womenâ€s tag champions.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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[HOUR TWO]

(4) THE OUTUNNERS (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum) & DALTON CASTLE (w/The Boys) vs. KM & COREY SPARKS & COWPOKE PAUL

The Outrunners entered first followed by Dalton Castle. The relatively-unknown wrestlers were already waiting in the erring. The Boys stripped Castle down and the bell rang 2 minutes into the second hour. Floyd and Magnum worked on Cowpoke before hiptossing Sparks.

KM entered and flexed. Castle tagged in and took KM down with a suplex. The Outrunners delivered the You-Son-Of-A-Bitch elbow drop. Castle took KM down with the Batter-rang. Castel made the cover and got the victory.

WINNER: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners in 2:00

-Mark Briscoe was backstage addressing MJF. Briscoe said all of the tacks were worth it to be part of MJFâ€s downfall. He went on to say heâ€s focusing on his group, The Conglomeration.

(5) KYLE FLETCHER vs. KOMANDER (w/Alex Abrahontes) – TNT Championship Match

Filling in for Hologram, Komander made his entrance with Alex Abrahontes. Kyle Fletcher made his entrance as they showed a replay of Fletcher attacking Hologram during the showâ€s opening. The bellr ang to start the match eight minutes into the hour.

Komander charged Fletcher and rolled him up for a two count. Komander went for a springboard hurricanrana, but Fletcher caught him in powerbomb position. Komander got out of it and went for another pin for a another two count. Fletcher caught Komander and planted him with a scoop slam.

Fletcher forced Komander into the corner and stomped on him before executing a second scoop slam. Fletcher made the cover, but Komander kicked out at two. Fletcher connected with a chop that echoed throughout the arena.

Komander came back with a springboard armdrag followed by a tijares and a sudden dropkick. Komander hit an overhand chop in the corner and took Fletcher down with a double-springboard hurricanrana.

Fletcher rolled to ringside and Komander rolled over the top rope into a headscissor attempt. Fletcher caught him and tried to slam him into the barricade. However, Komander countered it into an arm drag that sent Fletcher into the barricade.

Komander hopped onto the barricade, got a running start and jumped onto Fletcher for a hurricanrana, but Fletcher caught him and powerbombed him into the apron. Fletcher picked Komander up and powerbombed him across the apron again. Fletcher posed as they went to commercial. [c]

Back from break, Fletcher lifted Komander up for a powerbomb, but Komander flipped out and hit a low kick. Komander ran the ropes and flipped into an armdrag that took Fletcher down. Fletcher got to his feet an immediately hit Komander with a big kick.

Komander came back with a springboard into a swinging DDT that planted Fletcher. Komander went for the pin, but Fletcher kicked out at two. Fletcher shrugged off a strike and caught Komander with a half and half suplex.

Fletcher set Komander up for a brainbuster on the apron, but Komander countered it with a knee to the head and a low kick. Komander went for a hurricanrana, but Fletcher caught him and set up for a tombstone piledriver on the apron. Komander managed to flip out of that and then executed a hurricanrana that threw Fletcher off the apron to ringside.

Back in the ring, Fletcher dodged a top rope attempt and hit Komander with a spinning Michinoku driver. Flether held on for the pin, but Komander kicked out at two. The crowd chanted “This is awesome†as Fletcher went for a running kick in the corner. Komander ducked out of the way and knocked Fletcher out of the ring with a running kick. Komander followed it up with a springboard top rope moonsault onto Fletcher as ringside.

Back in the r4ing, Komander set up for a top rope move, but Fletcher rolled back to ringside. Komander ran the ropes for a dive to the outside, but Fletcher rolled back into the ring. Komander adjusted and springboard into a destroyer in the ring that stuck Fletcher. Komander followed with a 450 splash from the top rope. Komander made the cover, but Fletcher kicked out at two.

Komander went for the rope running shooting star, but Fletcher got his feet up into Komanderâ€s face. Fletcher picked Komander up and lawn darted him into the corner. Fletcher hit his running kick in the corner and then drilled Komander with the brainbuster in the center of the ring. Fletcher hooked the leg and got the three count.

WINNER: Kyle Fletcher in 14:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Really solid match. Komander looked impressive, although maybe more so than he necessary, given theyâ€re trying to reestablish Fletcher as a dominant champion.)

-Fletcher celebrated his win as they went to commercial. [c]

-They returned from commercial showing a replay of Fletcher attacking Hologram in the red light at the beginning of the show.

-Fletcher was backstage, still breathing heavily after the match. He said heâ€s reestablishing dominance. Fletcher said itâ€s too bad Hologram wonâ€t make their match on Wednesday. He said heâ€ll be TNT Champion for a very, very, very, very long time. He went on to say he still wants to put his title on the line on Wednesday. They announced that Orange Cassidy had immediately accepted that challenge.

(6) BIG BILL & BRYAN KEITH vs. EDDIE KINGSTON & HOOK

-Big Bill and Bryan Keith made their entrance. Kingston and Hook entered to Kingstonâ€s music. Eddie immediately told them to cut the music. Kingston called out Bryan /Keith for attacking him before Hook took the mic and said that he talked to Tony Khan, and it was now a tornado tag match.

The bell rang and everyone charged into the ring. Bill his Kingston with a sidewalk slam and went for the pin, but Kingston kicked out at two. Hook hit Bill with a right hand and then he ping-ponged back forth with right hands from Hook and Kingston. Hook and Kingston double clotheslined Bill over the top rope to the floor. Keith entered and ran into a double shoulder block.

Bill dragged Kingston to the floor and rammed him into the steel stairs. Hook had Keith in the corner, but Bill caught him from behind. Keith hit a flipping canon ball onto Kingston at ringside as they went to break. [c]

-Back from break, Bill and Kieth double teamed Hook. Keith hit a t-bone suplex and went for the pin, but Hook kicked out at two. Bill and Keith continued to isolte Hook until Kingston got onto the apron. Bill went for a running big boot, but Kingston dodged it and Bill tumbled to ringside.

Hook caught Keith with a suplex and Kingston followed up with the machine gun chops in the corner. Kingston went for the pin, but Keith kicked out at two. Bill charged back into the ring and nocked Hook and Kingston down. He grabbed them by the throat and went for a double chokleslam, but Hook and Kingston fought out of it and landed a double northern lights suplex on Bill.

Keith hit a back suplex on Hook but Kingston dropped him with a running clothesline. Kingston turned around into a running lariat from Big Bill. Bill made the cover, but Kingston kicked out at two.

Kingston came back with a dragon screw with took down Bikll. Keith his an enziguri on Kingston but Hook caught him with a suplex. Bill tripped Hook from the outside and Keith rolled Hook up for a two count.

Kingston caught Keith with a spinning backfist and he collapsed into the Red Rum from Hook. Kingston fought Bill off of the apron and Keith had no choice but to tap out.

WINNERS: Eddie Kingston & Hook in 10:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: While I like the idea of Hook and Eddie as a team, this match wasnâ€t great. Better than Eddieâ€s match with Bill on All Out, particularly since he actually landed his finisher this time.)

-Lexy was backstage with Juice Robinsons and Austin Gunn. Thy said they took the best tag team in the world tot eh limit. Juice said he talked to Jay White and the Bang Bang Gang needs more numbers. Juice said it canâ€t just be anyone. Ace Austin walked onto screen. Ace and Austin introduced themselves both of Austin.

(7) JULIA HART (w/Skye Blue) vs. JAMIE HAYTER

Julia made her spooky entrance accompanied by Skye Blue. Jamie Hayter made her entrance. The bell rang to start the main event 47 minutes into the hour.

Hayter shoved Julia down and then slammed her to the mat. Hayter kicked at Julia as she tried to get to her feet. Julia ducked a clothesline but then ran into a big kick. Hayter stomped on Julia and rammed her into the corner.

Julia dodged Hayter int eh corner and rolled to the outside. Julia slid into the ring as Hayter rolled to the outside. Skye Blue caught Hayter with a thrust kick as Julia distracted the ref in the ring. Blue rolled Hayter back into the ring as the went to break. [c]

They returned from commercial with Hayter in control, but Skye Blue tripped her from ringside. Hayter had enough and snap suplex Blue on the floor on the outside. Hayter grabbed Julia and rammed her face into the turnbuckle ten times. Hayter followed up with a missle dropkick.

Hayter hit a clothesline in the corner followed by a backdrop suplex. Hayer got Julia onto her shoulders, but Julia elbowed her way out of it and crucifixed Hayter to the mat into a pin, but Hayter kicked out at two. Julia grabbed a tarantula in the ropes. Julia let go before the five count.

Hayter caught Julia and nailed her with an ushigoroshi. Hayter went for a running clothesline, but Jula dodged it and tried to lock Hayter into a flying octopus hold. But Hayter was too strong and dropped Julia into a backbreaker.

Hayter charged Julia int eh corner, but Julia got her feet up and then planted her with a back leg trip. Julia climbed to the top rope and executed a moonsault. Julia landed the moonsault and went for the pin, but Hayter got her foot onto the bottom rope to break the pin.

Julia charged Hayter and this time successfully got her into the flying octopus hold. Hayter carried Juliaâ€s weight and nearly made it to the rope. Skye. Blue, behind the refâ€s back, pulled the ropes out of Hayterâ€s reach.

Hayter struggled, but powered Julia out of the hold and drilled her with a tombstone piledriver. Hayter made the cover, but Julia kicked out at two. Hayter wasted no time and nailed Julia with the Hayterade clothesline. Hayter made the dover and got the win.

WINNER: Jamie Hayter in 12:00

(Whiteâ€s Take: Iâ€m a fan of both of these women, and this wasnâ€t a bad match, but it never really kicked into second gear. Much of it felt like they were in neutral and rolling down a gradual decline.)

-After the match, Skye attacked Hayter from behind. Julia joined in and they hit Hayter with the double team gourdbuster followed by a double thrust kick. They looked to continue the attack, but Queen Aminata charged down to the ring. Aminata hit Skye with a belt as she rolled into the ring. Julia escaped

-Hayter grabbed a microphone and told them not to go anyway, because sheâ€s sick of them. She said she had an epiphany. Hayter said she knows how to solve it with three words. Those three words turned out to be “Bood and guts.†Schiavone wondered if that match would be Wednesday as they went off of the air.

FINAL THOUGHTS: A solid opener and a good TNT title defense in the middle helped propel this show into an enjoyable episode of Collision. I liked seeing the women in the main event, even if the match was underwhelming. The womenâ€s Blood and Guts announcement seemed to come out of nowhere, even though these groups of women have been battling each other for months. Anyone who missed the show may be surprised by that announcement, or Hologram not making it to Dynamite, but otherwise not much to miss.

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