At the 2025 Winter Is Coming episode of AEW Collision, Mark Briscoe defended his AEW TNT Championship for the first time against Daniel Garcia of the Death Riders. Briscoe had won the title from Kyle Fletcher at Full Gear and was eager to prove himself in this initial defense. The match took place in Cardiff, Wales, and after a fiercely competitive contest, Briscoe retained the championship.
The early stages of the match were closely fought, with Briscoe initially dominating but Garcia capitalizing on the champion’s errors to seize control. Garcia unleashed multiple superplexes aimed at wearing Briscoe down, but the champion endured and the crowd was treated to an intense back-and-forth exchange. Just as Garcia seemed poised to win, Briscoe countered with a powerful lariat.
Marina Shafir attempted to interfere on Garcia’s behalf but was stopped by the referee, though Yuta Wheeler unexpectedly entered the ring and delivered a low blow to Briscoe. Following this distraction, Garcia executed a piledriver, but Briscoe remarkably kicked out at the last moment. The climax saw Briscoe counter Garcia’s Dragon Slayer move with a rollup, quickly recovered with a kick, and then landed his finishing Jade Driller to secure the victory. The show closed with The Conglomerate and Roderick Strong congratulating Briscoe as he aims to conclude 2025 still holding the AEW TNT Championship.
Fan Take: This hard-fought title defense cements Mark Briscoe as a resilient and strategic champion, raising the stakes for TNT Championship reigns in AEW. Fans should anticipate a year of intense rivalries and memorable matches, as Briscoe’s victory sets a high bar for challengers and showcases the sport’s thrilling unpredictability.
