Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta, CA

*****

Recap of MJF’s Collision promo and clips of him laying out Disco Daniel last week.  And of he and Cole last summer over him blaming the fans for his turn.  And his vow to ‘save’ the company.  Quite long by AEW standards.

Ospreay out.  Nigel’s on comms.  Uh oh.

Will took a seat on the buckle, a chant died down and he took a mic.  He said he was appalled and disgusted by MJF but wasn’t surprised.  He’d heard rumors about MJF, ‘one of the most insecure men in pro wrestling.’  He said Garcia earns every opportunity he gets and the moment Danny started creeping up on MJF’s popularity, Max didn’t like it.

Garcia is still without feeling in his arms and might not come back (pretty sure Menard said he would be back?).  Ospreay said he has ADHD too and it doesn’t give him ‘an excuse to be a little prick.’

He thinks MJF doesn’t like him because the bidding war of 2024 didn’t go his way because Tony Khan spent his money on him.  Max is welcome to his opinions but he has more talent in his left nut than MJF does in his whole body.

A ‘left nut’ chant started.

But the main reason Max doesn’t like him is because he reminds people what the identity of AEW is supposed to be.  He referred to himself as a foundation of AEW and called MJF selfish.  Ospreay feels like he’s been cleaning up after someone’s mess ever since he stepped foot in AEW.

And now he knows who he’s been cleaning up after.  He then said this is the best version of MJF, even though it’s been ‘the same old shit for about five years.’  But ‘the level of the Devil’ is ground floor and he’s on the top floor, ‘skyscraper bruv.’  He’s here in Calgary and after a fight, so challenged MJF to come out.

The music played, Ospreay dropped the mic, ready to go.  Music played a while, no Max.  It stopped, then Max appeared on the screen with a glass of wine.  He said the people don’t deserve to be that close to him.  He’s beaten all the fans’ favorites.  ‘You think you’re different?’  He called Ospreay flavor of the month.  He doesn’t have to kill himself to make the fans like him.

Will’s routine will play out, he’s a monkey who dances for the crowd.  The fans will move on.  Great wrestlers are a dime a dozen.  But Max is a generational talent.  Ospreay was laughing in disbelief through most of this.

Max doesn’t wrestle just whenever, he wrestles for the betterment of AEW.  So challenged Will for his title next week.  For the first time in his career, Ospreay wont be wrestling for stars, he’ll be getting punched in the face till he sees them.

Ospreay said: ‘Max, I’ll see you next week you little bitch,’ then left.

Decent enough.  It’s very hard for anything to feel hot before a crowd this small in an arena this dark.  Curious if that match actually happens.  They are also really running before they walk with Garcia.  Don’t think even his biggest fan would say he was anywhere near MJF’s popularity.  Overhyping will make fans reject him.

*****

We went to a package for the Owen finals.  Or final.  Just the men’s.  Which is now!?  That just screams crappy finish.

Jeff Jarrett stood by the trophy.  Now a bastion of fairmindedness per the announcers.

Bryan Danielson vs Hangman Adam Page (Special Enforcer: Jeff Jarrett)

Backstory: Winner faces Swerve at Wembley for the AEW title

Imagine if you’d told an AEW fan in 2019 that he’d be knitted throughout a world title tournament.  We were supposed to be absolutely disgusted at Page spitting near him.  They sold this harder than Jericho burning someone’s face last week.  And explained that Taz was banned by the EVPs per Jericho’s request which is why Nigel’s there.

Bell rang, they locked up, Page shoved Danielson on his ass, BD immediately grabbing his neck.  Even this match feels cold because this crowd is so poor.  Page avoided a roundhouse then rushed Danielson, firing shots to the face, kick to the spine, very aggressive.

Chop to the chest, another in the corner, elbow to the head, Danielson kipped over using the buckle, into a single leg, Page quickly grabbing the ropes.  Before being sent outside and nailed via tope, Danielson again holding his neck.  Shoving Page back in then heading upstairs: shotgun, Page crashing into the opposite corner, Danielson kip up, Page boot up in the corner, BD to the apron, Page’s springboard lariat ducked but Hangman swung back through to hit the back of his neck then flung the vet to the ringside mats.

Before staring manically into the camera.

Ads.  Good action.

Danielson down in the corner, they showed him bleeding from the head and being rammed into the steps during the break.  Jarrett’s now sat watching near the ring.  As Danielson nailed a stiff kick, yay/boo back and forth: Page rights, Danielson round kicks; until Page grabbed his new swinging sleeper drop before again stomping violently.

Danielson struggling up in the corner, Page teeing off chop after chop until the Dragon crashed to the mat.  Finally hitting back, knife edges and lifters till he rolled through a backslide into an armbreaker, rolling front into LeBell, Page’s legs bagging the immediate break.

Page on his knees, blocking a third yes kick; Danielson fighting out of a dvd via H&A until Page nailed a saito suplex, the Dragon down again clutching his neck.  Fans solidly behind him here as Page took too long climbing the buckle and was caught, BD thinking belly to back, nope, spider German, I gasped, Page landed right on his head.

Danielson atop the buckle now, Page down on his back, headbutt missing, Page grabbing a crossface to light boos, the vet finally scrambling to the ropes, Page holding on till the count of four (‘I have till five,’ would have been easy heat there).

Ads.  Very good but not very pacey, suggesting we’re going a while.

Chants of ‘yes!’ as Danielson hit H&A atop the buckle, Page fighting to block a belly to back then flinging the vet’s head into a buckle he’d just exposed.  Danielson staggering back, Page moonsaulting out into a reverse ddt position through into a tombstone.  For a very near fall, and the first pin attempt of the match.  Smooth as hell.

Danielson’s in Hart colors btw.  Page took an age up top, supposedly distracted by Jarrett who was just sitting there, Danielson took advantage, shoving him off then nailing a springboard senton which Page went out of his way to catch and break his fall, crowd wowed by it.

Page’s chest a damn kickpad until ducking a roundhouse and hitting a piledriver on the mats.  Doc over to check.  They need to stop doing this.  The doc checks Danielson every match, he’s always fine, he just recovers, they don’t tell the story properly.

Jarrett was there too for some reason.  Page shoving him out the way was supposed to be a heel move.  Fans did boo.  As the announcers talked about JJ in saccharine terms.  Page went back inside to wait, Danielson finally climbing back in, there was no count.  He was out there for ages.

Hangman attacking the neck immediately then removing the tape.  Danielson’s blood all over Page’s face now as he dragged Danielson up to knock him back down.  Fans trying to rally him, Danielson ducked a discus, desperation busaiku, both down.

To their knees, exchanging headbutts, Danielson three in a row, roundhouse as they hit their feet, Page landed on his feet out of a German, BD returned the favor, ducked a lariat, Page avoided a busaiku, ref laid out, crumbling to ringside.

Page removed his belt and began whipping the Dragon.  No doubt the real star, the Company Killa can now shine.  He entered, asking Page to stop and being shoved on his ass.  Jarrett pulled his shirt off to reveal a ref shirt underneath, that’s some real TNA/WCW ish.

Danielson took advantage to grab a LeBell, Page got free, deadeye for a near fall.  Buckshot to the back of the head, a second being readied, ducked, Danielson roll up with a bridge, Page out at 2.9, right into a Page crossface, crowd really want Danielson to win here.

Though also ‘fight forever’ chants.  As BD nearly got the ropes, Page rolling back through, dead center, Danielson looking out of it, until pivoting through to win the most convincing way anyone in this tournament ever does, by cradle.

Certainly makes for a less interesting match vs Swerve.  Page likely would have lost; Danielson definitely will.  Page stormed off, best guess is the Elite blame him and he faces Okada.  That’s nice work putting Nigel at ringside and not having him interfere.

Jarrett and Martha Hart came to the ring.  She took a mic and said it was great to be back in Calgary during Stampede Week.  An ‘Owen’ chant started.  She gave the cup to Danielson.  And the belt.

Very strong match – physical, very realistic.  Never quite hit high gear and would have liked to see more pin attempts but they were going for submissions.  Is it really worth messing around with a #1 contender match just for the ref shirt ‘reveal,’ very Jeff Jarrett booking.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

Swerve’s music interrupted.  Kind of a heelish thing to do.  A bloody, exhausted Danielson stared through the ropes.

Ads.  Nice tease ahead of the break.

Back to the champ in the ring with a mic.  Loud chants in favor, led by Nana.  Danielson gone.  Swerve said that the best in the world is whoever holds the world title.  Especially after beating Ospreay.  He congratulated Danielson.  Flatly.  He’s still pissed that Danielson has a victory over him.

And they’re at two different stages in their careers, Danielson’s on the downslide but he’s the most dangerous man in AEW.

He quickly moved on to the EVPs (he keeps saying ‘last week’ for stuff that didn’t happen last week, makes it a little hard to follow).  He announced he’s joining the Blood and Guts match on Team AEW.

He listed the champs in order, he #1, Ospreay #2, Okada #3 (Jack Perry and the TNT title, notsomuch…).  So he challenged Okada: ‘the world champ will really show you how to make it rain… bitch.’  (Which is why that word should be saved for when it actually fits, like here.)

He said he’d see Danielson at Wembley, promising it would be BD’s ‘final countdown.’  Excalibur called Swerve the captain of Team AEW.

They keep giving Swerve too many things to address in his promos.  And it’s affecting them.  He kept seeming like he was having to stop and think to remember all his points.  Do like the story that Danielson was the last guy to pin him.  But otherwise the champ did nothing to heat that up.

*****

To a package for our main event, Willow vs Mariah.  Same package as Saturday.

*****

Speaking of ‘same old shit for about five years,’ an Acclaimed and Billy Gunn music video – Two Times.  Caster rhymed ki-bosh with Chris Bosh and promised to ‘push them (the Bucks) back like hairlines.’  Will let you decide if that’s good.

They had some geeky looking dudes playing the Bucks, who were of course laid out.  Man this is going long, they also said Okada was only here for the money and hinted at Matt’s wife leaving the company and the Bucks doing nothing about it.

#Ifyouknowyouknow #ThatsAEW

Chris Jericho vs Samoa Joe (Stampede Street Fight)

Backstory: After Jericho burned Hook’s face off, Joe challenged him here

Joe got a nice pop, Jericho’s music was greeted by almost silence even in Canada.  We finally got a Hook update of sorts.  Excalibur said the docs wouldn’t say anything other than he’s not cleared.

Jericho was in a cowboy hat.  Joe snatched it and got booed.  They argued over the hat for a while until Joe punched Jericho’s face through it.  Joe hit his turn around enziguri in the corner but had his eyes raked.

Jericho chops in the corner.  Joe ducked a lariat and misdirected to nail Bryan Keith with a tope and fling him into the fans.  A Jericho dropkick through the ropes did not look great.  He went to work jabbing Joe with a chair.  Bill’s not out here btw.

Jericho grabbed a bag of horseshoes from under the ring.  Were they anticipating him being a babyface in Canada?  Didn’t get much of a reaction.  Joe hit elbows but ran into a boot to the chest though countered right into a side suplex onto the shoes.  Senton to follow for two.

Nigel called Schiavone impotent; Schiavone laughed.  Far more exciting than this match.  Jericho got the Walls atop the shoes.  Got a decent pop because it always does.

Ads.  Lot of shine for older wrestlers so far tonight.

Back just in time to see Joe break the hold with a horseshoe to the head.  Yes, he was seemingly in it for three minutes.  Jericho fought free of a Muscle Buster and hit a middle buckle dropkick.  The fans did react to his stupid wave but also to Joe moving and Jericho crashing into the steps.

They brawled all the way through to backstage, presumably Bill’s waiting nearby even though Joe’s doing the driving.  They dropped an easter egg by having Jericho spill hot coffee on Joe.  But get snatched in a Kokina.  And yep, Big Bill emerged from a nearby room with a chair.

Bill and Keith held Joe so Jericho could nail him with a belt Martha Hart gave him.  They then placed him on a forklift.  Some dude tried to talk Jericho out of it.  Then Aubrey did.  He ignored both.

Just like MJF did last week.  Almost as though if you never punish heels they’ll keep doing whatever they want.  He drove Joe through a piss thin wall and Joe was dead in a heap.  The doc stopped the match and Jericho won.

Not much of a match.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Back to a replay of Joe being driven through the wall then being rushed to an ambulance.  This many extreme angles make it very hard to care or take any seriously.  The Learning Tree waved at the ambulance.  The story was Jericho had snapped.

They sure are going to great lengths to fight the apathy toward him.

Claudio Castagnoli vs Kyle Fletcher vs PAC vs Tomohiro Ishii

Backstory: ‘Global Glory’ – God knows…

So, Pac’s probably winning which means Fletcher’s probably losing.  None of these guys even got an entrance.  Callis on comms.

Ishii laid out Fletcher before he and Claudio exchanged forearms.  They crashed shoulders, neither budged, then Fletcher tried his luck and they teamed to lariat him outside.  Right back to it – forearm for forearm till Ishii ducked and finally knocked the Swiss down via shoulder.

Pac waiting with a shotgun off the top but then being tripped from outside by Fletcher.  Pac step-up rana, Fletcher out, Claudio snuck in thinking swing but took a Fletcher thrust kick.  Ishii laid out everyone with belly to backs until Claudio fought one off with elbows, into a gutwrench.  An easy looking one.

Then hit a diving tornijo to all three outside.  Was not expecting that.  Crowd loved it.

Ads.  Smart to put a ‘spot fest’ on after a very slow predecessor.

All four fighting up from their knees, Ishii firing rights, loudest the crowd’s been maybe all night.  He laid out the other three until Claudio and then Fletcher followed in with shots in the corner.  Pac nailed a poisonrana to Fletcher, took a pop-up uppercut from Claudio, Ishii a lariat to CC then Fletcher hauled him up into a tombstone, kickout at 2.9.

Very nice sequence.

All four down again, Fletcher finally stacking Ishii up top as our first TIA chant kicked up.  They fought up there till a very weak Ishii headbutt knocked the Aussie down.  Right into a swing, through into the sharpshooter, Pac scrambling up the buckle to nail a diving elbow to Fletcher while still in the hold.

Brutalizer applied, Fletcher screaming.  Ishii took out Claudio then Pac and absolutely murdered Fletcher with a lariat.  Ouch.  Near fall.  Claudio stopped a brainbuster to Fletcher, tried a Neutralizer, Pac pulled him off, the pair fighting over the pin.  They’re picking up where they left off two weeks ago.  Apparently…

Pac hit rebound Germans to Ishii and Claudio, Fletcher hooked a cradle for a very near fall, Pac got a boot up in the corner, Fletcher down, Pac up, Black Arrow into the Brutalizer got the very quick tap.  Claudio just watched from outside.

Apparently this earns an International title shot.  Man that’s a piss poor job promoting that.

Pac took a mic and was barely out of breath despite the pace here.  He said he’s made a lot of big promises and so suffered a lot of humiliating failures.  He spoke into the camera and said he wouldn’t be denied his Wembley moment.  Then said ‘The Bastard will be back,’ and left.

Rapid, action-packed match.

Winner: PAC

Renee backstage, Hangman rushed past and ignored her three times.  She yelled at him for disrespecting her.  Page ignored her and knocked on the Elite’s door.  Okada got in his face and wouldn’t let him in.

The Bucks asked if they could do anything for him.  Page said ‘I’ll do it,’ and left.  The announcers were a bit confused but managed to muddle together that this meant he was in Blood and Guts.  Like that story: this is now Page’s only means of getting at Swerve so he’s forced to do the Elite’s bidding.

Definitely teasing Page/Okada there too.  Also love Renee and Hangman, those two are great together.  Nice that a reporter takes themselves seriously enough to stand up to wrestlers.

*****

Mercedes out.  There was a table in the ring with a bottle and a shot glass.  Another broken bottle angle?  Please, no.  She told the fans to say hello.  Then said she was happy to be here and celebrate being a double champ.  She shouted out the Bucks for the extra security.

‘I will not be interrupted.’

She wants to set the record straight.  She’s the past, present and future (nice call back to last week): ‘I’m the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.’  (Loud boos.  It’s easy heat but man that’s fun.)

She said Britt needs to wake up from her stupid little fantasy about facing her.  She’d leave Britt ‘for dead, bitch.’  (That’s three tonight.)

She was about to toast herself when Britt’s music interrupted.  She tried to storm the ring, laying out security along the way, then just pushing through like ten of the worst security guards ever.

Mercedes fled into the crowd.  Britt climbed the buckle and stared at her, they jawed, chants of ‘DMD.’  Wasn’t all that keen on last week’s angle; this was excellent.  Short and sweet.  Mone’s best promo work yet.

*****

Back to Brandon Cutler on the floor basically crying.  So over the top that I assumed this was a bit.  But nope, he was getting his ass whooped by Darby Allin.  Who didn’t get much of a response.  He called out the Elite, Perry in particular, for Dynamite 250.

Willow Nightingale vs Mariah May

Backstory: Winner faces Toni Storm at Wembley for the Women’s title

Nigel almost lost it as they paused on a shot of May’s ass.  She came out with Toni and Luther.  Willow had Owen’s Nation gear on; May in pink and black.  Justin did the announcements, they shook, Tony was pleasantly surprised that they had an overrun tonight.

Lockup, May slipping behind, Willow freed herself then slipped to a headlock on the mat.  May got an armwringer, crowd very quiet.  As they continued to counter, weak dueling chant, May breaking a full nelson in the ropes then just avoiding Babe with the Powerbomb.

Reset.  The announcers talked about Willow competing for the CMLL title this weekend after Stephanie Vaquer quit (they didn’t say the last bit, seems she’s WWE-bound).  Willow ran over May with her shoulder but May slipped behind to trip Willow down then nail a shotgun.

May then fixed Willow in the ropes and hit a shotgun to the back.  It is damn near silent.

Willow hit a shot to the back; May several chops until being scooped into a spinning sidewalk slam.  Willow got a cross body for two then knocked May off the apron to hit a cannonball down to ringside.

Ads.

Back to a shot of Toni Storm and Luther’s backs, as we missed a Willow shotgun off the top, presumably it missed too because May followed with a hip attack and ddt for two.  Willow hit a kick to the face, corner splash, spinebuster, stack, two.

Then pointedly stepped through into a sharpshooter, few boos maybe?  May kicked her off then slipped behind to land a German.  Willow in the corner, May running uppercut, Willow missing a corner attack, May flurry, Willow boot up, May hit her handspring ‘rana for two.

Then waited for Willow to rise, missing a kick, Willow landed a fisherman bomb for two.  Willow readied a pounce, May landed a very nice headbutt to block it, looked really good.  Someone in a hoodie took Willow, Statlander nailed a pump kick on the apron as Toni took the ref.

Over-book-ing.

May hit a knee strike for a near fall.  Then got a leg trap pin for the same.  Storm gave her advice in the ropes, Willow fought off a Storm Zero, lariat for two.  Crowd clapping as Willow sized up a corner cannonball, she hit, May onto her shoulders; May Owen-style victory roll cause no-one ever wins decisively.

Having Mariah win her way here on a pre-show and then Rampage was strange.  Good as she is, she doesn’t feel at the level of a world title contender.  This was her only decent win so far in AEW.

She and Willow shook.  Storm and May skipped up the ramp.  Before May nailed Toni with the Owen belt out of nowhere.  Fans reacted big.  She nailed Luther too and sent him off the ramp.  Toni was bleeding and crying.  Weird choice to have a Brit be the heel in London, especially if she is going to win.

May nailed Storm repeatedly in the head with a shoe.  Toni pouring blood.  Refs finally came out and May shoved Aubrey on her ass.  Her ‘switch flip’ here is really good, suddenly serious and aggressive.

She rubbed Toni’s blood onto her own face.  Fans chanted ‘You sick fuck’ and ‘Holy shit.’  Can debate how we got here but that was a strong angle fans didn’t see coming and reacted big to.  May not feeling a deserving contender doesn’t matter quite so much as a heel.

Winner: Mariah May

Few quibbles aside, an entertaining show with a strong focus on top titles.  Some good build to the ppv and next week.  Which, man, they loaded up like no Dynamite in ages, stronger one-two punch than most ppvs.

_________________________________________________________________________

Next Collision:

• Takeshita vs Dynamite Kid

Dynamite 250:

• MJF vs Will Ospreay (International Title, starts the show)
• Kazuchika Okada vs Swerve Strickland (‘Title vs Title,’ was all they said)

All In:

• Bryan Danielson vs Swerve Strickland (AEW Title)
• Mariah May vs Toni Storm (Women’s Title)

Check Out

• Page vs Danielson
• The four-way

Appreciate you reading.  Hope you’re having a good week.