AEW Collision tonight comes to us from the XL Center in Hartford, Ct. After last week drawing 618,000 & 0.18 in the 18-49 demo.
*****
Darby Allin talked about things not going well lately so he’s looking for a fight tonight. MJF & Cole said there are three parts to tonight’s story: bash Harwood’s nuts in (Max), double clothesline (both), then become the new champs. FTR that they’re the best tag team in the world: ‘get ready for a fight’.
Riccaboni filling in for Kevin Kelly again due to the G1.
Andrade El Idolo vs Buddy Matthews (Ladder Match for Andrade’s mask)
Backstory: The HOB stole Andrade’s mask which AEW decided a few weeks back is special to him
The real backstory is there’s only one HOB member they’re prepared to let Andrade beat and they’ve already done an ordinary singles match.
At least to start, it’s just Julia joining Buddy. Andrade had new gear, a long coat r/t his suit-thing. And a singlet rather than pants.
Ladders all around as Julia hit the apron before the match even started, Andrade not distracted, avoiding a running knee then firing chops before a fight broke out. Chop battle in the corner, big boot from Buddy until being clotheslined outside. Andrade in pursuit.
Up a ladder, beautiful moonsault onto Buddy, dangerously close to smashing his legs on another ladder though. Matthews down, El Idolo throwing ladders into the ring, too many in fact, allowing Matthews to cut him off with kicks. Until being quickly snatched for Three Amigos, El Idolo swivelling his hips just the way Charlotte likes. To chants of ‘Eddie’. Turning to boos as Buddy blocked the last but charged in to be flung into a propped ladder in the corner.
Matthews down in said corner, the beating continuing as El Idolo placed a ladder in front, preparing to crush him but having the ladder thrown at him as Matthews recovered. Then setup a ladder mid-ring, Andrade down, we had another one of Collision’s strange snafus where they don’t quite time the break right.
Buddy went to the doc to get his shoulder popped back into place right as the ads arrived. No idea if that’s legit but presumably it is since he thought they’d gone to break.
Back to the pair scrapping round ringside, Andrade flung into ladders then the announce desk. The crowd booed as Buddy got another ladder since they wanted tables. Wedging it between the apron and the announce desk, Buddy dropped Andrade face-first across it.
They keep showing Julia so presumably she’s involved in the finish.
Matthews looked for a powerbomb on the apron, big chop from Andrade, bicycle knee strike from Buddy in response. A back elbow from Andrade sent Matthews inside the ropes, the two fighting across them, Andrade on the apron hovering dangerously over the ladder bridge, looking for a spear through the ropes, the two switching places, big chop from Andrade before sending Buddy to the buckle then spearing him off the apron onto the ladder bridge, though Matthews countered into a ddt. Nice sequence.
Then grabbed a table to a weird mixture of cheers and boos. Not a great crowd, they basically wait for big spots to make any noise. Buddy propped a table in the corner, flung Andrade’s head into it then finally one of them tried to grab the mask.
Andrade absolutely obliterated Buddy with a running elbow strike, leaving Matthews out across another ladder bridge. As Riccaboni talked about how heated this feud was – so Andrade’s going to try and hurt Buddy rather than grab his mask.
He climbed another ladder, the two scrapped at the top, a ladder bridge below, Andrade hit a sunset bomb from the top to the bridge. Cannot believe they did that during an opening match on a random Saturday. Crazy.
The match was briefly ‘awesome’ now that they’ve broken their backs. The crowd quickly quiet again though. As Andrade went after his mask, Matthews crawling in after him, hauling him off the ladder into a rising knee strike. And yep, Julia has handcuffs.
They made that too obvious by keep showing her.
They cuffed El Idolo to a ringpost, Julia mocking him but he booted Buddy to steal the key and immediately free himself. Trash booking. Andrade managed to cuff Buddy then climb the ladder as Julia just happened to have bolt cutters in case this very thing happened. How convenient.
She climbed on Andrade’s back, he continued climbing, Matthews got free, the two fought again on the ladder until Matthews spilled off, crashing into the ropes. Julia slapped Andrade a couple times, he pushed her off into Buddy who crashed through the table as Andrade got his mask back. Her bump was very safe thankfully.
AEW have booked a lot of crap lately, this was near the top. Nothing against the guys, the action itself was good between breaks and they took some wild bumps. But this felt like Sonjay and friends had slipped into Collision’s booking meeting.
So momentous was Andrade recovering his precious mask that we rushed to a Miro promo within seconds.
Winner: Andrade El Idolo
Tony Schiavone was immediately interrupted interviewing Miro as Aaron Solo attacked with a chair. Miro quickly got the better of him then yelled for Schiavone. This show’s the stuff of nightmares so far. Poor Miro. Seems QT’s snuck into Collision’s booking room too.
Darby Allin vs Minoru Suzuki
Backstory: Allin demanded a fight at the show’s start
Darby made his entrance before a break.
Okay, things are picking up! Kaze ni nare brought us back. Huge ‘ooooh!’ from the crowd. Love a surprise.
Allin shook his head. As they showed the two squaring off at Forbidden Door and Royal Rampage. Before the music ended, Darby knocked the vet off the apron then almost killed himself with his bullet tope. Though immediately popped back up. Dude’s made of rubber.
Aggressive, he fired knees to the gut before sitting Suzuki on a chair and coming off the apron via dropkick. Crowd chanting for Allin as he attempted an early pin, Suzuki angrily kicking out, glaring at the youngster, ignoring his offense, to his feet as the de jour middle-of-the-ring fistfight ensued.
Allin knocked to the mat with a big right, spilling to the apron, Suzuki after him, triangle choke in the ropes. Then a running punt from the apron with Allin at ringside. Back to the ring, running boot in the corner, snapmare, boot to the chest, two.
Break time.
Running knee to the head with Allin hanging off the apron, kitchen sink, Allin slipping behind another into a cradle, before making a big mistake – chopping Suzuki’s chest, Murder Grandpa begging him to bring it, absorbing a couple then dropping Darby with a single chop.
Back to his feet, he tried again, same result. Suzuki baited him, arms behind the back, Allin hit his flurry: shots to the chest, backwards roll, sunset flip r/t code red bagging two. Charging shoulder in the corner, Suzuki to the opposite buckle, Allin tried again, snatched into the sleeper, Gotch-style on the way, Darby reversing out, Suzuki dropstep, countered, springboard Coffin Splash, to the top for the proper thing.
Suzuki popped up slightly to snatch him into the sleeper, Allin managing to flip his feet over into a bridge, pinning Suzuki’s shoulders while still in the sleeper. This. Was. Brilliant.
Post-match, Allin stayed down, Suzuki complaining at ringside about the result.
As Christian & Luchasaurus appeared on the screen. Cage said ‘on the surface’ it seemed Allin was ready but he has some drama with Swerve & AR Fox going on. He’s distracted, ‘and you can’t be distracted when you’re vying for my… our TNT title’.
Cage said the title has never meant more, Darby’s no longer qualified to hold it. Must’ve given Jungle Boy some tips before his promo Wednesday. Though Cage’s was a lot better. Nice segment.
Winner: Darby Allin
Video package for Shida vs Toni Storm. Storm called Shida a ‘dumb stupid cow’. Who doesn’t deserve a title shot: she was the pandemic champion, ‘and just like the pandemic, we’re all glad that it’s over’. Superb line.
She’s the best, they’re going to ‘beat the absolute piss out of each other’ Wednesday. And if Shida thinks about bringing the kendo stick anywhere near Toni, Shida’ll need it afterward to ‘help yourself get around’.
This was great. Storm proving you don’t have to say ‘bitch’ and ‘s***’ to get your point across. If only they’d actually built the match properly instead of disappearing both ladies for weeks.
Samoa Joe vs Gravity
Backstory: None
The first of two late additions to the card, both of which drew a groan. And Joe usually makes me groan in a good way 😉.
Big cheer and chants of ‘Joe’ as he walked the ramp. Gravity was already in the ring. Erm, Joe’s going to kill you. Gravity ducked a swing then began his astronaut walking. Hopefully Joe tears his damn head off. What a goof.
Ducking another shot, he did the walk again and got massive boos. He hit a hurracanrana then an armdrag from the top but took a shot to the grill, another in the corner, another, before Gravity was introduced to gravity as Joe walked away from a top rope cross body.
Then mocked the astronaut walk to big cheers. J’adore.
Senton splash, snapping rights, Muscle Buster, bye bye.
This is how Pac should’ve done it Wednesday.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Back from a break, Tony Schiavone called out the ‘Best in the World’ to the usual mixed reaction. He had a new shirt with ‘I’m a Collision Guy’ on the back. And brought the bag with him.
Schiavone asked about it and Ricky Starks. Punk played to the crowd, saying that despite hectic travel he ‘make(s) my towns and always show up in the building’ for the fans. Then moved onto All In – by the end of the night we might know if he’ll be there but that has a lot to do with what’s in the bag. As does Ricky Starks.
He said Ricky had beaten him twice and he’s more disappointed than angry. Asking again can Starks handle winning the way he has? He called himself the ‘adult in the room’ and adults sometimes have to do things they don’t want to, which sounds an awful lot like a shot at the Elite. Will likely be taken that way anyway. The fans booed again, some chanted ‘What’s in the bag?’ and he did the Hogan ear-cup.
He said the truth doesn’t care if you’re right or wrong, ‘but I’m right and I’m the real world’s champion’, he earned it and no-one’s pinned or submitted him for his title. It has his name and his blood on it from when he beat Mox. He sprayed an ‘X’ across it to add his symbol.
‘This X means I’m straight edge and straight edge means I’m better than you’. (A little confused now, this is right back to his heel roots.) His supporters loved that he said this.
He said the title belongs on Collision and ‘isn’t stolen, unlike my catchphrase’, a clear shot at MJF. ‘I am the real world’s champion’. Ricky Starks interrupted, though told the crowd to pretend they hadn’t seen him so he could go backstage and get his full entrance.
‘It’s Ricky Starks, you’ve gotta be kiddin me!’ yelled Nigel when he came back out to his music. And cheers from the crowd. He told Punk he bit Punk before Punk bit him (in terms of how he beat him) then said he’s owed a shot at that title since he’s beaten him twice.
Also calling himself the face of Collision. Punk asked if Ricky beat him twice or did the referees do it? A pertinent question for any AEW babyface.
Starks said a win is a win and the belt should belong to him. Punk said it sounds like he wants a shot. A ‘Ricky’s title’ chant started, duelling with a ‘CM Punk’ one. Punk said he wants extra refs if he’s facing Starks again. Ricky said he was fine with that since Punk doesn’t have any friends anyway.
Telling him he can bring anyone from his past, ‘Dave Prazak… if you gotta go up to Stamford and get somebody’. Big ‘oooh’ from the crowd. He doesn’t care who it is, he’s already beaten Punk and he’ll do it again.
Punk told him he had his match then had Schiavone reveal that the ref will be Ricky Steamboat.
This was a bit like the Cole and MJF stuff. If you can ignore that the face/heel situation’s a mess and that AEW already has too many titles, it was effective in building next week’s match.
Starks did well here after a couple early hiccups, not coming off as beneath Punk.
Vikingo, Action Andretti & Darius Martin vs GunnJuice
Backstory: Action & Darius lost to Juice & Jay White last week, they look for revenge over Bullet Club Gold
The announcers talked about Vikingo beating Kenny Omega at TripleMania. Then why the hell is he in a mid-card six-man?
Martin and Colten starting here to chants of ‘Ass Boys’. Grapple to the corner, Martin ducking a clothesline, cross body, Andretti in to take out Austin, break.
Vikingo struggling, looking for the tag, about to get it when Andretti was hauled off the apron. Full nelson slam from Colten for two. Vikingo hit a stomp, Matrix-ing under an Austin lariat then springing off his back to bag the tag: Andretti running wild, shots and leg lariats, double handspring elbow to both Gunns, avoiding Colten who crushed Austin in the corner instead.
From the apron, Action looked for a split leg, Colten moved, Andretti rolled through to hit an enziguri (I think – the cameras couldn’t keep up with him). Impressive move capping a really nice hot tag, Spanish Fly to Austin, pin broken by Juice.
Who was immediately chucked back outside, all three faces atop the buckle as they made a base for Vikingo, flinging him down onto the heels. Back inside, Action hit a dropkick into a Darius German on Austin, thrust kick to Colten, who gouged Andretti’s eyes, leaping forearm to the back of his head, Martin left alone against the Gunns, 3:10 to Yuma, 1, 2, 3.
Another nice match – if short – which allowed the babyfaces to shine before losing. Darius and Andretti are a good team with some nice combo moves.
BCG, complete with a cardboard cut-out of Jay White which’d appeared during the break, celebrated. Before Austin tried to celebrate too hard and tipped himself over the ropes. That’s some mighty fine heel work. Laughed out loud at that.
Winner: GunnJuice
Kiera Hogan vs Mercedes Martinez
Backstory: None
What in the hell are they doing here? Maybe put the AEW champs on tv before you worry about ROH. This is absolutely baffling.
Running boot from Martinez, open-hands, Hogan got a boot up in the corner, shotgun dropkick from the top but caught into a wheelbarrow slam. Spinning suplex buying two for Martinez. Kiera came back with kicks but was caught atop the buckle, big rights from Mercedes, draping neckbreaker off the top.
Another two. Break.
Hogan hit a thrust kick, Mercedes came back via Saito suplex, sliding lariat to the back of the head, Brass City Sleeper for the win.
Decent match while it lasted, hard hitting. Certainly better than Wednesday.
Statlander came for Martinez but had a really bad case of Dumb Babyface Syndrome and turned her back despite Mercedes still being in her line of sight. She took a belt shot until Willow Nightingale ran her off.
I’ve enjoyed most of the show after a bad start but man, matches aside, AEW just do not know how to make people look good at the moment. I’ve got no sympathy for Statlander who’s been off tv for weeks too.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
FTR vs MJF & Adam Cole (Tag Titles)
Backstory: The challengers won the oh-so-prestigious Blind Eliminator tournament
FTR out to boos. Duelling ‘Double Clothesline/FTR’ chants, Dax and Cole to set it off. Lockup, headlock, headscissors, back to their feet. Back to duelling chants as they circled. Stiff headlock, to the corner, break, Cole cheap shot, Dax ducking, big chop, another nearly knocking Cole over the top, blind tag, Cash slingshotting in to lariat Cole and bag one.
Headlock, Cole trying to work his way out, trapped for a while until freeing himself but being run over by Cash, but catching Wheeler via enziguri and calling for the Double Clothesline. Dax grabbed his partner to prevent it. Though the crowd hadn’t bought they were getting it this early anyway.
They chanted for the champ and he hit the ring, easily the biggest babyface in the match. He headed to ringside to strut. Dax in, Max vowed to ‘bash his nuts in’ as he’d promised at the top of the show, cue a ‘bash his nuts’ chant. He tried a legsweep and elbow to the groin. Ridiculous but funny nonetheless.
Harwood avoided it, quickly on top: lockup, headlock, shoulder block, baseball slide and a slam, Max responding with one of his own.
After a leapfrog, Max feigned an ankle injury, the crowd quieting, he popped up, threatening to bash the nuts but taking too long, Dax to his feet, big slap fight starting, all four in, break.
This is not FTR vs BCG. More a battle of sports entertainment vs wrestling. Entertaining nonetheless.
MJF in trouble, Dax working the back, they showed Max continuing to try to attack Dax’s nuts during the break by posting him. Camel clutch, Dax tried to bring his weight down across MJF’s back, Max avoided it and nearly got the nuts but Dax stopped short.
Cash in, Max stuck with both of FTR between he and Cole, desperately seeking the tag he threw himself, was caught but hit a double ddt, Cole starting the crowd in a clap as Max made the crawl but was dragged back.
He avoided a double clothesline from FTR, tag to Cole, lariats, elbows and pump kicks, Cash onto the shoulders, Last Shot, two only. Back-cracker to Cash, Harwood in, whip reversed, cross body from the middle for two, O’Connor roll for the same result.
Until going for the cross body again and being hit with a superkick for two. The challengers called for the Double Clothesline, Dax ducked, roll up for two, Cash back in, swept into a Max tombstone, the two countering in and out until Cole hit Cash via superkick, MJF rolling through into a pin for two.
Cole superkick into a Max tombstone, kickout at 2.9. To heavy boos.
Cash struggling, Max to his feet, they called for the Clothesline again, Dax swept Max outside, Cash rolling up Cole for two then blasting him via lariat, Oklahoma Stampede to the corner, double superplex being readied, Cole fighting free, Panama Sunrise blocked as Dax shoved his partner into Cole, Powerplex on the way, Cole just kicking out.
TiA chant from the crowd as Dax allowed the tag, wanting MJF. Slugging away in the middle, huge chops from Dax, Max poking the eye but eating a big right, he stacked Harwood for two, backslide blocked, Dax slingshot powerbomb for another very close call. Superbly slick sequence a lot of which happened too quickly to describe.
Max down, Cole the same at ringside, Dax climbing the buckle, Panama Sunrise coming, Cole cut him off and took out Cash via clothesline off the apron. Distracting the ref, allowing MJF to hit Shattered Dreams with the ref distracted, Harwood kicking out at two.
Cole in to superkick Cash, Boom blocked via uppercut, Big Rig coming, Max sacrificed himself for Cole but managed to land on his feet, looked for the Heatseeker and was rolled up as FTR retained.
This was very good after the break, blending good tag wrestling with the silliness of Max looking for the nut shot, which was a lot of fun. Story getting interesting now: MJF finally sacrificed for his friend and it cost him. Still have reservations but it’s fun out of context.
FTR gave handshakes to Cole, Max slumped in the corner, annoyed at himself. Yelling ‘I blew it!’ as Cole told him they both blew it. He gave Max his world title and Cole told him it was okay and he loved him anyway.
Then turned his back, Max readying a belt shot, Cole deliberately exposing his back, bracing himself – ‘Do what you gotta do’. Instead, they hugged to a big cheer. Cole held Max’s arm up.
Very good show after a slow start.
Winner: FTR
________________________________________________________________
Next Dynamite (200th Ep):
- Chris Jericho & Konosuke Takeshita vs Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia
- Jack Perry ‘face-to-face’ with Jerry Lynn
- Jon Moxley vs Penta vs Trent Beretta (Anything Goes)
- Toni Storm vs Hikaru Shida (Women’s Title)
- Aussie Open vs Vikingo & Komander (ROH Tag Titles since it’s ROH’s 200th show)
Next Collision:
- CM Punk vs Ricky Starks (Real World Title, Ricky Steamboat special ref)
- FTR vs Big Bill & Brian Cage (AEW Tag Titles) (I’m sure they advertised this, they dropped matches in at various times in the show but I’m sure I saw this)
Thumbs Up/Down
- Darby Allin vs Minoru Suzuki
- Samoa Joe in a perfect squash
- Toni Storm’s promo – creative and original
- FTR vs Cole & MJF
- Stars actually beat other stars
*****
- Booking of the opener
- Miro stuck with QTV
- Booking of Statlander
- Where’s Will Hobbs?
- ROH stuff is starting to creep back in
Appreciate you reading. Enjoy the last day of Caesar month.
