wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 11.30.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Good afternoon, graps fans! If you’re tuning in to Survivor Series later tonight, this should prove to be a good warm-up for a whole night of wrestling, as AEW presents a matinee edition of Collision. The Continental Classic is now underway, and I’m personally a big fan of the field. Yes, there are some notable omissions (I think we ALL wanted Buddy Matthews to get a spotlight this year), but some of the match-ups on paper are mouth-wateringly tantalising. Tonight’s serving proves that point – Will Ospreay vs Juice Robinson, get in my veins.
We’ve also got Okada vs Garcia and Fletcher vs Mortos to round out the tournament action, plus a high-profile singles match in Hangman Page vs Wheeler Yuta, and Mina Shirakawa will be competing too. And we can all dig that. On with the show!
Location: Chicago, IL
Venue: Wintrust Arena
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
After our opening credits, we are live-to-tape, and kicking things off with Gold League action.
[Continental Classic: Gold League] Will Ospreay vs Juice Robinson
As a reminder, other competitors are banned from ringside for the Continental Classic, which means Juice is going this alone without backup from the Bang Bang Gang. Ospreay is heavily taped up across the back and shoulders after his match with Fletcher last weekend. Feeling out process to begin, Juice avoids a dropkick, and counters the early Oscutter attempt but walks into a hurracanrana. Running forearm in the corner, and Ospreay sets Juice up in the tree of woe. Shibata-style dropkick, cover for 2. Juice attempts a neckbreaker but Ospreay elbows out of it and locks in an octopus stretch. Juice tries a senton splash but Ospreay gets the knees up. Juice comes back with a lariat to floor Ospreay. Corner lariat follows, canonball! And now Juice gets the neckbreaker, cover for 1, 2, no.
Top rope crossbody from Juice, 1, 2, nope. Ospreay goes for a hurracanrana, Juice catches him but they slightly slip on the powerbomb. They recover and Juice deadlifts him up for a falling powerbomb. Ospreay is backed into the corner, sunset flips out but Juice holds on into a Boston crab! Tight grip on that one, locked in good…but Ospreay makes it to the ropes. Juice nips to the outside and delivers a draping DDT to the padded floor. Referee Paul Turner begins the count, Ospreay falls to the floor at 8 as his neck/back seize up, but he makes it back in the ring at the very last second.
Ospreay to the apron, Phenomenal forearm, kip up. Running forearm now, Juice to the floor, and Ospreay chases him down with a springboard crossbody to the floor. Back in the ring, running big boot and a twisting senton gives Ospreay a 2 count. Leg lariat from Juice! Damn, Juice’s chest/shoulder is RAW from some earlier chops. Left hand of God is ducked, Ospreay with a stundog millionaire. Juice gets tied up in the ropes, and Ospreay delivers a series of thrust kicks. Misses the Oscutter and Juice hits a left-handed lariat, turning Ospreay inside-out! 1, 2, NO. Ospreay flips and rolls into a Styles Clash! 1, 2, NO! HIDDEN BLADE for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Will Ospreay
Time: 12:31
Rating: ***1/4 – Good stuff, a lower-key affair from Ospreay, but a solid showing from Juice, who I think is going to be a great addition to the Continental Classic this year.
*We pick up where we left off with Mariah May backstage having assaulted Mina at the photoshoot. May says she never broke up with Mina Shirakawa, they’re closer than ever. How could she not give her a chance at everything she ever wanted? if Mina wants to be on top, this is what it takes. If Mina can beat her, she can have it all. If AEW wants Mina, here she is. Let’s see how long she lasts. She can cry, scream, bleed, but Mina can never say May didn’t love her.
Mistico & Private Party vs MxM Collection & Johnny TV
Mistico and Johnny TV get FLIPPY as the bell rings, with Mistico hitting the lovely springboard arm drag. Mansoor in, Private Party in for some double teaming in the corner. Bulldog combination, pin attempt on Mansoor for 2. Tag to Mason, leg lariat to Quen, and a standing SSP from Johnny TV, who tags in for a pin attempt. Triple teaming on Quen, with Mason taking him out with a hip attack, and the three of them pose for flash photography. Johnny and Mansoor roll up Quen, splitting his legs wide open…Mason with a KICK TO THE TAINT. Body blows in the corner, tag to Mansoor, but he gets rolled up for 2. Quen is desperate for the tag, enziguri to Johnny TV, and he makes the tag to Zay. Zay takes on all three opponents, double dropkick connects. Tope con hilo to take everyone out on the floor. Asai moonsault takes out Mason, enziguri to Johnny back in the ring, and Zay kicks Mansoor away…but the distraction was enough, Zay misses the Swanton.
Mistico in, crossbody to Mansoor, but Mansoor comes right back with a spinebuster. Pele to Quen, Mason with a spinebuster as well. Headbutt to Zay, spinning side slam, and Johnny TV makes the cover for 2. MxM go for their spinebuster/leg lariat finisher but that is put to a stop. Jonnny thinks about Starship Pain but Mistico crotches him and then crossbodies out to the floor. Gin and Juice connects on Johnny! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Mistico & Private Party
Time: 8:14
Rating: **3/4 – Perfectly acceptable, with Mistico nipping in for a couple of high spots but letting Quen and Zay take the bulk of the match. Again I take issue with the MxM/Johnny TV pairing being immediately relegated to jobber status, but they did get some good offense in here, and they make everything they do as entertaining as possible.
*Lexy Nair is with Anna Jay backstage, reflecting on her recent title opportunity loss and rebound win against Deonna Purrazzo at Full Gear. Jay says she has nothing left to lose at this point. Deonna found out that Jay is a badass that can’t be kicked. There are other titles out there though. Her catchphrase is ‘try me’…but maybe it’s time she tries someone else.
[Continental Classic: Blue League] Kyle Fletcher vs The Beast Mortos
Good reaction for Mortos tonight. Don Callis is on commentary, so I guess that doesn’t count as ‘being at ringside’? Mortos and Fletcher trade shoulder blocks, until Mortos takes him off his feet with a vicious attempt. Monkey flip out of the corner, powerslam to Kyle for a 2 count. Fletcher comes back with a couple of body slams, but Mortos nails a tijeras. Mortos sits on the top turnbuckle, and Fletcher hits him with a hard right-hand to send him down to the floor. Fletcher takes a run up and hits a running boot before flexing for the crowd. Back in the ring, Fletcher is firmly in control, standing on the throat of Mortos and choking him out as we head to commercial.
Back from break, Kyle connects with a Michinoku driver for 2. Running knee against the ropes, but Mortos back body drops him. Destroyer-like DDT, good Lord! TORNILLO through the middle ropes as Mortos takes out Fletcher on the outside. Back inside the ring, Mortos climbs the ropes, misses a twisting senton though. Proto-bomb, 1, 2, NO. Running kick in the corner, and Fletcher sets him up for the brainbuster…HEADBUTT from Mortos! Diving crucifix bomb! Huge lariat from Mortos, 1, 2, NO! Roaring lariat, but Kyle meets him with one of his own. Another headbutt, but Fletcher comes back with another lariat of his own. Running boot, sheer drop brainbuster! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Kyle Fletcher
Time: 9:59
Rating: ***1/2 – Mortos absolutely big-leagued this, he’s another one who is going to be a blast to watch in this tournament. Fletcher continues the roll he is on.
*We recap the MJF/Adam Cole/Kyle O’Reilly drama, culminating in both Cole and O’Reilly calling their shot for the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal next week.
*Backstage, Lexy Nair grabs a word with Kyle O’Reilly and the Undisputed Kingdom, but they shrug her off. Taven doesn’t understand where Kyle is coming from. They need to exorcise some demons, some devils…they asks O’Reilly to respect them and let them finish this chapter of their careers. O’Reilly says he ‘respects the plan’ and both Taven and Bennett don’t get what he means.
*We get highlights of Ricochet vs Konosuke Takeshita from Full Gear.
*Don Callis is backstage with Konosuke Takeshita. Callis says he’s here to talk about the Alpha. It makes him happy to think about the next year for the Alpha. This will be the year of the Don Callis family, and the year of the International champion. Takeshita says he dominates this ring. Come and take the title, if you can.
The Outrunners vs Iron Savages
Production have ‘beefed up’ the VHS effect on the Outrunners’ entrance, and I love it. Jacked Jameson says everyone in this building is a Meat Rider, and they will take them all to Titty City. Magnum and Boulder start this one off, with Boulder taking the early advantage and tagging Bronson in. Boulder goes for a big splash but misses. Floyd tags in, and he delivers the train of body slams, but can’t lift Boulder. Double goozle as Boulder looks for a chokeslam, but the Outrunners counter and hit the SUNAVABITCH ELBOW. Total Recall connects, 1, 2, 3.
Winners: The Outrunners
Time: 2:52
Rating: N/R – Necessary easy win for the Outrunners to get them back on track after failing to win the big one last weekend.
Post-match, the music of FTR hits, and here comes Dax and Cash! Four-way sunavabitch handshake!
*Backstage, Lexy Nair has a word with Max Caster. Caster can’t believe Swerve ripped his jacket. Caster says Swerve doesn’t deserve the opportunities he’s been handed here. Caster wants Swerve this week on Dynamite. Caster says he hasn’t spoken to Bowens or Daddy Ass since Full Gear, but he knows they’ll have his back at Dynamite. And that is a mic drop.
Wheeler Yuta vs Hangman Page
Hanger grounds Yuta and starts clubbing away at him until he’s forced to break it. Yuta tries to jump on Page, but Page catches him and dumps him with a body slam instead. Repeated shots to the head, as Page bounces his head into the top turnbuckle over and over again. Clothesline to the floor, and Page lifts and drops Yuta across the ring apron. Back in the ring, Yuta takes a swing but gets caught, belly-to-back suplex from Page, 1, 2, no. Springboard lariat misses, and Yuta goes to the leg with a chopblock.
Yuta smells blood, immediately targeting the leg again, twisting it over the bottom rope and standing on it. Knee drop to the ankle, and Page tries to kick him away with the other leg, but Yuta catches that too. We go to PIP as Hangman starts rallying in the corner, but Yuta chops him down and locks in a single-leg Boston crab. Hanger grabs the ropes, but Yuta holds on to it and uses the ‘I have til 5’ line. BOO THIS MAN. Yuta with mounted punches, Page interrupts them with an atomic drop. Yuta regains control with a cheapshot to the ankle and a dragon screw, and then hits a seatbelt slam for 2. Yuta up top, gets caught…Hangman is looking for the Fallaway slam, but Yuta sweeps the legs. Page is tied up in the tree of woe, and Yuta punches the knee…only for Page to lean up and deliver a Spider German suplex!
Yuta looks for a figure-four, gets kicked off, and the rebound is interrupted too. Page to the floor with Yuta now, tossing him into barricades around the ringside area. Back in the ring, a Death Valley Driver connects to give Page a 2 count. We go to a camera in the stands, and here comes Pac and Claudio Castagnoli to intimidate. Yuta with a rollup for 2. Discus lariat from Hangman as Pac and Claudio continue to watch…and now here comes Marina Shafir and Moxley behind them. Buckshot lariat attempt, but it jars the knee. Yuta with the seatbelt! 1, 2, NO. DEADEYE! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Hangman Adam Page
Time: 12:09
Rating: ***1/4 – Some good story progression here, and while I could criticise Yuta coming across as an after-thought, that appears to be the point. He’s the sacrificial lamb of the Death Riders, but he’s likely done enough to soften up Hangman for whoever may be waiting for him.
After the bell, Hangman immediately starts attacking Wheeler Yuta, but the rest of the Death Riders don’t seem to give a shit. Page grabs a steel chair, and wraps it around the head and neck of Yuta. Moxley almost seems amused. The music of Jay White hits, and the Switchblade arrives with a chair in hand too. Hangman backs off, so White sends a message to the Death Riders with a Bladerunner to Yuta.
*Thunder Rosa hypes up the lucha libre presence on Rampage tonight after Collision finishes. Rosa is hungry, she wants to be on top. Once she’s done with “Harleygram” everyone will remember why she was a champion…OK we just cut to commercial mid-way through her promo, nice one Triller.
*Lexy Nair attempts to get a word with Hangman Adam Page. Page says she’s not getting an interview with him. Page then walks into Christopher Daniels, who says he was supposed to fine Page for his actions over the last few weeks, but he’d rather not speak as an EVP right now, and instead speak as a guy who’s known Page for 15 years. Page needs to step up…and Hangman cuts him off, saying no one tells him what kind of man he needs to be. The last thing he needs is advice from an old man like Daniels.
Mina Shirakawa vs Leila Grey
Side headlocks traded by both women. Mina ducks and slides under a lariat attempt and poses. Kick to the back of Grey, and they get into a strike exchange. Mina builds up momentum, punch to the chest! Running lariat on Grey just gets a 1 count. She misses a charge into the corner, rising knee from Grey and a snap suplex right into a butterfly hold. Mina works out of it, spinning backfist! 1, 2, no. Rollup by Grey gets 2. Roaring elbow from Shirakawa, diving slingblade from the middle rope. Glamorous Driver from Mina gets the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Mina Shirakawa
Time: 3:26
Rating: N/R – Squash city, and it’s always a joy to see more Mina.
*Lexy Nair speaks to Willow Nightingale backstage. Willow says she has to pivot her focus, and sets her sights on the Wrestle Dynasty International Cup spot. After over a month away, she has to get back to work, put a smile on, and make it happen. No idea if she says more because again we jump-cut to commercial on Triller. These taped shows are often shoddily presented on Triller, FWIW!
[Continental Classic: Blue League] Kazuchika Okada vs Daniel Garcia
It’s Continental champion vs TNT champion for our main event tonight. Matt Menard joins commentary too. They feel each other out, Garcia applying a side headlock. Backslide from Garcia gets 2, another rollup for 2, tight cradle for 2 as well as Garcia shows dominance over Okada! Okada backs away and applauds him a little. Handshake offered by Okada, Garcia goes to shake it, but Okada just wipes the sweat off his face instead. That fires up Garcia who starts laying in some right hands. Garcia walks into a flapjack from Okada, allowing the Continental champion to reset the pace. Neckbreaker connects, cover for barely a 1.
Garcia fights back with forearms, but one shot from Okada puts him back down. Body slam, misses the senton though. Also misses the senton from the apron, and now Garcia is back in this one…only for Okada to catch him with the Money Clip! Jawbreaker from Garcia to escape, desperation Twist and Shout, which Tanahashi would approve of. Body blows in the corner, followed by a series of kicks and stomps, and a running face wash. Garcia locks in a sleeper hold and Okada seems to be fading. Running PK, 1, 2, no.
Both men head to the floor and battle at the barricade. Garcia takes a run up, dropkick into the barricade and Okada is clutching his shoulder now and may be hurt. He was playing opossum, as he hits Garcia with a steel chair to the midsection while referee Aubrey Edwards was chatting to the doctor! DDT on the floor, and Okada is laughing about it, such a menace. Garcia is driven back-first into the barricade, but the fans at ringside help him up. He rushes back into the ring, straight into another DDT. Garcia struggles to his feet as we head to commercial.
Back from break, both men are battling atop the turnbuckles, trading strikes. Headbutts from Garcia, they go to the tippy-top and Garcia nails a superplex for 2. Garcia is looking for a leg submission, but Okada escapes to the floor. Garcia throws him back inside, but Okada quickly catches him and hits the trademark Air Raid neckbreaker across the knee for 2. Body slam, Okada to the top, elbow drop connects. RAINMAKER POSE INTO THE DANIEL GARCIA DANCE! Okada is a living legend, my God. That clearly pisses Garcia off as he instantly pops up and cranks on an ankle lock. Dropkick from Garcia. Okada comes back with a dropkick attempt but Garcia catches it. Rollup cradle from Okada gets 2. Double clothesline, both men go down.
Okada has wrist control, short-arm clothesline..misses another but nails the dropkick. Michinoku Driver connects…and Garcia counters the Rainmaker into a Sharpshooter! 1 minute remaining! Okada reaches out for the ropes but Garcia drags him back to the center. Garcia sits deep into the hold, but Okada won’t tap! Okada is biting his own hand to endure the pain…and the bell rings as the time limit expires.
Winner: Time Limit Draw
Time: 20:00
Rating: ***3/4 – Slow-burner here, which built into a really strong back-and-forth contest, and a decent finish. It took a while to get going, but the closing portion was firing on all cylinders.They didn’t really tease the draw until the very end too which was smart in not completely telegraphing it.
Okada is impressed and stretches his hand out again to offer the handshake, Garcia goes to shake…and Okada flips him off in his face. HA! Glorious. That’s all for Collision tonight folks – now go enjoy Rampage!
Continental Classic Standings
[Gold League]
Claudio Castagnoli: 3 Points (1-0-0)
Brody King: 3 Points (1-0-0)
Will Ospreay: 3 Points (1-0-0)
Ricochet: 0 Points (0-1-0)
Darby Allin: 0 Points (0-1-0)
Juice Robinson: 0 Points (0-1-0)
[Blue League]
Shelton Benjamin: 3 Points (1-0-0)
Kyle Fletcher: 3 Points (1-0-0)
Kazuchika Okada: 1 Point (0-0-1)
Daniel Garcia: 1 Point (0-0-1)
Mark Briscoe: 0 Points (0-1-0)
The Beast Mortos: 0 Points (0-1-0)
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