wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision: Maximum Carnage Review 01.17.26
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Happy Saturday, sickos! It’s a bumper edition of Collision this evening as AEW presents Collision: Maximum Carnage, featuring championship opportunities and more. Andrade El Idolo makes his in-ring return to the company tonight, taking on Angelico, and we’ll see finally see tag action between the Grizzled Young Veterans and the team of Eddie Kingston and Ortiz, which has been simmering away over the past month. A new number one contender to the National championship will be crowned, as Jack Perry takes on Anthony Bowens, and The Opps will be in competition, defending the Trios titles against JetSpeed and Hangman Adam Page. That’s a decent bit of starpower for us tonight, and sensible considering Collision goes up against TNA Genesis and the latest AAA show, giving viewers extra choice this week. Stick with us here at 411mania, and let’s sit back and enjoy the show!
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Venue: Arizona Financial Theater
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
*We are live to tape from Phoenix with a new theme song for Collision, very electro/techno vibes. Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show, and Andrade El Idolo saunters out, accompanied by Don Callis for our opening contest.
Andrade El Idolo (w/ Don Callis) vs Angelico (w/ Serpentico)
Andrade elbows out of a waistlock and knocks Angelico down in the corner. Running double knees! 1, 2, Andrade pulls him up. He signals for the Figure Four but then waves it off as a thing of the past. POINTED! Three Amigos attempt but Angelico reverses on the second suplex and rolls him up for 1. Andrade stomps the foot, chops him in the corner, but Angelico gets a foot up. Both men up top now, superplex, and Andrade continues the Three Amigos. Cover, 1, 2, he pulls him up once more. Rising knee from Angelico, backfist in response by Andrade. Butterfly spinout driver which he calls the DM, and that gets the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Andrade El Idolo
Time: 4:02
Rating: ** – Extended squash for Andrade and he looked perfectly fine here. I’m not sure that DM finisher will work on larger opponents but against smaller lucha guys it should look pretty cool.
*Lexy Nair is standing by with the Rascalz backstage, who come out of a VERY smoky room, and Lexy loses her train of thought. Dezmond Xavier says it’s only right that they’re here in AEW, where the best wrestle. Reed says they didn’t come to take part, they came to take over. The Rascalz will take ’em all.
*We recap the GYV/Eddie Kingston & Ortiz feud up until this point.
Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs Grizzled Young Veterans
Kingston and Gibson look to start out, but Kingston is too hot and fired up, so Ortiz agrees to go in first. Ortiz with a facebuster to a fresh Drake and nails a crossbody. Kingston in for a double suplex, and he holds Drake in a camel clutch to allow Ortiz to hit a delayed running dropkick. Kingston gets backed into the GYV corner, and Gibson comes in, wheel kick from Drake, and Gibson starts talking trash at Ortiz. Dropkick from the second rope by Drake, and he charges in but gets taken out by a Kingston clothesline. Tag to Ortiz, flapjack to Gibson. Nice double team work from GYV, with Drake launching off the back of Gibson to kick Eddie off the apron. Suicide dive to Ortiz on the outside as we head to PIP.
Back from break, Drake gets driven into the corner and a capture Northern Lights suplex gives Ortiz a 2 count. Gibson tags in, hurracanrana from Ortiz to create some space, Drake in to cut off the tag to Eddie. Drake gets punched by Kingston, and now Ortiz makes the tag. Kingston gets into a strike exchange with Drake, corner lariat, and some machine gun chops. Gibson tries to interfere but gets chopped. Ortiz back in, pop-up powerbomb! 1, 2, NO. Enziguri from Drake, Gibson in, and Eddie shakes off the offense. Eddie rips down the straps, chops Gibson and delivers an exploder. Drake tries to use the scarf while the ref is distracted, but Eddie throws it away. Ticket to Ride connects, and Gibson covers, 1, 2, NO. Flatliner into the Koji Clutch! Eddie won’t tap. Gibson stomps away at him while Drake still has him in the hold. Ortiz and Gibson clumsily spill to the floor. Eddie may be out! The ref checks his arm, but he gets it up before the 3. Eddie battles out of the hold, ground and pound strikes. Ortiz whacks Drake with the loaded sock, and Eddie hits the DDT for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Eddie Kingston & Ortiz
Time:13:42
Rating: *** – First action on AEW TV for Ortiz in FOREVER and he did pretty good even if he didn’t outright impress. Cheating to win is a choice for them, but Eddie possibly didn’t see so there’s a level of intrigue there. GYV are good hands and I do think they could be used in this capacity a little more.
*After Dynamite, Kris Statlander speaks with Willow and Harley Cameron. Kris says she’s easy to find, so she hopes Thekla’s win keeps her going. If that was toxic, Kris says she likes the taste. BRITNEY REFERENCE.
*Tony Schiavone welcomes FTR along with Stokely to the stage. Stokely takes the mic and says people are expecting to say something bad about the Don Callis Family but he won’t do that. He congratulates Doyle and Davis on becoming number one contenders. Stokely is jealous because they have it all. The strength, the size, the look. They are professional wrestlers. Stokely longs for the days when pro wrestlers looked like pro wrestlers. They have the ability, except the ability to defeat FTR.
Cash grabs the mic, running through all the news outlets that recognizes their greatness. Cash makes a Jake Something pun, and says they’re good, but they’re not “FTR good”. Dax wants to talk about what he hates about these people in Arizona. Dax says they live in a fairy tale. When they see something new and shiny, they think it’s the best thing ever. Dax doesn’t have an issue with Davis or Doyle, he has an issue with the people around them. Dax says they built this division, and D&D get a shot because of one match? Not gonna happen. They have the luxury of calling their shot, but Dax doesn’t care what they did in the past or will do in the future. Like all these people, Davis and Doyle are begging to be FTR. But there is only one, top guys…out!
*Cru speaks backstage, taking issue with the Rascalz, wanting to give them a welcome they’re never forget.
*We get a look at Zayda Steel, the newest signee for the AEW Women’s division.
Marina Shafir vs Zayda Steel
Moxley joins commentary for this next match. Steel launches herself at Shafir but that’s not wise. Shafir misses a roundhouse kick, headscissors from Steel. Marina tries to chop her on the outside but Steel ducks and Marina chops the ringpost. Dive from Steel, countered by Shafir as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Steel hits a codebreaker. Saito suplex by the Problem and she tells Steel to say hi to her mom. Wrist control, slaps to the chest…Steel ducks, tries a waistlock, and Shafir claps her hands to box the ears. Mother’s Milk, and Zayda Steel is out.
Winner: Marina Shafir
Time: 5:28
Rating: *1/2 – This was only ever going to go one way so no surprises here. Just a shame that the vast majority of the match took place during commercial. Steel seemed like she has a good personality so honing her in-ring craft a little further could make her into a decent prospect.
*El Clon, Josh Alexander and Kyle Fletcher head out for the next match. Jon Moxley speaks to Don Callis with both men still on commentary. Moxley doesn’t know what the Don Callis Family stand for. He heads away from the desk, and Archer & Rocky Romero attack Moxley from behind, and now it all breaks down into a big brawl, with the Don Callis Family taking on the Death Riders. And here come SkyFlight! They all hit stereo dives as SkyFlight look to take an advantage before the match begins.
Don Callis Family (El Clon, Josh Alexander & Kyle Fletcher) vs SkyFlight
Darius works over the arm of Fletcher as we see the Death Riders still kicking off around ringside. Leapfrog onto the arm, and Darius tags in Scorpio but he walks into a scoop slam from Fletcher. Quick tags from the Don Callis Family, but Sky manages to make the tag to Darius. Standing Spanish Fly and a tope suicida to the floor. Flatliner on Josh gets a 2 count. Step-up tornado DDT, Dante in for the cover, 1, 2, no. Josh throws the Martins into each other, release German to Darius. Clon in, strikes in the corner, enziguri. Fletcher with a body slam, double stomp from Clon! Fletcher catches Darius with a flying forearm as we head to commercial.
Alexander and Darius chop each other as we come back. Josh goes for an ankle lock, but Darius counters with an enziguri to break it. Fletcher in, Darius reverses a suplex though. Tags on both side, Clon and Dante in. Springboard dropkick from Dante Martin, and a crossbody for a nearfall. Clon with the heel kick behind his back and a Pele! Fletcher with a running kick to Sky, and the big running boot to Dante. Sky helps Dante counter the brainbuster and he nails a tornado DDT. SkyFlight all work over Fletcher now, double team facebuster! 1, 2, no, saved by Clon and Alexander. Sky gets hung up on the ropes and Alexander drops him with a rib breaker on the apron. Quebrada on the ramp by Clon on Dante! Darius eats a half Nelson suplex. C4 Spike avoided but Alexander grounds Darius and gets the ankle lock locked in. Darius rolls out of it, but Alexander whips the ankle over the ropes, and hits a torture rack blue thunder. C4 Spike! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Don Callis Family
Time: 13:05
Rating: ***1/4 – Alexander has his big match against Omega coming up so of course he was going to be spotlighted here, and it made sense for him to pick up the pinfall. SkyFlight do fine in this environment but it’s hard to take them all that seriously when they’re in the fodder role like this.
*Konosuke Takeshita heads out after the win, He steps into the ring and he hugs Kyle Fletcher, seemingly ignoring the others. He raises hands with El Clon too, but it’s clear Proteshita is still going strong.
*Roderick Strong and Orange Cassidy are backstage, and Roddy is going to break Castagnoli’s back as the new number one contender to Claudio’s CMLL title. Mark Briscoe shows up and says Strong has to hang around for the time being. Briscoe is talking to El Clon and wants revenge for putting Hologram on the bench. Briscoe isnt ducking or diving, he wants to face El Clon for the TNT title next week.
*MJF shows off about being a travelling champion like Buddy Rogers or Ric Flair. He says he’ll go on to be better than all of them.
Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford vs Danielle Kamela & Viva Van
Bayne takes Van down straight away, and suplexes Kamela in from the apron. Corner splashes, Bayne gets both women on her shoulders and hits a Samoan Drop/Fallaway slam combo. Ford calls for the tag, and she goes up top for the Doomsday Device. 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
Time: 1:29
Rating: N/R – Ford’s first match back post-shoulder injury, but it was a gentle return as all she got to do was that Doomsday Device.
*Marina Shafir comes to celebrate with Bayne & Ford, but here’s Timeless Toni Storm to crash the party with Mina Shirakawa. Storm says Shafir can’t hide behind those two skirts. Mina hasn’t forgotten what they did to them, and they will make them pay. Storm will rip off Ford’s other arm and slap Megan Bayne’s head with it. Mina reminds them to get their chins up, tits out, and watch for the Love Bombs.
*Lexy Nair speaks to Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana backstage, asking about his plan to get back into the World title picture. The plan is no different, he has to win. Kevin Knight shows up and says he can’t shake the fact that Swerve called him the ‘future’. The Jet hears it all the time, but he’s the here and now. Swerve says that sounds like fighting words. Swerve tells him to go win something of value, then they can have a conversation. Swerve truly thinks he’s the future of the business, just don’t take 5-6 years to get there.
*Ricochet appears and joins the commentary desk for this upcoming match.
[AEW National Championship #1 Contenders Match] Jack Perry vs Anthony Bowens
Both men shake hands in a show of sportsmanship as we begin. Bowens has a little scissor action with himself, and gives him a crotch chop for good measure. They trade armdrags but to no effect and come to a stalemate. Perry holds his fingers out to scissor! Bowens scissors him…and Perry bites the fingers! Perry tries the wrist-control springboard arm drag but Bowens shakes the ropes to crotch him. They head to the floor, Perry puts the brakes on, Bowens gets him on his shoulders and drops him face-first onto the apron. Wheelbarrow into a bulldog from Perry on the floor as we go to commercial.
We’re back as Perry connects with a leaping DDT, 1, 2, no. Series of strikes and a thrust kick from Bowens, kick to the back and vintage Bowens with a spinning rope-assisted DDT. Superkick by Perry, the Arrival from Bowens as a counter. Running knee, cover, 1, 2, Perry kicks out. Both men look for backslides, seatbelt combination by Perry gets 2. Lariat from Bowens cuts him off! Leaping knee connects, Perry with the running knee, 1, 2, 3.
Winner and New No.1 Contender to the National Championship: Jack Perry
Time: 10:12
Rating: *** – Nice back and forth action, both men digging into their arsenal. Ultimately a little forgettable but Perry/Ricochet could do some good stuff together.
*Perry heads to the back but Ricochet is still talking trash so Perry turns and leaps with a flipping senton to take him out! Barely any time to reflect on it before we go straight to a video package for the main event.
*Moxley says they’ve given the Don Callis Family a lot of space. Live and let live. This match they lit tonight is something different entirely. Pac ask who the f they think they are? Have they forgotten what the Death Riders do? Garcia says there is no coming back from this. They don’t know the real meaning of family. Moxley has seen every type of snake, carny, slimeball in 20+ years, so yeah he knows him, knows exactly who Callis is. Of all the bad people in wrestling, Moxley is the worst…when he has to be.
[AEW World Trios Championships] The Opps (c) vs Hangman Adam Page & JetSpeed
HOOK is on commentary although he doesn’t seem to be speaking, apparently due to the neck injuries he suffered. He just wants to wear the headset and look menacing. Shibata offers to shake hands with Bailey, and Bailey accepts, but of course that just allows Shibata to catch him off guard with a kick to the gut. Knight in as JetSpeed hit a double arm drag followed by some knees and a UFO splash. Hobbs tags in and lariats the FACE off Knight. Knight drops out of a powerslam and tags Hangman in. But Hobbs lariats him too. Fallaway Slam on Shibata, and they trade big boots in the corner, Deadeye attempt, reversed, but Hangman hits a sliding lariat, Speedball in, Shibata with a snapmare as they work to the apron. Suplex on the apron, holds on, and he delivers a second suplex on the floor.
Coming back from commercial, Samoa Joe works over Speedball, who elbows his way out of a chinlock. Missile dropkick connects. Springboard lariat to Shibata from Hangman, crossbody to Joe, and he clocks Hobbs. Low bridge, Hobbs to the floor, and Page is poised for the diving moonsault, it connects! Page and Hobbs battle on the apron, with Page thinking Deadeye. Hobbs picks up Hangman, Bailey sweeps the legs though. Ultima Weapon on the apron! Knight dives on Hobbs but Hobbs plants him with an STO. Joe in, Knight takes it to him with strikes. Powerslam, Joe covers, 1, 2, no. The Opps all take turns with strikes in the corner, suplex by Shibata, running senton and Hobbs covers for 2. Joe and Shibata lock in sleepers on Page and Bailey but Knight reverses a Spinebuster attempt, rolling through in a tight cover, 1, 2, 3!!!
Winners and NEW AEW World Trios Champions: Hangman Adam Page & JetSpeed
Time: 11:14
Rating: ***1/4 – Hobbs takes the fall presumably on his way out, and I liked that finish with Joe and Shibata basically oblivious, wrapped up in what they were doing, assuming Hobbs had it under control.
*Swerve Strickland heads to the stage to look on fondly, and we see that Strickland vs Kevin Knight is signed for Dynamite. Bayne & Ford vs Timeless Love Bombs is also signed, plus Death Riders vs Don Callis Family in a Street Fight. And with that (barely giving the winner time to celebrate their victory), we’re done for the night! See you next week, folks.
