wrestling / TV Reports
Ciocco’s AEW Collision Slam Dunk Sunday Review 3.22.26
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...SICKOS! Tonight is night two of Slam Dunk Collision (following coverage of college basketball, naturally), and as was the case last night, there is a card chock full of action that awaits us tonight!
It’s just that, you know, whenever that time comes, of course. Last night, for example, Collision popped onto the air at 11:21 EST after the Vanderbilt-Nebraska game ended. So, it remains anyone’s guess as to when the show begins tonight.
The AEW Trio’s Titles will be on the line, as Jet Speed and Mistico will defend the titles against the Don Callis Family. Funnily enough, the members of the Don Callis Family who lost the titles back to Kevin Knight and Speedball Mike Bailey (Okada, Davis, and Fletcher) will not be partaking in the rematch, as the trio of Konosuke Takeshita, Josh Alexander, and El Clon will instead look to bring the titles back to the Family.
Tommaso Ciampa has made it clear that he is coming back for “Sylvie”, but tonight, he takes a detour when he faces Lio Rush, who returned after missing for months at the Blackjack Battle Royale for the National Title at Revolution. Will Ciampa continue his march back towards the title, or will the reborn Black Spider (who looks like the son of Zeus) knock the Psycho Killer off his path?
Roderick Strong, fresh off a return to the company the week leading up to Revolution, will team up with Orange Cassidy to face Lee Johnson and Jay Lethal. Will the new best friends of Strong and Cassidy (with all due respect to the original best friends of Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor, and Orange) continue their teamwork, or will the mentor and student team crack their foundation?
The new Women’s tag team champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross (herein known as Divine Dominion) will be in action in a non-title match against opponents to be named. Much like I said last night about LFI being in action, it won’t matter who opposes Lena and Megan, for they stand next to no chance absolutely no chance.
Also, as I mentioned last night, this is the part where I would say “All of this and, of course, so much more in store for us tonight,” but given how the show was cut up, I’m not quite sure how much more comes with the territory.
So, enough about me and enough about you, let’s get ready to hit that Slam Dunk (on a Sunday!)
Collision Slam Dunk Night Two is, once again, live to tape from the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California! Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness will have the call tonight!
ANDRIGHTINTOTHEACTIONWEGO!
Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong vs. Lee Johnson and Jay Lethal
A shame that Lethal and Johnson don’t get an entrance. Disrespectful, especially to Lethal. Cassidy throws off his jacket, so Lethal takes it and puts it on Johnson LOL!
Lethal and Strong to start. Turning back the clock to OG ROH here! Lethal wants a minute to do the strut! WOOOOO! Actual wrestling now, as Strong wrestles Lethal down to the mat with a wrist lock. Tony mentions that Dennis Condrey passed away and he pays his respect to the late Midnight Express member.
Strong with a leg lariat and he tags in Cassidy. Strong throws Cassidy into Lethal and then charges in with a corner clothesline. Strong slaps Lethal, but Cassidy clearly slaps him harder. Strong with a backbreaker, Cassidy on the second rope, but he jumps down and delivers an elbow drop. Lethal has had enough and he takes Cassidy to his corner and tags in Johnson.
Johnson initially outwrestles Cassidy, but OC with the roll-up for a two. Standing switches galore now. Johnson with a Full Nelson, but Cassidy gets those hands in his pockets! He escapes, rolls underneath Johnson, and hits the dropkick.
Lethal comes in, he avoids the dropkick and tries the figure four, but Lethal kicks Cassidy away. Strong takes flight, but Christian helps Lethal slow him down and he gets decked on the floor. Johnson intercepts Cassidy and hits a stalling vertical for a two. That’ll take us to the break.
Lethal rolls Cassidy into the ring and Johnson gets a two as we return. Cassidy is sent to the corner, Johnson with a running slap, Lethal with a running clothesline. Lethal and Johnson distract Shaun Smith, allowing Blake Christian to hit a Area Code Jones to Cassidy in the corner. Another pin, another two.
Lethal and Johnson put Cassidy in their corner, but Cassidy fights them off. Christian tries to intervene, but Cassidy kicks him away. Orange is SO close, but Lethal grabs the foot of Cassidy. He makes Lee and Jay butt heads, and Strong gets the tag. Roderick proceeds to wreck everyone’s shit. Front Face Angle Slam to Lethal and a proper Angle Slam to Johnson for a two.
Cassidy gets the tag, but Johnson sends Strong into Cassidy in the corner. Lethal takes off and hits a Tope to Strong on the floor. Johnson blocks the Stun Dog Millionaire and hits a brain buster. Lethal with the King’s Elbow Drop, but Strong breaks up the pin. Reversals by Lethal and Cassidy, and Orange with the Stun Dog on him.
Strong is back, he does the running elbows to Lethal. he throws Cassidy into Lethal for a DDT. Christian gets knocked off the apron as does Lethal. Strong with the End of Heartache to Johnson, he puts Cassidy on top and they win it!
WINNERS: Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong
TIME: 10:45
THOUGHTS: This one went way too long. I know that Lethal and Johnson are no pushovers, but this was too 50-50 for my liking. Not bad, but not great.
RATING: ***1/4
Post-match, Strong has the mic. ORANNNNNGE…and everyone else here. He feels like he owes us an explanation. He was only around the Conglomeration because Kyle was in the group, but with him gone, he didn’t know what the hell he was doing. But he went home and he looked to make a change, and that change has led him to become a member of the Conglomeration!
David Finlay and Clark Connors are on the screen. Did you think this was over, wonders Finlay. Did you know that the more you separate us and try to pick us off, the more we hunt and the hungrier we get. Connors tells them to get their affairs in order, because right now, you are on the Dogs’ Time!
Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron promo interpolated with their recent loss of the tag team titles. Willow wants a rematch for the titles.
Speaking of the champions, there’s about to be a murder.
AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Divine Dominion vs. Alex Gracia and Vipress
Gracia is feeling herself at the bell and she circles Bayne, but Megan just knocks her on her ass lol. Bayne throws Gracia into the corner and takes in Lena. Kross stomps on Alex and tags in Bayne again. Megan retrieves Vipress and throws her into the ring. They proceed to crush both girls and deliver a double chokeslam to Gracia for the easy win.
WINNER: Megan Bayne and Lena Kross AKA Divine Dominion
TIME: 70 seconds
THOUGHTS: MURDERDEATHKILL
RATING: N/R
Ciampa and Rush is coming up next!
COMMERCIALS!
Tomasso Ciampa vs. Lio Rush
Lio is weird AF with the music and the mannerisms and I love it lol.
The bell rings and Ciampa looks at Rush and smiles lol. Rush approaches Ciampa with his hand out, but Ciampa kicks it away. I dunno if I would have done that, because you don’t know how Lio will react lol. Ciampa with an arm drag, but then Rush proceeds to run the ropes with misdirection. Rush kicks Ciampa and he ends up on the apron, where Rush does a springboard handstand. Rush runs around the ring possessed before going to the outside.
Ciampa takes over though and slams Rush on the barricade and hits and kicks Rush. He stumbles away and Ciampa returns him to the ring. Ciampa on the attack, but Rush rolls him up for a two. Ciampa takes him to the corner, but Rush leaps over the top with an arm drag. He dropkicks Ciampa out of the ring and to the floor, which will take us to the break.
Rush with a boot but he misses a clothesline as we return. Ciampa with the double underhook, but Rush escapes and spins twice with a whirlwind kick. Ciampa back up, he intercepts Rush’s stunner with a dropkick. Rush a second time tries the Stunner, and he gets it this time. Two count as Rush doesn’t look too bothered lol. Rush slowly climbs to the top, allowing Ciampa to Orange Cassidy roll away. Rush looks confused and then hisses as he climbs done.
Rush with a thrust kick but he misses the spin kick. Ciampa has him up, but Rush escapes and hits another Stunner. Rush maintains control and hits another Stunner. Rush picks up Ciampa and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb variation for a two. Rush contemplates this and what he will do next. He asks someone if he wants him to end Ciampa, so he punches him. Ciampa responds, and so this goes back and forth. Ciampa bites the hand of Rush, so Lio responds in kind lol. Slaps now, counters to counters, and Rush connects with a spin kick.
Ciampa, undeterred, throws Rush into the corner so hard he goes up and over and down to the floor. Ciampa heads to the floor and collects him. Back in the ring, and he hits Project Ciampa, but Rush kicks out at two. The kneepad comes down, Ciampa with the big knee strike, and Rush will have to return to Middle Earth.
WINNER: Tomasso Ciampa
TIME: 11:00
THOUGHTS: I don’t know what expectations I had going into this match, but it was exceeded. I am also interested in this gimmick change for Lio.
RATING: ***1/2
The main event, with the Trio’s Titles on the line, is next!
COMMERCIALS!
Interpolation of promos from Swerve Strickland, Kenny Omega, and MJF from the past week. The World Title scene in a nutshell!
AEW Trio’s Titles Match: Jet Speed and Mistico (C) vs. The Don Callis Family
El Clon, Josh Alexander, and Konosuke Takeshita are representing the DCF. Mistico’s entrance theme reminds me a lot of Minoru Suzuki’s theme, with the respect put on it. Also, Bailey and Knight are not wrestling in Mistico matches this time out, unlike at Revolution.
The bell rings, as Mistico and El Clon will start this one off. IT’S A TRAP, as the DCF launch an attack! Everyone brawls around ringside for a bit, before Bailey is sent into the ring by El Clon. Who isn’t legal, by the way, because Mistico started this match. Doesn’t matter though, as Alexander hits a high angle back suplex. Knight flies in, he tries to fight off Clon and Alexander, but Josh drops Knight onto the knees of Clon.
Mistico, the original legal man, is back, and he tries to win it with La Magistral but it’s a two. Enziguri from Mistico, followed by a springboard Rana. Alexander and Takeshita are back, their double clothesline is ducked, Tiaras to Takeshita. Bailey and Knight return to take care of Takeshita, and Mistico goes around the world and spikes Clon on his head. Bailey, Knight, and Mistico load it up and take flight hitting a triple tope! That’ll take us to the final break of the night!
Clon has Bailey hamstrung in the ring as we return. Clon traps the right leg of Bailey and poses. Okay then. Takeshita with the tag, and he stomps on the hand of Bailey. He picks Bailey up, Mike tries to fight back, but Takeshita with forearms. Takeshita off the ropes, but they both kick each other and Knight is tagged in. Springboard off of Takeshita, and he takes Clon off the apron. Takeshita with a waist lock, he pulls Knight back in, Knight escapes, but Takeshita catches him out with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two.
Takeshita misses the Raging Fire, but Knight avoids it and he spikes Takeshita with a DDT. Mistico and Clon are back in. Mistico off the ropes with a springboard cross body. He takes a second to soak in the admiration, but he runs into a backbreaker from Clon for a two. Clon tries again but gets another two. Clon heads to the outside, but he runs into a kick from Mistico. Off the ropes, and Mistico with springboard rana! The pin, but Takeshita saves the match.
El Clon does his kickoff the rope moonsault, but Mistico moves and he sends Clon to the floor. Mistico heads to the top and he takes out Clon and Takeshita. Back in the ring, and Mistico scores a two off the pin. Knight with the tag, he heads to the top, but the UFO Splash misses. Matrix style Pele Kick from El Clon, and he hits the kickoff springboard moonsault this time, but Knight kicks out at two.
Both men to their feet, Knight with a clothesline to Clon. Takeshita in with a kick to the gut, he sends Knight to the apron, but Knight flies back in with a springboard lariat! Tag to Mistico, crossbody to Clon! Around the world Mistico goes into La Mistica and Clon taps out straight away!
WINNERS: Jet Speed and Mistico (Still Champions)
TIME: 13:10
THOUGHTS: Middling show was saved by a kick ass main event. Then again, you put guys like Bailey, Knight, Mistico, Takeshita, Alexander, and El Clon in the match, and you come to expect that.
RATING: ****
The champions celebrate their victory post-match, and we get an abrupt cutaway. So, I guess with that, we are done!
