wrestling / TV Reports
Hunter’s AEW Collision Review 6.13.26
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to 411Mania’s live coverage of AEW Collision: Summer Blockbuster.
That’s right, sickos. To the consternation of dozens, Jono Hunter is on the Collision case.
Tonight’s episode of Collision is loaded, looking like a two-point-five hour extravaganza. The highlight should be THE YOUNG BUCKS v THE DOGS – winner (probably) gets a shot at the World Tag Team titles, currently held by Adam Copeland and OUR WONDERFUL FATHER Christian Cage!
OPENING CREDITS!!
Tonight’s episode is live taped from this past Thursday, from Cincinnati Ohio! Hometown of Jon “ACE” Moxley! Will this crowd be better than dismal crowd from Wednesday Dynamite in the same venue? Let’s find out… TOGETHER.
And to start us off… CANADA’S OWN KENNY OMEEEEEGAAAAAAA.
loooooovve the mod punk TMDK theme song.
KENNY OMEGA v BAD DUDE TITO
I’ve only seen BAD DUDE TITO a few times, but he’s a cool dude with one of the best name’s in wrestling. Let’s roll!
Note: the lighting on the upper levels of this unique venue is red. Looks kinda cooler than on Dynamite.
BAD DUDE TITO jumps the gun and takes the fight to Omega. Nice vaulting body press from Kenny to BAD DUDE TITO on the floor. Nigel: “Maybe he can get a little revenge for me” (against Sabre). God I love Nigel McGuinness. BAD DUDE TITO regains the advantage and rolls Omega back into the ring. Nice overhead suplex for a two-count as Tony runs down tonight’s card.
YOU CAN’T ESCAPE… BAD DUDE TITO gets the knees up! Deadlift German suplex! Jesus! BAD DUDE TITO carries the momentum… but Omega slips out of a fireman’s carry. SnapDragon blocked. BAD DUDE TITO PULLS THE STRAPS DOWN! IT’S A CHOPFEST!
V-TRIGGER! Called as “with the knee” by Schiavone. Another V-Trigger (called a running knee, goddammit Tony lol).
Crowd chants KENNY, KENNY. BANG leads to a V-TRIGGER (called AS SUCH by Nigel!). ONE! WINGED! ANGEL! SEPHIROTH! The three count is … uh… a word I can’t remember.
WINNER: Kenny BI-GOD Omega by pinfall (4:51)
RATING: ** 1/2
THOUGHTS: Exactly what it needed to be. BAD DUDE TITO didn’t look like nothing, but this match was a showcase for Kenny to get a win en route to Sabre, and some promo time to sell Forbidden Door and… beyond.
Omega grabs the mic. Talks about not being able to make the Owen, but wants to get back to the top… and now he’s gonna wrestle Zack Sabre Jr. Namedrops Bryan Danielson and Nigel as amazing technical wrestlers still around AEW.
(Omega is wearing a REBEL bracelet; AEW is selling a variety of merch to benefit the ALS foundation and Rebel).
“Zack, I’ll see you at Forbidden Door. MJF, I’ll see you soon.” MWAH!
* BACKSTAGE we have KYLE FLETCHER (say his FULL name!) and MARK DAVIS, the former(?) AUSSIE OPEN! Pinkzilla talks shit about Takeshita. Fletcher wants revenge and talks about wanting the International Championship back to the Don Callis Family…
OKADA walks into the scene and says you’re right. “PROTOKADA!” Interesting. Okada no doubt wants the title back as well. Are we possibly teasing a triple-threat?
* And we don’t get a chance to catch our breaths, because here comes HIKARU SHIDA! Zayda Steel, accompanied by Christopher Daniels, makes her entrance. The bell rings and they go at it!
TBS TITLE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST QUALIFIER: Hikaru Shida v Zayda Steel
Immediate start here. Nigel mentions the experience disadvantage for Zayda. Shida backs Zayda into the corner and loads up the count-along ten punches. Centre of the ring, Zayda blocks a suplex, nails a Tijeras. Weak looking knee into the corner from Zayda. Tries a baseball slide and Shida casually blocks it. CLUBBERING! OOOOOH. Running knee to Zayda’s chest…
Annnnnd my power just went out. Uh oh. Let’s set up my mobile hotspot…
Abject failure.
Anyway, just as I was packing up to head to a cafe with Wi-Fi, power went back on. Let’s work on getting caught up…
WINNER: Hikaru Shida (power outage, didn’t catch the rest of the match)
RATING: n/r
THOUGHTS: No surprise that Shida won. Personally, though, I would really like to see the next TBS champion be someone NEW, who hasn’t had a big title opportunity in AEW. Shida is a three-time World Champ. I don’t really want to see her, or Statlander, emerge victorious when you could put it on Queen Aminata or someone. Zayda is good for her inexperience!
Wi-Fi, VPN, Max, computer, all get back online to the Rascals in the ring against a couple HAM N EGGERS.
The Rascalz v “Local Talent”
Hot Fire Flame gets the win for Wentz and Xavier!
WINNER: The Rascalz (didn’t see all of it)
RATING: n/r
THOUGHTS: Rascalz get a nice little win. They continue to get TV time on Collision after a hot start. I predict they will be tag champs by end of 2026 or early 2027.
Rascalz grab the mic and introduce the third… Myron Reed! Based on his performances, Reed may be the breakout member in AEW.
And here comes that son of a BITCH, Kevin Knight, and Winnipeg’s favourite son Don Callis. Callis joins commentary.
TNT CHAMPIONSHIP: Kevin Knight (c) v Myron Reed
Schiavone grills Callis on why THE JET would join the family as the crowd gives Knight some good heat. Feeling out process, Reed with a terrific kip-up dodge. Nails a monkey flip as the crowd chants “LET’S GO MYRON!” Knight rolls out of the ring, sneaks back in, and tries a dive out to the floor – REED WITH A CUTTER OVER THE ROPES! That was sick.
“Guys don’t get over because of moves.” Dudes doing cool shit will ALWAYS get my attention.
Chops in the corner! Irish whip, Knight reverses, drop toe-hold into the buckles! Knight with a flying forearm off the ropes and crowd is getting on his case. Shitty looking mounted blows to Reed. Slam and a two count. Schivaone sends us to commercial!
… COMMERCIALS? Aw. I want my MyAEW wildin’ commentary.
– God, American commercials are fucking terrible.
Back from the break, Knight in control. Reed with a counter and we’ve got a double. Some energy behind these “LET’S GO MYRON” chants! Oof, some not-so-great thrusts from Reed, big boot from Reed, and now he nabs a fireman’s carry… swings Knight? Knight’s feet on the ropes, REED WITH A DDT! Damn, that was innovative! “He calls this the HANG FIVE.” Fantastic.
(Sidenote: I know commentary needs to sell upcoming shows, cards, etc, but recently I feel like a lot of these rundowns are badly placed. We’ve got the comeback going in this match and Schiavone is breathlessly running down ALL IN and some World Cup gear. Maybe post-match or something?)
Knight regains advantage and climbs the corner to a chorus of boos. Callis: “Daddy approves.” Reed is up! Scrambles up, hooks the Jet… struggle snuggle! OOF. Knight shoves Reed off, which has Reed land on the elevated ramp (I love the elevated ramp). Knight trying something… Reed with a Stunner over the top rope, backs up, sprints down the ramp and flies over the top with a cutter! REED BUILDING MOMENTUM!
OH JESUS OH FUCK
MYRON REED OVER THE TOP, GRABS A CUTTER TO KNIGHT (ON THE APRON), BOTH MEN TO THE FLOOR! REED ROLLS KNIGHT IN! 450 SPLASH! ONE, TWO, NOOOO! FOOT ON THE ROPE!
Crowd is BEHIND Myron!!!
Reed’s back gives out… Knight with an eye gouge. Forearm shimmy. Knight tries his uranage, Reed with a wild counter into a pinning predicament! Reed with a thrust kick. Knight blocks, clothesline, Reed ducks, kips up, KNIGHT WITH A SICK ASS DROPKICK. Spinning uranage… gets the win!
WINNER: and still TNT Champion, Kevin Knight (stopwatch issues)
RATING: ***3/4
THOUGHTS: It’s not the best crowd of all time but this Collision crowd is much more into the show than Dynamite’s crew. Anyway, this was a fun match. Obvious outcome, great action, Reed showed OUT and the crowd rallied behind him. Interesting to note Knight got the win the uranage. He’s still doing athletic shit, but it makes sense for him to add a new finisher to his arsenal. The UFO is SO spectacular; a slam style finisher is more heelish.
* DIVINE DOMINION vignette. The dominant women’s world tag team champs wonder if any competition remains. See you in hell, other women’s tag teams! And that takes us to another Commercial break.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
(The live-action Moana looks AWFUL. All of the Disney live-action flicks are mediocre, but the Rock looks bizarre and weird and … not good. lol)
* We return to MAYA WORLD with a promo from behind the arena from Dynamite. Recap of Maya/Skye and the emotional win for Miss World. “Athena, you taught me everything I know right now. But if everything I KNOW that you taught me comes back to BITE YOU ON THE ASS? That’s on you. I am the IT GIRL, Maya World, and this is the opportunity of MY LIFE. And with EVERYTHING IN MY SOUL… I’m taking it.”
* Cut to Athena, doing Athena things and being a little wilding. “I am truly sorry about what happened to your brother. I really, really am. But I’m sitting here wondering… what about ME? What about the hard work I put in, week after week, as the ROH Forever champion? But honey… just because I taught you everything YOU know… doesn’t mean I taught you everything I KNOW.” Athena notes that she’s never made it out of the second round of the Owen Hart tournament. Athena ends on a cringe line, but otherwise, very good promo. And now, Athena makes her entrance to the ring!
ROH WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION Athena v Kiara James
Schiavone notes Athena’s “only blemish” on her ROH record is the ten-minute draw v Maya World in a Proving Ground match.
Athena with a BIG forearm to immediately knock down Kiara James. Stomps, Kiara with some… frankly, terrible elbows to try to break it up. Athena having none of it. James tossed into the corner. Running forearm. HANDSPRING FOREARM with SNAP. Crowd digs the Forever Champ! Athena with a big ol’ handful of hair, not that the referee notices.
James fights back with a SOLID thud. Athena looks displeased and charges, caught by James into a pinfall! Athena kicks out, another pinning combo, kickout, another! James with a nice squence… but Athena hits a baseball slide to send James to the floor. Athena clocks James with a dive to the outside, then rolls James back in. Athena sets up for… something? I don’t know if Athena or James botched that, but Athena gets a submission hold and James taps out.
WINNER: Athena (submission) (forgot the stopwatch don’t @ me)
RATING: **
THOUGHTS: Showcase for the Fallen Goddess to build to the Owen semi-finals, and an excuse to have some in-ring conflict between Maya and Athena.
Post-match, Athena chooses to continue the assault on Kiara Jobsville! Maya World makes the save and Athena wants none of it. Maya checking on Kiara… Athena runs back down the ramp and catches Maya off-guard. Athena plants World face-first into the ROH World title belt!
* BACKSTAGE, WE HAVE THE DEMAND! Ricochet complains about “injustices.” Then notes his success – a winning record of two to one over (Chris) Jericho. Ricochet wants more gold… “TAKESHITA! I’M COMING FOR YOU! AHH-HAAAA!”
* The Dogs music hits… David Finlay nails a stage manager with the shillelagh! Because if you are a wrestler with any Irish blood, you are legally required to use it. Connors and Finlay make their way to the ring.
* WILDIN’ ELECTRIC GUITAR… SUPERKICK PARTY! The Young Bucks in some BRIGHT yellow (green? I’m colourblind) and black gear come out to a big ovation!
YOUNG BUCKS v THE DOGS
Not sure if this is “officially” a #1 Contender’s Match, but clearly the winner here is probably next in line. Bucks v C&C is a bit of a dream match, while the Dogs recently beat the shit out of Cope & Cage — DEPRIVING US OF A FIVE-SECOND POSE.
I’m stoked for this one! Let’s go! Reversals to start… leading to Nick Jackson hip tossing a Dog out of the ring onto the other! Nick with a dive! He rolls Connors back in the ring. Connors manages to tag Finlay, but the Bucks turn on some double-team moves. PWG LIVES BABY! Bucks pose after a nice sequence…. foolishly, as Connors nails Nick from behind, then smacks Matt. Double irish-whips, Bucks dosey-do, reversal, ends with the Bucks doing stereo bulldogs to their opponents!
Dives? Dogs split, Bucks land on the apron unharmed. Bucks regroup and Nick flies onto the dogs on the ramp! Charge by Matt on the ramp, Finlay backdrops Matt over the top rope INTO the ring. Dogs now taking over on Nick Jackson.
Alright, I can’t entirely keep up here. They’re just going for it, reversals, momentum… Dogs send Nick down, but Matt Jackson comes back with superkicks. Finlay to the floor. Matt creates space… and flies off the elevated rampway to Finlay on the floor!
Matt with a suplex attempt on the floor. Finlay counters, suplexes Matt up… holds him… CONNORS WITH A CLOTHESLINE TO THE UPSIDE DOWN MATT JACKSON!!! Matt is down on the floor and Rick Knox makes his count. Nick rolls older bro into the ring… Connors and Finlay with a high-low! Matt kicks out, and we go to commercial.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Back with the Dogs in control. WHAT DA DOG DO? Matt counters and hits some two-for-one offense on Finlay and Connors. Nick rallies the crowd… HOT TAG! NICK JACKSON IS A HOUSAFIRE! Biiiiiiig back body drop! Beautiful takedown of both Dogs. Nick with a flying frogsplash crossbody for two.
Blind tag Matt Jackson, Connors counters, we go round a bit, big double-team! Matt hits the assisted sliced bread and Nick nails a running knee to Connors! Both Dogs down. Both Bucks up to the top!
THREE! TWO! ONE!
Nick with the senton and Matt with the elbow!
Bit of back and forth ends with Bucks hitting stereo sunset flips… which they transition into stereo sharpshooters!
(I did an extensive study of all modern sharpshooters; I unironically think Matt Jackson’s is one of the best out there. Also, ironically, the BUCKS do the Bret version – stepping through with their left leg, while FTR both do the Owen/Sting, stepping through with their right legs.)
SUPERKICK PARTY to Clark Connors! But HUNDRED PROOF creates space, hits the ropes, and shoves one Jackson into the other! Looks for the Spear, leapt over! Bucks take down Connors. Finlay in! His efforts only result in superkick pie. Double stomp into the powerbomb for… CLARK CONNORS STEALS IT! ONE! TWO! NO! Nick with a dropkick to Connors (held by Matt) and LANDS on Finlay with a senton! But Connors kicks out!
BTE TRIGGER to Clark Connors! ONE! TWO! David Finlay SMASHES Nick into Matt to break the fall! Crowd bring some noise! The Bucks set up the Meltzer TK Drive… Finlay pulls a Jackson off the matt. FINLAY WITH A SHILLELAGH SHOT! Ref didn’t see it! Connors with a spear, one, two, th— BROKEN UP! We hit the point in most Bucks matches where they had the finish but keep going! lol
Spear to Nick through the ropes… Suplex by Finlay, Connors up top. THE CLOTHESLINE INTO MATT! They call that the FULL CLIP and it gets the three! Dogs win!!
WINNER: The Dogs (Pinfall va FULL CLIP) (Stopwatch issues)
RATING: ***3/4
THOUGHTS: Pretty much the match I expected, but the Bucks know how to deliver a crowd-pleasing match and make their opponents look great. The Dogs have finally started to build momentum and solidify their act, and I’m excited for them facing Copeland & Christian! Big win for Finlay and Connors tonight.
* CONGLOMERATION! They ALL have Orange Cassidy yearbook photo style t-shirts. O’Reilly says that they get the DONG PHALLUS family inside a steel cage. Mark Briscoe will reveal his team on DYNAMITE! Roddy: “KYLE! It does matter, because I HATE Max. I will FOREVER hate Max!” Kyle: “Love the energy.” Back to you, Tony and Nigel!
* On Wednesday DYNAMITE, both MJF and Mark Briscoe choose their teams. HOT TAKE: Mick Foley is the sixth member of Team Briscoe. Probably not, but hey.
* ALSO ON DYNAMITE! Mercedes Mone v Hazuki! NEXT SATURDAY COLLISION – Athena v Maya World!
* Tony Schiavone takes the opportunity to publicly apologize for the “despicable act committed” by Thekla last week, spitting on the STARDOM logo. HERE COMES AUSTRIAN HOTNESS! Thkela comes through the crowd with a microphone, leather pants, and a sick-ass snakeskin jacket! “Are you guys trying to APOLOGIZE to STARDOM for what I did? I am not going to apologize to STARDOM! I’m not going to apologize to AEW EITHER! And I’m CERTAINLY not going to apologize to any DUMB BITCHES!”
I love Thekla making fun of “KAWAII” Joshi wrestlers lol.
Thekla stands up on the announce table and continues her amazing shit talking. And the crowd… GETS BEHIND HER! THEKLA chants ring out! “When I spat on that STARDOM logo last week, I did you a favour. That was the best thing that ever happened to you, because everybody’s talking about STARDOM, and it’s because of me! My SALIVA is worth more than anything you have in that STARDOM locker room!.” Thekla spits on her hand… and wipes it off on Tony’s blazer! “I AM THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU EVER MADE!” Her awesome theme hits and, undeniably, the audience is loving it.
SEGMENT THOUGHTS: God, Thekla is SO COOL. What a pick-up from AEW. Incredible promo. She’s got the “dumb bitches” catchphrase, but she has a lot of SUBSTANCE to her microphone work. She reminds me a bit of Mick Foley, where you actually have to pay attention to what she is saying. It’s not just soundbites.
Julia Hart v Persephone is up next!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
* FOUR OF FIVE BANG BANG GANG ARE BACKSTAGE! Austen goes off … about how he invested some of their money and they now have an LLC. lol. I can’t even keep up with this. JUICE HAS GLASSES!
“Guess what Dogs! After you get snipped, and you’re on the mend, you’re gonna get a nice CONE!”
ACE: “IF you’re not down with DOCTOR JUICE and the NEUTRED DOGS, we got two words for you!”
GUNS UP!
* Julia Hart’s banger theme picks up. THE HART ALWAYS WINS.
(Well, she doesn’t, but man these theme rules.)
This is our second SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST qualifiers. Six women will compete on July 1st (Canada Day!) to become the NEW TBS Champion!
The CMLL World women’s champion enters… here comes Persephone! Recap of Julia Hart spitting the black mist into Persephone’s face a few weeks ago.
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST QUALIFIYING MATCH: Persephone v Julia Hart
Julia opens up with a slap right to the face. The CMLL world champ does not love that! Matrix dodge from Persephone, but Hart hits a solid kick to the gut. Persephone counters with a nice arm drag. Irish whip, countered, Julia with a smart kick to the leg of Persephone.
Both women end up on the floor. Persephone gets Julia on her shoulders… and drops Hart FACE-FIRST onto the announce desk!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Immediately back from break, Persephone CLOBBERS Julia Hart with a dropkick! The goddess easily lifts Julia up. But Julia counters into a pinfall. Persephone with a pin attempt of her own. Julia kicks out, gets another two count. Crucifix by Persephone… Julia rolls out! Two count. Persephone says FUCK THIS and blasts Hart with another dropkick.
(So Mark Davis’ insane piledriver is technically called CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO FUCK. Amazing.)
Both women are down, the crowd applauding their efforts. Referee making a standing ten count. Julia rolls out of the ring to the elevated rampway. Julia wins an exchange with Persephone and charges… SNAP POWERSLAM ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP!!!
Back in the ring. Persephone is bothered by her eye. JULIA LOADS UP THE BLACK MIST — PERSEPHONE SLAPS IT OUT OF HER MOUTH! SPLASH MOUNTAIN BOMB!!! ONE, TWO, THREE!
WINNER: Persephone (pinfall, 9:19)
RATING: ***
THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this match. Persephone is really damn good at this. Julia has never quite been the same since her injury awhile back, but she looked good tonight in a rare singles outing. Good callbacks to the black mist a few weeks ago and Persephone’s ongoing issues with the Triangle of Madness. Survival of the Fittest continues to solidify…
COMMERCIAL BREAK
* STARLIGHT KID from STARDOM vignette brings us back. STARLIGHT KID will face Thekla at Forbidden Door!
* Lexy Nair is with Thekla. “Taru Okada, you little BASTARD, you did it again!” Thekla remembers Starlight Kid, and despises her! “This is gonna be good, because… you have never been to AEW. So I’m gonna make damn sure your FIRST time in AEW is gonna be your LAST time in AEW!” Love it, Thekla is so fired up.
* Back to the ring, and here comes SPEEDBALL MIKE BAILEY! Earlier, Speedball had these words.
“Tonight, I watched from the back as my FORMER friend RETAINED the TNT title by himself, WITHOUT the help of Don Callis. I’m going to beat the members of the Don Callis family one by one, starting tonight… with Jake Doyle!”
And here comes the big, meaty, thick something of a man… Jake Doyle! And he is accompanied by Kevin Knight.
Speedball Mike Bailey v Jake Doyle
Glad Doyle is back. Some back and forth, which Doyle wins with basically… a pelvic thrust to the face of Speedball. lol. Knight joins commentary to be a dickhead. Back in the ring, Speedball escapes a bad situation and snaps off a flying headscissors. The Jet claims it’s Speedball’s fault that their team broke up. Doyle gets sent outside… Speedball with a moonsault from the ring to the outside on Jake! Bailey unloading with chops on the barrel chest of Doyle, who stumbles into a chair against the corner of the barricades. Unfortunately, Knight distracts Speedball, allowing Doyle to take back over.
Doyle smashes Speedball into the side of the announce desk, and then slams Bailey into the edge of the ring! Doyle is in control as we go to commercial.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
We return to the boys on the apron, ending in Speedball nailing his double knees to Doyle on the ring apron! Crowd chants SPEEDBALL! Doyle says fuck that, GOOZLE time. Bailey smashes the arms, Doyle isn’t fazed, so Bailey hits a rollup. Now the knees onto the “apple chest” of Jake Doyle, according to Schiavone. Bailey with the feint, nails the kick. Bailey roars… mistake! Doyle FROM BEHIND! Both men pulling themselves up. A bunch of back and forth! Bailey up top… SHOOTING STAR PRESS! That gets two.
The Quebec native is fired up. He measures a rising Doyle… TWIRLING, TWIRLING TOWARDS FREEDOM— DOYLE SMASH! Jake looking for… something… he just MUSCLES Bailey up and hits an ersatz Angle slam. Knight is INCENSED on commentary that Bailey keeps kicking out.
The chant of SPEEDBALL rises up. Doyle looks for a corner splash… nobody home! BAILEY WITH THE TIME ADVENTURE! Up to the turnbuckle, ULTIMATE WEAPON — NO! Doyle out of the way! Bailey lands on his knees, Doyle with a big slam… one, two, THREE!! DOYLE WINS! OH, DOYLE RULES! Knight and Doyle celebrate!
WINNER: Jake Doyle by pinfall (stopwatch issues)
RATING: ***1/2
THOUGHTS: Whoa! Doyle with a strong win here. Bailey wanting to go to battle against the Don Callis family makes perfect sense, but he needs to earn another shot at Kevin Knight after losing on Wednesday. This was a great BIG STRONG DUDE v FAST SMALL DUDE bout. Great to see Jake Doyle get a strong outing. Bailey looked great in defeat and Jake gets a win so that he’s not just a thicc JTTS.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
(why does American TV have a zillion ads for insurance companies?)
* We’re back and it’s time for the main event! We go to the outside of the building for the DEATHRIDERS to make their entrance… wait a minute! Shane Taylor Promotions jumps Moxley and his crew!! HERE WE GO!
STREET FIGHT: DEATHRIDERS vs SHANE TAYLOR PROMOTIONS
The Infantry have helmets on! They slam a bunch of guardrails on top of Claudio! Meanwhile, Shane, Moriarty, Moxley, and Garcia are all into the concourse going at it. Outside, the Infantry are attacking PAC. The Deathriders all have basketball jerseys on. I’d buy a Deathriders b-ball top.
I started the timer just after STP jumped the Owl Friends!
Moxley with CHAIR HUCKING! I love chair hucking. Trish Adora is choking Marina out on the guardrail while the Infantry continue the assault on PAC. Everybody is now at ringside except for Claudio. Is Wheeler in this match? Taylor with a headbutt to Moxley. Moriarity has Garcia in the ring… on the outside, Moxley sets Taylor down on an open chair against the guardrail and looks for a fishhook.
Garcia tries for the Dragon tamer, Moriarty reverses! PAC tosses either Bravo or Dean over the guardrail, then rushes into the ring with a VICIOUS toekick to the guts of the ROH Pure Champion. PAC does cool shit! Oh damn, Lee and PAC are putting on an incredible exchange. Let’s fucking do this PURE RULES style down the road! Seriously, move Moriarty up to AEW full time and push him. Unfortunately for Lee, he celebrates… and Moxley slides in behind him. POW!
Taylor breaks up Moxley’s assault on Lee Moriarity. Now it’s four on one on Moxley. Shane Taylor has brass knucks. POWER OF THE PUNCH! No cover, as Dean and Bravo keep pounding on on the AEW Continental Champion. Moxley… IS BLEEDING! Taylor loads up again BUT HERE IS CLAUDIO CASTIGNOLI! THE MASKED CLAUDIO GOING ABSOLUTELY NUTS ON SHANE TAYLOR PROMOTIONS! HE IS A SWISS HOUSEAFIRE!
… CASTIGNOLI SUPLEXES SHANE TAYLOR!!!
Claudio loads up a running European uppercut, only for Trish Adora to get in the way. Adora CHOPS Claudio, who takes his mask off. Adora RAPID-FIRE CHOPS ON CLAUDIO! Claudio absorbs them… but Shane Taylor with a big fist! He charges… CLAUDIO DROPS HIM! Adora chopping Claudio on the back! A bloody Moxley looks on. What is gonna happen here????
Claudio grabs Adora’s wrist, allowing Marina to blast Trish Adora from behind. Marina screaming at Claudio to… GIVE THE GIANT SWING TO TRISH ADORA!!! MARINA SHAFIR WITH A DROPKICK TO THE DIZZY ADORA! WE CUT TO HORRIBLE COMMERCIALS!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
We’re BACK and the younger of my two tuxedo cats, Luna, is rolling her fur all over my couch and demanding scritches!
We’re back and STP looks to be in control. Unfortunately, while STP are trash-talking the camera, Claudio reverses on Shawn Dean… POWERBOMB THROUGH A TABLE! LOL amazing faces on Carli Bravo, Taylor, and Adora. We’ve got a pileup onside, so PAC heads up top and does a moonsault to the outside! Crowd is ROWDY with EH EE DUB chants!
Trish Adora has a high heel? And smacks it into Marina’s midsection. Moriarty and Garcia continuing with their technical wrestling match in the middle of a streetfight, Moriarty is so fucking smooth. Unfortunately the Deathriders decide to run a train on him in the corner! PHRASING. Deathriders now in control and owning the ring. However, all of STP are on the outside.
Deathriders are doing their pump-up shuffle and they pay for it. Miscue from the Deathriders, celebrating too early. STP taking back over. PAC looks for another table! Taylor has a chair on Claudio’s throat. Sounds like Nigel may have taken a shot during the break, based on commentary. Shawn Dean nails PAC with his helmet! Table set up, PAC is placed on top of it. Adora on the steps…
HOLY HELL. Adora drops Marina onto the elevated rampway with a suplex!
SHAWN DEAN WITH A SPLASH THROUGH THE TABLE! And he overshoots it a bit, maybe smaking his head into the mat! Claudio is assaulting Taylor, Moriarty with an Octopus… so CLaudio says I’M GONNA WALK WITH YOU. Claudio walks the ring steps, carrying all of Lee’s weight… and DROPS THEM BOTH THROUGH THE TIMEKEEPER TABLE! HOLY SHIT!
In the ring — CARLIE BRAVO AND GARCIA GOING AT IT!
Wait a minute, here is the AMAZONIAN CHRISTIAN XO… with a t-shirt…
“DEATH RIDE DEEZ NUTS”. Amazing. Now Bravo has the brass knuckles! He nails Moriarity! XO slides him a chair, which Bravo opens up. Danny is on his knees in front of the chair GOOD GOD! The Infantry smash Garcia face first into the open chair! ONE, TWO, Moxley makes the save! Moxley gets a two-for-one DDT on the Infantry! Holy shit, this match is absolutely wild! MOXLEY HAS THE … TURNBUCKLE? The metal strut! He looks to stab Bravo or Dean, but Shane Taylor saves. Garcia is busted open in the corner!
“CLEVELAND SUCKS” chants directed to the Cleveland born Shane Taylor!
Taylor and Bravo set up a table. Dean joins them. Moxley SLAPS Taylor, and pays for it.
SHIELD BOMB ON MOXLEY THROUGH THE TABLE! HOLY HELLLLLLL!
Crowd hates it!
We’re at twenty minutes into this street fight that is as advertised. Marina SHAFIR is now bloody… and in the centre of the ring surrounded by four-fifths of STP! MARINA STARTS FIGHTING! ADORA WITH A HUGE LARIAT!
(Nigel just cursed STP, he said “STP are going to win.”)
Are the men of STP going to attack Marina? Oh, what’s this… Shane and Dean are pulling Marina’s boots off. To be fair, she usually wrestles bare feet. Oh no. Adora has a black satchel.
THUMB TACKS. GLASS. AND PLASTIC ARMY MEN. DUMPED ALL OVER THE CANVAS.
OH MY GOD! GOD! NO! THE INFANTRY AND ADORA SLAM MARINA FEET FIRST INTO THE PILE…
…
…
Marina Shafir RUBS HER FEET IN IT. THIS WOMAN. CLAUDIO IN! DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE! WHAT ARE WE WITNESSING IN! Claudio presses PAC up high and tosses him onto the Infantry! Moriarty is back! Garcia back! MORIARTY GETS THE BORDER CITY STRETCH ON GARCIA!
GARCIA USES A PIECE OF THE GLASS TO SLICE LEE AND BREAK THE HOLD! DRAGONTAMER! STP BREAKS IT UP!
SHAFIR IS ON SHANE’S BACK! He dumps her – MOXLEY WITH THE CUTTER! THE LEADER OF THE DEATHRIDERS IS FIRED UP!
DEATHRIDER TRAIN ON SHANE TAYLOR!
WHEW. Moxley with the Paradigm shift on Taylor in the middle of the ring for ONE, TWO, THREE.
WINNER: Deathriders by pinfall (24:00, roughly)
RATING: ****1/4
THOUGHTS: *deep exhale*. Wow. That was 25 minutes of absolute madness.
First of all, my complaint: In this mini-feud of four matches, Shane Taylor Promotions won … zero. They looked good in every outing, but I can’t be the only one tired of “they wrestled good but lost,” right? The Infantry could have won the opening tag bout, and SURELY STP winning the trios match last Saturday would have made the entire feud stronger. Yes, STP all look better than they did four weeks ago, especially Lee Moriarity, but what’s next?
It is a strong possibility that the purpose of this short feud was simply to give Moxley feature matches in his hometown. The reality is that some feuds in wrestling are primarily about putting over the stars – NOT about building up mid-carders for a potential push. So it’s a few weeks of entertaining TV.
I expect Shane Taylor to just disappear off of AEW TV, banished back to Ring of Honor. Frankly, I think that’s a mistake. Lee Moriarty is beyond ready to be on AEW every week. The Infantry are a strong tag team that, while perhaps not the strongest “work rate,” have chemistry and charisma. Shane is a badass. So was this about putting the Deathriders over strong as they move into their next “real” feud AND elevating STP? Will we continue to see STP on Collision going forward?
Putting that aside… this street fight absolutely… FUCKED!!! Non-stop action. Loved that they started it outside with STP jumping the Deathriders in the street. Every wrestler involved in the match got multiple moments to shine. LOVED the Shield bomb ON Moxley from Infantry and Shane. Adora v Claudio was so killer. Marina continues to show so much personality and toughness. I’m sure it was sugar class, but the tacks didn’t look fake. That shit had to suck on her BARE FEET. Claudio – unreal momentum and energy. Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean going ham! Not to mention Garcia and Moriarty having a technical wrestling clinic in the middle of all the chaos lol. The pace kept up, it was very back and forth, and the finish felt like it came at the right time without making STP look weak.
As a match to cap a short feud, fantastic stuff. I just hope the followup is more than “LOL BACK TO ROH” for Shane and his crew.
And with that, we close out with the Cincinnati crowd roaring for Moxley and the Deathriders! GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY!
