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Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 01.20.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Hello my fellow Colliders! Welcome to your live coverage of AEW Collision here on 411, with your host Theo Sambus here to see you through all of tonight’s action. We have some heavy BCC presence lined up, with the AEW return of Jon Moxley (in a match against ROH’s Shane Taylor), plus Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli taking on the LAX throwback team of Eddie Kingston and Ortiz. Not only that, Thunder Rosa will have her first singles match since August 2022 during the broadcast, Adam Copeland will be throwing out another ‘Cope Open’ challenge, and Roderick Strong is scheduled to face Matt Sydal (nice!). Rounding out the card, we’ve got Buddy Matthews vs Daniel Garcia, which is unlikely to stay a true one on one affair after the events of the FTgaRcia vs House of Black match last week. Should be a good one, folks – let’s roll!
Location: St Louis, MO
Venue: Chaifetz Arena
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly & Tony Schiavone
We get some Elton John, we get some pyro…and we get Jon Moxley making his way to the ring for our opening contest.
Match One: Jon Moxley vs Shane Taylor w/ Lee Moriarty
Straight into a strike exchange between both men, and Moxley starts targeting the legs with kicks. Clothesline by Mox but Taylor doesn’t go down; he shoves Moxley away instead. Taylor backs Moxley into the corner and slaps the chest. They trade more forearms in the center of the ring, before Taylor lariats Mox in the corner. Taylor goes for a splash but Moxley moves out of the way. Moxley is looking for a piledriver but Shane reverses and gets out of the way, sending Moxley to the floor.
Taylor is driven head first into the steel steps, and Moxley rolls him back inside the ring as Moriarty distracts Moxley, taking a cheap shot while the referee has his back turned. In the ring, a sideslam by Taylor gets a 2 count. Taylor climbs to the middle rope, goes for a splash but Moxley rolls out of the way. To their feet, forearm shots from both guys, and a cutter out of nowhere from Moxley!
10 count punches in the corner from Moxley and a cheeky bite to the forehead, but Taylor gets a side suplex in return…and Mox straight up for a Saito suplex. Taylor avoids the Death Rider and gets a huge clothesline to send both guys to the canvas. Headbutts traded now, and a knee to the face followed by a Sky High for Shane Taylor…but Moxley locks in a triangle choke! Taylor attempts to get to his feet, short powerbomb to break the hold. Moxley rolls him over and nails the hammer and anvil blows, then hits a running knee to the face.
Back to their feet they trade more shots and Moxley gets a rear naked choke, with Moxley bridging back…and Taylor fades, forcing the referee to call for the bell at 9:39.
Your winner by referee stoppage: Jon Moxley
Rating: ***1/4 – Lovely stuff to open the show here. Decent performance from Taylor but nothing blowaway. They kept him strong with that finish though, so there are clearly plans for him.
Jon Moxley grabs the mic post-match. Mox says he’s pissed off beyond belief. He’s hungry beyond belief. From this moment, he won’t take any crap from anyone or anything. If anyone wants to step in the ring with him, even his teammates, they just have to do one thing…keep the hell up!
Next, Adam Copeland makes his way out for the Cope Open. Who will step up this week? The music of Top Flight hits and here comes Dante Martin! Now we’re talking.
Match Two: [Cope Open Challenge] Adam Copeland vs Dante Martin
Both men shake hands to begin. Side headlock from Copeland, shoulder block to knock Martin down, but an arm drag in return from Martin. Copeland jumps yo yr middle rope but Martin catches him with an enziguri. Martin knocked back, Copeland dives for a crossbody but misses, and Dante hits a somersault splash. Copeland ends up sending Martin to the floor as we head to PIP break.
Copeland drops a knee to the head as Dante gets back in the ring, and continues to stomp him down. Back elbows to the side of the head by Copeland, and then a tight grounded headlock. Copeland is targeting the ears to knock Dante’s equilibrium off balance, that’s so smart. Dante gets back to his feet, nails an enziguri to give him a little space, goes to the apron but Copeland sweeps the top rope to knock him down. Copeland slides out, looking for a powerbomb but Dante avoids it and gets a hurracanrana off the apron to the floor!
Dante back in the ring and takes a run up for a suicide dive, hits it, and sends Copeland back inside the ring. Springboard crossbody connects and he gets a 2 count on Copeland. Adam avoids more offense and gets an Impaler DDT! He doesn’t cover him though, instead setting up for the spear. NO, Martin flipped out of the way! Springboard rebound moonsault by Martin, 1, 2, Copeland gets a leg on the ropes! Martin is still off balance as he attempts to climb the ropes, but Copeland catches him off guard. He joins him up on the turnbuckle…but an avalanche sunset flip powerbomb from Martin gets a 2.
Martin whips the arms over the ropes, springboards off the top rope but Copeland catches him with a spear in midair! He locks in the Grindhouse and Dante Martin has to tap at 11:49.
Your winner by submission: Adam Copeland
Rating: ***1/4 – I loved Copeland targeting the ears to mess with Martin’s balance, that was so smart. Probably the best of the Cope Opens so far.
Tony Schiavone joins Copeland in the ring after the match. Copeland says it gets harder and harder every week. Tony says he’s 3-0 in the Cope Open, but Copeland wants to give all the credit in the world to Dante Martin. Copeland sees all these young hungry guys, but he’s not a Happy Meal, he’s a five course dinner…and he doesnt’ really know what he means by that. Copeland will continue to work harder and harder, like Cage said he would when he first came to AEW. Copeland will keep working until he gets back the TNT championship in order to defend it on TNT every Saturday.
Lexy Nair is with Danielson and Castagnoli backstage, reflecting on their losses to Eddie Kingston in the CC. Danielson feels his loss was the low point of his career, while it was probably a highlight for Eddie…but that win for Eddie doesn’t make him ‘great’. Claudio wants to stop talking about Eddie. Claudio warns that Ortiz is going to be a casualty, purely because he’s friends with Kingston.
After the break, Lexy Nair congratulates Dante Martin along with Top Flight, but here come Private Party. PP wonder what would happen if they partied with Adam Copeland. Action Andretti wants to run their match back, as he doesn’t think it would go down the same way this time. A Top Flight and Private Party rematch is around the corner.
Match Three: Thunder Rosa vs Queen Aminata
Rosa sweeps the legs from a lockup, but Aminata avoids an armbar. Grounded grappling from both women, until Rosa gets a headscissors into a rollup for 2. Crucifix pinning combo from Rosa gets 2, and they trade pinfall attempts until Aminata gets a big time backbreaker, continuing the assault on Rosa’s back. She stands on the back of Rosa, and then gets a rope assisted knee drop.
Rosa comes back with a headscissors to send Aminata to the floor, and follows up with a running basement dropkick to the outside. Rosa holds Aminata against the barricade and chops the chest a few times, but Aminata gets a double chop of her own. Back in the ring, a body scissors by Queen Aminata allows a pinfall attempt, which gets a 2. She smacks Rosa’s back hard and gets a snap suplex to follow up. Another snap suplex, Aminata is firmly in control. Big forearm from Aminata and now they begin laying into each other. Snapmare by Aminata and a big kick to the back, followed by a double chop to the chest. Aminata signals for a hip attack in the corner, nails it…but misses a second. Rosa gets some uppercuts against the turnbuckles and hits the sliding clothesline and double knees. With Aminata in the ropes, Rosa hits another basement dropkick and gets a suplex for 2. Aminata on her knees, Rosa kicks her repeatedly but Aminata gets to her feet. Air Raid Crash by Queen Aminata! 1, 2, NO.
Aminata tries to climb the ropes but Rosa grabs the legs. Aminata with a big boot but Rosa straight back with a dropkick. Rosa hooks the arms and hits the Tijuana Bomb for the 3 count at 9:18.
Your winner by pinfall: Thunder Rosa
Rating: *** – Pleasantly surprised this wasn’t a squash match! I haven’t seen that much of Queen Aminata but I’m left impressed, she has great presence and looked like she belonged on this stage. Finish was a little abrupt but this was good stuff.
Lexy Nair is with Eddie Kingston and Ortiz backstage. Ortiz says sometimes families fight, but they’ve put that behind them because they’re brothers. Kingston complains that production always catch him just before a match when he needs to be in the zone, so let’s hear the ‘Saturday, Saturday’ song and let him get to the ring. Ortiz wants to translate for Eddie, and says Eddie does his talking in the ring.
Back from break, here come the new ROH World 6-man Tag Team Champions, Bullet Club Gold. Colten grabs the mic and says Finally! The Bang Bang Gang has come back to Saturday nights! Jay White is impressed he came up with that. White feels like something is missing still…Colten leaps out of the ring, pulls back the apron and pulls out a Cardboard Juice cutout! CardJuice is alive! But here come The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass.
Daddy Ass hopes he’s not too late for Jay White’s yoga class. Billy says they just came out to congratulate the new ROH 6-man tag team champions, especially as they’re the Trios champs. Max Caster says it’s one thing to get to the top of AEW but it’s another to stay there. Imagine if they were a super group? Caster thinks they’d be unstoppable in the ring, in the back, and with all the people. He knows the people want to see Billy Gunn with singles gold. He knows the people want to see The Gunns with tag team titles. He knows the people want to see Jay White as the World Heavyweight Champion. A ‘Bang Bang Scissor Gang’ chant goes up.
Bowens takes the mic and says they want an answer now. They have to answer to the people…does St Louis want to see them all unite? St Louis wants it! Scissors Up, Gunns Up for the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. Jay takes the Gunns to one side to confer with them. AND THEY SCISSOR!! The Bang Bang Scissor Gang is official!
We head to a video from after Dynamite with Toni Storm. Yes, she remembers Ms Purrazzo. She remembers their dojo days and being envious of her technical ways. Storm believes that she herself is cursed with this rampant sexuality. Storm will beat Deonna and eat her, apparently.
Match Four: Buddy Matthews vs Daniel Garcia
Daddy Magic is once again on commentary for this one. Garcia enters the ring and FTR’s music hits, providing backup. FTR and Garcia go face to face with the House of Black, before the outsiders leave the ring, leaving Garcia and Matthews to get down to business.
Matthews escapes a lockup the hard way, slamming Garcia face first down to the mat. Shoulder block by Matthews, and another…and one more as Garcia comes off the ropes. Another shoulder tackle sends Garcia to the floor, and he regroups with FTR as they give him a pep talk. Garcia attempts shoulder blocks of his own, can’t knock Matthews down, until a running shoulder tackle finally sends Matthews flying out of the ring. Matthews gets back up on the apron and the rest of the House of Black join him. FTR join Garcia on the opposite side of the ring for the staredown as we head to PIP.
Garcia goes to dance but Matthews intercepts. Matthews may have injured his leg, he’s favoring it a fair bit. Garcia goes to the apron while the referee checks on Matthews, but a hanging DDT from Matthews allows him to capitalise. Matthews and Garcia spill to the floor and Matthews moves the ring steps, dragging Garcia up them. Matthews is looking for a suplex on the steps but Garcia avoids it, dives off for something but is met by a huge rising knee to the face from Matthews.
Buddy gets Garcia onto the apron, looking for a piledriver perhaps? But no, Garcia ties the injured leg around the middle rope and pulls back on it…but a rising knee with the other leg connects from Matthews! And Garcia comes right back with a piledriver on the apron!! Daaamn. They beat the 10 count and make it back into the ring.
Jabs by Garcia, a flurry of fists, kicks to the midsection, and Buddy is down in the corner. Garcia grabs the bad leg and whips it around the ringpost. And again. Ringpost assisted figure four connects! Back in the ring, a huge tackle to the knee keeps Daniel in control, and he steps through into a sharpshooter, dragging Buddy into the middle of the ring. But Buddy reaches back, grabs the head and slams Garcia backwards into the canvas. Rising Knee out of nowhere from Matthews, and another! Deadlift Jackhammer from Matthews, good Lord!! 1, 2, NO.
Garcia avoids a curb stomp and dances while on his knees. Matthews looks like he’ll dance, but no he nails a knee to the face again. But a jacknife cover by Garcia out of nowhere! 1, 2, 3!! Garcia gets the win at 11:17.
Your winner by pinfall: Daniel Garcia
Rating: ***3/4 – The expected ‘workrate’ match of the night delivered, this entire feud is firing on all cylinders. Genuinely thought Matthews might have injured his leg, and then it fully played into the match with some nice leg work from Garcia, so they nailed that. Post-match brawl worked incredibly well too. Yes, yes, yes.
HoB immediately jump Garcia post-match, and FTR dive in, as referees rush down to break it up. This is crazy, the locker room is emptying to break it all up. Haha Dax is taking on all comers, hitting people with his shoes. We fade to a break as the chaos continues.
FTR and Garcia recover backstage as Lexy Nair approaches them. Dax thinks it’s time to end this. Next week, 6-man tag, elimination style…INSIDE A CAGE. Top Guys, out. Ohhhh man that sounds good. If you’re going to program against the Rumble, that’s how you do it.
Match Five: Roderick Strong vs Matt Sydal
Fast start from both guys as they look to gain an early advantage. Leg takedown by Strong, looks for a half nelson suplex, but Sydal escapes. Big shoulder block by Strong, hurracanrana from Sydal and a spin kick, followed by a springboard crossbody to Strong on the outside! Sydal sends Strong back in but Matt Taven distracts him. Sydal tries to sunset flip back in, Strong catches him but Sydal gets a drop toe hold and a running kick.
Back elbow in the corner by Sydal, Strong tries a suplex but Sydal kicks out of it. Sydal to the top, Strong pulls him into a backbreaker off the buckles! Pendulum backbreaker follows, and Strong gets a 2 count from it. Standing Bow and arrow stretch from Strong, followed by a gutbuster, and Sydal rolls to the outside…but Strong pulls him back in to continue the assault. Side gutbuster gets a 2, and a rear chinlock from Strong keeps him in control until a jawbreaker from Sydal connects. Wheelkick attempt from Sydal is caught into a backbreaker, 1, 2, no! Tiaris from Sydal, pop up hurracanrana and a leg lariat connects. Spinning wheelkick connects too! Sydal to the top, Meteora to a standing Strong! 1, 2, no. Commentary notes that Tony Khan has made the Trios elimination Steel Cage match official for next week between FTR/Garcia and House of Black.
Rollup by Sydal gets 2, step up roundhouse and an air raid crash gets a 2 as well for Sydal. Strong back up with a running knee and the END OF HEARTACHE hits, allowing Strong to get the pin at 8:16.
Your winner by pinfall: Roderick Strong
Rating: *** – Nice match between these two veterans and former Generation Next stablemates. I’ve enjoyed seeing these recent Sydal singles matches, he’s still got it.
Match Six: Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli
Eddie and Danielson start things off, but Danielson wants to pose on the buckles first. Eddie relents and does the same as a big Eddie chant goes up. They are about to lockup but Danielson again backs away and climbs the ropes to pose. Eddie does the same. They finally lock up, snapmare by Danielson and a kick to the spine as Danielson does jumping jacks in the corner.
Snapmare from Eddie this time and a kick to the spine, chop to the chest, and a tag to Ortiz. Double suplex and Ortiz covers for 1. Danielson tags in Claudio who comes in with an uppercut to Ortiz, tearing the shirt off him. Ortiz fights back but Danielson tags back in…only for Ortiz to nail a double dropkick! European Uppercut in the corner and a running knee by Danielson keeps the BCC guys in control.
Claudio drives the shoulder into the gut of Ortiz as Danielons comes in again, going for the surfboard. He has Ortiz trapped as he tries to start a ‘He’s a Bum’ chant at Eddie, before rolling back into the surfboard stretch on Ortiz. Tag to Claudio, boot to the face while Ortiz still has his arms trapped. Claudio gets a modified stretch plum, then rolls into a side headlock but Eddie interrupts it. Claudio transitions into a chinlock and stares directly at Eddie. Ortiz with a tiaris and tries for the tag but Claudio catches him and delivers the Big Swing! Danielson tagged in and gives Ortiz some kicks to the chest…but Ortiz comes back with a big clothesline on Bryan. Tag to Claudio, tag to Eddie. Eddie drops the straps as he comes face to face with Claudio.
They trade chops and uppercuts, before devolving into big boots and kicks. Eddie backs him into the corner and delivers the machine gun chops. Exploder out of the corner! 1, 2, kickout. Kingston looks for the half Nelson suplex but a lariat from Claudio puts a stop to that. 1, 2, no. Claudio hits a chokeslam on Eddie and tags in Danielson, who heads to the top rope and nails the diving headbutt. 1, 2, Eddie gets the shoulder up. On the outside, Claudio pulls Ortiz off the apron and throws him into the barricade.
Claudio and Danielson double team Eddie now, but Kingston fights back! Danielson with a rollup for 2, but a DDT by Eddie equalizes things.Eddie tags in Ortiz, double team running boot/German combo, Claudio grabs Ortiz out of it but Eddie kicks him away. Kingston and Ortiz send Claudio outside, and then hit stereo dives to their opponents on the outside. Fisherman suplex attempt by Ortiz but Danielson rolls through into a LeBell Lock attempt….Claudio holds back Eddie…and Danielson locks it in! But Ortiz makes the ropes. Claudio lowblows Eddie by dragging him into the bottom rope, while in the ring Danielson administers the kicks to the head with trapped arms. Ortiz is getting his head kicked in, and Danielson prepares for the Busaiku Knee…hits it! Claudio makes Eddie watch as Danielson gets the 1, 2, 3. BCC get the win at 16:13.
Your winners by pinfall: Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli
Rating: *** – Fun tag match, although it had a vague ‘house show main event’ feeling; nothing bad, just felt relatively unimportant.
Eddie checks on and apologies to Ortiz after the match. Danielson spits in the face of Eddie and heads up the ramp. Oh wow, they’ve just announced Adam Copeland vs Minoru Suzuki for Dynamite this Wednesday, hellooooo! Danielson and Claudio talk trash on the ramp as tonight’s broadcast ends.
