wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 04.13.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Gooooooooood evening all! A big thank you to Jeremy Thomas for covering last week’s episode of Collision, which started at 4.30am here in the UK after Wrestlemania. I’m normally a night owl but that would have been pushing it a bit, especially having covered ROH Supercard of Honor the night before, and being in a fit state to watch Wrestlemania N2 the next night. Now that we’re a week removed, what were your highlights from the entire weekend? Personally, I thought the women killed it across all the promotions – Iyo Sky vs Bayley was one of my favorite matches from both nights, and I’m still thinking about Billie Starkz vs Queen Aminata from ROH, which had me SHOOK.
Turning our attention to this evening, we’ve got another AEW double bill, with Collision followed by Battle of the Belts X…strap in, folks! Danielson and Castagnoli will be looking to make further digs at Will Ospreay’s expense as they take on the Don Callis Family’s Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs in tag team action. We’ve also got a Women’s Championship Eliminator as Toni Storm faces Stardom’s AZM, who will be looking to impress in her first AEW singles showcase. Plus, Shibata continues his mini-feud with Shane Taylor Promotions, going one on one with Lee Moriarty, which I’d expect to be pretty grounded and technical. Could be a low-key banger! Let’s find out.
Location: Highland Heights, KY
Venue: Truist Arena
Commentators: Daddy Magic & Tony Schiavone
Opening pyro hits, and Tony Schiavone is with Daddy Magic, standing in for Nigel McGuinness, and they hype up Jon Moxley’s victory last night, becoming the new IWGP World Champion. Moxley returns to AEW this Wednesday on Dynamite.
Danielson and Claudio are backstage, reflecting on Don Callis telling the Family that they don’t have to beat the BCC, just hurt them. Claudio says people have been trying to hurt them for 20 years. Danielson couldn’t be stopped by a broken orbital bone, Claudio has been fighting week in week out for years, and they make it look so easy while they do it. Danielson says violence is the specialty of BCC.
Match One: House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King) vs Dante Martin, Action Andretti & Matt Sydal
No Darius because apparently he’s legit getting his pilot’s license today! Andretti and Matthews start this one out, with Matthews grounding Andretti, working on the arm. Dropkick by Andretti and a tag to Sydal, who goes for a quick rollup for 2. Black in, gets armdragged by Sydal, and in comes Martin. Monkey flip on Black and a flying senton to Black takes him down. Black boots Martin down, tag to Brody King, who destroys all three men. Double dropkick from Sydal and Martin, oh but Brody clotheslines them back down again.
Andretti looks for a poisonrana on King, Black kicks him in the chest and King delivers a big assisted German. King with a suicide dive to the outside to take out Top Flight. Back inside the ring, it’s Matthews and Andretti, pump kick gets 2 for HoB. Andretti flips behind Matthews, gets an enziguri and tags in Sydal. Headscissors on Buddy, leg lariat, rising knee to Black, but Black with a kick to the chest to block any further strikes. King takes a run up, low bridge by Sydal sending King to the floor. Buddy catches Sydal and powerbombs him onto the knees of Malakai Black!
Rising Knee to Sydal sends him to the floor as King throws him into the barricade. Back in the ring, Black hits a running kick to the back on Sydal, cover for 1, 2, no. Double wristlock to the grounded Sydal, then a tag to Buddy. Another PK to the back of Sydal as Matthews continues the assault. Dante tags in, as does Black. Crossbody to Black, Black rolls through, but a tiaris from Martin takes him down. Dropkick to King on the apron, enziguri to Black, 1, 2, no. Tope Con Hilo over the top rope takes out King, but back in the ring he walks into a roundhouse kick. Andretti in, looks for Lights Camera Action, Black avoids it but Andretti to the outside with a suicide dive. Black follows him with a diving moonsault!
House of Black all in the ring now, but Top Flight deliver a series of superkicks to each member! Rising Knee to Martin, Meteora to Matthews, springboard elbow by Andretti to Black, King with a huge clothesline all in kick succession. Martin makes the save on the pinfall attempt. 450 from Andretti but King kicks out at 1. King catches a Meteora from Sydal, and throws him into the corner. Canonball along with stereo dropkicks from Matthews and Black! That’s it, King makes the pinfall on Sydal, 1, 2, 3.
Winner: House of Black
Match Time: 14:24
Rating: *** – Just what you want from an opener, loads of fun, and House of Black look dominant and impressive before their PPV match next week.
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We recap the Champagne Toast between Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm this past week on Dynamite, and the follow up with Mariah May. Lexy Nair is backstage with Toni Storm now, along with May and Luther, and Lexy wants to ask about the kiss. Storm is about to kiss May again but Lexy says she meant the other kiss. Storm shrugs it off and focuses on her opponent for tonight, wondering if AZM wants her to kiss her bottom, like all the other perverts out there.
After Dynamite, cameras catch up with Jericho, who finds Taz backstage. Jericho says he’s trying to do what’s right for Hook but Hook won’t return his calls. Taz says Hook is his own man, and Jericho pissed him off. He’ll try, but it’s up to Hook. This coming Wednesday, Taz hosts a meeting between Hook and Jericho. Ok then.
Match Two: Lee Moriarty (w/ Shane Taylor Promotions) vs Katsuyori Shibata
Anthony Ogogo joins the commentary desk for this match. Moriarty and Shibata grapple in the early goings, Lee gets the ropes and Shibata gives a clean break. Moriarty rolls into a rear naked choke, but Shibata escapes. Shibata attempts a Figure Four, Moriarty tries to block it but Shibata powers through. Lee gets the ropes again to break the hold and rolls to the outside. Shibata follows, Ogogo gets involved and hits Shibata with a straight right hand while Shane Taylor has the referee distracted.
Moriarty with a leg-assisted arm DDT, then does some joint manipulation, bending back over the arm to add extra pressure. Lee kicks Shibata to the floor and rebounds him off the barricade. Now into the steel steps, before bringing him back inside. Oh but Shibata right back up, running boot to the face of Lee Moriarty on the apron! Another against the barricade, and on the opposite side.
Back in the ring, Shibata shrugs off a series of chops and delivers some forearms in the corner. Chops to the throat! And the running corner dropkick to follow. Butterfly suplex gets a 2 count. Moriarty applies an abdominal stretch, Shibata reverses into one of his own. Backdrop driver by Shibata! Kneelift by Moriarty, running boot by Shibata. They trade boots until Shibata gets a pump kick, before avoiding a number of suplex attempts. Big slap takes Lee to the mat, and the PK follows for the 3 count.
Winner: Katsuyori Shibata
Match Time: 10:42
Rating: *** – Technical prowess on display, although they did devolve into a some no-selling down the stretch.
After the bell, Shane Taylor attacks! But here comes Hook to even the score, and he’ll be facing Shane Taylor at Battle of the Belts later. Exploder suplex to Lee, Ogogo wants to get in the ring but Taylor holds him back.
Leexy Nair is with Athena and Billie Starkz, and they are having an emergency MIT (Minion In Training) meeting! Athena will be in the BotB main event tonight and she’s excited. Starkz reminds her that Red Velvet is very good, and Athena understands that she’s a threat, but Athena is the FOREVER ROH champion. Athena will show the world what they’ve been missing.
Post commercial, Lexy Nair is with the Undisputed Kingdom. Roddy takes issue with her giving credit to anyone else but him. Strong says he’s been doing it on his own, just like his friend Kyle O’Reilly, who is an inspiration. Tonight, Strong will give the beating of a lifetime.
Match Three: Daniel Garcia vs Angelico (w/ Serpentico)
Garcia sighting! Angelico sighting! This is too much! Angelico gets an arm whip to start and gloats about it. Snapmare by Garcia, sweeps the legs, Angelico calls for a timeout. Mahistral cradle from Angelico gets a 2, and he follows up with a back suplex. Garcia applies a Figure Four leglock but Angelico reverses the pressure. They go back and forth reversing the pressure before both rolling to the ropes, kicking away at each other. Kicks are traded, right hand by Angelico, swinging neckbreaker by Garcia but his knee is giving him trouble.
Double underhook suplex by Garcia connects and he follows up in the corner with mounted punches, and he dances, grinding his crotch in the face of Angelico! Garcia with another back suplex, picks the leg and gets the leglock….and Angelico taps out.
Winner: Daniel Garcia
Match Time: 5:50
Rating: **3/4 – Not long enough to be anything significant, but good to see singles action from Garcia again, and he still seems over.
Next we hear from Pac, who wants to address Okada. Pac wants to thank him, for accepting his challenge and for hitting him with a lump of steel. Pac says he has a perpetual headache which serves as inspiration for him. Pac may not be flavor of the month, and Okada may think he’s God’s gift to wrestling but he’s not, he’s crap. Pac says he’s better than Okada, and he will prove it in front of the entire world at Dynasty.
Match Four: [AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Match] Toni Storm (w/ Luther & Mariah May) vs AZM (w/ Anna Jay)
Lockup to begin, Storm throws AZM face first to the mat. Storm sweeps the legs, but AZM fights back with forearms to the chest. Storm laughs off AZM’s attacks until AZM stomps on the feet. Shoulder block by Storm connects, running kicks by AZM and a dropkick. Running stomp gets a 1 count for AZM, but Storm then gets a hip attack to AZM on the apron, knocking her to the floor. On the outside, Mariah May and Anna Jay get into it and fight backstage!
AZM to the apron, running PK to the face of Storm! AZM to the top rope now, shotgun dropkick sends Storm flying across the ring. Stungun over the ropes by Storm to regain control though. Storm with a hard kick to the midsection, laying into her in the corner, standing on AZM’s head! Pendulum backbreaker gets a 2 for Storm, and she locks in a modified sleeper with the arm trapped behind until AZM gets the ropes.
Forearm shots from both women, damn these are stiff. Kick by AZM, headbutt from Storm, flying tiltawhirl headscissors by AZM and a big spin kick to the head! Both women down. AZM captures the leg and hits a leg-trap German suplex! AZM up top, diving shotgun dropkick to the side of the head while Storm is grounded! Storm with the Sky High gets 2. AZM counters another suplex, gets a pinning combination for 1, 2, no. GERMAN SUPLEX DUMPS AZM ON HER HEAD!! Yikes! Hip attack! STORM ZERO. 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Toni Storm
Match Time: 9:39
Rating: ***1/2 – Oh yeah, this rocked. Storm had to win being this close to her title defense at Dynasty, but AZM needed to look good in her debut, and they accomplished both. They traded some damn stiff shots here! Good stuff.
Lexy Nair is with Red Velvet backstage, wondering how she feels about heading into a high profile match against Athena at Battle of the Belts later. Velvet says she IS high profile. And she will lay Athena out in the main event. Velvet says she will show everyone why it was a mistake for Athena to come into her house.
Mark Briscoe is backstage, and he is starting to understand the House of Black’s MO. They like to strike fear in everyone, but Briscoe feels no fear. Him, Kingston and Copeland are violent men, and they will bring the violence next week. So he warns House of Black to be afraid, be very afraid!
On the stage, Tony Schiavone brings out Thunder Rosa. Schiavone brings up that Rosa never lost the Women’s championship and she has a chance to redeem herself next week. Rosa wants to thank all the fans for the memories over the last 5 years in AEW. But she’s here for a reason, she doesn;t need help, especially from Deonna Purrazzo. When Rosa got her degree, her citizenship, all her career, she’s done it on her own. Here in AEW is where the best wrestle. She has an opportunity next weekend. She will humble Storm. At Dynasty, she will carry more than that title, she will carry the pride of her people. If she has to break every bone in her own body to uplift and empower the women in the lockerroom, she’ll do it. Storm made a big mistake when she tried to erase the mask on her face. Next week, she’s coming to drag Storm’s soul to hell.
Backstage, Deonna Purrazzo is standing by. If Thunder Rosa doesn’t want her help, that’s fine. Purrazzo says she is a workhorse and she could make excuses about not being champion, but instead she’d rather do something about it. Mariah May vs Deonna Purrazzo next week on Dynamite, and she says she will break May’s arm.
Schiavone informs us that the Young Bucks – FTR World Tag team Championship match at Dynasty has just been made a Ladder match! Good way to keep things fresh for those guys.
Kyle Fletcher says him and Hobbs are on a mission, and that is to protect the ‘Golden Goose’. Hobbs says the Don Callis Family expects a hefty fine, and he promises that Danielson will not walk out on his own two feet tonight.
Match Five: Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher
Hot start as Hobbs and Fletcher attack the BCC upon entering the ring. Claudio uppercuts Hobbs on the ramp while Danielson gets a running dropkick to Fletcher against the barricade. Yes Kicks to Kyle, Claudio holds him back allowing Danielson to deliver a running boot to the face. They turn their attention to Hobbsm double teaming him on the floor. Danielson clothesline’s Kyle over the barricade, while Claudio brings Hobbs back into the ring.
Hobbs and Castagnoli trade forearms, Hobbs cuts him off with a knee to the midsection but Castagnoli right back with a scoop slam. Claudio hangs Hobbs out to the dry on the ropes, and Danielson gets a diving knee across the back of the neck to follow. Danielson surfboards the legs of Hobbs and hits the knee stomps, tagging Castagnoli back in. Wishbone legsplit, Claudio goes for a suplex but Hobbs reverses and then makes the tag to Fletcher.
Fletcher receives a European uppercut in the corner, mounted punches to follow, but Kyle tosses Claudio to the floor, attacking him against the barricade. Shoulders to the midsection in the ring, Hobbs in with clotheslines in the corner. Front Chancery prevents Claudio from making the tag, and a lariat grounds Castagnoli. Fletcher with mounted punches of his own now until Claudio drops him on the buckles. Kyle takes out Bryan on the apron, but Claudio is right there to capitalise with a German suplex!
Sleeper hold, Claudio gets to his feet with Kyle on his back but Claudio fades. Claudio grabs Kyle, spins him round into a gutwrench suplex, the strength of that man! Claudio kicks Kyle away and makes the tag to Danielson. Shotgun dropkick off the top, running kicks to Hobbs, uppercuts to Fletcher. Danielson hits the moonsault evasion and nails the running elbow. Yes kicks to the chest of Kyle Fletcher, misses the roundhouse but comes back with a spin kick. Danielson springboards to the outside but Hobbs catches him! Hobbs slams him on the apron, but Danielson shoves him into the ringpost and comes off the apron with a diving knee. Fletcher out of nowhere with a running boot. Castagnoli out of nowhere with a running uppercut!! Great camera work on those. Castagnoli with a huge uppercut knocks Hobbs over the barricade.
All four men head out into the crowd for a brief brawl. Danielson brings Kyle back in the ring, Kyle with a brainbuster for 2! Shots to the head by Kyle, he follows Danielson to the floor and whips off a HARD chop to the chest. And again. Kyle Fletcher pulls up the protective padding around the ring, exposing the concrete floor. The padding falls back into place of its own accord, but Danielson hits a back body drop escape anyway.
Fletcher heads to the top rope with Danielson, Dragon slips below and crotches Kyle on the top turnbuckle. Danielson heads back up but Hobbs catches him, no Claudio interrupts and Danielson gets back to the top rope. Claudio and Hobbs head to the floor, while Dragon hits the avalanche back suplex off the top to Kyle. 1, 2, no. LeBell Lock locked in but Hobbs makes the save!
Hobbs gets Danielson up but Dragon escapes whatever he was looking for. Hot tag to Claudio, series of uppercuts in the corner. Fletcher tries to assist Hobbs but receives uppercuts for good measure. Claudio runs between both men with uppercuts before clotheslining Kyle out of the ring, and he gets the Giant Swing on Hobbs! Sharpshooter locked in! Fletcher back in, Claudio eats the kicks and then Danielson dives into a thrust kick from Kyle. Pop-up uppercut takes out Kyle, Spinebuster by Hobbs gets 2. All four men in the ring now, slugfest on their knees.
Danielson hits a suicide dive on Fletcher. Castagnoli with a Death Valley Driver on Hobbs, 1, 2, NO! Hobbs won’t go down on some clotheslines, but a running clothesline gets the job done. Claudio looks for a Neutralizer, can’t get it, Kyle trips him, allowing Hobbs to hit the World’s Strongest Slam…but Danielson makes the save! Dragon tossed back outside, Hobbs grabs a steel chair and stalks Danielson, but the referee grabs the chair away. Hobbs walks into some kicks from Danielson, but Kyle dives onto Danielson from the ring. Claudio uppercuts Hobbs across the announce table, then hits a headscissors off the table to Kyle! Back in the ring, NEUTRALIZER connects! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Claudio Castagnoli & Bryan Danielson
Match Time: 25:52
Rating: ***3/4 – Didn’t expect them to get this much time, this cooked! Just all out action from the get-go, and everyone got some extended shine. This did not disappoint.
Danielson and Claudio celebrate but Konosuke Takeshita attacks from behind! Takeshita hits a brainbuster on Danielson the ramp! Claudio grabs a chair but can’t quite get to his feet. Claudio calls for help to attend to Danielson as Collision fades out and we head over to Battle of the Belts. Good night everybody, enjoy the rest of the show!
