wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 07.20.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Howdy folks! Fresh from the G1 coverage earlier today, I’m back to host your regularly scheduled Collision live coverage. While I’m VERY SALTY that Ishii isn’t in this year’s G1, the wrestling Gods have shone upon me as tonight we are being treated to Roderick Strong vs Tomohiro Ishii. YASSSSS!
Collision tonight marks the start of the ‘Path to All In: Summer Series’, hosted by the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Will be interesting to see what the crowd reactions are like as each week goes by. Action-wise, we’ve got Thunder Rosa vs Deonna Purrazzo in a Lumberjack match, Darby Allin returns to the ring to face The Beast Mortos, Skye Blue vs Hikaru Shida, and the debut of Hologram. That’s before we even get to our main event of The Patriarchy vs The Bang Bang Gang as all six men vie for the vacated AEW Trios championships. All in all, tonight looks pretty neat.
Location: Arlington, TX
Venue: Esports Stadium Arlington
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
Ohhhhh NEW MUSIC ALERT! We are live, as Darby Allin makes his way to the ring for the opening contest. Arkady Aura is your ring announcer this evening.
Match One: Darby Allin vs ‘The Beast’ Mortos
Mortos overpowers Darby in the early goings, swinging him around by the neck. Mortos is sent to the floor and Darby follows up with a suicide dive through the ropes. They battle out on the ramp, Darby up to the apron and dives off for a hurrancanrana but Mortos catches him and tosses him into the steel steps.
In the ring, bow and arrow stretch applied by Mortos, and he propels Darby forward into the buckles for a hard bump. Pop up Samoan Drop by Mortos, 1, 2, no. Springboard rebound crossbody from Darby also gets a 2. Coffin Drop caught by Mortos, Mortos goes for a sunset flip but Darby rolls him up for 2. Rear naked choke applied, but Mortos rolls fowards, catapulting Darby into the buckles again. Running knee strike attempt, Darby avoids it as Mortos is sent to the outside, and Darby heads up top and nails a Coffin Drop to the floor!
Darby rolls Mortos back into the ring and is met with a big headbutt…and Mortos dives back outside with a tornillo through the ropes to take out Darby. Spear by Mortos gets 2. Huge slap knocks Darby to the mat again. Darby up, Code Red! 1, 2, no. Darby tries to ascend the buckles again, Mortos cuts him off and heads up there with him…press slam from the top rope! 1, 2, NO. Mortos lifts Darby onto another turnbuckle, gets him on his shoulders but Darby with a headscissors takedown off the ropes. COFFIN DROP! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Darby Allin
Time: 10:46
Rating: *** – That was fun! Glad to see momentum building for Mortos. Darby seems to be 100% again if this showing is anything to go by, he hasn’t missed a step.
Darby takes the mic and says he’s always told to slow down but he never takes the night off. He will be in his first ever Blood & Guts match next week. The Bucks never come to Collision, they never advertise, but AEW is Darby’s now. As for Jack Perry, that TNT championship means everything to him and he won’t stop until that belt is round his waist again. If Jack has the balls, let’s play. He’ll see him on Wednesday.
The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass are backstage, and Billy Gunn cuts off Caster’s digs and says next week is about being the best wrestler alive. It’s time to nut up or shut up.
Match Two: Skye Blue vs Hikaru Shida
Big boot from Blue as the bell rings, and she lays boots into Shida in the corner. They trade forearms, back elbow from Blue, knee to the midsection to follow. Misses a spin kick, Shida with a low dropkick sends Blue to the outside. Shida climbs to the middle rope and dives with a crossbody splash to the floor as medical staff are sent to check on Skye. Looks like there may be a legit injury here as Shida landed on Blue’s leg on that dive. Shida gives her space and poses in the ring while the doctors check on her ankle.
Shida heads back up the ramp and it appears this match is over? The bell hasn’t rung yet so this is a little awkward unfortunately. Skye Blue is taken backstage with assistance, and Hikaru Shida is brought back out to be declared the winner by referee stoppage.
Winner: Hikaru Shida
Time: 4:52 (sort of)
Rating: N/R – Very unfortunate circumstances here, best wishes to Skye Blue and I really hope she’s OK.
Backstage, we cut to Lance Archer beating up some randoms. He grabs one of the Outrunners and tosses him into the steel shutters. Archer says it’s time to remind everyone who the Murderhawk is. Everybody dies!
Jericho is backstage and says he’s been thinking about Jericho vs Suzuki for 4 years, and finally the dream match comes true this coming Wednesday. He warns Suzuki to get ready for some night terrors. This will be far more violent than Blood & Guts. If anyone can match Suzuki blow for blow, experience for experience, it’s Chris Jericho. He can’t wait to teach him a lesson. Suzuki should never have turned down his offer. First time ever, Jericho vs Suzuki, he can’t wait.
Match Three: Tony Nese (w/ Premier Athletes) vs Rey Fenix
Mark Sterling introduces the Premier Athletes and Nese takes the mic to say that when they said everything is bigger in Texas, he didn’t realise it’s because everyone is fat. It’s not entirely their fault though – they haven’t had real athletes to look up to. His lawyer made up a contract to make one lucky individual an opportunity…and here comes Rey Fenix.
They grapple as the bell rings, Tony grabs the arm, Rey flips to reverse the pressure. Fenix wrings the arm, but Nese rolls through and chops him in the throat. Spin kick and a drive by kick, followed by a leg lariat for 2. Clubbing blows across the face of Fenix, suplex attempt but Fenix knees out of it, tripped by Sterling, and Nese gets a 2 count out of it. Nese works over the leg now, kicking the hamstring. They both get to their feet and trade chops, until Fenix gets a dropkick to send Nese to the floor. Sterling pulls Nese out of harm’s way and Nese tries to capitalise, but Fenix is ready for him. Superkick by Nese though! Nese heads back into the ring to distrct the ref while the Premier Athletes beat him down on the outside. The ref may have seen them though, or at least he realises there are shenanigans at play. Nese and Fenix tussle on the outside, and Nese whips Fenix into the barricade.
Nese tosses Fenix to the floor again, Sterling & Daivari attack him while the referee is again distracted, and here comes Nese from behind. Nese tosses Fenix down the rampway, and then rolls him back in the ring for a 2 count. Fenix starts to fight back, but a rope assisted choke by Nese and a one-arm powerbomb gets a 2! Repeated shots in the corner now, Nese drops the knee pad, Fenix springs up with a hurracanrana for 2. Spin kick in the corner, Daivari up on the apron, Fenix low bridges the ropes though and Nese falls outside. Fenix with a flipping senton to take out all members of the Premier Athletes on the floor.
Fenix walks the ropes and kicks Sterling in the face! Nese grabs him and kicks him, 450 splash by Nese, 1, 2, NO! Walk the ropes kick to Nese, frog splash connects for Fenix, 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Rey Fenix
Time: 11:03
Rating: **3/4 – Interference from Premier Athletes was a snoozefest, and I imagine this went longer than originally planned due to the Blue/Shida match ending early. Fenix is crisp as always, but Premier Athletes are a done deal at this point so the heat never feels truly engaging.
Tony Schiavone is in the ring to welcome Dax and Cash, FTR.
Cash says Tommy Billington has a bright future ahead of him, so they won’t let Don Callis take advantage of him. Cash says they’ve had the greatest run of their careers over the past year. One thing they didn’t want to talk about previously – he’s been dealing with personal issues this past year, but whenever he came out to the ring, that was his escape. All these people helped Cash get past it. He wrestled like every match might be his last, because he just didn’t know if it would be. Now, the only people they have their sights set on are the Young Bucks.
Dax says 2022/2023 was a good time to be an FTR fan. 4 tag title reigns, 3 matches with the Briscoes, 58 minutes with Bullet Club Gold, beating the Bucks at Wembley Stadium. This year, not quite so much. Dax had a nasty back injury that he didn’t think he’d come back from. While he was rehabbing, he watched AEW in the hope that the Bucks would take the division to new heights again. Starting next week, here in Arlington, texas, FTR’s road to the world tag title championships starts, and it ends at Wembley Stadium. Dax knows he’s abrasive, but if you give him a little bit of love, they will give you all the passion, tears, sweat and love back, and they will be your 3 time AEW tag team champions. Young Bucks, this whole things is for you. Top Guys, out.
Backstage, Hikaru Shida is with Lexy Nair, and she came to Collision looking for a fight, and she won’t leave til she gets one. She wants Britt Baker. Shida made her bleed once before, and she’ll do it again, this Wednesday at Blood & Guts.
Match Four: Roderick Strong vs Tomohiro Ishii
Both men lockup as Ishii backs Strong into the ropes, clean break but Strong chops the heck out of Ishii’s chest. They tee off on each other, chopping away, hard chops as you’d expect. Strong’s chest is already red raw, and damn they are going at it hard! Knee to the midsection from Strong breaks that up, but Ishii wants more chops. He runs right through a chop from Strong and nails a shoulder block to take Strong down. Strong backs away into the corner, and Ishii is right there to keep up the pressure. Strong with forearms, Ishii no sells them and now Strong is worried. One forearm shiver knocks Strong to the mat. Brainbuster from Ishii gets a 2 count as Strong rolls to the apron. Ishii biels him back inside the ring, judo throw, jumping knee avoided, and now Ishii shakes off a shoulder block. One of his own sends Strong to the floor.
Ishii follows him to the floor but Strong cuts him off with a knee to the midsection. Basement dropkick from Strong sends Ishii into the guardrail, and a backbreaker into the ring apron follows! Strong rolls Ishii back inside and continues the assault, stomping on the head. Pendulum backbreaker by Strong, Strong rakes the nose of Ishii and slams the arm back into the canvas. Strong traps the arms and drops a knee into the chest, just for a 1 count. Armlock applied, Ishii tries to get Strong on his shoulder, but Strong slips out. Chops and slaps from Strong in the corner, vertical suplex, 1, 2, no.
Strong with a seated chinlock as Ishii battles to his knees, gets to his feet, but Strong rakes the nose again, and falls back into a rear naked choke. Ishii with a powerslam to catch Strong offguard. Ishii fires up and shrugs off the forearms, stalking him into the corner. Ishii with a huge overhead German suplex! Ishii sits Strong on the top rope, lifts him up for a STALLING avalanche superplex! 1, 2, NO.
Ishii looks for a piledriver, can’t get it. Kicks by Strong, End of Heartache attempt, no. Sliding lariat misses. Headbutt by Ishii knocks Strong to the canvas. Olympic Slam! Stomach breaker, 1, 2, no. Both men look for leverage on a suplex, can’t get it. Back elbow by Strong, chops, jumping knee caught, jumping enziguri from Ishii! Roaring lariat connects for Ishii, running lariat, 1, 2, NO. The Undisputed Kingdom arrive up on the apron to provide the distraction, allowing a low blow by Strong, and the jumping knee for the 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Roderick Strong
Time: 12:16
Rating: ***3/4 – Exactly what we wanted from these two guys, all action from the opening bell, vicious strike exchanges and a few bombs thrown. Shame to have a finish from outside interference, but Strong had to be kept looking strong in the run up to his ROH World Title shot next week.
The UK hold back Ishii while Strong pulls down the knee pad, ready for a further assault, but here comes Mark Briscoe along with Kyle O’Reilly to run off the United Kingdom.
Match Five: Hologram vs Gringo Loco
Loco dives over Hologram to begin, Hologram stands on his shoulders! Crazy flip. Huge satellite tijeras sends Loco to the floor. Feint springboard, shotgun dropkick through the ropes, and a flipping senton takes out Loco on the floor. Back to the ring, spinning hurracanrana, but Loco sends Hologram face first into the buckles.
Chop to the chest of Hologram, military press and he drops him, followed by a standing moonsault for 2. Gringo up top, tornillo misses! Hologram adjusts the knee pad, slips to the apron, rolls back in and creates some distance. Moonsault armdrag sends Loco to the floor again, Hologram to the top, steps onto the ropes and nails a diving headscissors onto the ramp. Spinning roundhouse kick, Hologram with an Airplane spin into a slam (the Portal Slam) for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Hologram
Time: 4:15
Rating: **3/4 – Hologram is athletically impressive, that’s for sure. We’ll need to see a longer showcase from him, but this was a decent debut, and Loco was perfect as a base for him. Hologram is the main focus here, but let’s get more Gringo Loco on AEW TV too please.
Kevin Von Erich is backstage with Dustin Rhodes and the Von Erichs, and Rhodes says it’s the first time these families have been together since 1978. Rhodes says he has their backs.
Mark Briscoe says it’s hot as balls outside! Busy week next week – ROH Death Before Dishonor, Roddy vs Mark Briscoe for the ROH World Title. Briscoe says he is tougher than he was the last time they faced. But that’s Friday, two days after Wednesday, when it’s team AEW vs The Elite. The Elite are privileged and think they can step over the little guy, but Briscoe will be bringing the fight, so let’s get violent.
Match Six: [Lumberjack Match] Thunder Rosa vs Deonna Purrazzo
Both women go at it with blows to the midsection as the bell rings. Purrazzo slides out of the ring but the lumberjacks tell her to get back in. Rosa with a dropkick and a senton for 2. Chops in the corner, springboard crossbody from the middle rope catches Purrazzo, but she sends Rosa to the apron. Draping DDT connects as the Virtuosa taunts her opponent. The lumberjacks beat on Deonna a little as Rosa climbs the buckles, but some of the other lumberjacks hold her legs. Deonna heads up to meet her, superplex into the pile of lumberjack bodies!
Back in the ring, Purrazzo works over the arm of Rosa, but Rosa escapes a wristlock and fires off a quick double stomp for 2. Pump kick by Purrazzo keeps the Virtuosa in control, and she sends Rosa to the floor as the lumberjacks swarm her! Rosa gets back into the ring, but Purrazzo tosses her out to the lumberjacks on the opposite side, who also dive in for the beatdown.
Straitjacket submission applied by Purrazzo, rears back into a lungblower for 2. Rosa tossed back out, Taya Valkyrie in particular lays into Rosa. Rosa to the apron, back in with fiery offense to Purrazzo and a running dropkick against the ropes. Airplane spin into a DVD, 1, 2, no, Deonna kicks out. Rosa looks for a tombstone, but Deonna slips out into a crossarmbreaker. Pump kick again, but Rosa with a glancing blow from a lariat, exploder suplex by Purrazzo. Rosa hooks the arms, Deonna avoids it and locks in an armbar, but Rosa reaches the ropes. Deonna to the apron, they slug it out with forearm exchanges. Rosa takes a run and spears Purrazzo through the ropes to wipe out the lumberjacks again!
Diamante lays into Rosa on the floor…and all the lumberjacks are fighting now! Taya Valkyrie hands a turnbuckle to Purrazzo, who nails Rosa with it with the ref distracted! That’s enough to get the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Deonna Purrazzo
Time: 11:13
Rating: *** – Lumberjack matches often feel pretty sluggish, but this had some distinct high points (albeit mainly when they focused on the in-ring action). Purrazzo/Rosa is always a good pairing, and judging by the finish I’d expect this to continue further, which is no bad thing.
Match Seven: [AEW Trios Championships] The Patriarchy [Christian Cage, Killswitch & Nick Wayne) vs The Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson & The Gunns)
Not much time left for this one…impending shenanigans?! Austin starts off against Nick Wayne, with Wayne grabbing the hair and getting a side headlock takedown, only for Auston to get one of his own. Snap armdrag by Austin, that was smooth as hell. Cage tags in, and the people want Juice! Juice tags in! But Cage doesn’t want to play ball, so he tags in Killswitch. Juice chops Killswitch in the corner but Killswitch walks into it and knocks Juice down with a chop of his own. Juice bites the hand of Killswitch, stomps the foot and beats him down. Cheapshot by Cage as Juice runs the ropes, whiplashing him backwards over the ropes, and that allows Killswitch to take momentum.
Now Cage tags in, kicking and punching Juice to the mat. Wayne in, running uppercut, tag to Killswitch, and a chop to the chest of Juice. Thrust kick connects, 1, 2, but Juice gets the arm up. Austin leads a big Juice chant, but Wayne knocks him off the apron. Juice tags in Colten who is a house of fire – dropkick to Killswitch, splash in the corner to Wayne and a neckbreaker gets a 2 count. Austin in, charges into the corner but Wayne dodges and Austin spills all the way to the floor.
Cage tags back in and works over Austin in the ring, standing on his head over the bottom rope. Snapmare takeover, tag to Killswitch now, modified back suplex gets a 2. Austin manages to get a tag to Juice, Wayne tagged in too, misses the Wayne’s World as Juice lays in the jabs. Left Handed Punch and a senton connect, 1, 2, no. Cage pulls Wayne to the outside and hugs him, but Juice is relentless and hits a diving crossbody to take them both out. Killswitch grabs Juice but The Gunns pounce on him and send him through the guard rail.
In the ring, Juice has Wayne poised in the corner, CANONBALL. Jackhammer, 1, 2, Cage breaks it up. All BCG members are in and take aim at Cage. Cage takes blows from all three…the Gunns clothesline him to the floor. Wayne in, tries to lowblow Juice but Juice caught it! Falling powerbomb from Juice, 1, 2, no.
Juice to the top, Killswitch catches him with a goozle and chokeslams him into the ring. Wayne with a moonsault to take out the Gunns. Frog splash by Cage on Juice, 1, 2, NO! Cage has the arms of Juice trapped but Juice still manages to send Wayne to the floor. Pin attempt on Cage, Wayne breaks it up and things are breaking down now. Cage looks for the Killswitch, reverses, referee in the way, Shayna Wayne sprays Juice in the eyes while the referee isn’t looking, and Cage hits the Killswitch. 1, 2, 3!
Winners and NEW AEW Trios Champions: The Patriarchy
Time: 13:17
Rating: ***1/4 – Nice bit of overrun helped give this the necessary time to breathe. We didn’t hit top gear, and that finish seemed a little wonky as referee Bryce Remsburg seemingly had to get himself into the ‘right’ position so as not to see Shayna spray Juice. But these guys are all fun so they made the match work to a certain extent. Patriarchy as champs should rock, Christian is going to milk this for all its worth.
After the match, the lights briefly flicker…foreboding House of Black presence no doubt. No other sign of them however, and the Patriarchy celebrate their win as Collision goes off the air. Goodnight everybody!
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