Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 09.23.23

 

Welcome! You join us for tonight’s coverage of AEW Collision, hot off the back of a tremendous Grand Slam event, where notably Eddie Kingston finally won the big one, defeating Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Championship. Great match with a hot crowd…but there’s a chance it could be beaten tonight, as we have a blockbuster show on the cards for us here on Collision. We are dining well this week in AEW land!

Jay White and Andrade go one on one, and if they get decent time that should be a nice little banger. Rob Van Dam makes his return to in-ring action, teaming with Hook against Angelo Parker and Matt Menard, which is unlikely to go long but could be decent fun. I’m expecting big time shenanigans from the TNT championship triple threat, as Luchasaurus defends against Christian Cage and Darby Allin, and you just KNOW Christian has a plan up his sleeve.

FTR will be defending the tag team titles against the WorkHorsemen, which I’m intrigued about – the challengers haven’t had much exposure on ‘mainstream’ AEW programming as of late, but their brief promo online makes it sound like this won’t be a total squash, as they seem intent on making the most of this opportunity.

Finally, we can all look forward to the rematch between Bryan Danielson and Ricky Starks, this time in a Texas Deathmatch. That really needs no introduction after their stellar encounter at All Out, but the result tonight will be particularly interesting. Starks could do with getting his win back, but can Danielson afford to lose when he’s just over a week away from facing Zack Sabre Jr in the main event of WrestleDream? Let’s get some answers!

 

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Venue: Van Andel Arena

Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Kevin Kelly

In our pre-show promos, Cage doesn’t like Darby’s chances in their three way. Starks says Danielson has never tapped him out, he passed out. Starks is putting him six feet under. Danielson says people have tried to keep him down his entire career, and no one has been able to thus far. And Ricky sure as hell won’t keep him down tonight either.

 

Match One: [TNT Championship] Darby Allin vs Christian Cage vs Luchasaurus (c)

Luchasaurus and Cage make their way out together and this one sure looks like it’ll be more of a handicap match for Allin. Cage heads outside as this one begins. Test of strength but Darby throws powder in the face of Luchasaurus and dives to the outside onto Cage! Code Red inside the ring gets a 2 for Darby. Suicide dive to Luchasaurus, this is wild already! Cage gets him from behind and whiplashes him over the ropes to the floor, and Luchasaurus capitalises, running him into the barricade.

Cage sits Darby on a chair and drapes him neck first over the ropes before standing on his back for leverage. HUGE German suplex on Darby with the chair from Luchasaurus! Cage goes for the cover, gets a 2 count, and Luchasaurus briefly doesn’t look too happy with that. Cage and Luchasaurus double team Darby on the outside, sending him into the steel steps, and Darby goes head over heels as we go to PIP.

Cage continues the assault on the outside, driving a chair down into the midsection of Allin. Back in the ring, a back elbow from Luchasaurus takes Darby down. He holds Darby back, allowing Christian to fire off shots to the midsection. Darby is whipped into the buckles, Luchasaurus follows up but Darby dodges, and dodges Christian too. Rollup for 2 from Darby.

Reverse DDT from Darby on Cage. Coffin Drop attempt but Luchasaurus drags Cage outside…so Darby nails it on both men on the outside! Back inside, Darby dives off the top, Lucha catches him with a chokeslam attempt, reversed into a stungun.

Cage has the TNT title but misses a belt shot, Darby with a dropkick. STO by Luchasaurus takes Darby out again. Luchasaurus sees the belt on the mat and grabs it, tugging it away from Christian! Cage implores with him to give it back. Eventually he does return it but Darby knocks both men into each other. Cover on Luchasaurus, 1, 2, no.

PK to Luchasaurus , coffin drop! Cage throws him outisde though!! CAGE PINS LUCHASAURUS! 1, 2, 3! New champion is crowned at 10:06.

Your winner by pinfall and NEW TNT Champion: Christian Cage

Rating: ***1/4 – Hot start to the show tonight! Darby got destroyed as expected, and we had nice teases in the Cage/Luchasaurus interactions. Fun stuff, and Cage gets to continue his Path of Dickery. Career-best heel work, for sure.

Post-match, Luchasaurus allows Cage to hug him. Cage celebrates…and Luchasaurus looks dejected but gets Christian on his shoulders. What a tease! Both men leave together.

 

Alex Marvez is with Don Callis, Sammy Guevara and Takeshita. Callis feels sick thinking about Jericho and Omega being on the same side. They’re name dropping Ibushi, but they know Ibushi’s weakspot – Kenny Omega. Callis isn’t worried about the match at WrestleDream. Callis has another family member who will join the fray…Will Ospreay. Ibushi, Omega & Jericho vs Takeshita, Guevara & Ospreay appears to be set for Seattle. Nice!

Back live, Tony Schiavone is with the new TNT champion, Christian Cage. Cage says he is now the Undisputed TNT champion. He dedicates the victory to the dead dads out there. Schiavone announces that Cage’s first defence will be in Seattle next week, 2 out of 3 Falls against Darby Allin. Cage is not happy about it. Great addition to the card.

 

Match Two: Hook & Rob Van Dam vs Angelo Parker & Matt Menard (w/ Jake Hager & Anna Jay)

Menard starts off against Hook and receives a judo throw from the off. Takedown by Hook, and a hip toss. Menard tags in Cool Hand Ang…Anna Jay causes a distraction, allowing Ang to get some cheap shots in and tag Matt back in. Hook avoids a double team and tags in RVD!

Arm drag by RVD but Ang cuts him off. Leg takedown for 2, and a wheelkick takes down Ang. Springboard kick to Ang, who is forced outside to regroup. We go to PIP as Ang & Matt psyche themselves up on the floor.

Menard back in, and RVD tags in Hook. Matt throws Hook into a knee from Ang, and lays in some knees on the mat. He distracts the ref, allowing Ang and Jake to get more cheapshots in. Ang takes over in the ring now, step up kick gets a 2 count. Tag to Matt, Hook battles back with a chop though. Headlock from Matt to ground Hook, then another quick tag to Parker. Hook avoids another double team, tossing both guys to the outside….he dives for a tag to RVD but Parker intercepts! No, exploder suplex by Hook, both men are down! Hook crawls…tag is made!

RVD in for the house of fire. Wheelkick to Matt. Rolling Thunder on Parker! Menard breaks up the pin though. Another signature wheelkick from RVD. Jake Hager in with a chair, but receives a Van Daminator! Hook with the Redrum!! RVD with the Five Star Frogsplash on Matt Menard to pick up the pinfall at 8:22.

Your winners by pinfall: Hook & Rob Van Dam

Rating: *** – Good fun, RVD nailed everything he needed to and looked pretty good while popping the crowd. About all you could want from something like this, no complaints here.

 

Recap of Eddie Kingston becoming a double champion this past Wednesday. Promo time! Eddie knows he has to defend these championships. WrestleDream is all about respecting Inoki…and the best way to do that is to put both championships on the line next week…AGAINST SHIBATA!! Daaaamn. That card is getting STACKED.

Dark Order tell us that we need structure, rules, and order…the Dark Order. Because the Dark Order is good, and they’re here for us!

Matt Taven tells us that neck health is important! Bennett and Taven will be dishing out piledrivers in support of neck health next week, when they face the Best Friends.

 

Match Three: Kiera Hogan vs Julia Hart (w/ Brody King)

25 match winning streak for Hart coming into this one. Hogan jumps Hart as the bell rings, hip attack against the ropes! Hart with a hairpull takedown, stands on the hair and yanks her up. Stomps to Kiera, and a nice vertical suplex, before Hart gets on top with vicious right hands. Hogan tries to battle back, gets a roundhouse kick but Hart knocks her down and gets a moonsault for 2 in retaliation.

Forearm takedowns by Hogan, running dropkick in the corner. Goes for a possible hip attack but Hart moves, sending Hogan into the turnbuckles. Back elbow, snapmare takeover, kick to the back, followed by a sliding clothesline. The House Always Wins! Julia makes Hogan tap out at 3:34.

Your winner by submission: Julia Hart

Rating: N/R – Really good squash here, Hogan had moments of fire, but Julia continues to build confidence in her winning streak.

 

Post-match, Hart locks the submission in again…but here comes Skye Blue! Oooh but Brody King stands in her way. Julia steps in front and spits the black poison in Blue’s face.

Brody King on the mic says this violence will not end. It will not end until they get to the last one…Kris Statlander. Next Sunday, WrestleDream, they want Statlander to put her title on the line…otherwise the body count will continue to rise.

We get our latest vignette for The Righteous. They are pure, they are divine. They will crawl out to expose MJF and Adam Cole, and purify the lies that they’re ‘better than you baybay’.

 

Match Four: Jay White (w/ Bullet Club Gold) vs Andrade El Idolo

Andrade backs Jay into the corner to begin, but Jay gets a cheeky slap, which riles up Idolo. Headlock applied in the center of the ring, Jay sends him into the ropes, shoulder block by Andrade. Distraction from Juice allows Jay to get a headlock of his own, side headlock takeover gives control to White.

On the outside, Andrade scores a huge chop to the chest and rolls Jay back in. Crossbody off the top but rolls through. Suplex…Three Amigos! No, Jay drops behind on the third attempt. Jay hops to the middle rope but Andrade dropkicks him to the floor.

DDT from White when back in the ring, which gets a 2 count. Andrade gets knocked off the apron to the outside, and haha the Bang Bang Gang’s reaction is priceless, girating over him.

Both men back inside the ring, Jay rakes the eyes while choking him over the ropes until the ref interrupts. Dragon screw legwhip to Andrade and Jay White keeps targeting the leg. Suplex into the turnbuckle, hard landing there, White goes for the pin, 1, 2, no.

Andrade battles out of a headlock but Jay goes back to the leg, and then delivers chops to the chest. Andrade calls for more! Double clothesline takes both men down. Back to their feet, they trade HARD chops…until Jay goes for a kick and receives a dragon screw as a receipt. Flying forearm from Andrade, kip up. Jay is perched in the corner against the ropes, Andrade goes for the double knees, but BC Gold pull him outside. But Andrade is not deterred, jumping to the top rope for a HUGE moonsault to the outside!!

Another moonsault back in the ring, nails the Ibushi deal of landing on his feet and hitting the second moonsault. Dragon suplex attempt from Andrade , no. Sleeper suplex attempt by Jay, no. OH GOD Jay just DUMPED Andrade to the floor with a Saito suplex over the ropes, damn. Uranagi back in the ring, 1, 2, NO. Jay gets him up, hyperextends the knee of Andrade, but Jay has a bad knee too. Back elbow from Andrade, Jay might be out!! But just rolls the shoulder up at the last split second.

Double knees to Jay in the corner. Arm-wring DDT gets 1, 2…but Juice puts the foot on the ropes!! Andrade sets up for the Figure Four…gets it! Figure Eight!! But Juice in to smack Andrade with a clipboard while the rest of BCG distract the referee. Jay struggles to his feet and gets the Bladerunner. 1, 2, 3. Jay White picks up the tainted victory at 16:29.

Your winner by pinfall: Jay White

Rating: **** – Surprise, surprise, this was fantastic. Neat touch at the end there as White really struggled to get to his feet to nail that Bladerunner, selling that he was inches away from defeat. This was two guys that can go, being allowed to do so for 15+ minutes. This is why I love this show.

 

Ortiz says Santana used him at All In, like he used him his entire career. He says Santana ran from his problems, like he always does. But he won’t be able to run much longer. Ominous words!

Shane Taylor talks up the Pretty Boy Killers, but says this is his time. The only thing in his way is Keith Lee. First, Lee will have to step in the ring with Lee Moriarty.

Aussie Open make an appearance, and damn they are suited and booted, looking swanky! They are here to provide commentary for this next tag team encounter.

 

Match Five: [AEW Tag Team Championships] FTR (c) vs The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)

Wheeler takes on Henry to begin. They grapple on the mat until Henry gets the upper hand. More grappling, until Henry gets a nice dropkick on Cash and tags in Drake. Wheeler tags in Dax, and they trade shoulder blocks. Yikes, massive chops from both these guys. Atomic drop and a scoop slam from Drake before tagging in Henry. Quick tags from the challengers, and Drake springboards into the ring on Dax.

Henry in with kicks to dax now. Kick and chop battle between these guys until Dax nails a brainbuster out of nowhere! Drake in, takes out Wheeler on the apron and gets a shining wizard on Dax, followed by the cannonball in the corner. Tope con hilo to the outside from Henry and a swanton from Drake on Dax!! 1, 2, NO! Everyone bought that! Holy shit chants, for good reason. Dax gets the sharpshooter out of nowhere and Drake has to tap at 4:40.

Your winners by submission and STILL AEW Tag Team Champions: FTR

Rating: ***1/4 –  Surprisingly competitive and I swear to God, I don’t know how you could do much more in a sub-five minute match. The WorkHorsemen looked GREAT in that time, and people bought into a possible title switch. That’s big.

 

Aussie Open enter the ring after the match to let FTR know they;re in for the fight of their lives next week. Aussie Open are the best tag team in the world today. They’ve heard the complaints, what happened to the Aussie Open that took FTR to the limit in a 5 star classic. Aussie Open will prove to everyone, to themselves, that they are everything they say they are. Dax takes the mic, he is begging. They want the biggest, baddest tag team to face them next week, because FTR are the best damn team in history. If you can’t bring that, don’t even bother showing up. Top Guys, out.

Lexi Nair is with CJ Perry backstage. CJ says Miro has lost his way, and she just wants to help him become champion again but he is distracted by temptations. Miro appears…and says his temptation is her. Her temptation is this, the lights, the fame…it changes her. CJ likes chasing gold for the people she loves, it makes her feel alive. She’s gotta do what she’s gotta do. If there’s any love for her, please don’t lay a hand on any of her future clients. He doesn’t promise anything and walks off.

Andrade vs Juice is signed for next week on Collision! Another banger in the making.

 

Match Six: [Texas Death Match] Bryan Danielson vs ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks

Starks jumps the gun and attacks while Dragon makes his entrance, just as he was getting in the ring. Starks climbs the buckles for the 10 count punches but Dragon tosses him over the top, and hits a running suicide dive.

They battle into the crowd, Danielson dumping trash on Starks as they fight up the steps. Yes kicks to Starks while he’s down on the steps. Starks gets up on the barricade and tries to walk it, jumps off but Danielson meets him with more kicks. They fight back through the crowd to the ringside area until Starks throws Danielson into the front row! Oooh Starks takes a page out of old school Danielson playbook with the springboard cross body from the ring, over the barricade into the audience!! Nice.

They battle by the announcer’s desk, headbutt to Starks, and again. Dragon rolls him back in the ring, wraps up the legs and goes for the surfboard. He grabs Starks by the nose and rears back, before taking the arms for the surfboard proper. Picture perfect! Danielson goes outside after Starks, but out of nowhere Starks has grabbed the ringbell and absolutely SMACKS Danielson with it, twice! Starks takes the mic…he’s putting ‘this asshole’ six feet under.

Starks bounces Danielson’s head off the announce table repeatedly, and Dragon is busted open above the eye. Bryan back in the ring but Ricky crotches him around the ringpost. Chairshot to the knee! Back inside, Starks drives the edge of the chair into the midsection. Uh oh, looks like he’s going to Pillmanize Danielson!! But Dragon us up, repeated chair shots to the shoulder of Ricky Starks.

Dragon joins him up top, superplex! No, Dragon slips, Starks bites him in the head. Spider Superplex from Danielson! He stays on the top rope and then hits a missile dropkick. Yes Kicks, again and again…big roundhouse takes Starks down. Danielson in the opposite corner went for the Busaiku knee but Starks tosses a chair directly at him. Stomp to the head of Danielson! Starks rides Danielson like a donkey and nails a jumping knee.

Starks goes shopping on the outside, searching under the ring for….the strap! The same strap from their All Out match, soaked in blood. He whips Dragon and then wraps it around his neck, taking him to the canvas.

On the outside, Dragon turns things around, running Starks headfirst into the ringpost. Starks has hold of a chain! He wraps it around his fist and smashes Danielson in the face with it. Goes for another shot but Danielson ducks, gets a roundhouse kick. They trade chops, but Starks gets the upper hand with a flurry of slaps. SPEAR by Starks! Now with the chain around the neck, he begins to choke out Danielson! Danielson is fading…this is a role reversed finish to All Out, picture perfect. Starks relents as Aubrey Edwards begins the count. She gets to 8 but Danielson is up. Starks meets him immediately and wraps the chain around his neck again, hanging him over his back! Danielson escapes in the corner though!

Spear attempt but holy shit Danielson takes the arm on the way past into the LeBell Lock!! He wraps the chain around the throat and carries on, just like in the Strap match! Starks is fading! But he gets strength out of nowhere and fires up again. They roll around, trading huge clubbing blows. On their knees, they trade headbutts. Starks goes for a chairshot, misses, Danielson with a Busaiku Knee into the chair!! Danielson yells that Starks is gonna get his fucking head kicked in. He stomps Starks’ head into the chair. Starks spits at him, and Danielson continues the assault. Starks covers up, he is bleeding big time from the mouth.

Danielson wraps the chain around his knee…Starks is almost waiting for it, helpless. Busaiku knee with the chain to a kneeling Starks. Aubrey makes the count, Starks is out of it and we reach the 10 count at 20:04.

Your winner: Bryan Danielson

Rating: **** – Another tremendously violent and engaging encounter from these two, with another definitive victory for Danielson. Starks certainly looks like a star coming out of this feud (assuming this is the end) but I wonder where he goes from here? He needs a big time win in the near future to capitalise on this fantastic work he’s churning out.

Big Bill and Wheeler Yuta attend to their respective men after the match as Starks struggles to his feet, and we fade out to end the broadcast.

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

This is easily in contention for one of the best episodes of Collision we’ve had so far. Not a wasted moment in the entire two hours - everything just hit right. Go out of your way to see both Andrade/White and the Texas Death Match, as they're both awesome encounters and I could easily see them featuring on some MOTYC lists in a few months. That gives this one an easy recommendation, but the other stuff really 'sang' too, perhaps most notably the sub-five minute tag team title match, which was balls-to-the-wall action and made everyone take note of the WorkHorsemen. Collision is so good at providing a platform for talent not seen as frequently on other shows, and tonight proved why that is a recipe for success.