wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 10.26.24
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hello and welcome! A very good evening to you all. After a number of taped shows (and a particularly lacklustre episode last week), we are back with a LIVE edition of Collision this week, which always helps liven up the proceedings. By all intents and purposes, it’s a pretty decent card to boot to – FTR vs RUSH & Dralistico has me salivating, and Ricochet vs Lio Rush is bound to deliver all the high-flying prowess we can wish for. Also MxM Collection vs The Outrunners has the potential to be a HOOT. Yes, a HOOT I SAY!
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Venue: Alliant Energy PowerHouse
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
We start off the show with a recap of Dynamite, and the heinous attack on Chuck Taylor from the BCC. We see exlusive footage after Dynamite has gone off the air, with Taylor being wheeled backstage on a stretcher. OC gets in the face of Garcia, saying he told them all what would happen. OC says he will take care of it this Wednesday.
We are LIVE and Tony Schiavone tells us that Chuck Taylor is still recuperating in the hospital after the attack on Dynamite. But first, Jay White heads to the ring for our opening contest.
Jay White (w/ Juice Robinson) vs Shane Taylor (w/ Lee Moriarty)
White gets muscled into the corner, and chopped by Taylor. White avoids a strike in the corner and slaps on a side headlock. Chop block by White, dropkick to the knee, and a few chops to keep Taylor down. Moriarty distracts, allowing Taylor to regain control, choking Jay out on the bottom rope. A leg drop across the apron follows. White tries to mount a comeback but it doesn’t go anywhere. White tries a crossbody, Taylor catches him and slams him down for a 2 count.
Scoop slam by Taylor, White comes back with forearms and a kick to the knee. Taylor is beaten down to a knee, White tries a sunset flip but can’t get him over. Taylor misses a seated splash though. Clothesline in the corner from White, and a dragon screw legwhip. Taylor tries a kick, White catches it and hits a kneebar stunner. DDT gets a 2 for Jay White. He looks for a uranage, Taylor shrugs him off and gets one of his own. 1, 2, White kicks out. Flatliner from White, and now he looks for a German…Taylor elbows out of it though. Saito suplex instead! Running uppercut in the corner, and now White hits the uranage. 1, 2, no. Moriarty up on the apron again, Juice takes him out though. Running knee lift by Taylor on White, but his leg has been worked over and he can’t capitalize. White slips out of a package piledriver and connects with the Blade Runner! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Jay White
Time: 9:42
Rating: *** – Decent opener, with Taylor playing to his strengths and using his size in the early goings. Obvious result, but White needed a good win like this so no complaints.
Jay White on the mic says Adam Page is still hell bent on coming after him. Despite how good Hangman is supposed to be, White has always been ahead of him throughout their careers. Page better be rehabbing that knee, planning and scheming. But Hangman better not miss, because otherwise it will cost him. White says he’ll give him one last chance at redemption. Hangman vs Switchblade at Full Gear, one more time. Guns up!
*Lexy Nair is with Ricochet backstage, while he preps for Lio Rush. She wants to ask about MVP though. Ricochet says yeah he has history with MVP. Ricochet came to AEW to do his own thing. Lio Rush rocks up and says he’s not the only one here with something to prove. Rush got a card too, Ricochet ain’t special. Lio says don’t overlook him – Ricochet may be racking up wins, but he won’t be getting that title shot if he can’t beat Lio tonight.
*Lexy Nair welcomes Kyle Fletcher backstage. The freshly-shaven Fletcher says he wants to talk about Fright Night this coming Wednesday, where he’s called out Will Ospreay. Fletcher knows he’s a scared coward, and he will prove it. Fletcher will show up to Collision next week, throwing out an open challenge to show that he is no longer the future, but the ‘now’. Tony Schiavone says that the match is this Wednesday; one of them is wrong!
Penelope Ford vs Robyn Renegade
Ford’s return to the ring after 2 years, let’s go! Renegade is backed into the corner, and Ford stomps her down. Cartwheel handspring into an elbow strike, followed by a big boot. Standing moonsault connects, 1, 2, no. Ford grabs the arm of Renegade, kicks her shoulder, but Renegade grabs the leg. Faceplant from Renegade gets 2. Ford fights out does a matrix-like evasion, hitting a cutter for another 2 count. Ford chokes Robyn over the middle rope with her legs, and licks the side of her face. Rollup from Renegade for 2, Ford right back with a running lariat. She fishhooks the mouth, then drives the knee into the back, wrenching on the arms of Renegade. Hair pull slam connects, Ford gets her on her shoulders but Renegade fights out of it.
Big boot from Renegade, drapes Ford over the middle rope and hits a step-up stomp for 2. Pumphandle slam attempt is countered into a wheelbarrow into the ropes from Ford. Dropkick connects, followed by a stomach breaker. “I’m a bad girl” says Ford! Muta Lock is applied, Renegade taps out!
Winner: Penelope Ford
Time: 5:11
Rating: ** – Fine return for Ford, no real signs of ring rust. Good attitude on display from her too, and it worked showcasing her a little more here rather than an outright squash.
Jamie Hayter appears on screen, saying ‘Oi!’ She’s going to leave the corny lines and sob stories to her. She’ll stand across the ring from Ford on November 6th for Dynamite, and she’ll see her then.
*Lexy Nair is with the FTRunners, hyping both teams’ matches later on. Magnum says they’re jacked and fanny packed. Cash is busy getter vascular and asks Dax to take this one. Dax says he’s not lubed up enough for this shoot. Floyd says if you haven’t seen the Outrunners, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
MxM Collection vs The Outrunners
Both teams take it in turns to get a reaction from the crowd, with the Outrunners clearly getting the big face pop. Mansoor and Magnum begin this one, trading shoulder blocks. They shove each other and have a pose off, with Magnum tricking Mansoor into doing a muscle pose. Tag to Floyd, his shoulder block sends Mansoor to the canvas. Madden comes in and we see Johnny TV watching backstage. Floyd tries to body slam Madden, but gets body slammed himself instead. Madden wants to see how vascular Floyd is. Test of strength, with Madden getting the better of it. He cuts it off before Floyd can build steam, but Magnum comes back in anyway. Dropkicks galore from the Outrunners. Mansoor in, gets atomic dropped, and sent to the outside, caught by Madden.
All four men fight on the outside, before Magnum and Mansoor make their way back into the ring. Rollup by Mansoor gets 2. Magnum hits another atomic drop on Mansoor, but mid-move Mansoor makes the tag to Madden. MxM double team Magnum. Hip attack from Madden connects, and MxM pose for the benefit of those with flash photography. Snapmare takeover, and Mansoor grabs a chinlock with the arm outstretched too. Magnum tries to mount a comeback, reaching for the finger tips of Floyd, but MxM cut him off and hit a modified Hart Attack for 2. Magnum finally rolls through and makes the tag to Floyd.
Scoop slam on Mansoor, another and he tosses Mansoor into Madden. Back body drop to Mansoor, tries to suplex Madden, who reverses, but both Outrunners are in and they double team Madden, double team scoop slam! Mansoor gets planted on Madden too. Drop toe hold to Madden, who lands in a 69 position on Mansoor. SUNUVABITCH ELBOW connects! Mansoor gets a thrust kick on Magnum. Double team neckbreaker/powerbomb combo from MxM, 1, 2, Magnum kicks out!
Doomsday Device is set up, but Magnum avoids it. Floyd send Madden to the outside. Total Recall connects! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: The Outrunners
Time: 11:!3
Rating: ***1/4 – This brought all the fun you’d expect from these two teams. Entertaining stuff, and some pretty good action. Outrunners need to keep chalking up these wins, so it’s the right result, but it does mark ANOTHER loss for MxM, booooo!
*Nigel McGuinness sits down with Wheeler Yuta to try and understand why he did want he did to Bryan Danielson. Nigel says he’s putting his personal feelings for Danielson aside for this. Yuta didn’t just try to end his career, Danielson was at risk of permanent brain damage. He wants to hear the words out of Yuta’s mouth, because Yuta will have to deal with the repercussions from those actions for the rest of his life.
Yuta is incredulous – Nigel has dreamt of ending Danielson’s career for years. No, Nigel refutes that, he just wanted to be known as the better wrestler. Yuta says the American Dragon we knew was dead long before Wrestle Dream. Nigel says Yuta has stepped across a line, so where does it stop? Yuta says he doesn’t do it because he enjoys it, he does it because he has to. Without Pac, Claudio, Moxley, where would Yuta be? They do what they have to do, for the greater good. Yuta storms off.
Well, we didn’t get much of an answer from Yuta there, but Nigel was fantastic.
*Jake Roberts is with La Faccion Ingobernables backstage, and says everyone knows FTR are great wrestlers, who have proven everything. But can they stand in the ring with LFI? These guys aren’t just wrestlers, they’re assassins. They know FTR have bad shoulders; they’re going to twist them, bend them, and break them.
Ricochet vs Lio Rush
Lio Rush comes out with Top Flight, but they don’t hang around ringside for this one. Lio takes the first shot with an elbow strike while Ricochet was looking for a grapple. More aggressive strikes from Rush, nice! They evade each other’s moves until Rush sends Ricochet to the floor, but he comes right back in to his a spinning big boot. Snapmare and an elbow drop, cover gets a 1 count for Ricochet. Irish whip into the corner, Rush bounces off the buckles. Tiger feint kick connects for Ricochet, biiiiig rising knee catches Lio on the chin! Rush looks dazed from that one. Ricochet gives him space and then helps him up, but Rush was playing opossum, pulling him to the floor and hitting a tope suicida! And again! Ricochet gets sent hard into the barricade.
Ricochet turns the tables and sends Lio into the barricade now. He takes a run up, dropkick attempt but Lio moves and Ricochet lands on the guard rail, ouch. Back in the ring, Rush gets Ricochet on the top rope and heads up with him. Ricochet fights back, attempts a superplex, but Rush puts a stop to that. Lio builds steam with some strikes and then hits a bulldog over the top rope to choke out Ricochet. Lio misses a dive, and Ricochet comes in with a running forearm. Powerslam and a brainbuster followed by a running shooting star press gets 2.
Ricochet looks for the Vertigo, but Rush counters with a stunner. Thrust kick by Ricochet, misses the axe kick, and eats a lariat from Rush. Bottom rope stunner is caught and Ricochet turns it into a Blue Thunder Bomb, 1, 2, NO! Ricochet says he hopes Takeshita saw that one. Rush rolls him up for 2. Poisonrana! Spin kick connects, 1, 2, Ricochet gets the arm up. Rush heads to the outside, seeming frustrated. He grabs a steel chair! Ricochet with a basement dropkick, sending the chair right back at Rush, and hits a huge Fosbury Flop to the outside! Back in the ring, Ricochet hits his new Hidden Blade variation for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Ricochet
Time: 11:32
Rating: ***1/2 – I loved the aggression shown in this one, especially from Lio Rush. We’re seeing a new side of him, and it’s the most interesting he’s been in quite some time. Usual top notch stuff from Ricochet too, looking crisp and clean as ever. His Blue Thunder Bomb was a good dig at Takeshita too.
*Lexi Nair is with Harley Cameron backstage, but Harley corrects her…she’s Thunder Harley! Rosa is not the only one who can paint her face. Thunder Rosa shows up and says she’s one of the nastiest pussy cats she’s seen. Rosa says she has to teach Harley want the face paint really means. Next week, November 2nd, Thunder Rosa vs Harley Cameron in a Dia de los Muertos match. I can dig that.
*Lexy Nair is with the Undisputed Kingdom and the Beast Mortos. Strong says he knows that Mortos wants to be with them, but there must be something lost in translation. Taven has got Mortos some sweets. It’s still not getting through to him, so Strong calls Mike. Bennett shows up with a Mortos mask on and starts grunting at him. They’re all going to go Trick or Treating, apparently. Haha Tony Schiavone says “sometimes you just have to let it speak for itself.” Yep.
Anna Jay vs Viva Van
Anna gives Van a clean break in the corner. Van mounts her and starts clubbing away but has to break. Forearms from Anna, snapmare and a hip check. Snap suplex connects for 2. Van tries an arm drag, Anna puts the breaks up. Wheelkick in the corner, and a swinging neckbreaker connects for 2. Van with some misdirection, nails a leg lariat, and again mounts Anna for more clubbing blows. Leg sweep by Van, low lariat gets a 2. Single arm strait jacket applied, other arm hooked for the full strait jacket now. Van backs Jay into the corner, misses a forearm but goes to the shoulder of Anna. Van with clubbing blows to the back. Neck crank, into a cover for 2. Van looks for a suplex, Anna puts the brakes on and hits a snap suplex again. Anna fights back with a flying forearm and a dropkick. Spinning heel kick in the corner, Iconoclasm! 1, 2, no. Upkick from Van , spinning backfist. 1, 2, no! Another heel kick from Anna, Backstabber sort of connects, just gets a 2.
Van tries to climb the buckles, Anna grabs the hair and smashes her into the top turnbuckle. Van shrugs her off, hits a crossbody for 2. Van gets Anna on her shoulders, Anna escapes into the Widow’s Peak! 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Anna Jay
Time: 9:47
Rating: **1/4 – Viva Van got a lot of offense in here, and the pace was glacial when she was in control. They slightly lost the crowd there, most likely as everyone was expecting a squash from Anna. Van does have some presence, but both her and Anna seemed a little lost on a couple of occasions.
*Mariah May says it took her 9 months to do what Anna couldn’t do in her entire career. Let’s be honest, girls, anyone who never gives up was never good enough in the first place. May learnt in Japan that there isn’t a single woman alive that can touch her. Sink or swim? That’s nice, now Anna Jay is going to drown. Next week on Collision, it’s Mariay May defending against Anna Jay.
*Duelling promo package for Adam Cole vs Buddy Matthews. Adam Cole says the old Adam Cole is dead. Buddy Matthews says he respected the old Adam, not this new iteration. Cole admits that Buddy is going to be a test, but he will be his first victory. Buddy says the old Adam Cole would put up a fight. Cole says he’s coming back as the best on the planet. Buddy doesn’t think he has it in him.
*Lexi Nair is with Tomohiro Ishii and Kyle O’Reilly. Jericho thought they could run Big Tom out of AEW? Well, he’s back. O’Reilly says the Learning Tree have no honor, as evident from this week’s Ladder War. Lexy asks about the Undisputed Kingdom, and O’Reilly says he’s not focused on the past – he keeps his eye on everything that goes on in AEW, but he’s good in the Conglomeration.
FTR vs La Faccion Ingobernables (RUSH & Dralistico w/ Mortos & Jake Roberts)
Dralistico and Dax start the match, with Dralistico grounding Dax and walking on his back. Dax doesn’t take too kindly to that, so chops away at him. Tag to Cash, assisted gourdbuster gets a 2. Dralistico makes the tag to RUSH, who squares off with Cash Wheeler. They trade strikes with RUSH getting the upper hand with a roaring elbow. All four men in the ring, with FTR hitting a trio of stereo German suplexes! They all spill to the outside, Dax sending Dralistico into the barricade. Cash and RUSH back in the ring, Dax tags in with a headbutt, quick punch to Dralistico on the apron, but then gets sent into the ringpost.
RUSH starts to work over the shoulder of Dax, as alluded to earlier. Arm bar attempt from RUSH, Dax breaks it though. Dralistico in, double team clothesline from LFI, and a headscissor applied. Jake Roberts smacks Dax in the face while the referee is distracted. Dax manages to hit Dralistico with a release German suplex, giving Dax an opportunity to tag out, but RUSH takes Cash out instead. RUSH sends Dax into opposite barricades before bringing him back in the ring. RUSH flips off the crowd as he fakes out hitting the Bull’s Horns. Dralistico tags in, springboard dive but Dax hits him in the midsection. Tag to Cash!
Cash with a Manhattan drop on RUSH, jumping neckbreaker too. Dralistico is still the legal man, Cash gets a nice rollup from the turnbuckles for 2. Powerslam! 1, 2, no. Cash and Dralistico battle on the ropes, headbutted down, and Cash receives a kick to the face. Springboard crucifix bomb from Dralistico, DAMN that was sick! So smooth. Dax and RUSH in the ring now, both men thinking lariats. Dax goes for a piledriver, can’t get it though. Senton from RUSH, tag to Dralistico once more. Dax fights off the double teaming, Cash comes in with a double lariat to take out LFI. La Mistica from Dralistico! RUSH sends Cash to the outside but gets sent into the steel steps as Cash dodges. Dralistico up top, Dax leaps to catch him off guard. Superplex from Dax connects, but the shoulder is too damaged to make the cover.
FTR think Shatter Machine, but RUSH drags Cash out of the ring. Dax is sent into Cash on the apron, Dralistico rolls him up for a close 2. LFI both take on Dax. Bull’s Horns attempt, Cash puts a stop to it though. Dralistico takes him out on the outside. Dralistico springboards in again, Dax catches him, rebound powerbomb connects! But Rush rolls up Dax for 2. Dax and RUSH slap away at each other, huge strike exchange. Dax looks for the sharpshooter, gets sent into the ropes, where Mortos hits him, knocking him into another rollup for 2. Cash saves Dax, then sends Dralistico into Mortos! Shatter Machine on Dralistico connects! 1, 2, 3!
Winners: FTR
Time: 16:49
Rating: **** – This had my ‘banger’ senses on high alert even on paper, and it didn’t disappoint. RUSH and Dralistico work tremendously well as a tag team, as Dralistico can come in for the flashy stuff, allowing RUSH to do the heavy lifting as a solid base with hard-hitting offense. When you’re in there with FTR, that’s a recipe for magic. I was fully invested in this and didn’t want it to end – the finish felt ever so slightly abrupt, but that’s probably just because of how much I was enjoying it.
Mortos is straight in, not allowing FTR to celebrate at all. Canonball on Dax, followed by the Bull’s Horns. THE OUTRUNNERS ARE HERE! Turbo and Magnum run off LFI, and pull FTR to their feet. The FTRunners stand tall and all do the Most Muscular pose and Sunuvabitch handshake as we head off the air. That’s all for tonight, folks. See you next time, thanks for coming!
