wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 4.20.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Hey everyone! It’s Theo Sambus here, raring to go for your live coverage of Collision on the final stop before AEW Dynasty tomorrow night. We’ve got another double whammy tonight, this time with Collision followed by a live Rampage, and both cards are chock full of various previews for the PPV.
The Elite take on the team of FTR and Pac in Trios action, which serves as a nice warmup for Pac vs Okada and the tag team Ladder match. We’re also due to see a Bunkhouse Brawl between the BCC and Will Ospreay’s stablemates in Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher…kind of wild that Danielson is competing in a match like that just 24 hours before the big Ospreay encounter, right?! Danielson is not taking any shortcuts in his final full-time year of action!
Elsewhere, Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston and Mark Briscoe get their warmup match as a trio, coming together to face Top Flight & Action Andretti…but will the House of Black happily sit on the sidelines or will they make their presence felt before the PPV?
If that wasn’t enough for you, yes, Skye Blue is back in singles action on Collision. You can all breathe again now.
Location: Peoria, IL
Venue: Peoria Civic Center
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
Opening credits roll, pyro goes off, and Bobby Cruise is in the ring to introduce the opening contest.
Match One: [Trios Match] Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston vs Top Flight & Action Andretti
Andretti seemingly mocks Briscoe with a crane kick pose, but Mark takes early control of the arm. Sunset flip by Andretti but Briscoe grabs a headlock out of it. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors and a dropkick from Andretti, followed by a twisting inside torneo off the middle rope. Briscoe fires back with chops, and tags in Copeland. Copeland and Briscoe get the double shoulder block takedown. Andretti with the handspring back elbow, knocks Copeland down and tags in Darius. Backslide on Copeland gets 2. Dropkick by Darius, tag to Dante, double teaming from Top Flight with a clothesline-senton combination. Dante tries to flip into the ring but Copeland catches him with a running powerslam.
In comes Kingston! Headbutts to Dante but Dante comes back with a flipping senton from the ropes. Eddie tags in Briscoe who suplexes Dante in the corner and gets a rising uranagi. Copeland back in, repeated clotheslines in the corner and a running boot knocks Dante to the mat. Eddie in, stalling suplex plants Dante. Machine gun chops in the corner and Eddie gives a little ‘suck it’ gesture to the rest of Top Flight. Dante gets a tiaris, allowing him to get the tag to Darius. Briscoe in too but Darius is the house of fire, tornado DDT on Copeland, catching Briscoe in a DDT at the same time. Andretti flips onto Copeland on the floor, Dante with a suicide dive to the outside too. Briscoe gets an exploder on Darius, and one on Action. Tag to Kingston, assisted DDT by Darius, standing shooting star by Action and Copeland saves the pinfall attempt.
All 6 men come to a standoff and all go down with stereo clotheslines. Andretti gets an enziguri on Kingston. Impaler on Dante, Jay Driller on Darius. Backfist to the Future on Andretti and a SPEAR from Copeland. FROGGY BOW by Briscoe, 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston
Time: 12:14
Rating: ***1/4 – A slightly odd pairing of teams due to both being firmly fan favorites, but this was the usual fun opener we can expect from Saturday nights on Collision. Top Flight got a surprising amount of offense in, but this serves as the tune-up for tomorrow, and Copeland, Briscoe & Kingston showed some good in-ring solidarity.
The lights go out post-match, and a video appears on the screen with Buddy Matthews applauding them for an impressive victory. In 24 hours, the House of Black eradicate all their dreams at Dynasty. Black says they will dig deep and reach Copeland’s darkest fears until he wonders if he’s close to Hell. Black says Hell is where the heart is. Haha Kingston looks perplexed by that.
After recapping recent events between Samoa Joe & Swerve Strickland, we head back to ringside as Powerhouse Hobbs makes his way out.
Match Two: Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Don Callis) vs CJ Esparza
Pray for Esparza. CJ hits some body blows but gets his head clotheslined off in response. CJ is tossed to the floor. Hobbs grabs him and slams him on the ring apron a couple of times as Callis tells him to “rack him”. Hobbs gets him in the Torture Rack and good Lord he almost rips him in half as the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs
Time: 1:20
Rating: N/R – OK I like the Torture Rack as a finisher for Hobbs, that looked great.
Don Callis takes the mic after the match and says the Don Callis Family is the talk of the town right now. Callis says everyone knows Callis was directly responsible for Kenny Omega winning the IWGP title, and for Omega vs Jericho happening in the Tokyo Dome, and NJPW said they owed him a favor. Callis said he waited 6 years to cash in the favor he had with NJPW. He can announce that the match on Dynamite next week between Moxley and Hobbs will now be for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and it will finally come home to the Don Callis Family.
Back from break, we hear from Chris Jericho, who wants to apologise to Taz and Hook for his conduct this past week on Dynamite. He doesn’t blame Hook at all. Jericho is going to take Hook’s offer up on taking him on anytime, anyplace. Jericho has got Tony Khan to book a match for the FTW title at Dynasty between them. Jericho wants to make him a better person, and he’s going to beat him for the championship, but it’s going to hurt Jericho more than it will hurt him. Alright, I’m not wild about the match itself, but I’m intrigued about where Jericho’s going with it.
Max Caster is rapping again! He busts out some 4/20 appropriate lyrics and a few Ass Boys digs, and Bowens tells us that the Acclaimed have arrived! Tony Schiavone takes the mic and says that Tony Khan has informed him that if the Gunns walk out on the match, they won’t have a match at Dynasty either. The Acclaimed get them in the ring and the match is on.
Match Three: The Acclaimed (w/ Daddy Ass) vs The Gunns (w/ Jay White)
Scissor Me Timbers on Austin! Caster fires off the 10 count punches in the corner on Colten, but Colten avoids the last few and stomps Caster down in the corner as we go to PIP. Suplex by Colten for 2. Austin tags in, clotheslines Max to the floor, allowing Colten to attack. Austin brings him back in the ring, series of quick tags by the Gunns. Snapmare by Colten, who cheapshots Bowens on the apron, and he locks in a single leg crab on Caster. Austin tags in too and they get a double team boston crab, targeting the legs and lower back of Max.
Max shakes them off and eventually makes the tag to Anthony. Roaring elbow on both Gunns, slingshot Fameasser gets 2. Bowens gets Colten on his shoulders but Austin distracts him. Caster takes out Austin, but Colten gets a rollup with his feet on the ropes, the ref sees it! DVD to the back of the knee, 1, 2, Austin saves the day. Bowens gets distracted again by Austin, and Colten capitalises with a Fameasser of his own! 1, 2, no.
Neckbreaker on Bowens, cover for 1, 2, no. Blind tag to Caster, Bowens and Austin fall to the outside. Colten punches Caster in the back of the head, double underhook but Caster avoids it. Death Valley Driver by Max! Caster to the top rope but here comes Austin to crotch him. Bowens in, superkick to both Gunns! 3:10 to Yuma on Bowens, but a Mix Drop on Austin! Sunset flip by Colten Gunn, ref is counting, Jay White holds out the baseball bat and Colten holds it for leverage! 1, 2, 3.
Winners: The Gunns
Time: 9:58
Rating: ***1/4 – Good outing, some really nice nearfalls. Both teams showed some real fire here and were looking a lot more on form than they have in recent matches. Bodes well for tomorrow.
Lexy Nair is with Bryan Danielson backstage, focusing on the crazy 24 hours that Danielson has in front of him. Danielson says he feels alive. The Don Callis Family must be up to something…maybe Callis doesn’t have faith in Ospreay? Danielson is looking forward to getting revenge on Takeshita tonight and then takes on the supposed Best in the World tomorrow. Ospreay shows up and wants to assure Danielson that he had nothing to do with getting this Bunkhouse Brawl match signed for tonight, as he wants Danielson at 100% tomorrow. Danielson says ‘sure’ and doesn’t buy it. Ospreay says “come on, you have to believe me, bruv.” Ospreay is pissed at this situation.
We hear from Toni Storm backstage after being assaulted by Thunder Rosa on Dynamite. Storm says there’s nothing more disgusting than a wrestler who says they’re not selfish. Maybe Rosa should go back to charity work instead. Storm says Rosa may be a fighter, but Storm is a star. Rosa basks in the light that shines out of Storm’s arse. Hell is in Storm’s bedroom and she makes love to her demons every night. At Dynasty, Storm can just watch.
Match Four: [Bunkhouse Brawl] Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher
Danielson and Castagnoli get attacked from behind as they make their entrance, and this one is underway early! Claudio and Takeshita battle in the crowd, and Danielson hits a leaping knee to Fletcher in the crowd too. Castagnoli charges down the steps with a clothesline to Takeshita. Haha Nigel is reading out a statement apologising for offending clam diggers by using the term in a derogatory sense. Amazing.
Takeshita has some sort of hammer and strikes Claudio with it. Danielson chokes out Fletcher on the floor, and now Claudio and Takeshita battle inside the ring. Spinebuster by Claudio, and he gets the Giant Swing! Danielson is there and he hits the dropkick to Takeshita while he’s being swung. Claudio with the sharpshoots on Takeshita, Danielson dives on Fletcher but Kyle throws a chair at his face! Powder to the eyes of Claudio, Kyle follows up with a huge powerbomb for 1, 2, no.
Danielson is busted open on the outside as Takeshita chokes Claudio out with his tshirt. Kyle and Konosuke send Claudio shoulder first into the turnbuckle as Danielson claws his way back into the ring. Takeshita opens up the wound on Danielson’s head with his finger nails and blood drips down Danielson’s face as he does so. Fletcher throws another chair to Castagnoli’s head. Meanwhile Danielson fires up on Takeshita in the ring as Claudio is sent over the barricade.
Takeshita has Danielson positioned on the ramp, goes for the brainbuster, but Danielson evades it and delivers the DDT on the ramp instead! Claudio whips Fletcher into the barricade now and sends him headfirst into the steel steps. Castagnoli brings Takeshita back into the ring, draping him over the ropes, allowing Dragon to hit a diving knee to the back of the head. Yes Kicks in the middle of the ring, while Fletcher launches Claudio into the crowd again. Roundhouse by Danielson as he signals for the Busaiku Knee. But Kyle grabs the leg, allowing Takeshita to follow up with a boot in the corner. German suplex to Claudio! Running kick by Fletcher. Stereo brainbusters from the Don Callis Family, 1, 2, no!
Fletcher goes under the ring and pulls out a chain, which he tosses to Takeshita. Takeshita wraps it around his arm, misses a roaring elbow as Claudio grabs a rear naked choke. Stereo hammer and anvil blows as Danielson grounds Fletcher too. LeBell Lock by Danielson, Crossface by Claudio! But here comes Hobbs! Spinebusters to Danielon and Claudio AND HERE COMES JON MOXLEY!
Moxley dives into the ring and goes toe to toe with Powerhouse Hobbs, sending him to the floor. The tussle by the barricade and fight through the crowd. Meanwhile Fletcher is repeatedly hitting Danielson with a microphone. A steel chair is set up, and Kyle passes Danielson to Takeshita….but Danielson hurracanranas Takeshita into the chair! Claudio has the chain on his arm, RUNNING CLOTHESLINE ON FLETCHER. Flipping senton off the apron onto Takeshita! Danielson hits the BUSAIKU KNEE and locks in the LeBell Lock…assisted by the chain!! Fletcher wildly taps out as he locks it in.
Winners: Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli
Time: 16:01
Rating: ***3/4 – Wild in the best possible way, and as well as being a great match in and of itself, it did wonders in terms of go-home hype for Danielson’s match tomorrow, not to mention giving added weight to Moxley/Hobbs next week. This felt violent, without ever putting Danielson in a ‘dangerous’ spot where tomorrow’s match would be jeopardised. Very smart stuff.
Danielson takes a mic and wants production to cut the music. Danielson says people asked him what the hell he was doing wrestling a Bunkhouse match the night before Will Ospreay. Danielson says when people think of heaven, they think of streets of gold of 40 virgins. Not him, his heaven is standing in this ring, bleeding in front of all these people. Tomorrow night, Danielson says he will beat Ospreay’s ass.
Kris Statlander is fired up with Willow Nightingale backstage, along with Stokely Hathaway. Willow says Julia knows she has her number. Willow will powerbomb Hart through the mat back to the shadow realm where she came from, and she’s taking that TBS title.
Match Five: Skye Blue vs ‘Legit’ Leyla Hirsch
Blue with repeated forearms to begin, but Leyla grounds her and gets some mounted punches of her own. Blue goes for Code Blue but Leyla blocks it. Blue rolls to the floor, Leyla takes a run up and runs into a right hand from Skye. Blue drapes her from the apron and hits a spinning neckbreaker to the floor!
Back in the ring, standing suplex gets a 2 count for Blue. Cartwheel elbow by Blue in the corner, but Hirsch fires back with a backdrop driver. Hirsch goes to the top rope but Blue was playing opossum, kicks her in the face and heads up with her. Skye Blue tries for the superplex, but Hirsch flips over and hits a German suplex off the ropes! Leyla jumps to the ropes, misjudges it and slips back, but Blue capitalises with a TKO. She transitions into a Dragon Sleeper and Leyla Hirsch has to tap.
Winner: Skye Blue
Time: 5:05
Rating: **3/4 – Only just made it past ‘squash’ territory but what we saw was pretty decent, save for Leyla’s slight botch at the end, although they recovered very well to the point where it almost looked intentional. I’d like to see more of Hirsch, she seems pretty tough and her selling was good here. Blue has nailed that TKO into the Dragon Sleeper too, that’s a great finish.
Match Six: [Trios Match] The Elite (Nicholas Jackson, Matthew Jackson & Kazuchika Okada) vs Pac & FTR
Pac and Okada square off as the bell rings, but the Bucks jump in….but Pac is ready for them! Pac kicks away at Okada, tag to Cash who gets some uppercuts in the corner. Pac back in, but the Bucks pull Okada out of harms way. Stereo basement dropkicks from Pac & FTR as all 6 men head to the floor. Okada has his head bounced off the announcer’s desk and then thrown back inside the ring. Dax in with him now, Okada with a forearm and an uppercut.Quick tags, Pac in with a diving dropkick to the arm, he looks for the Rings of Saturn but the Bucks interfere and stomp away at him.
The Elite miss basement dropkicks of their own as FTR and Pac catch them, driving them into the barricade. Back in the ring, Cash and Nicholas face off, with Cash chopping him hard in the corner. Okada and Matthew trip him up from behind and crotch him against the ringpsot. To the floor, Okada whips Cash into the barricade. Matthew chokes him across the ring apron as Nicholas slingshots him throat-first into the bottom rope. Okada with a low dropkick to a seated Cash, Matthew back in and now the CM Punk chants begin. Chinlock applied, but Wheeler gets a desperation back suplex to escape it. Nicholas in, whips Cash hard into the buckles, tag to Okada who comes in with a rolling senton. Matthew misses a splash and Cash gets the tag to Pac.
Flying forearm by Pac to Nicholas, followed by a dropkick. The Elite gain the advantage with the numbers game. But Pac gets a German suplex on Okada out of nowhere! Twisting press to the floor on the Bucks! Dax hits a SPIKE PILEDRIVER on Okada with help from Pac! 1, 2, no. Pac up top, Matthew with a kick to Dax, which distracts Pac, and Okada takes him out with a running boot. Nicholas throws Pac into the steel steps before tossing him back in.
Flapjack by Okada, tag to Nicholas, who bites the head of Pac! Double back elbow from the Bucks, backbreaker by Matthew and a slingshot legdrop by Nicholas gets a 2 count. Front facelock applied by Nicholas Jackson but Pac battles to his feet, but walks into a wheelkick from Nicholas. The Bucks go for the 15% but Pac counters with a hurracanrana. Pac tags in Dax! Jabs to the Bucks, clothesline takedown, chops in the corner. Okada interrupts but Dax gets a brainbuster on him! Dax crotches Nicholas, knocks Matthew away, and Nicholas falls onto Matthew, low blowing each other. German suplex by Pac, into a jacknife from Cash! 1, 2, no.
FTR go for a double team but the Bucks avoid it. Okada gets a DDT on Dax though! Okada cockily kicks the head of Dax, but that fires him up. Dax goes to town on him but runs into the big Okada dropkick. Rainmaker, misses! Dax into the sharpshooter! Cash and Pac hold the Bucks back, but they escape and hit double superkicks to Dax. Triple team kicks in the corner to Dax. Okada with the air raid crash on the knee, running knee by Nicholas, big elbow from Matthew, 1, 2, NO.
All six men are in the ring now. Dax hoists Matthew to the top rope, looking for the Power and the Glory double team as Cash is perched, they hit it! Pac with a 450 to follow up but Nicholas and Okada push their opponents into the pinfall to break it up. Everyone tees off, exchanging right hands and forearms. Superkicks all round! SHATTER MACHINE BY THE BUCKS ON PAC! 1, 2, NO! They call for the EVP Trigger, it connects. 1, 2, CASH BREAKS IT UP. SHATTER MACHINE ON MATTHEW. Okada sent to the outside, but Nicholas pulls Dax out, DDT by Okada on the floor, Cash with a suicide dive. In the ring, Pac hits the BLACK ARROW on Nicholas Jackson for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Pac & FTR
Time: 22:15
Rating: ***3/4 – With these six men, I figured it was already written that we’d get a good match, but daaaamn they didn’t have to go this hard the night before a PPV! Once again, it did such a great job of hyping the PPV matches while also delivering the goods. It got time and they built to a really hot stretch down the line with everyone going crazy. Another corker tonight.
Post-match Okada jumps Pac and keeps the assault going, but the music of Daniel Garcia hits and he is here to help even things up. Nope, The Elite beat him down. FTR are back up now as everyone brawls. Pac gets the Rings of Saturn on Okada!! The Bucks manage to pull Okada to safety as Garcia, Pac and FTR stand tall.
That’s it from us at Collision, but Rampage coverage begins now here on 411 – and I’ll see you all right back here tomorrow night for our live AEW Dynasty coverage! Don’t miss it!
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