SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 25, 2023
PITTSBURGH, PA. AT PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly.
[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with Eddie Kingston, Brody King, and Daniel Garcia soundbites.
-The Collision opening theme by Elton John aired. Then Tony Schiavone introduced the show. Kevin Kelly welcomed everyone to the show.
-The commentary team reviewed the rules of the Continental Classic Tournament.
(1) CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. DANIEL GARCIA – Continental Classic Tournament match
The match started quickly with a Castagnoli shoulder block and tilt-a-whirl slam. Castagnoli went for a near fall less than a minute into the match. The commentary team put over the Continental Classic Tournament matches from this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
Garcia caught Castagnoli in a sleeper hold onto the apron. Garcia followed up with a running knee on Castagnoli and then followed up with Castagnoli’s fist bump into his dance pose. Both men started to brawl on the outside. Castagnoli caught Garcia and swung him onto the barricade back and forth as the show went to its first commercial break of the night. [c]
After the break, both men exchanged blows in the middle of the ring. Garcia reversed positions twice on Castagnoli to sink in deep choke holds. Castagnoli recovered by landing blows on Garcia and a closeline and got a near fall at two. Castagnoli applied a sharpshooter onto Garcia, and Garcia managed to reserve the submission into a cradle pin attempt for a near fall. Castagnoli landed a European uppercut for a great near fall. In the closing moments, Garcia fired up briefly, but Castagnoli finished the match with another European uppercut and the Ricola Bomb to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Claudio Castagnoli at 10:27 and is awarded three points in the Continental Classic Tournament.
(Brian’s Analysis: A fun opener that was technically sound in the ring. The Daniel Garcia losing arch continues. I encourage the fans who haven’t seen the promos on social media from Daniel Garcia during this losing stretch to seek them out. AEW has done a great job with these and should promote them more on television. )
-After the match Wheeler Yuta came down to the ring to congratulate Castagnoli.
-The show went backstage to Eddie Kingston. He mentioned putting all his titles on the line in the Continental Classic Tournament. Kingston’s approach during the segment was that he couldn’t be bothered with the segment because he had to prepare for his match against Brody King in the main event.
(2) KILLSWITCH vs. BRANDON & BRENT (The Boys) – Two-on-One Match
WINNER: Killswitch wins at 1:20.
(Brian’s Analysis: The match was an essential squash match. The Boys took some good-looking bumps to put Killswitch over.)
-After the match, Killswitch grabbed a chair and chokeslammed Brandon onto a steel chair. Adam Copeland’s music hit, and he attacked Killswitch from behind with a steel chair. The commentary team mentioned Christian Cage wasn’t at the arena to help Killswitch. After choking out Killswitch with part of the chair, Copeland laid out Killswitch with the Conchairto. Killswitch started to rise to his feet, but Copeland followed up with a crumb stomp and another Conchairto.
(Brian’s Analysis: Both men came off well in the post-match angle. I liked the selling of Killswitch as a traditional big man in wrestling. The standard offense shouldn’t have a big man down for the count, and their opponent should have to add extra offense to keep their bigger opponent down. Copeland came off as a star in this great in this segment. He had great poise and facials throughout.)
-After a commercial break, the show went backstage with Lexy Nair to speak with Adam Copeland. Lexy caught up with Copeland, but he told Lexy to go. Copeland said: “Should call you ‘Jay’ or ‘Christian Cage.'” Copeland said he told Christian their friendship was bigger than everything. Copeland mentioned things changed when Christian said he would put him in a wheelchair. Copeland says I’m going to take the TNT Title from Christian. Copeland then threw down the challenge of a TNT Title match Dec. 6 in Montreal on AEW Dynamite.
(Brian’s Analysis: A superstar promo here from Adam Copeland. The promo accomplished two different things. The first thing is the angle and promo fed into the heat with Cage and Copeland. The second thing is you are promoting a potential main event in Montreal; with the proper P.R. from AEW, they should be able to move the final 2,000 tickets available for the show.
(3) MALAKAI BLACK & BUDDY MATTHEWS vs. KOMANDER & GRAVITY (w/Alex Abrahantes)
The match started with Matthews showing off his power advantage over Gravity. After Black was tagged, Gravity and Black had two awkward exchanges. The miscommunication appeared to be due to Gravity. Once Komander was tagged in, Black and Matthews stomped on Komander as the show went to a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Murphy had a rear naked choke onto Komander. Gravity was tagged back into the match and still looked rough in the ring with Murphy and Matthews. Komander was tagged back into the match and hit a gut buster onto Black for a near fall. Gravity missed badly on an arm-drag spot with Black. Komander hit an awesome-looking dive off the ropes on the outside. In the match’s closing moments, Matthews landed a stomp, and Black covered Komander to secure the pinfall victory for his team.
WINNERS: Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black in 11:20.
(Brian’s Analysis: The fans were into Black and Matthews, but Gravity significantly lowered the match. There are roughly 40-50 better workers AEW could have placed in this match, and it’s in AEW’s best interest to stop putting Gravity on live television until he’s more seasoned.)
-The show went backstage with Action Andretti and Darius Martin. Andretti mentioned that their chemistry as a tag team has been great, but something was missing. Darius agreed. He said he’s looking to show out in his hometown in Minneapolis, Minn. Dante Martin then joined the segment and said he was back and received a good reaction from the fans.
(Brian’s Analysis: It’s great to see Dante Martin return from a severe leg injury in March of this year. Top Flight has always had promise as a tag team. Hopefully, both Martin brothers can remain healthy and have a good run as a tag team.)
(4) JULIA HART vs. LADY FROST – TNT Title House Rules Match No Count Outs.
Frost showed off her gymnastics background early in the match. Both women brawled on the outside, and Hart threw Frost around the barricades. Frost would recover and throw Hart against the ringpost. Hart placed Frost on a steel chair while on the stage ramp and followed up with a clothesline. In the closing moments, Hart rolled Frost back into the ring and locked in the Hartless to secure the submission victory.
WINNER: Hart at 5:27 to retain the TBS Title.
(Brian’s Analysis: It would have been nice if AEW gave this match more time. Considering the time restrictions given to both women, the match wasn’t bad. )
-The show went backstage, with Lexy Nair speaking with Don Callis and Powerhouse Hobbs. Lexy brought up Hobbs slamming Paul Wight through a car. Callis brought up that it seemed unfair Kenny Omega and Chris Jerhico were getting a tag team title shot, considering what Hobbs did to both men inside a wrestling ring. Hobbs said he’s “Big, black, and jacked.” He said anybody can get it. The fans were into the new catchphrase and t-shirt from Hobbs.
[HOUR TWO]
(5) FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. THE RIGHTEOUS (Dutch & Vincent)
The match started with Vincent working over Wheeler’s injured ribs. Dax and Dutch tagged in and had a “big, mean guy exchange.” Dax closelined Dutch out of the ring as the show went to a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Vincent grabbed Dax and placed him into a sleeper hold. Both men then exchanged chops in the ring. Dutch then tagged in and nailed Dax with a power slam for a near fall. Dutch went for a dive from the top rope and missed. Dax tagged in Cash for the hot tag and ran wild in the match. Dutch hit Cash with a great-looking Bossman Slam for a near-fall finish. In the match’s closing moments, Cash and Dax hit Vincent with the Shatter Machine to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: Cash & Dax in 9:06
(Brian’s Analysis: This was a fun match and a good showing from Vincent and Dutch. FTR continues to be great at putting over bigger opponents in their matches.)
-After the match, Black and Matthews appeared from the crowd. Black said they could come to the ring, and no one could see save them. Black referenced C.M. Punk by name, which would be interesting because Punk would make his return to WWE later that night.
-After a commercial break, AEW re-ran the Dante Martin promo from earlier. Tony Schiavone mentioned a missed queue with the promo earlier during the broadcast.
-The commentary team recapped Ricky Starks and Big Bill jumping Chris Jericho after Full Gear.
-Tony Schiavone introduced Starks and Bill. Tony asked Starks and Bill why they jumped Chris Jericho at Full Gear. Starks said he wasn’t surprised Jericho, the “clout vampire,” would leach onto him like a mouth to a flame. Bill called The Golden Jets “The Golden Girls.” Starks mentioned Omega and Jericho aren’t built like Bill.
Bill talked about rising to the top again and time again, even during his darkest moments. He claimed that despite everyone writing him off and labeling him as washed up, he would always rise to the top. There was applause from the audience. Bill mentioned returning to the top and sharing the titles with Starks. Bill claimed that Omega and Jericho were the greatest to have ever done it. Bill said they would beat the living hell out of them. Bill said the Golden Jets were more like the two guys who gave Michael Jordan his gum before warmups. Starks spoke about liking his gum Minty Fresh, and Bills likes his gum Big Red.
(Brian’s Analysis: Good promo from the AEW Tag Team Champions. I’m happy to hear Big Bill be so open about his struggles live on television, and the audience handled that information with the class.)
-A recap video was shown hyping up the Continental Classic matches this Wednesday on Aew Dynamite
(6) “LIMITLESS” KEITH LEE vs. LEE MORIARTY
Before the match started, the commentary team discussed Lee’s history in Ring of Honor. Both men exchanged karate kicks and Lee hit a pounce onto Moriarty as the show went to a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Lee worked on Moriarty in the ring corner with chops. Moriarty went for a triangle choke, but Lee powered out of the submission hold using one arm. Moriarty rallied and hit a top rope bulldog onto Lee for a near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Lee hit Moriarty with a big shoulder block, and Lee hit The Big Bang Catastrophe to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Keith Lee wins in 7:20.
(Brian’s Analysis: A typical big vs small match in AEW. The win for Keith Lee is building him for a new feud.)
-After a commercial break, Lexy Nair was backstage with Keith Lee.
-Nair asked Lee, “What’s next for you?” Lee said he’s tired of the mistreatment and the lack of opportunity. He said he’s going to take it. He said that means “him.” Lee added: “You know who you are and I’ll see you soon.”
(7) EDDIE KINGSTON vs. BRODY KING – Continental Classic Tournament Match
Both men locked up, and the fans were already cheering. Brody knocked Kingston into the corner and nailed a cannonball dive. Brody and Kingston brawled on the outside of the ring. Brody missed another cannonball on the steel steps, but Brody railed and hit Kingston with a crossbody onto the barricade. Brody rolled Kingston back in the ring, hitting a senton for a near fall. [c]
After a commercial break, Brody suplexed Kingston from the top rope for a near fall. Kingston kept selling as if he couldn’t continue in the match. Out of nowhere, Kingston landed a huge closeline onto Brody. Kingston landed machine gun chops on Brody. Kingston went for a suplex. Brody reversed it into a suplex of his own. Kingston railed for a close near fall. Both men rose to their feet to exchange huge chops in the middle of the ring. [c]
After the chop exchange, Kingston spiked Brody on his head with a DDT, but only for a near fall. Kingston hit three suplexes onto Brody but only got a near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Kingston hit another Uraken, but Brody absorbed it and hit Dante’s Inferno to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Brody King at 16:40 and is awarded three points in the Continental Classic Tournament.
(Brian’s Analysis: This was a heavyweight fight where both men decided their strategy would be all offense. Both men had great chemistry. Kingston gave King everything to put him over in the match)
FINAL THOUGHTS: The show theme was the house always wins, and every member of the House of Black was victorious on this show. Factions are a functional path of pro wrestling. However, it is more interesting if a group is still together but has their business to tend to throughout weekly television.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW Dynamite Ratings Report (11/29): Viewership highest in over a month, finishes no. 2 among all cable shows in key demo
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s AEW Dynamite Hit List: Swerve Strickland vs. Jay White, Mark Briscoe vs. Rush, and Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal in Continental Classic tournament matches, Christian Cage and Adam Copeland
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