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AEW COLLISION REPORT
FEBRUARY 10, 2024
HENDERSON, NEV. AT DOLLAR LOAN CENTER
REPORT BY AMIN AJANI, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuiness
Attendance: WrestleTix reported early afterrnon that 1,821 tickets had been distributed; arena is set up for 2,117
[HOUR ONE]
—AEW Collision opening played. There was a firework display. The camera zoomed around the arena mostly just shots of the first deck with the crowd.
—Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli came out from the crowd to a big reaction.
(1) JON MOXLEY & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. ESFINGE & STAR JR.
Moxley and Star Jr. began with some mat wrestling. Star Jr. placed Moxley in a bow-and-arrow. The crowd didn’t react kindly to Claudio as he made the save. Esfinge and Star Jr. rocked Moxley with a double superkick. The crowd cheered as Claudio caught Esfinge in a giant swing. Star Jr. caught Claudio and Moxley with a double springboard arm drag. Esfinge and Star Jr. delivered stereo dives to Claudio and Moxley on the floor. Star Jr went for a springboard but Claudio caught him with an uppercut. [c]
Star Jr. caught Claudio with a hurricanrana as they returned from break. Esfinge ran wild, launching both Claudio and Moxley with monkey flips. Star Jr. caught Claudio with a springboard clothesline. Star Jr. followed catching Claudio with a corkscrew hilo to Claudio on the floor. Esfinge connected with a springboard splash onto Moxley for a two count.
Moxley battled back, rocking Esfinge with a running lariat. Moxley applied a rollup but Esfinge kicked out at two. Star Jr. went for a springboard but Claudio caught him. Claudio launched Star Jr. into a cutter from Moxley but Esfinge made the save. Claudio planted Esfinge with a Ricola Bomb. Moxley rocked Star Jr. with elbow strikes. Moxley placed Star Jr. in a cross-arm breaker for the submission win.
WINNERS: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli 12:50
(Amin’s Thoughts: I understand the thinking with Claudio and Moxley working an even paced match with the CMLL wrestlers as a way to introduce them to the AEW audience. This match lacked heat because Esfinge and Star. Jr weren’t going to beat Claudio and Moxley. This would’ve been better if AEW had first established the CMLL wrestlers by winning more matches before putting them right into a program with BCC. The match itself was good as both teams worked well together.)
—Moxley delivered a promo after the match. Moxley told Esfinge and Star Jr. to take that message to the CMLL locker room. Moxley said that any team could step up. Moxley said they would get stepped up. The crowd cheered as Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler came out. The crowd chanted “FTR!, FTR! FTR!” Moxley pie-faced Harwood. A huge brawl broke out. AEW wrestlers and security came out to pull both teams apart.
(Amin’s Thoughts: This was a pretty fun brawl between BCC and FTR. A program between BCC and FTR is something that could be really fun to watch.) [c]
(2) DANIEL GARCIA (w/Matt Menard) vs. SHANE TAYLOR (w/Lee Moriarty)
Daniel Garcia came out to a solid babyface reaction. Taylor took control early, rocking Garcia with a forearm smash. Taylor mocked Garcia’s signature dance. Garcia moved as Taylor charged into the turnbuckle. Garcia caught Taylor with a dragon screw. Taylor responded by booting Garcia out of the ring. [c]
Taylor went for an apron leg drop but Garcia moved as they returned from commercial break. The crowd chanted “Danny! Danny! Danny!” Garcia took control hitting a pair of running dropkicks to Taylor’s injured leg. Garcia went for the leg but Taylor shoved him away. Taylor caught Garcia with a popup powerbomb. Taylor rocked Garcia with a forearm smash for a two count. Taylor went for a package piledriver but Taylor escaped. Garcia went for a piledriver but couldn’t lift Taylor up. Taylor went for a sit-out splash but Garcia moved. Garcia caught Taylor in a knee bar for the submission win.
WINNER: Daniel Garcia in 9:10
(Amin’s Thoughts: This was a solid match. They laid out a simple match and it worked great. Garcia couldn’t match Taylor when it comes to power. Garcia instead cut Taylor down to size by constantly working over his leg. Garcia winning by submission was nicely down after working over Taylor’s leg. This should move Garcia closer to a TNT Title match after getting the win over Nick Wayne in a six-man tag team match.)
—They showed highlights of Matthews & Nicholas Jackson attacking Darby Allin & Sting after winning the AEW World Tag Team Titles on Dynamite.
—Lexi Nair interviewed Eddie Kingston backstage. Kingston called The Young Bucks actions disgusting for what they did to Darby and Sting on Dynamite. He said The Young Bucks stole Darby and Sting’s thunder. He said Bryan Danielson stole Bryan Keith’s thunder last week on Collision. He said Keith was grinding away for the AEW contract. He said Danielson took Keith’s thunder away to get under Kingston’s skin. He challenged Danielson to an AEW Continental Crown Title match at the Revolution PPV. He said he wanted to add a little stipulation. He said if Danielson loses he would have to shake Kingston’s hand.
(3) BRIAN CAGE (w/Prince Nana) vs. TURBO FLOYD & TRUTH MAGNUM (The Outrunners) (w/Chance the Glia Monster) — Two-on-one match
Brian Cage came out first to a mild reaction at best. The Outrunners got no entrance. They were standing inside the ring with Chance the Glia Monster who’s the mascot for the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team. Cage planted Floyd and Magnum with a double suplex. Cage planted Floyd with a powerbomb. Cage placed Floyd in a Texas Cloverleaf for the submission win.
WINNER: Brian Cage in 1:15
—Chance the Glia Monster did Prince Nana’s signature dance. The crowd cheered as Prince Nana joined Chance the Glia Monster in doing the dance. That got a bigger reaction than the actual match. The crowd booed as Cage attacked the mascot. HOOK came out to make the save. Cage and Hook brawled to the back.
(Amin’s Thoughts: This was just a quick squash match to give Cage a showcase win. The brawl was pretty standard. This was good because Hook making the save for the NHL mascot was a clever way to present him as a more likeable babyface. Simple stuff here building to an FTW Title match between Hook and Cage.)
—Lexi Nair was backstage with The Undisputed Kingdom and Tomohiro Ishii. Matt Taven was upset with Ishii because they were dropped from the group CHAOS a few years back. Roderick Strong was still playing his mid-card comedy character as he screamed Ishii’s name. He got serious saying he was going after Ishii if he won the International Title. He said he was waiting eight long years for this rematch. They didn’t mention where the previous match happened. So the audience watching has no clue to what’s going on. He said he can’t wait to break Ishii. He grabbed Ishii’s hand for a handshake. Ishii pulled his hand away from Strong. [c]
—Tony Schiavone was inside the ring apron. He called out Adam Copeland for an interview. Copeland got a great babyface reaction and a nice firework display. The crowd chanted “Adam! Adam! Adam!” Schiavone noted “Hangman” Adam Page and “Swerve” Strickland will be challenging Samoa Joe for the AEW World Title at Revolution. He said Copeland was third on the AEW Rankings and had his pick at the AEW International Title or TNT Title.
Copeland first wanted to address what happened to Darby and Sting on Dynamite. He said that wouldn’t have happened if he was on Dynamite. He told Matthew and Nicholas that was a warning. The crowd gasped at that line. He said Roderick Strong was going after Orange Cassidy for the International Title. He said he could challenge Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown Title. He said he really wants to challenge Kingston. He said he will challenge Kingston at some point. He said then there’s Christian Cage. He said you might know where he’s leaning.
Daniel Garcia came out to a mild reaction. Garcia said Copeland thinks he deserves a shot at the TNT Title for picking up a bunch of wins. He said he couldn’t agree with Copeland more. He said championship opportunities should be rewarded for wins. He said he’s been picking up wins as well. He said he beat The Patriarchy last week. He said maybe he deserves a shot at the TNT Title. This got a mixed reaction from the crowd. He said he might pull the Daniel Garcia and lose the big one. He said that would mean going to the back of the line. He said he would fight his way back to championship gold.
Copeland said he didn’t beat The Patriarchy by himself. He said FTR helped him. He said FTR speaks highly of Garcia and that’s good with him. He had a proposal since they both wanted a match for the TNT Title. He said he and Garcia should wrestle each other next week on Dynamite. The winner faces Cage for the TNT Title. Garcia accepted. Garcia accepted Copeland’s handshake. Copeland pulled Garcia back as he went to leave. Copeland said he isn’t beating Garcia right now because he already had a match. He said Garcia is trying to take food off his table and that doesn’t work for him. He said he’s going to beat Garcia’s ass next week on Dynamite.
(Amin’s Thoughts: Copeland addressing The Young Bucks made sense because he teamed with Darby and Sting in his first AEW PPV match. Copeland winning matches doing his opening challenge leading to him picking a championship to challenge also made sense. Garcia coming out explaining he’s on a winning streak and wanting to challenge for a title is fine. Nothing makes sense when someone speaks about win/loses or the AEW Rankings. My question is why would anybody care about the AEW Rankings when Tomohiro Ishii who’s not part of the company can just step right in and get a title match?)
—Renee Paquette was backstage with Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale and Stokely Hathaway. Hathaway said Nightingale and Statlander are the only two badasses and Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Statlander wondered why Hart and Blue keep coming back for more. Nightingale spoke about how she and Blue used to team and smile together. Nightingale spoke about Blue taking a different path. Nightingale said they’ve had a match. Nightingale and Statlander wanted Hathaway to make the match. Hathaway said Tony Khan blocked his number. He said he would need to borrow one of their phones.
(4) BRODIE KING (w/Julia Hart) vs. MARK BRISCOE
Briscoe got a strong babyface reaction. Briscoe started quickly rocking King with strikes. Briscoe went for corner punches but King launched him away. King took control rocking Briscoe with a running cannonball. King connected with a back senton for a near fall. Briscoe used King’s momentum, sending him to the floor. Briscoe caught King with a flying blockbuster on the floor. Briscoe leaped off a chair hitting a tope con hilo to the floor. The crowd cheered as Briscoe grabbed the table. The crowd booed as Rick Knox stopped him. Briscoe went for a plancha but King caught him. King took back control, launching Briscoe onto a chair. [c]
King caught Briscoe with a spinning slam for a two count as they returned from break. The crowd chanted “We want tables!” Briscoe battled back, rocking King with a running boot. Briscoe delivered a flying twisting moonsault to King on the floor. Briscoe tossed a chair into the ring. King responded, rocking Briscoe with a huge running lariat for two. King went for a splash but Briscoe moved. Briscoe caught King with a rolling Death Valley Driver. Briscoe climbed the ropes. Julia Hart stood on the ring apron distracting Briscoe. King shoved Briscoe who went flying crashing through a table on the floor. The crowd chanted “Holy S*it!” King delivered a Gonzo Bomb for the win.
WINNER: Brodie King in 13:00
—King grabbed Briscoe after the match. Hart grabbed a spike. Hart stabbed Briscoe with a spike right in the face. Briscoe was bleeding really badly across the face.
(Amin’s Thoughts: Briscoe and King worked a great hard hitting match which was fun to match. My only problem was the unnecessary table spot. The reason being referee Rick Knox stopped Briscoe from setting up the table. King shoving Briscoe off the ropes crashing through table ringside leading to the finish was fine for the referee. How does that work? King showed in the Continental Classic that he’s ready to have a single’s run. Hopefully, this win leads King to going on a single’s run. Briscoe delivers great promos and has great matches. Briscoe has such a unique charisma about him which makes him stand out from everyone else on the show. I would like to see Briscoe showcased higher on the cards and get some more wins. That post-match angle was nasty as Briscoe was just gushing blood from his forehead. I could see some stipulation match coming from the angle.)
—Bryan Keith was backstage. He said he was all about his payday. He said he’s looking for the big matches and big stars. He said he’s looking to climb the ranks to collect his bounty. He said whether good, bad, or ugly, you better be ready to pay up sucka.
(5) DEONNA PURRAZZO vs. KIERA HOGAN
Hogan caught Purrazzo with a rollup for a quick near fall. Purrazzo quickly took control working over Hogan’s arm. Hogan caught Purrazzo charging, sending her into the ropes. Hogan connected with a running hip attack. Purrazzo took back control catching Hogan with an arm breaker against the ropes. Purrazzo connected with a back cracker for two. Purrazzo rocked Hogan with a pump kick. Hogan responded with a superkick. Purrazzo caught Hogan with a face buster for a two count. Hogan battled back catching Purrazzo with a missile dropkick. Purrazzo caught Hogan charging with a pump kick. Purrazzo went for a Gotch Piledriver but Hogan escaped. Purrazzo makes a quick comeback, nailing Hogan with a running knee. Purrazzo connects with leg sweep. Purrazzo transitions, placing Hogan in Venus Di Milo for the submission win.
WINNER: Deonna Purrazzo in 4:40
—Purrazzo posed on the entrance ramp. The screen turned black and white. The crowd cheered as AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm came out with Luther and Mariah May. This got a bigger reaction than Purrazzo’s actual match she just won.
(Amin’s Thoughts: AEW is trying hard to present Purrazzo as a strong challenge, having her stack up a bunch of wins. This was a fine match. This was another nice showcase for Purrazzo putting over her signature hold in the win. The crowd didn’t react much to the match or Purrazzo which was disappointing to see. You would like to see the crowd get more into Purrazzo who’s next to challenge for the AEW Women’s Title.)
—They announced Collision wouldn’t be airing next week due to the NBA All-Star Game weekend. Collision returns in two weeks.
(6) “TIMELESS” TONI STORM (w/Luther & Mariah May) vs. QUEEN AMINATA
Aminata and Storm began with some mat wrestling. Storm took control, rocking Aminata with mounted strikes. Storm posed into the camera. The screen turned black and white. [c]
Storm placed Aminata in a full nelson as they returned from break. Aminata caught Storm charging with an inside cradle for a near fall. Aminata rocked Storm with a lariat for a double down. Aminata made a comeback rocking Storm with a running boot for a two count. Storm responded by catching Aminata with a snap DDT for a two count. Storm called for Storm Zero. Aminata countered into an Air Raid Crash for two. Aminata went for a hip attack but Storm moved out of the way. Storm rocked Aminata with a hip attack. Storm delivered Storm Zero for the win.
WINNER: “Timeless” Toni Storm in 8:55
—The screen turned black and white. Storm delivered a promo after the match. She said what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. She said they were in Henderson. She told Schiavone to not look at her like that. She called her match a technical brilliance. She said she will be releasing a new film on Dynamite. She told Purrazzo that she could try all her fancy maneuvers on her. She said the pain of not being so much as a wart on her bum hole will haunt her for the rest of her bloody life. She said Bonjour! She slammed the mic down.
(Amin’s Thoughts: This match was better but also got more than the previous match. That’s most because Aminata got to work an even match with Storm. This match was interesting mostly because the commentary was going out of their way trying really hard to put the attention on Aminata. They brought up the difference in length of time from her wins in ROH to her longer matches in AEW. I give the commentators credit for putting the attention on Aminata. Do you know what would help Aminata more? Aminata winning one match on AEW TV which hasn’t happened yet. They are clearly building to Aminata’s first big win. Aminata’s first big win needs to come against someone important from the way commentators were pushing her.)
(7) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII — AEW International Title match
Orange got a strong babyface reaction. Ishii got a nice reaction. Nigel McGuinness brought up how Ishii beat Strong from the ROH TV Title and that’s why Strong wanted the match. It would’ve been nice if Strong actually mentioned it. Orange placed his hands in his pockets. Orange went for a dropkick but Ishii no-sold it. Ishii rocked Orange with a shoulder tackle. Orange went for shoulder tackles but couldn’t get Ishii off his feet. Orange knocked Ishii with a flying tackle off his feet. This was great as Ishii backed Orange into the corner, no-selling his strikes. Ishii took control rocking Orange with chops. [c]
Orange caught Ishii with a Satellite DDT as they returned from commercial. Orange made a comeback delivering a tope sending Ishii crashing into the barricade. Orange connected with a Satellite DDT for a two count. Orange delivered a flying DDT for a two count. Orange did his lazy kicks. Orange changed ideas stomping away at Ishii in the corner. Orange followed by hitting a corner dropkick. Orange bounced off the ropes rocking Ishii with a dropkick. Ishii no-solid sending Orange flying with a pounce. The crowd chanted “This Is Awesome!”
Orange rocked Ishii with forearm smashes. Ishii no-sold it. Ishii rocked Orange with a forearm smash for a two count. Ishii planted Orange with a stalling superplex for a two count. Ishii went for a powerbomb but Orange escaped. Ishii sent Orange flying with a German suplex. Ishii rocked Orange with huge chops. Orange refused to go down. Orange collapsed to the mat. Orange played possum as he went for Beach Break. Ishii escaped by hitting a powerbomb.Orange countered a sliding lariat into a crucifix for a two count.
Orange caught Ishii charging with an Orange Punch. Orange connected with Beach Break but Ishii kicked out for a good two count. Ishii responded by catching Orange with a Dragon suplex. Ishii delivered a lariat for a two count. Ishii rocked Orange with an enzuigiri. Ishii lifted Orange up delivering a sliding lariat for a two count. Ishii called for the vertical drop brainbuster. Orange countered into an Orange Punch. Ishii didn’t go down. Ishii rocked Orange with a head butt. Orange didn’t go down. Orange charged as Ishii caught him. Orange countered with an inside cradle for the win.
WINNER: Orange Cassidy in 15:25 to retain the AEW International Title
—The Undisputed Kingdom attacked Orange after the match. Matt Bennett and Mike Taven delivered a spike piledriver combo to Orange. Ishii ran down to make the save. The Undisputed Kingdom left through the crowd. Trent Beretta ran down holding a chair. The show ended.
(Amin’s Thoughts: This was a really good back and forth action packed match. A strong showing from Ishii and Orange as they were matching each other with strikes with neither wrestler wanting to back down. The wrestling was good. The match announcement didn’t interest me. That’s most because Ishii, who’s not part of the company, wasn’t going to win the title. They were also building Strong as Orange’s next challenger for the title.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: They are trying very hard to make the AEW Rankings feel important. It just doesn’t work when they are still having open challenges for title matches. Collision itself was a good show. There were some good wrestling matches which made the show easy to watch. The Revolution card continues to take shape with Danielson vs. Kingston for the Continental Crown Title. The winner of Copeland and Garcia should set up Christian Cage’s next challenger for the TNT Title. Overall, a good episode of Collision.
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