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AEW COLLISION REPORT
APRIL 6, 2024
WORCESTER, MASS. AT DCU CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuiness
-Tony Schiavone welcomed everyone to the show.
(1) FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. TOP FLIGHT (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) – AEW Tag Team Title Tournament match
Before the match started, a recap video showed both teams winning matches last Saturday. Harwood and Darius began the match, and then Hardwood tagged in Wheeler. After the match, things started to get going. Wheeler attempted a backslide for the pinfall of the match. After Harwood and Dante were tagged in, they exchanged takedowns in the middle of the ring. Dante went for a sunset flip and got a near fall on Hardwood. Wheeler and Harwood doubled team Darius in the corner. Wheeler went for a drop elbow, and Dante nailed Wheeler with Dante’s peak on his right arm. Dante secured two near falls on Harwood, which included Dante hitting a crossbody with Dante’s knee landing in Harwood’s face. Dante and Harwood brawled on the outside, but Harwood lured Dante into a rough-looking closeline as the show went to its first commercial night break. [c]
After the break, Harwood and Dante battled on the top rope. Harwood went for a suplex, but Dante reserved the move into a pin attempt for a near fall. After Darius was tagged in, Harwood and Darius exchanged hard chops to the chest. Darius went for a cradle pin attempt but only got a near fall. Darius followed up with a flat liner and got another near fall. Darius tagged Dante back and went to the top rope for a splash, but Harwood got the knees up for a close near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Dante went for a dive off the 2nd rope, but Wheeler and Harwood revered Dante in mid-air into a Shatter Machine to secure the pinfall victory for the match, winning their bracket in the tag team tournament.
WINNERS: FTR at 15:40
(Brian’s Thoughts: FTR had another solid performance, as always. I’m ready to see more from Top Flight as a tag team. It seems like getting Martin more reps in 2024 should be a goal to focus on their development. Depending on how the Young Bucks’s huge announcement is this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, I am interested to see how this plays into the Young Bucks vs. FTR match at AEW Dynasty.)
-After the match, a hype video was shown of Kazuchika Okada.
(2) PAC vs. ENCORE MOORE
WINNER: Pac in 2:30.
-After the match, Pac cut promo and said he would take matters into his own hands. Pac said he was on a mission to remind people he’s the best professional wrestler on the planet. Pac then called out Kazuchika Okada for a match.
-After a commercial break, Renee Paquette was backstage with Bryan Danielson. Renee asked Danielson how he felt facing Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty. Danielson said he was on a mission, and he would never quit. Danielson said he’s here to test himself and see how this opportunity can make him grow.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Bryan Danielson’s shooting from the hip segment was very unscripted. When it’s the right setting and the right interviewer, it’s always okay to let someone speak as themselves. Danielson vs. Ospreay speaks for itself. There’s no need for either man to do an intense look-down-the-camera promo to sell a PPV.)
(3) LION HOOK (Chris Jericho & Hook) vs. LEE MORIARTY & SHANE TAYLOR
Taylor and Jericho started the match. Taylor was quickly able to overpower Jericho with his size and strength. Jericho would recover to tag in Hook, and both men were able to get Taylor up for a double suplex. Jericho squared off against Moriarty. Jericho went for the Walls of Jericho, but Moriarty spaced the submission attempt and nailed Jericho with a big boot as the show went on a commercial break. (C)
After the break, Shane Taylor laid out Jerhico in the middle of the ring with a Uranage. Jerchico would recover and hit a lionsault onto Moriarty. Hook and Taylor would square off. Hook knocked Taylor to the outside, and Taylor went to the top rope and hit a double axe handle. In the match’s closing moments, Hook was able to lock in a T-Bone Suplex onto Taylor at Jericho sunk in the Walls of Jericho onto Moriarty to secure the submission win.
WINNERS: Lion Hook (Chris Jericho & Hook) in 7:50
(Brian’s Thoughts: Lionhook is not for me. Time catches up with everyone, but Chris Jericho slowly looks his age in the ring.)
-Postmatch Anthony Ogogo jumped Hook and Jericho, and Ogogo has officially joined Shane Taylor’s promotions.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Glad to see Ogogo back in an AEW ring. Hopefully, being paired in this stable will allow Ogogo to get on the card at All-In this summer.)
After the match, the show went to backstage with Dustin Rhodes cutting a promo.
“I keep hearing these days that Dustin Rhodes is underappreciated,” he said. “You know what? They’re right. I am. For 36 years of blood, sweat, and tears in front of thousands and thousands of fans all over the world, every town imaginable, every person imaginable, I have stood across from in that ring.
“When I was a little boy, probably seven years old, I remember when my dad, Dusty Rods, won his first World Heavyweight Championship. To see him come home and bring the World Heavyweight Title and put it down. And when he’s at the dinner table, I walk into his room, and I pick it up, and I’m holding this legendary, iconic piece of gold in my hands, all the while saying to myself constantly over and over and over, ‘One day, Dustin, one day, I will become World Heavyweight Champion.’ Thirty-six years later, there’s one thing that I have not accomplished, and that has become the World Heavyweight Champion. Samoa Joe, although you’re under no obligation to face me, I am asking you, Joe, give me a chance. I challenge you for the World Heavyweight Title on Dynamite next week in Charleston, West Virginia.
“The last of my kind. There’s not anybody quite like me that you’ve faced. All I want is a chance. All as I I want is an opportunity. All as I want is that world heavyweight title that I dreamt of for my entire life. And you can give me that if you got the balls. Listen to me, Joe, accept the challenge. Put the title on the line. In Charleston, West Virginia, AEW Dynamite, the natural dust and roads at 55 years old versus you.’t regret it. But remember this, son, I’m scared of no man, and you’re nobody different.
(Brian’s Thoughts: What an incredible promo from Dustin Rhodes! The man, at 55 years young, can make you feel things as if you were a kid in an arena watching a house show for the first time with your mom and dad.)
-After a break, Renee Paquette sat down with Will Ospreay in a similar sit-down to the one she had earlier in the house with Bryan Danielson.
(4) THE HOUSE OF BLACK (Brody King & Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeated BRYAN KEITH & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & MATT SYDAL
WINNERS: The House of Black Brody King& Buddy Matthews$ Malakai Black in 9:19
(Brian’s Thoughts: This was a nearly ten-minute exhibition for House of Black. These matches have no meaning. It would have been more effective to do a quick squash to showcase the House of Black.)
-After the match, Adam Copeland jumped the House of Black from behind, but the numbers got to Copeland. FTR and Mark Briscoe came in for the save. The Young Bucks then came down to the ring to brawl with FTR. The baby faces stood tall in the ring.
-After the match, the show went backstage with Lexi Nair with Rocky Romero. During the interview, Romero Challenged Rodrick Strong to a match for Battle of Belts.
-After a commercial break, Lexy Nair was backstage with LionHook. Jericho Hook and Katsuyori Shibata challenged Shane Taylor’s promotions to a Trio match this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
(5) YUKA SAKAZAKI vs. TRISH ADORA
Adora used her size and power to gain an early advantage over Sakazaki. Adora hit a bossman slan, landing Sakazaki on her knee to take the show to a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Adora had Sakazaki locked in with a cross-face submission, but Sakazaki was able to break the hold. Sakazaki went to the top rope, hit a dropkick on Adora, and got a near fall. Sakazaki went for a suplex, but Adora reversed it to a suplex of our own. Adora charged Sakazaki, but she used Arora’s momentum to a power slam. Sakazaki finally got Adora up for a suplex, and in the closing moments, Sakazaki hit the top rope splash to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Yuka Sakazaki in 8:20
(Brian’s Thoughts: Seeing Yuka Sakazaki back in AEW is great. Hopefully, the Visa issues she was having have straightened out, and we can see more on a full-time basis moving forward.)
-After the match, Serena Deeb came down to the ramp to applaud Sakazaki.
-Highlights were shown of Trent turning on the Best Friends.
The show went to the back with Daniel Garcia and Daddy Magic. Daniel Garcia said it’s time for him to insert himself into conversations with people like Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita.
(6) CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. THE BUTCHER
WINNER: Claudio Castagnoli in 5:02.
-After the match, Julia Hart cut a promo and said she would remain the face of TBS.
After the break, Samoa Joe responded to Dustin Rhodes’s challenge earlier in the show. Joe said Dustin doesn’t deserve a title match, but he will grant Dustin a title eliminator match this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
(7) PENTA EL ZERO MIEDO (W/Alex Abrahantes) DEFEATS KOMANDER
Komander went for a friendly handshake, but Penta did zero fear in Komander’s face, followed by a slap. Komanader went for a springboard handstand, which Penta countered with a dropkick to the gut. When Komander was tangled up in the ropes, Penta hit a hard chop onKomanader’s chest. Komanader went for a dive, but Penta caught up and slammed up on the steel steps as the show went on a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Komanader could finally land the dive on the outside onto Penta. The fans cheered, “This is awesome.” Penta railed back and hit a Canadian Destroyer on Komanader for a near fall. Penta went for the Fear Factor, but Komanader resvered it into a pin attempt for a near fall. Both men went for a Spanish Fly that looked scary and awkward, but both men walked away from the spot fine. Both men exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Penta hit Made in Penta for a close near fall. Penta set Kommander on the top rope for a brainbuster, but Kommander reversed and hit a spaceman dropkick. Kommander followed that with a moonsault to the outside. In the closing moments, Kommander went for his top rope splash, but Penta jumped in mid-air to hit a code breaker and followed up with the Fear Factor to secure the pinfall victory.
-After the match, Adam Copeland came down the ramp to stare down Penta as the show went off the air.
WINNER: Penta El Zero Miedo in 14:10
(Brian’s Thoughts: Very solid main event. I’m not sure how this match holds up in ratings, but a good showing from Penta.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: One of the weaker shows of the year but undoubtedly newsworthy nonetheless. What will the footage the Young Bucks will show the world this Wednesday? Reports claim it’s C.M. Punk related, although nothing was officially advertising Brawl In from Wembley, but I guess we will have to tune in this Wednesday and find out.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Collision results (4/6): Murphy’s review of FTR vs. Top Flight in a semifinal tournament match for the vacant AEW Tag Titles, Penta vs. Komander, Hook and Chris Jericho vs. Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty
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