SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION
APRIL 27, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruz
[HOUR ONE]
-A video package aired of Swerve Strickland beating Samoa Joe at Dynasty.
-They cut to the arena as Tony Schiavone introduced the show. Swerve Strickland’s ring entrance began, with Prince Nana leading the way. Schiavone noted it’s three hours of AEW action with Rampage following Collision. When Swerve entered the ring, Schiavone said it’s a big moment hearing from Swerve for the first time since winning the AEW World Title. Nana introduced him as “the anointed one in professional wrestling” and “one hell of a wrestler.” Fans chanted “Thank you, Swerve.”
Swerve talked happenings at Dynasty such as Willow Nightingale’s TBS Title win, Adam Cole standing again “by the grace of god,” Adam Copeland getting misted in the face by House of Black, Bryan Danielson and Will Ospreay “tearing the house down,” and the return of Jack Perry. He said Perry struck Tony Khan, “a man who put all his faith in me.” He said the EVPs gave him a piledriver and he’s now in a neck brace and there’s no telling when they’ll see Tony again in healthy condition. He said he’s done a lot wrong in the past, but there’s something about four elite athletes beating up a non-fighter. “That’s a bitch move to me,” he said. Fans chanted, “Bitch move!”
He said the most important thing that happened at Dynasty is his win over Samoa Joe to become the AEW World Champion. He said a pet peeve of his is when people walk around saying their the best in the world, because that person is the one who holds the AEW World Title. He said he made some sacrifices. He said the night he won the title, his daughter said she was proud of him, but she said she didn’t feel she knew him. He said his kids mean the world to him and he’s missed so many big events in her life. He said he has to blaze a trial as AEW Champion to prove it was all worth it. He said AEW has put people in front of him and he’s knocked them all down.
He said he is in giving mood, so how about an open challenge for his AEW World Title. He said he only wants to face someone who really wants to fight. He said they’re entering a new era, the Dynasty Era, and the lead of that Dynasty Era is “whose house?” Fans chanted “Swerve’s house.” Claudio Castagnoli walked out in his suit. Claudio entered the ring and said, “You’re on.” When Swerve asked “whose house,” Claudio yanked the mic away and said, “Mine.” Schiavone exclaimed that this is unprecedented. He added he just heard from Tony Khan that it’s official.
(Keller’s Analysis: So the result of the beatdown Tony Khan took on Dynamite is him still making decisions instantly and feeding them to the commentators. Not judging that as good or bad, but just a fact that the beatdown wasn’t leading to him stepping back from the spotlight for a while in terms of decision-making. As for Swerve issuing an open challenge, I get that it’s a trope in pro wrestling, but I think that should be reserved for secondary titles. I think it cheapens the top title if it’s defended against “the first person who walks onto the stage” regardless of the win-loss record or any other achievement to justify receiving a title shot. I would’ve liked Claudio to have said more than that, too, and really establish what it means to him to get a title match and perhaps explain why he thinks he can beat Swerve.)
-A video package aired on the angle with Khan being attacked by Jack Perry, The Young Bucks, and Kazuchika Okada including Matt Jackson saying that was their attempt to “get this place back to what it was supposed to be.” He said that was their final play. “The Elite has arrived,” Matt said.
-They went to Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness on camera. “Yeah, The Elite has arrived, my ass,” an angry Schiavone said. He said he spoke to TK earlier and TK said he feels blessed he can still work. He said doctors have advised him that he cannot travel, but he can operate from Jacksonville at a remote location. Nigel said that means TK won’t be on the road for the time being. He asked who would run things if something goes awry. He said maybe the EVPs. Schiavone asked if Nigel is out of his mind.
(1) JAY WHITE & AUSTIN GUNN & COLTEN GUNN vs. TOP FLIGHT (Dante & Darius Martin) & BRYAN KEITH – Unified Trios Titles match
Despite the ROH and AEW six-man titles being unified, they’re still carrying around both sets of belts. As the match began, Schiavone and Nigel hyped scheduled matches including the debut of The Grizzled Young Vets on Collision. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00 with White in control of Keith at ringside. [c/db]
At 7:30 Andretti landed a Spanish Fly on Austin and scored a near fall. As the heels gathered at ringside, Darius landed a running flip dive onto them. Jay knocked Andretti off the top rope and he landed on his crotch. Chaos broke out with White and the Gunns landing signature moves rapid-fire. Andretti flipped out of White’s hands and landed a pump kick, a thrust kick, and shotgun dropkick. He followed with a springboard move, but White moved and then delivered The Blade Runner for the win.
WINNERS: White & The Gunns in 10:00 to retain the Unified Trios Title.
-Highlights aired of The Young Bucks vs. FTR at the Dynasty PPV last Sunday. Nigel said they didn’t know why Perry was back, but now they have a better reason.
-Schiavone hyped the return of Rey Fenix next. [c]
-A vignette aired with House of Black discussing how the match at Dynasty against Adam Copeland went exactly as they said it would. Brody King said he now has two wins over the TNT Champion. Malakai said they accept the Cope Open, but they won’t reveal which of them will step into the ring. “You’ll find out when the rest of the world finds out,” said Buddy Matthews.
-Schiavone said House of Black were playing mind games, but then said Matthews issued a challenge for the TNT Title on Wednesday. (The vignette featured Malakai explicityly saying they wouldn’t reveal who would step into the ring, so it wasn’t revealed to be Matthews.)
(2) REY FENIX (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. “THE BEAST” MORTOS
The bell rang about 30 minutes into the hour. Schiavone said Mortos had three straight ROH wins and it’s his second AEW match. Fenix played to the crowd after the bell rang for his return match after several months off for injury recovery. Mortos landed a snap powerslam at 1:30 for a two count. He followed with a tornado dive through the ropes onto Fenix at ringside, landing on his feet. Schiavone called it amazing.
Schiavone said Fenix spent 122 days with his brother as tag champions, but also trios champions for 126 days. Schiavone noted that Kenny Omega is the only other wrestler who has been a singles champion, tag team champion, and trios champion in AEW. He plugged that he will be on Dynamite on Wednesday. Mortos slammed Fenix onto his head two times and then Fenix flip-bumped off a clothesline. Mortos scored a two count. Fenix was making Mortos look like, well, a beast out there.
Fenix had to grab the bottom rope to force a break of a leghold. The announcers commented on what a beating Mortos was dishing out to Fenix in his return. Schiavone said it wasn’t going anything like they expected. Mortos scored a two count back in the ring at 7:00 and then ripped at Fenix’s mask. Fans booed. They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Fenix made a comeback after the break. He scored a mere one count after a flurry. Fenix landed a gut buster a minute later for a two count. Fenix leaped and actually walked on Mortos’s shoulders and kicked his head. “He walked on his head! He walked on his head!” exclaimed Schiavone. Mortos, though, speared Fenix out of mid-air. Nigel said it was Mortos’s match to lose at this point. Fenix leaped off the top rope with a tornado dive onto Mortos at ringside. Fans stood and cheered at ringside as Schiavone touted him as one of the most remarkable athletes he’s seen.
Back in the ring, Mortos came back with a lung blower and then his finisher for a near fall. Fenix made a comeback and walked the top rope and kicked Mortos in the head again. He followed with another thrust kick and then a leaping frog splash for a believable near fall at 14:00. Fenix then leaped over Mortos and rolled him up for a three count. Nigel said Fenix “escaped with a victory, quite literally” as he celebrated with fans. Schiavone said, “What a match!”
WINNER: Fenix in 15:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Schiavone was right, that was a hell of a match. It had structure to it with Fenix taking a brutal beating the first two thirds and then making a spirited and dynamic comeback on his way to winning. There was a good mix of flashy but effective moves with sudden power moves that blended nicely and it all felt like a fight to win, leaning against it looking like mere performance art to get pops and chants.)
-A clip aired from Dynamite of Trent Beretta telling Chuck Taylor to side with him and then Taylor rejecting him and saying he’s always thought he was a piece of shit and challenging him to a parking lot match.
-In a backstage interview conducted by new arrival Arkady Aura, Orange Cassidy spoke about how he is working through things that Chuck said. He said he’s afraid of what Trent and Chuck are going to do to each other. Kris Statlander walked up to Cassidy and said, “He needs us. Let’s go.” Cassidy left with her.
(3) RUSH vs. MARTIN STONE
Schiavone said, “Wow, Martin Stone.” (Wasn’t sure what to make of it with a flat delivery.) Schiavone said Rush was back in the ring for the first time since December in the Continental Classic. Rush threw Stone around ringside early. He slid a chair into the ring. The ref got rid of it. Rush then pulled out TV cables and whipped Stone with it. Stone avoided a Rush charge in the corner, but Rush then quickly threw him into the corner and then landed a flying forearm and shotgun dropkick for the win.
WINNER: Rush in 2:00.
-Rush attacked Stone afterward and delivered another shotgun dropkick in the corner. He then pointed at the crowd as his music played before striking a casual pose on the mat.
(Keller’s Analysis: Rush gave Stone nothing there. Rush dominated aggressively start to finish.) [c]
-A clip aired from Wednesday of Anna Jay attacking Mariah May after the match with Toni Storm running out to confront May followed by Serena Deeb stepping out to stare them down. Deeb said she will become the new Women’s Champion.
-Arkady Aura interviewed Serena Deeb backstage and asked what message she was trying to send. Deeb said she is undefeated and the obvious no. 1 contender to the title. She said she had to fight so hard to get back to this stage, so failure is not an option. She said people have been telling her how great she is and how she should be champion, so now it’s time to prove it. “Toni, this isn’t a movie, sweetie, this is real life,” she said.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good, straight-forward promo that felt like a confident grown adult athlete not playing into any stereotypes.)
[HOUR TWO]
(4) TONI STORM (w/Luther, Mariah May) vs. ANNA JAY – Non-title match
They took turns giving each other standing hip attacks. Storm played to the crowd as Anna rolled to the ring apron. Mariah got in Anna’s face. Storm charged toward Anna, but instead crashed into Mariah, knocking her down. Storm checked on her apologetically. Anna gave Storm a neck breaker as she was re-entering the ring. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Storm rallied after the break with a fisherman’s suplex into a bridge for a two count. Anna applied a Queen Slayer out of nowhere at 8:00. Storm stood and leaped backwards to break the hold. She then landed a Hip Attack and a Storm Zero for the win. Schiavone said Storm is on a 13 match singles winning streak that began 206 days ago.
Mariah entered the ring and celebrated in melodramatic fashion with Storm.
WINNER: Storm in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match with a chance for Storm to show off her persona and cohorts in action.)
-They showed cars in the parking lot positioned for the Parking Lot Brawl later. They showed Cassidy presenting Chuck with a cute little dog. Chuck told him that whatever happens out there, he has to do it on his own so don’t interfere. He handed the dog back to Cassidy. [c]
(5) THE GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS (James Drake & Zack Gibson) vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens w/Billy Gunn)
Nigel said he has been anticipating the AEW debut of the Vets. He said they consider themselves favorites in this match. Caster rapped on his way to the ring. He threatened to send them back to the Impact Zone. “Grit my teeth, do not make me laugh, you better bite that pillow when we get up in that ass.” (Uh, wuhh?) Caster then held the mic in front of his crotch and thrust his hips rapidly for anyone who didn’t get what he was saying.
Early in the match, Drake launched off of Gibson’s back to leap at Bowens and knock him off the ring apron. They cut to a partial double-box break with the Vets playing to the hard camera in celebration. [c/pdb]
Bowens hot-tagged in 8:00 and he rallied and showed fire. Caster blind-tagged in. The Acclaimed double-teamed Drake. Bowens legdropped Drake in the crotch as Bowens had his legs spread. They landed another double-team move for a believable near fall. The Vets made a comeback and backdropped Caster over the top rope onto the ramp, knocking lights off the edge of the ring. Bowens fended off both Vets. Gibson dropped Bowens onto his knees in the corner and then Drake landed a Coast-to-Coast off the top rope for a believable near fall.
Billy Gunn didn’t like the Vets taunting him and almost got in the ring, but the ref warned him. Bowens and Caster finished Gibson with the Mic Drop. Nigel said he wanted the Vets to come back.
WINNERS: The Acclaimed in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice showing from the Vets. A solid straight forward tag match. Billy Gunn continues to be a drag on the Acclaimed and they’ll be better off when he splits off from them. It’s hardly the only reason, but one reason is he just towers over them and makes them look smaller than anyone was thinking before their every TV appearance included the needlessly unexpected tall Gunn standing next to them all the time. There’s no chemistry or reason for him to be part of their act at this point.) [c]
-Schiavone narrated a clip of Shane Taylor attacking Shibata with Hook coming out to his aid.
-Arkady Aura interviewed Shibata about facing Chris Jericho on Dynamite this Wednesday. Shibata magically played his phone answering her questions even though he didn’t speak or type in anything. Danny Garcia walked in and offered to tag with him against Shane Taylor Promotions. Shibata’s phone said, “Okay, save the last dance for me.” Schiavone said he loves phone translators.
(Keller’s Analysis: One of the dumbest things in all of pro wrestling history is this Shibata phone gimmick. Why not just make it clear they submit questions to him ahead of time so he can type them in ahead of time? Or he could pretend to be the fastest thumb typist and he could at least make a two second frantic series of thumb motions to sell the idea he’s actually answering the questions rather than it looking so fake.)
(6) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI – AEW World Title match
Schiavone said Danielson is hurt and might take weeks or months to come back. Nigel asked if he’s even ever coming back. Bobby Cruz handled formal ring introductions. They felt each other out early with Claudio getting the majority of the early control with mat work. Schiavone noted it’s a 60 minute time limit and they’d stay with it as long as necessary to the finish.
Swerve landed two unreleased neckbreakers and then a third with Claudio bent over the second rope. Claudio and Swerve battled on the edge of the ring. Swerve went after Claudio at ringside, but Claudio caught his boot and then pressed and threw him into the ringside concrete stage wall. Claudio then charged with a running uppercut. They cut to a break at 9:00. [c/db]
Swerve was in control after the break, connecting with a pump kick at ringside and then leaping off the top rope with a flying elbow to Claudio’s back. Swerve danced a bit. Swerve gave Claudio a Flatliner next for a two count. Swerve continued to rally and scored another two count. Claudio rolled to ringside to recover. Nana gave Swerve a pep talk and said he’s “the man in this company.”
Swerve leaped off the stage with a flip dive that grazed a waiting Claudio. A brief half-hearted “AEW” chant rang out. (There was a time wrestlers worked harder to make it seem less choreographed when wrestlers just stood waiting to catch someone like that, and even with that, Swerve only brushed against Claudio’s right arm. It’s just so dumb looking, but it generated an “AEW” chant from the easy audience who just want people leaping off of high places, I guess.)
Back in the ring, Swerve landed a 450 splash back in the ring. “This is awesome!” chanted some fans. Claudio back-elbowed Swerve and went for a mat hold, but Swerve blocked it. Claudio countered with a running stomp. Swerve got wide-eyed and landed a European Uppercut on Claudio. Claudio fired back. They went back and forth at each other. Swerve delivered a delay-drop vertical suplex and then leaped off the top rope with a double stomp as Claudio slowly sat up into perfect position as Swerve played to the crowd before hitting the move. It was good for a two count. Swerve went for a House Call, but Claudio blocked it and gave Swerve the Giant Swing with 18 revolutions. He then applied a sharpshooter mid-ring. Swerve leveraged Claudio’s shoulders down for a two count to break the sharpshooter.
Claudio set up a Gotch-style piledriver, but Swerve resisted. Claudio landed a running clothesline for a two count. Swerve fired back with a DDT seconds later. He leaped off the top rope and went for a double stomp to a standing Claudio, but Claudio caught his boots and then landed a European Uppercut for a near fall. (That was a nice spot.) Claudio landed several rapid-fire uppercuts. Swerve avoided a charging Claudio in the corner and then landed a reverse German suplex. He followed with a Swerve Stomp and a running leaping House Call kick for the win.
Swerve offered Claudio a handshake and Claudio obliged and had some words of encouragement for him. Nana then danced next to Swerve.
WINNER: Swerve in 21:00 to retain the AEW World Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really strong TV match and really at a PPV level if the build and circumstances had been bigger. It’s good for Swerve to have matches at this level to fend off opinions that AEW should have a wrestler with a higher level of match quality history in his position as AEW World Champion.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Good overall episode. I liked Swerve cutting a promo right at the start when there were likely some NBA fans watching. He’s a relatively fresh face with a cool factor that might draw some fans in or back.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.