SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION REPORT
APRIL 27, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
-The show opened with a highlight package of Swerve Strickland winning the AEW World Championship.
-Tony Schiavone welcomed everyone to the show as part of a cold open with Strickland coming down the ring.
-Prince Nana started the promo by putting over Strickland. Strickland recapped the last week in AEW. Strickland said the Elite beating up Tony Khan was a bitch move. The fans cheered ” bitch move.”
Strickland said the real best in the world is holding the AEW World Championship. He can’t turn back time for missing his daughter’s basketball games, but he can lead by example for his daughter by defending the AEW World Title. Strickland claimed this is now the Dynasty Era, and with the Dynasty Era in full effect, he will put the World Title on the line tonight in an open challenge. Claudio Castagnoli came down to accept the open challenge.
(Brian’s Thoughts: The very straightforward “babyface champion welcoming everyone to the Monday Night Raw segment.” I appreciate Strickland opening up about his family, but nothing said makes me think extra viewers were sticking around after this segment. There wasn’t anything wrong with how Strickland delivered his promo, but that aura shows why his cool babyface champion didn’t resonate with me.)
-A recap video of the Elite was shown. Schiavone mentioned that due to injuries suffered at the hands of the Elite, Tony Khan will not be traveling with the company and will run the company remotely at Jacksonville until doctors clear him for travel.
(1) BULLET CLUB GOLD (Jay White & Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. ACTION ANDRETTI & TOP FLIGHT (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) – AEW Unified World Trios Championship
White and Dante started the match. The commentators mentioned that Dante challenged Bullet Club in this match. Colten hit Dante with a clothesline, and Austin attempted the first pin cover in the match. Dante got the hot tag of his brother Darius, and he ran wild. Darius hit a Flatliner onto Austin for a near fall; Darius did a baseball slide to the outside but White hit him with a clothesline. [c]
After a commercial break, White was still getting the heat on Darius. Austin and Colten went for a double-team move on Darius, but he tagged in Andretti and he ran wild. Andretti nailed Austin with a Spanish fly and went for a near fall. Andretti went for a dive from the top rope, but Colten broke up the attempt. White grabbed Andretti from the top rope to attempt the Blade Runner, but Darius broke it up.
In the closing moments of the match, White hit Andretti with uranage. Darius came to Andretti’s aid but was greeted with 3:10 to Yuma, delivered by Austin and Colten. Andretti broke free of White’s attempt at the second Blade Runner, only to be caught by White again after a failed attempt at a springboard. White covered Andretti to secure the win for his team.
WINNERS: Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn & Jay White at 11:05.
(Brian’s Thoughts: This was five guys trying to do a wrestling match with Jay White. I was disappointed AEW chose to open with this match rather than Swerve or even Rey Fenix. I can’t see this match holding the extra NBA eyeballs that AEW opened the show with.)
-A recap video was shown off the Young Bucks winning the AEW Tag Team Titles at Dynasty
-A video was shown with the House of Black, and someone from the group will challenge Adam Copeland this Wednesday for the TNT Title.
(2) REY FENIX (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. THE BEAST MORTOS
Fenix started the match off fast by hitting knife-edge chops to Mortos’s chest, but Motros wasn’t effective, so Motros hit his own set of chops on Fenix. Motros hit Fenix with a spinning dive on the outside and landed on his feet. Fenix attempted to rally briefly with superkicks, but Motros hit a big boot and sling blade combo to stop Fenix in his tracks. Motors followed up with a stiff clothesline but only got a near fall. Motros focused on working over the legs of Fenix to slow down the high flyer. Motros brawled with Fenix on the outside and hit a stiff slap to the face. Motros threw Fenix back in the ring and got a near fall. Motros attempted to remove the mask from Fenix, but the official stepped in to warn Motros. [c]
After a commercial break, Motros had Fenix in a DVD position, but Fenix broke it up. Fenix hit Motros with a tiger-faint kick but only got a one-count. The fans cheered, ” Let’s go, Fenix.” Fenix walked on the shoulders of Motors, but after both men ran the ropes, Motros nailed Fenix with a spear, and the official began to count to ten. Fenix recovered a hit Motros with a dive on the outside. Motros recovered and hit Fenix with a lung blower, followed by a burning hammer jaw breaker, but only got a near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Fenix hit a flurry of superkicks onto Motros and a frog splash, but only got a near fall. Moments later, Fenix rolled through a choke attempt from Motros and covered him for victory.
WINNER: Fenix in 15:00.
(Brian’s Thoughts: I’m puzzled as to why this match didn’t open the show. It’s great to see Rey Fenix back in an AEW ring.)
-A recap video was shown of Chuck Taylor turning on The Best Friends.
-Lexy Nair interviewed Orange Cassidy backstage. Orange mentioned that two of his best friends would be fighting in a parking lot later that night. Kris Statlander interrupted and said “he needs us.”
(3) RUSH vs. MARTIN STONE
WINNER: Rush in 2:15
(Brian’s Thoughts: I’m a Rush believer and feel that if his on-screen character is provided more depth, more fans will start to get behind him.
-After the match, Rush attacked Stone with another Bulls Horns.
-Serena Deeb was backstage with Lexy Nair. Deeb said it’s now or never, so it’s time to prove to herself and everyone that she can become AEW Women’s World Champion.
(4) TIMELESS” TONI STORM (w/Luther & Mariah May) vs. ANNA JAY
The match started with a collar elbow tie-up. Both women exchanged headlocks. Storm finally won the battle of headlocks with a headlock takeover over. Jay hit Storm with a leg whip in the corner, and shortly after, Jay taunted Storm by hitting a lazy hip attack. Storm was angry and nailed Jay with a high Lou Thesz Press. Storm hit Jay with a hip attack on the outside, but Jay ran into Mariah May; while Storm was distracted, Jay hit Storm with a neckbreaker against the ropes. [c]
After the break, Storm hit Jay with a backstabber, a DDT, and a fisherman suplex and got a near fall. The fans chanted, “This is Awesome!” Jay recovered and hit a Gory Special but only got a near fall. Storm recovered and hit a choke bomb onto Jay but only got a near fall. Jay railed to nail Storm with a flatliner and locked in the Queen’s Slayer submission. Storm reserved the submission and slammed Jay to the mat. In the closing moments, Storm hit Jay with the hip attack in the corner and followed up with Storm Zero to secure the pinfall victory in the match.
WINNER: “Timeless” Toni Storm at 9:22.
(Brian’s Thoughts: As Storm shows more dimension in her character, she gradually lets down her guard and wrestles more and more each week. What a great showing from Anna Jay. I would put this up match with the TBS Title match she had with Jade Cargill as my favorite Anna Jay match. Storm is the Ace of the AEW Women’s Division, and a potential match with Serena Deeb at Double or Nothing should be great.)
-The camera crew panned to the back to show the Parking Lot Brawl match that will take place with Chuck Taylor vs. Trent Beretta. Taylor told Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander he didn’t want them to get involved in the match.
(5) THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens w/Billy Gunn) vs. GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS (James Drake & Zach Gibson)
Caster started the match off with more aggression than normal. Caster and Bowens hit a great-looking neckbreaker-backstabber combo onto Drake for a near fall. The fans cheered, “Oh, scissor me, daddy.” Bowens and Drake exchanged hard chops before Gibson tagged in. Bowens tagged in Caster, and they hit another nice double-team move. Drake hit Gibson with a blind tag. Drake took out Caster’s legs while Gibson followed up with a dropkick on Caster’s face. Drake used Gibson as a springboard to take out Bowens with a crazy-looking dive. [c]
After the break, Drake hit Caster with another dive on the outside, and Gibson held Caster with a sleeper hold. Caster avoided a rolling kick from Drake and made the hot tag to Bowens who entered the ring. After Bowens ran wild, several double-team moves were hit onto Drake, but Caster only got a near fall. Gibson dumped Caster outside, and Bowens was left alone to fight off both Drake and Gibson. Bowens was laid out in the corner, and Drake hit a coast-to-coast assisted lung blower but only for a near fall.
In the closing moments, Billy Gunn acted like he was going to help Caster and Bownes, but the official warned him to back off. Caster knocked Drake to the outside, and the Accalmied hit the Mic Drop onto Gibson to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: Max Caster & Anthony Bowens in 12:00
(Brian’s Thoughts: Fans will be upset that GVY didn’t win here, but I understand you don’t want to beat your own guys on national TV with free agents. However, this was the best The Acclaimed has looked in the ring in two years. Their moves together were crisp, and Bowens is excellent at making a babyface comeback. Drake and Gibson deserve a contract because they delivered on this big stage.)
-Shibata was backstage. He said he aimed to take down the Learning Tree and defeat Chris Jericho for the FTW Title. Daniel Garcia came backstage to offer his assistance to hold off Shane Taylor’s promotion.
(6) SWERVE STRICKLAND vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI- AEW World Championship
The match started with grappling. Both men held a grip locked in where flips and pin attempts were made. Nigel, on commentary, mentioned that this exchange was Tony Charles’s special. Strickland and Castagnoli continued to fight for wrist control until they both squared off in the middle of the ring. Castagnoli caught Strickland in mid-air and hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
Both men brawled outside until Strickland hit a clothesline line to knock Castagnoli back inside the ring. Strickland climbed the top rope to hit a splash and three neckbreakers onto Castagnoli. Strickland went for a PK, but Castagnoli ducked. Castagnoli then picked up Strickland like a small child and threw him onto the barricade. Castagnoli followed up with an uppercut onto the barricade that sent Strickland flying. [c]
After the break, Strickland recovered and nailed Castagnoli with a pump kick and spinning uppercut. Castagnoli laid in a stiff uppercut, and Strickland countered with a flatliner onto Castagnoli, but only got a near fall. Castagnoli went for the Naturalizer, but Strickland rolled through to lay in a stiff forearm shot to Castagnoli for a near fall. After brawling on the outside again, Strickland jumped off the stage ramp to hit a moonsault onto Castagnoli. Strickland got Castagnoli back in the ring and hit a 450 splash for a near fall. Both men exchanged kicks and forearms until Castagnoli hit a clothesline to lay out both men.
Fans chanted, “Fight forever.” Strickland hit the Swerve Stomp, but Castagnoli kicked out. Strickland went for the House Call, but Castagnoli reserved the move into the Giant Swing into the Sharpshooter. Strickland broke up the submission attempt. Strickland went for another Swerve stomp onto Castagnoli’s shoulders, but Castagnoli turned it into a European uppercut for a near fall.
In the match’s closing moments, both men squared off in the middle of the ring. After a third attempt, Strickland hit a Swerve Stomp and finished the match with a House Call to cover Castagnoli for the victory.
WINNER: Swerve Strickland in 21:00
(Brian’s Thoughts: Good showing from Swerve to begin, hopefully, a lengthy title reign. Swerve has the cool factor down; I think there’s an opportunity for more depth in his character to connect with the audience.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: I thought this was a great show. The show felt like a big deal, especially when both your men’s and women’s world champions are wrestling on the same show. I’m hopeful with an eventful weekend in the news with AEW, the positive vibes will continue to carry over in their television for weeks to come.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: TNA Impact results (4/25): Moore’s review of the Rebellion fallout show with Nic Nemeth vs. Eddie Edwards, Mike Santana vs. Myron Reed, Xia Brookside vs. Ash By Elegance
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