SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION REPORT
MAY 19, 2024
PORTLAND, OREGON AT MODA CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Bobby Cruise
[HOUR ONE]
-The Collision opening aired to Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”
-Tony Schiavone welcomed everyone to the show.
(1) WILL OSPREAY vs. SHANE TAYLOR (W/Anthony Ogogo)
Before the match started, a recap was shown from last Saturday, when Shane Taylor was jumping Will Ospreay. Roderick Strong came down the ramp to join the commentary team ringside for the match. The match started fast, with Ospreay hitting a dive onto Taylor on the outside.
Ospreay followed that up with a forearm shot from the top rope, but Taylor kicked out at one. Taylor recovered and hit Ospreay with a closeline. Both men brawled on the outside. Ospreay pushed Taylor into Matt Taven and Mike Bennett and followed up with a shove to Strong. [c]
After a commercial break, Ospreay and Taylor exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Ospreay hit a boot and a flying forearm to the back of Taylor’s head for a near fall. Ospreay went for the Hidden Blade, but Taylor counted with a running knee. Taylor followed up with a headbutt, uranage, and a big splash onto Ospreay for a near fall. The fans cheered, “Ospreay.” Taylor hit a powerbomb and lariat combination for a near fall. Ospreay hit a standing Spanish fly for a near fall. Ospreay went for an Osscutter, but Taylor reserved the cutter attempted into Greetings From Ashbury Park a near fall. The fans cheered, “This is awesome!”
In the match’s closing moments, both men climbed to the top rope, which led to Ospreay hitting a flurry kick onto Taylor. While Taylor was dazed, Ospreay was able to go underneath. Taylor used the bigger opponents’ weight against them and hit the Storm Breaker for the pinfall victory.
After the match, the Kingdom jumped Ospreay, but Ospreay fought all three members off to stand strong.
WINNER: Will Ospreay in 9:54
(Brian’s Thoughts: AEW addressed one of the biggest problems I had with the show last weekend by promoting one of their biggest stars ahead of time and letting him open the match.)
-A video was shown of the Elite putting out a hit on Team AEW.
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli cut a promo backstage. Moxley said he’s used to being a target. Moxley said, “We don’t hunt because we are hungry; we hunt because we are lions.” Castagnol said people always try to make a name for themselves in the Blackpool Combat Club, but you’re dealing with the real deal. Moxley also promoted the Double or Nothing Title Eliminator match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Konosuke Takeshita.
-The commentary team promoted the AEW Path to All In Summer Series, which will take place in Arlington, Texas, from July 20 to August 17.
-Chris Jericho cut a promo backstage. Jericho said he was proud of Hook for making him bleed his own blood and wished him luck in his upcoming match.
(2) HOOK vs. JOHNNY TV (w/Taya Valkyrie) – FTW Title Qualifying Match
WINNER: Hook in 3:20
(Brian’s Thoughts: Not a lot to this match. It’s a very typical Hook match with light selling.)
(3) KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. ROCKY ROMERO – FTW Title Qualifying Match
Shibata and Hook shared a fist bump on the ramp as Shibata made his way to the ring. Shibata and Romero started the match with sound-ground technical wrestling. Romero locked in an octopus hold, but Shibata reversed the submission attempt into a figure four. Romero escaped. Romero hit a DDT from the top rope. Shibata sold the move, and Romero sold his knee after Shibata had worked it over. [c]
After a commercial break, Shibata absorbed chops and kicks from Romero. Shibata went for a rear naked and choked underneath the ropes, but Romero broke the hold and hit Shibata with a stomp to the back of the head for a near fall. Shibata recovered and hit a butterfly suplex for a near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Shibata hit a backbreaker and penalty kick to set up Romero for the Figure Four submission to secure the submission victory.
WINNER: Katsuyori Shibata in 9:58
(Brian’s Thoughts: A good professional wrestling from these two veterans.)
(4) BRYAN KEITH vs. BOULDER (w/Bronson & Jacked Jameson) – FTW Title Qualifying Match
Keith tipped his cap to Shibata as he approached the ring. Jameson cut a promo on the city of Portland, and Boulder jumped Keith before the match started. Keith hit a European uppercut, followed by a reverse DDT to cover Boulder for the victory.
WINNER: Bryan Keith in 1:40
(Brian’s Thoughts: Good to see Keith winning singles matches live on TV.)
-Lexi Nair was backstage with Pac. Nair asked Pac if he cared to respond to the message left from Bullet Club Gold last week. Pac said he couldn’t care less and hadn’t felt anything in weeks.
-A recap video was shown from the contract signing with Mercedes Mone and Willow Nightingale from AEW Dynamite.
-Bullet Club Gold jumped Pac from the entrance ramp.
-The Patriarchy cut a promo backstage. Nick Wayne said last year, when Swerve Strickland jumped him, he was a boy, and now he’s a man. Wayne also confirmed he will wrestle Strickland on the go-home AEW Dynamite before Double or Nothing.
(5) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. ISIAH KASSIDY
[HOUR TWO]
WINNER: Orange Cassidy in 12:00
-After the match, Trent Beretta challenged Orange to a match for Double or Nothing.
(Brian’s Thoughts: This match signals one huge problem AEW must address. Why is Cassidy going 12 minutes with a tag team wrestler? The roster is full of singles wrestlers. I’m open to the idea that not every match on a card needs to have a novel story length attached to it, but it also gives me more variety on a television show. We just watched Katsuyori Shibata vs. Rocky Romero, which was a better fundamental match than this. My criticism isn’t toward Orange and Isiah, but AEW should be more creative than providing a house show match like this for a TV show.)
(6) SERENA DEEB vs ANNA JAY
Deeb started the match fast with a kick to Jay’s gut, followed by a twist and shout for a near fall. Deeb put Jay in the Paradise Lock and followed up with a dropkick to Jay’s back. Jay went for a kick, but Deeb hit a neckbreaker using the ropes. [c]
After a commercial break, Deeb had Jay an abdominal stretch submission. Jay reversed the hold and regained momentum in the match. Jay swung Deeb back and forth in the turnbuckles and followed up with a flat liner for a near fall. Deeb would recover and hit a German suplex, followed by Pepsi twist for a near fall. The fans cheered Deeb.
Deeb hit Jay with a chop block, which Jay reversed into the Queen Slayer, but Deeb escaped the submission. In the match’s closing moments, Deeb hit the Deebtox and locked Jay in a single-leg Boston Crab to secure the submission victory.
After the match, Luther stole Deeb’s Flag, and Toni Storm got undressed underneath Deeb’s Flag.
WINNER: Serena Deeb in 8:30
(Brian’s Thoughts: It was an excellent showcase for Deeb and an even better showing from Jay. I’m happy that AEW is still willing to be patient and continue with Jay. With AEW partnering with Stardom, having Jay on a young lion’s excursion wouldn’t be the worst idea.)
-A video was shown to hype Swerve Strickland vs. Christian Cage at Double or Nothing.
(7) NICK WAYNE vs. JACK CARTWHEEL
WINNER: Nick Wayne in (2:20
(Brian’s Thoughts: A straightforward victory for Wayne to build him up towards his match against Swerve Strickland on AEW Dynamite.)
(8) BRYAN DANIELSON & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. LANCE ARCHER & THE RIGHTEOUS (Dutch & Vincent)
The match started with Vincent whipping Harwood turnbuckle to turnbuckle to work over Harwood’s injured back. Harwood hit a suplex and tagged in Wheeler. After Dutch was tagged in FTR, he double-teamed the bigger opponent and covered him for a near fall. The fans chanted, “We want Bryan!” The match broke down as all six men brawled in the ring. [c]
After a commercial break, Vincent had Harwood in a bulldog choke in the middle of the ring. Archer was tagged in, and he ran wild in Harwood. Archer went for the Blackout, but Harwood bit him to avoid the move. Finally, Harwood got the hot tag into Danielson for the hot tag, and he ran wild. Danielson locked in the Lebell lock onto Dutch, but Archer broke up the submission attempt, and the match broke down again. Danielson and Wheeler hit the power and glory suplex onto Vincent. In the match’s closing moments, Vincent went for a roll-up onto Wheeler, but Harwood back-suplexed Wheeler to set up the Shatter Machine to secure the pinfall victory for their team.
WINNERS: Danielson & Cash & Dax in 12:50
-After the match, Dutch, Vincent, and Archer jumped FTR and Danielson after the match. After a Blackout to a steel chair, Daniel Garcia came down to the ring with a steel chair to make the save.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed the opener and the lone women’s match, but this show was an AEW Dark version of a weekly television show. I’m hopeful this episode was a one-off, but this episode is one of the weaker shows in terms of quality in the show’s history.
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