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AEW COLLISION REPORT – EPISODE 53
JULY 13, 2024
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA AT SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Bobby Cruise
[HOUR ONE]
(1) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. TOMMY BILLINGTON
Don Callis joined the commentary team for the match. Takeshita challenged Billington with his size early. Billington nailed a shoulder block, and Takeshita rolled to the outside. Billington hit a dropkick and went for a crossbody, but Billington was the one who got the worst of the exchange. Both men brawled at the top rope, but Takeshita won the exchange with a brainbuster. Billington kicked out of the cover at two. Both exchanged punches and forearms in the middle of the ring. Takeshita threw Billington to the ring post so hard he landed on the outside. [C]
After the break, Billington hit a crossbody and followed up with a shotgun dropkick. Callis put Billington over as a young prospect. Both men had a fantastic sequence where they countered power driver exchanges, but Billington finally won and landed a Tombstone power driver. Billington went for a diving headbutt but missed. Takeshita hit a Blue Thunder bomb but only got a near fall. In the closing moments of the match, both men exchanged forearm shots. Takeshita won the war and ended the match with the T trigger to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita at 13:27
(Brian’s Thoughts: Billington looks and works like an old-school pro. He is still very raw in finding his voice and generating a relationship with the fan base, but he remains an interesting prospect for AEW in the future. The post-match makes you wonder if pairing Billington with FTR would open up his promo ability and charisma.)
-Post-match, Don Callis grabbed a microphone and attempted to recruit Billington into the Don Callis family. Billington shook the hand of Callis and told him to kiss his ass. Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher jumped Billington, but FTR returned to a huge reaction to make the save.
-A recap video showed Mirah May winning the Owen Hart Cup and beating Toni Storm. Please tune in to the upcoming episode of Collision Cafe with me and Amin Ajani as we discuss the angle in full detail.
(2) BANG BANG GANG (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn & Juice Robinson) vs. LONDON LIGHTNING & MICHAEL ALLEN RICHARD CLARK & SHAUN MOORE
WINNER: Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn & Juice Robinson at 2:05
-Post-match, Colten grabbed a microphone and said Christian Cage hurt Jay White and Juice Robinson would take over White’s place. Christopher Daniels said due to the injury, he would have to strip the Bang Bang Gang of the trio’s titles. The Patriarchy came out, and Cage demanded the trio titles. Daniels said there would be a match between the two groups to confirm the next trio’s titles. Cage said he would see the Bang Bang Gang down the road.
-A recap video of Jack Perry defending the TNT Title against Marko Stunt was shown.
-Hose of Black cut a promo backstage and said that starting next week, they will begin their journey to rebuild their way back to Wembley Stadium.
-A video of Jeff Jarrett and Doctor Martha Hart was shown backstage this past Wednesday.
(3) RODERICK STRONG (w/Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. DALTON CASTLE (w/Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) – ROH World Title #1 Contendership Match
Castle kept Strong close to the match so he could utilize his great wrestling background. Strong knocked Castle to the outside, and Magnum and Floyd hulked up to motivate Castle to get back into the ring. Strong was stuck on the top rope but allowed Castle to hit a running knee strike from the apron. Castle and Strong brawled on the outside. [C]
After the break, Castle suplexed Strong and landed forearm shots. Castle landed a running knee and a bulldog to get a near fall. Strong broke the gut wrench from Castle and went for a closeline, only to get countered with a suplex by Castle. After hitting a running knee in the corner, Castle crashed and burned to the outside. Both men brawled on the apron, and Castle was dropped with a suplex. In the match’s closing moments, Castle went for Bang-A-Rang, but Strong revered Castle and nailed him with a flash knee to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Roderick Strong in 10:50
(Brian’s Thoughts: Dalton Castle is an underrated professional wrestler. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he is an excellent professional wrestler. Setting up Strong against Mark Briscoe at Death Before Dishonor should be a good match.)
-Mark Briscoe cut a promo from his home in Delaware.
-Another vignette aired featuring Holgogram, and it appears he will make his debut next week.
-Lexy Nair interviewed Brandon Stokley and Kris Standler. Stokley said everything Willow Nightingale got this year was because of us, and Standler said this would never be over for you.
(4) NYLA ROSE vs. AVA LAWLESS
A straightforward win for Rose.
WINNER: Nyla Rose in 1:50
[HOUR TWO]
-A recap of Bryan Danielson winning the men’s Owen Hart Cup was shown.
(5) TOP FLIGHT (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) (w/Action Andretti) vs. SHANE TAYLOR PROMOTIONS (Anthony Ogogo & Lee Moriarty w/Shane Taylor)
Dante got the best of Moriarty early with several near-fall attempts. Ogogo and Darius squared off. Ogogo is a decent brawler but still very raw in the ring. Ogogo worked over the arm of Darius.[C]
After the break, Moriarty continued to work over Darius’s arm. Moriarty went for a strike, but Darius countered with a suplexed and gave the hot tag to Dante, and he ran wild. Dante rolled up Ogogo for a near fall. Moriarty picked up Darius for a slam and got a near fall. Shane Taylor tripped up Darius, and Action Andretti got involved and took out Taylor with a dive. Moriarty went for a roll-up in the match’s closing moments but got a near fall. Darius hit. F-5 into a DDT to secure the pinfall victory for his team.
WINNERS: Dante Martin & Darius Martin in 11:46
(Brian’s Thoughts: The match was underwhelming overall, but Moriarty continues to improve as he gets more TV time.)
-Post-match Shane Taylor jumped Top Flight after the match.
-Lexy Nair interviewed Deonna Purrazzo. Thunder Rosa interpreted the interview and challenged Purrazzo to a lumberjack match next Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
-Lexy Nair interviewed Nyla Rose backstage, and Rose accepted the TBS Title match for this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Perfect pairing for Mercedes Mone. She makes a bigger opponent look like a million bucks, and Rose does the same with smaller opponents.)
(6) SKYE BLUE vs. HARLEY CAMERON (w/Saraya)
Cameron went for a roll-up early. Both women exchanged boots to the throats in the corner. Cameron nailed a close line and dropped hammer and anvil elbows. Blue hit Cameron with a cheeky Nando kick and pushed Cameron to the outside. Blue was distracted by Saraya, which allowed Cameron to hit a Russian leg sweep. [C]
After the break, Blue hit Cameron with a running knee, followed by a standing knee and a twisting shout for a near fall. Cameron rolled up Blue for a near fall and followed up with a jar breaker for another near fall. Cameron hit a shining wizard for another near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Blue hit a superkick into a TKO, followed by a head and arm choke to secure the submission victory.
WINNER: Skye Blue in 8:07
(Brian’s Thoughts: For her experience level, you have to give Cameron a ton of credit. Her Cage Match page is not a novel, but the fact that she can still be in the right place at the right time to take a bump is encouraging for her prospects with AEW.)
-A Learning Tree recap video from this past week showed them taking out Samoa Joe.
-Skye Blue cut a promo backstage and challenged Hikaru Shida next week.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Another women’s feud built within the women’s division does not involve a title.)
(7) THE UNDISPUTED KINGDOM (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. THE CONGLOMERATION (Kyle O’Reilly & Orange Cassidy)
Before the match started, Roderick Strong joined the commentary team. Neither Tacen nor Bennett wanted to wrestle O’Reilly, which allowed Cassidy to hit a dive to the outside. The match broke down, and all four men brawled in the ring. O’Reilly went for an ankle lock, but the submission hold was broken up. Taven hit a sick kick onto O’Reilly for a near fall. O’Reilly hit a double closeline. [C]
After the break, Cassidy was double-teamed and was covered for the pin but kicked out at two. Cassidy hit a boot and leapfrogged in the corner for the hot tag to O’Reilly, who ran wild. O’Reilly locked in a knee bar, but Bennett broke up the submission attempt. O’Reilly was double-teamed and hit with the neck check. Bennett went for a cover, but Cassidy broke up the pinfall. O’Reilly tagged in Cassidy, who hit the Beach Break on Bennett for a close near fall. In the closing moments of the match, all hell broke loose. Strong came down to the ring, but Tomohiro Ishii jumped him. Trent Beretta came down to attack Cassidy while the official was distracted, which allowed Taven and Bennett to hit a spiked power driver for the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: Matt Taven & Mike Bennett in 13:34
(Brian’s Thoughts: This was a solid main event; nothing to write home about, but it is a part of the story that will undoubtedly lead to the eventual O’Reilly heel turn.)
-Post Match Beretta jumped O’Reilly after the match, and during the chaos, Cassidy hit Beretta with a monkey wrench. The baby face team stood tall afterward.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was more of a show of developments and improvements of developmental wrestlers. I’m excited to see what the first episode looks like next weekend in Arlington, Texas, as AEW starts its Path to All-In.
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