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AEW COLLISION TV REPORT – EPISODE 54
JULY 20, 2024
ARLINGTON, TEXAS
ARENA: ESPORTS STADIUM
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Bobby Cruise
[HOUR ONE]
-A new, open, debuted Tony Schiavone welcomes everyone to the show.
(1) DARBY ALLIN vs. THE BEAST MORTOS
Before the match started, the commentary team recapped the closing segment from AEW Dynamite. Mortos grabbed Allin in a headlock takeover and swung him to the ground. Allin got Mortos to the outside and nailed him with a dive. Allin went for another dive, but Mortos caught him and swung him against the steel steps. Mortos locked in a surfboard stretch and launched Allin into the turnbuckle. Mortos tossed Allin like a small child and hit a samo drop for a near fall. Allin went for a coffin splash and was able to roll up Mortos for a near fall. While Allin had a choke applied, Mortos broke the hold by hitting a cannonball splash in the corner. Mortos crashed and burned to the floor, which allowed Allin to hit a Coffin Drop to the floor. The fans cheered, “Holly Shit” Mortos recovered and hit a great-looking spear for a near fall. Mortos gave Allin a huge paintbrush, and he fell to the floor. Mortos opened himself up for a free shot; Allin used his agility to give Mortos a code red for a near fall. Both men brawled to the top rope, and Mortos landed something I’d never seen before an avalanche gorilla press slam. However, Allin kicked out at two. Both men brawled to the top rope in the match’s closing moments. Allin landed a crucifix bomb, which allowed Allin just enough time to hit the Coffin Drop to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 10:36
(Brian’s Thoughts: The Beast Mortos continues to shine to these TV opportunities given to him. Allin knows his strengths and how to make every opponent look like a gaint. Before this match, it had been four months since Allin had a singles match. This was a friendly reminder that Allin can be good in the ring.)
-Post Match, Allin grabbed the microphone to hype up Blood and Guts this coming Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. Allin challenged Jack Perry to a match at All-In.
-The Acclaimed cut a promo backstage. Daddy Ass told Caster and Bowens it’s time to nut up or shut up.
(2) SKYE BLUE vs. HIKARU SHIDA
Blue started the match early with a big boot and kicks in the corner. Blue went for another kick, but Shida ducked and hit a kick of her own. Shida went for a dive, and something happened. Blue went, and the official stopped the match.
WINNER: Hikaru Shida by referee’s decision in 4:00
(Brian’s Thoughts: Best wishes to Blue. Tony Khan confirmed on social media that the match was stopped due to a potential ankle injury for Blue. Injuries of any kind stink, but I’m glad AEW on-screen and off-screen were transparent about what happened.)
-Lance Archer was backstage beating up jobbers.
-Chris Jericho cut a promo to hype his match against Minoru Suzuki at Blood and Guts this Wednesday.
(3) TONY NESE (w/Ariya Daivari, Josh Woods, Mark Sterling) vs. REY FENIX (w/Alex Abrahantes)
Fenix got a great reaction from the crowd. Nese hit a spinning heel kick and pinned Fenix for a near fall. Fenix went for a dive and feel. The commentary team sold it as Josh Woods grabbed Fenix’s leg. Fenix went for a baseball dive, but Mark Sterling moved Nese out of the way. Woods distracted Fenix, and Nese hit a super kick. [C]
After the break, Nese paint bushed Fenix,. The fans cheered, ” Let’s go, Fenix.” Nese got Fenix up for a powerbomb and got a near fall. Nese set Fenix up in the corner for the Running Nese, but Fenix ran wild to rally. After hitting several kicks, Fenix hit a beautiful dive to the outside. Fenix hit a kicking kick to the ropes of Mark Sterling due to the distraction. Nese kicked Fenix and hit a 450 splash for a close near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Fenix walked to the ropes again, kicked Nese in the face, and climbed to the top rope to hit a frog splash to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Rey Fenix in 11:00
(Brian’s Thoughts: Having Fenix or Penta wrestle in Texas is always a good idea. I was concerned Fenix legitimately messed up his knee, but I’m glad he could finish the match.)
-Tony Schiavone Welcomed FTR to ring.
[HOUR TWO]
-FTR stood in the ring and addressed the crowd. Cash Wheeler said he had been going through some personal stuff that has dragged his name through the mud and has been a dark cloud over his head that caused him a lot of stress. He said being in the ring was an escape. He thanked the fans. He said he wrestled every match like it could be his last match. He said it’s no secret he has a short temper and can be a hot-head. He said now he’s focused on The Young Bucks.
Dax Harwood then talked about their AEW Tag Team Title reigns. He talked about his back injury and spending six weeks watching AEW TV shows at home for six weeks. He then said The Young Bucks have been weak tag team champions and haven’t been defending their titles. He said they’re embarking on a road to regaining the tag titles culminating at Wembley Stadium. He said he can be abrasive sometimes, but if they give him some grace, he’ll deliver every ounce of passion he has to regain the belts.
(Brian’s Thoughts: There are many things to sort here, so I’ll start at the top. FTR disregarded The Acclaimed as the number one contender for the tag team titles. After the show, FTR later addressed that in a backstage promo, but there was a big logic gap within the promo itself. There was also an easy call back for FTR to bring up the Acclaimed beat them for the tag titles in Texas, and we could have easily said we have unfinished business with both teams. Breaking the fourth wall where FTR is openly admitting the company’s tag team champions suck and don’t defend their titles is bad to present in general. MJF is the only one in kayfabe who can make sense of that because he’s a heel. I say this as a fan of FTR and the Young Bucks. I have no desire to see these teams wrestle again at All In. The backbone of AEW, the tag team division, is a complete mess right now, and hopefully they can get it back to form by the end of the year.)
-Lexy Nair interviewedShida who said she’s looking for a fight with Britt Baker. She asked if she remembers she made her bleed and broke her nose. She said she’d do the same on Dynanmite.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Excellent promo from Shida. Baker and Shida have a great history and great chemistry together. Their match this Wednesday at Blood and Guts should be excellent if given the proper time.)
(4) RODERICK STRONG vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII
The match started with both men chopping the hell out of each other. Strong finally broke the exchange with a knee. Both men followed a chop battle with should-block tackles. Strong landed a forearm on Ishii, and the fans cheered, ” You f—ed up.” Both men brawled on the outside. Strong picked up Ishii and slammed him on the apron. [C]
After the break, Ishii nailed a huge power slam, and both men brawled in the middle ring to exchange chops again. Ishii hit a suplex as both men laid in the ring to catch their breath. Ishii held Strong on the top rope and hit an avalanche superlex for a near fall. Both men countered moves until Strong finally won the exchange by hitting a gut buster and an Angle Slam for a near fall. Strong went for a knee but was countered by Ishii, who nailed Strong with a lariat. In the match’s closing moments, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett came down to distract the official, allowing Strong to hit a low blow by a knee to the face to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Roderick Strong in 12:16
(Brian’s Thoughts: I could have gone without the distraction low blow finish, but the match was good nonetheless.)
-Post Match, the United Kingdom tried to beat down Ishii, but Mark Briscoe and Kyle O’Reilly made the save.
-A recap was shown of MJF beating Will Ospreay for the International title.
(5) HOLOGRAM vs. GRINGO LOCO
WINNER: Hologram win 4:10
(Brian’s Thoughts: I can only go by what I saw last night, but the debut disappointed me. A superior Lucha wrestler like Rey Fenix wrestled before Hologram did him no favors. Hologram looked nervous, and nothing looked crisp until his Blue Thunder Bomb finish. I was told by multiple fans both men have better in them. AEW doesn’t generally provide vignettes before a debut, so it’s clear AEW wants him to succeed. Long-term with wrestlers like Death Triangle, Will Ospreay, and the Lucha Brothers, I worry about Hologram attempting to get over on his Lucha Wrestling alone. He must unlock something unique to connect to the fan base.)
-The Von Erichs were backstage with Dustin Rhodes. Kevin, Marshall, Ross, and Rhodes appear to be joining as a new faction.
(Brian’s Thoughts: It is a small development, but I significantly like this pairing. Rhodes and the Von Erichs potentially winning gold at Wembley Stadium. It sounds like a storyline from a movie.)
-Mark Biscoe cut a promo backstage to hype up Blood and Guts and Death Before Dishonor.
(6) THUNDER ROSA vs. DEONNA PURRAZZO – Lumberjack Match
Right away, Purrazzo was the first competitor to leave the ring, but the lumberjacks quickly convinced her to get back in. Rosa kicked a dropback and ran senton for a near fall. Rosa hit a crossbody from the top rope for a near fall. Purrazzo hit a Randy Orton-spiked DDT. Both women brawled to the top rope and set up the giant suplex spot where Rosa and Purrazzo landed on all the lumberjacks outside [C].
After the break, Purrazzo hit a lung blower to Rosa’s back for a near fall. Rosa landed blows to Purrazzo’s stomach and followed up with a running dropkick. Rosa hit a spinning DVD for a near fall. Purrazzo rolled Rosa into a pin and put Rosa in an armbar. Rosa escaped, but Purrazzo hit a pump kick and suplex for a near fall. Purrazzo got Rosa to the ground again and went for the armbar, but Rosa got out of bounds to break the hold. While Purrazzo was on the apron, Rosa hit a running spear through the ropes. “The fans cheered AEW.” In the match’s closing moments, everything broke down as lumberjacks brawled. During the chaos, Taya Valkyrie gave
Purrazzo the metal turnbuckle piece, and she nailed Rosa in the head to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Deonna Purrazzo in 11:11
(Brian’s Thoughts: A lumberjack match is an odd stipulation, but the result turned into a good match. The score is now 3-1—Purrazzo in their feud. Generally, in this stage of the feud, the blow-off match will end in a cage or a lights-out match. It will be interesting to see where the finale of this feud takes place.)
(7) THE PATRIARCHY (Christian Cage, Killswitch & Nick Wayne) (w/Shayna Wayne) vs. BANG BANG GANG (Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn & Juice Robinson) – AEW World Trios Championship Match
The fans were behind the Bang Bang Gang. Colten and Wayne exchanged headlock and leg takedowns. Robinson was tagged in, and the fans cheered “Juice.” Robinson attempted to overpower Killswitch, but Killswitch used his power advantage to take control. [C]
After the break, Robinson made the hot tag to Colten, and he ran wild. Colten hit a neckbreaker onto Wayne and got a near fall. Austin went for a tackle onto Wayne but crashed and burned on the outside. Cage worked over Austin with ground-and-pound offense. Killswitch threw Colten up for a slam and got a near fall. Colten made a hot tag to Robinson, and he ran wild. Robinson hit a senton onto Wayne and got a near fall. Cage pulled Wayne outside, and everything broke down as everyone brawled to the outside. Robinson hit a cannonball and a suplex. He went for a pin attempt, but Cage broke up the pin attempt. The Bang Bang Gang tripled Cage. Wayne went for a low blow, but Robinson caught the attempt and hit Wayne with a powerbomb for a near fall. Killswitch hit a choke slam, which allowed Cage to hit a frog splash on Robinson for a close near fall. Killswitch head-butted Cage on accident, which allowed Robinson to hit Pulp Friction, but Cage kicked out a two. The Gunns brawled with Wayne and Killswitch outside in the match’s closing moments. Cage went for the Killswitch, but as Robinson revered the hold, Cage held the shirt of the official, which allowed Shayna to spray something in the face of Robinson as the official was distracted. Cage hit the Killswitch to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: The Patriarchy win the Trios championship in 13:16
-Post-match, during the Patriarchy celebration, the lights flickered, which you can assume teased a House of Black return.
FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s fitting the famous roller coaster, The Texas Gaint, is right next to the store at Six Flags Over Texas because the show had its ups and downs. Like riding a roller coaster, you could painfully hear everyone scream. Perhaps the arena wasn’t wired or prepared for a wrestling show, but AEW must fix the audio issues. The constant echo throughout the night was almost unwatchable. Despite the production issues throughout the night, I like the prospects of how successful the home residency can be for AEW Collision.
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