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AEW COLLISION REPORT
SEPTEMBER 16, 2023
STATE COLLEGE, PA. AT BRYCE JORDAN CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
BY BRIAN ZILEM, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruz
[HOUR ONE]
-Soundbites aired featuring Bryan Danielson & Bryan Castagnoli, Big Bill & Ricky Starks, Britt Baker, Kris Statlander, John Silver & Evil Uno, and The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn. Starks said they will demonstrate that they are the face of Collision, adding that there is no place on Collision for glory hogs. Baker said they are the first women’s Collision main event.
-The Collision opening aired to Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”
(1) RICKY STARKS & BIG BILL vs. BRYAN DANIELSON & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI
After Big Bill and Ricky Starks entered the ring, the commentary team recapped the most recent episode of AEW Dynamite that led to this match. When Danielson and Claudio walked down to the ring, clips highlighted Jon Moxley Rey Fenix, Claudio, and Eddie Kingston interactions from this week’s AEW Dynamite.
The camera operator zoomed in on Bill’s shoes, still covered in Moxley’s blood. Bill and Danielson started the match. Bill pushed Danielson into the corner to land chomps and stomps. Danielson tagged Claudio into the match, where Bill and Claudio exchanged a lock-up in the middle of the ring. Danielson and Claudio tried to double-team Bill, which led to Bill hitting a good-looking double-clothesline on the BCC.
Bill and Starks worked on Danielson for several minutes. Bill hit Danielson with a big boot, which landed Danielson outside the floor as the show went to its first commercial break of the night. [c]
After the break, the show returned with Starks hitting Danielson with punches in the corner. Claudio finally got the hot tag in and exchanged uppercuts with Bill before he would finally get the big man off his feet. Claudio picked up Bill with a good-looking cutter for a near fall. Bill countered with a choke slam to Claudio for a near fall of his own.
After Claudio hit the swing into the sharpshooter, Danielson nailed a dive onto Bill on the outside. Starks hit Danielson with a spear, but Claudio broke up the pinfall attempt. When the official was distracted, Starks hit Danielson with a low blow and the Roshambo to secure the pinfall victory for his team.
WINNERS: Starks & Bill in 16:36
(Brian’s Analysis: Surprising result and a very good opener. The crowd received the match well, and I thought Big Bill here looked great throughout. I don’t know the ultimate destination with Ricky Starks, but I am starting to feel a tag team title match between FTR vs. Starks and Bill would be a hot team main event somewhere down the road.)
-A clip aired from AEW Rampage of Prince Nana, Swerve Strickland, and Brian Cage challenging The Young Bucks and Hangman Page to a Grand Slam.
-The Young Bucks and Hangman Page accepted the challenge for the AEW Grand Slam.
-Powerhouse Hobbs stated in a vignette that the chapter of the Book of Hobbs he is concentrating on is Destruction. He discussed inflicting both physical and psychological agony. No one is safe, he claimed, regardless of who they are or where they are.
-Miro claimed that his wife delivered temptation to him at his most vulnerable moment. He claimed that she makes every effort to get him back whenever he attempts to back away. According to him, any fool who doesn’t want to be saved will be placed in a pine box.
(2) FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. THE IRON SAVAGES (Bronson & Boulder w/Jacked Jameson) – AEW World Tag Team Title match
Before the match started, Wheeler and Hardwood hit Jameson with the shatter machine. The Iron savages got a few near-falls, but Wheeler and Harwood would hit Bronson with the shatter machine, followed by the power and glory suplex finish onto Boudlder for the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: FTR in 3:23 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
-After the match, the Workhorsemen entered the ring and challenged FTR to a match, answering their open challenge. They showed the Aussie Open watching on a monitor backstage.
-Lexi Nair interviewed Keith Lee. In the background, a man was shown clapping his hands and repeating, “Cohesion, Take 22.” When Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty entered, Lexi was in the middle of asking Lee a question. Moriarty is currently a part of Shane Taylor Promotions, according to Taylor. Lee was not moved. Taylor declared that he doesn’t run. Lee claimed that he has not been running but that he will shortly.
(3) JOHN SILVER vs. ANTHONY BOWENS
The Acclaimed did a rap on the way to the ring. Before the match started, John Silver said Max Caster and Daddy Ass would be banned from ringside due to the signed contract for the match.
Throughout the match, both men had good chemistry with each other. After a few exchanges, when Bowens was on the top rope, Silver landed a kick to send Bowens outside, which led to a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Silver and Bowens exchanged right-hand shots in the middle of the ring. Bowens hit Silver with a leg lariat for a near fall. When the official was checking on Silver, Bowens was attacked by Evil Uno, who was hiding under the ring during the match. Uno rolled Bowens back into the ring, and Silver hit Bowens with a running knee to secure the pinfall victory.
(Brian’s Analysis: Both men looked good, and the fans were more into this than expected. Bowens hasn’t had a singles match since Nov. 16, 2022. Bowens is smooth in the ring and has good babyface potential as a singles wrestler moving forward.)
-Eddie Kingston was shown in a promo asking what they want him to say while backstage. He claimed that he and Claudio first met in the United States in 2006 or 2007. He claimed that Claudio began to judge him after learning about his emotional and physical struggles. “Claudio decided not to do business with me and not to respect me,” he said. “And you f—ing idiots shouldn’t edit this out. There were many of us who had to fill in the potholes he made in the road.” He claimed that he has been attempting to fix it as Renee instructed. Grand Slam will cure it, he claimed, win or lose. He said that Claudio claimed he couldn’t maintain friendships, but that’s true since he drives everyone away before blaming them. New York, he claimed, is his home and is always with him. He vowed not to allow Claudio to win by having his shoulders pinned to the ground. “You should try to defeat me in New York,” he replied. “We are all uniquely built. We were created in the chilly climate. We were designed for misery.” He declared that he isn’t prepared for the suffering and that he will f— him up in New York.
(Brian’s Analysis: What a promo from Eddie Kingston. My only feedback on this segment is I would have loved for Kingston to cut this promo in front of the fans. If I were AEW, I would have Kingston and Claudio open the Grand Slam show on Dynamite and have Kingston beat Claudio in his hometown.
-Lexi interviewed Orange Cassidy and Hook backstage. Cassidy told Hook they should do a tag match or something. Hook said, “Yeah.” Orange suggested Grand Slam. Hook said, “Let’s do it.” Hook offered Orange a corn chip. Orange reached in and ate one. Renee said, “Cool.”
[HOUR TWO]
(4) AUSSIE OPEN (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs. TWO UNNAMED JOBBERS
WINNERS: Aussie Open in 0:46
-Aussie Open boasted about their swift victories. They are calling their shot, according to Fletcher. On October 1, exactly one year after their previous match, he declared that they wanted to face FTR at WrestleDream, “AEW Tag Team Titles on the line or not.”
-R.J. City interviewed Toni Storm in a vignette. Toni complained since she wasn’t convinced the lighting was appropriate. R.J. claimed that lately people have observed a difference in her. Toni claimed she was still the same “adorable, alluring girl” she had always been. Toni stated that AEW “wouldn’t know talent if it slapped their tits off.” If she is the odd woman out, so be it, she remarked, adding that no one would want to hang out with them anyhow. She claimed the lamp in their rear is disgusting. Off-camera, R.J. nervously asked someone if they could fix the lamp.
(Brian’s Analysis: I wish AEW would give the Women’s Division more freedom to find something in themselves if the wrestler isn’t connecting with the audience. Toni Storm is doing a fantastic job with this Marilyn Monroe gimmick.)
-A vignette aired with Scorpio Sky, who discussed his comeback from back-to-back injuries, aired. He mentioned competing against one of the finest in the world, Andrade. Sky said, “This time, I’m here, and I’m not coming back.”
(5) SCORPIO SKY vs. ANDRADE EL IDOLO
After the bell rang, Andrade offered a handshake to Sky, but he declined. Andrade hit Sky with a dragon screw leg whip. Afterward, Sky pushed Andrade off the top rope as the show took a commercial break. [c]
After the break, Sky was shown working the jaw of Andrade in the middle of the ring. Andrade would follow up with more dragon screw leg whips onto Sky. The final exchange in the match was excellent. Andrade hit Sky with a Judas effect, which Andrade tried to follow up with a double-arm DDT, but Sky countered into a cradle pinfall attempt. Andrade hit a dropkick on Sky’s knee that he had been working the entire match. Andrade finished the match with a Figure-Eight leglock to secure the victory with the submission.
WINNER: Andrade 9:16
(Brian’s Analysis: Andrade looked quick and explosive in this match against Sky. I enjoyed the purpose and intent of the moves he executed throughout the match.)
-Bullet Club Gold then emerged and spoke to Andrade from the ramp. Jay White observed that Andrade seemed to be enjoying himself well while watching Bullet Club Gold last week. Austin was upset that White called Juice and Colten “cocks” but not him. White challenged Andrade to a fight. “This is the Switchblade era,” said White
-A video package aired on Don Callis revealing Kota Ibushi is the next target. A narrator talked about their past in Japan.
-Tony Schiavone interviewed Shibata backstage. Shibata held up his iPhone, which translated his words to say he was coming to WrestleDream
(6) MATT & JEFF HARDY vs. THE RIGHTEOUS (Vincent & Dutch)
Before the match started, a recap video was shown of the Righteous jumping that Hardys on AEW Rampage this past Friday. Matt and Jeff hit quick tags in and out of the match to work on Vincent. Dutch hit a great-looking boss man slam onto Matt, following the show to a commercial break.
After the break, Matt hit a side effect on Vincent and tagged Jeff into the match. Jeff ran wild for a bit. Jeff went after the Swanton bomb, but Dutch hit the ropes to trip up Jeff. Afterward, Vincent hit a spinning cutter to pin Jeff for the pinfall victory.
WINNERS: The Righteous at 7:32.
-Afterward Dutch held up the microphone and commanded silence. Their names were spoken. “Two believers looking for the truth in the eyes of the liars,” Vincent said. Vincent claimed that they had just defeated one of the best tag teams in history. He claimed that people are listening to the Devil on their shoulders and following false idols. According to Vincent, the Devil doesn’t exist, and the truth will destroy their egos. He discussed phony relationships and phony friendships. Vincent brought up the phony friendship between MJF and Adam Cole.
-The Commentary team ran down the upcoming matches for AEW Grand Slam and Collision.
-A hype video aired on Claudio vs. Kingston with soundbites from both
-FTR was interviewed by Schiavone backstage. The open challenge, according to Cash, is about teams standing up. They agreed to take on Aussie Open, and according to Dax, they will still have the title of AEW Tag Champions by WrestleDream.
-A hype video was shown for Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
-Schiavone interviewed Starks & Bill. Next Saturday, Starks issued a Texas Death match challenge to Danielson. Starks promised to “end this fiasco known as Bryan Danielson.”
(7) KRIS STATLANDER vs. BRITT BAKER – AEW TBS Title match
Jim Ross joined the commentary team for the main event. Brit Baker received a great reaction from her home crowd. Brit Baker was always wearing Penn State-themed gear for the match. Before the match started, a recap video was shown from Statlander’s TBS Title match against Jade Cargill from Rampage.
As the match started, Statlander showed off his power advantage against Baker. Statlander and Baker exchanged forearm shots in the middle of the ring that fans got behind. Statlander hit Baker with a power slam as the show went to its final commercial break of the broadcast. [c]
After the break, both women were fighting on the top rope. Statlander went for a moonsault. Baker then worked on the legs of Statlander on the ring post. Once Statlander recovered, she hit Baker with a blue thunder bomb for a near fall. Baker went for the lockjaw finisher, but Statlander blocked it. Both women again exchanged forearms in the middle of the ring. Baker hit a flurry of finishing moves for a good near fall. Statlander put Baker on her shoulders, which followed Baker putting Statlander into an octopus hold, which allowed Baker to transition to the lockjaw submission. Statlander was able to use her momentum to counter the lockjaw into a cradle to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Statlander in 12:00 to retain the TBS Title.
(Brian’s Analysis: Great showing from both women in the main event.)
In storyline, Statlander is trying to live up to the title prestige Orange Cassidy had with the international Title. The finish seemed oddly familiar to an Orange. Cassidy finish a few weeks ago from Dynamite vs. Penta.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Although it may not be flashy, I appreciate how much more AEW is trying to thread each show together now that the roster split is officially over.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW COLLISION RESULTS (9/16): Keller’s report on Starks & Big Bill vs. Claudio & Danielson, Statlander vs. Baker for TBS Title, FTR vs. Iron Savages
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Collision results (9/16): Powell’s live review of Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ricky Starks and Big Bill, FTR vs. Iron Savages for the AEW Tag Team Titles, Kris Statlander vs. Britt Baker for the TBS Title
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