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AEW COLLISION REPORT – EPISODE 51
JUNE 29, 2024
BUFFALO, NEW YORK AT KEYBANK CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Bobby Cruise
[HOUR ONE]
-Cold open Excalibur welcomed everyone to the show.
(1) ORANGE CASSIDY & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. SHANE HASTE & ROBBIE EAGLES
Haste and Cassidy started the match. Haste worked off Cassidy’s shoulder before tagging in Ishii. Cassidy and Ishii ran wild and took over the match. Once Eagles was tagged in, he and Cassidy exchanged fast-paced offense. Eagles distracted the official, and Haste pulled Cassidy outside to slam him on the apron. [c]
After the break, Haste and Eagles double-teamed Cassidy in the middle of the ring. Cassidy finally got the hot tag into Ishii, and he ran wild. Ishi suplexed Haste for a near fall. Cassidy and Ishii double-teamed Haste in the corner. Cassidy hit a lazy elbow drop from the top rope for a near fall. Eagles nailed Cassidy with a spin driver and got a close near fall. In the match’s closing moments, Ishii and Haste brawled on the outside, allowing Cassidy to hit Breack Break on to Eagles to secure the pinfall victory for his team.
WINNERS: Orange Cassidy & Tomohiro Ishii in 10:39
(Brian’s Thoughts: A very entertaining opener for the show. No fluff or flab to this match at all. Ishii and Cassidy have great chemistry together as a tag team.)
-A video package of Hangman Page was shown. The package included sad music along with clips of Hangman drinking.
-The show went backstage with the Learning Tree. Chris Jericho advised on how to hope your wrist for a match.
(2) LADY FROST vs. STEPHANIE VACQUER
Mercedes Mone came down to ringside to watch the match. Vacquer and Frost grappled, and Vacquer held Frost in an STF submission before Frost broke the hold. Frost went for a handstand on the apron, but Vacquer super-kicked her right in the face. Vacquer and Mone squared off afterward. [C]
After the break, Vacquer drove Frost with their knees to the mat. Frost hit a roundhouse kick and snowball dive in the corner. Frost was very over to this point. Frost went for Frostbite, but Vacquer kicked out at two. Frost used her gymnastics background to nail a dropkick. Vacquer sidestepped Frost and hit a flurry of headbutts. In the match’s closing moments, Vacquer hit a nasty-looking dragon-scew leg whip followed by a back-backer to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Stephanie Vacquer in 7:55
(Brian’s Thoughts: Stephanie Vacquer, I apologize. I wasn’t familiar with your work and was highly impressed by this showing. The entire tone of the match and heat changed once Vacquer kicked Frost in the face. Vacquer looked like a killer, and Frost was able to get the fans behind her. Frost is sometimes put in awkward face-vs.-face dynamics, so it was nice to see the fans get behind her.
-Post-match, Mone and Vacquer came face to face when Zeuxis jumped Mone, and Vacquer hit her finisher to send a message.
-The show went backstage. Lexy Nair interviewed Death Triangle. LIJ interrupted the interview to challenge Death Triangle to a match at Forbidden Door. Penta said they accepted and confirmed Místico would be their tag partner in the trios match for the PPV.
(3) SERENA DEEB vs. KELLY MADAN
The match was more or less a showcase for Deeb. She hit all big moves and the Deebtox to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Serena Deeb in 1:13
-Post-match Deeb cut the following promo.
“I know how this story goes. Yes, I fell short in my quest to become AEW Women’s World Champion. But I refuse to be put into wrestling purgatory. This is AEW. We’re the best wrestle. Well, guess what, Buffalo? I am the freaking best. To bow in between these ropes, I prove that every single time I’m in this ring. So come on, AEW. Give me someone to wrestle that’s on the professor’s level.
Riho came down and got a massive pop from the fans. Deeb and Riho squared off, and Deeb walked down the ramp.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Earlier this week, Tony Khan, in an interview with WGN Radio, said he believes AEW has “the best women’s wrestling in the world right now.” This segment speaks volumes about Tony’s overall sentiment about the Women’s Division. Most might think this is just a regular match being built up, but behind Deeb’s promo, there was truth to her words: Fair or not, the Women’s Division was not getting the spotlight. While some feuds featuring women are built arguing backstage, AEW is trying to get with the times and promote feuds on who the best wrestler is.)
-The show went backstage with the Learning Tree again. Hook, Samoa Joe, and Katsuyori Shibata jumped the Learning Tree. Jeff Cobb came down to the ring to help the Learning Tree. Cobb was confirmed to be the third man in the Learning Tree trios PPV match.
-A hype video package was shown to promote Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Orange Cassidy
-Lexy Nair interviewed Orange and was interpreted by ZSJ. The two had an excellent face-off when setting up their PPV match.
(4) HECHICERO vs. KEVIN BLACKWOOD
WINNER: Hechicero in 2:21
-The show went backstage with Lexy Nair with the Patriarchy. Christian Cage and Jay White exchanged words to build an upcoming trios title match.
(5) DANIEL GARCIA vs. THE BUTCHER
Both grappled as the match started until the Butcher used his size to gain the advantage. Butcher hit a hard crossbody punch so hard it looked like he had broken a rib. Both men battled outside. Garcia put Butcher on a steel chair to nail him with a running dropkick. Butcher countered by hitting a spinning backdrop to the guardrail. [C]
[HOUR TWO]
After the break, the fans cheered, “This is awesome.” Butcher hit a half-Nelson backbreaker, followed up by a Pespi twist, and only got a near fall.
Garcia fired up to absorb the offense from the Butcher. Garcia hit a stiff twist and shout, followed by a great-looking closeline. In the match’s closing moments, Garcia fired up and hit a powerdriver on Butcher to secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Daniel Garcia in 8:54
(Brian’s Thoughts: The Butcher is a fun old-school throwback wrestler. Big, mean, and nasty. He did a great job with Garcia. The match felt like a struggle and felt nasty at times. I’m glad this match provided a much-needed variety to a basic winner-basic loser match.)
-Lexi Nair was backstage with Will Ospreay, and The Don Callis family interpreted the interview. Ospreay asked if someone would watch his back tonight for the weigh-in, and Kyle Fletcher said he would have Ospreay’s back. Rush came and approached Callis afterward.
-Lexi Nair interviewed Jack Perry backstage. Perry refused to wrestle in the match, but Christopher Daniels said if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be allowed to wrestle for the TNT Title at the PPV.
(6) DEONNA PURRAZZO vs. HIKARU SHIDA – Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarterfinal
The match was slow-paced to start. After throwing Purrazzo outside, Shida hit a crossbody. Purrazzo recovered by hitting a pump kick. [C]
After the break, Shida unloaded forearms to the face of Purrazzo. Shida hit a knee strike with a near fall. Purrazzo grabbed Shida in an armbar and got her foot to the bottom rope to break up the submission. Shida hit the Falcon Arrow, but Purrazzo rolled her up for a near fall before she could attempt a pin. In the match’s closing moments, Shida lined up Purrazzo for the Katanna finisher to secure the victory.
WINNER: Hikaru Shida in 9:07
(Brian’s Thoughts: The match felt slightly off as both women were on different pages. They didn’t mesh well for 75 percent of the match. They got in there in the end with the finish.)
-After the match, Purrazzo beat down Shida, but Thunder Rosa came down to make the save.
-The commentary team ran down the upcoming matches for this coming Wednesday.
-A video package was shown putting Jeff Jarrett for the Owen Hart Tournament.
-Toni Storm cut the following promo, in which she is shown barefoot, steeping in the smashed champagne bottle that was used on AEW Dynamite: “Not like the brazen meaner of Japanese fame, with conquering thighs astride from post to post. Here on our blood-stained sweaty back shall stand a mighty woman with a belt whose shine is the impassioned lightning and her name, the champion of exiles. From her beacon hand glows worldwide stardom. Her piercing eyes command the entrance stage that twin tunnels frame. Keep pro-wrestling, your mediocre men, cries she with ruby lips. Give me your tired, your bored, your idle masses yearning to be entertained. The wretched fans of your teeming arena, send these, the audience, tempest-lost, to me. I lift my title inside the Forbidden Door. ”
(Brian’s Thoughts: Toni Storm is so good at these promos. It adds depth and dimension to her character.)
(7) MARK BRISCOE & DANTE MARTIN & LIO RUSH VS. JACK PERRY & EL PHANTASMO & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
Don Callis joined the commentary desk for the match. Before the match started, the fans cheered, “Cry me a river.” Rush and Takeshita had some electric exchanges to build up anticipation for the ladder match at Forbidden Door. The baby faces ran wild and worked over ELP. After a miscommunication between Martin and Rush, ELP went to tag in Perry, but he jumped off the apron. [C]
After the break, Takeshita and ELP couldn’t get along, and Martin was able to get to Briscoe for the hot tag to run wild. Briscoe went for a pinfall, but Perry broke up the cover. The match broke down and everyone landed big moves and dives. Rush and Martin hit frog splashes on ELP, but Perry broke up the pin attempt. In the closing moments of the match, Jack Perry distracted Martin, which allowed Takeshita to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb and to run knee to secure the pinfall victory for his team.
WINNERS: Jack Perry & El Phantasmo & Konosuke Takeshita in 10:54
(Brian’s Thoughts: It was a straightforward party match that was a blast. I’m wish-casting Tony Khan to book Lio Rush vs. Konosuke Takeshita.)
-Post-match, All six men brawled with a ladder to fight over the TNT title.
-The commentary team ran down the match card for Foribben Door.
SWERVE STRICKLAND AND WILL OSPREAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WEIGH-IN
Prince Nana was the MC. Will Ospreay weighed in at 220 pounds. Strickland came out with West Side Gunn and EJ Nduka. Strickland weighed in at 230 pounds. Nana asked Ospreay if he had anything to say, followed by Strickland.
Ospreay: “Twenty-four hours you got until I knock those dirty ass grills out of your mouth, son. We usher in a new era, son. We usher in a new era. One with the best wrestle, one with the best wrestler in the world is the world champion.
Strickland: “Hurry up, hurry up. No, this man over here keeps saying that the pressure’s all on me. No, Will, it’s on you. It’s on you. I’m the champion. I’ve been here. You have it. Main event, I’ve been there. You have it. You say you’re on another level? No, I’m on another level. Look how I handle my business. Look at this. Huh? You come out here dressed like a bum. I come out here dressed like a businessman. I handle my business right, like a champion. And as a businessman, how about it? I handle more business, like offering your wife a contract.”
Things broke down into a brawl afterwards which led Ospreay to hit a jumping Hidden Blade onto Strickland to close the show.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Less is more for these types of segments; this was a great piece of business for a go-home angle.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: During these reports and podcast episodes, I do my best to provide feedback in good faith on what AEW could do to make shows go from good to great and from great to excellent. As far as the go-home show to a huge PPV this Sunday, this show was a home run. I once worked for a company where their motto was feedback is a gift, and I’m glad AEW is listening.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW media call report: Tony Khan speaks with the pro wrestling media ahead of Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door pay-per-view
Wade Keller and Eric Krol previewed AEW Forbidden Door in the latest Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Check it out HERE or stream below (or search “wade keller” in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android podcast app).
Also check out this week’s AEW Dynamite post-show on PWTorch’s YouTube Channel with Wade Keller & Gregg Kanner.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW DYNAMITE HITS & MISSES (6/26) MJF-Garcia-Ospreay, Jay White rehab continues, Ospreay and Swerve, BCC DQ finish, Jack Perry and Don Callis missing, more
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW media call report: Tony Khan speaks with the pro wrestling media ahead of Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door pay-per-view
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