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AEW COLLISION REPORT
JANHUARY16, 2025
CINCINNATI, OHIO AT THE THE ANDREW J. BRADY MUSIC CENTER
BY BRIAN ZILEM PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Daddy Magic
Ring Announcers: Arkady Aura
Attendance: WrestleTix reported before showtime that 1,410 tickets had been distributed out of 1,579 available. While the arena has a capacity of 4,500 spectators when configured for concerts, some of those would have obstructed views with a ring centered on the floor.
[HOUR ONE]
-Powerhouse Hobbs, Rated FTR, The Outrunners, Kazuchika Okada Hangman Page, and Christopher Daniels were shown to hype their matches later on the card.
(1) “HANGMAN: ADAM PAGE vs. CHRISTOPHER DANIELS – Texas Death Match
The bell rang and there were a mix of chants of “Fallen Angel” and “Cowboy sh–.” Daniels hit Hangman with a dropkick through the ropes. Page quickly recovered. He threw Daniels to the barricade and nailed him with a chair. Daniels was busted up and bleeding after the chairshot. Page went under the ring to get the barbed wire and racked the barbed wire across the bloody face of Daniels. Page wrapped the barred wire around his right arm and decked Daniels. [C]
After the break, both battled on the apron. Daniels hit a clothesline on Page to bring the action back into the ring. Page threw Daniels into the corner where a steel chair was placed during the break. Daniels rolled to the outside and onto a table. With a running start, Page did a running double stomp to crush Daniels through the table. Daniels was able to get to his feet by the count of seven. Page pulled out another table lined with barbed wire. Page went for Dead Eye from the top rope, but Daniels countered with a uranage through two tables. Daniels went for another uranage, but Page countered to send him to the outside. Page wrapped barbed wire around his arm and went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Daniels countered by hitting a flat liner and locking in a Koji Clutch submission.
Page escaped the submission by using the barbed wire and racking hit across the face of Daniels. Page went for the Dead again, but Daniels countered and hit Angels Wings. Daniels hit the best moonsault ever and followed up with another moonsault ever with a part of the barbed wire laid across Page’s chest. The crowd chanted, “Fight forever.” The official got to the count of nine until Page got to his feet. In the match’s closing moments, Page hit a Tombstone power driver on a steel chair, A Dead Eye, and finally, Buckshot Lariat to make sure Daniels stayed down for good. Daniels was unable to beat the official ten-count.
WINNER: Hangman at 16:43
-After the match, Hangman walked away and returned to the ring to hit the Angel’s Wings onto Daniels.
(Brian’s Thoughts: I know this style of match isn’t for everyone, but with the character of Hangman Page involved, there’s always added depth and texture to the match. I love how Page potentially added and stole Daniels’ finishing move to add to his heavy arsenal. There’s no reason at this point why Page shouldn’t be pushed in the main event rather than the Death Riders angle.)
-Tony Schiavone interviewed Toni Storm in the ring. Storm said: “My dreams are finally coming true. I’m going into a building where I saw my first-ever wrestling show, and I can call my mom to tell her I’m coming home.” Storm said Mariah May is the best business today and wants to meet with May next week at Daily’s Place.
-A recap of the Hurt Syndicate’s trios tag team victory this past Wednesday on Dynamite was shown. Afterward, the Hurt Syndicate challenged Private Party to AEW Tag Team Title matches this Wednesday in Nashville.
(2) THE UNDISPUTED KINGDOM (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) vs. SHANE TAYLOR PROMOTIONS (Carlie Bravo & Lee Moriarty & Shawn Dean w/Shane Taylor)
WINNERS: The Undisputed Kingdom in 6:53
(Brian’s Thoughts: The Undisputed Kingdom going into the trios and or tag division is a good reset for this group. )
-After the match, Shane Taylor jumped the Undisputed Kingdom, and Daddy Magic and Daniel Garcia cleared the ring to make the save
-A recap of the Kenny Omega vs. Brian Cage post-match angle was shown.
-Will Ospreay cut a promo backstage. He said he wants to meet Omega face-to-face.
(3) MURDER MACHINES (Brian Cage & Lance Archer) vs. TOP FLIGHT Dante Martin & Darius Martin) (W/Leila Grey)
WINNER: Murder Machines in 3:44
-After the match Lio Rush & Action Andretti jumped Top Flight.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Murder Machines can potentially be an entreating big-man group in a tag division that needs added depth.)
-Lexy Nair was backstage with the Learning Tree. Chris Jericho said he’s known Jon Moxley for a long time, and they have a common enemy tonight. “And if you don’t believe me, we can prove it before our match tonight,” he said.
-Daddy Magic and Daniel Garcia were backstage with Lexy Nair. The Undisputed Kingdom interpreted the interview and challenged both men to a trios match next Saturday, in which Cool Hand Ang will back his in-ring return.
-Max Caster was in the ring with a duffel bag and asked Anthony Bowens to come down to the ring. Caster said there’s a big misunderstanding, and he doesn’t understand he’s the best wrestler alive. Bowens said: “For the last five years, I’ve done my best to protect you, and now I have to live with the uncomfortable truth that I’ve had to lie to everyone who you are a piece of sh–, and you suck. I have every tool to be a world champion, and I’m a wrestling five-tool player.” Billy Gunn came down to the ring. Caster told Gunn, “You only joined our team so you could hear the fans chant your name.” Caster said, “You have to choose between me and Daddy Ass.” Bowens gave Caster the middle finger and scissored Gunn. Caster walked away with his duffel bag.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Anthony Bowens’s promo was good. In an ecosystem where AEW has a vast roster, Bowens has excellent potential as a Singles champion.)
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
[HOUR TWO]
-A recap of Swerve Strickland at Reggie Jackson Celebrity Golf Classic was shown.
-Swerve Strickland was backstage with Lexy Nair. Strickland said he plans on getting his hands on Ricochet before Fe. 5, 2025 in Atlanta. Strickland said he’d been cursed with the ability of everything my hand’s touch dies, and I’m going to use the ability when I get my hands around your throat.
(Brian’s Thoughts: Promoting Strickland and Ricochet so far out is an interesting marketing strategy. This will be something to monitor to see if this helps AEW move tickets and pop a ratings number.)
(4) KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII – AEW Continental Title Match
The match started slow when Okada drew Ishii to the outside. Ishii gave Okada a stiff shoulder block and took Okada to the floor. [c]
After the break, Ishii hit a superplex from the top rope. Ishii went for a cover and got a near fall at two. Okada hit an elbow drop and the rainmaker pose. Ishii grabbed the middle finger of Okada and gave Okada the middle finger. Ishii hit the sliding lariat for a near fall.
In the closing moments of the match, Okada grabbed the ring bell. While the official’s back was turned, he hit Ishii with a low blow, and the RainMaker secured the pinfall and retained the AEW Continental Title.
WINNER: Kazuchika Okada retains the AEW Continental Title Match in 8:15
(Brian’s Thoughts: It’s a shame a commercial break cut the match in half. I would have liked to add another three to four minutes of TV time so the match would have got going.)
-The Gates of Agony cut a promo backstage announcing their return home to Daily’s place next week.
(5) DUSTIN RHODES vs. ADAM PRIEST
WINNER: Dustin Rhodes in 2:12
(Brian’s Thoughts: A squash match victory for Rhodes.)
(6) JULIA HART vs. HARLEY CAMERON
Cameron still had marks of the black mist Hart gave to her this past Wednesday. Cameron hit a kick to the back of Hart’s head for a near fall. Hart racked Cameron’s eyes while she was tied up in the ropes. [c]
After the break, Hart locked in an octopus hold in the center of the ring. Cameron broke the submission and rolled up Hart for a near fall. Hart hit a DDT for a near fall. Cameron went for another near fall on Hart. In the match’s closing moments, Hart hit a lariat to the back of Cameron’s head and locked in the Hartless submission to secure the mission victory.
WINNER: Julia Hart in 7:20
(Brian’s Thoughts: Another match was eaten up by a commercial break. Hart looks and has the presentation of a star in the Women’s Division. A minor criticism in the match is Hart needs to have more intent when she’s going for that running lariat to set up her finisher.)
-A recap of Samoa Joe’s return this past Wednesday was shown.
-The Learning Tree jumped Powerhouse Hobbs backstage
(7) POWERHOUSE HOBBS & RATED FTR (Adam Copeland & Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) & THE OUTRUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) vs. THE DEATH RIDERS (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta w/Marina Shafir) & THE LEARNING TREE (Big Bill & Bryan Keith & Chris Jericho)
WINNERS: Powerhouse Hobbs, Rated FTR, and The Outrunners in 17:47
(Brian’s Thoughts: A lot of outrage was shown online by the AEW fanbase throughout the week when this match was made. The idea of the Death Riders working with the Learning Tree in canon makes zero sense, but I think I even had a bigger problem with the match being announced before the Moxley vs. Hobbs match this past Wednesday. It was signposting that there was no way Hobbs was beating Moxley, and this match was a way for Hobbs to get a win back.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Mark Briscoe likes to use a word of the day. The word of the day for this show is intent. Besides Hangman Page retiring Daniels and Anthony Bowens having a good promo, what was the purpose of this show? AEW Collision should have a clear connective tissue towards AEW Dynamite weekly, and this week just felt like a fun show house that flashed great moments in the opener.
CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Collision results (1/18): Powell’s live review of Hangman Page vs. Christopher Daniels in a Texas Death Match, Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the AEW Continental Title, Julia Hart vs. Harley Cameron
(You can always reach PWTorch editor Wade Keller at kellerwade@gmail.com. You can also send live event results and news tips to pwtorch@gmail.com. Also, we’re always looking for volunteer contributors to help us round out of coverage of the pro wrestling scene.)
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