By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 20)
Uncasville, Connecticut at Mohegan Sun Arena
Aired live October 28, 2023 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening aired and then Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness, and Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary. Dasha handled the introductions for the opening match…
1. Jay White (w/Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn) vs. AR Fox. McGuinness hyped that it was only 90 minutes until the main event. White dropped Fox with a DDT for a near fall heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Fox took out White’s sidekicks with a flip dive at ringside, then ran to the other side of the ring and hit White with a flip dive. White performed a twisting vertical suplex on White back inside the ring and followed up with a 450 splash for a near fall.
A short time later, Fox pulled White off the top rope into a Spanish Fly for a near fall. White came right back with a Bladerunner and scored the clean pin.
Jay White defeated AR Fox in 10:50.
After the match, MJF showed at ringside and grabbed his AEW World Championship belt. As MJF tried to escape, White ended up getting his hands on the belt. MJF released the title belt and headed to the back without it…
Powell’s POV: Zero mystery here with White challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear, but it was fine for what it was.
Backstage, Billy Gunn, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens boasted that they’ve been AEW Trios Champions for 62 days. Caster said MJF texted him and said he would be ringside for their 69 celebration next week. Bowens looked at his phone and informed Caster that he’d been catfished. Caster said he sent the person pictures…
Dalton Castle and The Boys made their entrance…
2. Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn (w/Juice Robinson, Jay White) vs. “The Boys” Brandon Tate and Brent Tate (w/Dalton Castle). The Gunns isolated one of the Boys. The other Boy ran in and was quickly tossed over the top rope. The Gunns hit the 3:10 To Yuma on the legal Gunn and then Colten pinned him…
Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn defeated “The Boys” Brandon Tate and Brent Tate in 1:40.
Powell’s POV: A quick showcase win for the Gunns heading into their ROH Tag Title match against MJF at Full Gear. Interestingly enough, the graphic the showed for the match listed MJF and “???” with a blank image spot, so it may not end up being a handicap match after all.
A video package aired on the MJF vs. Kenny Omega match that will headline this episode… [C] A Danhausen teaser video aired…
Lexi Nair spoke with Ryan Nemeth outside of CJ Perry’s dressing room. Nemeth boasted about his non-wrestling projects. He tried to hug Nair, who wished him luck before blowing him off. Nemeth knocked on the door. Miro answered and told him to come in, then threw him inside the room. The door closed and the the sounds of Miro destroying Nemeth could be heard…
3. Hikaru Shida vs. Abadon in a Fright Night Fight for the AEW Women’s Championship. Shida wore a red dress and there were Halloween related objects in the ring and on the ring apron. Shida cleared Abadon from the ring early. Abadon disappeared. Shida went to ringside to find her. Abadon reached from underneath the ring and grabbed Shida’s legs. Abadon used weapons to work over Shida heading into a PIP break. [C]
Shida pulled a “witch’s broom” out of a trashcan that was inside the ring. She brought it to the top rope and rode it while dive at Abadon, who moved. Abadon left the ring and returned with a baseball bat. Shida ended up with the bat and choked Adadon with it. Shida threw punches at Abadon, who no-sold and then had black liquid come out of her mouth. Abadon put Shida down with a clothesline and got a two count.
Abadon poured candy on Shida and then went to the ropes and executed a Blockbuster onto the candy, which resulted in a two count. Shida grabbed her kendo stick and hit Abadon. Shida hit her with a knee strike that led to a two count. Shida grabbed a pumpkin and placed it over the head of Abadon before drilling her with the Kitana, which led to the three count.
Hikaru Shida defeated Abadon in a Fright Night Fight in roughly 9:00 to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.
After the match, Toni Storm made her entrance in black and white while Shida acted annoyed in the ring. Storm rolled onto the broadcast table and laid on it while eating something…
Powell’s POV: Why is the alternative to WWE doing sports entertainment? It was actually really well received by the live crowd, but it came off as WWE Lite.
A video package featured the FTR duo and Ricky Starks and Big Bill hyping the Dax Harwood vs. Starks match for later in the show… An ad aired for the AEW Worlds End pay-per-view… [C]
A video package aired with Keith Lee and Shane Taylor, who was accompanied by Lee Moriarty, talking separately about their history together and an apparent forthcoming match between the two…
Ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the introductions for the next match. Samoa Joe’s entrance was televised while Rhett Titus was already inside the ring…
4. Samoa Joe vs. Rhett Titus for the ROH TV Championship. Joe and Titus had a quick handshake to adhere to the Code of Honor. Early in the match, Titus went for a top rope dive that Joe casually walked away from, causing Titus to crash and burn. Joe eventually put Titus down with a uranage slam and then put him in the Coquina Clutch for the submission win…
Samoa Joe defeated Rhett Titus in 2:00 to retain the ROH TV Championship.
Powell’s POV: It didn’t mean much to beat Titus if only because Titus hasn’t been featured on AEW television, but it was logical to give Joe a dominant television win given that he’s back in the AEW World Championship picture.
Renee Paquette interviewed Johnny TV, Harley Cameron, QT Marshall, and Aaron Solo on the backstage interview set. Marshall spoke about defending his AAA Latin American Champion and then said he was back in AEW and would be defending it against luchadores in AEW very soon…
A clip aired of Bryan Danielson selling the Orange Punch and Rainmaker that he took back to back during the tag team main event of AEW Dynamite…
Claudio Castagnoli delivered a backstage promo and said Danielson suffered a broken orbital bone. He said he wasn’t sure which move caused the injury and then vowed to make both men pay. Castagnoli said Cassidy hurt one of the Blackpool Combat Club members and he would hurt him on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite…
Dasha delivered the introductions for the next match. Once both wrestlers were inside the ring, the lights went out. When they turned on, the House of Black trio of Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews were shown seated in the crowd. The broadcast team said they saw Julia Hart on the stage…
5. Dax Harwood (w/Cash Wheeler) vs. Ricky Starks (w/Big Bill). There was back and forth action during the first two minutes of the match. [C]
[Hour Two] Starks did his rope walk bit and then dropped an elbow on Harwood. Starks followed up with a leg drop on the apron. The mach spilled to ringside. Starks suplexed Harwood on the entrance ramp heading into another PIP break. [C]
Late in the match, Harwood caught a charging Starks with a kick. Harwood performed a piledriver on Starks and had him pinned, but Big Bill pulled Harwood off the pin. Schiavone claimed the referee didn’t see it even though the referee turned his head and clearly saw what happened. The referee went to ringside and stood between Bill and Wheeler. Harwood returned to the ring and was immediately hit with a piledriver before being pinned by Starks.
Ricky Starks beat Dax Harwood in 12:45.
After the match, Kelly asked his partners if they heard that. He said it was the door closing on FTR. Schiavone said he didn’t know about that “if you go back and look at the footage.
The lights went out and once they turned on, Julia Hart appeared on the stage and made a motion with her hand. The lights went out again. When they turned on, the House of Black was standing in the ring. The HOB members turned and faced FTR while Starks and Bill were behind them.
Rush, Preston Vance, Dralistico, and Jose made their entrance and entered the ring. Rush’s crew stared at FTR, then turned and fought the House of Black. Starks and Bill made a quick exit. Rush’s crew and FTR stood tall in the ring…
Powell’s POV: The finish didn’t do much for me with Harwood just reentering the ring and taking a piledriver without putting up a fight. The post match angle felt odd with HOB choosing to target FTR rather than the tag team champions, and apparently being cast as the heels in a feud with Rush’s crew. HOB continue to positioned as heels despite the fact that they are consistently cheered.
Backstage, Andrade El Idolo was interviewed by Lexi Nair, who recalled CJ Perry making a proposal to him last week. She mentioned what just happened in the ring with Rush’s crew and asked how it’s affecting him. Andrade said he’s a business man. He said it’s his business and nobody else’s business… [C]
Lexi Nair interviewed TBS Champion Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Skye Blue. Statlander said they needed to setting whatever was happening between Willow and Blue. Willow said there was tension between her and Blue and it keeps getting stronger. She said they were both spayed by Julia Hart’s mist, but it seems to be affecting Blue more. Blue said that anything she has to say to Hart would be between them and then walked away…
Claudio Castagnoli made his entrance while his opponent was already inside the ring…
7. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Tracy Williams. Dasha tried to introduce Williams, but Claudio attacked him and was rewarded for the shitty sportsmanship when the referee called for the bell to start the match. Castagnoli mauled Williams and put him down with a big European uppercut before pinning him.
Claudio Castagnoli defeated Tracy Williams in 0:42.
After the match, Castagnoli put Williams in a submission hold. Williams tapped and then Castagnoli released the hold…
Split screen shots aired of MJF and Kenny Omega warming up for the main event. Samoa Joe approached MJF and asked if he had given any more thought to his proposal. Joe said that if MJF found himself in a bad spot, all he had to do was scream his name and he would have his back… [C]
Jim Ross replaced Kevin Kelly on commentary for the main even and then entrances for the match took place…
8. MJF vs. Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. Dasha delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Paul Turner was the referee. McGuinness said this was the biggest match in the history of Collision. A “holy shit” chant broke out once the bell rang to start the match. The fans followed up with a “both these guys” chant.
MJF offered an early handshake after yelling “sportsmanship.” Omega hesitated before shaking his hand, and the MJF poked his eye. Omega came back with a flip dive onto MJF on the floor. Moments later, MJF returned the favor with a Fosbury Flip style dive onto Omega at ringside, which drew a “holy shit” chant.
Back in the ring, MJF caught Omega going for a move and powerbombed him onto his knee, which led to a two count. MJF took offensive control for a stretch. Omega eventually rallied a short time later with a snap dragon suplex.
A short time later, MJF bit the head of Omega and dumped him in the corner. MJF played to the crowd and then hit Omega with a Kangaroo Kick that sent Omega to the floor. MJF ran the ropes, but Omega returned to the ring and put him down. Omega followed up with a ushigoroshi and covered MJF for a two count.
Omega played to the crowd and set up to run the ropes, but MJF slipped out to the floor. Omega hit him with a kick through the ropes that sent MJF into the side of the broadcast table. Omega went to the floor and pulled a table out from underneath the ring and set it up on the floor.
Omega returned to the ring and traded pin attempts with MJF, which led to a series of two count. Omega performed a buckle bomb on MJF, who came out of the corner and turned him inside out with a clothesline, and then both men stayed down. MJF got to his feet first and went to the apron and pointed at the table.
Omega got up on the apron and traded strikes with MJF. Omega caught MJF with a knee strike and then performed a snap dragon suplex on the apron, which drew another “holy shit” chant. Omega followed up with a gut wrench sit-out powerbomb that put MJF through the table on the floor, which led to more “holy shit” chants heading into a PIP break, which had a 90-second countdown clock. [C]
MJF and Omega traded blows in the middle of the ring. Omega got the better of it and went for his finisher, but MJF countered into a Poison Rana. Omega came right back with a Poison Rana of his own and then both men stayed down while a “fight forever” chant broke out.
A short time later, Omega performed a piledriver and went for the pin, but MJF put his foot on the ropes to break it heading into another 90-second PIP break. [C] Omega powerbombed MJF on the edge of the railing. Back in the ring, Omega went up top, but MJF got back to his feet and fell onto the top rope intentionally to crotch Omega.
MJF mounted Omega in the corner, but Omega tripped up MJF to drive him face first onto the top turnbuckle. Omega hit MJF from behind with a knee strike and ended up hitting him with a V-Trigger knee strike that led to a near fall.
Omega hoisted up MJF for the One Winged Angel, but he dropped MJF when he saw Don Callis running down the ramp with a screwdriver in his hand. Omega jawed at Omega and was rolled up by MJF for a two count. Omega reversed it for a two count of his own, then ran the ropes and hit another V-Trigger knee for another near fall.
Omega set up MJF for a One Winged Angel, but MJF rolled him into a pin for a two count. MJF hit the Heat Seeker for another close near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. MJF went to the middle rope and yelled, “This one’s for you, Adam.” MJF went for a Panama Sunrise, but Omega hooked him into a pin for a close near fall.
Omega charged at MJF in the corner, but MJF shot him up in the air and then caught him with a kick. MJF hit the Panama Sunrise and followed up with another Heat Seeker and got the three count.
MJF defeated Kenny Omega in 30:15 to retain the AEW World Championship.
After the match, Samoa Joe was shown watching the match on a backstage television. They cut to another shot of Wardlow watching the match on a different backstage television. Schiavone said everyone is gunning for MJF and then hyped his eight-man tag match for Dynamite. Powerhouse Hobbs was shown watching on another backstage television, and then they cut to a shot of Bullet Club Gold watching on another television.
In the ring, MJF offered Omega a handshake. Omega shook his hand and then they hugged. Both men spoke to one another. MJF raised the hand of Omega, who pointed at MJF. Schiavone noted that MJF will become the longest reigning AEW World Champion to date. A graphic listed MJF and three partners vs. Bullet Club Gold for Wednesday’s Dynamite, and then a graphic listed the 69-day celebration for The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn for next week’s AEW Collision…
Powell’s POV: A great main event. Callis coming out and temporarily distracting Omega was definitely on the mild side of the type of distraction or interference finish that I anticipated. I’m happy they just went with a mostly straight forward finish, as it sends the message that AEW will deliver when they advertise pay-per-view caliber main events on television. Plus, the approach they took with Callis getting involved gives Omega a slight out, which combined with the competitiveness of the match means it won’t seem even the slightest bit out of the ordinary if Omega eventually gets a rematch. The post match scene did a nice job of showcasing all of the wrestlers who are out for MJF’s championship.
Overall, the main event made the show, as the rest felt missable for the most part. But definitely go out of your way to see MJF vs. Omega if you didn’t catch it live. Will Pruett will be by with his weekly audio review of AEW Collision for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons) either late tonight or on Sunday morning. Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Why are they burning this MJF X Omega match tonight? Hopefully it doesn’t happen and sets something else up
They are trying to draw in viewers they’ve lost over the last few weeks. Also, MJF needs some title defenses over more guys like Omega, Hangman, Jericho, Moxley… the former champions and top dogs. I’m sure the rematch will be built long in advance and the main event on ppv.
I’m sure all 400000 who watched this show loved it. Rah rah AEW
Why do people hate on companies? It gives these wrestlers a chance to work outside of the WWE and it gives fans more options. I am excited NWA is getting a TV deal because it’s more for us.
I don’t like all things AEW or WWE, but can’t we just appreciate the options we have?
I suspect it’s because it’s been so bad (disappointing) for so long
But if they put some work into the booking, refocus on some of their own talent (not WWE cast offs) streamline the belts and use ROH as a (free) developmental squad I think they could turn around the product in short order
Come on, man. It hasn’t been THAT bad. AEW has given us some great wrestling over the last 4 years. Perfect? No. TNA 2010-2018 bad? Not even close.