By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 22)
Taped November 10, 2023 in Oakland, California at Oakland Arena
Aired November 11, 2023 on TNT
[Hour One] The show opened with the classic “Saturday Night’s Main Event” style montage of various wrestlers, including Sting, Darby Allin, Adam Copeland, The Righteous, Lance Archer, Jake Roberts, La Faccion Ingobernables, Don Callis, Powerhouse Hobbs, Daniel Garcia and Andrade El Idolo…
The Collision opening aired as pyro shot off from the stage. Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary…
1. Daniel Garcia vs. Andrade El Idolo (w/CJ Perry). Matt Menard and Angelo Parker joined Garcia on the stage before returning to the back. Miro was shown looking on from the back. The two locked up to start and exchange arms bars. Andrade grabs a headlock which Garcia reverses. Garcia attempts his dance but Andrade shoulder blocked him. Garcia leapfrogs Andrade but was dropped with a sliding dropkick. Andrade followed up with a chop in the corner. Garcia rallied with a series of forearms which pushed Andrade into the ropes. Garcia followed up with a takedown and a dropkick.
Andrade hit a lariat before receiving a kick out of the corner. Andrade hit s springboard dropkick knocking Garcia out of the ring. Garcia re-entered the ring and missed a knee drop allowing Andrade to hit a high cross body for a near fall. Garcia rallied and applied a sleeper against the ropes followed by a dragon screw leg whip in the ropes. Garcia hit a high knee to Andrade’s back knocking him to the floor.
Daniel Garcia approached CJ Perry on the floor and did his dance, which Perry seemed to appreciate. Garcia rolled Andrade back in the ring with Andrade hitting Garcia with a series of blows before Garcia hit a snap German suplex. The show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
The two fought on the top rope and Andrade knocked Garcia down with a headbutt. Andrade missed a dive off the top rope and Garcia responded with a forearm before locking in the ankle lock. Andrade pounded the mat in pain and eventually kicked his way out. Garcia took out the knee again and attempted a back suplex which was countered by Andrade with two dragon screw leg whips and a flying forearm.
Andrade hit double knees in the corner for a near fall. Andrade attempted to go to the top rope but Garcia took out Andrade’s legs and Andrade fell off the top rope. Garcia followed up with kicks and knees in the corner. Garcia hit double knees in the corner followed by a vertical suplex. Andrade countered with two vertical suplexes of his own. Garcia hit a brain buster for a near fall.
Garcia grabbed a waist lock which Andrade elbowed out of. Andrade hit a knee lift and a body slam. Andrade sold the effects of the ankle lock and hit a moonsault for a near fall. The fans started a “This is Awesome” chant as the two exchanged blows. Garcia initially had the upper hand but Andrade hit a back elbow into a figure-four leg lock. Andrade turned this into the figure-eight and Garcia tapped out.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Daniel Garcia in about 16:00.
After the match, Miro was shown backstage smiling.
Don’s Take: A good opener. Personally, these are the kinds of matches I enjoy best with a slow start, building to a faster pace with a series of near falls before the eventual win. It will be interesting to see if Miro eventually feuds with Andrade or joins him. The Miro character had vowed to destroy anyone aligned with Perry but tonight seemed to contradict that. It will also be interesting to see where Daniel Garcia goes from here.
A video recapped the angle at the end of Dynamite with MJF, the Bullet Club, the masked men, the Acclaimed, the Devil and Samoa Joe. [C]
2. Nick Wayne (w/Christian Cage, Luchasaurus) vs. Dalton Castle (w/The Boys). The two tied up and Wayne escaped to the ropes. The two engaged in some chain and mat wrestling before Wayne used the ropes for leverage and hit a back elbow.
Castle tried to maintain the offense, but Dalton caught a kick and took Wayne down with a modified suplex. Castle hit a knee to the back followed by a front waist lock and a gut wrench suplex.
Castle reapplied the waist lock and used it to take Wayne down again. Castle applied an arm bar followed by a hip toss off the ropes. Wayne responded with a back rake against the ropes followed by a flying back forearm for a near fall. Wayne hit a snap mare, stood on Castle’s face and posed. Wayne applied a reverse chin lock which Castle escaped.
Wayne rolled up Castle for a near fall and Castle responded with a lariat. Castle hit two gut wrench suplexes. Castle missed a lariat but caught Wayne in a release German suplex. Luchasaurus climbed up on the apron but was pulled down by The Boys. Luchasaurus hit a double chokeslam on The Boys on the floor. Castle grabbed Luchasaurus but was stopped by Wayne. Castle rolled up Wayne for a near fall.
Christian Cage climbed onto the apron, distracting Castle which allowed Wayne to run him into the ring post. Wayne followed up with a cutter from the second rope for the win.
Nick Wayne defeated Dalton Castle in about 7:00.
After the match, Christian hugged Wayne.
Don’s Take: The match was good for what it was but really served to further the story of Wayne being the pest heel under the thumb of Christian Cage. Castle has toned down the flamboyance a bit and relied more on a ground attack. It will be interesting to see if he slowly starts to be featured more prominently down the line.
Hangman Adam Page cut a backstage promo and said that things could have been different with Swerve Strickland as Strickland could have taken his spot at WrestleDream, but when Strickland entered Page’s house, he crossed the gates of hell. Page said that their match at Full Gear was a “Texas Death” match and told Strickland to walk around his house and take in everything he holds dear because after Full Gear he won’t be to walk or talk. He said he will take Strickland to the bottom at Full Gear and that each November, he and his son will visit Strickland to piss on his grave.
Don’s Take: The fiery promo I wanted to see from Page which was downgraded by the implication that we may see a death on pay-per-view.
3. “La Faccion Ingobernables” Rush and Dralistico (w/Preston Vance, Jose) vs. “The Workhorsemen” J.D. Drake and Anthony Henry. Henry and Dralistico exchanged some quick pin attempts to start. Drake and Henry eventually gained the advantage with Drake and Dralistico exchanging chops. Dralistico blocked a vertical suplex and made the hot tag to Rush.
Rush and Drake exchanged chops with Rush hitting a shotgun dropkick followed by a series of kicks. Drake missed two clotheslines and Rush rebounded with a flying elbow. He then pushed Henry over the top rope. The show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Rush maintained the advantage. Henry came in and was met with a spinning forearm by Rush. Rush them hit Drake with a snap powerslam for a near fall. Dralistico tagged in and the two double teamed Drake. Henry pulled Rush out of the ring and hit a running kick on Dralistico who was being held by Drake.
Drake and Henry hit a double team move on Dralistico for a near fall that was broken up by Rush. Henry hit double knees in the corner on Dralistico and Drake followed up with a cannonball. Drake missed a moonsault off the top rope and Dralistico tagged in Rush.
Dralistico hit a kick on Drake and Rush followed up with German suplex. Dralistico dove onto Henry on the floor. Rush hit his dropkick finisher in the corner on Drake for the win.
“La Faccion Ingobernables” Rush and Dralistico defeated “The Workhorsemen” J.D. Drake and Anthony Henry in about 9:00.
The House of Black cut a promo and said that La Faccion Ingobernables were hard of hearing despite the beatings so they vowed to capture the AEW Tag Team Titles so that they could chase them. They then challenged Ricky Starks and Big Bill to an AEW Tag Team title match at Full Gear. Julia Hart wondered why Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue kept rejecting her gifts. She also noted that Kris Statlander kept getting involved so she said that if she beat Willow later tonight, Statlander would have to give her a rematch for the TBS Championship. [C]
Don’s Take: Fine action with no real storyline advancement until the House of Black promo. I still see this evolving into a multi-team match even though they only have a week to make that happen.
Lexy Nair interviewed TBS Champion Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale. Nair noted that Statlander would face the winners of two eliminator matches: Willow vs. Julia Hart later tonight and then Skye Blue vs. Red Velvet this Wednesday on Dynamite. Statlander said she didn’t trust Hart but said that if anyone deserved a title match, it was Willow. Regarding Blue vs. Velvet, Statlander said “no comment.”
Don’s Take: Given the story, I assume this leads to Statlander defending against Willow and Blue. Is this where we will see a Willow heel turn to either win the title or help Blue? If that ends up being the case, I think it’s a missed opportunity as Willow is a much better babyface.
4. Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) vs. Darius Martin. The announcers noted that this was Strong’s first match back since his neck injury. Chain wrestling by the two to start with Strong hitting a back elbow and a side headlock takeover. Martin responded with a takedown and a dropkick. Martin hit a kick to the back of the head followed by a high cross body for a near fall.
Strong begged off but kick the knee out from under Martin and followed up with a backbreaker. Strong hit a chop in the corner followed by another backbreaker. Strong stayed on offense for the next several minutes.
Martin retaliated with a European uppercut and threw Strong chest first into the turnbuckles. Strong was kicked out of the corner and Martin ducked a clothesline but was met with a dropkick for a near fall.
[Hour Two] Strong wrenched the neck but Martin fought out of it with a jawbreaker, a reverse atomic drop and a kick to the back of the neck. Martin stayed on offense and hit a spinning kick for a near fall. Martin clotheslined Strong on the second rope and followed up with a kick. Strong caught Martin with a superkick while re-entering the ring. Strong followed up with a “sick kick” and his backbreaker finisher for the win.
Roderick Strong defeated Darius Martin in about 6:00.
After the match, Taven and Bennett put Strong on their shoulders before Strong returned to his wheelchair. Taven held Martin and Bennett hit him with the “weiner punch.” Taven and Bennett hit Martin with a spike piledriver before Action Andretti made the save.
Don’s Take: Simple in-ring story telling here and I love how much both wrestlers worked neck attacks into their offense.
Tony Khan was with Bryan Danielson. He noted that while he was sad that this was Bryan Danielson’s last year before retirement and that Danielson missed All In this past year at Wembley Stadium, he was pleased to announce that Danielson would be at next year’s Wembley show. He reminded fans that tickets go on sale on December 1st. He then spoke about the Continental Classic round robin tournament. Twelve of the company’s top wrestlers will face each other weekly starting on Dynamite in Chicago on November 22nd, culminating with the finals at the Worlds End pay-per-view in New York on December 30th. The winner will be crowned the inaugural tournament winner.
Don’s Take: I’m shocked that this wasn’t billed as an “important announcement.” I’m even more shocked that he’s doing a tournament. Actually, not really. And unless the tournament winner gets something tangible like a title shot, I don’t see the point other than to please the “matches” crowd. I’ll be at World’s End to see the finals live, so there’s that.
5. Julia Hart (w/Brody King) vs. Willow Nightingale. Willow started by bealing Hart across the ring. She charged art Hart but King pulled her out of the ring. King distracted Nightingale and Hart charged at her. Nightingale moved and Hart went into the turnbuckles.
The two exchanged blows in the corner and Nightingale hit a shoulder block. Nightingale body slammed Hart and followed up with a splash for a near fall. Nightingale put Hart in a modified torture rack while Skye Blue was shown looking on. Hart countered with a forearm but ran into a sidewalk slam by Nightingale.
Hart wrenched Nightingale’s arm and pulled her to the outside. The two exchanged blows on the floor and Nightgale hit a snap suplex on Hart. The show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Back in the ring, Nightingale responded with punches, but Hart caught her with a superkick. Nightingale responded with a lariat and hit a hip attack in the corner. Nightingale hit a spine buster for a near fall. Hart retaliated with an arm drag takedown and a lariat in the corner. Hart followed up with a hip check in the corner, followed by snap mare and a clothesline to the back of the head. Hart went for her submission finisher but couldn’t lock the hold.
Nightingale hit Hart with the pounce who rolled out of the ring and hid behind King. Nightingale slammed Hart into the ring steps and charged in for a cannonball against the steps but missed.
Back in the ring, Hart climbed the top rope but Nightingale caught her in a full nelson slam for a near fall. Nightingale went for a powerbomb and dropped Hart on her tailbone. Nightingale missed a lariat and Hart hit a clothesline to the back of the head followed by a moonsault off the top rope for the win. [C]
Julia Hart defeated Willow Nightingale in about 11:00.
Don’s Take: OK, so I was wrong. But now this leads to think that if Skye Blue wins on Dynamite, are we going to get the swerve of Hart and Blue joining forces at Full Gear. Blue had already debunked Hart’s past attempts, but that doesn’t mean the turn won’t still happen.
Lexy Nair interviewed AEW Tag Team Champions, Big Bill and Ricky Starks. Nair asked them about the challenges made by FTR, the House of Black and La Faccion Ingobernables. Big Bill turned down all of the challenges, only for Nair to inform them that Tony Khan has made the match official for Full Gear with Starks and Bill defending against all three teams. Starks was surprised but vowed to retain the titles.
6. Powerhouse Hobbs (w/Don Callis, Kyle Fletcher) vs. a local wrestler. Paul Wight joined the commentary team. This was a complete squash with Hobbs hitting the “World’s Strongest Slam” for the win.
Powerhouse Hobbs defeated a local wrestler in about 1:00
Callis took the mic and said that the Don Callis family is the greatest family in the history of wrestling – greater than the Briscoes, Gagnes, Von Erichs and Harts. He added that on Dynamite, the family will be involved in the “Like a Dragon” street fight and that no long ago, Hobbs broke Chris Jericho. He said that in response, Jericho found the last friend that he had in Paul Wight. He said that Wight was a stand-up guy so he’s not surprised that Wight agreed to partner with Jericho. He added that Wight may have hit the lottery in the genetics department, he was short changed in the brains department as only an idiot would face the Don Callis family. He told Wight that it’s not too late to change his mind.
Callis walked over to the announce table and asked Wight to back out. He then said he saw something he never thought he’s see – a scared giant. He said he buried two giants in his career and he’s happy to have Hobbs take care of the third. He ordered Hobbs to “smoke this fool.” The two faced off and Callis and Fletcher eventually pulled Hobbs away.
Don’s Take: I am underwhelmed by this match given the video game tie-in. Maybe I’ll be surprised, but if they want to sponsor the match fine, but I have a feeling, much like the Texas Chainsaw massacre match, that they’re going to work silly video game elements in, which will take me out of it. And here’s hoping Wight, with his health issues, can handle whatever his role is in this match.
Lexy Nair was backstage with FTR. She asked them how they were feeling given the roll they have been on. Wheeler spoke about their issues with Ricky Starks and Big Bill, La Faccion Ingobernables and the House of Black. Harwood added that it doesn’t matter who it is, their quest to win the AEW Tag Team Championship begins now. [C]
7. Lance Archer and “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch (w/Jake Roberts) vs. Sting, Darby Allin, and Adam Copeland. Copeland started out against Dutch. Copeland attacked with forearms and a clothesline which Dutch no-sold. Copeland hit a flying clothesline and tagged out to Allin.
Allin squared off with Vincent and Allin grabbed a headlock. Vincent followed up with a kick and a headlock. Archer tagged in and Allin tagged Sting. The two exchanged the Sting yell and Sting attacked with a series of punches while knocking Vincent and Dutch off the apron. Sting clotheslined Archer over the top rope as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Archer had the advantage on Sting and bit him in the corner. The heels took turns attacking Sting in the corner.
After several minutes, Sting made the hot tag to Allin who cleaned house on the heels. Eventually, the heels regained the momentum when Dutch hit Allin with clothesline and the show went into its final picture-in-picture break. [C]
The heels continued to work over Allin with Archer hitting a release suplex. Eventually Allin rammed Vincent into Dutch and trapped Vincent in a small package for a near fall. As Allin was trying to make the tag, Archer pulled Sting off the apron and rammed him into the ringside barrier. Copeland intervened and rammed Archer into the ring post.
Allin made the hot tag to Copeland whom cleaned house on Dutch and Vincent by hitting a flying double clothesline a flapjack to Vincent and a spear to Archer knocking him off the apron. Copeland clotheslined Dutch over the top rope and back dropped Vincent over the top rope. Vincent landed on Dutch and Archer at ringside and Copeland then dove onto all three.
Copeland went for the spear on Vincent but Archer pulled him out of the ring. Allin hit a coffin drop dive onto Archer on the floor. In the ring, Copeland charged at Dutch but was met with a sidewalk slam. Sting came in and went after both Dutch and Vincent. Sting and Copeland hit a scorpion death drop and flying elbow combination on Dutch. Sting hit the Stinger splash on Vincent while Copeland followed up with the spear for the win.
Sting, Darby Allin and Adam Copeland defeated Lance Archer and “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch in about 16:00.
After the match, Christian Cage, Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne came out onto the stage and stared down the babyfaces as the show went off the air.
Don’s Take: A hot main event. Two things surprised me here. First, I guess this shouldn’t surprise me, but at age 65, I’m amazed that in tag team matches, Sting will still take the mid-match heel beatdown. Second, I was excited last week when they paired the Righteous with Jake Roberts. While I’m still intrigued, I’m less excited when they’re fed to Sting, Allin and Copeland in their first outing. I think the revamped act can work but now they need a win.
A better episode than last week. It still lacked decent storyline build but the wrestling made up for it a bit. Just a note that I have plans next Friday, so Jason Powell will be filling in for our weekly review. I’ll be back for the November 24 episode, though it looks like it’s going to air after midnight on Saturday morning due to NHL hockey. That said, I’ll likely be by that Saturday morning with my review and since I’ll likely not write until then, I’ll say my “Happy Thanksgiving” now to all those who celebrate! Until next time!
Rampage is airing live on the 25th before Collision not late Friday night/Saturday morning