By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 32)
Bossier City, Louisiana at Brookshire Grocery Arena
Aired live January 27, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] Dasha was the ring announcer as Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli made their way to the ring. Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary and recapped Moxley vs. Lee Moriarty from last night’s Rampage. Schiavone was joined by Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness. Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor were already in the ring….
1. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor. The four men brawled in and around the ring to start. Moxley squared off with Taylor while Castagnoli squared off with Moriarty. Back in the ring, Moxley and Taylor exchanged blows which Taylor eventually got the better of.
Taylor missed a dive into the corner allowing Moxley to tag Castagnoli. Taylor and Castagnoli exchanged blows. Castagnoli got the upper hand with European uppercuts and a short-arm clothesline. Castagnoli went for the big swing, but was stopped by Moriarty. Moxley and Moriarty brawled on the outside. Taylor attacked Moxley from behind and threw him into the ring steps. Castagnoli went after Taylor on the floor but missed a charge and fell over the ringside barricade.
The four men continued to brawl on the floor. Taylor delivered a leg drop to Castagnoli across the apron. Moriarty hit a vertical suplex for a near fall on Castagnoli before grabbing an arm bar. Moxley sat on the floor favoring his left hand. Taylor hit another leg drop for a near fall. Castagnoli reversed a vertical suplex by Taylor and hit one of his own before making the hot tag to Moxley.
Moxley cleaned house on Moriarty for a bit before hitting a clothesline and punches in the corner. Moxley knocked Taylor off the apron. Moriarty went after Moxley’s injured left hand and went for a flying dropkick from the second rope.
Castagnoli moved Moxley out of the way and caught Moriarty in the big swing. Taylor and Castagnoli exchanged blows. Castagnoli got the upper hand and knocked Taylor to the outside. Moriarty ejected Castagnoli. Moriarty attempted to roll up Moxley buy was caught in the rear naked choke. Moriarty reversed the hold for a two count.
Moxley hit a cutter and went for his finisher but Moriarty attacked the left hand again. Taylor tagged him but Castagnoli grabbed him while Moxley hit the Hart Attack clothesline. Castagnoli took care of Moriarty while Moxley stomped Taylor. Moxley put Taylor in the rear naked choke for the win.
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli defeated Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor in about 10:00.
Don’s Take: A nice brawl to open the show. It was hard to tell if Moxley really injured the hand or was just working. Time will tell.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Komander, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett and Roderick Strong. Strong told Komander he had an International Title match set for Revolution on March 3rd. He added that if Komander beat Orange Cassidy tonight, he could hold the belt for five weeks before Strong beat him. He offered their services to make that happen and forced a handshake. Komander looked confused.
2. Orange Cassidy vs. Komander for the AEW International Championship. The two shook hands and hugged to start before exchanging pinning combinations. Cassidy missed a dropkick before head scissoring Komander and sending him to the floor. The two missed diving onto each other on the floor.
Cassidy grabbed a front face lock and coverted it into Stun Dog Millionaire followed by a spinning DDT. Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett and Matt Taven made their way to the ring as the show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Cassidy missed a dive off the top rope allowing Komander to hit a cross body for a near fall. Komander hit a flying DDT after ducking two clotheslines. Komander chopped Cassidy three times but Cassidy came back with a super kick. Cassidy hit his light kicks in the corner which increased with intensity. Komander kicked a charging Cassidy out of the corner and hit a back elbow. Komander hit a Destroyer and double knees to the chest for a near fall.
Komander hit a frog splash for another near fall. Cassidy reversed an inverted piledriver for another two count. Kommander hit two straight kicks to the face and went for another Destroyer but Cassidy converted it to Beach Break for a near fall. Komander kicked Cassidy while Cassidy walked the ropes before hitting a hurricanrana on Cassidy. Cassidy missed an Orange Punch while Komander hit another hurricanrana for another near fall. The referee appeared to be late getting to make the count.
Komander went to the top rope while Strong distracted the referee. Komander ran across the top rope and dove onto Taven and Bennett. Back in the ring, Cassidy hit the Orange Punch for the win.
Orange Cassidy defeated Komander to retain the AEW International Championship in 12:00.
After the match, Strong went to present the belt to Cassidy but dropped it on the mat. Cassidy and Komander shook hands.
Don’s Take: A good match as you might expect. It’s good that AEW is slowly getting into the habit of booking PPV matches several weeks in advance, which gives them time to tell a story leading into the match. In this case, the only drawback was that there was no suspense around Komander potentially pulling off an upset since the story is all about Strong challenging Cassidy.
Backstage, Matt Menard stood over a bloodied Daniel Garcia and called for help. [C]
Toni Storm was with Mariah May and Luther in a segment taped after Dynamite. She said she hoped Deonna Purrazzo was happy as now it was personal. May interjected and asked Storm to watch her match on Collision. Storm agreed until she learned it was in Brossier City. She said she’s not welcome there because she put down a couple of race horses. She said they would figure it out another time. And for Purrazzo, she said they were just scratching the surface, their feud isn’t over yet, or maybe they’re somewhere in the middle.
Don’s Take: More pure goodness from the Storm character.
3. Mariah May vs. Lady Frost. The two exchanged shoves, strikes and chops to start. Frost hit a kick and neck breaker for a near fall. Frost missed a charge in the corner and May took her down by the hair before following up with a shotgun dropkick. The show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Frost rolled May up for near fall. The two traded German suplexes. May appeared to land on the back of her head. Frost followed up with chops and her Killer Driller move for a near fall. May clotheslined Frost over the top rope followed by a dropkick. Frost rebounded with a kick into the corner followed by a cannonball into the corner. Frost went for her Frostbite finisher but May grabbed her off the top rope and executed her May Day finisher for the win.
Mariah May defeated Lady Frost in about 7:00.
Don’s Take: A fairly straightforward match. May came in with a lot of fanfare but her matches are not doing a good enough job of showcasing her talent. Hopefully that changes when she gets entrenched in a formal program.
Swerve Strickland was backstage. He said that AEW has the bright idea to keep him and Hangman Adam Page going at each other. He mentioned the Dealer’s Choice stipulation for Wednesday’s Dynamite. He said he understands the method to the madness and asks Page what he has left. He added that it will be up to Page to find some poor unfortunate soul to meet him but for Page’s opponent, he’s keeping it in the Mogul family. He said he’s having Page face a man who is hungry, chomping at the bit and has never been pinned. He also said it’s the man’s first singles match and introduced Toa Liona. [C]
Hangman Adam Page was on the backstage set. He said that Toa Liona was a good choice. He added that for Swerve’s match, he doesn’t have to tell him who it will be and that Swerve will have to wait until Dynamite to find out.
Don’s Take: Is it me or is Page going for the Magnum T.A. look? I’m totally dating myself.
4. Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack in a Non-Title Match. Mack attacked Kingston at the bell and hit a brain buster for a near fall. Mack continued the attack in the corner with a cannonball. Mack hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Kingston retaliated with a snap mare, kicks to the back and chops to the chest.
Mack ducked a clothesline and responded with a kick knocking Kingston down. Mack went for a back splash and landed on his own head. He managed to still get a near fall. Mack got up heavily favoring his right knee. Mack missed another cannonball in the corner and Kingston hit an exploder suplex for a near fall. Mack hit a sit down powerbomb for a near fall. The two exchanged blows and chops. Mack eventually got the better of the exchange but missed a splash from the top rope when Kingston got the knees up. Kingston hit his back fist finisher for the win.
Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kington defeated Willie Mack in 6:00 in a non-title match.
After the match, Kingston crossed paths with Bryan Danielson who was making his way out for his match. Kingston stared at Danielson and joined the commentary team on the stage.
Don’s Take: A clunky match at times. And I found it strange that all Kingston did was stare at Danielson after Danielson spit on him on Dynamite a week ago. I guess spitting on someone doesn’t warrant retaliation.
[Hour Two]
5. Bryan Danielson vs. Yugi Nagata. Nagata worked on the arm to start as Schiavone noted that he called a Nagata match 25 years ago on TNT. Nagata landed forearms and kicks in the corner. Danielson responded with kicks of his own before hitting a DDT for a near fall. Danielson worked on the arm but Nagata went to the ropes.
Kingston explained that he was going to stay in control because Danielson is trying to make him lose control and focus. He said Danielson can’t handle the fact that he spit on him and he didn’t react. Back in the ring, Nagata and Danielson engaged in a test of strength. Nagata went back to work on the arm as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Nagata was still working on the arm coming out of the break until Danielson dropkicked the leg. Danielosn hit strikes and kicks in the corner before dropkicking the knee. Danielson slammed Nagata’s knee against the ring post. Danielson hit a shotgun dropkick from the top rope before landing elbow hammers. Nagata hit an exploder suplex. The two exchanged blows before Nagata locked in an STF. Danielson reversed the hold into a knee bar.
The two exchanged blows again. Nagata hit a knee to the midsection and a boot in the corner. The two battled on the top rope. Danielson kept trying to headbutt Nagata off to no avail.
Nagata hit a super plex for a near fall. Nagata grabbed a Fujiwara arm bar but Danielson got to the ropes. Danielson blocked a back suplex and landed a dragon screw leg whip. The two exchanged kicks. Danielson landed two kicks to the head followed by the running knee for the win.
Bryan Danielson defeated Yugi Nagata in 14:00.
After the match, Danielson and Nagata shook hands while Danielson raised Nagata’s hand in victory. Danielson didn’t look at Kingston as he walked past him…
Don’s Take: A highly enjoyable match and the best match on the card thus far. I also like that they took the time to have Kingston explain why he didn’t attack Danielson in the aisleLexy Nair was in front of the trainer’s room with Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. They said there was no update on Daniel Garcia’s status for the main event steel cage match. Mark Briscoe entered and offered to take Garcia’s place if he’s not cleared. Harwood said that would be up to Garcia, but if they need someone, they would call him. [C]
Renee Paquette was backstage with Brian Cage. Cage said he didn’t understand the hype around Hook. He added he made the FTW title relevant and that Hook was too small to be a champion. Hook entered and said he was ready for a match with Cage anytime.
6. Serena Deeb vs. Robyn Renegade. Deeb received a nice reaction from the crowd. The two exchanged in some basic technical wrestling to start. Deeb grabbed a full nelson which Renegade reversed before Deeb escaped. The two exchanged slaps before Deeb hit a running clothesline. Deeb hit a splash in the corner. Renegade whipped her into the opposite corner but Deeb kicked her out. Deeb landed a neck breaker in the ropes and then a spinning neck breaker in the ring. Deeb hit her Detox finisher before slamming Renegade’s knee into the mat and wrenching back for the submission.
Serena Deeb defeated Robyn Renegade in 3:00.
After the match, Deeb grabbed the microphone and asked the crowd if they missed her. She said for the past 15 months, she was sitting home asking herself a myriad of questions including if, when and how she’s coming back. She added tonight she’s standing in the ring and it feels damn good to be back.
She said that among all the questions, she asked why she was here and why she was coming back. She said she’s back for a few reasons. First, she said she’s here to elevate the women;’s division. Second, she’s going to put the wrestling back in All Elite Wrestling. And finally, she said she’s back to become champion. The fans chanted “Deeb.” She said that this is not just what she does, it’s who she is. She put the women’s division on notice saying that the “Professor,” the “Woman of 1,000 Holds,” and the most elite wrestler is back.
Don’s Take: A good return for Deeb and I thought the mission statement was a nice touch. I’m looking forward to see what she does in a women’s division that is slowly starting to develop.
A video provided details on four luchadors from CMLL who will be appearing on AEW Rampage next week: Volador Jr., Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Hechicero. [C]
Don’s Take: Some fans may recognize Volador, Mistico and Dorada from their MLW appearances. As I’ve said, if they want to give Rampage an identity by making it the only place to see the CMLL stars, it’s a small but decent hook.
The teams finally got in the ring. The House of Black triple teamed Harwood and Garcia. Wheeler dove onto everyone from the top of the cage. The show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, the brawl continued. Harwood hit a spine buster on Black. King hit a sidewalk slam on Wheeler. King knocked Garcia down with a forearm. The House of Black tried to escape but they were pulled back in. Wheeler slammed Matthews into the cage several times. The door was open and FTR went to leave but Garcia stopped them and said they had more damage to do. Garcia had the sharpshooter on Matthews, while FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Black. King hit FTR with a double clothesline.
King missed a dive on Garcia and slammed into the cage. FTR punched and kicked him against the cage. The brawl continued. King and Harwood chopped each other on the cage. King and Harwood fell off the top of the cage. The door was open and Harwood was on the steps, King knocked him off the steps while King also fell out. The announcers explained that neither man could re-enter. The show went to its final picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Garcia and Wheeler squared off with Black and Matthews. Matthews and Wheeler fought on top and over the cage. Matthews got the better of the exchange and Wheeler crashed through the table below them. Wheeler is eliminated while Matthews climbs back in. As he’s doing so, Garcia throws Black into the cage, knocking Matthews down and landing through another table on the floor. Matthews is eliminated and it’s Garcia vs. Black one-on-one.
Garcia grabbed an ankle lock but was kicked off into the cage. Black hit Garcia with kicks and Garcia responded with a clothesline. Garcia attempted to climb the cage but Julia Hart climbed up on the other side and spit the mist in his eyes.
Black went to leave but Garcia called for him to finish the job. Black missed the roundhouse kick and Garcia piledrove him on a steel chair. Garcia was climbing over the cage and Black was headed for the door. Mark Briscoe recovered and slammed the door onto Black’s head. Garcia drops to the floor for the win.
Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler and Daniel Garcia defeated Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews and Brody King in an “Escape the Cage” Elminiation Steel Cage Match in about 24:00.
The babyfaces celebrated as the show went off the air.
Don’s Take: Disregard the flaw in logic where Briscoe replaced Garcia in the match, only to have Garcia be allowed to return as an active participant. This was a wild, pay-per-view, caliber brawl. And, hold on to your hats – no one bled. The crowd was into this from the opening bell and once again, they’re doing a nice job building Daniel Garcia into an upper mid-card player who is gritty and is now focusing less on dancing. This was probably his best win to date.
This was a very good edition of Collision, highlighted by the cage match main event, as well as the Danielson/Nagata match. I’ll be curious to see how the show does in the ratings, given that it ran against the Royal Rumble. I’m off to watch that tomorrow morning so I’ll bid you a fond adieu until Rampage on Friday. Until then! Jason Powell is filling in for Will Pruett on the AEW Collision audio review, which will be available on Sunday morning for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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