By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 34)
Henderson, Nevada at The Dollar Loan Center
Aired live February 10, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening video aired and then Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary with Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness. Dasha was the ring announcer…
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli made their entrance to “Wild Thing” via the crowd. Star Jr. and Esfinge came out via the stage…
1. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Star Jr. and Esfinge. Castagnoli performed the giant swing on Esfinge a few minutes into the match. Both men tagged out Star Jr. performed an arm dragon and head-scissors takedown on Moxley and Castagnoli, which sent them to the floor. The luchadores performed stereo dives onto them.
Back in the ring, Castagnoli caught Star Jr. going for a springboard move and hit him with an uppercut. Moxley ran Esfinge into the ringside barricade heading into the first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Late in the match, Castagnoli performed Ricola Bomb on Esfinge. Moxley threw elbows to the side of Star Jr.’s head and then applied an armbar and got the submission win…
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli beat Star Jr. and Esfinge in 12:45.
After the match, Moxley took the mic and told Star Jr. and Esfringe to take the message back to Mexico and said it applies to any team in the world.
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler made their entrance and went face to face with Moxley and Castagnoli. Moxley pie-faced Harwood, which led to both teams trading punches. Moxley and Harwood ended up at ringside where Moxley ran Harwood into the barricade. Security and referees ran out to pull the teams apart…
Powell’s POV: Of the four CMLL wrestlers introduced on AEW television recently, Hechicero won me over with his in-ring work. I don’t feel like the other three were positioned to stand out and now they introduced two more masked luchadores. I’ll be blunt. I don’t care about the Blackpool Combat Club’s feud with the CMLL crew, so hopefully the post match angle with FTR means Moxley and Castagnoli are moving on.
The broadcast team recapped the pull apart brawl between Moxley and Castagnoli with FTR… Daniel Garcia made his entrance. Shane Taylor came out with Lee Moriarty while two men held up a Shane Taylor Promotions flag behind them…
2. Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor (w/Lee Moriarty). Matt Menard sat in on commentary. Garcia targeted one of Taylor’s knees early. Taylor sent Garcia to ringside heading into an early PIP break. [C] Taylor dropped Garcia with a big punch. Garcia came back and caught Taylor’s bad leg in a submission hold and got the win…
Daniel Garcia defeated Shane Taylor in 9:05.
Powell’s POV: A well worked match. It’s a shame that AEW didn’t give the talented Taylor a few wins on AEW television so that his matches would feel less predictable and his opponents would get a bigger boost.
Highlights aired of The Young Bucks attack on Sting and Darby Allin at the end of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite…
Eddie Kingston was interviewed by Lexi Nair on the backstage interview set. Kingston said that what the Young Bucks did to Sting and Darby Allin was disgusting. Kingston accused the Bucks of stealing the thunder of Sting and Allin. He also said Bryan Danielson stealing the thunder from Bryan Keith after he was given an AEW contract last week. Kingston challenged Danielson to a match at AEW Revolution with the stipulation being that Danielson has to shake his hand if Kingston beats him…
3. Brian Cage (w/Prince Nana) vs. “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd in a handicap match. Chance, the mascot of the Vegas Knights, was in the corner of the Outrunners. Cage dominated the brief match. He threw an awkward discus clothesline to clear Magnum from the ring, then forced Turbo to tap out to a submission hold…
Brian Cage defeated “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd in 1:10 in a handicap match.
After the match, Chance the mascot did Nana’s dance with him at ringside. Cage hit Chance from behind and knocked him down.
Hook’s entrance music played and he walked out and was met by Cage on the entrance ramp. They brawled to the back. Chance was shown still lying at ringside…
Lexi Nair stood with Tomohiro Ishii and the trio of Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Roderick Strong. Taven said he was in the Chaos faction at one time. He said he had knee surgery and never received an email or texts. “I thought we were friends,” Bennett said.
Strong yelled Ishii’s name. Strong and said that if Ishii wins tonight, then the two of them will meet for the AEW International Championship at AEW Revolution. Strong said he’s waited eight years for a rematch and can’t wait to break Ishii. Strong tried to shake Ishii’s hand, but Ishii pulled his hand away… [C]
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Adam Copeland, who made his entrance for an in-ring promo. Schiavone noted that Copeland is ranked third in the singles division. He said AEW World Champion Samoa Joe has his hands full with the two men ranked in front of him, which means Copeland has his pick between the TNT or AEW International Championship.
Copeland took issue with what the Young Bucks did on Dynamite and said it would not have happened had he been there. Copeland told the Young Bucks to consider that a warning.
Copeland pointed out the obvious in that there’s already an AEW International Championship match booked for Revolution. He said he could go after Eddie Kingston’s many championships and said he really wants to and it will happen, but he won the TNT Title and had it ripped out of his hand. “So I think you know where I’m leaning,” Cage said.
Daniel Garcia made his entrance and joined Copeland inside the ring. Garcia said Copeland isn’t the only person who has been picking up a lot of wins. Garcia said he did the same and assured Copeland he wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. Garcia said maybe he deserves a TNT Title shot, then thought that maybe he’d lose the big one again.
Copeland said the FTR duo speaks highly of Garcia and therefore he respects Garcia. Copeland proposed that he and Garcia meet in a match on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite and the last man standing will go on to challenge Christian Cage. Garcia accepted and shook Copeland’s hand.
Garcia tried to leave, but Copeland didn’t let go of his hand. Copeland said Garcia had a match already or he would be tearing his face off. He said that Garcia is threatening to take food off of his family’s table, so he will beat his ass next week. Copeland left the ring. Kelly said Tony Khan made the match official for Dynamite…
Powell’s POV: I like the touch of having multiple wrestlers take issue with what the Young Bucks did to Sting and Allin. It puts the angle over in a big way. In Copeland’s case, he also fits the description of the veteran crossover wrestlers the Bucks have complained about. But the more they talk about the rankings, the less sense they make.
Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Stokely Hathaway. After dropping Full House references, Hathaway turned his focus to the Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Statlander and Nightingale also spoke about the duo and wanted Hathaway to make it official. Hathaway said Tony Khan has him blocked, so he would need to borrow one of their phones…
Powell’s POV: Tony Khan’s wrestlers and Tony Khan’s broadcast team members sure like to mention Tony Khan a lot during Tony Khan’s weekly television shows. Tony Khan!!!
4. Brody King (w/Julia Hart) vs. Mark Briscoe. Both entrances were televised. Mark got some early offense before King took control and worked him over with chops in the corner.
[Hour Two] King performed a running senton on Briscoe and covered him for a two count. Briscoe battled back. Briscoe pulled a table out from underneath the ring, but referee Rick Knox decided to enforce a rule for the first time in his AEW career and wouldn’t let Briscoe use it. King regained control heading into another PIP break. [C]
Briscoe performed a corkscrew moonsault from the top rope onto King on the floor. Briscoe threw a chair inside the ring, which Knox quickly cleared. Both wrestlers returned to the ring. King turned Briscoe inside out with a clothesline and covered him for a near fall.
A short time later, Briscoe went to the ropes and was distracted by Hart climbing onto the apron. King shoved Briscoe off the top rope and through the table that was set up on the floor. Back in the ring, King performed a Gonzo Bomb and then got the three count…
Brody King defeated Mark Briscoe in 13:05.
After the match, King attacked Briscoe and held him while Hart hit him with a spike. Briscoe bled heavily from the forehead. Schiavone called Hart an evil and terrible person…
Powell’s POV: A good match with a little mystery regarding the outcome. We need more of that on AEW television. I guessed that King would win, but Briscoe has enough credibility that didn’t feel like a lock.
Bryan Keith delivered a promo on the backstage set. He said it’s no secret that he’s all about his payday. He said he’s looking for big matches and all the stars. He said he wants to climb the rankings and collect his bounty. Keith said whether his opponents are good, bad, or ugly, they better be ready to pay up…
The broadcast team plugged the remainder of the show’s lineup… [C]
5. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kiera Hogan. Both entrances were televised. Purrazzo won with a Venus de Milo via submission.
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Kiera Hogan in 4:30.
Toni Storm made her entrance along with Luther and Mariah May while Purrazzo was still at the bottom of the entrance ramp. They all walked past Purrazzo and then Storm entered the ring. Purrazzo apparently left and then Queen Aminata made her entrance…
6. AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm (w/Luther, Mariah May) vs. Queen Aminata in a non-title match. Schiavone hyped AEW Close Up on YouTube with Renee Paquette interviewing Aminata. Storm tripped Aminata into the ropes and was on the offensive going into a PIP break. [C]
Aminata caught Storm in an inside cradle for a two count. When they stood up, Aminata put Storm right back down with a clothesline. Animata suplexed Storm and hit her with a running knee strike and got another two count.
Storm came back with a DDT for a two count of her own. Aminata performed an Air Raid Crash for a near fall. Kelly said it was nearly the breakthrough moment that everyone has been waiting for Aminata to get. Aminata went for a hip attack that Storm avoided. Storm hit a hip attack and Storm Zero before pinning Aminata…
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm defeated Queen Aminata in 8:55 in a non-title match.
After the match, Storm took the mic and told Schiavone that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but they were in Henderson so he should stop looking at her like he was. Storm laid down in the ring and announced that she will be releasing a new film on Dynamite. Storm told Deonna Purrazzo that she could try all of her fancy maneuvers on her, but the pain of not being so much as a wart on her bum hole will haunt her…
Powell’s POV: I like the way Kelly framed Aminata’s near falls. It feels like they are building her up for that breakthrough moment that he spoke of. I’m curious to see who she ends up beating and just how big they can make it feel once it happens.
The broadcast team hyped the following for AEW Dynamite: Toni Storm’s “Wet Ink” film, The Young Bucks vs. Top Flight, Skye Blue vs. Willow Nightingale, Adam Copeland vs. Daniel Garcia for a shot at the TNT Title, and Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, and Swerve Strickland speak…
The main event was hyped as coming up after the break… [C] Orange Cassidy made his entrance for the main event and then challenger Tomohiro Ishii’s entrance followed…
7. Orange Cassidy vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the AEW International Championship. There were big near falls for both wrestlers throughout the match. Ishii blasted Cassidy with chops late in the match. Cassidy stayed on his feet and fired up, but then fell to the mat face down before Ishii could throw another.
Ishii picked up Cassidy and hit him with a forearm strike. Cassidy went for Beach Break, but Ishii countered into a powerbomb. Ishii went for a sliding lariat that Cassidy avoided before hooking him into a pin for a two count. Cassidy picked up additional near falls.
Cassidy threw a clothesline that Ishii no-sold and responded to with a big headbutt. Cassidy put Ishii down and then followed up with a Beach Break, but he only got a two count. Ishii stuffed the Orange Punch and put Cassidy down with a dragon suplex.
Cassidy shot right up to his feet, but Ishii clotheslined him and covered him for a two count. Schiavone told viewers to stick with them if they went past the top of the hour. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. Ishii set up for a brainbuster. Cassidy slipped out and hit the Orange Punch. Ishii fired back with a headbutt. Cassidy charged Ishii and then countered out of whatever Ishii was going for and hooked him in an inside cradle and scored the pin…
Orange Cassidy defeated Tomohiro Ishii in 15:25 to retain the AEW International Championship.
[Overrun] After the match, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett hit the ring and performed a spike piledriver on Cassidy while Rodrick Strong watched from the apron. Ishii returned to the ring and Trent Beretta ran out with a chair, causing the heel trio to exit the ring to close the show…
Powell’s POV: They saved the best for last. That was a fun main event. Will Pruett will be by on Sunday with his weekly AEW Collision audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let us know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
You kind of glossed over how much Briscoe was gushing blood. Do you approve of that for a major company?
It doesn’t bother me when it’s used at key times. I can’t believe I have to write this, but I’m also not a fan of anyone drinking blood. In general, though, I have much more of an issue with unprotected chair shots to the head.
And yet this all is on AEW programming. I really want them to get better, but instead of creating momemtum, Khan will not put his foot down, and show real leadership and prevent his investments from doing real harm to each other. It’s really hard to respect any bosses or higher ups in any wrestling company, but safety over stupid reckless stunts seems pretty obvious for the long haul.
I do
“Tony Khan’s wrestlers and Tony Khan’s broadcast team members sure like to mention Tony Khan a lot during Tony Khan’s weekly television shows. Tony Khan!!!”
LOL
” But the more they talk about the rankings, the less sense they make.”
Actually it’s starting to make more sense. The effort is appreciated, so let’s see how long it lasts.