By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 38)
Ottawa, Ontario at Canadian Tire Centre
Aired live March 16, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary and then ring announcer Dasha conducted the introductions for the opening match…
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata. A “holy shit” chant broke out when the bell rang. The broadcast team noted that both men had suffered head injuries in the past and were both told that their careers were over. After five minutes of back and forth work, Danielson shoved Shibata in a corner of the ring. Shibata shoved him back and then they traded chops.
Shibata ended up on the apron and then Danielson attempted to suplex him back inside the ring. Shibata blocked it and then suplexed Danielson to the floor while staying on the apron. Shibata threw a kick at Bryan from the apron heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Danielson suplexed Shibata, who then stuffed a discus elbow and slammed Danielson to the mat. Both men stayed down briefly. Shibata performed a Death Valley Driver and got a two count. A “this is awesome” chant broke out while Shibata threw elbows to the side of Danielson’s head.
Danielson came right back with a Busaiku Knee for a near fall. Danielson applied the LeBell Lock. Shibata reached out for the ropes, but Danielson hooked his arm while giving up the hold and then Shibata reached the ropes with his foot.
Danielson threw kicks to a kneeling Shibata, who then sat crosslegged and indicated that he wanted Danielson to bring it. Danielson threw more kicks. Shibata shot up and fired back. Both wrestlers traded kicks. Shibata got the better of it and threw a series of kicks to Danielson’s head. Shibata got Danielson on his knees and then fired away with kicks to his chest.
Danielson sat crosslegged to mimic Shibata, who then sat down crosslegged and both wrestlers traded slaps to the face. Both men got to their knees and stood up while throwing slaps to the face. Danielson caught Shibata with a kick and then drilled him with another to the back of the head. Danielson led the crowd in a “yes” chant and went for his finisher, but Shibata avoided it.
Shibata slapped Danielson and hooked him in an octopus hold and transitioned into a pin, but Danielson had his foot on the ropes. Both wrestlers traded pin attempts. Danielson went for the LeBell Lock, but Shibata countered into a pin. Danielson reversed the pin and got the three count.
Bryan Danielson defeated Katsuyori Shibata in 19:10.
After the match, Danielson motioned for the crowd to stop chanting “Yes” and then pointed at Shibata. Danielson and Shibata shook hands and then hugged, then took turns raising each other’s arms. Shibata left the ring and then Danielson stood on the ropes and played to the crowd…
Powell’s POV: Exactly what one would expect from these two, which is a compliment. The only thing working against the match was predictability. Danielson is coming off a clean loss to Eddie Kingston, yet they are building his AEW Dynasty match around which wrestler is the best in the world, so there was no way he was going to lose to Shibata. Even so, this was really good and the live crowd was fully invested and their chants indicate that they saw it as a dream match.
A video package recapped Mercedes Mone’s debut on Dynamite… [C] Entrances for the TBS Title match took place…
2. Julia Hart vs. Trish Adora in an Open House match for the TBS Championship. The stipulation of the match was that the loser will be banned from ringside during the House of Black vs. Infantry match that will take place later in the show. Both wrestlers ended up at ringside. Hart ran Adora into the step and then into the barricade heading into a PIP break. [C]
Adora performed a shoulder breaker and picked up a two count. Hart avoided a pump kick and a corner splash, then hit Adora with a clothesline and a back splash. Hart set up for her finisher, but Adora countered into a pin for a two count. Adora executed a German suplex for another two count. Hart avoided a senton and then hooked Adora into a pin for a two count. Hart went up top and performed a moonsault before scoring the pin…
Julia Hart defeated Trish Adora in 7:40 in an Open House match to retain the TBS Championship.
Powell’s POV: Adora had a couple of close near falls, but the live crowd didn’t buy in. Although the crowd was receptive to the match, they clearly didn’t think Adora would go over.
Schiavone said Tony Khan just informed him that Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart and Skye Blue in a street fight is set for Wednesday’s live edition of AEW Rampage, which follows AEW Dynamite…
Lexi Nari interviewed Zak Knight and Harley Cameron on a backstage set. Nair informed Knight that Angelo Parker challenged him to a match. Knight said he would give him a fight, but not in Parker’s home country of Canada. Cameron ranted about Canada for a moment. Knight said he would fight Parker, but only on Knight’s terms…
3. Daniel Garcia vs. Lee Moriarty (w/Shane Taylor). Both entrances were televised and Matt Menard sat in on commentary. Garcia ended up at ringside where he was distracted by Taylor, allowing Moriarty to hit him with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Moriarty mocked Garcia by doing his dance, which drew boos from the crowd.
Garcia battled back and targeted Moriarty’s knee. Garcia executed a suplex and got a two count. Garcia grabbed the legs of Moriarty, who flipped him over and got a two count. Moriarty executed a standing double stomp. Garcia came back with a takedown and then applied a heel hook that caused Moriarty to tap out.
Daniel Garica defeated Lee Moriarty in 5:15.
After the match, Menard entered the ring and celebrated with Garcia while Schiavone hyped the remainder of the show’s segment, including Pac’s match as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good match while it lasted. These two were capable of filling more time and having a strong match, but I actually applaud the idea of making this more of a showcase for Garcia as opposed to going with a longer 50/50 style match.
The broadcast team recapped highlights from AEW Dynamite of Darby Allin performing a Swanton onto a standing Jay White on the floor and breaking his foot in the process. They also showed footage of the post match attack by White and Austin and Colten Gunn…
Pac made his entrance…
4. Pac vs. Aaron Solo. Solo’s entrance was not televised. Solo caught Pac with a kick. Pac rolled to the floor and then Solo performed a dive onto him. Back in the ring, Solo covered Pac for just a one count. Pac came back and played to the crowd after they chanted “welcome back.”
Pac put Solo down with a kick and then went up top and performed a missile dropkick. Pac followed up with a running elbow in the corner and then hit the Black Arrow. Pac passed on the pin in favor of applying the Brutalizer for the submission win.
Pac beat Aaron Solo in 3:35.
After the match, Pac took the mic and looked into the camera. “Tony, Tony, Tony, I told you The Bastard’s back and I am looking for trouble,” Pac said. “But you see, this, this is not exactly what I had in mind.” Pac told Tony Khan that he’s looking for trouble. “Find me some or I will find it myself,” he concluded…
Powell’s POV: A good showcase match for Pac. The post match promo was simply Pac calling for stronger competition as opposed to delivering a mission statement about potential opponents or championships he’s targeting.
Bryan Danielson was shown meditating while sitting crosslegged in the backstage area. Danielson said gratitude twice and then said he was thankful that he was able to face Shibata. He said they were both told they would not be able to wrestle again and they went out there and fought like hell.
Danielson said he’s also grateful that he has a match with Will Ospreay. Danielson said Ospreay watched him since he was a kid and has emulated him. Danielson recalled saying that it’s live or die and he doesn’t plan to die. Danielson said Ospreay can’t walk in his shoes. Danielson said he and Shibata have been on death’s door.
[Hour Two] Danielson said Ospreay could say what he wants about what he’s willing to do, but Danielson knows what he is willing to do and he doesn’t think Ospreay is ready for it. Danielson stood up and walked away… Entrances for the next match took place…
5. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Lance Archer. Both wrestlers took turns trying and failing to knock the other down with running shoulder blocks and then they traded bodyslams. Castagnoli eventually clotheslined Archer to ringside. Castagnoli rolled out and charged Archer, who caught him by the throat. Archer eventually hit Castagnoli with a cannonball senton heading into a PIP break. [C]
Archer did his rope walk while holding Castagnoli’s arm. Castagnoli pulled him down and hit him with an uppercut. Castagnoli went for his giant swing, but Archer avoided it and rolled to the floor where Castagnoli hit him with a running uppercut. Archer returned to the ring and then cut off Castagnoli when he went to the ropes.
Archer chokeslammed Castagnoli and covered him for a two count. Archer went for the Blackout, but Castagnoli slipped away. Archer threw an elbow, but Castagnoli hit him with a Death Valley Driver. Castagnoli threw another running uppercut and then threw a series of uppercuts in the corner. Castagnoli pulled Archer from the ropes and hit him with a cutter for a two count.
Castagnoli hit Archer with a springboard uppercut for another two count. Castagnoli played to the crowd and then started to perform a giant swing, but he was attacked by Vincent and Dutch for a disqualification finish.
Claudio Castagnoli defeated Lance Archer by DQ in 11:10.
Bryan Danielson ran out to help Castagnoli, but he was outnumbered and put down by a Vincent cutter. McGuinness noted that Jon Moxley was not in the building. Katsuyori Shibata ran out with a chair and chased away the heels…
Powell’s POV: I was hoping get some mic work ahead of this match, but it turned out fine with the live crowd getting behind Castagnoli. I guess the Blackpool Combat Club are babyfaces this week? I assume this will set up a six-man tag match.
Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker were interviewed by Nair on the backstage set. Parker spoke about being close to home and how he was ready for a fight. Soho told him to relax. Parker said he couldn’t relax and said he was going to go find Zak Knight, but Soho said that’s what they want. Soho told Parker that if he went looking for a fight, he’d have to do it without her. Parker backed down… [C]
Powell’s POV: If the goal of that promo segment was to make Parker look whipped then mission accomplished.
Kyle O’Reilly made his entrance while the broadcast team noted that it was his first match back in nearly two years. Schiavone also spoke about O’Reilly having type one diabetes and then Bryan Keith made his entrance…
6. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Bryan Keith. O’Reilly shook his head after escaping an early headlock. McGuinness said that just because O’Reilly has been cleared doesn’t mean there’s not some lingering pain or doubt. Nice call. O’Reilly got some offense before Keith drove him to the mat with a DDT and got a two count. O’Reilly sold his neck and the match continued during the PIP break. [C]
O’Reilly had a flurry of offense coming out of the break and applied a kneebar. Keith rolled to the ropes to break the hold. Keith came back with an elbow strike and hoisted up O’Reilly on his shoulders. O’Reilly slipped out and then applied a triangle choke that he gave up and then threw a kick at Keith.
O’Reilly went up top, but Keith cut him off and knocked him off the ropes. Keith caught O’Reilly with a knee to the head that O’Reilly sold like he was shot. Keith covered him for a two count. A short time later, O’Reilly threw a lariat and followed up with a brainbuster for a two count. O’Reilly applied an armbar and got the submission win.
Kyle O’Reilly defeated Bryan Keith in 11:30.
After the match, Roderick Strong ran out and hugged O’Reilly while Matt Taven and Mike Bennett applauded. Taven and Bennett put O’Reilly on their shoulders for the post match celebration…
Powell’s POV: I get that they wanted to play up O’Reilly coming back from neck surgery and that was the excuse for this match going as long as it did, but I think they would have been better off giving O’Reilly a spotlight win against Keith or someone else. They made a big fuss over Keith’s knee strike because the move led to Anthony Henry legitimately suffering a broken jaw during a recent independent match. I guess the post match celebration means that Strong won’t let O’Reilly do things on his own despite claiming that he was okay with it. Meh. All of that said, congratulations to O’Reilly for returning to the ring after a major neck surgery and a long recovery.
Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo were interviewed by Lexi Nair about their Dynamite match against Toni Storm and Mariah May. Nair noted that they’ve never teamed before. Purrazzo spoke about her trust in Rosa, then complained about the way Storm beat her at Revolution. Rosa pointed out that she never lost the title that Storm holds… [C]
Powell’s POV: Nair’s question about Rosa and Purrazzo never teaming was unintentionally comical considering that they will be facing opponents who just teamed together for the first time last night.
Entrances for the main event took place. The Infantry came out second. They played to the hard camera and were attacked from behind by King and Matthews. Referee Stephon Smith did not reward the heels for the pre-match attack and instead waited until both teams were in the ring and then checked on The Infantry before calling for the bell to start the match (progress!)…
7. “House of Black” Brody King and Buddy Matthews (w/Julia Hart) vs. “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean in an AEW World Tag Team Title tournament wildcard match. Schiavone noted that the winners of this match will face “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler in the opening round of the tournament for the vacant tag team titles. King and Matthews were dominant heading into an early break. [C]
King hit the Gonzo Bomb on Dean, but Bravo broke up the pin. Matthews knocked Bravo off the apron with a knee strike. King hoisted up Bravo on his shoulders and dumped him on the table, but it didn’t break. King followed up with a piledriver on the table and the damn thing still didn’t break.
Matthews returned to the ring and hit Dean with the Stomp. Matthews covered Dean for a two count and then pulled him up. Matthews went to the ropes. Mark Briscoe ran out and hit Matthews with a chair while the referee was caught up with Hart. King chased Briscoe into the crowd. Meanwhile, Dean draped his arm over Matthews and got the three count.
“The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean defeated “House of Black” Brody King and Buddy Matthews in 7:45 in a wildcard match to earn a spot in the tournament for the vacant AEW Tag Team Titles.
Malakai Black came out after the match to be with his faction mates…
Powell’s POV: I was hoping to see King and Matthews be major players or even tournament winners, but it was also fun to see a rare big upset on AEW television. I guess this explains that recent FTR and Infantry verbal exchange on the backstage interview set. Given Cash Wheeler’s legal issues, I wonder if we’ll get another upset in round one.
A video package aired on the Christian Cage and Adam Copeland feud…
Adam Copeland made his entrance with a case that had “Spike” written on it and received a big ovation. Copeland said the last time he performed in Ottawa, he was unsure whether he would ever perform there again. He thanked the crowd for giving him another memory. Copeland said he didn’t know if he would perform in Toronto again. The fans booed. Copeland said he gets it, but it’s also his hometown.
Copeland sat on a chair in front of the case and spoke about his history with Cage and said he assumed that they would be friends after their careers were over. Copeland said Cage was onboard with him coming to AEW. Copeland said he came to AEW to finish his career with Cage, not to take the spotlight away from him.
Copeland said he got a phone call from a man who reminded him of who he was while he was sidelined by the Conchairto. Copeland opened the case and pulled out a board with nails sticking out of it and said he created “Spike.” Copeland said the call he received from “Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy” really worked and made him remember that he’s the Rated R Superstar.
[Overrun] Copeland said he and Spike would change Cage and take away his manhood. Copeland said he would make Cage two works that will cause him to never be able to look at his daughter again. Copeland said the two words are I Quit. Copeland said forty years after it all started in their hometown, it would come to an end. Copeland held up the weapons while graphics for the Dynamite matches and segments were shown…
Powell’s POV: A solid promo from Copeland to set up the I Quit match with Cage for Wednesday’s Dynamite. It’s worth nothing that Copeland said the magic words during his promo, which leaves the door open to Cage using that soundbite to somehow cost Copeland the match.
Overall, a solid episode. Collision continues to feel like the B show compared to Dynamite. Will they ever get back to making the two shows feel fairly equal like they did when CM Punk was the face of the Saturday night show? If Collision is renewed as part of the ongoing television negotiations, I’m all for brand split. They have more than enough wrestlers to pull it off and that would make Collision feel more must see. Will Pruett will be by either late tonight or on Sunday morning with his weekly audio review of Collision for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Danielson against Shibata. Another “dream match”. The man whose brain that had to take out against the man whose brains are mashed potatoes now
A brand split … or certain divisions featured on one show and others on the other show would be OK I guess. But I don’t want 2 world titles, 2 tag team titles. 2 women’s world title belts etc. This isn’t wwe. But a split could help to focus on certain divisions on certain shows?
“Danielson sat crosslegged to mimic Shibata, who then sat down crosslegged and both wrestlers traded slaps to the face. Both men got to their knees and stood up while throwing slaps to the face.”
This sounds exactly like a fight between two guys with massive brain damage in front of their special needs friends.
Seriously, how stupid is this shit and why does anyone pretend it isn’t complete and utter trash?
LOL…..you are so freakin’ pathetic.