By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 60)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota at Denny Sanford Premier Center
Aired live August 31, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening aired. Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary from their desk at ringside. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions for the opening match while both teams had televised entrances…
1. Lee Moriarty (w/Shane Taylor), Johnny TV (w/Taya Valkarie), and The Beast Mortos vs. Orange Cassidy, Hologram, and Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly and Johnny TV started with some chain wrestling. Cassidy tagged in an he double teamed TV with O’Reilly. Hologram tagged in and took over on offense. Moriarty tagged in and exchanged moves with the babyfaces.
There was a fun spot where the participants had each other in a sleeper hold forming a chain. Mortos ran off the ropes and broke up the chain sending everyone to the floor. Mortos attempted to dive over the ropes but landed on his own team. The babyfaces took turns diving onto the pile at ringside as the show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the commercial, TV was working over Cassidy. Cassidy evaded attacks from TV and Moriarty and made the hot tag to O’Reilly who cleaned house until Mortos stopped the momentum. Hologram tagged in and took on all three heels. Eventually, Mortos got the better of him but O’Reilly and Cassidy took him down with a series of kicks.
Cassidy hit Mortos with an Orange Punch and Stun Dog Millionaire. Moriarty entered and got a little offense but was also neutralized. Mortos took Hologram down with a Samoan drop and TV went for Starship Pain. Hologram met him on the second rope and hit a Spanish fly from the second rope followed by a rollup for the pinfall.
Orange Cassidy, Hologram, and Kyle O’Reilly defeated Lee Moriarty, Johnny TV, and The Beast Mortos in about 15:41.
Don’s Take: A spot fest for an opener which the live crowd enjoyed but did nothing for any storyline advancement. I’m wondering if this is the extent of the Hologram character or if they’re going to put him in some kind of program where we will see some character development.
A video recapped the Jon Moxley segment from Dynamite….
2. “The Bang Bang Gang” Juice Robinson, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn vs. “The Premier Athletes” Josh Woods, Tony Nese and Ari Daivari (w/Mark Sterling). Sterling delivered his usual pre-match schtick. The heels double teamed Austin Gunn to start. The attack continued for several minutes until Austin made the tag to Robinson. Robinson cleaned house for a bit and tagged in Colten who continued the offense. The finish saw Sterling distract Colten. Nese tried to attack Colten, but Colten threw him in to Sterling. Woods rolled up Colten for a near fall. Austin entered and the brothers performed 3:10 to Yuma on Woods for the win.
“The Bang Bang Gang” Juice Robinson, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn defeated “The Premier Athletes” Josh Woods, Tony Nese and Ari Daivari in 4:40.
Don’s Take: A straightforward match. I’m guessing the Bang Bang Gang are officially babyfaces despite there being no explanation.
A video package showed highlights of Mercedes Mone vs. Momo Watanabe from Capital Collision courtesy of New Japan Pro Wrestling. Mone challenged anyone from Stardom, New Japan or around the world to challenge her titles…
A video package highlighted Hikaru Shida… [C]
A video recapped the All In Zero Hour pre-show where Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and the Von Erichs put the iron claw on the Undisputed Kingdom and the Cage of Agony….
3. “The Undisputed Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett vs. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. During the ring entrances a video recapped the Grizzled Young Veterans attacking FTR at All In. The match was fairly even to start until the heels began working over Wheeler. Wheeler tagged in Harwood who cleared both Taven and Bennett from the ring. Taven threw Harwood shoulder first into the post between the top and middle rope as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the break, the heels worked over Harwood before he made the hot tag to Wheeler. Down the stretch, it was FTR hitting German suplexes on Taven and Bennett and several other double team moves. The finish saw Taven and Bennett attempt a spike piledriver on Harwood. Wheeler threw Bennett into the corner, crotching Taven on the top rope. FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Bennett and then hit their power plex finisher on Taven for the win.
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeated “The Undisputed Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett in about 10:10.
After the match, the Grizzled Young Veterans attacked and laid out FTR. James Drake grabbed the mic and said that they were in AEW because this is where the best wrestle and it was the second time in a week that they laid out FTR. Zack Gibson added that they were bitter because they had to live in the shadows and were undermined by the fans. They said FTR would never forget the Grizzled Young Veterans.
Don’s Take: In terms of the match, this would have been so much better with a story behind it. Not that the match was bad. It was good and I enjoyed it though it was odd that the referee allowed both members of FTR to make the pinfall. I do feel like FTR has been defined down as of late, while Taven and Bennett are ice cold so that took the match down a notch for me. I’m looking forward to GYV facing FTR and I’m glad we’re getting some promo work to set the stage before we get to the match.
A video package highlighted Thunder Rosa…[C]
Backstage, Lance Archer laid out several staff members and said “everybody dies.”
Don’s Take: Here we go again….
4. Action Andretti, Lio Rush and “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin (w/Leila Grey) vs. Jacked Jameson and Turbo Floyd and “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Truth Magnum). The story of this match was that every time Floyd would tag in, one of the Iron Savages or Jameson would force him out or tag themselves in. This match went into the second hour.
[Hour Two] Down the stretch, all four babyfaces suplexed Boulder. Floyd tagged in and was cleaning house against the babyfaces but hit Bronson by mistake. Top Flight threw Floyd into Jameson. Stunned, Jameson was dropped and pulled into the babyface corner. Dante hit a top rope splash for the win.
Action Andretti, Lio Rush and “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin defeated Jacked Jameson and Turbo Floyd and “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder in about 4:48.
Don’s Take: I assume this leads to the Iron Savages vs. The Outrunners. The Outrunners are my guilty pleasure but for the masses, this won’t do much. The act could get over but doesn’t go far beyond the lower part of the card.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Queen Aminata and Serena Deeb. Nair noted that the winner of the four-way women’s match tonight would meet Mercedes Mone at All Out for the TBS Championship. Both Aminata and Deeb made their cases for why they would win the match. Deeb said she really liked Aminata and offered her a chance to work together. Aminata was about to say no but before she could answer, Deeb said that Aminata should think it over.
5. Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kyle Fletcher (w/Don Callis). In a shocking twist, Don Callis joined the commentary team. The two exchanged forearms to start and went back and forth. Fletcher hit a brain buster on Ishii on the ring apron as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Ishii and Fletcher exchanged forearms again. Great action down the stretch and several near falls that got the crowd invested, particularly in Fletcher. Ishii hit an impressive huracarana off the top rope for a near fall. In the end, it was Fletcher with a spinning tombstone followed by a piledriver for the win.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Tomohiro Ishii in about 12:43.
Don’s Take: This was the best match on the show so far. They have something with Fletcher if they want to invest the time in a singles run. If Callis turns on him, he’s a solid babyface with the caution of not making him out to be Will Ospreay’s little buddy. He could also immediately become a credible heel should he turn on Ospreay. It will be interesting to watch.
A video highlighted Queen Aminata… [C]
A video recapped Bryan Danielson winning the AEW World Championship at All In, his promo on Dynamite and Jack Perry’s attack. Jack Perry vs. Bryan Danielson for the title, along with Will Ospreay vs. Pac was announced for All Out next Saturday.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Pac, who said that he’s not content with winning the Trios titles and said that he would fight Will Ospreay tonight if he could. He challenged Ospreay and hos friends to meet him and his friends on Dynamite. Kyle O’Reilly and Orange Cassidy entered. O’Reilly was on the phone with Mark Briscoe and said that it would be O’Reilly, Cassidy and Ospreay against Pac, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta. O’Reilly told Pac that Briscoe wanted to talk to him but Pac smacked the phone out of his hand. He looked at Cassidy and said, “you? – even better.”
6. Buddy Matthews vs. Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes). The match was even to start. Komander sent Matthews to the floor with a springboard dropkick. Matthews retaliated with a suplex to Komander on the floor as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Matthews and Komander battled on the apron. Down the stretch, Komander got in a flurry of offense and several near falls. He went for a top rope move but Matthews caught him with a knee, followed by Matthews Law for the win
Buddy Matthews defeated Komander in about 10:00.
After the match, MxM Collection appeared on the screen and congratulated Matthews on his win. Mansoor noted that next week was Fashion Week and challenged the House of Black to a match next Friday. Brody King joined Matthews in the ring. Matthews took the mic and said, “it’s your funeral.”
Don’s Take: I may get some heat for this, but Tony Khan spent a lot of money to keep Matthews from re-signing with WWE. Money is good and he has a solid role in the House of Black. That being said, do right by the guy and give him something better than throwaway matches on Collision.
A video highlighted Serena Deeb… [C]
A video recapped Mariah May winning the AEW Women’s Championship from Toni Storm…
7. Queen Aminata vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb vs. Thunder Rosa in a four-way for a shot at the TBS Title at All Out. The four women battled to start with Rosa squaring off with Deeb and Aminata squaring off with Shida. As the match progressed, Aminata and Deeb seemed to be working together by hitting a double suplex on Shida and Rosa as we went to the final picture-in-picture break of the night. [C]
After the break, Deeb and Aminata continued to work together on Rosa. Deeb ended up outside of the ring and Aminata went on a flurry of offense in the ring. Deeb broke up a pinfall attempt and clotheslined Aminata to end the partnership. Deeb went on offense against all three opponents. Tony Schiavone said the show would go as long as it takes to have a winner.
Hikaru Shida defeated Serena Deeb, Thunder Rosa and Queen Aminata in a four-way in 14:30 to earn a shot at the TBS Title at All Out.
Don’s Take: While they were teasing a push for Shida, I’m actually surprised since Mone is a heel and Shida has been a bit more heelish as of late. Plus, they just did this match on Dynamite so I thought they’d give it some time before they went to it on a pay-per-view. Overall, it was a good match and the match at All Out is fine for what it is.
Aside from the hook around who will be challenging Mone at All Out, this was a lackluster edition. As always, good wrestling without any kind of story or character development. That’s all from me for tonight. I’ll be back on Friday with a Collision and Rampage double shot. Until then!
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