By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 68)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Liacouras Center
Aired live November 2, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] Tony Schiavone stood in the ring surrounded by the other tag teams including The Outrunners, FTR, Top Flight and the Conglomoration. Other teams stood on the stage as Schiavone brought out the new AEW Tag Team Champions, Private Party.
Isiah Kassidy spoke about Private Party’s journey to get to the championship while Marq Quen thanked the Young Bucks for making them better each time they met. Kassidy said they would defend the titles against anyone. He and Quen stared down FTR and a shoving match ensued which was broken up by Daniel Garcia.
Truth Magnum said that the sign outside didn’t mention anyone by name but did mention AEW where the best tag teams wrestle. Turbo Floyd added that it was time for the celebration to begin and the other teams applauded…
Don’s Take: A fine opening segment to make the crowning of new champions feel important. It also looks like FTR will be one of the first teams to challenged, as foreshadowed in the segment.
AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May and her challenger Anna Jay were shown arriving at the building. May told them camera man to blow it out his ass while Jay told Philadelphia to get ready for a new champion…
After Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary with Nigel McGuinness and ran down the show’s lineup, Renee Paquette was backstage with Max Caster and Anthony Bowens. Bowens congratulated Private Party and said that all the tag teams would be coming for them. He was about to deliver his “Everybody loves the Acclaimed” line but was cut off by Caster.
Caster said he was the best wrestler alive and that the fans loved them more than Private Party. He said fans gave him friendship bracelets and cash. He then pulled out MVP’s business card and said that MVP was begging them to join. Caster said he wasn’t sure and as he started to say it was time to nut up, he was cut off by Bowens who delivered the line. Caster looked annoyed by this…
1. Thunder Rosa vs. Harley Cameron in a Day of the Dead match. Several enhancement talents/personnel stood on the stage with Rosa face paint as she made her way to the ring. Rosa held the early advantage, attacking Cameron on the floor with a garbage can lid. Cameron attempted to retaliate by crotching Rosa on the barricade, but Rosa retaliated by throwing Cameron through a decorated board at ringside as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, both competitors made use of weapons in the ring. Cameron hit Rosa with a pinata wile McGuinness sang “La Cucaracha.” Yes, really. Cameron suplexed Rosa through a board held up by two chairs. Cameron then placed Rosa on one of the chairs and missed a kick hurting her leg. Rosa attacked Cameron with a chair and placed a garbage can over Cameron’s head and sat her in the corner. Rosa that ran up a propped up table, jumped off and drop kicked Cameron while still in the can. Rosa covered Cameron for the three-count.
Thunder Rosa defeated Harley Cameron in a Day of the Dead match in about 10:00.
Don’s Take: This was a little campy but fun at the same time. Cameron continues to impress even in defeat and she’s someone that could be line for a push down the road.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Roderick Strong, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Strong talked about his upcoming match with Shane Taylor as a steppingstone to meeting MJF. Taven and Bennett talked about the tag team titles before they were interrupted by Lance Archer and Brian Cage. Cage talked about their recent victories while Archer told Taven and Bennett to sit down and stay out of their way. [C]
2. Kyle Fletcher vs. Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes). Fletcher attacked Komander at the bell and held the majority of the offense early except for a couple of hope spots by Komander. Komander attempted to jump off the middle of the top rope but Fletcher shoved him to the floor. Fletcher followed up with a power bomb to the ring apron as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, the action was fast paced and explosive. On the floor, Fletcher knocked Abrahantes down with a kick but was met by a diving Komander. Back in the ring, it looked like a win for Fletcher when he brought the boots up to block a moonsault attempt. Fletcher then power bombed Komander for a near fall. Fletcher went for the Tiger Driver but Komander turned it into a hurricanrana for a near fall. Komander went on the offense with a poison rana and destroyer, both for near falls. The end saw Komander get tripped up on the top rope allowing Fletcher to hit a brain buster on Komander on the top turnbuckle for the pinfall.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Komander in about 13:25.
After the match, Fletcher continued the attack until Mark Davis came out and stared down Fletcher who eventually left the ring. Davis checked on Komander and Abrahantes on the floor.
Don’s Take: Don’t get me wrong, this was a good match. I’d even say great. That said, since they’re building up to a big showdown with Will Ospreay which should also be great, I would have rather seen Fletcher go over more convincingly. Komander is good but this match didn’t need to be as competitive as it was, which is one of the issues AEW consistently runs into.
Backstage, Jack Perry said things have changed, some days for the better. He was interrupted by Daniel Garcia who said he would try a different, nicer approach to ask for a title match. Perry responded that he used to be Garcia but realized that he wasn’t getting anywhere doing things Garcia’s way. He said that Garcia was afraid to sacrifice everything and that’s why he’s not ready.
3. Brian Cage and Lance Archer vs. Shaun Smith and Joe Keys. This was a good old-fashioned monster team squash match. Cage and Arthur brutalized both men, with Archer putting Keys down with a choke slam. Cage and Archer did a choke slam/power bomb combo on Smith for the win.
Brian Cage and Lance Archer defeated Shaun Smith and Joe Keys in about 2:03.
After the match, Cage hit the drill claw on Smith while Archer hit Everybody dies on Keys. The Undisputed Kingdom ran out to stop the beat down. Kyle O’Reilly and Shane Taylor were shown separately backstage looking on
Don’s Take: I love this old school style of squash match and I look forward to see Cage and Archer match up against more relevant teams. I also like the use of Cage and Archer this way as I feel like they’ve been spinning their wheels for too long.
Lexy Nair was backstage with AR Fox and asked him what was next after his good outing vs. Ricochet. Before he could answer, Nick Wayne, Mother Wayne and Kip Sabian entered. Wayne said a lot has changed in a year and that Christian Cage taught him to always hold a grudge. He recounted when Fox jumped him in his wrestling gym last year and added that he’s a man now. Fox challenged him to a match on Collision next week. [C]
A video recapped Kris Statlander defeating Kamille on Dynamite before being attacked by Merceds Mone…
Kris Statlander cut a promo on Mercedes Mone and said that Mone was scared of her. She said last year she walked in as TBS Champion, but this year she’ll walk out as the new champion…
[Hour Two] AEW World ChampionJon Moxley came out through the crowd with Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir. Moxley cut his promo while standing in the crowd. He put over Philadelphia and noted that hometown hero Orange Cassidy had a shot at the title at Full Gear. He said the game had already begun and the goal is not to defeat Moxley but to make it to the show altogether.
Moxley then put over Wheeler Yuta as an example of what Philadelphia stands for. Action Andretti came out and said that Yuta was a poor example but that the fans could look to him as a hometown hero. He challenged one of the to a match, but was attacked from behind by Pac. A referee came out and the match was on…
4. Pac (w/Jon Moxley, Marina Shafir and Wheeler Yuta) vs. Action Andretti. The early part of the match was all Pac who threw Andretti to the floor as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Pac stayed on offense. Andretti got some offense in down the stretch until Yuta distracted the referee allowing Shafir to knock Andretti off the ropes. Pac hit a super plex into the Brutalizer submission for the tap out win.
Pac defeated Action Andretti in about 8:07.
After the match, Pac left the hold on until Orange Cassidy came out. He addressed Yuta going over their history and how this version of Yuta was being used by Moxley. Cassidy said he would win the title at Ful Gear. Moxley slapped Yuta twice and told him to go after Cassidy, Yuta took a chair and stared down Cassidy. Yuta was distracted by Moxley back in the ring. This allowed Cassidy to take the chair and deliver an Orange Punch to Yuta.
Don’s Take: Another solid promo from Moxley and while I don’t see Cassidy as a threat to the title, their past matches have been very good so I anticipate more of the same.
Malakai Black cut a promo on Adam Page heading into their match on Dynamite… [C]
Lexy Nair was backstage with Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita. Fletcher wanted to talk about the future and not the past. Fletcher congratulated Private Party but said that he and Takeshita would be coming for the titles. He challenged Ricochet and a partner of his choice to a match on Dynamite.
5. Lio Rush (w/Dante Martin, Darius Martin) vs. Ariya Daivari (w/Josh Woods, Mark Sterling). This was another fine squash match with Rush hitting the frog splash for the win
Lio Rush defeated Ariya Daivari in about 8:44.
Don’s Take: A decent match with no substance.
Lexy Nair was backstage with MxM Collection and Johnny TV. TV said he was impressed with them and offered to collaborate with them any time.
6. Shane Taylor (w/Lee Moriarty, Charlie Bravo, Shawn Dean) vs. Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett). The early part of the match was all Taylor. MJF was shown looking on from an undisclosed location while the two factions bickered on the outside as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Taylor stayed on the offense until Strong mounted a comeback with a series of strikes and suplexes. The finish saw Strong block a package piledriver from Taylor and hit a knee strike for the pin. It looked like the referee botched the pin or Taylor accidentally kicked out. The fans booed the botch.
Roderick Strong defeated Shane Taylor in about 9:18.
MJF was shown looking on again…
Don’s Take: This was OK with some clunky spots. I feel like we’re being led to a three-way match at Full Gear with MJF, Adam Page and Roderick Strong. And when did the Infantry turn heel?
A video package recapped Bobby Lashley’s debut on Dynamite while Tony noted that the Hurt Syndicate would speak on Dynamite.
Tony also announced a four-way tag team contenders series. The winners of four matches over the next three weeks will face Private Party in a four-way for the titles at Full Gear. On next week’s Collision, we’ll see the Outrunners against Top Flight. On the November 13 Dynamite, we’ll see FTR vs. the House of Black; and on the November 16 Collision, we’ll see La Faccion Ingobernable vs. The Acclaimed. [C].
A graphic highlighted Mina Shirakawa as coming back. No timetable was given.
7. Mariah May vs. Anna Jay for the AEW Women’s Championship. Jay held the early advantage with mat-based technique but May took over all through the last commercial of the evening. [C]
Jay mounted a comeback coming out of the break. Down the stretch it was back and forth with both hitting big move and near falls. Jay attempted to choke out May who converted it into a pin attempt to break the hold. May trapped Jay in a snug roll up for the win.
Mariah May defeated Anna Jay to retain the AEW Women’s Title in 10:22.
May offered to help Jay up but pulled her hand away and walked to the back as Collision went off the air.
Don’s Take: A solid main event and one that protected Jay in defeat. They could easily run this one back down the road. I’d argue it was one of the better outings for both to date.
A better than average episode as we got some storyline advancement with Jon Moxley and company and the tag team was laid out for the next month. I’d say they’re going in the right direction if the stay consistent and improve a little at a time. And with that, I’m done for the night and will be back next week for Rampage. Members, don’t forget to check out Will Pruett’s outstanding Collision audio review Until next week!
Be the first to comment