By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 41)
Highland Heights, Kentucky at Truist Arena
Aired live April 13, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening aired… Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard checked in on commentary from ringside. The duo narrated footage of Jon Moxley defeating Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at the NJPW Windy City Riot event. Schiavone said Moxley would appear on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. Schiavone and Menard ran through the Collision lineup…
Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli delivered a backstage promo. Danielson acknowledged Moxley’s championship win and then noted that Castagnoli would face Will Ospreay on Wednesday and then he would do the same at AEW Dynasty. They took issue with Don Callis stating that he wanted Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher to hurt them during the main event. Castagnoli said it’s not the work people see, it’s the work they put in behind the scenes to make what they do look so easy. Danielson said violence is their specialty…
Ring announcer Bobby Cruise delivered the introductions while entrances took place for the opening match…
1. “House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews vs. Dante Martin, Matt Sydal, and Action Andretti. Schiavone said Darius Martin had the night off because he was getting his pilot’s license. Matthews powerbombed Sydal onto the knees of Matthews, who then covered Sydal for a two count heading into a picture-in-picture commercial break. [C]
Powell’s POV: I mistakenly thought Schiavone said Nigel McGuinness was getting his pilot’s license today. I made the correction above. I guess Darius is really living his “Top Flight” gimmick. Best of luck to him.
Black hit Andretti with a kick. King tagged in and then his partners set up Dante’s Inferno, but Andretti’s partners saved him. There was a series of rapid fire moves. King turned Andretti inside out with a clothesline and covered him, but Martin performed a top rope splash on King to break up the pin. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
The babyface trio hit King with a triple superkick and followed up with two top rope moves. Andretti covered King, who kicked out at one. Sydal tagged and dove at King, who caught him and slammed him in the corner. HOB hit a triple team move on Sydal in the corner and then King pinned him…
“House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews defeated Dante Martin, Matt Sydal, and Action Andretti in 14:25.
Powell’s POV: A good trios opener with the expected outcome. House of Black are facing Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe, and Eddie Kingston at the Dynasty pay-per-view, so there was no reason to expect them to lose to a makeshift team.
Footage aired from Dynamite of Toni Storm throwing champagne in the face of Thunder Rosa, and of Mariah May beating Anna Jay, which was followed by Mina Shirakawa coming out and kissing May…
Backstage, Storm, May, and Luther were interviewed by Lexi Nair. Storm told May there has been no greater love than these two lips and then kissed her cheek. Storm also about her match with AZM… [C]
Schiavone recapped Dynamite footage of the drama involving Chris Jericho and Hook…
New footage aired from after Dynamite of Chris Jericho telling Taz that he wants to explain his actions to Hook, but Hook wouldn’t respond. Taz said he would try, but Jericho pissed Hook off…
Schiavone said Taz would broker a meeting between Jericho and Hook on Dynamite, then plugged Hook’s match against Shane Taylor for the Battle of the Belts special that follows this episode of Collision… Entrances for the second match took place…
2. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Lee Moriarty (w/Shane Taylor). Anthony Ogogo sat in on commentary. Ogogo stood up and hit Shibata with a body shot while Taylor distracted the referee. Shibata sold the punch at ringside before beating the referee’s count. Moriarty covered Shibata for a two count heading into a PIP break. [C]
Shibata hit Moriarty with a series of strikes in the corner. Shibata followed up with a dropkick on a seated Moriarty and picked up a two count moments later. Shibata stuffed Moriarty’s finisher and then dropped him with a slap. Shibata threw a kick at a seated Moriarty and then pinned him.
Katsuyori Shibata beat Lee Moriarty in roughly 10:30.
After the match, Taylor ran in and put the boots to Shibata. Hook came out in street clothes and suplexed Moriarty. Taylor and Hook looked at one another and then Taylor exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: Moriarty stole a pin from Shibata during the trios match on Dynamite, so this was Shibata getting his win back. The post match with Hook and Taylor was meant to add some juice to their match on Battle of the Belts.
Footage aired of Athena retaining the ROH Women’s Championship and Billie Starkz winning the ROH Women’s TV Title at ROH Supercard of Honor…
Backstage, Nair interviewed Athena and Starkz. Nair noted that Athena’s match with Red Velvet would main event the Battle of the Belts special. Athena said she would make an example out of Red Velvet and show the world what they’ve been missing… [C]
Powell’s POV: I have been baffled by the decision to keep Athena and Starkz behind the HonorClub paywall, so hopefully tonight is the start of that changing.
Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett were interviewed on a backstage set by Nair, who questioned them about Wardlow being a part of their success. Strong took issue with the question and said he’s a fighting and giving champion who is giving chances to people who don’t deserve it. Strong said he would put on a show called The Beating of a Lifetime…
3. Daniel Garcia vs. Angelico (w/Serpentico). Both entrances were televised. Angelico caught Garcia with a punch, but Garcia came right back with a neckbreaker. Garcia performed a double underhook suplex and then hit a running forearm in the corner. Garcia stood on the middle rope over Angelico in the corner and threw ten punches at him before performing his dance while still on the ropes. Garcia applied his leg lock finisher and got the submission win…
Daniel Garcia defeated Angelico in 5:30.
Powell’s POV: A good match, but this felt like a predictable and fairly meaningless win for Garcia. While winning obviously beats the alternative, Garcia feels directionless at the moment.
Highlights aired of Kazuchika Okada taking out Pac with a chair shot on Dynamite…
[Hour Two] Backstage, Pac delivered a promo in which he thanked Okada for accepting his challenge and for hitting him with the chair. Pac said he has a perpetual headache that motivates him to show everyone who he is. Pac said he’s not the flavor of the month. Pac said Okada thinks he’s God’s gift to pro wrestling. Pac said he’s better than Okada and would show it at AEW Dynasty…
Toni Storm made her entrance with Luther and Mariah May. Anna Jay walked out and then AZM’s entrance followed…
4. AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm (w/Luther, Mariah May) vs. AZM (w/Anna Jay) in an eliminator match. There was a Japanese referee. Schiavone mentioned the man by name (I didn’t catch it). May and Jay fought at ringside and battled to the back. AZM ran Storm into the ring steps and then went to the apron and kicked Storm heading into a PIP break. [C]
AZM dropped Storm to her knees with a kick and then followed up with another spin kick. AZM put Storm down again moments later and then went up top and performed a shotgun dropkick that led to a near fall. Storm came back with a sit-out slam for a near fall. AZM came right back and rolled Storm into a pin for another near fall.
Storm performed a wicked German suplex. The screen turned black and white while storm performed a hip attack in the corner. Storm followed up with Storm Zero and scored the pin…
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm defeated AZM in 8:40 in an eliminator match.
After the match, May returned with champagne. May finished her glass while Storm took a sip. May took Storm’s glass and slammed the rest. Storm rubbed her face on May’s face and then put her arm around her as they headed to the back…
Powell’s POV: A nice back and forth match before Storm got the expected win.
Red Velvet was interviewed by Nair on the backstage interview set. Velvet said if Athena wants to stir up the pot, they can stir up the pot. She said she would make an example out of Athena and show her and everyone else why it was a mistake to enter her house… [C]
ROH Champion Mark Briscoe delivered a backstage promo about House of Black trying to intimidate him. He said he fears no evil. Briscoe said that he, Adam Copeland, and Eddie Kingston would bring violence at Dynasty. Briscoe told the HOB to be very afraid…
Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and introduced Thunder Rosa for an interview. Schiavone said Rosa has a chance to regain the AEW World Championship that she never lost. Rosa thanked for the fans for making her comeback special and for making AEW what it is today. Rosa said she doesn’t need Deonna Purrazzo’s help. She said she earned her college degree, her citizenship, and all of her matches on her own.
Rosa said she was proud to be AEW Women’s Champion, but her body wouldn’t carry her and she had to heal. She said she has another opportunity and she’ll regain the title at Dynasty. Rosa said she will carry the title, the pride of her people, and the support of her family. She said she would uplift and empower every woman in the locker room even if it takes every bone in her body. Rosa said you can’t kill what’s already dead. She said she was coming for Storm and her title and to drag her soul to hell…
Deonna Purrazzo delivered a backstage promo and said it was fine if Rosa doesn’t want her help. Purrazzo said she doesn’t think Toni Storm embodies what a champion should be. Purrazzo said she does. She said if she can’t get Storm, she might as well get the other Storm and then said she would break Mariah May’s arm next week…
The broadcast team spoke at their desk where Schiavone said they had been given blockbuster news. Schiavone announced that The Young Bucks vs. FTR match for the AEW Tag Team Titles is now a ladder match. They also hyped the Collision tag team main event… [C]
Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher delivered a backstage promo. Fletcher said they were trying to protect the golden goose (Will Ospreay). Hobbs said they expect a hefty fine and guaranteed that Bryan Danielson would not be able to walk out on his own… Entrances for the match took place…
5. Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher. Hobbs and Fletcher jumped Danielson and Castagnoli to start the match. Schiavone praised Tony Khan for turning the AEW Tag Team Title match into a ladder match. Schiavone then credited Khan with booking Kazuchika Okada and The Young Bucks vs. Penta El Zero Miedo, Daniel Garcia, and Pac for Dynamite. They officially added Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mariah May to the Dynamite lineup. Fletcher knocked Castagnoli off the apron with a knee strike heading into a PIP break. [C]
Castagonoli was isolated coming out of the break and eventually made the hot tag to Danielson, who knocked Hobbs off the apron and then worked over Fletcher. Hobbs eventually worked over Danielson at ringside, but Danielson slipped off his shoulders and shoved him into the ring post. Danielson hit Hobbs with a flying knee off the apron.
Fletcher caught Danielson with a running kick at ringside and then Castagnoli hit Fletcher with a running uppercut. The brawl spilled over the barricade and then Danielson told Castagnoli they had to get Fletcher back inside the ring as they went to the final PIP break. [C]
Fletcher pulled the mat back at ringside, but it fell back into place. Hobbs pulled the mat up again. Fletcher set up for a move on Danielson, but the mat fell back into place again. Fletcher gave up and set up for a move on the mat, but Danielson backdropped his way out of it.
A short time later, Danielson caught Fletcher in his finisher, but Hobbs broke it up. Castagnoli returned and cleaned house on both opponents. Castagnoli took Hobbs down and performed the giant swing. Hobbs eventually came back with a spinebuster on Castagnoli for a near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
All four men traded strikes in the ring. Castagnoli eventually performed a Death Valley Driver on Hobbs for a near fall. Fletcher tripped Castagnoli as he was running the ropes and then Hobbs took advantage. Hobbs put Castagnoli down with a powerslam and had him pinned, but Danielson broke it up.
Hobbs went to ringside and got a chair, but the referee took it away from him. Danielson threw kicks at Hobbs on the floor until Fletcher hit Danielson with a suicide dive. Hobbs cleared the broadcast table. Danielson avoided whatever move the heels were going for and then Castgnoli hit them both with uppercuts. Castagnoli executed a huracanrana that sent Fletcher into the apron. Back inside the ring, Castagnoli put Fletcher away with a Neutralizer.
Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli beat Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher in 26:50.
After the match, Konosuke Takeshita ran out and attacked Danielson and Castagnoli.
[Overrun] A “Moxley” chant broke out. Takeshita grabbed Danielson and hit him with a brainbuster at the bottom of the entrance ramp. Castagnoli checked on Danielson while the heels stood tall to end the Collision broadcast…
Powell’s POV: I’ll keep my comments brief so I can jump over to my AEW Battle of the Belts X review. Like most editions of Collision, this was fine if you saw it and fine if you did not. It had the usual good, yet predictable matches. The main event was easily the best match of the night.
I will return later tonight with a same night combo audio review of Collision and Battle of the Belts X for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of Collision by grading it below.
Join me for my live review of AEW Battle of the Belts X via the main page.
The Moriarty “chops” to Shibata were below indie level. Like day 1 of wrestling school quality. This shitty modern version of strong style is why NJPW is so in the mud they have the anemic plumber as their champ.