By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Collision (Episode 66)
Taped September October 16, 2024 in Stockton, California at Adventist Health Arena
Aired October 19, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening aired… Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness checked in from their desk on the stage and spoke about Jon Moxley beating Bryan Danielson to win the AEW World Championship…
A video featuring Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, Marina Shafir, and Wheeler Yuta. Moxley said nothing has changed since he won the championship. He said no one owns the belt, it’s for the position. Moxley said he’s the only man who sat in the chair. He when he looks at the belt it is everything he hates and has been fighting against for years.
Moxley said it’s everything that AEW is not supposed to be. Moxley said nothing is free in the world and yet they are giving Top Flight the gift of a shot at the AEW Trios Titles. Moxley said their cause is pure and their enemies are weak. He said it’s not Top Flight’s coronation, it’s their public execution…
Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions for the opening match and both entrances were televised…
1. Ricochet vs. AR Fox. Schiavone said Ricochet and Fox have met eight times and both men won four matches, though it’s the first time they’ve met in over a decade. Fox sent Ricochet to ringside and then performed a dive over the top rope onto him on the floor. Ricochet was on the offensive heading into the first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Ricochet executed a spinning neckbreaker from the ropes. Schiavone said he’d never seen anything like that. Fox pulled Ricochet through the ropes into a DDT and then powerbombed him for a near fall. Fox hit a 450 splash for a near fall. Ricochet battled back and hit the Vertigo for the win.
Ricochet beat AR Fox in 12:15.
After the match, Ricochet said he came to AEW because it is where the best come to wrestle. Ricochet said that while Konosuke Takeshita is the AEW International Champion, he will be there waiting to kick Takeshita’s ass no matter where he goes…
Powell’s POV: One viewer may love the athleticism and how competitive the match was, while another viewer may not be a fan of the style and see it as needlessly competitive. I can appreciate the athleticism, but it did feel overly competitive given that AEW wants Ricochet to be a star and Fox has been mostly featured as an undercard guy.
Daniel Garcia, Marq Quen, and Isiah Kassidy delivered a backstage promo about Jack Perry and The Young Bucks and labeled them complacent cowards. Quen said before they beat their asses on Dynamite, they had business to take care of later in the show…
2. Kris Statlander vs. Harley Cameron. Both entrances were televised. Cameron picked up a couple of early two counts before Statlander cut her off with a backbreaker. Statlander held up Cameron before completing a vertical suplex. Cameron came back with a DDT, yet only got a one count. Statlander came back and hit her Saturday Night Fever finisher and scored the pin.
Kris Statlander defeated Harley Cameron in 4:00.
After the match, Statlander called out Kamille, saying it’s about time she met her match. Statlander said she would make sure Mercedes Mone has a front row seat for the match… [C]
Powell’s POV: With the hair and the headband, Statlander looks like she could be the daughter of Steel Panther drummer Stix Zadinia. Anyway, the match was fine and I am looking forward to Statlander vs. Kamille.
Daniel Garcia, Marq Quen, and Isiah Kassidy made their entrance. Mark Sterling led The Premier Athletes to the ring and delivered a promo about how they would take out the babyfaces for The Elite. He did his usual cornball bit where he encourages the crowd to say the Athletes rule, which leads to the crowd saying they suck…
3. Daniel Garcia and “Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy vs. “The Premier Athletes” Josh Woods, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling). Kassidy went to the ropes and was distracted by Stokley Hathaway walking onto the stage. Nese crotched Kassidy on the top turnbuckle and then sent him to ringside. Woods, Daivari, and Sterling put the boots to Kassidy heading into a PIP break. [C]
Quen and Kassidy performed their Silly String spot. Sterling climbed on the apron and distracted Garcia briefly. Private Party hit Woods with Gin & Juice and then Quen pinned him…
Daniel Garcia and “Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy beat “The Premier Athletes” Josh Woods, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese in 9:45.
Powell’s POV: Schiavone touted that this was the first of three trios matches. Is that really a selling point? Anyway, this was a solid match that wasn’t as needlessly competitive as a lot of the Premier Athletes’ television losses have been.
Jake Roberts narrated a video package on his new LFI faction and their upcoming match against The Outrunners…
Orange Cassidy made his entrance. Jacked Jameson spoke as he walked to the ring with the Iron Savages.
4. Orange Cassidy vs. Bulk Bronson (w/Beefcake Boulder, Jacked Jameson). Jameson kept yapping on the apron until Cassidy knocked him down. Cassidy hit an Orange Punch and Beach Break on Bronson before pinning him…
Orange Cassidy beat Bulk Bronson in 0:25.
Schiavone hyped Jamie Hayter for after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Quick and painless. It’s a positive when AEW works in in a brief match to shake things up.
5. Jamie Hayter vs. Brooke Havoc. Hayter’s entrance was televised while Havoc was already in the ring. Hayter dominated the match and won with her Hayterade finisher.
Jamie Hayter beat Brooke Havoc in 2:00.
After the match, Penelope Ford appeared on the stage and said she attacked Hayter because most people have to work for their opportunities. Ford called Hayter a backstabbing bitch. She said she was out for two years and Hayter never checked in on her, while Hayter was out for a year and came back to a parade at Wembley Stadium…
Powell’s POV: A good showcase win for Hayter. Ford’s promo was solid, but I’m never a fan of babyfaces being made to look bad by being accused of not checking in on an injured friend.
Backstage, Lexi Nair spoke with Daniel Garcia and Private Party, who were celebrating their win. Orange Cassidy showed up. Garcia said they were waiting for him all night. He said it’s not about being a hero or a tough guy, it’s about holding each other accountable. Garcia said Cassidy has beaten all of those guys before. Cassidy said it changes him whenever he’s in the ring with one of those guys. Cassidy said he’s not a leader…
[Hour Two] Atlantis Jr. made his entrance. Kyle Fletcher made his entrance with Don Callis, who joined the broadcast team. Once in the ring, Fletcher threw his jacket over the head of Atlantis and then kicked him. The referee actually rewarded Fletcher for this by calling for the bell to start the match…
6. Kyle Fletcher vs. Atlantis Jr. Fletcher dominated the early offense in and around the ring until Atlantis hit him with a backbreaker on the floor. Atlantis had a run of offense that included a flip dive onto Fletcher on the floor. Schiavone mentioned that Atlantis is 41 years-old. Fletcher battled back and hit a PK from the apron heading into another PIP break. [C]
Schiavone announced that Tony Khan booked Kris Statlander vs. Kamille for the Fright Night Dynamite on October 30. Fletcher took control and set up for a double underhook move. Callis blurted out that he wanted Fletcher to break the neck of Atlantis, who came back momentarily before Fletcher put him down with a DDT.
Atlantis hit a Destroyer and then went up top and frog splashed Fletcher. Atlantis went up top again and went for the same move, but Fletcher put his knees up. Fletcher stood on the second rope and performed a brainbuster on the top turnbuckle and then got the three count.
Kyle Fletcher beat Atlantis Jr. in 11:50.
After the match, Callis joined Fletcher inside the ring for a promo. Fletcher said he was ready to talk. He said he wouldn’t waste his breath on these fans, but he is ready to talk on Dynamite. Fletcher said you will listen, then added “especially you, Will (Ospreay)”… [C]
Powell’s POV: Fletcher was routinely a guy who lost needlessly long and overly competitive television matches to the stars, so it’s oddly appropriate that he won that type of match now that he’s being pushed.
Highlights aired of Darby Allin beating Brody King at AEW WrestleDream and the handshake that followed the match… “House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews made their entrance while their opponents waited at ringside…
7. “House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews vs. Alpha Zo, Chris Nastyy, and Olumide. The enhancement trio ran away to start the match. Eventually, HOB caught up with them, dominated the match, and Matthews got the pinfall.
“House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews beat Alpha Zo, Chris Nastyy, and Olumide in 3:00.
Powell’s POV: So we learned through Darby Allin that Brody King is a normal guy who was concerned about taking care of his family. It seemed like that could have been a turning point for the King character, but he’s right back to doing spooky faction squashes.
Schiavone said House of Black will be in action on Wednesday’s Dynamite…
Thunder Rosa was interviewed by Lexi Nair in the backstage area. Rosa said she was sidelined by a concussion, but she is cleared. She spoke about celebrating International Girls Day in Mexico. Harley Cameron interrupted Rosa’s promo. Rosa dropped Cameron with a punch… [C]
8. “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum vs. Rush and The Beast Mortos (w/Dralistico). Floyd and Mortos Rush was getting the better of Floyd heading into a PIP break. [C] Magnum was isolated until he made the hot tag to Floyd, which got a big pop from the crowd.
The Outrunners did their handshake into a double elbow drop. They set up for a move, but Dralistico tripped Magnum, which referee Aubrey Edwards somehow missed. Edwards did spot Dralistico grabbing a production cable, but then completely missed it when he entered the ring behind her. Good lord.
Just when it seemed like it couldn’t get worse, Edwards had to turn away while Dralistico tripped Floyd while he was going for a suplex. Rush fell on top of Floyd and then Dralistico grabbed Floyd’s foot from ringside while Rush got hte three count.
Rush and The Beast Mortos beat “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum in 10:00.
After the match, the LFI trio put the boots to The Outrunners. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler came out and fought LFI. The Outrunners recovered and helped FTR clear LFI from the ring…
Powell’s POV: Is there some type of ongoing backstage bet amongst the wrestlers and producers over who can lay out matches that make the referees look like blithering idiots? If so, we have a winner.
A Sammy Guevara video package aired. He said he’s been with AEW for five years and takes a lot of pride in being called an AEW Original. He spoke of trying to give fans a moment they’ve never seen before. He spoke about his desire to face the best. Guevara said he asked for a match with Shelton Benjamin and it will happen on Dynamite. “Get ready for another moment,” Guevara said… [C]
Entrances for the main event took place…
9. Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, and Wheeler Yuta vs. Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti for the AEW Trios Titles. Both teams started without anyone in their corner. Dante went for a suicide dive on Castagnoli, who caught him and then swung him into the ring post heading into a PIP break. [C]
Late in the match, the champions left two opponents lying at ringside. They took turns hitting Andretti with running elbows in the ring and then Pac put him away with a piledriver for the win.
Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, and Wheeler Yuta defeated Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti in 10:00 to retain the AEW Trios Titles.
[Overrun] The champions worked over the Top Flight crew after the match. Jon Moxley’s entrance theme played while he and Marina Shafir entered through the crowd. Moxley entered the ring while Shafir stayed at ringside. Moxley took a shot at Andretti and gave instructions to the others. Leila Grey entered the ring and pleaded with Moxley’s crew to stop, but Shafir quickly took her out while Schiavone wrapped up the show.
Powell’s POV: A well worked match with zero mystery regarding the outcome given the big push that Jon Moxley and his crew are getting. The challengers got some offense, but the champions went over clean and decisively in the end. Overall, this was a decent edition of Collision. It’s worth noting that the bar has been set pretty low for the Saturday night show. But if nothing else, they were wise to work in some shorter matches to help with the pacing of the show, which is especially good when they have the extra hour tonight. Speaking of which, join me via the main page for my review of AEW Battle of the Belts XII.
Will Pruett’s weekly audio reviews of AEW Collision are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let us know what you thought of Collision by grading the show below.
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