By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Collision (Episode 71)
Taped November 27 in Chicago, Illinois at Wintrust Arena
Aired November 30, 2024 on TNT
[Hour One] The Collision opening aired, as Tony Schiavone was joined by Nigel McGuinness on commentary. Schiavone recapped the rules of the Continental Classic and showed the latest scoreboard. Schivone then ran down the tournament matches to take place on the show as we went to the ring for the opening match…
1. Will Ospreay vs. Juice Robinson in a Continental Classic gold league match. Ospreay was sporting a lot of kinesiology tape on his neck and shoulders. Chain wrestling to start. Ospreay held the advantage for the first several minutes of the match. Robinson took over with a cannonball in the corner and a neck breaker for a near fall. Ospreay was selling his neck throughout this sequence. Robinson hit a release power bomb for a near fall as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the break, Ospreay rebounded with a few shots to the head. Ospreay dove onto Robinson on the floor. Robinson landed some strikes but Ospreay countered with a stunner which resulted in Robinson being tied in the ropes. Ospreay landed several kicks. After a short sequence, Ospreay hit a Styles Clash for a near fall. Ospreay landed the Hidden Blade for the win.
Will Ospreay defeated Juice Robinson in 12:34 in a Continental Classic gold league match to earn three points.
Don’s Take: Good opening match. A little competitive for my taste given where Robinson and Ospreay are on the card respectively but it’s the Continental Classic and they’re going to make everyone look strong even in defeat.
Mariah May was on the set of a photo shoot. She promoted her title defense against Mina Shirakawa on the December 11th, “Winter is Coming” Edition of Dynamite. She said that she could talk about why she and Shirakawa broke up but in reality they’re closer than ever. She mentioned that Shirakawa always wanted to come to America and win the AEW Women’s Title, so she’s giving her that chance. She added that she’s giving the fans Mina and now we’ll see how long she lasts. She ended by saying that Mina can do what ever she wants, but she can never say that May didn’t love her.
2. Mistico and “Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy vs. Johnny TV and “MxM” Collection Mason Madden and Mansoor in a trios match. TV started out with Mistico. After a brief sequence where the babyfaces held the advantage over Mansoor, the heels settled in on Quen for several minutes. Eventually, Quen fought his way out of trouble and made the hot tag to Kassidy. Kassidy cleaned house for several minutes until he missed a swanton bomb on TV. Mistico tagged in and went after Mansoor as Private Party targeted Madden. Down the stretch, everyone was battling and Private Party hit their Gin and Juice finisher on TV for the win. [C]
Mistico and Private Party defeated. Johnny TV and “MxM” Collection in about 8:16.
Don’s Take: A decent match for the sake of having a decent match. I do get a kick out of MxM Collection so there’s that.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Anna Jay. Nair noted that Jay can no longer challenge for the AEW Women’s Title while Mariah May is champion, but that she bounced back by beating Deonna Purrazzo at Full Gear. Jay said her career has been full of ups and downs and that there are other titles she can go after. She said that she always says “just try me,” but maybe it’s time for her to try someone else.
3. Kyle Fletcher (w/Don Callis) vs. The Beast Mortos in a Continental Classic blue league match. Don Callis uncharacteristically joined the commentary team. Mortos held the early advantage, hitting a monkey flip at a point. There’s a move you don’t see much anymore. Heading into the break, Fletcher held the advantage, knocking Mortos off the second rope to the floor. [C]
Coming out of the break, Fletcher hit a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Explosive moves down the stretch with Mortos missing a top rope dive and Fletcher hitting a power bomb for a near fall. Mortos responded with a Samoan Drop from the second rope, also for a near fall. In the end, it was Fletcher with a nasty looking brain buster for the win.
Kyle Fletcher defeated The Beast Mortos in 9:52 in a Continental Classic blue league match to earn three points.
Don’s Take: I really enjoyed this match. There was no mystery to the outcome but both worked hard. Again, I’m not a fan of Mortos being competitive with Fletcher, but it was under ten minutes and it wasn’t that egregious. Fletcher is quickly emerging as a future top star and I like that the Callis Family finally has some credibility.
A video recapped the Dynamite segment between Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and MJF….
Lexy Nair was backstage with Mike Bennett, Matt Taven and Kyle O’Reilly. Bennett asked Nair to leave. Taven and Bennett said that they always respected O’Reilly’s wishes but now they need him to respect theirs. They asked him to just let them finish this chapter of their careers and exercise some demons and devils. O’Reilly said he respects the plan and walked away leaving Taven and Bennett confused. [C]
A video recapped Ricochet vs. Konosuke Takeshita at Full Gear….
Backstage, Takeshita was joined by Don Calls. Callis said that 2025 is going to be the year of the Don Callis Family with Takeshita rolling into the Tokyo Dome and then coming back to dominate AEW. Takeshita spoke in Japanese and said he dominates in the ring and the title. He challenged anyone to “come and take it.”
4. “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd vs. “Iron Savages” Beefcake Boulder and Bulk Bronson (w/Jacked Jameson). Jameson did his usual pre-match schtick on the mic. The Savages held the early advantage on Magnum. Boulder appeared to slip and fall off the second rope.
[Hour Two] Bronson missed a splash in the corner and Magnum tagged in Floyd. Floyd cleaned house. Floyd was able slam Bronson but it took both Outrunners to slam Boulder. The Outrunners hit their double team finisher on Bronson for the win.
The Outrunners defeated The Iron Savages in about 2:56.
After the match, FTR came out and shook hands with the Outrunners.
Don’s Take: They’re not for everyone but the Outrunners are a guilty pleasure as this was the era I grew up in. They’re not to be taken seriously and I think that’s OK in small doses.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Max Caster. Nair asked him about his recent erratic behavior and Caster spoke about Swerve Strickland and how he didn’t deserve any of the opportunities he was given but he will give him the chance to face the best wrestler alive on Wednesday’s Dynamite. He added he hasn’t talked to Anthony Bowens or Billy Gunn, but he knows that they have his back. He referred to himself as the leader of the Acclaimed. [C]
5. Hangman Page vs. Wheeler Yuta. Wheeler got a little offense in early but Page had control of the early part of the match, attacking Yuta inside and outside of the ring. Yuta rebounded and went after Page’s leg, which continues the thread from Full Gear. The show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Page went for a super plex but Yuta crotched him on the top rope. Page power bombed Yuta while hanging on the turnbuckles. Page went on the offense slamming Yuta back first into the ringside railing several times. During the onslaught, Pac and Claudio Castagnoli were seen looking on from the crowd. They were joined by Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir. Page was distracted, allowing Yuta to regain the advantage. Page went for the Buckshot Lariat but sold the leg. Yuta rolled Page up for a near fall. Page responded with the Deadeye for the win.
Hangman Page defeated Wheeler Yuta in 12:13.
After the match, Page wrapped a chair around Yuta’s neck as the Death Riders looked on. Jay White came to the ring with a chair as Page slide to the outside. White hit a Blade Runner on Yuta and told him to “tell your king that the real king is coming.”
Don’s Take: It looks like Page and White will run it back one more time. It also looks like both Page and White are being groomed for a program with Moxley. Interesting move since AEW did all this work to make Page a top villain. But the crowd continues to be behind him so I guess it makes sense. Does this lead to Page joining forces with Swerve Strickland to face the Death Riders?
Thunder Rosa hyped the all-luchador edition of Rampage and said that seeing Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa turn on each other made her hungry. She said she would be watching May vs. Shirakawa’s match at “Winter is Coming” closely. [C]
Lexy Nair tried to catch up with Hangman Page but he said she wasn’t getting an interview. Page ran into Christopher Daniels. Daniels said he was going to fine Page for what happened at Full Gear but he wanted to talk to him as someone who has known him for 15 years. Daniels said Page has lost focus of his goals and if he got back on track he could be the leader and champion AEW needs. Page said no one tells him what he can be and that he doesn’t need to take advice from an old man.
6. Mina Shirakawa vs. Leila Grey. This was a showcase match for Shirakawa with a couple of hope spots by Grey. Shirakawa wins with the curtain call.
Mina Shirakawa defeated Leila Grey in about 3:26.
Don’s Take: Given that Shirakawa is about to challenge Mariah May for the AEW Women’s Title, a quick win makes sense. The crowd seemed quieter than they usually are for a Shirakawa match. I attribute this to the long night between Collision, Dynamite and Rampage.
Lexy Nair is getting a workout tonight. Now she’s backstage with Willow Nightingale. Nightingale talked about helping Orange Cassidy at Full Gear and how she is shifting her focus to the International Women’s Cup. She listed her credentials and said that it’s time to make it happen. [C]
7. Kazuchika Okada vs. Daniel Garcia in a Continental Classic blue league match. There’s about 20 minutes to go so this will be a long one. Let’s see how much it runs over into Rampage. Matt Menard joined to commentary team. A nice feeling out process to start with several near falls. Okada denied a handshake by Garcia. Garica became enraged and went on a flurry of offense as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Okada missed a senton coming out of the break but held the advantage. Okada locked in a front chin lock. Schiavone ran down upcoming Continental Classic matches. Garica went back on offense with a kick in the corner and a sleeper hold. Garcia locked in a sharpshooter but Okada got to the ropes. Garcia went after Okada on the floor, kicking and dropkicking him against the ringside railing. Referee Aubrey Edwards checked Okada’s shoulder for a dislocation. It was a ruse as Okada nailed Garcia with a chair when she wasn’t looking. The show went to its final picture-in-picture break of the night. [C]
The two exchanged blows on the second rope. Garcia hit a top rope super plex but couldn’t cover right away. He eventually did for a near fall. Okada hit a top rope elbow a teased the Rainmaker. Garcia locked in the ankle lock but Okada got to the ropes. Garcia dropkicked Okada against the ropes. Garcia and Okada hit a double lariat. Okada hit a lariat and a dropkick. Okada went for the Rainmaker again but Garica countered into another sharpshooter. Ring announcer Arkady Aura announced one minute remaining in the match. Garcia kept the hold on with Okada trying to get to the ropes until the bell rang.
Kazuchika Okada and Daniel Garcia wrestled to a 20-minute time limit draw in a Continental Classic blue league match to earn one point each.
After the match, the two shook hands as Collision ended and Rampage began…
Correction: Garcia offered a handshake, but Okada flipped him off.
Don’s Take: Each wrestler gets a point as a result. This was excellent and with the Young Bucks on hiatus, this is the Okada I want to see. It’s also interesting that after losing almost every match in the tournament last year, Garcia holds his own with Okada. In addition to Kyle Fletcher, it looks like AEW is finally committing to a Garcia push.
With the Continental Classic in full swing, this was a good, and somewhat newsworthy edition of Collision. I’m interested in some of these upcoming matches as well. Onto Rampage – stay tuned!
They didn’t actually shake hands as Okada flipped off Garcia instead.
As usual, just seeing who is paying attention.
So my fault there. My DVR was set up to record the show and then Rampage immediately after as a separate recording. There’s a quick cutoff between the two shows when the DVR records and unfortunately that was the cut. And of course I made an incorrect assumption as I saw Garcia extend his hand.