Tonight’s episode of AEW Collision will be Grand Slam Australia, taped earlier in the day from Sydney, Australia.
Jon Moxley will defend the AEW Continental Championship against Konosuke Takeshita.
The AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championships will also be on the line, as the Babes of Wrath, Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale, defend against MegaBad’s Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford.
Hangman Adam Page will face Andrade El Idolo, with the winner earning an AEW World Championship match at Revolution.
In a mixed tornado tag team match, Orange Cassidy and Toni Storm will team up against Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir of the Death Riders. The stipulation states that whoever takes the fall for their team will be shaved bald.
Kyle Fletcher will defend the TNT Championship against Mark Briscoe in a ladder match.
In the main event, AEW World Champion MJF will defend the title against Brody King.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Not quite live, but taped earlier today in Sydney, Australia.
Tony Schiavone & Excalibur were on commentary.
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the AEW Continental Championship
The participants in the match soaked up dueling “Let’s Go Moxley/Takeshita” chants for the first 30 seconds of the match. Moxley went to an armbar, but Takeshita took Moxley’s legs out from under him and locked in a side headlock. Moxley escaped and went back to the arm. Takeshita countered a wrist lock with one of his own.
Moxley escaped and hit Takeshita with a chop, and that set off an exchange of chops between them. Moxley ended that with a kick to the gut and went for a piledriver, but Takeshita escaped. Takeshita went for a flying clothesline which Moxley ducked, and Takeshita tumbled to the floor. Moxley followed Takeshita out with a tope, almost overshooting Takeshita but still taking him down.
They brawled on the floor, where Moxley whipped Takeshita into the barricades. Takeshita whipped Moxley into the barricade and charged into him with a big boot.
Back in the ring, Moxley caught Takeshita with a boot and drove him down to the mat with a piledriver. Takeshita battled back, so Moxley thumbed him in the eye and dropkicked him to the floor.
After a commercial, Takeshita hit Moxley with a a boot and the flying lariat. A Blue Thunder Bomb got Takeshita a near fall. Takeshita raked Moxley’s back while the battled on the top turnbuckle. Takeshita went for a powerbomb out of the corner, but Moxley blocked it. Moxley let up, and the Takeshita walked him out of the corner with a Last Ride style powerbomb for a near fall.
Moxley caught Takeshita with a cutter out of nowhere. Moxley curb stomped Takeshita on the apron dn waited for the ref to count Takeshita out. Takeshita barley beat the count, sliding into the ring and into a another curb stomp. Moxley locked in the bulldog choke with five minutes remaining.
Takeshita started to fade, and Moxley added a body scissors. Moxley transitioned to an cross-arm breaker, but Takeshita got to the ropes. Excalibur clarified on commentary that a Continental title match has a 20 minute time limit on TV, but a 60 minute time limit on ppv.
Takeshita hit an exploder suplex and a knee strike for a near fall. Takeshita hit a another exploder suplex for another near fall. Takeshita missed a knee and both guys exchanged sleeper attempts until Moxley spiked Takeshita down with a Death Rider for a near fall.
Takeshita escaped a second Death Rider DDT and exchanged headbutts with Moxley with one minute remaining. Moxley was bleeding from the nose, and they were both staggered by the headbutts momentarily. Moxley hit a lariat for a near fall. Takeshita hit a forearm for a near fall, then followed up with a knee strike to the back of the head for another near fall just as the time limit expired.
Match Result: Moxley DREW with Takeshita, 20:00 minute time limit (17:05 aired on HBO Max).
That was tremendous.
After the match, Moxley and Takeshita went nose to nose and started brawling again. Takeshita gave Moxley the raging fire, and I suspect this will continue at Revolution. Probably why Excalibur dropped the nugget on commentary that a Continental title match can be 60 minutes on pay-per-view.
— In a pretaped segment, Thekla and Kris Statlander cut promos on each other covered in blood from Wednesday’s strap match.
The Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale) vs. Megabad (Penelope Ford & Megan Bayne) for the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship
The was a not great looking spot early on where Ford was supposed to get her knees up when Harley splashed her, but it looked really bad. Nonetheless, Cameron got trapped in the heel corner and worked over by Bayne while Ford taunted the crowd. Cameron dodged a charge from Bayne and tagged in Nightingale. Nightingale suplexed Ford and Bayne. They dropped to the floor, and Nightingale followed them out with a cannonball.
Back in the ring, Nightingale came off the middle rope with a dropkick on both her opponents.
After a break, Cameron tried for a German suplex on Ford. Bayne stopped her, so Cameron hit her with a spinning DDT. Cameron came off the top with a crossbody on both her opponents.
Bayne set up Cameron on her shoulders for the Doomsday Device. Nightingale stopped Ford from climbing the ropes, so Ford hit her with a Asai Moonsault. Cameron cradled Bayne. Cameron locked Bayne in a half crab, but Ford broke that up. All four women were brawling in the ring, then Cameron hit Bayne with a Canadian Destroyer!
While all four women brawled in the ring, Nightingale sent Bayne into Ford. Cameron and Nightingale dropped on Bayne with a backpack senton for two. Nightingale hit Bayne with a death valley driver. Cameron missed a swanton bomb. Ford caught Cameron with a stunner, and Bayne het her with a lariat. Ford went for a moonsault on Cameron. Cameron got out of the way of the moonsault, then caught Ford with a backslide to get the pinfall.
Match Result: The Babes of Wrath beat Megabad when Cameron pinned Ford.
After the match, Australian independent wrestler Lena Kross (who might be bigger than Bayne) ran in and dropped Cameron. Kross and Megabad laid out the Babes of Wrath and stood tall with all their title belts. I’d be all in on Lena Kross and Megan Bayne as a power team.
Andrade El Idolo (w/ Don Callis) vs. “Hangman” Adam Pagen for a World Title Match at AEW Revolution.
Of course, Callis joined the commentary team. Both guys started out exchanging hard chops, and Page got the advantage with a forearm. Andrade tried for a something with a handspring, but Page kicked him in the gut. El Idolo avoided a Buckshot Lariat and taunted Page while being “el traquilo” in the ropes. The fight went to the floor, where Andrade stopped to get a selfie with a young lady. Page then hit El Idolo with a boot and got a selfie with the young lady as well.
Back in the ring, El Idolo backed Page into the corner with chops. Page came back with a fallaway slam for a near fall. Page went for a superplex, but El Idolo blocked it and went for a sunset flip out of the corner. Page blocked that and tried for a tombstone which El Idolo blocked. Page went for a springboard off the middle rope, but El Idolo jumped onto the ropes with him, then yanked him down with a Spanish Fly.
After a break, Andrade was firmly in control. Page came back and exchanged forearms with Andrade. Andrade went for a suplex, but Page landed on his feet and caught El Idolo with a lariat.
Page charged into the corner with a lariat. Page dropped El Idolo with a popup powerbomb and El Idolo almost came down head first. They brawled onto the ring apron, where Page went for a Dead Eye. El Idolo countered that into a sunset flip, but Page rolled through and hit a lariat.
Page came off the top with a lariat for a near fall. Andrade came back with the Three Amigos rolling vertical suplexes and got a near fall. The crowd broke out in an “Eddie!” chant. El Idolo took too long going for a moonsault and Page rolled out of the way, but Andrade landed on his feet and hit a standing moonsault for two. Page caught Andrande with a springboard lariat. Andrade tried for a springboard tornio on the floor, but Page caught him and threw him backwards into the ring barricade.
Back in the ring, Page went for the Buckshot Lariat. Andrade was too far away and caught Page with a back elbow for two. Andrade hit a meteora in the corner, then the hammerlock DDT, but only got a two count. Andrade went for the DDT a second time, but Page countered and eventually got Andrade with a Dead Eye.
Don Callis left the commentary table and got the attention of Aubrey Edwards (the referee). Andrade went for a low blow, but Page blocked it and hit a low blow of his own. Page then hit the Buckshot Lariat and got the pinfall.
Match Result: Adam Page pinned El Idolo after a Buckshot Lariat (13:31 aired).
The rare AEW match for me where I felt like they went home too early. Nonetheless, this was great and now it’s Hangman vs. ???? for the World Title at AEW Revolution
— “The First Test” by Speed is the official theme song for Grand Slam Australia, and Speed is in the audience tonight!
Orange Cassidy & “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir
Somebody has a sense of humor going from a band called “Speed” to Orange Cassidy’s sloth-like entrance. Cassidy and Strom attacked Yuta and Shafir in the crowd as they made their entrance, and they paired off and fought in the stands. Yuta piledrove Storm on a platform where some television equipment was set up, making the match two on one.
Luther carried Storm to the back, while the remaining competitors in the match made it to the ring. Since the match was no-dq, it was now two on one. Yuta got a near fall after a German supelx.
After a commercial, Storm stormed back to the ring and kicked Wheeler in the Yutas, then suplexed Shafir in the ring. Storm and Cassidy celebrate with a dance while simultaneously backhanding Shafir. Shafir fought back but walked into an Air Raid Crash from Cassidy. Wheeler let Cassidy cover Shafir to save his own hair, but Shafir kicked out.
Cassidy caught Yuta with Stundog Millionaire and a tornado DDT. Shafir almost caught Cassidy with a quick pin, then went to work on his ankle. Storm caught Yuta with a crossface chicken wing. Soon, both women broke their holds to go after each other. Shafir caught Storm square in the face with a kick, and Yuta hit Storm with a Busaiku Knee for two.
The crowd was chanting something I couldn’t make out, but it was disparaging towards Yuta. Yuta went for the knee on Cassidy, but he ducked and Yuta took out Shafir. Storm suplexed Yuta, then nailed him with the hip attack in the corner. Cassidy hit the Orange Punch, Storm hit the Storm Zero and the match ended the only way it could have.
Match Result: Cassidy and Storm were victorious when Storm pinned Yuta, and Storm got his head shaved (8:24 aired)
After the match, Mina Shirakawa brought out a stool as the crowd chanted “Bald!” at Yuta. Luther was dressed as a barber. Yuta tried to leave, but Jon Moxley came through the crowd to send Yuta back to the ring and take his medicine. Crowd chanted “You deserve it!” Shirawaka got the honor of taking some of Yuta’s hair off first (as revenege for Yuta cutting her hair earlier), then Storm clipped some off of Yuta’s head as well. Cassidy got electric clippers to shave his head.
“I’m sorry.” “No you’re not.” “You’re right, I’m not.”
Cassidy then handed the clippers off to Luther. Storm finished up with the clippers and asked “how do you like that, you bald b@st@rd?” They left Wheeler with some of his hair, but he’s going to need to shave it all off. Although I do think a funny bit would be stranding the now-bald Yuta in Sydney doesn’t match his passport photo.
Mark Briscoe vs. Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Callis) for the TNT Championship in a Ladder Match
It took about 37 seconds for the fight to go to the floor. Briscoe hit Fletcher with a sommersault cannonball. They brawled around ringside, and Fletcher caught Briscoe with a half-and-half suplex.
Fletcher was the first to grab a ladder, but Briscoe cut him off with a dropkick. Briscoe suplexed Fletcher on the floor. Briscoe climbed the ladder (set up on the floor), but Fletcher caught up to him and slammed Briscoe onto the apron (Briscoe actually hit the ropes and kind of bounced off the apron to the floor, which ironically looked safer). Fletcher then came off the ladder with a moonsault.
Back in the ring, Fletcher lawn-darted Briscoe headfirst into the top of a ladder set up in the turnbuckle. Briscoe came up bleeding. Fetcher tried to climb the ladder to get the belt, but Briscoe caught up to him and more or less gave him a leg sweep off the ladder.
After a break, a ladder bridge was set up on the floor between the ring apron and another ladder. Fletcher fell backwards onto it, and Briscoe came off the top with a Froggie Bow onto the ladder, which didn’t break.
Briscoe went for the belt (which was up there very high), but Fletcher caught up to him. Fletcher was also bleeding. Fletcher powerbombed Briscoe off the ladder and through another ladder.
Fletcher caught Briscoe with a superkick. Fletcher set up another ladder bridge in the ring between a ladder and the turnbuckles. Briscoe took a bite out of Fletcher and shouted “it tasted like shrimp on the barbie!” Callis (on commentary) deemed this culturally insensitive. Briscoe then put Fletcher through the ladder bridge with a Jay Driller.
Briscoe climbed the ladder and got his hand on the belt, but Fletcher caught up to him. Fletcher gave Briscoe a twisting brainbuster off the top of the ladder. There were no referees holding the base of the ladder which made it doubly crazy.
Fletcher started to climb, but Briscoe caught up to him. Briscoe set up a second ladder and both men fought on top of their respective ladders. Fletcher pushed over Briscoe’s ladder, and Briscoe took a not completely insane bump into the ropes and to the mat. Fletcher then pulled down the belt to retain the title.
Match Result: Fletcher defeated Briscoe by grabbing the belt to retain the TNT Championship (13:03)
This show has been tremendous all night long.
Brody King v. Maxwell Jacob Friedman for the AEW World Championship
Arkady Aura is a great ring announcer. I just felt the need to point that out. So to answer the question the world has been waiting for: yes the Australian crowd chanted, and you could hear it on TV, but it wasn’t as prominent as it was in Las Vegas.
MJF got a headlock for a bit, but King came back with a clothesline. King chopped MJF in the corner. King press-slammed MJF out of the corner. King went for a cannonball in the corner, but MJF got out of the way. MJF took to working on King’s leg by rapping it against the ringpost.
MJF tried of a knee bar, but King escaped. MJF clipped King in the knee, then busted out the kangaroo kick. The crowd popped, so MJF flipped them off. MJF followed King out to the floor with a tope suicida.
Back in the ring, MJF avoided a senton and went to an ankle lock, MJF tied up King with a knee bar, but King broke the hold by getting to the ropes.
After a break, King kicked MJF out of the ring and then hit him with a tope. Back in the ring, MJF went for a clothesline that King no-sold. King gave MJF a big back body drop. King tried for the cannonball again, but MJF rolled out of the way. King stopped himself and caught MJF with a sleeper, but MJF dropped down to the floor.
On the floor, King set MJF up on a chair, then squashed him with a crossbody. Back in the ring, King finally hit the cannonball in the corner. But MJF kicked out at two.
King went for the Gonzo Bomb, but MJF slipped out of it and locked in a sleeper. Referee Bryce Remsberg checked Brody’s arm. Bandido ran out to cheer on his partner, reminding him never to give up. King got back to his feet and fell back with MJF on his back.
MJF tumbled to the floor. King ran the ropes for a dive, but MJF caught him and gave him a reverse hanging DDT, driving King into the edge of the ring apron. MJF went for a dive, but King caught him and sent him crashing into the barricade with a death valley driver.
Both men were down on the floor, and the ref started to count them out. King drug MJF back into the ring at nine. MJF dug into his tights and found the Dynamite Diamond Ring. He went to use it, but Remberg caught him. They argued, and King leveled MJF with a right hand. MJF got back to his feet on the apron and King choked him out again with a hanging sleeper. MJF dropped to the floor “unconscious.”
Back in the ring, King hit MJF with the Gonzo Bomb, but MJF kicked out at two. King charged at MJF, but he dropped down and tripped King into the ropes. MJF went after the knee again, yanking off King’s knee brace. MJF exposed King’s knee and bit it.
King fought back and tried for a Gonzo Bomb on the apron, but couldn’t hold up MJF. King went for a hanging choke while sitting on the turnbuckle, but MJF broke that by going after the knee. MJF then pulled King into a tombstone and drove him into the ring apron.
MJF pulled King back into the ring with a Heat Seeker and got the pinfall.
Match Result: MJF pinned Brody King to retain the AEW World Championship (19:01 aired)
Now it’s officially MJF v. Hangman Page for the AEW World Title at Revolution, and Page came out after the match with a contract. Page signed the contract and threw it at MJF’s feet. Page and MJF had a stand off. Page threatened to hit MJF, who dropped down. Page threw the pen down at MJF to sign the contract.
Next Wednesday on Dynamite: Adam Page and MJF face off! Omega v. Strickland and the Brawling Birds debut!
The main event was a bit of let down compared to the rest of the show, although the storytelling and psychology were spot on. It was by no means a bad match, but might have been hurt by its placement on the card. It felt like the crowd was burnt out by the end.
Overall, this show was great and well worth going out of your way to check out if you had better Valentine’s Day plans than sitting in front of your television.
