Tonight’s AEW Collision from Cincinnati, Ohio, will feature a four-way title eliminator match for Forbidden Door in addition to the debut of former TNA star Ace Austin.
ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty, former TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Nigel McGuinness and Hechicero will do battle with the winner moving on to face IWGP World Champion Zack Sabre Jr. at this month’s Forbidden Door.
Months after moving on from TNA, former X-Division and Tag Team Champion Ace Austin will make his debut as he battles Ricochet.
The Death Riders’ Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta will take on JetSpeed (Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey) while Paragon (Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) faces Blake Christian & Lee Johnson.
In a four-way, it will be Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart vs. Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford for $100,000 on the line.
The card is rounded out by Juice Robinson vs. Bryan Keith, and an appearance by AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm.
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Let the colliding begin as Collision begins with the one and only AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm!
Storm addressed the crowd as only she can, calling Athena “annoying.” Storm mocked Athena’s many nicknames and her bullying of Billie Starkz. Storm got on her knees and prayed to the “Fallen Goddess” when suddenly, the ROH Forever Champion herself arrived to attack her. Starkz joined Athena and the two beat down storm. Athena grabbed the mic and said that Storm better pray that Athena doesn’t expose her as the fraud she is.
Starkz dragged Storm to the ring and Athena assured Storm that her days were numbered. She then claimed Storm’s spotlight but suddenly Mina Shirakawa arrived and sent Athena reeling. In the ring, Storm hit a suplex on Starkz, leaving Athena caught in between Shirakawa and Storm. She dove off the ring ramp and was taken away by security. Storm and Shirakawa celebrated on the ramp.
JetSpeed (Kevin Knight and “Speedball” Mike Bailey) vs. Death Riders’ Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta
Knight and Speedball have both had singles matches with Jon Moxley. Now, they are going to try the tag team thing and take on Mox and Yuta, while Marina Shafir prowls around the ring.
JetSpeed dove over the top rope and took out Yuta and Moxley before the bell had even rung. Bailey tossed Yuta into the ring and the match started, officially. Knight tagged right in and the two hit a bunch of double team plants and kicks.
Yuta and Knight carried on while Moxley sauntered his way to the corner. Yuta tagged him in and Moxley went right to Bailey in the corner, knocking him off. He then sent Knight over the top rope to the outside, bouncing his head off the announce table multiple times. Bailey tried to help, but Moxley bounced his head off the table for good measure.
Back in the ring, Moxley tagged in Yuta who hit a bridge suplex for a two-count. Yuta tagged Moxley back in and he proceeded to punch Knight in the stomach for a few minutes before tagging Yuta back in. The Death Riders plan seemed to be to keep both members off JetSpeed off their feet so that they couldn’t build momentum.
Bailey tagged in and hit a few quick kicks on Yuta followed by a standing Shooting Star cover for two. Bailey resorted to a Karate Kid crane kick that knocked Yuta off his feet. He tagged in Moxley who was able to get in just in time to eat a double dropkick.
Moxley grabbed Bailey and hit a German suplex on the ring apron (the hardest part of the ring!) before tossing him back in to Yuta. The two double teamed Bailey with Moxley working over his arm. Moxley sent Bailey out of the ring where Shafir added her two cents. Mox bounced Bailey off the barricade and tossed him back in for a backbreaker.
Yuta tagged in and Baliey began a comeback. Moxley tagged back in and put an end to that with a suplex attempt that Baily reversed into a pin attempt. Yuta tagged in before Bailey could make a tag to Knight, but after a bit of a back and forth, the tag was made and a fresh Knight leapt in to slam and splash Yuta.
Yuta tagged in Moxley and Knight tagged in Bailey and the two started trading forearms. Yuta and Knight tried to get involved, but it ended up with all four men brawling in the ring. Moxley dodged a high kick from Baliey and turned it into a cutter and a two count. Knight came in and took out Mox, leaving Bailey and Yuta as the legal men.
Bailey and Knight hit an amazing double team hurricanrana into a power bomb, but it only got a two count. Bailey went up for a springboard splash but again, only two. Knight took his turn next, going for a splash, but Yuta rolled out of the way. Knight had Yuta in a backslide, but Shafir pulled Knight out. Bailey tried to help, but sent Shafir into the stairs by mistake.
Back in the ring, Yuta was covered by Knight, but Shafir pulled the ref out. Then Mox pulled out Bailey for a ddt on the outside. Yuta took the opportunity to low-blow Baliey and get a three count.
Match Result: Death Riders defeated JetSpeed
Great match to kick things off! The brawling style vs the high flying was a joy to watch. Jon Moxley is the grumpiest man on the planet and I’d pay just to watch him stomp around about stuff.
-Back from break, The Outrunners were shown in the music video for “Brother Nature” which one can only assume was produced in 1988. Good TV.
Ricochet vs. Ace Austin
This is Austin’s big AEW debut and doing it against Ricochet promises to make it memorable. The two had a confrontation on Wednesday, so there’s already some bad feelings in the mix. Also, I love Ricochet’s entrance music.
Austin made a pretty big splash as he entered. He looks like he’s about 17 years old though, so I’ll assume he had to put down his Switch 2 to get into the match.
Speaking of, Austin had control off the top. He and Ricochet had a lighting fast exchange, with Austin sending Ricochet out of the ring. Austin then wouldn’t let him get back in the ring, stopping him with some big kicks.
When Ricochet finally made it back in, he managed to hang Austin up on the ropes and then stood on his hair, clearly out of jealousy. Ricochet dropped elbows and knees on Austin, keeping him off his feet and sending him into the corner for a 619 and then a big elbow drop.
Back from break, Austin was headed up to the top turnbuckle, when Gates of Agony appeared at the top of the ramp. That allowed Ricochet to get a brainbuster followed by a shooting star press off the distraction. Ricochet hit a big samoan drop, but only got a two count.
Ricochet tried to position Austin for a big move, but Austin wormed out only to eat a bit kick. Ricochet went up top, but Austin returned the favor from earlier and knocked him off the ropes. Austin then hit a lalriat sending Ricochet out. Austin followed with a dive, but before he could get back in the ring, Kaun got ahold of him. Austin sent Kaun into a ring post and jumped back in.
Austin and Ricochet exchanged pin attempts until Ricochet hit a Spirit Gun and that was too much for the younger star and Ricochet got the pin.
Match Result: Ricochet defeated Ace Austin
-Backstage the Hurt Syndicate were interviewed and stated that they don’t care who wins the finals of the Tag Team Tournament because they will beat whoever it is.
Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong vs. Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
After saying so in an interview with Rene Paquette, O’Reilly and Strong are looking to re-forge some undisputed links in their new group, Paragon. A win over Christian and Johnson would be a good step forward in that, but personally I think they should go the Dark Order route and get some matching jackets. Those Dark Order jackets are sweet.
Strong and Christian kicked things off with a speedy exchange. Christian cartwheeled his way into into a double team though as O’Reilly tagged in. Johnson tried to save his partner, but Strong sent him packing.
Strong and O’Reilly double teamed Johnson in the ring, isolating him from Christian, who flew in and knocked Strong off the ring apron. Johnson claimed the momentum in the ring with a flurry of kicks on O’Reilly, blocking a hot tag to Strong by tagging in and out with Christian.
Strong and Johnson tagged in respectively and Strong hit a big shoulder slam. Strong hit a bunch of forearms and then O’Reilly joined him for some tandem knees. Christian and Johnson absoltuely flew around the ring ring until Strong and O’Reilly hit a high/low and picked up the win.
Match Result: Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defeated Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
That match was wild! Johnson and Christian are so fast and athletic that it’s hard to keep up with them. I couldn’t tell who was legal half the time because everyone was always hitting someone. Strong and O’Reilly are great at this pro wrestling thing and I’m loving all the friendship angles. Great Stuff.
-Back from break, we saw a beat up Bandido with Stokely and FTR standing over them. Brody King showed up to avenge his partner and King and FTR fought their way out to the ring. King manhandled FTR, until Stokely hit King in the face with a fistfull of powder. FTR stole the mask of Bandido and hit a Shatter Machine on King.
-SkyFlight joined us from backstage offering Don Callis any match that he wants. Tag, singles, anything. Then they left to train.
$100K 4-Way Collision: Julia Hart vs. Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay
Straight up, I have no idea why $100,000 is on the line in this match. Considering they just had a $50K challenge before Supercard of Honor (won by AR Fox) this might be a sign that Tony Khan has too much money. Also, just so everyone’s clear, I will fight myself in a match for $25K.
The rules of the match weren’t really made clear, but all four women started brawling off the top. It seems that it’s no DQ and whoever gets a pinfall first wins. That said, Jay and Statlander sent HArt and Ford out early and battled each other in the ring. Statlander went for a pin, but Hart broke it up and replaced Jay in the ring.
Hart walked the ropes into a hurricanrana (do that, Undertaker!), but Ford stacked her and Statlander in the corner. Before she could do much though, Jay came back and stacked all three for a big roundhouse kick.
Hart and Ford seemed to form a loose alliance to beat up Jay. They traded moves on here, but anytime one went for a pin, the other would break it up. Statlander re-arrived and clotheslined, well, everyone, following it up with a big suplex to Jay.
Hart and Ford tried to suplex Statlander, but but she reversed it and ht a double suplex on them both. Jay sent Statlander to the outside and then Hart did the same to Jay, leaving her and Ford to fight in the ring. Ford hung Hart up on the ropes then whipped her backwards for a stomp or three.
Jay and Ford fought to the top turnbuckle, but Statlander grabbed Ford for a suplex, but left herself open to a blockbuster from Jay. Jay began spamming leg lariats and hit a backstabber on Statlander for a two-count.
Statlander got Jay and Hart on her back, but Ford dropkicked everyone into the corner. Statlander picked up Ford, but she reversed it into a poisonrana. Hart took Ford into the corner with a lariat and then a kick for Jay. Hart set Jay up in the corner and she and Ford hit stereo moonsaults that both missed.
Hart and Jay fought back and forth with Jay hitting a Gory special, but Ford broke up the pin. Ford dragged Jay to the outside, but Statlander caught Hart in the ring with a scissor choke on her forcing her to tap out and giving Statlander the win and $100k for some reason.
Match Result: Kris Statlander defeated Penelope Ford, Anna Jay and Julia Hart
After the match, every woman on the roster arrived for some reason and a melee broke out. Suddenly though, Harley Cameron and that broke it all up.
That was an amazing match but for two things: 1) there was no need for the gigantic run-in and 2) I still don’t know why $100K was on the line. Great fun though.
-SkyFlight’s challenge was answered in the back by Hechicero, Kyle Fletcher and Lance Archer. They will see Skyflight in Glasgow (because everybody dies, and so on) and seem very confident they will beat them in the match that they will surely tell us about before next Wednesday. Right?
-Backstage, Kris Statlander was interviewed about her big win. Harley Cameron arrived to celebrate with her and so did the Death Riders. Yuta and Moxley were very friendly (which was unsettling) and congratulated Statlander before leaving. The worst part was that Harley Cameron didn’t get to talk more.
Bryan Keith vs. Juice Robinson
Keith and Big Bill were knocked out of the AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament by the Bang Bang Gang. So the interfered with Robinson’s match against Ricochet. So tonight, they can hopefully settle the beef.
Keith and Robinson kicked things off with a perfectly cromulent chain. Things picked up during the break as Keith wrapped Robinson’s leg around the ringpost and nearly broke it in half. Back in the ring, Keith kept working the leg until Robinson threw a few elbows. Keith just wrenched his knee harder and put him in a modified Boston crab.
Back from break, Robinson reversed a Keith charge with an elbow. Keith grabbed his leg and Robinson punched him in the face a lot about it. He grabbed Keith and hit a spinebuster, but seemed to hurt his knee more than Keith.
Big Bill hopped up on the ring, so Austin Gunn got in his face. Bill threw him into the barricade, while Robinson hit a big slam in the ring, pinning Keith clean.
Match Result: Juice Robinson defeated Bryan Keith
-Backstage Rene Paquette interviewed Anthony Bowens. Bowens is tired of hearing about Max Caster. He represents the company and the fans better than anyone. Bowens was mad that Caster is going to Scotland and he isn’t. Bowens stomped off with nothing really resolved.
Technical Spectacle: Hechicero vs. Nigel McGuinness vs ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty vs Daniel Garcia
My goodness! Someone has been reading my dream journal, Mr Khan! This match is going to be insane. For those with a love of the technical aspects of wrestling, this isn’t a fantasy match, it’s a literal fantasy and I am so stoked for it! The winner of this will face off against IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door on Sunday, August 24 in London.
After a feeling out, McGuinness and Moriarty paried off as did Garcia and Hechicero. It was like two matches were happening at once, with McGuinness stomping the hand of Moriarty and Garcia trying to work Hechicero into a surfboard.
Moriarty hit a sunset flip on McGuinness and Garcia worked the ankle of Hechicero. Hechicero wrapped Garcia’s arm around the ropes while McGuinness sent Moriarty to the outside. Hechicero and Garcia followed them and Moriarty sent McGuinness into the barricade.
Garcia and Hechicero began chopping in the ring with Garcia sending Hechicero to the corner for some punches. Moriarty tried to break it up, but Garcia sent him packing. Hechicero grabbed Garcia and the two rolled around the ring hitting pin attempts.
On the outside, Moriarty put a full nelson on McGuinness, then flew back into the ring to try to pin Hechicero. Garcia sent Hechicero packing and turned his attention to Moriarty. McGuinness broke it all up with a stomp, leaving the other three on their backs.
Moriarty and Garcia exchanged opponents for a second before attacking each other. Moriarty got Garcia on his back, McGuinness locked around Moriarty’s leg and Hechicero went for his ankle. This lasted for a few minutes before everyone collapsed in a heap.
During the commercial, Moriarty and McGuinness fought in the ring while Garcia and Hechicero took things to the outside. Hechicero put a stretch on Garcia while McGuinness found himself in a Border City Stretch in the ring. Hechicero left Garcia and put an ankle lock on Moriarty. Then Garcia jumped back in and put an arm bar on Hechicero. The four men writhed in pain until everyone broke it up.
Hechicero wrenched McGuinness’ leg around the rope before moving on to Garcia. Hechicero went up top, but McGuninness pulled him down with a Tower of London and went for a pin. Garcia broke it up though and began chopping McGuinness. Garcia almost had him pinned, but Hechicero broke it up with a kick.
Hechicero put a sleeper on McGuinness and Garcia and Moriarty fought across the ring. McGuinness wrapped his leg around Hechicero’s ankle forcing him to break the hold. Moriarty Had Garcia on his back and Garcia wiggled free and hit a crossface on McGuinness. Hechicero had Moariarty wrapped up and McGuinness rolled through.
McGuinness had Garcia’s arm locked and Moriarty had Hechicero in a figure four, but he got a rope break. Moriarty started throwing strikes at Hechicero who got him a an absolutely brutal headscissor. McGuinness locked in an arm hold on Hechicero while Garcia worked the legs of Moriarty. No one gave up so McGuinness hit Garcia in the head and wrapped up Moriarty’s arm in a London Dungeon.
After Moriarty broke free, Garcia began slapping Hechicero, slugging it out with the luchadore. Garcia put a dragon tamer on Hechicero, while McGuinness locked in another London Dungeon on Moriarty.
Hechicero was about to tap, but Moriarty prevented it. McGuinness pulled back on the arm of Moriarty and that was it, the ROH Pure Champion was forced to tap out. McGuinness gets the victory and the shot at Zack Sabre Jr at Forbidden Door.
Match Result: Nigel McGuinness defeated Lee Moriarty, Daniel Garcia and Hechicero.
After the match, McGuinness was asked by Rene Paquette if he felt ready and McGuinness said that it was a dream match for everyone. McGuinness then took a moment to congratulate Garcia in particular, saying he gave his all. A somber Garcia went to leave the ring, but McGuinness asked him to corner for him in London. Garcia shook his hand and said that he would. FRIENDSHIP!!
Wow, that was INCREDIBLE. If they put it on Youtube or somewhere, take a few moments to check it out. I feel like I was only able to recap about 2/3rds of what was going on. It was like two matches were happening at the same time. Absolutely phenomenal, possible match of the year in my humble opinion.
