The build to this month’s AEW Women’s World title match at WrestleDream will be in full effect on tonight’s AEW Collision from Lakeland, Florida, with a special start time of 7 PM Eastern.
Reigning champion Kris Statlander and former champion Toni Storm will have a face-to-face- confrontation ahead of their rematch at the pay-per-view.
Eddie Kingston returns to singles action for the second time since he returned from injury as he faces LFI’s Dralistico.
The Don Callis Family will be well represented as Rocky Romero, Lance Archer & Hechicero take on Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly while Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Josh Alexander go heads-up against Johnny TV & MxM Collection (Mason Madden & Mansoor).
Kevin Knight of JetSpeed will take on either Dax Harwood or Cash Wheeler of FTR.
Former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter faces Anna Jay while ROH Tag Team Champions LFI (Rush & Sammy Guevara) return to the main roster to round out the card.
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The opening promos aired, with the highlight being Eddie Kingston complaining about doing the opening promo, and claiming he was going to use the frustration and take it out on Dralistico. Orange Cassidy was left after a promo from Kyle O’Reilly, and PAC walked up to challenge him to a match for AEW Dynamite, and Orange Cassidy agreed.
The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Daniel Garcia, & Claudio Castagnoli) (w/ Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Jay Lethal, Adam Priest, & Tommy Billington
The Death Riders attacked the opposing team when they were posing, but Jay Lethal was the one aware enough to turn the tables on Garcia and hit a dive on Claudio Castagnoli. Jon Moxley hit a suplex on Tommy Billington on the floor, and began to tear apart the young wrestler in his own corner. Billington escaped the grasp of Moxley after a few minutes to tag out to Adam Priest, who had no fear in attacking the larger Moxley.
Priest was tossed with a Gorilla Press into the guard rail by Claudio Castagnoli as they went to break. When they came back Moxley was biting the nose of Priest, and Jay Lethal decided to end that with a forearm. Castagnoli nailed Lethal with a hard forearm in response, and Garcia was left to continue the beating on Priest. Castagnoli tagged in and continued where he left off with the gorillia press into the guardrail, hitting several hard European uppercuts. Priest dodged a shoulder block in the corner, and Castagnoli crashed into the ring post.
Priest made the tag to Tommy Billington who hit a series of elbows and a dropkick off the top rope. Billington hit a snap suplex that reminded me of Bret Hart, and a flying headbutt for a 2-count. Garcia and Billington attempted a crossbody at the same time and crashed into each other. Jay Lethal and Moxley tagged in, and the two veterans started fighting for the first time in the match, but Lethal was slowed down when he went for a flying elbow and Moxley caught him in a choke.
Priest and Billington were pulled from the ring, and Garcia was saved by Moxley from a Lethal Injection by Lethal as Lethal escaped Moxley. Moxley hit a cutter, and Garcia locked on the Dragon Tamer and Moxley hit a curb stomp on Lethal forcing the submission.
Result: The Death Riders
–Matt Menard got in the face of Daniel Garcia again, asking him if this was who he really was. Garcia finally spoke to him, grabbed a mic, and said that he didn’t hate Menard, but if he kept hanging around him, he would be a loser like Nigel McGuinness, and now he was a winner for joining the Death Riders. McGuinness looked on, insulted, but stayed at the commentary booth.
–A recap video aired of Jon Moxley and Darby Allin’s feud, with Moxley insisting that he was going to make Allin quit. A short video also aired about Kris Statlander and Toni Storm, hyping their match at AEW WrestleDream.
–The Matriarchy were backstage with Nick Wayne being checked out by a doctor. Wayne said he was going to be cleared. The doctor said his ankle was still swollen and tender, and it would be another 6-8 weeks for him to be ready. Nick Wayne disagreed with this, and Mother Wayne and Kip Sabian said that he was not a normal healer, and that he was a lion, so they needed to find a real doctor.
Anna Jay vs. Jamie Hayter
This match started with some basic wrestling, and attempts to hit a hip toss being blocked by both, with Anna Jay hitting a kick to Hayter’s face and hitting a snap suplex. Hayter blocked an attack in the corner and drove Jay’s face into the mat and ran at her, but Jay hit a flatliner out of the corner. Hayter hit a stun gun onto the ropes as they went to break.
Both women were exchanging forearms in the middle of the ring when they came back from break. Jay hit a basement dropkick on Hayter for a 2-count. Jay went for the Queen Slayer but Hayter rolled back into a pinfall attempt. Hayter hit a dropkick off the middle rope and a shotgun dropkick in the corner before hitting a Saito Suplex for a 2-count. Jay hit a blockbuster on Hayter for a 2-count and went for the Queen Slayer again, but Hayter slipped out and tossed Jay over her shoulder before pulling her up into a Haterade lariat for a pinfall.
Result: Jamie Hayter
–I think something went wrong in this match, as Jay seemed to be rocked at one point, but they got through it, and ended up getting to the finish.
–Max Caster was backstage and said that his losing streak was finally over. Big Bill walked up and said that he beat Caster quickly, and Caster wasn’t anything. Bowens walked up and said he finally agreed with Bill. Bowens claimed that he was the true star between him and Caster, and Keith decided that Bowens needed a beating too, so Bowens and Caster both agreed to a match against Bill and Keith, before realizing that they had to team with each other, and they walked away insisting that they were not the Acclaimed (they are the Acclaimed though.)
La Faccion Ingobernables (Sammy Guevara & Rush) (w/ Dralistico) vs. Shayne Stetson & Cha Cha Charlie
Rush and Guevara killed these two local talents, with Rush violently throwing Stetson around the ringside area, and then violently hitting the Horns before tagging out to Guevara who crushed Charlie with a senton bomb.
Result: La Faccion Ingobernables
–As Guevara and Rush were posing, Eddie Kingston’s team hit, and he came down for his match against Dralistico.
Eddie Kingston (w/ Hook) vs. Dralistico (w/ Rush & Sammy Guevara)
Dralistico hit a judo throw on Kingston, who smiled and looked on. Guevara joined commentary, applauding the throw. Kingston demanded Dralistico fight him and an exchange of chops and kicks began, with Dralistico hitting stiff shots, including a knee on Kingston who was draped on the apron. When they came back from break, Dralistico was hitting a hard chop on Kingston before hitting a dropkick to the knee of Kingston, causing him to fall to the mat.
Dralistico hit the ropes and Kingston hit an STO that woke up the crowd, as they cheered Kingston on. Kingston screamed for Dralistico to chop him, and Dralistico hit a forearm instead, nearly knocking him out. Dralistico hit a code breaker that sent Kingston crashing to the floor. Sammy Guevara stood up and looked to go after Kingston, so Hook came over and kept him at bay. Kingston ducked a kick attempt by Dralistico and Kingston responded with the Backfist to the Future for the pinfall.
Result: Eddie Kingston
Kingston looked way better in this match than he did his AEW All Out match, and is starting to look like his normal self now, which is good, because Eddie Kingston is great.
–Tony Schiavone announced that Kota Ibushi would be making his debut on AEW Collision next week, facing Josh Alexander, which is a match I can’t wait to see.
–A recap video aired of Andrade El Idolo and El Clon joining the Don Callis Family.
MxM Collection (Mansoor, Mason Madden, & Johnny TV) (w/ Taya Valkyrie) vs. The Don Callis Family (Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, & Josh Alexander) (w/ El Clon)
MxM Collection held an open challenge and were not happy about who they were facing, knowing that they might be in over their heads. Takeshita proceeded to murder Johnny TV with a forearm, and he quickly tagged out to Monsoor, who Takeshita also killed with a forearm. Fletcher hit a yakuza kick on TV, leading to Valkyrie screaming in horror on the floor.
Madden, however, used his size and hit lariats on Takeshita and Fletcher. Unfortunately this led to their whole team posing, which resulted in them all being hit with German suplexes and Fletcher hitting a tope sucidia on Madden. Takeshita hit a blue thunder bomb on Johnny TV. Mansoor dodged a Yakuza kick but got destroyed by a top rope back suplex, a wheelbarrow suplex by Takeshita, a C4 Spike by Alexander, and a sheer drop brainbuster by Fletcher. I think he is dead, folks.
Result: The Don Callis Family
–Truth Magnum, Turbo Floyd, and Dalton Castle were backstage, and Castle said that he didn’t think he could top the performance they had last week, as it was the greatest thing the AEW audience had ever seen. He felt the pressure of having to repeat it, and had an existential crisis, but the Outrunners picked him up, literally, and walked him away, as he realized he was in good hands. This was hilarious.
–Jamie Hayter was backstage with Queen Aminata and Lexy Nair, but before they could talk, The Triangle of Madness attacked and said that they had their own three words for them, “Triangle of Madness.” Not as intimidating as Blood & Guts, to be honest.
Kevin Knight (w/ Mike Bailey & Willow Nightingale) vs. Dax Harwood (w/ Cash Wheeler & Stokely Hathaway)
Wheeler made it look like he was going to wrestle, and Harwood attacked from behind. The fans chanted “Bald” at Harwood, who seemed mildly annoyed by it, but did not let it distract him the way it does Ricochet. Harwood crashed into the ring post after missing a shoulder block. Harwood rolled to the floor to recover, allowing Knight to be distracted by Wheeler, and Harwood came back in and started exchanging chops with Knight.
Knight rolled under a lariat and hit a flying lariat of his own before hitting a tope to the floor on Harwood. Harwood chopped hard in response, almost sending Knight from the apron into the ring. Harwood switched tactics and went for a piledriver on the apron, but Knight back body dropped him on the apron. Harwood went to powerbomb Knight on the apron, but he was pulled towards the guardrail and both Knight and Harwood fell over the guardrail into the front row as they took a break.
Knight hit a sunset flip that Harwood rolled through but Knight popped up and hit a DDT for a 2-count. Harwood hit some hard chops and both men ended up on the corner, but Knight hit a series of forearms to drop Harwood but Knight crashed into the raised feet of Harwood, who rolled Knight up for a 2-count. Harwood hit a series of chops and hard forearms before hitting a Hansen style lariat, but Knight got back up and hit a pop up sit out spinebuster.
Knight hit a superkick, but Harwood blocked a second and went for a powerbomb. Knight countered it into a sunset flip for a 2-count. Harwood hit a slingshot powerbomb out of a hurricanrana attempt for a 2-count. Knight hit a dropkick after Harwood hit the ropes, before hitting a springboard clothesline. Knight went for the UFO splash, and as Cash Wheeler tried to interfere, Willow Nightingale pulled Wheeler from the apron and Mike Bailey hit a springboard moonsault on Wheeler. Stokely Hathaway tried to stop the UFO Splash, getting in the ring, but Knight ignored him and flew over a standing Hathaway into the UFO splash on Harwood for the pinfall win.
Result: Kevin Knight
–Stokely Hathaway got in the face of Willow Nightingale, and she tried to powerbomb him, but FTR held onto the feet of Hathaway while Megan Bayne came out and laid out Nightingale. Bayne and Penelope Ford posed with FTR and Hathaway, seeming like they are now teaming.
–Sky Flight recapped their loss to Hechicero and the Don Callis Family at AEW All Out, saying they were going to get back on track when they challenge Shane Taylor Promotions for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
–Toni Storm and Kris Statlander had their face-off to build their match at AEW WrestleDream. The both laid down in the ring, with Statlander claiming it wasn’t personal. Statlander said that she respected Storm, but they have never faced each other in a one on one match, and since Statlander is a fighting champion, like Toni was, she was giving her a shot at the title. Statlander promised to keep her title, and said that as much as she liked Toni, she was going to hit her so hard she’ll be sent back into black and white times.
Storm claimed that it was heartbreaking for her to lose her title, but that there was no one no more deserving than Statlander. Storm meant to test just what kind of woman that Statlander was, and while Statlander said it wasn’t personal, Storm said that the AEW Women’s World Championship was personal for her. She said there was no one she would rather lose to than Statlander, but there was no one she would rather beat for that title too. The shook hands and didn’t let go, promising that they could start the fight now, but the Triangle of Madness ran out and started attacking both women.
They laid out both women, and Thekla claimed that neither Statlander or Storm ever beat her, and they were not done. Harley Cameron ran out from the audience and tackled Thekla, while Storm and Statlander laid out Hart and Blue, leading to Storm and Statlander having a temporary alliance, as Storm, Statlander, and Cameron take on the Triangle of Madness next week on Collision.
–A Samoa Joe and Hangman Adam Page recap aired, including the killer promos that Hangman and Joe cut on Dynamite on Wednesday to setup their main event match for WrestleDream.
The Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Hechicero, & Lance Archer) vs. Orange Cassidy & The Paragon (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
Kyle O’Reilly started the match with Hechicero, which is suddenly a singles match I never knew I needed to see, but now want to see thanks to the submission attempts. This was a great technical exchange with several submission attempts until Hechicero grabbed the ropes. Hechicero tagged out to Romero and O’Reilly tagged Strong in, who hit a very hard chop on Romero before dumping him into his own team’s corner. Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly double teamed Romero, but Strong was not happy with Cassidy’s weak strikes, so he tagged in hit a hard chop on Romero.
Lance Archer came in and laid out both Paragon members while Cassidy went for a flying crossbody but Archer caught him and threw him into both Strong and O’Reilly before throwing Strong across the ring. Archer tagged out to Romero when they came back from break and Strong hit a pop up gut buster on Romero. Hechicero stopped him from tagging out to O’Reilly, but Strong hit an Olympic slam on Hechicero and tagged out to Orange Cassidy.
Archer claimed that Orange Cassidy “done messed up” while Cassidy dodged him with a low bridge. Cassidy started exchanging strikes with Romero, hitting a flying crossbody and as he went for a DDT, O’Reilly blind tagged in and destroyed Romero with a rolling elbow when Cassidy hit Stundog Millionaire. O’Reilly and Hechicero exchanged some holds, allowing Romero to come in and hit an enziguri, but O’Reilly locked the octopus stretch on. Archer broke it up, but Strong hit a flying knee on Archer while Orange Cassidy hit the Orange Punch, and the Paragon hit the high low, allowing O’Reilly to lock an armbar on Romero for the win.
Result: Orange Cassidy & The Paragon
–Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, El Clon, and Josh Alexander came out and posed on at the ramp, staring down Kyle O’Reilly, who he is defending the TNT title against next Tuesday on AEW Dynamite for Title Tuesday.
Final Thoughts
This was a pretty by the numbers AEW Collision with nothing too outstanding, but one thing I have noticed is that Kyle Fletcher is all over this show since his main event match with Hangman Adam Page at AEW All Out. It seems like they are really trying to position him as the star of AEW Collision, and it is working, as he comes across as the world champion in waiting. Good episode this week with lots of build for Title Tuesday. Some of this build could have been done on Dynamite a bit more effectively, especially with the matches being announced, as Moxley and Ishii, for example, could help sell some tickets if fans knew about it on the more watched show. That said, lots of matches were announced here for Dynamite and Collision next week. More of this, please.
