AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May will defend her title against Anna Jay on tonight’s live AEW Collision from Philadelphia.
Two weeks ago at Battle of the Belts XII, Jay pinned May in an upset to earn the shot. Jay has been looking to prove herself since returning from Japan, saying she has improved tremendously. May will be looking for her fourth title defense.
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley will also be making an appearance. He and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club have been going after everyone who stands in their way. On Dynamite, Orange Cassidy threw out the challenge to Moxley for Full Gear after Moxley took out Chuck Taylor.
The reborn Kyle Fletcher will take on Komander, who scored an upset win over Lio Rush on Friday’s Rampage.
After feuding for the last several weeks, Thunder Rosa will meet Harley Cameron in what is being billed as a Day of the Dead match.
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Private Party Town Hall
This was a nice follow-up to Dynamite, giving Private Party some focus after their big tag team title win. This wasn’t Hard Times or anything, but it was a fine little segment.
Collision began with a collection of wrestlers in the ring and on the stage. Tony Schiavone welcomed out the new AEW World Tag Team Champions Private Party. They thanked the Young Bucks for pushing them to be their absolute best before letting the assorted tag teams around ringside know they were willing to defend their titles against anybody. They got in FTR’s faces and a little shoving commenced, but The Outrunners broke it up and reminded everyone that this was a celebration. They started an AEW chant before Kassidy closed things out.
Separately, Mariah May & Anna Jay walked into the building ahead of their Women’s Title match tonight. Jay cut a short promo saying there would be a new champion tonight.
The Acclaimed were backstage with Renee Paquette. When asked about the changing of the guard in the tag team division, Anthony Bowens congratulated Private Party but noted that they were coming back for the titles. Max Caster interrupted Bowens’ catchphrase to brag about their popularity, with fans giving them money and friendship bracelets. (Don’t let CM Punk see!) To Bowens’ surprise, Caster also pulled out one of MVP’s business cards, noting that Private Party hadn’t gotten an offer from MVP like the Acclaimed had. Bowens cut Caster off to hit his catchphrase and end this enlightening interview.
(I love MVP casting a wide net to see how many people he can get into the Hurt Syndicate. I also enjoy some friction with the Acclaimed, as I’ve grown tired of their act.)
Day Of The Dead Match – Thunder Rosa defeated Harley Cameron
This was a fun little bit of plunder to kick off the wrestling on this show.
This was a no-disqualification match, with Day of the Dead-themed weapons around ringside. Both came out with face paint, Cameron’s more resembling a day at the fair than Dia De Los Muertos. Rosa came out with a picture of Cameron that she sat in a Dia De Los Muertos tribute at ringside. She also had skeleton paint on her body, giving me an excuse to bring up La Parka. Rosa hit Cameron with some plunder around ringside before Cameron cut off a barricade walk. Rosa came right back by throwing Cameron through a big board with a sugar skull skeleton on it.
The two traded clotheslines as we came back from a commercial before they took each other down with hairmares. Rosa hit a lungblower for a nearfall before setting up a chair contraption. She took too long, allowing Cameron to hit her with a SHOOT PINATA before putting her through the contraption for a nearfall. I think there were M&M’s or Skittles in there. God forbid they were Reese’s Pieces. Cameron went for a shining wizard to a seated Rosa, but Rosa moved, and Cameron kicked the chair.
Rosa stuffed Cameron in a trash can and kicked her into the corner. Rosa then set up a table as a ramp before launching with a hesitation dropkick to a binned Cameron for the win.
A freshly shaven Roderick Strong & The Kingdom were backstage with Lexy Nair, with Strong warning SHANE Taylor that he was just an obstacle on his path to MJF. Strong put over his group’s accomplishments, with the Kingdom winning a three-way tag match on last week’s Rampage and Adam Cole coming back better than ever. Brian Cage & Lance Archer walked in to talk trash and tell them to stay out of their way.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Komander (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
This was a must-see match with two stellar young talents in AEW. The crowd being so against Fletcher made it easy for Komander’s normally impressive moveset to get an even bigger reaction. Fletcher has been great in these big spots on TV, and the turn is giving him great momentum into the eventual Will Ospreay match. The Mark Davis diversion is a great call, as he can be a road block match on the way to Ospreay. Just excellent stuff all around.
Fletcher now has Taichi-style tearaway pants, ripping them off and throwing them in Komander’s face to sneak a big boot in. Fletcher caught Komander on a reverse crossbody, but Komander got him into a crucifix hold for a nearfall before running wild on offense. Komander went for a fancy lucha armdrag, but Fletcher shoved Komander off the top rope to the floor. Fletcher followed with a powerbomb on the apron as we went to a commercial break.
After the commercial, Fletcher had Komander in the tree of woe, but Komander somehow caught Fletcher to hit an Avalanche Sliced Bread off the top rope. Fletcher juked Komander on a dive attempt and hit a dive of his own before booting Abrahantes in the face. Komander came back with a step-up moonsault to the floor to a big pop. Back in the ring, Komander scored with a Spanish Fly for a nearfall.
Komander went for a moonsault, but Fletcher countered by booting Komander in the face. Fletcher hit a Last Ride powerbomb for a nearfall. Fletcher teased the Tiger Driver, but Komander countered with a hurricanrana for a nearfall. Fletcher caught Komander on his shoulders on a poisonrana attempt, but Komander pulled Fletcher to the outside and hit the poisonrana on the floor.
Komander hit a Destino on the apron, then followed up with a top rope moonsault for a nearfall. Fletcher scored with a lariat before following with a running boot. Komander slipped out of a top rope Brainbuster attempt before sending Fletcher to the outside with a step-up Destroyer. Komander hit his Spaceman dive to the outside, but when he tried his ropewalk Shooting Star Press, Fletcher booted the rope to knock him down. Fletcher hit a running boot and the top rope Brainbuster for the win.
After the match, Fletcher laid more punches on Komander before Mark Davis came out to stop him. They barked at each other before Fletcher bailed out.
TNT Champion Jack Perry was backstage. He was cutting one of his grumpy promos with his back to the camera when Daniel Garcia walked in. Garcia wanted to put Perry against the wall again like he did on Dynamite but wanted to try a different approach to get through to him. Garcia wanted Perry to know that he’s dealt with pretentious people like Perry all of his life and that Perry didn’t know anything about him. Perry said that he knew Garcia because he was Garcia, having walked the path that Garcia walked. He gave everything to AEW because he loved it, but AEW turned his back on him all the same. He said that Garcia saw who succeeded around here, and that Garcia was afraid to be the person he needed to be to succeed. Perry told Garcia that his unwillingness to sacrifice was why he wasn’t ready.
(This was an excellent bit of business here. Perry has made the dynamic between these two clear and compelling. These are two sides of the same coin, with Perry as the burnt-out, bitter counterpart to Garcia’s ascending, rah-rah babyface.)
Lance Archer & Brian Cage defeated Shaun Smith & Joe Keys
This was a murder, with Smith getting pinned after a chokebomb. They murdered these poor goons some more after the match. They murdered these poor goons some more after the match, leading to The Undisputed Kingdom running them off. Kyle O’Reilly was in the back looking on. Shane Taylor was also watching as Strong was his opponent later tonight.
AR Fox was in the back with Lexy Nair. He was about to talk about what was next for him when Nick Wayne & The Patriarchy walked in. Wayne told Fox that his father – Christian Cage, of course – taught him to always hold a grudge. Wayne reminded Fox that the biggest mistake of his life was jumping Wayne at his training school last year. Fox cut Wayne off to challenge him to a match for next week’s Collision.
We got a recap of Kris Statlander’s win over Kamille on Dynamite, with Mercedes Mone attacking her after the match. Statlander was backstage, noting that she was pissed after the attack. She said that if Mone was the star she believed herself to be, then facing Statlander at Full Gear wouldn’t be an issue.
Jon Moxley Town Hall
Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, & Marina Shafir came out. Moxley spoke amongst the people, noting that he would face Philadelphia’s own Orange Cassidy at Full Gear. Moxley warned Cassidy that the games didn’t begin at Full Gear, they had already begun. Moxley said that it was a question of if Cassidy would make it. He said that Philadelphia built tough, hard-nosed people like Wheeler Yuta. Yuta understood what it meant to sacrifice, and he understood what it meant to be a Philadelphia hero.
Action Andretti came out to the ring. He was tired of Yuta claiming to be a hometown hero because he didn’t represent Philadelphia like Andretti did. Andretti challenged any one of them to a fight right now, leading to PAC jumping him from behind. Moxley and crew made their way to ringside, and Bryce Remsburg came into the ring to start the match.
PAC (w/ Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, & Marina Shafir) defeated Action Andretti
(The match was an enhancement match for PAC, but the segment was a good bit of build for the World Title match. Wheeler Yuta continues to be the most interesting aspect of this story, as he continues to waver in his allegiance to Moxley.)
PAC stomped out Andretti through the commercial break. Andretti came back with a handspring elbow, then followed up with a dive to the floor. Andretti had a flurry of offense that ended with a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Yuta distracted the referee as Shafir hit Andretti in the ankle with the briefcase. PAC brought Andretti down with a superplex before snatching on the Brutalizer for the win.
PAC held onto the hold after the bell as the BCC surrounded Andretti. Orange Cassidy appeared in the crowd. He reminded Yuta of their past, living in his and Chuck Taylor’s house when he fell on hard times. The old Wheeler Yuta wouldn’t have allowed the attack on Taylor, and the old Yuta would have realized that Moxley was only using him. He said that he would bring back the old Yuta and stop Moxley’s madness by winning the title at Full Gear.
Moxley told Yuta to go get Cassidy. When Yuta hesitated, Moxley smacked him in the face and told him to go again. Yuta went after Cassidy but hesitated when they came face to face. Cassidy pulled the chair away, then hit the Orange Punch when Yuta went to attack. Moxley was furious and went after Cassidy, but he left through the stands.
Malakai Black was in the House of Black’s rumpus room. He said that when people have sat dormant for too long, they become worse versions of themselves. Black had sat dormant for too long, which is why he stepped up to Adam Cole. He said that he saw people like himself and Cole becoming relics in a rapidly changing AEW, and challenged Cole to fight off the darkness that had already consumed Black.
Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher were backstage with Lexy Nair. Fletcher was tired of dealing with the past and was looking toward the future alongside Takeshita. He reminded Private Party that Takeshita & Fletcher beat them earlier in the year, and wanted to move toward a tag team title match. They challenged Ricochet to find a partner to take them on for Dynamite.
Lio Rush defeated Ariya Daivari
Daivari jumped Rush at the bell, but Rush quickly came back with a headscissors. Rush clubbered on Daivari in the corner to the point where the referee had to pull him off, allowing Daivari to clothesline Daivari. Rush outmanuevered Daivari for a flash pin, but Daivari came back with a reverse DDT for a nearfall. Rush came back with a lariat and a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall.
Rush went for a dive, but Daivari threw Woods in the way. Another dive attempt took out Mark Sterling before Rush caught Daivari with a headscissors. Daivari caught Rush with a DDT, but Rush came back with Rush Hour and a frog splash to score the win.
MxM Collection & Johnny TV were backstage with Lexy Nair. Johnny said that MxM had “it,” and offered them a collab any time. Collab is short for collaboration, for those unaware.
Roderick Strong (w/ The Kingdom) defeated Shane Taylor (w/ Lee Moriarty & The Infantry)
(A solid TV win for Strong as he tries to get his hands on MJF as well.)
The Infantry joined Shane Taylor Promotions on a recent episode of Ring of Honor television. Taylor snuck a body shot in as they were against the ropes. MJF was seen watching on, somehow having a live camera in his house. Taylor and Strong hammered each other with chops as their respective units barked at each other on the floor. Strong went to the floor, but it was to bait Taylor for a baseball slide. Taylor caught Strong with a forearm, then hung him over the ropes before dropping him with a stunner.
After a commercial break, Taylor was still in control as the crowd chanted Strong’s name. Strong evaded an apron leg drop and dropkicked Taylor to the floor. Strong hit a set of flying forearms before taking Taylor down with a lariat for a one-count. Taylor was too big for an Olympic Slam, but a Sick Kick softened him up for a successful second attempt and a nearfall. Taylor evaded a knockout knee, then yanked Strong up into a uranage. A splash from Taylor got a nearfall, but Strong slipped out of the package piledriver and scored the win with a knockout knee. An unimpressed MJF watched on.
We got footage of Bobby Lashley’s debut on Wednesday with the Hurt Syndicate. The Hurt Syndicate was announced for an appearance on Dynamite.
It was announced that Private Party would defend their tag team titles in a four-way match at Full Gear. The teams will be determined in a series of qualifying matches. Those matches will be The Outrunners vs. Top Flight on next week’s Collision, FTR vs. The House of Black on the November 13th Dynamite, and La Faccion Ingobernable vs. The Acclaimed on the November 16th Collision.
Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher vs. Ricochet & a mystery partner was made official for Wednesday’s Dynamite.
We got a Mina Shirakawa video package, noting that Mina Is Coming. Good for her.
AEW Women’s World Title Match – Mariah May defeated Anna Jay to retain
(This was what you would expect it to be. The crowd got into Jay well enough, and the Queenslayer nearfall did get interesting after a point. A solid TV defense for May.)
They paint-brushed each other in the corner before locking up. Jay hit a Dangerous Jay kick in the corner before May came back with a back suplex into the corner. Jay fired up with strikes after a commercial break. A shotgun dropkick sent May into the corner, and after a pinning predicament, Jay hit a lungblower and a backstabber for a nearfall.
Jay hit another pair of kicks in the corner but May caught Jay with a choke on the top rope. May hammered Jay with a shotgun dropkick off the top rope. May hit a high-angle back suplex for a nearfall. May caught Jay with a headbutt and a running knee for a nearfall. Jay went for the same flash pin that earned her this title match but May fought out of it.
Jay caught May with a neckbreaker in the ropes, then followed up with a blockbuster for a nearfall. Jay snatched on the Queenslayer choke, and after some fight, May grabbed the referee’s shirt to escape the hold. May dropped Jay neck-first onto the ropes, then caught Jay with a flash pin of her own to score the win and retain the title. May offered a handshake but pulled her hand away to celebrate on the stage.
