Huntington Center, Toledo, OH
Tony Schiavone, Nigel Mcguiness, Kevin Kelly on commentary
Adam Copeland kicks off Collision
Copeland said he was going to address everything Christian said on Dynamite, before he could get to it, Christian’s music hits and he made his way out with an entourage of security with Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne.
Christian said he has a main event match tonight and he has the Blackpool Combat Club barred from ringside and it would be in Copeland’s best interest to leave and go to the back. He says he is the best wrestler in the world.
Bryan Danielson comes out and said that he talked to Tony Kahn and got Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne banned from ringside also. Ricky Starks and Big Bill came out, Starks started to talk to Bryan but referred to Copeland to not look at him with those “bug eyes”.
This started a back and forth between the two that came across as off the script so to speak. Jabbing insults at one another. This was some good stuff to begin the show.
FTR came out to join the party. They said they were banged up last week and maybe they shouldn’t have wrestled, but they want to earn their way back to getting another shot at Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the tag titles.
All hell broke loose in the ring with everyone going at each other. Christian and Co retreated up the ramp and it was a stair off between all those involved.
This was a very WWE feel of an opening segment. Not a bad thing as it set the show up.
ROH World Television Title Match
Samoa Joe Vs Willie Mack
First time I’ve seen Mack in AEW, I’ve seen him in TNA but didn’t know he was now in AEW.
AEW’s win loss record really makes no sense, wrestlers get title shots with no rhyme or reason. With both men having similar builds it made for an interesting contest with both trading blows and chops all over the ring and the outside.
Willy Mack got some really unorthodox offence on Joe. A man with his build you don’t expect to do the things he does. Joe hit some of his trademark offence to get in control of this match, almost getting the win with a snap suplex.
Mack nearly picked up the win after he nailed Joe with a stunner, he went for the frog splash off the top rope but Joe caught him and turned it into the muscle buster for the win.
CJ Perry Backstage Interview
CJ was promoting her services to be a manager and to make stars. Action Andretti came into the scene and said he could really benefit from her services and that she would be hearing from him.
Next was a Danhausen vignette jingle hyping his return.
Singles Match
Juice Robinson vs Christopher Daniels
First time I’ve seen Christopher Daniels in a long time. His movement isn’t what it used to be and you can tell he is a step slower but none the less he is a veteran of the business and made Juice Robinson look good. Every week the Bang Bang Gang’s interference is so over the top it make the referees look stupid. Their interference allowed Juice Robinson to take control in this match.
He hit his modified DDT to pick up the win.
After the match Jay White gave Juice his own ring which he used to punch Christopher Daniels. Juice cut a promo about winning the diamond battle Royal next week and winning MJF’s ring. Jay White cut a promo on MJF about how much of a better champion he is.
A Dustin Rhodes package was next, hyping his return and winning the diamond battle royal.
Nick Wayne Backstage Interview
He was told he was going to have a sit-down interview with his own mom on Dynamite to explain his actions toward Darby Allin.
Singles Match
Kyle Fletcher vs Boulder
Kyle Fletcher has been getting a lot of ring time in the last couple weeks, I’m not sure if his tag team partner is injured but AEW seem to be featuring him a lot.
He was against Boulder of the Iron Savages who was already in the ring which generally means they are getting beat. I was correct and this match didn’t last long with Fletcher winning with the dragon sleeper.
Fletcher seems like a guy they are trying to build up right now, so will see where they go with him next.
Renee Paquette backstage interview with The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass. Max continues his infatuation with MJF. The guys try to train Max on how to talk to people but he ends up offending Renee and she leaves the scene.
TBS Womens Championship Match
Skye Blue Vs Kris Statlander
We already know that Skye Blue isn’t winning this match, Sky Blue has been winning every now and then recently where as Statlander has been booked strong.
I want to see some character development from Skye Blue, she just been wrestling week in week out yet never get to see anything about her personality, something sorely needed to connect her with the audience.
It was a lot more competitive than I expected with Skye nearly winning the match with a spinning DDT. Skye Blue tried a crossbody off the top rope but was caught and power slammed by Statlander.
Sky Blue gained so more momentum with a flurry of moves but all that ended when Statlander caught her and tombstoned her for the win.
Stantlander tried to pick up Sky Blue and shake her hand but Willow came down the ramp and stopped her.
A short promo from Kyle Fletcher confirmed what I thought early on that his tag team team partner Mark Davis is injured. He called out Kenny Omega for a match for Dynamite.
A Vignette for Luchadore and AAA talent Rush was next, he said he was returning but this time with his gang. Cartel gang vibes was what I took away from this vignette, we will see where this goes.
Singles Match
Keith Lee vs Turbo Floyd
Turbo Floyd is already in the ring, he is enhancement talent and we know the outcome.
I actually like the look of Turbo Floyd, he has a really old school look about him, moustache, receding hair and a bad dye job with green tights that Jake the Snake would be approve of Keith Lee went over with a massive powerbomb.
Miro backstage package was next, he talked about stopping his wife CJ Perry at every turn and had Action Andretti from earlier on in the night who was asking for Perry’s services with him in a headlock. Looks like this will lead to someone with value requesting her services that will lead to a feud.
I applaud this as we are actually getting a storyline here, something the show needs more of.
TNT Championship match
Christian Cage (c) vs Bryan Danielson
Jim Ross joins commentary. Big fight feel for this one, the crowd were really into this, booing Christian and cheering Danielson.
Headlocks and Matt wrestling started this match, methodically building the pace slowly. Danielson tried to synch in the labelle lock but Christian escaped out of the bottom rope to regroup.
On the outside Christian took some punishment from Bryan using his body as a weapon against the guard rail. Back in the ring Christian took control of the match after a missed diving headbutt from Bryan.
Christian taunted the crowd, they responded with a “F**k you Christian” chant.
Christian threw Bryan on his arm on the outside apron, Christian went back inside the ring to try win via count out, Bryan narrowly made it back in.
Christian continued to work on Bryan’s arm and took him to the top rope for a superplex but Bryan kicked him off and got the diving headbutt.
Bryan built up more momentum and hit some of his key moves. Christian was now busted open possibly by accident.
Bryan’s arms continued to give him problems throughout the match. Bryan hit some more big moves until Christian speared him and hit the killswitch with Bryan somehow managing to kick out at two.
Bryan then hit Christian with his running knee finisher which would normally put most away but Christian managed to kick out. Immediately Bryan went for his labelle lock but his damaged arm became an issue and he couldn’t lock it in properly.
Big Bill came down the ramp and distracted the referee while Ricky Starks ran into the ring and hit Bryan with the tag team title belt to allow Christian to pin Bryan for the win to retain his title.
After the match it was a 5 on 1 beat down on Bryan with Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne coming into the ring and joining the assault.
FTR came down the ramp for the save on Bryan followed by Adam Copeland who cleared the ring. Christian and company retreated and left Nick Wayne in the ring alone who was speared by Adam Copeland as the show went off the air.
A pretty solid Collision, I liked how there was a beginning and end to the show, still some more improvement is needed in other areas but I think they did a pretty good job with this show.
