Collision
Date: March 30, 2024
Location: Budweiser Gardens, London, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

It’s tournament time this week as we have two first round matches in the Tag Team Title tournament. Other than that, we have about three weeks to go before Dynasty and it is time to start hammering out the rest of the card. There is a chance we could see some of that tonight so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is TNT Champion Adam Copeland for his Cope Open open challenge and he loves the crowd reaction. He’s done with Christian Cage and now it’s time for the title to be on the line.

TNT Title: Adam Copeland vs. ???

Copeland is defending and the open challenge is answered by….the returning Matt Cardona. They trade knockdowns into kickoffs and it’s an early standoff. An exchange of dropkicks give us a standoff as Schiavone runs down the card. Copeland gets him to the floor to take over but the Impaler on the apron is blocked with a rake to the eyes.

We take a break and come back with Cardona holding a chinlock with a knee in Copeland’s back. That’s broken up and stereo big boots leave them both down again. Cardona goes up but gets pulled down by the leg for his efforts. This time Copeland goes up and hits a top rope bulldog for two, followed by an Edge O Matic for the same.

Cardona bails to the floor so Copeland gives chase, only to get kicked low on the way back in. An Impaler gives Cardona two but Radio Silence (Rough Ryder) is countered into a buckle bomb. A sitout powerbomb gives Copeland two but the spear is countered into Radio Silence for two more. Cardona loads up a spear, only to have Copeland hit one of his own to retain at 13:26.

Rating: B-. This was a nice surprise though it’s still weird to me to see the serious Cardona. He deserves amazing credit for reinventing himself like this and turning a spot that cripples a lot of careers into something totally new. They were playing up the “we know each other really well” idea here but Copeland was just that much better. Good opener and Cardona was a bit of a treat as the challenger.

Post match the lights go out and Malakai Black is here, with Buddy Matthews jumping Copeland from behind. Mark Briscoe and Eddie Kingston run in for the save. The House vanishes and commentary hypes up Briscoe vs. Kingston for the Ring Of Honor World Title at Supercard Of Honor next Friday. This marks one more appearance than they’ve had together in Ring Of Honor this year so well done?

FTR isn’t sure if they’re the best team anymore but they want to be the first three time ROH Tag Team Champions. That means going through the Cinderella team of The Infantry tonight and so be it.

Tony Schiavone brings out Billy Gunn and the Acclaimed (rap not included) for a chat. Schiavone gets to the point of Bullet Club Gold invading Billy’s home on Rampage. Billy is ticked off and says White is always bragging about selling out Madison Square Garden. Billy: “I’ve done that so many times I’ve lost count.” Next week on Dynamite it’s vs. Billy, with Max Caster saying the Acclaimed and the Gunns should stay in the back. Bowens can’t blame White for running from Billy’s wife because she would have slapped the hair off his face. They’re ready for the Club.

Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: FTR vs. The Infantry

Wheeler takes Dean down to start but Dean is back with some armdrags into an armbar. Bravo comes in to face Harwood, who gets dropped by some dropkicks. The Infantry clears the ring so we settle down to Dean chopping away at Wheeler. A jumping elbow gets two but Wheeler powerslams a leaping Bravo out of the air for a nasty crash. Harwood’s top rope superplex drops Bravo and we take a break.

Back with Harwood chopping the soul out of Bravo but Dean is fine enough to hit a hue dive onto all three of them. Back in and Bravo’s high crossbody gets two on Harwood, followed by another high crossbody for another two on Harwood. Wheeler is back in with a powerbomb into a German suplex from Harwood into a rollup for two. Back up and the Infantry superkicks FTR into a neckbreaker for two on Wheeler but Harwood is sent into Dean to knock him outside. FTR collides with each other but Wheeler flips over Harwood to set up the Shatter Machine for the pin at 12:23.

Rating: B. The Infantry brought it here, which makes their near squash by the House Of Black all the more confusing. If you’re willing to let them have a close match against a great team, why not give them some more against the House? Anyway, this was an interesting one as you had FTR having trouble keeping up with the fast young team, only to eventually catch them. You could see Harwood’s face almost saying “gotcha” right before the Shatter Machine and that’s a great story, as the veterans take out the young upstarts by catching them rather than beating them.

Big Bill and Ricky Starks aren’t looking past Top Flight but they’re really not worried. They’ve beaten FTR before so they can do it again and prove just how great they are.

Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston and Mark Briscoe are ready for the House Of Black at Dynasty. Briscoe is down but wants a dogfight from Kingston at Supercard Of Honor. Kingston is ready to make the House spit up blood and teeth.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. JD Drake

Drake grabs an early cobra clutch before hitting a dropkick for two. A Vader Bomb misses for Drake though and O’Reilly strikes away. O’Reilly kicks him down and grabs the cross armbreaker for the tap at 2:36. It’s nice to see a fast match like that, as this didn’t need to go long and made O’Reilly feel that much more dangerous.

Post match the Undisputed Kingdom comes out to celebrate with O’Reilly, who just kind of goes with it.

We get a preview of Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Will Ospreay on Dynamite.

Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinals: Big Bill/Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight

Darius wrestles Starks down into an armbar to start and a snap suplex puts him down again. A slingshot hilo gives Darius two but it’s off to Bill, who has Darius a bit nervous. With the solo efforts not working, Top Flight dropkicks both of them to the floor. Starks offers a distraction though and a big boot drops Dante as we take a break.

Back with Bill missing a charge into the corner, allowing the tag off to Darius to pick up the pace. A Pele kick out of the corner catches Starks and a rollup gets….two, despite Starks not really moving. Darius uses Dante as a launchpad for a tornado DDT to pin Starks at 9:40 (about ten seconds after the weird near fall so someone seems to have gotten screwed up there).

Rating: C+. The ending was a bit odd but they recovered just fine and got the result they needed, which is all that matters. Top Flight moving on despite Bill and Starks’ confidence is a good way to go and FTR should have their hands even fuller with the more established team. Good match here, though Starks and Bill seemingly being finishes so fast is a bit disappointing.

Christopher Daniels wants Malakai Black on Rampage.

Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Frost

They go to the mat for some grappling to start until Rosa shoulders her down. Frost is back up with chops and boots in the corner but Rosa hits a hard clothesline as we take a break. Back with Rosa wining a slugout and hitting another clothesline. Rosa scores with the running dropkick against the ropes for two but Frost scorpion kicks her way out of trouble. Rosa isn’t having that though and hits a Backstabber, setting up the Tijuana Bomb for the pin at 8:50.

Rating: C+. There is nothing wrong with a match between a big star and a lower level opponent where said opponent gets in some offense before coming up short. That’s what we got here and it should move Rosa up a bit more before her likely title match at Dynasty. Frost continues to be someone who might not be moving up the ladder but she’s a solid enough opponent for a spot like this. That’s not a bad place to be and AEW seems to get that.

Post match Rosa shouts at the camera and demands respect from Toni Storm.

We go to the back with Toni Storm being told that next week it’s Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May for the title shot at Dynasty. Storm turns to May, asks if this is what she has been planning all along….and then kisses her, saying she was a genius. Storm: “I see myself in you and I love me. What do you think about that eh Lightning Daffodil?” Everyone seems confused to wrap it up.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Video on Will Ospreay.

Blackpool Combat Club/Katsuyori Shibata vs. Lance Archer/Righteous

Shibata strikes away at Archer to start and then kicks him down as commentary talks about Bobby Heenan. Dutch comes in and requests/receives Castagnoli, who he runs over with a shoulder. Castagnoli is back up with a rather impressive slam and it’s of to Danielson to strike away. The rapid fire kicks in the corner connect but Dutch runs him over without much trouble.

Danielson slugs away on Vincent (not Dutch, Tony) and hits a suicide dive on Dutch (yes Dutch, Tony). That earns him a whip into the barricade though and the villains take over as we take a break. Back with Danielson not quite being able to pull Dutch into the LeBell Lock. Instead Dutch pounds him down into the corner, only to miss a charge. Archer and Dutch take turns slamming each other onto Danielson for two but he manages t knock Dutch off the top.

A missile dropkick allows Danielson to get over for the tag off to Castagnoli for the showdown with Archer. Everything breaks down and Castagnoli and Shibata double team Archer. The Swing has Archer in more trouble and Castagnoli grabs the Sharpshooter. Orange Sunshine hits Danielson but Shibata makes a fast save. Archer chokeslams Castagnoli so Vincent can hit a Swanton for two. Shibata suplexes Vincent but Dutch breaks up the cross armbreaker. Shibata’s sleeper takes Vincent down and the PK finishes at 16:47.

Rating: B-. This was another showcase match for most of the Club plus Shibata, which only made for the most interesting main event. Archer and the Righteous continue to feel like a team who should be something of a deal but mainly serve to beat up jobbers and lose to bigger teams. That’s not a bad role for them, but it did make for a fairly long match before we got to whichever of the good guys got the win.

Overall Rating: B. This show felt like it was trying to have more in the way of importance, but it still feels like it pales in comparison to Dynamite. AEW could use a bit more of a balance between the two shows, but this was one of the stronger Collisions in a bit. Dynasty still doesn’t feel like the most important show, though Danielson vs. Ospreay will be enough to carry a lot of it. Good show here, with the wrestling overcoming the other issues, as usual.

Results
Adam Copeland b. Matt Cardona – Spear
FTR b. The Infantry – Shatter Machine to Bravo
Kyle O’Reilly b. JD Drake – Cross armbreaker
Top Flight b. Big Bill/Ricky Starks – Tornado DDT to Starks
Thunder Rosa b. Lady Frost – Tijuana Bomb
Blackpool Combat Club/Katsuyori Shibata b. Lance Archer/Righteous – PK to Vincent

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Collision
Date: March 9, 2024
Location: Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re still near Atlanta for the third show of the week, though this show is going to be a bit of a follow up from Dynamite. In this case we have the first match for the new Elite, as the Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada are now the new big evil trio. Other than that, we have a street fight, because that’s what we do around here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Shane Taylor vs. Bryan Danielson

Lee Moriarty is here with Taylor, who backs Danielson into the corner to start. The test of strength goes to Taylor of course but Danielson kicks away at the chest. That only goes so far so Danielson goes for the leg and uses the ropes to slow Taylor down. Nigel: “He’s using the ropes! That’s illegal!” Tony: “You never used the ropes during your career?” Nigel: “Of course!”

Taylor’s leg is tied up in the ropes so Danielson hits a running dropkick but a right hand sends Danielson outside (and us to a break). Back with Taylor hitting the apron legdrop for two but missing a splash in the corner. Danielson ties the leg around the post and kicks away to put Taylor down back inside.

The big kick to the head gets one and Danielson can’t believe the kickout. The running dropkicks in the corner just wake Taylor up though and it’s a big clothesline for two on Danielson. Taylor’s cannonball misses so he tries a powerslam, only for Danielson to take him down for the kicks to the head. The running knee finishes for Danielson at 14:00.

Rating: B-. Danielson is this generation’s wrestler who can get the best out of any opponent and that is amazing to see. Taylor had a good match here and wrestled like a power monster should, which made for a good showing. You could see Danielson trying to take him apart out there and it worked well in the end. Good opener.

Post match Will Ospreay comes out and says he’s here for a chat. After praising Danielson and Taylor, Ospreay praises…the sandwiches backstage before talking about how so many people are in awe of Danielson. Ospreay then calls him a “cheeky little slag” for interrupting him on Dynamite and wonders if Danielson has a question for him. Danielson praises Ospreay’s match with Konosuke Takeshita, but he’s also heard Ospreay talking about how great he is the best in the world, so the challenge is on for Dynasty. Ospreay is in.

Young Bucks/Kazuchika Okada vs. Jon Cruz/Liam Gray/Adrian Alanis

Nick and Cruz start things off but it’s Okada coming in instead. Okada takes him up against the ropes for a pat on the head to start so the bigger Alanis comes in. The forearms just annoy Okada so he hits the dropkick, followed by the Rainmaker to pin Gray at 2:03. That’s what it should have been.

Post match Eddie Kingston runs in and gets beaten down so here is Penta El Zero Miedo…who gets beaten down as well. Cue Pac to come in and stare up at Okada (Nigel: “TAKE MY MONEY! TAKE MY MONEY! TAKE MY MONEY!”) before striking him out to the floor. Pac says he’s here to look for trouble and a six man is set up for Dynamite.

Video on Darby Allin vs. Jay White on Dynamite.

Mariah May vs. Trish Adora

May works on a wristlock to start as Nigel completely swoons over Mariah’s…well everything. Adora takes her down a few times without much effort but May grabs a running headscissors. A running dropkick puts Adora on the floor and we take a break. Back with Adora hitting a pump kick into a backsplash for two. Adora grabs a German suplex from her knees, only to have May hit a running knee. May Day finishes Adora at 6:13.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why a match that barely breaks six minutes needs a break but unfortunately that’s the AEW women’s division for you. May’s rise continues and having her dressed as rocker Toni Storm could be going in a few different directions. Not much in the way of a match, but what are you supposed to do with so little time and so much of that in a break?

Post match here is Toni Storm to present the first ever Toni Award (Storm: “That’s Toni with an I so we don’t get sued.”). May is the only nominee and she does indeed win. Cue Deonna Purrazzo to go after Storm but May lays her out with a DDT.

Video on Riho vs. Willow Nightingale.

Nick Wayne vs. Adam Priest

The rest of the Patriarchy is here too. Wayne starts fast and hammers away before sending Priest outside. A running boot rocks Priest again but he fires back, only to get a glare from Luchasaurus. Back in and Wayne chokes on the ropes, setting up Wayne’s World for the pin at 3:12.

Rating: C. More or less a squash here for Wayne, who still doesn’t have much in the way of interest. He’s Christian’s secondary lackey but having him beat up a relative unknown for a few minutes is hardly the worst thing. They kept this short and that’s the right way to go for a match like this one.

Post match someone in a mask pulls Cage into the crowd (Tony: “Is this a luchador? Is this someone from CMLL?” That’s a perfectly reasonable reaction and you don’t get many of those in wrestling today.) before diving onto the Patriarchy. It’s Adam Copeland, who gets in the ring and grabs the TNT belt, plus a metal case. Copeland opens it and Cage sees it (we don’t see what’s in there), making him back up. The match seems ready for Dynamite March 20.

Jeff Jarrett says Mark Briscoe can trust him tonight. Mark isn’t sure but they’ll fight together.

Chris Jericho vs. Titan

Jericho wastes no time in pulling him into a surfboard, which is broken up just as fast. Back up and they chop it out until Titan knocks him to the floor. That means a big suicide dive to drop Jericho and a whip sends him into the steps. Back in and they both go up, with Jericho hitting a super faceplant for two as we take a break. We come back with Titan kicking him out to the floor, setting up another dive.

That bangs Titan up a bit though and it’s a butterfly backbreaker to put him down again. The Lionsault misses though and Titan grabs a springboard tornado DDT for two. Titan’s top rope double stomp gets two but his leglock is countered into a failed Walls attempt. The Judas Effect misses as well and Titan grabs a spinning Death Valley Driver for two. Titan tries a springboard hurricanrana but gets pulled into the Walls for the submission at 11:59.

Rating: B. I liked that a good bit more than I thought I would have and Jericho hung in there with the younger high flier well enough. That being said, I’m still waiting on some kind of a point to these CMLL guys being around other than “here they are”. They had the feud with the BCC but that seems to have mostly wrapped up (thanks to the visa situation). Are we just going to have random matches like this with nothing really happening?

Post match the Gates Of Agony run in to beat down Jericho but Hook makes the save.

Here is FTR for a chat. Things didn’t go how they wanted at Revolution but that’s life. They’re officially throwing their names into the hat for the Tag Team Title tournament but they know it’s going to be difficult. Harwood isn’t sure they belong in the tournament but they will give everything they have if they get a chance. Cue the Infantry to interrupt, with a quick introduction. They say the tag division needs a revival and we get some of the old Revival theme song. Harwood: “The revival is dead and if we meet you in the tournament, you will be too.” Well that was efficient.

Mistico vs. Angelico

Serpentico is here with Angelico. They fight over wrist control to start and Angelico gets up for something of a dance. Mistico grabs some armdrags for a standoff and we take a break. Back with Mistico hitting a 619 into a springboard missile dropkick, followed by a slingshot hurricanrana to the floor. A slingshot corkscrew splash gets two on Angelico and a Swanton is good for the same. Angelico grabs la majistral for two and they trade running clotheslines in the corner. Both of them are knocked down but Mistico is back up with a very spinning rollup for two. La Mistica finishes Angelico off at 9:26.

Rating: B-. Again, nice match but it’s kind of hard to get interested in Mistico, as big of a star as he is, facing someone the caliber of Angelico. It’s a match that came and went with some nice high flying, but it doesn’t seem to have any connection to anything else going on. That’s fine once in awhile, but this is the second match on the show with the same stuff. It would be nice to have this tied into something, as otherwise it’s just wrestling for the sake of wrestling.

Respect is shown post match.

House Of Black vs. Mark Briscoe/Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal

Street fight. The brawl starts on the floor with Briscoe and Black slugging away inside. The good guys start in with the dives before it’s time to set up some tables. Lethal sends a charging King into an open chair but King is back up to crush Lethal through a table. Briscoe and Matthews slug it out until Briscoe’s dive off the top completely misses a table, hitting chairs instead.

We take a break and come back with Matthews pouring lighter fluid over a table but Sonjay Dutt offers a distraction. Cue Julia Hart with gasoline, which Matthews pours on Dutt. Karen Jarrett cuts off the whole murder thing so Hart gives her the mist. Lethal and Jarrett hit the Infantry’s Boot Camp (Russian legsweep/running big boot combination) to put King down but he’s back up with the sleeper to Lethal.

Jarrett makes the save with a heck of a guitar shot, only to walk into the End from Black. Hart slips in the spike but Briscoe blocks a stabbing and Jay Drillers Black. Briscoe’s big flip dive is pulled out of the air and the table is set on fire. The powerbomb puts Briscoe through said table and Black gets the pin at 12:47.

Rating: C+. Yeah it was another big brawl and had the spots and carnage but how many of these hardcore matches are we supposed to be interested in? This one had the fire theme but there was so much going on that it was just another big wild fight than anything else. It kept my interest but it feels like we get some kind of big weapons brawl every few weeks. Slow down with them already.

Overall Rating: B-. They were going back and forth from stuff that felt important to stuff that felt like it was just there to fill in time, which makes for a rather long two hours. The show was good enough, but after a pay per view on Sunday and three hours of AEW since then, the two CMLL matches, another brawl and a quick Elite match isn’t quite enough to make this a great show.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Shane Taylor – Running knee
Young Bucks/Kazuchika Okada b. Jon Cruz/Liam Gray/Adrian Alanis – Rainmaker to Gray
Mariah May b. Trish Adora – May Day
Nick Wayne b. Adam Priest – Wayne’s World
Chris Jericho b. Titan – Walls Of Jericho
Mistico b. Angelico – La Mistica
House Of Black b. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Mark Briscoe – Powerbomb through a flaming table to Briscoe

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Revolution 2024
Date: March 3, 2024
Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back on pay per view with one of the big four events, which should make for a good night. There are a few major matches on tap for the show, including Samoa Joe defending the World Title against Samoa Joe and Hangman Page. In what should be the real main event though, Sting and Darby Allin are defending the Tag Team Titles against the Young Bucks in Sting’s retirement match. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Bang Bang Scissor Gang vs. Private Party/Willie Mack/Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Satnam Singh

Max Caster still can’t get the rap right as he seems to have the yips. Kassidy headlocks Austin to start but gets shoved away and dropkicked down. Colten comes in for a dropkick to Quen and Bowens adds Scissor Me Timbers. It’s back to Colten, who gets knocked into the corner by Mack but manages to knock Kassidy down. Bowens comes in to clean house but a distraction lets Jarrett grab a Russian legsweep.

Back up and is able to hit a Blockbuster and the big tag brings in Billy to clean house. Singh offers a distraction though and it’s a Mack Stunner into Lethal’s cutter. Quen hits a 450 and Mack gets two, with the fans being impressed by the kickout. The Blade Runner is broken up and it’s Singh coming in to wreck everyone. White and Billy manage to get him down for a Fameasser and White grabs the Blade Runner for the pin on Mack at 12:16.

Rating: C+. This was a match where there were so many people that it was hard to stand out. The Gang winning was the only way to go, but at the end of the day I can’t imagine the team lasting that much longer. There is little reason to have both of the six man champs together when neither of them defend their titles, so hopefully the unification is coming soon enough. Perfectly fine opener, even if it was really busy with so many people around.

Post match White puts over the team and brags about their success. After hyping up the card, he teases doing something of his own on March 13.

Zero Hour: Kris Statlander/Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue/Julia Hart

Stokely Hathaway is on commentary. Blue kicks Nightingale into the corner to start but gets whipped away, allowing Statlander to elbow her in the jaw. Statlander’s slam is escaped though and it’s off to Hart, who gets crossbodied by Nightingale. Stereo suplexes put the villains down for two on Hart and Statlander’s belly to back suplex gets the same. Blue comes back in and kicks Nightingale into the corner, meaning the villains can take turns stomping away.

Three straight whips into the corner wake Nightingale up for some reason and she gets over for the tag back to Statlander. House is quickly cleaned with a shot to the face getting two on Blue. Hart’s sliding lariat to the back of the head gets two on Statlander so Blue goes up, only to have her high crossbody pulled out of the air. Nightingale Death Valley Drivers Hart for two as Blue superkicks Statlander on the floor.

Statlander and Hart slug it out back inside until Hart knocks her down. The moonsault gets two and it’s Blue coming back in to kick Statlander in the face a few times. Statlander gets in a shot of her own though and brings Nightingale back in to Pounce Blue. The Babe With The Powerbomb finishes Blue at 13:16.

Rating: C. This felt like an extended Collision or Rampage match and that’s not a bad choice for a Kickoff Show match. Nightingale very well could be in for a TBS Title shot and this could put her into contention. Now that Hart is healthy again, it would be nice to see her actually defend the belt. Nightingale has needed a big win and while this wasn’t that, it could set her up for something in the near future.

And now, the show proper.

TNT Title: Daniel Garcia vs. Christian Cage

Cage, with the Patriarchy, is defending. They fight over a lockup to start with Garcia being taken up against the ropes but getting a clean break. Cage takes him down into a front facelock but Garcia fights up and knocks him outside without much effort. Back in and Garcia takes him down again, with Cage suggesting a leg injury. Naturally that’s a fake for a thumb to the eye and Garcia is back in trouble.

We hit the chinlock with a knee in Garcia’s back but he fights up again, only to be sent out to the floor. The big dive to the floor drops Garcia again but he’s able to hit a chop block back inside. Garcia’s ankle lock doesn’t last long as Cage sends him outside and then does it again for a bonus. The back of the neck snap across the top rope but Garcia finally fights up and hits some forearms to the head.

Cage goes up and gets legdragged down, allowing Garcia go roll him up for some near falls. They go outside again, this time with Cage’s knees being sent into the steps. Back in and the reverse DDT onto the knee gives Cage two but Garcia snatches on the ankle lock again. Cage manages to send him into the corner, where Killswitch gets in a chokeslam (the referee seemingly thinking Garcia knocked himself down), setting up Cage’s top rope splash for two.

Cue Matt Menard to go after Killswitch but Mother Wayne offers a distraction. Menard brawls with Killswitch to the back, leaving Garcia to hit the piledriver for two. Garcia’s rollup gets two more as Cage grabs the rope this time. Cue Nick Wayne for a Stunner over the ropes, setting up the Killswitch to retain at 16:43.

Rating: B-. This was a bit longer than it needed to be but they had a good match. Garcia wasn’t ready to win the title here and thankfully he got in some near falls here. The interference got a bit annoying but I’ll take it for a way to keep the title on Cage. Garcia has come a long way in recent weeks but this was the right way to go, especially with Adam Copeland likely coming back soon.

Continental Classic: Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson

Kingston is defending and Danielson has to shake his hand if he doesn’t win the titles. Danielson takes him into the corner to start but Kingston fires off the chops to leave Danielson’s chest in trouble. A suplex puts Danielson down on the floor and Kingston hits a big dive before they head up to the apron. Kingston’s chop only hits post though and Danielson suplexes him off said apron to the floor before taking him back inside to stay on the bad hand.

A middle rope dropkick to the shoulder keeps Kingston in trouble and Danielson does it again for a bonus. Danielson goes up again but dives into an exploder suplex to give Kingston a breather. The Stretch Plumb has Danielson in trouble so he goes after the bad hand to break it up. Kingston uses the good arm to fire off his own elbows but Danielson sends him into the corner for a running dropkick.

Another running dropkick misses so Danielson settles for a dragon suplex instead. Danielson kicks away in the corner and puts Kingston on top for a running dropkick. Oddly Kingston doesn’t react so Danielson butterfly superplexes him into a failed LeBell Lock attempt. That’s escaped so Kingston hits a spinning backfist into the northern lights bomb for a near fall.

Danielson goes back to the hand though and hits a running kick, setting up the running knee for an even nearer fall. Danielson’s triangle choke has Kingston in trouble but the arm drop doesn’t work. Instead Kingston gets his feet into the ropes, sending us into dueling chants from the fans. Danielson starts kicking away and Kingston tells him to bring it before winning an exchange of suplexes. They strike it out until Danielson reverses the powerbomb attempt, only to have the running knee clotheslined away. Kingston’s powerbomb retains the title at 19:43, leaving McGuinness rather pleased.

Rating: B+. This was Kingston’s specialty: fighting from behind and coming back up to win in the end as the fans get behind him. There is something so easy to get behind with Kingston and that was the case here. Heck of a match, which shouldn’t even be that surprising with Danielson involved.

Post match Danielson teases not shaking the hand but goes through with it before leaving.

Hook vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lance Archer vs. Brian Cage vs. Wardlow vs. Dante Martin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Magnus

Non-title and one fall to a finish for a World Title shot. The four power guys clear the ring to start and are left alone, giving us a MEAT chant. Said monsters have a pose down before slamming into each other. A bunch of clotheslines are no sold until it’s Wardlow and Archer slugging it out inside. Archer walks the rope to take Wardlow down and then goes after Hobbs, only to have Jericho come in to Codebreaker Wardlow for two.

The vegetarian options come in to slug it out, doing the same things the meat guys did. Martin hits a dive onto the floor and Hook hits a top rope ax handle onto Cage on the floor. Wardlow and Archer are back in as we miss some of the others doing something rather loud. Cage apron superplexes Hook and everyone but Martin is down, with Martin hitting a frog splash for two. Martin’s middle rope crossbody gets two on Jericho, with Magnus making the save.

Magnus goes after Martin in the corner but gets hiptossed down by Archer, who hits the chokeslam for two. Jericho is back in to take Archer down for stereo Lionsaults along with Magnus. Hobbs is back in to powerslam Archer, who rolls outside. Hook and Cage get to have their showdown until Wardlow is back in to throw some suplexes. Hook breaks up the powerbomb to Cage by grabbing Redrum but Jericho puts the Walls onto both of them. Cage breaks up the Walls and Hook lets go of Redrum for no logical reason before staring Jericho down.

Hobbs breaks that up and sends Hook outside, leaving Jericho to triangle dropkick him to the floor. Hobbs plants Jericho on the floor but he’s back up with a fog machine of all things to cut him off. Back in and Cage knees Hook into an F5 but Martin gets two on Magnus. Archer breaks that up so Martin kicks him in the head. Wardlow cleans more house and breaks up Redrum, setting up the powerbomb to finish Martin at 16:19.

Rating: C. The result helps a lot as Wardlow cutting those fired up promos and then being put out there to lose wouldn’t have made a ton of sense. At the same time, the match was long, had WAY too much going on and as is usually the case with these things, it felt like someone hit one move to win rather than someone being the best. Wardlow is the best option but this really didn’t work.

We recap the International Title match. Roderick Strong wants the title and Orange Cassidy is willing to give him a shot, which set up a feud between Cassidy and the Best Friends and the Undisputed Kingdom.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Roderick Strong

Strong, with the Kingdom, is challenging and Cassidy is here on his own by his request. Strong misses an early Sick Kick attempt and they go to the floor, where Cassidy’s banged up ribs are sent into the barricade. Back in and Cassidy manages a high crossbody but bangs up his ribs in the process. The backbreaker keeps Cassidy in trouble and Strong wisely hammers away on the ribs.

They go up top with Strong hitting a crazy gutwrench superplex to send Cassidy bouncing onto the top turnbuckle (GEEZ). Strong sends him into the corner and is already rather confident, even getting his his own lazy kicks. The threat of a chop makes Cassidy go face down and Strong is even happier.

Back up and End Of Heartache is countered into a Stundog Millionaire to give Cassidy a breather. The Stronghold goes on but Cassidy slips out and hits the tornado DDT. The middle rope DDT gives Cassidy two and he hits his own Panama Sunrise. Beach Break is broken up so they trade big shots to the face. The second Beach Break connects for two but Strong comes back with the End Of Heartache for the pin and the title at 12:45.

Rating: B-. Strong might not be the most interesting star in the world but he is someone who can have a good match with just about anyone. Working on the back/ribs over and over is a fine way to go and Cassidy really needed to get away from the title for a bit. They also didn’t go too long, which makes for a nice change of pace on the show.

Post match the Undisputed Kingdom celebrates, with Kyle O’Reilly returning. He’s in too for a nice return.

FTR vs. Blackpool Combat Club

Rematch of the teams going to a draw and the Club comes out in pretty bad looking Road Warriors style spikes. FTR on the other hand has the Midnight Express lighting, which hopefully goes better than the time the Express fought the Warriors. Harwood and Castagnoli trade rollups for two each to start but Castagnoli is back up to knock him into the corner.

They slap it out and then trade strikes with neither being able to get very far. Schiavone talks about Dean Martin as Moxley comes in to take over on Wheeler. That’s broken up and Moxley is knocked into the corner, only to kick Wheeler in the face. It’s back to Castagnoli, who gets Russian legsweeped to put him down in a hurry. Wheeler comes back in and gets sent outside in a heap, followed by a gutwrench suplex for two back inside.

The Club trade front facelocks as the fans trade supportive chants. Moxley takes Wheeler up top for a back rake into a superplex for two. We get the trash talk in the corner, which is enough for Wheeler to fight up and hand it back to Harwood. Striking abounds but Castagnoli slips out of a suplex. Harwood hits him in the face but the spike piledriver is broken up and Harwood is sent into the post. Castagnoli snaps off a powerslam for two as Harwood is busted open rather badly.

Moxley and Harwood have their slugout but Wheeler is back in with the spike piledriver for two more. The Club is back in with a Doomsday Device (European uppercut variation) for two on Harwood and everyone is down. Moxley grabs a cutter into the Swing with a dropkick for two more on Harwood and everyone is down again. Moxley takes Harwood up top for some elbows and biting to the cut, with Castagnoli adding a running big boot.

Wheeler is back in for the save and a powerbomb/top rope clothesline gets two, setting up the Shatter Machine for two with Castagnoli making the save. A Neutralizer hits Wheeler on the floor but Harwood plants Castagnoli as well. Back in and Moxley Death Riders Harwood for two, with Harwood rolling him up for the same. The choke finishes Harwood at 21:43.

Rating: A-. This was very good and they got the crowd into it, with all kinds of big near falls and quite the violent edge. I could have gone for FTR winning instead of more of the Club’s dominance but that’s just going to happen. Heck of a fight here and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Club going after the Tag Team Titles in the near future.

We recap Toni Storm defending the Women’s Title against Deonna Purrazzo. They used to be friends but now Purrazzo wants the old Storm back. Plus the title.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Storm is defending and has Mariah May, who dresses as old school Storm, plus Luther, with her. Feeling out process to start with Purrazzo going technical to take over. Storm is back up to fight over a hammerlock until Purrazzo takes her down into a headscissors. Purrazzo can’t get the Fujiwara armbar so she goes for it again, only to be taken into the corner for some shots to the face.

Storm kicks her low to take over and then stomps the chest, setting up a bit of dancing. Purrazzo gets up and slugs away, setting up the clothesline comeback. Storm rolls out of the armbar so Purrazzo kicks her in the face for another knockdown. A missed charge in the corner sets up Storm’s hip attack and a DDT gives Storm two.

Storm grabs an ankle lock but Purrazzo gets out and kicks her to the floor, where Luther makes a catch. Purrazzo hits a dive onto both of them and the Fujiwara armbar goes on back inside. Storm taps but Luther has the referee, allowing May to offer her own distraction. That’s enough for Storm to grab the piledriver to retain at 12:16.

Rating: C. This was ok, but they never hit that level that you might have expected on a pay per view title match. Neither of them have exactly hit a high point in the ring in recent matches, but this was miles better than Purrazzo’s disaster against Madison Rayne a few weeks ago. Storm still seems destined to face Mariah May, which is going to need to be built up a bit more before we get there.

We recap Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay. This is Ospreay’s in-ring debut as a full time AEW star and they’re both in the Don Callis Family, though there is some tension.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay

Don Callis is on commentary. The fans are clearly amped for this and the OSPREAY chants are off to a fast start. The fight over a lockup goes to the ropes, where Ospreay slaps him in the face. Ospreay snaps off a running hurricanrana before it’s time to slug it out. A springboard clothesline drops Ospreay and a delayed superplex gives Takeshita two. Takeshita takes him down again but Ospreay comes back up with the hard chops.

Ospreay is back with a springboard elbow and then knocks Takeshita outside in a heap. Back in and Takeshita fires off his own strikes, setting up a running kick to the face to send Ospreay outside. There’s the big running flip dive to take Ospreay down again, followed by a NASTY bridging German suplex for two. A release version cuts Ospreay off but he’s back with a running Spanish Fly to put them both down. Ospreay knocks him down again and we need the referee to check on him for a second.

Back up and Takeshita hits a heck of a headbutt, which doesn’t knock Ospreay down. Another headbutt wakes Ospreay up and he’s back with the Kawada Kicks. Back up and neither can hit a powerbomb variation so Ospreay kicks him in the face a few times. The tiger driver gives Ospreay two but the Oscutter is knocked out of the air for two. Takeshita can’t get in Rolling Chaos Theory so Ospreay kicks him in the head again. There’s the Oscutter for two but the Hidden Blade is countered with a shot to the face for two of his own.

Takeshita puts him on top but Ospreay slips out and hits the Cheeky Nandos kick. The super hurricanrana is blocked and Takeshita hits an El Generico Brainbuster, with Ospreay’s back taking a terrifying landing. Takeshita takes down the knee pad but his running knee is blocked. The Stundog Millionaire and a poisonrana have Takeshita in trouble but he’s right back with a wheelbarrow piledriver.

Ospreay pops up with a Hidden Blade for one and they’re both down again. Back up and Takeshita’s running knee is countered into a Styles Clash for two and they’re both down again. Ospreay is back up with a tiger driver 91, setting up the Hidden Blade for the pin at 21:48.

Rating: A-. This is the definition of “if you like this style, you’ll love this” and there is nothing wrong with that. It was a great spectacle with one cool looking move after another and if you can ignore some no selling issues, it was a blast. I had a good time with it and it’s a great debut for Ospreay, though some of those spots had me cringing in a less than good way.

Post match Kyle Fletcher comes out to celebrate with Ospreay.

We recap the AEW World Title match. Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland are still in their blood feud but Samoa Joe, the reigning champion, is still involved in the whole thing and promises violence.

AEW World Title: Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page

Joe is defending. They circle each other to start until Page is knocked into the corner, with Joe getting to step away from Swerve’s middle rope elbow. Swerve is sent outside for the suicide elbow, with Joe kicking Page in the head for daring to try a dive. Joe gets knocked down on the floor though and Swerve is back in to stomp away on Page. Swerve goes outside to drop Joe again, setting up a springboard dropkick to Page for another near fall.

Page is back up with a belly to belly for two of his own with Joe making the save this time. Back in and Joe powerbombs Page into the STF into the crossface so Swerve makes a save of his own. Joe and Swerve go up top with the former hitting a headbutt out to the floor. Swerve is right back in though and a double powerbomb plants Joe for a triple breather. Page and Swerve slug it out until Page middle rope moonsaults into a tombstone for two on Swerve.

Joe gets dropped again and Swerve suplexes Page for two with Joe being right there for a save. Back up and Joe gets to strike away, setting up the MuscleBuster for Page. Swerve Stomps Joe though and everyone is down. There’s the House Call to Joe and another to Page but the delay lets Joe break up the cover. With Page on the floor, Swerve hits a 450 to Joe’s back for no cover. Swerve knocks Joe down again for two but Page pulls the referee. A belt shot hits Swerve in the head and Page yells at him a lot, followed by a pair of Buckshot Lariats.

Here’s another referee to count the two but another Buckshot is pulled into the Koquina Clutch. Swerve breaks that up with a Sky Twister Press and grabs a foreign object, only to throw it down instead. Joe grabs the Clutch on Swerve but Page takes out another referee. Back up and Joe runs Page over but he’s back up with a Buckshot Lariat. Swerve hits Page with a Buckshot of his own into the JML Driver but Joe suplexes Swerve down. The Clutch finishes Page to retain the title at 19:40.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but it got a lot better by the ending. They did have a setup where all three could have pulled it off, though Joe winning does make the most sense….I think. Swerve is going to be champion one day but winning in a three way doesn’t quite feel great. For now, it’s a good title match that was in a rough spot after Takeshita vs. Ospreay.

Post match commentary suggests that Page gave up to cost Swerve the chance of winning. That’s….certainly a way to go.

AEW Dynasty is in St. Louis on April 21.

We recap Sting and Darby Allin defending the Tag Team Titles against the Young Bucks. It’s Sting’s retirement match and the Bucks have gotten violent. Oh and Ric Flair is here too because of course he is.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Darby Allin/Sting

Allin and Sting are defending, it’s a tornado match, Ric Flair is here and Ricky Steamboat is here as a guest time keeper. With everyone else here, we get an amazing entrance, with Sting sitting in a theater and watching a highlight reel of his career. Sting says it’s showtime for the last time. We get some old era Sting’s on the stage (apparently played by Sting’s kids) and Seek & Destroy is back for one last time.

Allin starts fast against the Bucks with all three Sting’s getting in a Stinger Splash. A double Scorpion Deathlock has the Bucks in trouble but they slip out and head to the floor. Some tables are set up at ringside and Nick is slammed off the barricade. There’s a backdrop to put Matt down as well, leaving Allin to Coffin Drop off the top onto both of them. Sting whips out a pane of glass (JR: “You think we might be taking things a bit too far?”) but Sting misses a baseball bat shot and shatters it.

They go up to the stage with Matt having to break up a Scorpion Death Drop. Instead Matt suplexes him through a pair of tables and Sting appears to be mostly done. The Bucks take Nick back to the ring and toss him into a ladder in the corner. Allin fights back and loads up some chairs with glass on top on the floor before climbing up the ladder and flip diving through the glass and chairs onto the floor. Sting is back in as the medics check on Allin’s very bloody back.

The comeback is on and Matt is put on the table, with Sting going up the ladder (oh geez), only to be sent through a table. Sting pops up but gets knocked down through the glass again for two. The Bucks go to grab more weapons but Steamboat makes an attempted save. That’s broken up so Flair gets in the ring to protect Sting. A superkick drops Flair and Steamboat is taken out as well, setting up a belt shot to Sting for two.

The Bucks superkick Sting again (“WE HATE YOU!”) but he pops up and hits the Death Drop for two on Matt. The EVP Trigger gets two more and another….gets one. Sting laughs at them and Allin is back up to break up the Meltzer Driver. The Scorpion Death Drop gets two on Matt and the still bleeding from the back Allin hits the Coffin Drop. Sting puts on the Deathlock to retain at 20:56.

Rating: B. I have no idea how to rate something like this as it’s barely a wrestling match and is all one big ridiculous sendoff for Sting. I could have gone for not having the glass nonsense or Allin attempting his latest dumb idea, but I’ve been a Sting fan for more than thirty years and my goodness did he get a respectful sendoff. That’s all this was supposed to be and they didn’t do anything ridiculous with the result so we’ll call it a positive.

Post match Allin says we have three minutes left so let’s show some love for Sting. After soaking in some cheers, Sting thanks the fans for being there with him since the 80s and that he hoped he gave them a night to remember. Sting thanks Allin as the greatest partner he ever had and wonders how many stitches Allin needs. Sting talks about being a risk taker but hang on because he’s getting cues….and we’re done because the show went long. As usual, AEW can never time anything right, but at least we got the gist of it.

Overall Rating: A-. This is a show where the good was excellent and the worst was still fine. There is a one-two punch of the Ospreay vs. Takeshita match and FTR vs. the Club, plus the big emotional moment for Sting (that video is top notch). I’m not sure if it’s the best thing AEW has ever done but it was back to form after some weaker entries at the end of last year. Great stuff here, and check out most of it (with the fast forward ready for that scramble).

Results
Bang Bang Scissor Gang b. Willie Mack/Private Party/Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Satnam Singh – Blade Runner to Mack
Kris Statlander/Willow Nightingale b. Skye Blue/Julia Hart – Babe With The Powerbomb to Blue
Christian Cage b. Daniel Garcia – Killswitch
Eddie Kingston b. Bryan Danielson – Powerbomb
Wardlow won the All Star Scramble – Powerbomb to Martin
Roderick Strong b. Orange Cassidy – End Of Heartache
Blackpool Combat Club b. FTR – Rear naked choke to Harwood
Toni Storm b. Deonna Purrazzo – Piledriver
Will Ospreay b. Konosuke Takeshita – Hidden Blade
Samoa Joe b. Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland – Koquina Clutch to Page
Sting/Darby Allin b. Young Bucks – Scorpion Deathlock to Matt

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: February 24, 2024
Location: Great Southern Bank Arena, Springfield, Missouri
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We are just over a week away from Revolution and the card seems pretty much set. That allows the remaining shows to focus on some other things, which will be the case again here. In this case we have Bryan Danielson facing another Japanese legend in Jun Akiyama, which should be awesome. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Sammy Guevara vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

No DQ and all of the Don Callis Family is barred from ringside. Guevara tries a knee to the face to start and it’s a Cactus Clothesline out to the floor. Hobbs misses a charge into the barricade but pulls a diving Guevara out of the air. The World’s Strongest Slam onto the steps plans Guevara and Hobbs does a bunch more of them onto the apron. Hobbs feels creative and goes over to steal Kevin Kelly’s belt (various threats are made), meaning Guevara takes a whipping.

Guevara is back up with some chair shots but Hobbs easily tosses him over the barricade. Back in and Guevara sends him onto the steps and it’s time for a pair of tables. Guevara takes too long though and it’s a spinebuster from the apron through the two tables as we take a break.

We come back with Hobbs missing a charge into the corner and getting pulled into the GTH for two. A monitor to the head knocks Hobbs fairly silly and it’s time for another table. Guevara’s springboard is pulled into another World’s Strongest Slam though and Guevara is rocked again. Another table is loaded up and we’ll make that two but Guevara manages a posting for a breather.

A beer bottle to the head puts Hobbs on the table and Guevara breaks a second over Hobbs’ head for a bonus. Now it’s a ladder being set up in the ring so Guevara climbs up and Swantons him through the two tables. Back in (less than a minute after the crash) and Guevara sets up another table but Hobbs shoves the referee to crotch Guevara. The World’s Strongest Slam from the middle rope through the table finishes Guevara at 17:03.

Rating: B-. Jake Roberts once asked why he should bother using the DDT on someone if hitting them with a sledgehammer doesn’t put them down. Hobbs got hit in the head with two beer bottles and took a Swanton from a ladder in the ring through two tables at ringside but was back on offense about a minute and a half later. Why should I believe that any move is going to be able to pin him now? The match was your usual weapons fest with both of them doing whatever they could think of until one move was enough for the pin. It was garbage fun, but not much more than that.

The Blackpool Combat Club talks about how the team came together, including Claudio Castagnoli walking twenty miles from an airport to a gym. They’re not cool with a time limit draw against FTR so they’re in for Revolution. Castagnoli talks about FTR wanting to bring back the past but the Club is the future. Good promo here with the ending tying it together.

FTR vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Harwood and Moriarty start things off but it’s quickly off to Wheeler, who chases Moriarty into the corner. An elbow to the face sets up an armbar on Moriarty before it’s off to Harwood vs. Taylor. Harwood picks up the pace with a slide between the legs but a hard clothesline puts him down. Moriarty is back in for a chop off with Harwood but Taylor runs him over as we take a break.

Back with Harwood fighting out of a bearhug, only to have Taylor knee him in the face. Taylor’s middle rope splash though and a diving tag brings Wheeler back in to clean house. Wheeler’s jumping neckbreaker gets two on Moriarty so Taylor punches Wheeler in the face. Harwood makes a blind tag though and it’s a powerbomb/top rope combination to finish Moriarty as Wheeler cuts off Taylor at 10:19.

Rating: B-. That was one of the slickest finishing sequences I’ve seen in a good while as the whole thing from the blind tag to Wheeler picking Moriarty up to the pin was one motion. That is where tag team wrestling can be so fun to watch and FTR does it as well as anyone has in a very long time. Good stuff here as the Promotions were good villains to be vanquished in not quite short order.

Post match FTR talks about how the Blackpool Combat Club can’t get rid of them that easily. People are scared of Jon Moxley but Harwood thinks Moxley is mad because FTR isn’t scared of him. They’ll have to kill FTR to beat them so see you at Revolution.

Video on Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama as Danielson’s final year tour continues.

Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Bird Monroe

Rosa wrestles her down to start and fires off some chops in the corner, complete with yelling at the camera in Spanish. Monroe’s chops don’t get her anywhere as Rosa hits a running dropkick against the ropes and grabs the Tijuana Bomb for the pin at 2:07.

Stokely Hathaway doesn’t like what Julia Hart and Skye Blue have been saying about Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander. Never mind though as Statlander cuts him off and wants to beat up Blue next week.

Colten Gunn/Jay White/Billy Gunn vs. Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson

Max Caster botches his rap this week and just drops it halfway through. Billy pokes Boulder in the yes to start but run over, only to shove the Savages into each other. Colten comes in but misses the Stinger Splash, earning himself a face first drop onto the top turnbuckle. Boulder comes in for some dancing, only to be low bridged to the floor.

The diving tag brings in White (with Colten bypassing Billy) to clean house, with Bronson accidentally splashing Jameson. Billy comes in with the Fameasser to Bronson….who stands up and jumps over the top rope in one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Anyway, White grabs the Blade Runner to finish Jameson at 4:45.

Rating: C-. That bizarre moment from Bronson alone is enough to bring this down as there was only so much good in the first place here. The big thing would seem to be Colten tagging in White instead of Billy, as the two sides of the team might be having issues. That still needs to build towards the unification match at Double Or Nothing, as the titles need to be unified and the show’s name couldn’t be more perfect.

Bryan Danielson puts over Jun Akiyama as one of the best ever. Akiyama is Eddie Kingston’s hero but Danielson doesn’t respect Kingston. If Kingston was doing this promo, he would ramble on and then storm off. Kingston had all of the potential and has wasted it until the last year, which is why Danielson is going to beat him at Revolution. Danielson doesn’t get this fired up very often and it worked.

Malakai Black vs. Bryan Keith

This is Black’s first singles match in AEW since June 2022. Black takes him down by the leg to start but Keith is right back up for a standoff. A suplex into a knee drop gets two on Black, who elbows Keith out to the floor. We take a break and come back with an exchange of forearms until Keith makes the clothesline comeback. A tornado DDT plants Black and they’re both down for a breather.

They slug it out again and go up top, with Black shoving him down. A top rope double stomp into a German suplex gets two on Keith and frustration is setting in. Black Mass misses and Keith Tiger Drivers him for two of his own. Back up and Keith charges into Black Mass (which may be called The End) for the pin at 10:58.

Rating: C+. It was nice to see Black back in the ring on his own for a change and Keith is someone who has been built up as enough of a star to make it feel like something of a challenge. The match was the usual back and forth stuff you would expect from a match like this one but that spinning kick still looks great. Nice return to singles action for Black here, and it would be cool to see it continue.

Post match the lights go out and here is Mark Briscoe with a kendo stick. Briscoe grabs the spike but stabs the turnbuckle pad by mistake. The rest of the House Of Black comes in to beat Briscoe down.

Video on Darby Allin/Sting vs. the Young Bucks.

Serena Deeb vs. Lady Frost

Frost trips her down to start and they go to a test of strength on the match. Deeb reverses that into a cross arm choke and we’re off to a staredown. A dropkick to the back puts Deeb down but she ties up the leg into something of a reverse Figure Four. Frost makes the rope and we take a break.

Back with Deeb snapping off a dragon screw legwhip to stay on the leg before firing off some left hands. A swinging neckbreaker gives Deeb two but Deebtox is broken up. Frost hits something like a spinning Break for two but Deeb hits a hammerlock lariat. A half crab makes Frost tap at 8:42.

Rating: C. The commercial break during the sub-ten minute AEW women’s match has become something of a running joke and unfortunately it isn’t that funny. They weren’t having a classic or anything but it’s annoying to have so much of a match missed due to a commercial. This happens almost all the time and it keeps me from wanting to see what they are doing, which is just hurting the energy of the show.

Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama

Eddie Kingston is on commentary. They go with the standing grappling to start as Kingston talks about how much he loves and respects Akiyama. Danielson takes him up against the ropes for a clean break so Akiyama comes back with some running shoulders. With that not working, Danielson goes after the knee and twists it around on the mat. Akiyama’s cross armbreaker is broken up and Danielson is right back to the knee.

The Muta Lock goes on so Akiyama rakes the eyes for the break. Danielson fights up and sends him outside but the suicide dive is cut off by an elbow to the face. We take a break and come back with Akiyama dropping a knee on the apron but Danielson hits a missile dropkick. The running corner dropkicks connect but Akiyama blasts him with a clothesline. Danielson grabs the LeBell Lock, sending Akiyama straight to the ropes.

Back up and Akiyama knees him out of the air for two but a running knee is countered into a half crab. A German suplex drops Akiyama again, only to have him grab a not locked in guillotine choke. Danielson kicks him in the head and grabs a German suplex, only to have Akiyama exploder suplex him down. Back up and they both try running knees, meaning it’s another double knockdown. Danielson scores with a hard knee to put Akiyama down, setting up the running knee to finish at 15:57.

Rating: B. I don’t think there was much of a surprise here as Akiyama is a legend and Danielson has done rather well with this kind of a match during his current run. It was also nice to have Akiyama tied into the Danielson vs. Kingston feud rather than a random one off match. Akiyama did well here, and it wouldn’t shock me to see him win a quick match elsewhere on AEW just to give him a nice moment.

Respect is shown post match but Danielson flips off Kingston. That’s not cool with Akiyama so Danielson kicks him low. Kingston runs in for the brawl and it’s Claudio Castagnoli running in to beat Kingston down. FTR runs in for the save and yes indeed Tony Khan makes a six man tag in all of three seconds’ notice for Dynamite.

Overall Rating: B-. There was good action here, but a lot of it felt like it was about setting up things for later. That’s a good idea with Revolution just over a week away and I’m getting more excited for the show, meaning things are going well. As usual, Collision was more wrestling based and it went well, with the main event being the highlight, also as usual.

Results
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Sammy Guevara – Super World’s Strongest Slam through a table
FTR b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination to Moriarty
Thunder Rosa b. Lady Bird Monroe – Tijuana Bomb
Colten Gunn/Jay White/Billy Gunn b. Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson – Blade Runner to Jameson
Malakai Black b. Bryan Keith – The End
Serena Deeb b. Lady Frost – Half crab
Bryan Danielson b. Jun Akiyama – Running knee

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: February 21, 2024
Location: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

We have about a week and a half to go before Revolution and there are still some spots left to add to the match. Odds are we will see some of those matches added tonight, along with some of the other matches getting some extra attention. That should make for a nice show so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. FTR

Moxley knees away at Wheeler to start so it’s off to Castagnoli for an exchange of uppercuts. A slam puts Wheeler down but it’s off to Harwood to suplex Moxley. Wheeler comes back in for an uppercut off before a Harwood distraction lets Wheeler come off the top with a double clothesline. FTR clears the ring before taking over on Moxley, with Harwood grabbing an abdominal stretch.

The cheating is detected though and Castagnoli comes in with a big boot to Harwood. Not that it matters as it’s right back to Wheeler for a basement dropkick. Moxley clotheslines his way out of the corner and falls into the tag to Castagnoli to clean house. Harwood gets spike piledriven on the floor and we take a break.

Back with Harwood fighting out of a chinlock and handing it back to Wheeler to clean house. A brainbuster gets two on Moxley but the Shatter Machine is broken up. The powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination gets two on Moxley as we have four minutes left in the time limit. The Swing puts Wheeler down and it’s Moxley grabbing the bulldog choke on Harwood. Wheeler drives Castagnoli onto the hold to break it up and they’re all down with two minutes left.

Harwood gets the Sharpshooter on Moxley, with Castagnoli’s boots to the head not breaking it. Castagnoli grabs the same thing on Wheeler and slaps it out with Harwood until Harwood piledrives Castagnoli, with Moxley grabbing a crucifix for two. The Shatter Machine is loaded up but time expires at 20:00.

Rating: B. Good, hard hitting match here, with the draw being better than the Club winning again. This is a weird feud as they are just started fighting one week and then had a big serious brawl, though odds are we’ll be seeing them fight again. I’m not sure where it’s going, but at least they had a good match to start it off.

Post match the brawl is on until a bunch of people have to break it up.

Orange Cassidy is rather tired from wrestling both here and in England but he’s medically cleared to compete.

FTR wants the Blackpool Combat Club again at Revolution. The Club comes in to shout a lot and in theory the match is set.

Orange Cassidy vs. Mike Bennett

Non-title and Matt Taven is here with Bennett. Cassidy jumps Taven to start and hammers away at Bennett, including the Stundog Millionaire. Cue Roderick Strong for a distraction though and Bennett gets in a low blow and piledriver for two as we take a break. Back with Bennett grabbing a headset to yell about Cassidy, who takes him down with a suicide dive.

Bennett spinebusters him against the apron but Cassidy gets in a shot of his own for a breather. A fight over a Beach Break/piledriver ends with Bennett hitting a Gotch Style piledriver (fourth piledriver and we’re 45 minutes into the show) for two. Bennett loads up another piledriver but gets Beach Broken (Beach Breaked?) for the pin at 9:38.

Rating: C. Not exactly a great match here as it was more about Bennett hitting a bunch of piledrivers (or at least trying to) as the Cassidy vs. Strong feud continues to limp along. The title match can’t get here soon enough, as hopefully Strong wins to let something fresh take place in the title picture. This second reign has felt like Cassidy has come way back down to earth and it’s time for something different with the title.

Post match the beatdown is on but Jake Hager of all people makes the save.

Angelo Parker and Ruby Soho go on a date, with a car coming up….that isn’t for them. In said car: Ric Flair.

Post break Flair gives a rather serious interview about how he should have been more involved over the last few weeks. Now he’s going to explore some options. Flair goes into the Young Bucks’ locker room for a chat.

Here is Daniel Garcia for a chat and we get right to the point: since Adam Copeland is out of action, Garcia is getting the TNT Title shot at Revolution. Garcia talks about how he felt he should be something great in wrestling and he finally won a match at the end of the Continental Classic. He was ready to make Copeland tap last week and now he’s going to make Cage do the same.

Cue the Patriarchy, with Cage saying he doesn’t think much of the idea of a match with Garcia at Revolution. Instead, Cage would rather talk about Garcia’s family, including his mother and….his dead father. Cage is willing to be his daddy, but that’s enough for Garcia to want to fight. The brawl is teased but Matt Menard runs in for the save. Garcia’s stuff was good enough but as usual, this was the Cage show as he is absolutely feeling it with everything he does. He almost has to get at least a mention in the World Title picture after he loses the TNT Title.

Hangman Page gives Rob Van Dam and Hook, his partners tonight, a pep talk about hurting Shane Strickland.

Toni Storm vs. Syndi Winnell

Winnell, the hometown girl, takes too long to soak in the crowd and gets decked by Storm. A Thesz press and right hands have Winnell in trouble and there’s a running bulldog to make it worse. The running hip attack sets up Storm Zero and Break A Leg….but Storm lets go. Instead it’s Deonna Purrazzo’s Venus de Milo for the tap at 1:48.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Madison Rayne

Purrazzo’s entrance interrupts Storm’s exit and we get a staredown. They go to the mat to start with Purrazzo taking her down into an early chinlock. Purrazzo sends her outside and hits a sliding dropkick as we take a break. Back with Rayne getting two off a sunset flip, setting up a kick to the…arm. A double clothesline leaves both of them down but Purrazzo is up with some clotheslines. A running knee cuts Rayne off and they slowly exchange weak forearms. Purrazzo grabs a Downward Spiral, which Rayne tries to take like a suplex, landing HARD on her head (Taz: “Check her!”). An ankle lock makes Rayne tap at 7:16.

Rating: D-. This very well may be in the running for worst match in AEW history. It was awkward, it felt like they were in different books (let alone pages) and that botch looked horrible. I’m not sure if this was just a horribly off night for both of them or if there was some kind of miscommunication or what, but they’re both capable of doing much better than this. Absolutely awful match and I have no idea how it could have gone this bad.

Post match Toni Storm runs in and grabs Break A Leg on Purrazzo. Then Storm lets go and applies an obsessive amount of lipstick.

Darby Allin talks about how different you are when your end is year. He and Sting (off camera) have been looking at some old photos, including Sting with his young sons. Sting steps into camera and talks about how his father passed away and it made him realize he’s not immortal. Everything he has left, he is bringing to Revolution so the Bucks are going to have a fight on their hands. This was VERY serious Sting and it came off as someone who has nothing left and is willing to do anything on his way out.

Here is a ticked off Wardlow for a chat. Two years ago he had thousands of people chanting his name but the rocket attached to his back was put on upside down. He should have been the champion a long time ago, but he never got a World Title shot. We hear about some of the men to hold that title, because he beat the Best In The World and that man’s body is still falling apart.

Then you had the one who was better than us, who Wardlow squashed like an insect. As for Samoa Joe, Wardlow does the custom suits with a title look better. He is better than you and the best in the world, so this is now war. Ok, cool. Now do something with him. None of that matters if he’s back doing the same stuff he’s done for years.

The Ban Bang Scissor Gang will team up again on Collision, but this time they’re mixing up the lineup a bit.

Will Ospreay will be in action at All In.

Wardlow will be in Meat Madness at Revolution. No word on what that is but it better involve some Bulgarian trumpets.

Don Callis is ready to get Will Ospreay to AEW. Also, Powerhouse Hobbs is in Meat Madness and Callis hasn’t forgotten about Sammy Guevara.

Brian Cage/Swerve Strickland/Samoa Joe vs. Hangman Page/Hook/Rob Van Dam

Hook actually knocks Joe down to start but Joe unloads in the corner to take over. Van Dam comes in to hammer on Cage, setting up the legsweep rollup for two. Page and Strickland come in for the brawl and have to be pulled apart as we take a break. Back with Hook in trouble but he reverses an F5 into a spinning DDT. That’s enough for a tag to Van Dam so house can be cleaned, including a variety of kicks. The Five Star gets two on Cage but Joe breaks it up and drops Van Dam.

We take another break and come back with Page cleaning house as everything breaks down. Page loads up the Buckshot Lariat to Cage but stops to glare at Strickland. Cage catches Page on top but Hook turns it into a German superplex to Cage, bringing Page down in the process. Hook gets Redrum on Strickland but it’s broken up and Swerve hits the House Call.

Page Buckshots Cage and we get the Page vs. Swerve vs. Joe showdown. The three of them fight to the floor where Page powerbombs Swerve through the announcers’ table. Back in and Page slips out of the MuscleBuster to hand it back to Van Dam. Hook suplexes Joe but Cage breaks up the Five Star. Joe chokes out Van Dam for the win at 21:35.

Rating: B. Solid six man here with Joe getting the win over the only person who was going to take the fall on his team to remind you that Joe is still awesome. Hook was doing well here and Swerve/Page did their thing, but Van Dam continues to be pretty much perfectly cast in his role. He’s the veteran who still feels special and can still go in the ring but isn’t likely to win a major match. That’s a good spot for someone to fill and Van Dam has done it rather well.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a rather odd show as the opener and main event were good, Purrazzo vs. Rayne was terrible, and the rest of the action was in the middle. The talking was good enough but mainly set things up for later, which is the right thing with a pay per view so close. At the same time though, stuff with Flair, Cassidy vs. Strong (your mileage may vary), the Don Callis Family and the Undisputed Kingdom isn’t quite inspiring material. In other words, the good was good but the bad was really dull, and that makes for quite the strange show.

Results
Blackpool Combat Club vs. FTR went to a time limit draw
Orange Cassidy b. Mike Bennett – Beach Break
Toni Storm b. Syndi Winnell – Venus de Milo
Deonna Purrazzo b. Madison Rayne – Ankle lock
Samoa Joe/Brian Cage/Swerve Strickland b. Rob Van Dam/Hook/Hangman Page – Koquina Clutch to Van Dam

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Collision
Date: February 10, 2024
Location: Dollar Loan Center, Henderson, Nevada
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness

We’re less than a month away from Revolution and that feels like a rather long time away. The good thing is you can see a lot of the card from here and they’re starting to get closer to putting everything together. That still leaves a good number of things to cover and we should get some of them out of the way here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.Opening sequence.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Esfinge/Star Jr.

Moxley and Star start things off by going to the mat and Star gets him into something like a bow and arrow. Castagnoli comes in and a double superkick puts him on the floor. The Club walks away before the dives can launch and it’s Castagnoli coming back in to swing Esfinge. Moxley hammers away in the corner but Esfinge flips over and brings in Star for a double knockdown. Stereo flip dives take the Club out on the floor but they’re right back up to take over.

We take a break and come back with Moxley bleeding and Star taking Castagnoli down to make the tag back to Esfinge. Everything breaks down and Esfinge’s spinning leglock cover is broken up by Castagnoli. Star takes Castagnoli down with a corkscrew dive to the floor, leaving Moxley and Esfinge to strike it out. Back in and Castagnoli tosses Star into a cutter for two. A toss powerbomb drops Esfinge and Moxley cross armbreakers Star for the win at 12:46.

Rating: C+. This has been the latest match in this rivalry between the Blackpool Combat Club and CMLL and….yeah it’s certainly a thing that’s happening. It doesn’t feel important in the slightest and this was another example of two people from CMLL being put out there with no reason to be interested in what they’re doing. I need a bit more of a reason to care about this feud other than “they’re from a different company” and I’m not quite getting that (yet).

Post match Moxley says take that message back to CMLL and tell them that anyone who steps up gets stepped on. Cue FTR for a staredown with the Club and they quickly get in a brawl.

Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor

Matt Menard is on commentary and Lee Moriarty is here with Taylor. Garcia works on the arm to start but has to duck the big right hand. Taylor runs him over with a shoulder and even gets in his own Garcia dance. One heck of a chop wakes Garcia up and he snaps off a dragon screw legwhip.

Garcia starts in on the leg and we take an early break. Back with Taylor dropping him with a headbutt, only to miss the apron legdrop. Garcia kicks him into the corner and stomps away, setting up a running dropkick to the leg. Taylor is back up with the big forearm for two but Garcia takes out the leg again. We hit the kneebar…and Taylor actually taps at 9:05.

Rating: C+. This worked well enough with Garcia picking apart the monster and then winning with a hold he worked on throughout. Garcia getting a clean singles win is a good sign and he seems to be on his way to a TNT Title shot. This did exactly what it needed to do and there actually wasn’t much to criticize about it (my goodness that’s weird to say).

We look at Sting and Darby Allin winning the Tag Team Titles before being attacked by the Young Bucks.

Eddie Kingston finds what the Bucks did to be disgusting, just like what Bryan Danielson did when he took the attention from Bryan Keith last week. Kingston wants to face Danielson at Revolution and if he wins, Danielson has to shake his hand. No word on the title being on the line.

Brian Cage vs. Outrunners

The Outrunners have the Las Vegas Golden Knights’ mascot with them. Cage throws Floyd into the corner to start and hammers away before suplexing both of them at once. A powerbomb into a modified Texas Cloverleaf gives Cage the win at 1:12.

Post match the mascot dances with Prince Nana but gets jumped by Cage. Hook comes in for the brawl.

The Undisputed Kingdom tell Tomohiro Ishii that they’re coming for him if he wins the International Title tonight.

Here is Adam Copeland for a chat. Since he is ranked #3, he can pick to go after the TNT or International Title. Copeland likes the idea of going after Eddie Kingston’s dozens of championships but you probably know where he is leaning. Cue Daniel Garcia to say he means no disrespect but he wants the title as well. Copeland respects him but how about they face each other for the title shot. Garcia is currently not in the top 5 but apparently beating Taylor and Copeland is guaranteed to get him into the top 3? I think?

Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale, with Stokely Hathaway, are in the back with Hathaway comparing themselves to the cast of Full House. He doesn’t think much of Skye Blue and the women aren’t pleased with Blue turning on them. Nightingale wants a match with Blue but Stokely can’t do it because Tony Khan has blocked his number. He’ll work on it.

Brody King vs. Mark Briscoe

Julia Hart is here with King. Briscoe hammers away to start but gets launched out of the corner with raw power. A backsplash gives King two but Briscoe knocks him to the floor. The chair is brought in for a step up dive and now let’s get a table. Instead Briscoe tries a dive, which is pulled out of the air so King can send him through a chair.

We take a break and come back with King getting two off a Boss Man Slam. King fights up and hits a running boot in the corner, followed by a bunch of right hands. Briscoe knocks him to the floor and goes up top for a flipping dive but King runs him over with a hard lariat back inside. Briscoe is back up again and tries the Froggy Bow, only to have Hart offer a distraction. King shoves him off the top and through the aforementioned table at ringside. Back in and the Ganso Bomb finishes for King at 12:58.

Rating: B. Unnecessary table spot aside, this was two hard hitting people hitting each other hard. King feels like he is in line for some kind of a monster run at some point and if he isn’t, he should be. Briscoe loses so much that it makes me wonder if that’s what he wants to do, because otherwise it feels like AEW is completely wasting him.

Post match Hart comes in and hits Briscoe in the head with a spike.

Bryan Keith is looking for big matches and wants to climb the ranks to collect his bounty.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kiera Hogan

They fight over arm control to start until Hogan sends her into the ropes for a running hip attack. Purrazzo is right back up to take over on the arm before grabbing a cross arm choke. A Backstabber gives Purrazzo two but Hogan fights up. That’s cut off almost immediately and Purrazzo grabs the Venus de Milo (double arm crank) for the tap at 4:34.

Rating: C. Nice short win for Purrazzo here as she is turning into a formidable star on the way to Revolution. That being said, the Mercedes Mone tease is going to change everything and I’m not sure how big of a deal Purrazzo is going to be once Mone debuts. For now though, she picked Hogan apart and won so they’re at least starting off well with her.

Queen Aminata vs. Toni Storm

Non-title. Storm takes her down by the arm to start and then marches around the ring with a headlock. A Thesz press puts Aminata down and we take a break. Back with Aminata hitting a running kick to the chest for two. Storm grabs a DDT for the same but Aminata hits an Air Raid Crash for two more. That’s enough for Storm, who is back up with Storm Zero for the pin at 8:54.

Rating: C. This got more time than the previous one and the way commentary was talking, Aminata was the featured attraction. I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen AEW (or any promotion for that matter) decide that someone was going to be a thing and run with it this much. Aminata isn’t bad at all but I have no idea why she’s getting this much time and attention.

Post match Storm lays in the ring and says she’ll be releasing a new film on “Die-nah-mah-tay.” She also doesn’t think much of Purrazzo.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Ishii is challenging and powers him up against the ropes to start. Cassidy is sent outside and wants Ishii to join him but has to come back inside to shoulder Ishii instead. Some forearms in the corner just annoy Ishii, who drops Cassidy with a single chop. We take a break and come back with Cassidy hitting a Stundog Millionaire.

The tornado DDT plants Ishii again and a second one gets two. A top rope DDT gives Cassidy two more before they trade running shouts to the face. Ishii Pounces him down and they both get a breather. A hard shot to the face gives Ishii two and he suplexes Cassidy hard. Cassidy tells him to chop before collapsing, allowing Ishii to hit a powerbomb.

The sliding lariat misses though and Cassidy gets some rollups for two each. The Orange Punch and Beach Break give Cassidy two but Ishii clotheslines him for the same. Ishii’s brainbuster is escaped but the Orange Punch won’t put him down. With nothing else working, Cassidy small packages him to retain at 15:24.

Rating: B. The action was good and such but this was the latest in the “here’s a title match against a random opponent and Cassidy survives again”. I liked it a bit more in the first twenty or so times they did it rather than the most recent forty or so. I get that there’s a history between them because of their time in a faction in Japan but I’m going to need more than that to be interested in a match here.

Post match the Undisputed Kingdom runs in to beat Cassidy down but Ishii makes the save.

Overall Rating: B. The usual good wrestling helps and there were some stories being advanced, but AEW still has a bad tendency to lean on “oh well it’s a good match, we don’t need much more than that”. It can work for awhile, but at some point I could use more in a lot of cases. The opener and main event would fit that description here, as the CMLL invasion (if it counts as one) is just there and Cassidy doing the same thing he’s done for more than a year now isn’t interesting. Good action on the show, but it’s hit and miss in the storytelling department.

Results
Blackpool Combat Club b. Esfinge/Star Jr. – Cross armbreaker to Star Jr.
Daniel Garcia b. Shane Taylor – Kneebar
Brian Cage b. Outrunners – Texas Cloverleaf to Magnum
Brody King b. Mark Briscoe – Ganso Bomb
Deonna Purrazzo b. Kiera Hogan – Deonna Purrazzo
Toni Storm b. Queen Aminata – Storm Zero
Orange Cassidy b. Tomohiro Ishii – Small package

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: February 3, 2024
Location: Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg, Texas
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another Saturday night and this time around we have a guest star as CMLL’s Hechicero is here to face Bryan Danielson. That alone should be more than enough for a main even as we are getting ready for Revolution. I’m not sure what else to expect this week but you can get all kinds of things on this show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Keith

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Keith wins or survives the twenty minute time limit, he gets a future Continental Crown title shot (for some reason the preview before the show said the title was on the line). Feeling out process to start with Kingston powering him up against the ropes. Keith takes him up against the ropes as well before Kingston fires off some chops. An exchange of headbutts goes to Keith before neither can get a suplex.

Kingston gets fired up off an exchange of chops until Keith manages to knock him down. A kick to the face knocks Kingston to the floor and Keith sends him hard into the barricade. Back in and Keith drops a knee for two but Kingston gets in a knockdown of his own and we take a break.

We come back with Keith knocking him out to the floor and then hitting a big boot to send Kingston back to the floor. A Falcon Arrow gets two back inside but Kingston manages to exploder his way to freedom. Keith hits his own exploder and a tiger bomb gets two more. Kingston backfists him down for two and there are the rapid fire chops in the corner. An enziguri staggers Keith but he gets pulled into the sleeper and then a DDT for two. Back up and another spinning backfist knocks Keith silly for the pin at 15:17.

Rating: B. They got cooking by the end and it was a heck of a fight where Kingston had to work to avoid Keith getting a better shot. This felt like a good place for the non-champion to make it through the time limit and set up a title match later but that’s not what Proving Ground matches are all about. Either way, heck of a match from Keith in his best AEW/ROH performance to date.

Post match Kingston thanks the fans and says go talk to Keith. That lets Tony Schiavone make the announcement: Keith is All Elite. Bryan Danielson interrupts the celebration because it’s time for his match, though Kingston isn’t pleased.

Jon Moxley isn’t happy with the CMLL stars attacking him but the Blackpool Combat Club is waiting on them. He even teases coming to Arena Mexico.

Bryan Danielson vs. Hechicero

They go to the mat with a knuckle lock and ram heads together but neither can get anywhere. It’s back to the mat with both of them working on a leglock and they slap it out as a bonus. Hechicero rolls him up for two but Danielson is right back with a surfboard. That’s fine with Hechicero, who reverses into one of his own and even rolls him around. Danielson goes to the ropes and really isn’t sure what to do here.

Back up and Danielson fires off some kicks in the corner before starting in on the leg. Hechicero comes back with a running headscissors into a leg lariat (that’s a new one) before flipping Danielson into a choke, sending him straight to the ropes. We take a break and come back with Hechicero striking away in the corner until Danielson flips over him, only to get dropkicked down. Danielson headbutts his way off the top but dives into a…rather twisting arm lock.

Danielson manages to get out but is knocked outside, where Hechicero hits a dive. Back in and Danielson gets in a shot of his own, setting up the LeBell Lock. Hechicero slips out and ties up the legs while cranking on the arm as well. That’s broken up and Hechicero misses a running knee in the corner, allowing Danielson to snap off a dragon screw legwhip. Hechicero pulls him into a reverse Koji Clutch but Danielson reverses into a cradle for the pin at 15:10.

Rating: A-. This was about Danielson escaping rather than winning as he couldn’t figure Hechicero out and was even being out wrestled multiple times. It made for a heck of a showcase as Danielson had to get in what he could when he could before escaping in the end. This was great stuff and a side of Danielson you do not often see, which made it an awesome showcase for Hechicero.

Post match Hechicero jumps him but Claudio Castagnoli runs in for the save.

FTR and Daniel Garcia didn’t expect their team to work but they’ll keep it going. The three of them made the trios rankings so tonight, they’re facing the Patriarchy.

Hook vs. Outrunners

Hook throws Magnum around to start and Floyd has to break up an armbar. A slam puts Hook down but a suplex attempt is broken up. Hook pops up again and hits a double clothesline, followed by Redrum for the win at 2:36.

Here is Mark Briscoe for a chat. Briscoe puts over Tony Schiavone, who was always on the TV talking to some of the best ever. Last week Briscoe was ready to fight with FTR against the House of Black but they jumped him and took him out of the match. This has been the hardest year of his life but he’s going to keep getting up because we fight until we can’t fight anymore and then we fight some more. The House of Black pops up with Malakai Black promising to eradicate Briscoe from wrestling.

Video on the Cope Open.

Serena Deeb vs. Queen Aminata

Deeb grabs a headlock takeover to start but Aminata starts in on the arm. That earns her a quickly broken surfboard so Deeb pulls her into a half crab instead. Aminata slips out and grabs a suplex for two as we take a break. Back with Deeb hitting a running elbow and a discus lariat drops Aminata again.

A neckbreaker over the ropes and a swinging neckbreaker give Deeb two more. Deebtox is broken up so Deeb spins her around, only to get dropped with a headbutt. The running hip attack connects but the running knee misses, allowing Deeb to grab the Figure Four around the post. The Serenity Lock finishes Aminata at 10:00.

Rating: C. So you remember how Aminata has had match after match and still hasn’t really done anything of note and there hasn’t been much to make her stand out? Well that is all still true, as this was another decent match that isn’t going to make her feel like a star. She’s far from bad, but I could go for a reason to care about her after the weeks (and now approaching months) of her being around a lot without doing much of anything.

Here is Swerve Strickland, with Prince Nana, for a chat. Swerve says it’s Black History Month and talks about the people who paved the way for him, like Ron Simmons, Kofi Kingston and Athena. Soon he’ll add his name to that list of World Champions but Tony Schiavone asks about what Hangman Page said: Swerve can’t beat him without the Mogul Embassy. Strickland doesn’t buy it because he’s beaten Page twice so now he’s going to do it again and become Black history. He’s winning the World Title at Revolution, but he tells Nana no interferences so there are no excuses. That was a face promo if I’ve ever heard one.

Toni Storm is mad at Deonna Purrazzo and no, she still didn’t see Mariah May’s match. Now though, she wants a public workout. And cranberry juice.

Red Velvet vs. Vertvixen

Velvet leg lariats her down to start and hits a sitout bulldog. She tries it again but this time Vertvixen reverses into a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Back up and Velvet hits some running knees to the back, setting up the Mix for the pin at 2:19.

FTR/Daniel Garcia vs. Patriarchy

Wayne and Harwood take turns flipping out of wristlocks to start and it’s quickly off to Cage. Harwood grabs some fast rollups for two each and then does it again for a bonus. Wayne comes in and gets shouldered down by Garcia, followed by some quick trips for two each. Back up and Garcia sends Cage outside, meaning we get a standoff to send us to a break.

We come back with Garcia in trouble in the corner and Matt Menard on commentary. Cage grabs a chinlock, only to miss a top rope splash. The tag brings in Wheeler to clean house but Killswitch comes in to cut FTR off. Harwood is back up with a top rope belly to back superplex on Wayne but Killswitch counters a piledriver attempt. Killswitch hits a chokeslam so Wayne can get two as we take another break.

Back again with Harwood hitting a backdrop but Wayne is in with a chinlock. Harwood fights up and breaks out of Cage’s Killswitch (move, not person) before they ram heads. The big tag brings in Garcia to clean house as everything breaks down. Wheeler even hits a nice suicide dive to drop Killswitch, leaving Garcia to hit a brainbuster for two on Wayne. Back up and Wayne drops Garcia but he’s right back with a neckbreaker for two more. Cage plants Harwood on the floor and everything breaks down, with Wayne having to save Cage from a Sharpshooter. Garcia grabs Wayne with a rollup for the pin at 23:03.

Rating: B+. Take six wrestlers and let them go nuts with a build to a hot finish. It’s wrestling 101 and they made it work very well here in a heck of a main event. They’re really building Garcia up and so far so good, so maybe they have something with him this time. Awesome match here as FTR continues to be incredibly good at just about anything.

Overall Rating: A-. Sweet goodness what a show with two outstanding matches and a third which was rather good in its own right. The only match that got significant time and wasn’t great was a perfectly acceptable Deeb vs. Animata match and if that’s the only negative, they did rather well. Excellent show this week and one of the better TV shows I’ve seen in a good while.

Results
Eddie Kingston b. Bryan Keith – Spinning backfist
Bryan Danielson b. Hechicero – Rollup
Hook b. Outrunners – Redrum to Floyd
Serena Deeb b. Queen Aminata – Serenity Lock
Red Velvet b. Vertvixen – The Mix
FTR/Daniel Garcia b. Patriarchy – Rollup to Wayne

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Collision
Date: January 27, 2024
Location: Brookshire Grocery Arena, Bossier City, Louisiana
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly

This is the show opposite the Royal Rumble and that means there are two distinct options. The first choice would basically be to punt and wait for next week, or to load it up with something big in the end. AEW has chosen the second, with FTR/Daniel Garcia vs. the House of Black in an elimination cage match. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Jon Moxley/Claudio Castagnoli vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

The brawl starts on the floor with Moxley choking Taylor and Castagnoli beating up Moriarty. They get inside with Moxley kicking away at Taylor’s leg but getting knocked into the corner for his efforts. A missed charge allows Castagnoli to come in for the hard uppercuts but Moriarty breaks up the Swing. Everything breaks down again and Taylor sends Moxley into the steps.

Back up and Taylor hits an apron legdrop onto Castagnoli as Moxley is favoring his hand. A regular legdrop gives Taylor two on Castagnoli, who suplexes Taylor with some impressive power. Moxley comes back in to clean house, including a running knee to rock Moriarty. Castagnoli Swings Moriarty, who asks for time out, until Taylor makes the save. Moxley can’t get the rear naked choke on Moriarty, who is back with a European clutch for two. A Hart Attack hits Taylor and Moxley chokes him out for the pin at 9:56.

Rating: B-. This was a match that feels like it almost would have been better off taking place before the singles matches, as Moxley already beat both of them on his own. I’m not sure why that makes a tag match more interesting, as adding Castagnoli doesn’t exactly give me hope in the Promotions. Good enough match, but they might have gone one match too far with the story.

Undisputed Kingdom suggests they help Komander win the International Title so he can hold it for five weeks before Roderick Strong wins it at Revolution. Strong shakes his hand and says “deal” but it doesn’t seem like Komander understood.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Komander

Komander is challenging. They trade rollups for two each to start and it’s already a standoff. Komander won’t let Cassidy get his hands in the pockets and they fight over an inverted Gory Special. Cassidy gets his hands in his pockets, misses a dropkick, and nips up anyway. With Komander on the floor, here is the Undisputed Kingdom as we take a break.

Back with Cassidy superkicking him into the corner to set up the stomping but Komander gets up again. A middle rope head fake sets up a middle rope Canadian Destroyer for two on Cassidy and a frog splash gets the same. Komander kicks him in the face a few times but charges into the Beach Break for two more. Back up and Komander snaps off a hurricanrana but stops to dive onto the Undisputed Kingdom. The distraction is enough for the Orange Punch to retain the title at 10:12.

Rating: C+. I’m running out of ways to say “this is the same thing that Cassidy does in all his title defenses”. The match was perfectly fine but it feels like Cassidy has beaten most of the AEW roster at this point. There is nothing left for him to do but yet we have over a month before his serious title defense. I could go for doing the title match sooner, but it looks like we’re waiting for Revolution.

Post match Strong grabs the title and throws it at Cassidy.

Daniel Garcia has been attacked and left bloodied. That’s a bad sign before the main event.

We get a rant from Toni Storm after Dynamite about Deonna Purrazzo. She’ll even show up with Mariah May….but not in Bossier City. Something about race horses being put down.

Mariah May vs. Lady Frost

May fires off the forearms to start but Frost chops her against the ropes. A running flip neckbreaker takes May down but she’s right back with a running dropkick. We take a break and come back with May cutting off a comeback attempt but getting dropped on her head with a German suplex. May is fine enough to hit a shotgun dropkick, only to be sent into the corner for a Cannonball. Frostbite (moonsault) is broken up though and May Day gives May the pin at 6:59.

Rating: C. May is in a weird place as she’s kind of waiting for Storm’s story with Purrazzo to wrap up before anything she’s doing with Storm can really take off. For now it’s just May slowly getting frustrated with Storm, even though they barely had a relationship in the first place. It’s a weirdly put together story, but at least they’re setting May up in a way.

Swerve Strickland picks Toa Liona for Hangman Page on Dynamite.

Page won’t say who he’s picking for Strickland…but hints at Rob Van Dam.

Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning that if Mack wins or survives the ten minute time limit, he gets a future title shot. Mack knocks him straight into the corner to start and a brainbuster gets two on Kingston. There’s the Cannonball into the standing moonsault to give Mack two more but Kingston takes him down and strikes away.

Back up and Mack kicks him in the face before trying the moonsault, only to come up favoring his knee. Kingston exploders him for two but Mack’s knee is fine enough to hit a sitout powerbomb. They strike it out until Mack hits a Stunner, only to have the Six Star frog splash hit raised knees. Kingston’s spinning backfist finishes Mack at 6:02.

Rating: C+. This was a nice win for Kingston, even though Mack has lost so often that it’s hard to get interested in his matches. Kingston is starting to feel like he belongs at this level and that’s almost hard to believe given what kind of a career he had had. For now though, Kingston letting people he deems worthy have a chance is very in character for him and this made sense.

As Kingston is leaving, Bryan Danielson comes to the ring for his match but doesn’t even look at Kingston.

Yuji Nagata vs. Bryan Danielson

Eddie Kingston is on commentary. Feeling out process to start as Eddie praises Nagata and Nigel yells about Danielson. A early armbar doesn’t work for Danielson so Nagata takes over with a test of strength. We take a break and come back with Danielson working on the leg, including a running kick to the leg in said corner. The leg is wrapped around the post and Danielson adds a missile dropkick for two.

Nagata goes after the arm and hits an exploder before pulling Danielson into the crossface. That’s broken up as well and they strike away until Nagata takes him up top. A superplex is broken up but Nagata is fine enough to hit a super exploder. Nagata grabs what is better known as a Disarm-Her but Danielson slips out and grabs a dragon screw legwhip. They kick it out until Danielson hits a big one to the head. Danielson’s running knee finishes at 15:22.

Rating: B-. Nagata is a good example of someone I never quite “got”. He was boring during his WCW run and his time after, while much better, still isn’t something that makes me want to see more. It’s certainly not a question of his talent as he’s quite good at what he does, but there’s something missing from him that keeps him from being interesting and it was on display again here.

Post match respect is shown but Kingston doesn’t buy it.

FTR doesn’t know if Daniel Garcia is ready to wrestle but Mark Briscoe comes in to say he’s there if FTR needs him. FTR appreciates that and they’ll keep him in mind. Well that was quick.

Brian Cage is upset with losing the ROH Six Man Tag Team Titles but doesn’t know why people are talking about Hook. Cue Hook, who seems interested in giving Cage an FTW Title match. Well that was quick too.

Serena Deeb vs. Robyn Renegade

This is Deeb’s first match in about fifteen months. Deeb wrestles her to the mat to start and easily takes it into the ropes. They trade full nelsons and slaps to the face until Deeb hits a running clothesline. A neckbreaker over the middle rope drops Renegade and the Deebtox sets up the Serenity Lock to make Renegade tap at 2:58. Good, dominant return for Deeb.

Post match Deeb asks the fans if they missed her and it feels good to be back. She wants the title because this is what she does and she is back.

Some CMLL stars will be here next week.

FTR/Mark Briscoe vs. House Of Black

In a cage with escape only elimination rules (which is different than last week, when it was just elimination rules). Hold on though as here is the House to jump Briscoe during the entrances and send him off the stage. The big brawl is on outside the ring, with King crossbodying Wheeler against the barricade. Cue Daniel Garcia, with his head bandaged and swinging a chair for the save but the House takes him down as well.

Harwood and Garcia are sent inside with Wheeler left on the floor, meaning it’s 3-2. King gives Harwood a chokebomb but Garcia fights up…as Wheeler DIVES OFF THE CAGE onto everyone for a huge crash. We take a break and come back with Harwood spinebustering Black but Matthews kicks Garcia down. The House cleans house but it’s too early for any of them to escape.

The good guys fight back up and could leave….until Garcia opts to beat on the House even more. Wheeler Stomps Matthews but a brainbuster leaves everyone down again. Harwood and King go up and chop it out on the ropes until Harwood superplexes him down. That lets Harwood go to leave but King spears the door at him and they fall out at the same time. We take another break and come back with Matthews’ top rope Meteora connecting to leave all four down again.

Matthews and Wheeler go up and over, with Wheeler being bounds off the cage and through a table for the elimination. Hold on though as Matthews tries to go back up, only for Garcia to ram the cage to send him through another table at ringside. We’re down to one on one with Garcia vs. Black, with a referee being nice enough to tell them “three minutes”.

Garcia’s ankle lock is broken up and they’re both down again. Garcia tries to go up but cue Julia Hart with the mist. With Garcia blinded, Black goes to leave, only to have Garcia say come finish him. Black obliges and is promptly piledriven onto a chair. Garcia goes up as Black goes for the door, which Mark Briscoe slams onto his head to give Garcia the win at 22:54.

Rating: B. Yeah this was good, with the Briscoe interference not exactly feeling like cheating after Hart got involved. The elimination only thing was a little weird but I like the elimination stuff a lot more than someone getting a fluke fall. Garcia continues to do well in his supporting role, but there is always the chance of pushing him too hard, too fast. He looked rather strong here though and it was a violent, hard hitting match with the House going down to hopefully wrap up the feud.

Celebrating ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. The main event is the best part of the show but the rest was good enough. They feel like they’re starting to set the stage for Revolution and that is a great thing to see, as they’re timing it well. This was a good show, but it’s one that isn’t likely to draw a big audience due to what it’s up against. The main event is unique enough to be worth a look and the rest is fine, though you might want to have the fast forward button ready.

Results
Jon Moxley/Claudio Castagnoli b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Rear naked choke to Taylor
Orange Cassidy b. Komander – Orange Punch
Mariah May b. Lady Frost – May Day
Eddie Kingston b. Willie Mack – Spinning backfist
Bryan Danielson b. Yuji Nagata – Running knee
Serena Deeb b. Robyn Renegade – Serenity Lock
FTR/Daniel Garcia b. House Of Black – Garcia escaped the cage

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Collision
Date: January 20, 2024
Location: Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness

The card is looking pretty good here as Jon Moxley is back after his recent New Japan matches. In this case he’ll be fighting Shane Taylor, which should be a heck of a showdown. Other than that, we have another Adam Copeland open challenge and that could go in a variety of directions. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Shane Taylor vs. Jon Moxley

Lee Moriarty is here with Taylor. They slug it out to start with neither being able to get very far until Taylor knocks him into the corner. A hard chop brings Moxley down but he’s back up to trade chops. Taylor hits a running splash in the corner and he backdrops his way out of a piledriver attempt. They go outside with Moxley sending him into the steps as Nigel makes a joke about how Moxley is likely about to bleed.

Moriarty gets in a cheap shot though and Taylor grabs a chinlock back inside. Taylor misses the middle rope splash, allowing Moxley to grab a running cutter. The King Kong Lariat gives Moxley two but Taylor hits his own clothesline. Back up and they trade headbutts until Taylor hits a powerbomb, only to get pulled into a triangle choke. Taylor dead lifts his way out, only to have Moxley elbow him in the face. Back up and they slug it out until Moxley pulls him into the bulldog choke for the knockout at 9:37.

Rating: B. Sometimes you just need two guys to beat the fire out of each other and that’s what we had here. Moxley can hang in fights like this one and Taylor has the raw power to make his half work too. It was an entertaining slugout and Moxley gets to come back with a bang after a few weeks away.

Post match Moxley says this is going to be his year and if you want to be his opponent or teammate, you better keep up.

We look at Hook vs. Samoa Joe from Dynamite.

Adam Copeland vs. Dante Martin

Copeland grabs a headlock to start but Martin is back up with some leapfrogs into an armbar. Back up and Copeland manages to send him outside as we take an early break. Back with Copeland holding a headlock. Martin fights up but gets sent to the apron, where he has to fight out of a sunset bomb to the floor. A hurricanrana takes Copeland down as commentary thinks Martin’s balance and equilibrium are off.

Back in and the half nelson slam is broken up but Copeland misses the spear. Martin hits the Nose Dive for two as Copeland has to grab the rope. Commentary says Martin has vertigo (egads if true as that is a nightmare) as he goes up, only to get caught on top. Martin is fine enough to hit a sunset bomb for two but another springboard is speared out of the air. Copeland’s Grindhouse finishes at 11:51.

Rating: B. If Martin wrestled that match with vertigo, my goodness it’s an amazing performance. That is one of the nastiest conditions you can have and the idea of walking in a straight line, let alone wrestling a match, would be horrible. For now though, this was another match where Copeland got to go in there and have a good one against some younger star, which makes for some interesting situations. They’re not instant classics or anything, but Copeland wrestling a random wrestler once a week is not a bad idea whatsoever.

Post match Tony Schiavone gets in the ring to talk to Copeland, who wonders what he was thinking with these open challenge. He sees a bunch of young guys going after him instead of a veteran. They want to take a bite out of him and there’s a lot to eat. Copeland: “I’m a five course dinner. I don’t know what the h*** that means.” He’s coming for the TNT Title and he’ll be champion the next time he wrestles in this city.

Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli aren’t happy with losing to Eddie Kingston in the Continental Classic and want revenge in the main event.

Private Party interrupts Top Flight and Action Andretti so a match is set up.

Queen Aminata vs. Thunder Rosa

Feeling out process to start with Aminata grabbing an armbar and shaking her hips a bit for some mind games. They run the ropes until Aminata drops down, allowing Rosa to cradle her for two. Aminata hits a backbreaker for two and then drives some knees to the ribs. Rosa is fine enough to send her outside for a dropkick through the ropes and we take a break.

Back with Aminata kicking her in the back again, with Rosa’s eyes bugging out. Rosa is fine enough to strike away in the corner, setting up some running knees. A running dropkick against the ropes sets up a northern lights suplex for two but Aminata’s Air Raid Crash gets two. Rosa wins a kick off and grabs the Tijuana Bomb for the pin at 9:19.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of physical win that Rosa needed and Aminata put in a good showing. I liked the idea of focusing on Rosa’s recently injured back as it’s a simple yet effective way to go, but the break in the middle took away some of the momentum they were building. At the same time, Aminata has now had six televised matches (counting ROH) this month alone. It’s ok to hit the brakes on her a bit.

Eddie Kingston and Ortiz are ready for Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli tonight. Kingston doesn’t have time for this.

Here is Bullet Club Gold, with Colten imitating the Rock’s catchphrase and Jay White talking about being glad to be back on Saturday. There is something missing though….and we have a cardboard cutout of Juice Robinson. If you’re not down with them, they have two words for you. Cue Billy Gunn and the Acclaimed (minus rap for some reason) to interrupt and again offer to form a super group. The people want to see these guys getting some gold, which gives us a BANG BANG SCISSOR GANG chant. Bowens gives a heck of a speech….and the Club is in!

Toni Storm admits she knows Deonna Purrazzo and threatens to beat and eat her. Storm: “Now where is my pork dinner?”

Buddy Matthews vs. Daniel Garcia

The House Of Black and FTR are here too and Matt Menard is on commentary. Matthews powers Garcia down to start and then knocks him to the floor. Back in and Garcia hits a running shoulder to put Matthews on the floor for a change. All six get up on the apron for a staredown and we take a break.

Back with Garcia escaping a powerbomb on the apron and hitting a piledriver to plant Matthews. They both barely beat the count, with Garcia hammering away back inside. Garcia wraps the knee around the post and even grabs the Hartbreaker to make it worse. The Dragonslayer goes on but Matthews grabs the head and slams it into the mat for the break. Matthews hits a knee to the face into a Jackhammer for two as the fans think this is awesome. Garcia dances at him from his knees so Matthews grabs a powerbomb, which is reversed into a jackknife rollup to give Garcia the pin at 11:19.

Rating: B. This is the kind of Garcia who could get somewhere, as he’s starting to figure some things out. It’s one of the better matches he’s had and having him there to even the odds with FTR against the House is a good idea. Keep this up and they might have something, as long as they don’t go too far with it too fast as they did before.

Post match the fight is on and the locker room comes in to help break it up. The fans were WAY into this as it was a hot fight.

Post break FTR and Daniel Garcia want a six man elimination tag….in a cage.

Roderick Strong vs. Matt Sydal

The Kingdom is here with Strong and yes we get a Generation Next reference. Strong pulls him into a quickly broken surfboard to start so they grapple against the ropes. Sydal sends him outside for a crash and we take a break. Back with Sydal in trouble but elbowing his way out of a fireman’s carry. Some running shots to the face take Strong down but he’s back up with the jumping knee to the face. End of Heartache is the end of Sydal at 8:15.

Rating: C+. They kept this going fast but there is only so much you can get out of an eight minute match with a break in the middle. Sydal continues to be the good hand who hang in there with just about anyone but isn’t likely to win match. That makes it a valuable win for Strong as he is on his way to the International Title match at Revolution.

Eddie Kingston/Ortiz vs. Claudio Castagnoli/Bryan Danielson

Kingston and Danielson start things off with the fans not being sure who they like more. They trade some poses and don’t actually make any contact until nearly two minutes in. A lockup doesn’t go anywhere so Danielson starts kicking away at the leg. That lets Danielson pose some more until Kingston snapmares him down for a kick to the back. Ortiz comes in for a double suplex so it’s off to Castagnoli for the hard uppercut.

Ortiz dropkicks them both at once but Castagnoli drops him face first onto the buckle to cut that off fast. We take a break and come back with Ortiz fighting out of a chinlock. That’s not enough for the tag though as Danielson comes in to kick at Ortiz, who says bring it. As we’re told that the ranking system is returning (erg), Ortiz escapes and brings Kingston in for the showdown with Castagnoli.

Kingston fires of the machine gun chops in the corner but Castagnoli hits a hard clothesline. Danielson adds the top rope headbutt for two, followed by Castagnoli sending Ortiz into the barricade. Back in and Kingston hits a quick DDT on Danielson, allowing the tag off to Ortiz. A t-bone suplex drops Castagnoli and Kingston hits him with a suicide dive. Danielson manages a LeBell Lock on Ortiz, who gets over to the ropes. That leaves Danielson to stomp away as Castagnoli holds Kingston. The running knee gives Danielson the pin at 16:13.

Rating: B-. This was the match that got the most time but it wasn’t quite as good as some of the other things that were on the card. What mattered here was having Danielson get a win, which should set him up for a title shot against Kingston down the line. It’s a good enough main event, which says a lot when it was one of the weaker matches on the card.

Ortiz apologizes to Kingston to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. There was more than enough good to very good action here to make this one of the better Collisions in awhile. This show felt a bit more straightforward as you had wrestlers in feuds and matches that advanced those feuds. That is what AEW has tended to shine and it’s nice to see them doing it again here. Pretty awesome show this week as Collision is starting to get back to what works.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Shane Taylor – Bulldog choke
Adam Copeland b. Dante Martin – Grindhouse
Thunder Rosa b. Queen Aminata – Tijuana Bomb
Daniel Garcia b. Buddy Matthews – Jackknife rollup
Roderick Strong b. Matt Sydal – End Of Heartache
Bryan Danielson/Claudio Castagnoli b. Eddie Kingston/Ortiz – Running knee to Ortiz

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Collision
Date: January 13, 2024
Location: Chartway Arena, Norfolk, Virginia
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness

This show is going to have some troubles as it is up against the NFL Playoffs. That opens up the question of whether or not AEW is going to more or less punt to next week, which might not be the worst idea. Adam Copeland has another open challenge this week, because modern wrestling LOVES open challenges. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.Opening sequence.

Here is Adam Copeland for his Open Challenge, though first he says hello to a fan with a sign about how excited he is over finally getting to see Copeland live. That’s so cool.

Adam Copeland vs. Lee Moriarty

After a video on Moriarty (with Shane Taylor), he promises to make Copeland tap out. Copeland headlocks him down and fires off some forearms in the corner. Moriarty escapes a suplex though and we take a break. Back with Copeland hitting a faceplant but getting armdragged off the top for a nasty crash.

Moriarty grabs the Border City Stretch, sending Copeland straight over to the rope. That means Moriarty goes up top, only to get caught with a super all away slam for the double down. Taylor offers a distraction to break up the spear so Copeland dives on him instead. Back in and they forearm it out with Copeland getting the better of things, setting up a backbreaker. The Grindhouse (Crossface) makes Moriarty tap at 11:11.

Rating: C+. Words cannot express how relieved I was when the opponent wasn’t Cole Karter after last week’s match against Griff Garrison. I can go for the idea of Copeland having to face various opponents and while Moriarty wouldn’t have been in my top list of guesses, it’s cool to see Copeland getting in there with some of the newer generation for a little while.

Post match Copeland says he’s still coming for Christian Cage.

FTR and Daniel Garcia are ready to work together to fight the House Of Black.

Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara are ready to win the Tag Team Titles.

Ring Of Honor Six Man Tag Team Titles: Mogul Embassy vs. Lance Archer/Righteous

The Embassy is defending, Prince Nana and Jake Roberts are the seconds, and Cage forearms away at Archer to start. Archer is back with a clothesline but Cage is backer with a German suplex. It’s off to Toa to splash Vincent and then tie him up in the corner to start in on his leg. Everything breaks down rather quickly and we take a break.

Back with Dutch running Kaun over with a crossbody but Kaun fights his way out of the corner. Kaun uses Vincent to springboard into a dropkick to Dutch but Archer comes in to cut him off. Dutch comes in sans tag to clean house, including a big dive to the floor. Hold on though as Roberts cuts off an interfering Nana, leaving Toa to run Vincent over. Kaun Pedigrees Vincent for the pin at 11:43.

Rating: B-. This got better once they stopped trying to have a tag match and just went nuts. That’s often a good way to go and it worked out here. I’m a bit surprised that the Embassy retained after Brian Cage announced his back injury, but that team feels like they are going to hold those titles for the better part of ever.

Post match Nana laughs about Bullet Club Gold wanting the Six Man Titles. Since the Embassy is so great, they’ll challenge the Club for the titles on Dynamite.

Roderick Strong and the Kingdom interrupt Preston Vance. That doesn’t work for Vance, who will face Strong next week.

Dustin Rhodes vs. Willie Mack

They trade armdrags to start so Mack snaps off a loud chop. A headlock is quickly broken up but Mack runs him over and hits the standing moonsault for two. The Six Star misses though and Dustin is back with a running Canadian Destroyer. Rhodes’ powerslam gets two so it’s the Cross Rhodes into the Final Cut to finish Mack at 4:03.

Rating: C. It’s nice to see Rhodes get a win, but I’m not sure why it needed to happen. Rhodes is the definition of someone whose status has been set for years so why put him over anyone but a jobber? Mack might not be a top start, but you would think that he should be the one beating Rhodes rather than the other way around.

Bullet Club Gold is in to win the Six Man Tag Team Titles.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

The Patriarchy interrupts Dustin Rhodes, who tells them to shut up and wants Christian Cage to put the TNT Title on the line on Dynamite. Works for Cage, who brings up Dusty Rhodes being dead for the staredown.

JD Drake vs. Hangman Page

Anthony Henry is here with Drake. Page takes over to start but is quickly powered down. A dropkick sets up a headlock takeover to put Drake down, followed by some right hands in the corner. Page’s top rope moonsault to a standing Drake sets up the running shooting star press for two.

Drake is able to knock him outside though and we take a break. Back with Page sending him to the apron for a springboard crossbody, followed by a high crossbody for two back inside. A Death Valley Driver gets two more but the Deadeye is blocked. Drake sends him into the corner but misses the moonsault, allowing Page to hit the Buckshot Lariat for the pin at 11:32.

Rating: C+. As has been the case around here before, this accomplished what it was supposed to do but also went on too long. For now though, Page is seemingly ready to move up again while things go on around him. Drake is a big guy who can make others look good, and as a result, he’ll be around for a pretty long time.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet

Feeling out process to start with neither being able to get very far. The grappling continues until the threat of Purrazzso’s Virtuosa (Fujiwara armbar) sends her over to the ropes. Purrazzo stays on the arm but gets sent into the corner, allowing Velvet to start hammering away herself. Back up and they trade kicks tot he face until Purrazzo pulls her into the Virtuosa. With that broken up, Purrazzo grabs the Venus d Millo (double arm crank) for the win at 6:10.

Rating: C+. That’s how it needed to go, as this was about making Purrazzo look like a killer on her first night. She didn’t beat anyone too big but she won with the painful looking hold. The action was good enough to get by, but the point here was getting Purrazzo over as a threat and that worked well.

Hook vs. Kevin Matthews

Non-title and Hook starts fast with a suplex. Another suplex has Matthews on the floor and Redrum finishes for Hook at 1:12. Simple and effective.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

FTR/Daniel Garcia vs. House Of Black

Matt Menard is on commentary. Matthews and Harwood fight over a lockup to start and neither can get very far. Harwood sends him into the ropes so Wheeler can come in for a double catapult into said rope. It’s off to Black, who armdrags Garcia into an armbar. Garcia sits down ala Black, who flips him off as a result. Everything breaks down and the House is cleared out, allowing FTR and Garcia to sit down together as we take a break.

Back with FTR striking away at King and finally going for his legs to take him down. Some chops just annoy King, who is back with a chokebomb for two on Harwood. Black comes in for a headlock takeover but Harwood is up and gets to the middle rope. A missed something bangs up Harwood’s knee though and the beating takes him outside for a bit. Back in and a snap suplex drops Harwood again as we take a break.

We come back with Harwood not being able to get out of the corner, as a double knee to the face gets two. Not that it matters as a DDT out of nowhere is enough for the tag off to Garcia. Everything breaks down and Garcia slips out of King’s choke to send him outside. Garcia takes out Black’s knee and Wheeler hits a dive to take out the others. King is back in and a triple spike piledriver gives Garcia two.

Black is back in to kick away until he and Garcia kick each other down for a needed breather. Everyone goes to the corners until Black gets caught in a Steiner Bulldog for a rather near fall. The PowerPlex doesn’t work as Garcia lands on Black’s raised knees. Black kneebars Harwood, who has to make the rope for the break. Matthews tags himself in as Black moonsaults onto Wheeler. Some powerbombs get two on Harwood, who is right back up with a piledriver for another near fall. Back in and Black kicks Harwood in the head, setting up the Stomp to give Matthews the pin at 24:37.

Rating: B+. This had time to get going and they were going nuts by the end of it. That’s what you expect from a match like this one and my goodness did it work. It doesn’t happen every time, but when FTR is given time to really put something together, this is the kind of match you can get. Awesome stuff here with the House evening the score a bit.

Post match Menard comes in to check on Harwood, leaving black to kick him in the head. The good guys make the save with chairs to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The main event was by far the best part and it carried an otherwise just ok show. It was pretty clear that a lot o this was filler to make some of the bigger names look good. That’s ok in small doses, but they aren’t going to be able to do this kind of show again for very long. As a one off though and with a rather good main event, we’ll call it the In Your House of Collision.

Results
Adam Copeland b. Lee Moriarty – Grindhouse
Mogul Embassy b. Lance Archer/Righteous – Pedigree to Vincent
Dustin Rhodes b. Willie Mack – Final Cut
Hangman Page b. JD Drake – Buckshot Lariat
Deonna Purrazzo b. Red Velvet – Venus de Milo
Hook b. Kevin Matthews – Redrum
House Of Black b. FTR/Daniel Garcia – Stomp to Harwood

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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