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AEW Collision (and Rampage): Boos and Bullet Club are big in Toronto

Tommy "Milagro" Martinez

From Left: Ricky Starks, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, CM Punk know AEW Collision is where Saturday night's all right for fighting

It’s Saturday night and it’s all right for fighting, and we have a hot eight-man tag match in the Main Event of AEW Collision. CM Punk, Ricky Starks, and FTR made it clear that they aren’t keen on The Gunns, or Bullet Club Gold members Jay White and Juice Robinson.  Will the Top Guys rule, or is Bullet Club Gold bulletproof?

We’ll find out later, but we do need to address what you missed this past Friday night, so here’s a…

Rapid Rampage in Review

Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb, and Kyle Fletcher, and Swerve Strickland beat Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, Trent Berretta, and YOH).

Adam Cole came out, but MJF interrupted his intro. He says that Cole will face “Filthy” Tom Lawlor at Forbidden Door on Sunday. No sooner did he make that announcement when Lawlor and a very jacked-looking Royce Isaacs attack.  MJF makes a big show of “running to the ring” to help. Darn, he was so close.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn beat three local talents.

The win wasn’t the story here, nor was Harley Cameron of QTV interrupting with some backup “dancers.”  The story was that four things happened after the match.  To wit:

  1. Harley Cameron actually can spit some rhymes to rival Max Caster.
  2. Cameron tries to seduce Bowens and he comes right out and says, “I’m gay” to a Massive Pop!  Happy Pride Month, Indeed
  3. QT Marshall comes out, and one of the dancers unmasks to reveal it is John Morrison (now going as “Johnny TV.”) And finally,
  4. I *actually care* about how The Acclaimed will face QTV as a threat.

Owen Hart Tournament Quarterfinal match: Skye Blue beat Anna Jay-AS

Jungle Boy beat DOUKI.

Rampage Rating Overall:  3

And now you know the rest of the story.

Now, we come to you from the ScotiaBank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness have the call and Tony Schiavone plugs Forbidden Door, and we need to know the mystery partner of Darby Allin and Sting. However, Chris Jericho and Minoru Suzuki come out. Jericho says he’s not scared and asks who they have that is tougher, sexier, or better than Le Suzuki Gods.

That brings out Allin and Sting, and Allin hints at who it is. He tells Jericho that he met recently at the TokyoDome, and the Toronto fans guessed it…Tetsuya Naito. Suzuki isn’t sweating it, but Jericho is beside himself. Naito strolls to the ring and is face to face with Le Champion.  He has words and Naito is still tranquil.

Are you there, Judy Blume?  It’s The Redeemer, Miro, and he lays it out that he will not kneel before anyone. Miro goes on and renounces god, gold, and his wife. He is now Godless as he pursues his path to glory.

Maybe he needs Crom in his life?  I dunno.

Now for the First Match of the Night…

Courtesy of AEW

Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Let’s call this the tune-up before Forbidden Door, shall we?  Also, that brings me to an 

(Author’s Note:  Since I have to recap the PPV tomorrow, this recap is gonna be more abbreviated than usual.  Apologies, but I almost forgot I was covering the show Sunday.  So there’s that.)

In short, this was a good bout between both men, and Strickland really took the Ace to the limit.  He almost landed the double stomp but misses the mark. Tanahashi came back with a sling blade and goes up the top turnbuckle for his frog splash finisher, but loses his footing.  Strickland takes advantage and he and Tanahashi battle up top, but the Mogul gets pushed off and Tanahashi delivers the frog splash for the three count.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  Hiroshi Tanahashi

After the match, MJF’s music hits and he appears on the Khan Tron™.  The Holder of the Triple B says he will not deign to be in Toronto amongst the losers and tells the Ace he is “not on the level with The Devil.”

Next up is…

Brody King (with Julie Hart) vs. Andrade El Ídolo

This match is happening because once again, New Japan and AAA can’t play nice at Forbidden Door. Sigh!

In any case, Ídolo’s shoulder is heavily taped up due in part to his match last week against Buddy Matthews.  King exploits that weakness and El Idolo is not very tranquilo.  There’s even a point when King connects the (scary looking ) DVD into the turnbuckles in the corner, followed by a cannonball.

Idolo fights back and goes for the Figure Four submission, but Hart distracts him by playing with his black skull mask. Idolo goes back to King and cinches the Figure Four.  Just as he attempts to bridge, The House of Black jumps in so this means…

Your Winner via Disqualification:  Andrade El Idolo

After King and Matthews deliver Dante’s Inferno on El Idolo, The House holds his mask over his lifeless body like a trophy before the screen goes completely black.

Schiavone is back in the ring with Christian Cage and Luchasaurus about his TNT Title wins over Wardlow last week.  Cage holds the belt for the big dino, and after some harsh words for the Maple Leaf fans in attendance, he states there will be no more open challenges.

There were some promos for the guys that will be in the Owen Hart Men’s tournament, but let’s turn to the women looking for a spot in the…

Owen Hart Women’s Quarterfinal Match: Willow Nightingale vs. Nyla Rose (with Marina Shafir)

Even though Nightingale’s shoulder is taped up, The Babe With the Power is a match for The Native Beast.  After early interference by Shafir tips things in favor of Rose, Nightingale keeps fighting on.  Rose connects with a suplex and then a front suplex for a two count, and then attempts a powerbomb but she escapes.  The Pounce connects with Rose, and Nightingale’s Doctor Bomb allows her to punch her ticket.

Your Winner, and Advancing in the Owen Hart Semifinals:  Willow Nightingale

The Outcasts come out for a sneak attack until Skye Blue comes running down the rap and she brings in a steel chair equalizer.

Lexy Nair is backstage with Scorpio Sky. while he appreciates last week’s video promo, he’s going to deliver the following message:  He accomplished a lot in the shadow of his former self, and now AEW will see who he truly is.

And now for…

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jeremiah Prophet

I predict a Haiku in Review is needed, so…

*ahem*

Hobbs chapter closes

On poor jobber with Spine and

Pine. Prophetic end.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  Powerhouse Hobbs

It’s time for the Main Event, and it’s an eight-man tag team match between…

Courtesy of AEW

CM Punk, Ricky Starks, FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. Jay White, Juice Robinson, and The Gunns (Austen and Colten Gunn)

There are very distinctive boos to “One Bill Phil.”  Larry, I don’t think we’re in Chicago anymore.  The animosity Toronto is showing Punk is akin to The Rock versus Hogan back at Wrestlemania X8.  Tell me when I’m telling lies!

*ahem* 

The match is a standard eight-man tag, and it’s very interesting when Punk gets in the ring and ScotiaBank proceeds with another round of boos, and if this is any indication of what tomorrow will be like, you can bet it’s gonna be spicy between Punka nd Satoshi Kojima.

(Author’s Note:  The hell, Toronto?! What did Punk do to deserve this…oh, wait.  Now, I remember.)

The match finally devolves into a Pier Eight brawl, and Punk is caught in a high uranage by White and he gives another to Starks.  Starks spears everyone that enters the ring, but Robinson clips him with a right hand on the outside of the ring and White takes advantage to Breathe with the Switchblade as he delivers the Blade Runner finisher for the one, two, and three.

Your Winners via Pinfall, The Gunns, Juice Robinson, and Jay White

The Bullet Club Gold and The Guns look very good with this big win and Punk and crew look on in dismay as the show fades to black.

Collision Rating:  3.5

AEW Rampage and Collision - 06/23-24/2023
3.3

Final Thoughts:

Both shows did a good job of building momentum for the Forbidden Door matches.

Not much to add here, other than see ya tomorrow for the PPV.

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