Danielson hometown hero at Collision in Seattle

SEATTLE — Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr. finally went face-to-face and that encounter was the closing image on Saturday’s AEW Collision – the final stop before WrestleDream on Sunday.

Sabre Jr. joined the commentary team for Saturday’s main event, which featured Danielson, Wheeler Yuta and FTR against Ricky Starks, Aussie Open and Big Bill.

Following an abrupt finish that saw Ricky Starks pin Dax Harwood, Danielson invited Sabre Jr. into the ring and the two briefly squared off to continue the build of Sunday’s “dream” match.

Collision at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena also saw announcements of several other matches to Sunday’s show for the Buy-In, including Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Barnett as well as a eight-person intergender match featuring Athena, Keith Lee, Satoshi Kojima & Billie Starkz vs. Lee Moriarty, Mercedes Martinez, Diamante and Shane Taylor.

Andrade El Idolo at AEW Collision on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle, WA. Photo by Ben Lypka

Match #1: Andrade El Idolo vs. Juice Robinson

The stiff match featured some interference from The Gunns, but Idolo hit his back elbow and DDT to earn the win. Crowd was hot for both guys and Idolo was very over.

Jericho and Omega had a backstage promo, followed by a Toni Storm vignette continuing her new character. The crowd in the arena loved Storm.

Mike Bennett and Matt Taven work together at AEW Collision on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle, WA. Photo by Ben Lypka

Match #2: The Kingdom vs. The Best Friends

Back and forth match with Chuck Taylor giving his team the advantage after a death valley driver on the steps. Stereo piledrivers by Taylor and Trent Beretta follow, but Kingdom reply with low blows and hit a spike piledriver on Taylor for the win.

Match #3: Julia Hart vs. Vert Vixen

Vixen is the current DEFY women’s champion (Seattle indie promotion) and fell to Hart in a quick match. Hart earned the win with a moonsault.

Hart then calls out Kris Statlander but when she’s confronted she walks away. Statlander then refers to herself as the deafeter of the undefeated – a reference to her ending Jade Cargill’s undefeated streak earlier this month. Hart has not been pinned in over 500 days.

Kenny Omega with the high knee at AEW Collision on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle, WA. Photo by Ben Lypka

Match #4: Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho vs. The Gates of Agony

Fun match that saw GOA get the heat early but Jericho and Omega building momentum and scoring the win when Kaun submitted to the Walls of Jericho. Good match and all four guys got over. Omega and Jericho cut a promo hyping up the six-man they’re involved with at WrestleDream.

Chris Jericho at AEW Collision on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle, WA. Photo by Ben Lypka

Match #5: The Righteous vs. Judas Icarus and Travis Williams

Williams and Icarus are Vancouver-based wrestlers who have had a breakout 2023 after several years of great work in and around that city. Quick match with Vincent pinning Icarus.

Righteous cut a promo on MJF after the match and attack the leg of Icarus.

Match #6: Ricky Starks, Big Bill and Aussie Open vs. Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta and FTR

Another good match that saw Danielson finally receive the hot tag in his hometown to a big pop. The babyfaces were all kicking the heels in the chest at one point, but the finish came when Starks and Bill hit a combo chokeslam/spear on Harwood for the pin fall win.

Show closed with Danielson and Sabre Jr. facing off.

Most over: