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Adam Copeland stops by Salt Lake City for AEW Collision (with a rapid Rampage review)

Tommy "Milagro" Martinez

It’s Saturday night, and it’s still all right for fighting in Salt Lake City, UT. As far as anyone knows, All Elite Wrestling is approved to come back to The Beehive State for the first time since the COVID pandemic got into full swing in March of 2020. Not only is their title action on the show, but Adam Copeland will come out to bear his testimony to the harsh words offered by Christian Cage from this past AEW Dynamite.

But first, a quick…

(Author’s Note: Due to circumstances beyond your humble Lucid Luchador’s control, I was not able to attend the show at The Maverik Center. I would have loved to have attended these since it was over two and a half years ago when I was there with my good friend, “King” John Gutz, as the fledgling company was starting to find its legs.

Alas, that will be another missed opportunity for me. However, in my absence, Anthony Tovar is providing Slam! Wrestling with inside photos which will be weaved into this recap.)

For now, let’s jump into the…

Rapid Rampage in Review

No, Virginia. There will be no limericks today, as this Rampage was (dare I say) adequate. I won’t risk getting carpal tunnel over it, but it had some good moments. To wit:

The Hardy Boys and the Best Friends beat Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker.

Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta defeated Levi Shapiro and Wise Guy Ruiz

Komander won a four-way match that also featured Johnny TV, Lince Dorado, and Penta Cero Miedo.

Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida beat Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir

Now let’s head right to…

AEW Collision

And we are coming to you (an hour early) from The Maverik Center in Salt Lake City (really, it’s West Valley City, a suburb of SLC), UT. Nigel McGuinness and Ian Riccaboni have the call, and we start the show with your First Match of the night for the…

Courtesy of AEW.

AEW World Tag Team Championships: FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Ricky Starks and Big Bill

Wheeler is apparently still suffering the effects from the title match with Aussie Open at the WrestleDream PPV.

FTR walking down the ramp at The Maverik Center. Credit: Anthony Tovar

Once the bell rings, Starks attacks and Wheeler is knocked to the floor and Harwood is thrown into the ring post. He rolls him up for two, and then Bill dumps Harwood to the outside with a clothesline, and Starks directs traffic and tells him to hurt Wheeler.  He proceeds to chokeslam him through the commentary desk, and then tosses Harwood back inside.

This is an unofficial handicap match, as Bill makes Harwood a Top Guy in Peril.  Bill props up Harwood as Starks delivers with the spear and that means…

Your Winners, and New AEW World Tag Team Champions:  Big Bill and Ricky Starks

As they walk up the ramp with the newly acquired hardware, McGuiness quips, “Top Guys, out. These Guys, in.” (Ouch! I agree with Riccaboni, that was way too soon.)

Big Bill and Ricky Starks before they became your new AEW World Tag Team champions. Credit: Anthony Tovar.

Before we have time to digest what just happened, your next match is…

Courtesy of AEW.

Bryan Danielson vs. Kyle Fletcher

This is being sold as the veteran versus the blue chipper.  Fletcher has some singles matches to his credit but faces a huge test in Danielson.  They tie up and Fletcher shoves down the American Dragon during the first few minutes of this feeling-out process in the ring, but the American Dragon knows a thing or two about technical wizardry when it comes to the young Aussie. 

Bryan Danielson keeping Kyle Fletcher grounded to the mat on AEW Collision. Credit: Anthony Tovar.

He then knees Fletcher along with a kick and then goes to a surfboard.  As he brings him down, Danielson rains then forearms to the side of his head followed by a mounted ground attack.  He works his arm but Fletcher sends Danielson to the outside and attempts a tope but Danielson gets out of the way and uses his momentum to have him crash into the guardrails.  During Picture in Picture, both men are slow to get up but Fletcher is first on his feet and then sends Danielson back into the ring.  He chops at him in the corner and mounts up top with punches while taunting the Salt Lake crowd.  He gets two bodyslams while maintaining wrist control, and Fletcher goes for a third but Danielson hits the ropes and gets a flying clothesline.  Now he goes for his patented kicks to his chest and takes Fletcher to task in the corner with a huracanrana.

He nails the Aussie with running dropkicks but Fletcher comes back with a running boot and follows into a flash brainbuster for a two count.  He unloads with chops in the corner, and whips to the opposite side, and Danielson backflips over Fletcher and catches him with a roundhouse kick.  Fletcher’s enzugiri misses and Danielson targets his inside leg and then rolls him around and positions himself nicely for an ankle lock. He tries to escape and Danielson pulls him by his waist and nails a German suplex with a bridge for another count of two.  Fletcher comes back with a snap dragon suplex and this time connects with an enzugiri to his back and plants Danielson in the center of the ring with a Michinoku driver for a two count then transitions to dragon sleeper, but Danielson gets his foot on the bottom ropes to release the submission.  He props him up the top turnbuckle and  Fletcher rains down with elbows to the side of Danielson’s head and then connects with front superplex and transitions into a dragon sleeper but Danielson slips out and goes for a bridging pin for the win.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  Bryan Danielson

After the match, The Gates of Agony attack Danielson ahead of his match with Swerve Strickland on Title Tuesday, but Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli make the save.  Castagnoli almost gives the Big Swing to Bishop Kaun but they get out of Dodge as they believe their work was done.

Tony Schiavone is backstage with the new AEW tag champs, Big Bill and Ricky Starks. Bill proclaims that they whipped FTR’s ass and they are now stars. Starks chimes in that Harwood and Wheeler do not get a rematch, and they are the faces of Collision.  Top Dogs, Out!

Congrats to Bill and Starks on their title win.  As for Harwood and Wheeler, they do need some time to heal up (and Wheeler may need to focus on some other things for a while).

But let’s get back to the ring for Trios action with…

Bullet Club Gold (Juice Robinson, Austen, and Colten Gunn, with Jay White) vs Gravity, Metalik, and Angelico (with Serpentico)

White is wearing “The Triple B” he absconded from on this past AEW Dynamite.  The Bang Bang Gang is here to make some noise for the Maverik Center. 

Bullet Club Gold (from left: Austen Gunn, Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Colten Gunn) is in The Maverik Center. Credit: Anthony Tovar.

As for me, this deserves a Haiku In Review™

*ahem*

Bullet Club shows the

Luchadors the Bang Bang Gang

Hits with Stray Bullet.

Your Winners via Pinfall:  Bullet Club Gold

White then gets on the mic and brags about “bringing gold” into the Bang Bang Gang.  He notes that “Your Scumbag” MJF is not here, and taunts him further on nursing his wounds, or Adam Cole’s for that matter. He then challenges Adam Page on Title Tuesday for a non-title bout, but he adds he’s 3-0 over the Hangman and that at the end of the day he will breathe with Switchblade, and ends by telling Utah, “Guns Up!”

We have a video package on Nick Wayne’s decision to turn his back on Darby Allin.  He basically does not want to live in his shadow and found a “father figure” in Christian Cage.

That isn’t half as strange a thing to hear as what comes next between…

The Acclaimed (Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, with “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn) vs The Iron Savages (“Dirty Bulk” Bronson, Beefcake Boulder, with Jacked Jameson)

What follows next are things I never thought I would hear on AEDW, let alone in Utah.  So without further ado Jameson, the floor is yours:

“We’re in the back, sipping on some savage sauce. We’re ready for The Acclaimed. So bring them out here, because we’re gonna Flex, Fight, and Eat That @$$!”

Yep, that happened.

And now for the rebuttal is Max Caster on the mic:

“Yo!  Listen!

Acclaimed in Salt Lake, we’re the salt of the earth.

These guys are big, but they’re small with the girth.

Even worse you’ll be fighting for your life,

We’ll be smashing bitches like a Mormon guy.

Iron Savages is so hazardous,

You probably got pinkeye from all the dirty @$$ you kiss.

Yo, I’m killing the game,

and Utah?  Everybody loves The Acclaimed.”

https://twitter.com/AEWonTV/status/1710808097109770334

Add to that, Riccboni wanted to wish his wife a happy anniversary, and that prompted McGuinness to ask when he gets home if they will enter the “Ricca-bone zone.”

Again, I cannot make up ANY of this stuff.

But that was more entertaining than the match, which requires another Haiku in Review™:

*ahem*

Iron Savages

Start to rust in ring, and get

Hit with The Mic Drop.

Your Winners via Pinfall:  The Acclaimed

There is a “Timeless” Toni Storm vignette, and I dig it:

Shane Taylor and Keith Lee have some words as well and each man wants to prove they are the best.

Let’s head to the ring for the women’s match between…

“Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Kiera Hogan

The intro video has a cool silver-screen vibe to match Storm’s new persona, and I am down for it. 

The crowd looked out of it, and according to my source, it was quiet at points. 

A shame, really, since there were highlights as when Storm went out of the ring to beat down Hogan and a fan had a “Timeless Shoooooooe Section” sign, and even Storm played up to the camera saying, “We’ll be right back, folks!” and that went straight to the Picture in Picture.  Hogan stages a comeback as she whips her behind with her hair (but she ain’t no Bianca Belair) and chops at her chest.  Back in the ring, she gives Storm a sit-down splash followed by a suplex to…

Ads (Sigh!  This is why I wish I was there for the live show to *AVOID* that nonsense!)

We come back and Hogan nails a missile dropkick on “The Timeless One,” and follows with a hip attack, and then finishes with a running dropkick in the corner for a two count.  Storm comes back with a Sky High powerbomb for a count of two, and then screams, “How dare you!” at the ref for the slow count.  Hogan gets the upper hand and is ready to finish her off, but Storm bites her in the rear (Side Note:  If you’re reading this, Iron Savages, *THIS* is how it’s done!) and poses before nailing a hip attack and finishes with the Storm Zero.

“Timeless” Toni Storm is ready for her closeup at The Maverik Center on AEW Collision. Credit: Anthony Tovar.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  “Timeless” Toni Storm

And Scene.

Renee Paquette is backstage with Ruby Soho on losing to Hikaru Shida for a tile shot. Soho claims she clearly pinned her but isn’t fazed as she will be at ringside with her Outcast cohort. Except, Renee points out, that she will be banned from being at ringside. She’s cool (not really) but confident Saraya will retain over Shida on a Title Tuesday.

ROH Announcer Bobby Cruise, along with Jim Ross, is now out for the Main Event for the…

Courtesy of AEW.

Ring of Honor World Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Komander

Ross labels this match as ” a dump truck versus a Corvette.”  I’ll leave it to you to determine who is who in the match.

The Code of Honor is adhered to at the beginning of the match, and Kingston is starting to have trouble with the more agile Komander.  The luchador goes for the Escalera submission but the ROH champ gets a rope break to release the hold.  Komander chops his chest and Kingston returns fire with machine gun chops followed by an exploder suplex from the corner.  During Picture in Picture, Kingston keeps the luchador grounded, but Komander has a good mat game, too.  Kingston chops him down and Komander comes right back up each time.  He sends him into the ropes and Komander comes back with a spinning crossbody for a near fall and then a standing shooting star for another two count.  He sends Kingston out and puts on the brakes as the champ walks from him.  Komander then runs on the apron to launch himself and connect on a somersault senton on the outside and then he sends him back in the ring and goes up top for a 450 splash for another two count.

He goes for another high-risk maneuver but Kingston trips him up.  They battle up top and then Kingston goes for a superplex that gets countered midair as Komander covers for a close two count.  The big guns come out as a uranage by Kingston gets another near fall, followed by a lariat that still can’t keep down Komander.  Kingston loads up the Backfist and misses, while Komander connects with a tornado DDT for a two count and then la magistral to cover, but Eddie’s head is under the ropes.  He comes up to pin, and Kingston gets another two count.  Now the Backfist connects and Kingston covers Komander for the one, two, and three.

Your Winner, and Still ROH World Champion:  Eddie Kingston

The fans applaud as the Code of Honor is again adhered, and Kingston raises the luchador’s hand for a valiant effort.

But now Utah is ready for Adam Copeland to makes his AEW Collision debut and the Maverik Center responds to a huge pop for the Rated R Superstar.

Adam Copeland is in The Maverik Center on AEW Collision. Credit: Anthony Tovar.

McGuiness notes as Copeland comes down the ramp that, “he hasn’t lost his edge.”

Heh, cute.

Anyway, Copeland has the mic and wants to get some stuff off his chest.  First, he acknowledges Ross at ringside for helping sign him and take care of his college debts.  Then he addresses the fallout with him and Cage on Dynamite.  He feels like he should have known something was up, but didn’t think it would go down the way it did.  He does note that he is going full “Bond villain” and if Luchasaurus was his henchman, then that makes Nick Wayne his hairless Persian cat.

That prompts a “Persian Cat” chant, and oh how I will delight in those memes!

Copeland wants Cage to come out, but he appears on the Khan ‘Tron and says he’ll see him at Title Tuesday…assuming he’ll get there in one piece.  Out comes Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne, and Copeland does his best to fend them off and gives Wayne an Impaler DDT.  He goes for the spear and Luchasaurus comes back in and delivers a choke slam, followed by the Extinction that knocks out the Rated R Superstar.  He then produces two steel chairs for his version of a Con-Chair-To, but Darby Allin’s music hits and comes from behind with a steel chair on the back on the dino.  He gets ready to swing at Wayne and the Persian Cat pleads for mercy until he kicks Allin.  He and Luchasaurus set up his arm and give his damaged wing a Con-Chair-To.  Allin screams bloody murder, as Wayne and Luchasaurus admire their handiwork until the show fades to black.

3

Final Thoughts:

The pacing felt off, in my opinion.  The first two matches were great, then the booking became kinda meh until Kingston’s title defense and Copeland’s promo brought the home crowd back to life.  Bullet Club Gold is doing great work, and Starks/Bill’s tag win is very deserved.  I can’t wait to see more of Storm’s “Timeless” takes.

Until then, see ya, next Saturday!

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