Editor’s Note: We have a guest correspondent covering AEW Collision. Rob Thill has been involved in local wrestling scenes in Sacramento, CA, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, UT. We at Slam! Wrestling asked if he could cover this show, and he turned in this report.
By Rob Thill, for Slam! Wrestling
Welcome to Collision from the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA. Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuiness, and Paul Walter Hauser have the call tonight. We head straight to the ring for…
Kyle Fletcher vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the TNT Championship
We get a recap of Kyle’s brutal victory over “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes last week.
We start with an infinity loop of forearms between both men and trade multiple counters until Kyle rolls to the floor. Kyle continues to jaw as he enters the ring to eat a mound of chops in the corner. Kyle with a mean big boot out of an Irish whip. Paul pops for Kyle. Kyle rests in a headlock for a moment while the announcers get some discourse in. Ishii hits a Saito suplex, followed by Kyle hitting a jumping powerslam as we go to break.
We come back, Kyle hitting multiple boots, but the Pitbull fires up and hits a suplex. Ishii hits a jumping headbutt, which knocks them both down. Ishii puts Kyle in the corner and hits a superplex for the first pin attempt of the match. Kyle hits a flying leg lariat, sending Ishii to the outside. The crowd chants for each man as they work the apron. Kyle hits a sheer drop brainbuster on the apron. Kyle goes to the top with a froggy bow for a near fall. PWH sounds like he is having a blast. A fantastic sequence of power moves into a double down as the crowd chants A-E-W. Kyle hits the running kick in the corner. Ishii counters with a powerbomb. Clothesline and the kickout. Kyle hits a knee into a running powerbomb. The frenzy finally comes to an end with Kyle nailing the brainbuster to finish the Pitbull off for the 1,2,3.
Your winner and still TNT Champion: Kyle Fletcher
Kyle grabs the mic and says we are a witness to history as this is the first victory in the greatest TNT Championship reign of all time.. He runs down who he has beaten already and asks who is next. Please god no. Please god no. He tells New Japan to send their best pound-for-pound wrestler to face him at Forbidden Door.
Sweet holy hell. That was a fantastic ride and is how a wrestling show should start. If Collision is going to turn into the Protostar show every week, then this is going to be a very easy job.
We have Don Callis in the back basically saying the same thing Kyle said, but for next week on Collision. Don says the tie he is wearing he got from New Japan and will choke out the person who loses to Kyle next week. There has to be a reason he wasn’t there, but this comes off redundant.
Next week, we get a four-way as Lee Moriarty faces Daniel Garcia, Hechicero, and Nigel (by God) McGuiness to see who faces Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door. There are matches you always wish you could see, and we have a chance at one here. Hauser puts over Nigel and his accomplishments.
We cut to Ricochet and the G.O.A. in the back, and he says they have goals and they’re taking what’s theirs and something to that effect. And then he says that’s not a request, that’s a demand. Don’t do it, Rico. Please don’t try that.
We are back with Mama Wayne and the boys. Kip says you are all questioning us now. Nick calls himself a Shooting Star, and you ain’t seen nothing yet. And their next chapter is ending the career of Christian Cage.
Up next is…
Megan Bayne vs. Emily Rose
Megan brutalizes her with a Claymore to start. She hits the running splash in the corner and a second rope clothesline. Emily tries to run away, only to get leveled with a running powerbomb for the squash.
Your winner: Megan Bayne
Great showing by Bayne. Did exactly what it was supposed to do.
Big Bill and Brian Keith are in the back and are pissed at Juice Robinson. Quick, effective. Moving on.
Next up, we have…
Juice Robinson vs. Ricochet
Juice is out with Austin Gunn and Cardblade and car…Colten Gunn? Ricochet is out next to a mixed reaction.
Ricochet works the crowd before the lock-up. Rico goes back out and chops Cardblade as I scream, “No!” Juice smashes Ricochet back and forth between the corners. We get the ten-punch in the corner as The Gates of Agony make their way out. Rico hits the tope after Juice is pulled down as we go to break.
We are back as Juice works up from a chin lock. He breaks free only to get his eyes gouged. Juice counters with a spinebuster, and the Dusty punches into a forearm. Leg lariat for a near fall. Rico hits a Rico Combo #3 for a 2. Juice hits a mean switchback lariat for a close one. Juice hits a flatliner. As the G.O.A. takes out Austin, Big Bill gets in the ring and hits Juice with the Big Boot. Ricochet hits the seated clothesline for the pinfall
Your Winner: Ricochet
With Ricochet, I think there is always an expectation for him to be, well, flippy. However, I think you could damn near take this match back to the 80’s with the way this was put together. Juice has a throwback quality, and it shows here. Great match. Give me more.
We get another by-the-numbers segment featuring Athena. It highlights her outstanding record since being with ROH/AEW. I love these little segments. It’s a solid template for fans to digest. I know most people think “Timeless” vs Mercedes is the Moné match. Don’t hate me for that one. I think Toni and Athena will steal any show it is a part of.
Moving on.
We get a recap of Rush being in no rush last week in his match against the greatest wrestler alive. Max thanks JetSpeed for their help last week, but says no thanks. He issues another open challenge for next week and starts his chant. So help me, he might actually get this over.
A trios match is up next between…
FTR and Stokely Hathaway vs. Some Jobbers
FTR comes out with Stokely doing his best Seth homage with the walking stick shenanigans. Dax starts off beating up jobber #1 and tags in Stoke. Stoke gets some kicks in until he is grabbed and frantically tags out. Jobber #2 tags Jobber #3 in only for him to eat a Shatter Machine. The tag in Stoke, they hit the spiked piledriver. 1,2,3.
Your winners: FTR and Stokely Hathaway
I love Stokely in this Cornette-esque version of the New New Midnight Express. He’s hateable. They’re hateable. Let’s hate them until we get the payoff we are all waiting for.
We get a recap of Darby and The Mox. Hopefully, this is the death of the Death Riders.
Daniel Garcia is out for commentary for the next match as we have…
Hechicero vs. AR Fox
Hechicero has got a banger of an entrance song on him. Nice back and forth to start as AR hits a trio of dives to the outside. Hechicero hits a spinning back breaker that I’ve never seen, and I’ve seen a bunch. He follows with running knees to the corner as we go to break. We come back to a flurry of counters into a double down. The crowd understands the assignment and claps them back up. Fox hits a roll through cutter, followed by a swanton for the near fall. Hauser puts over Fox’s relatability to the crowd as he misses a 450 splash. Hechicero hits a spring leg scissor followed by a reverse monkey flip into a crossface sleeper for the submission victory.
Your Winner: Hechicero
Solid match. Nice come down before the main. Hechicero showed his uniqueness, and Fox did what Fox does.
We see the 5 Tool Player Anthony Bowens gunning for Max Caster. I wish the energy of the crowd matched the energy of this hype package.
We come back to Harley Cameron sitting on her couch, covered in bandages. She goes to her room and does her best Jim Carrey/The Mask impersonation. Get her back on TV as soon as possible.
Another trios match-up next as it is…
The Triangle of Madness vs. Queen Aminata, Tay Melo, and Willow Nightingale
The Triangle adds a couple of nuances to their entrance as they stand in the center of the ring holding hands. The Queen and Thekla start it off. Queen almost immediately goes for the Aminata ass kisser (Can we please stop this?), but is cut off by Skye. Tay gets some judo throws in on Hart before she tags in Willow. Willow hits a double suplex, followed by a camel clutch to Skye as two idiots take out their cameras from behind the ladies and start recording.
Be better, boys. Be better.
Everyone gets their stuff in when Willow hits Thekla with a lariat. Aminata hits her spinning neckbreaker for a near fall. Keep all of that moving, girl. Wow.
Tay hits a flurry of kicks. Thekla tries to line her up when Willow hits her with the POUNCE. Period. Tay gets superkicked while attempting the Gory Special into an assisted deep six type slam for the pin.
Your Winners: The Triangle of Madness
The creativity of this Triangle will continue to show out as they had pieces to this. Let this one grow.
We get a hype package for SkyFlight and Shane Taylor Promotions. I honestly didn’t catch this as my daughter was being adorable.
Main Event time as it is between…
JetSpeed and Hangman Adam Page vs. LFI
Page comes out to a hometown hero’s welcome as he should. Page starts the match and trades chops with Rush and the Gang. Everyone to the outside as Hanger hits the moonsault to all of them. The crowd is loving their boy. Rush cuts him off and tags in Dralistico. Page hits a spinning backbreaker. JetSpeed hit some nice double-team attacks. LFI hit a triple dropkick. Knight shines bright, culminating with a splash to the outside. Rush is in control as we come back from break. Knight tags in Page, and he takes control. Springboard to the outside, Death Valley Driver to Rush for the 1,2, no.
Rush stomps on Page in the corner. Everybody gets their stuff in, and I mean all of it. Page goes for the Buckshot but gets cut off. Get another chance and doesn’t miss for the 1,2,3.
Your Winners: JetSpeed and Hangman Adam Page
Great hometown match. JetSpeed is only going to get crisper and keep trying to expand their arsenal. Great hometown match for the Hanger. He had a triple threat and could have had an easy night, but he didn’t. He played all the hits and then some and sent the hometown crowd out happy.
Great pacing on tonight’s show. Everything moved forward seamlessly, and it felt like we were watching a wrestling event on TV. Not a TV show with wrestling on it. I appreciate that.
What did you think of tonight’s show?
Thank you for reading, and I will see you next week!
