Collision Review – 03.14.26

Just in case you missed it, you can catch up on Dynamite via SK’s Rant.

Tonight’s Collision was recorded after Dynamite went off the air on Wednesday March 11th and it emanates from the San Jose Civic Center in San Jose, CA. The announcing team for tonight’s broadcast are Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness on match calls and analysis, Arkady Aura on ring introductions, and Renee Paquette on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. Let’s watch some wrestling!

I don’t know about THE CENTURY, but this match was awesome.

Schiavone runs down tonight’s card to start the show.

Kevin Knight vs El Clon

Clon is out alone, which I am grateful for. Clon smashes Knight with a chop and then we have some acrobatics. Knight hits an armdrag that sends Clon to the floor. Knight tries a jump over the rope move but Clon slips it and Knight crotches himself on the ring apron. There’s a short chop battle and Clon snaps off a suplex on the floor. Clon dumps Knight back in and grabs a quick leg submission but Knight makes the ropes to break it up. Clon bullies Knight along the ropes but runs into a Knight sky-high spinebuster. Knight throws some forearms and then wallops Clon with a leaping lariat. Knight hits a Falcon Arrow and the UFO splash for two. Clon goes to the floor and Knight chases him to hit a splash from the top as we go to commercials.

They’re slugging it out mid-ring when the show returns, and then Knight runs into a Clon tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Clon’s cover gets two. A forearm battle starts and Clon hits his Pele kick on a charging Knight. Clon smashes Knight with a couple kicks from the apron before nailing Knight with a moonsault from the apron to the floor. Clon tosses Knight back in and hits a springboard moonsault for two. Clon takes his time ascending and Knight catches him so they can fight it out up top. Knight hits an avalanche superplex after almost slipping off, but it hurts both guys as Knight does not make a cover. There’s more forearms and Clon grabs a series of roll ups for two. Knight hits a dropkick but runs into a Clon thrust kick when he charges. Clon hits a powerbomb and covers for two. Clon gets yanked into a roll up that gets two and then Knight fires off a backslide for tow. Knight goes to the apron for a springboard lariat and then ascends again for the UFO splash. Knight’s cover gets three.

A really solid opener that was risking overstaying it’s welcome before Knight put Clon away. They worked at a normal pace which I appreciated very much and it was very tactical. Everyone stayed calm and worked cleanly, Knight’s slip notwithstanding (and he caught himself immediately and his opponent was safe). I have no complaints whatsoever with this match other than I hope Clon gets a bit more shine and soon because I really like his work. 3.75*

Winner – Kevin Knight (UFO Splash)

Here’s a look at the Trios Titles ahead of Revolution. Mistico will be teaming with JetSpeed and they are FIRED UP to take on Okada, Fletcher, and Davis. We go to commercials.

The Babes Of Wrath are backstage and talk up being tag champs for 94 days. Willow Nightingale talks about beating up Lena Kross during the Zero Hour before they both whoop on Kross and Megan Bayne during Revolution.

Komander vs AEW Trios Champion Mark Davis

Davis is out alone, which worked out so well for El Clon. Like, I don’t want to see Callis but it’s just weird when he doesn’t come out as his endless supply of goofs wrestle on these shows. Davis has a distinct size advantage here and he tosses Komander around. Komander tries a rana but Davis tosses him off and catches him coming off the ropes. Komander slips off and hits some kicks before going to his rope walk. Davis catches him again and hits Komander with a buckle bomb. Komander finally snaps off a rana that sends Davis to the floor. Komander tries a springboard powerbomb and Davis calmly sits on Komander’s chest to send him to the floor. We go to commercials.

Davis is strutting around triumphantly when the show returns. Davis slams Komander but he misses a running senton and eats a Komander drop kick. Komander goes to some low kicks and a running elbow smash. Komander goes outside and ascends for a missile dropkick that sends Davis to the floor. Komander ascends and hits Davis with an Uehara moonsault on the floor. Komander rolls Davis in and covers Davis for one. Komander hits some acrobatics and Davis trucks him with a running elbow. Davis yanks Komander up so he can chop him down, and Komander fires off some chops and a low kick before slapping on a guillotine. Davis rises and slips out to yank Komander into a vicious side suplex that gets two. Davis trips Komander down but Komander rises and snaps off a rana before ascending. Davis goes up as well and Komander hits an enziguri and a springboard powerbomb before covering and getting two. Komander ascends again but meets Davis’s knees off his 450 attempt. Davis springs up and waffles Komander with a lariat that somehow only gets two. Komander slaps on an Octopus but Davis shrugs him off. Komander trips up Davis and hits a 619 before ascending again. Komander gets walloped by a Davis enziguri before getting yanked into a Tombstone piledriver. Davis covers and gets three.

This actually did overstay it’s welcome, quite frankly. Davis should have been able to smash this guy around quickly, but everyone has to get their shit in on Collision so here we are. Davis was physically dominant throughout and Komander fought well from way underneath, but it’s okay for a little dude to get squashed by a 280 pound bear once in awhile. Anyway, this was just content so that the announcers could talk about the Trios match which has dominated the opening portion of this show for some reason. 2.5*

Winner – Mark Davis (Tombstone piledriver)

After Dynamite, The Dogs cut a promo about Roderick Strong joining up with Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin while mentioning that Strong is on their hit list. That match is now a TORNADO trios match. Schiavone runs down the Revolution card before throwing to a highlights package on Mascara Dorada, who’s in the Collision main event tonight. Once that ends, we go to commercials.

RPG Vice are going to be in the 21 man battle royal, as are LFI, Scorpio Sky, Daniel Garcia, Anthony Bowens and The Opps. Tommaso Ciampa is also in the match and he says he’s coming for it all.

The Triangle of Madness (Skye Blue, Julia Hart, and AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla) vs Viva Van, Tatevik, and Karisma

Blue starts with Karisma and she and Hart smash her around before Thekla tags in. Thekla hits her TOXIC pose and then spears Karisma out of her boots before covering and getting three.

Squash comes from the Narragansett Indian word “askutasquash” which means “eaten raw or uncooked.” 1*

Winners – The Triangle of Madness (Thekla spear on Karisma)

Thekla wants a mic and tells the crowd she’s sick and tired of hearing about Kris Statlander, who’s running and hiding after her challenge. Thekla mentions that Statlander is scared and cannot run on Sunday. Here’s Kris Statlander coming out very quickly to wipe out Hart and Blue before jumping in the ring. Statlander crushes Thekla with a lariat and then removes her belt. Statlander throws the belt at Thekla and then offers up her back. Thekla cautiously approaches and whips Statlander who winces but doesn’t go down before signalling for another. Thekla starts firing off belt shots as Statlander collapses. Statlander rises and calls for more so Thekla discards the belt and goes to work with some clubbering rights. Thekla spits on Statlander and then grabs her belt. Thekla leaves and Statlander grabs the mic to tell her that she doesn’t want Thekla to be afraid of her, she wants Thekla to be afraid of what’s she’s going to have to do to keep her down.

Here’s Marina Shafir to cut a promo on Toni Storm. Shafir says Storm seems like she’s gotten high off her own supply and Storm is driving into violent dangerous territory. Shafir says she’s one of one and she fears no one. Shafir says Storm’s own mother won’t be able to identify her after the match. Well that’s kind of rude.

The Demand (AEW National Champion Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun) vs The Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson, Ace Austin, and Austin Gunn)

Not-so-fun-fact: We’re now two weeks away from the year anniversary of Jay White’s last match. Will he ever return from the Shadow Realm? STAY TUNED TO NITRO TO FIND OUT! It’s Austin and Ricochet to start, but Kaun grabs a tag before Ricochet can take any damage. Austin grabs a side headlock but Kaun slips off and trucks him a couple of times. Kaun misses a standing senton and Austin grabs a roll up for one. Austin hits an armdrag and a big elbow shot before tripping Kaun up for a kick. Austin hits a La Magistral for two and then waffles Kaun with a dropkick after he rises. Kaun hits a couple of chops but Austin shakes it off for some chops of his own. Gunn tags in and eats a big chop from Kaun. Gunn trips up Kaun and snaps off some jabs. Ricochet charges in and eats some jabs as well before Gunn wipes out Ricochet with a Flatliner. Liona comes in and Gunn slips away for a Robinson tag. Liona invites Robinson in and they square off. Robinson spits at Ricochet and Liona doesn’t like that so Robinson paint-brushes him. Robinson and Liona scream at each other and then Robinson gets caught trying a cross-body. Robinson dumps Liona to the floor and then tries another cross-body. They catch Robinson so Austin flies in with a second cross-body on the whole group that sends everyone down to the floor. We go to commercials.

Liona is womping on Austin when the show returns, and Ricochet tags in. He and Kaun put the boots to Austin in their corner and Kaun is now legal. The Demand continue to wreck everyone as Liona and Kaun hit a double slam on Austin before Liona covers for two. Austin gets flipped to the apron and he fires up with a big dropkick from the top on Liona. Austin finally makes a tag to Robinson who runs wild with shoulders and elbows on Kaun and Ricochet. Robinson fires off some chops on Ricochet and then crushes him with a lariat. Robinson hits a spinebuster on Ricochet and then tags in Gunn. Gunn and Robinson hit a double monkey-flip body slam on Ricochet that gets two. Liona and Kaun fly in to start smashing Gunn around before pulling Gunn into the Final Rights. Ricochet hits a springboard splash that gets two. Kaun tags in and Robinson flies in to prevent a big move. Robinson and a recovered Austin start smashing Liona around but Ricochet flies in with a lariat to end the Robinson flurry. Gunn hits a Fameasser and covers Kaun for two, but in the middle of it Ricochet smashes Gunn with the Spirit Gun. Ricochet pulls Kaun on top of Austin and that cover gets three.

Yeah, the second act was a full on AEW tag extravaganza with everyone ignoring all tag rules and just flying in whenever they wanted. Sadly, the BBG are full on jobby jobbers now in any match they’re in with talented opposition, and that bums me out because I genuinely enjoy Juice Robinson’s wacky antics, and Austin Gunn (and his brother) grew on me a bunch. Ace Austin really doesn’t add much to the act but he’s a competent professional and I’d like to see him do better than this. The Demand are fine and Liona in particular is pretty fun to watch as a giant wrecking machine type. This was just filler, though. Sixteen minutes of filler. Sigh. 3*

Winners – The Demand (Ricochet Spirit Gun on Gunn)

Post-match sees the Demand continue to beat on the Gang as Austin takes a belt shot from Ricochet, the dirty coward. Ricochet grabs a mic from Arkady Aura and he wallops Gunn in the head with it. Ricochet stands mid-ring and talks up the battle royal for the National championship. Ricochet says the company is doing everything it can to sabotage his reign but it doesn’t matter how many people are in the match because he’s the only one that matters. Ricochet mentions “Tony” not liking it, but he’s walking in and out as the champ because he’s outta this world.

Here’s Jack Perry to talk about the battle royal. Perry says it’s an opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream to compete in a building he went to as a kid and made him want to become a pro wrestler. Perry says he can’t fail this time because it’s not just for him, it’s for his friends, his family, and that little boy. Perry says he’ll see Ricochet at Revolution. We go to commercials.

Toni Storm says she’s been in the circus long enough to know how it works. When the whip cracks, the animals sit, and Storm holds the whip. Storm says when they reach the final act at Revolution Marina Shafir will realize she’s just a performer in Circus Timeless.

Lena Kross vs Mina Shirakawa

Megan Bayne accompanies Kross, while Shirakawa is of course out alone because why would babyfaces actually support each other? LAUGHABLE SUGGESTION, TONY. McGuinness refers to Shirakawa as “buxom” and like…just don’t, Nigel. Shirakawa stamps on Kross’s foot and then grabs a side headlock, but Kross shakes it off and trucks Shirakawa down. Kross yanks up a taunting Shirakawa and smashes her with a fall-away slam. Kross stands on Shirakawa and gets a two count. A forearm battle breaks out and Kross clubbers Shirakawa down. Shirakawa fires up with a revers thrust kick and then dumps Kross to the floor when she charges. Shirakawa ascends but Kross walks away from it. Kross manages to pull Shirakawa in and dumps her face-first on the apron as we go to commercials.

Shirakawa hits a cross-body to the floor as the show returns. Shirakawa dumps Kross back in and catches her trying a pump kick. Shirakawa hits a Dragon Screw and then flies in with a torneo that gets two. Shirakawa gets caught trying a roundhouse kick and Kross waffles her with a reverse thrust kick. Kross and Shirakawa start firing forearms at each other before Kross waffles Shirakawa with a pump kick. Kross yanks Shirakawa up but she slips off and wallops Kross with a backfist. Shirakawa ascends and hits a sling blade from the top that gets two. Shirakawa wants the Figure Four but Kross kicks her away and then drops her with a release German. Shirakawa runs into another big boot and a Jackhammer. Kross covers and gets three.

Kross is really awkward and there might have been a language issue because Shirakawa kept waiting on her to get into position for whatever move was coming next. Nevertheless, Kross is physically imposing and I’m sure she and Bayne will do their thing on Revolution with the Babes. Not much to this but Mina was game as always. 2.25*

Winner – Lena Kross (Jackhammer)

After commercials, it’s time for the main event.

Mascara Dorada vs Andrade El Idolo

Andrade is out with Lance Archer and Don Callis. Callis joins commentary after a chair is provided and he seems grumpy. Dorada offers a handshake and Andrade kicks it away. Andrade snaps off an armdrag and flexes his chicken-and-broccoli fueled arms. Dorada grabs a roll up for two, and Andrade trucks him down in response. Andrade hits his tranquilo pose after some acrobatics and Dorada fires off a rana in response. Dorada gets tripped off the ropes and then argues with Aubrey Edwards when she wants them to come back into the ring. Andrade finds the Only Fans Plant Of The Week and takes a selfie with her. Callis wants 20$ for the opportunity as Andrade waffles Dorada with a running elbow. Andrade dumps Dorada back in and hits him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker that gets two. Dorada catches Andrade with a helicopter splash and then slips a charge as Andrade goes crashing to the floor. Dorada hits a over-the-top-rope rana and then dumps Andrade back in. Dorada ascends and Andrade rolls to the apron, so Dorada crushes him with a leaping DDT on the apron. Dorada meets Andrade’s boots when he tries a moonsault, and we go to commercials.

They’re slugging it out mid-ring when the show returns. Andrade hits a knee but then gets caught with a sky high dropkick from Dorada. Dorada hits a big boot but then eats a lariat. Dorada slips a charge and then hits a springboard rana. Andrade catches Dorada off a springboard but Dorada responds by twisting into another rana. Dorada hits a slow motion Destroyer that gets two. Dorada hits a low thrust kick but Andrade rolls him into the Three Amigos. Andrade covers and gets two. Callis claims Aubrey Edwards failed high school math because she can’t count past two. If you’re gonna steal Heenan lines, at least give him credit, Don. Andrade catches Dorada off a charge but Dorada slips off and hits a helicopter rana that gets two. Dorada hits a rolling torneo from the ring to the floor and gets a gigantic pop from the crowd. Dorada dumps Andrade back in and ascends for a 450 splash that gets two. Andrade wants a test of manliness from their knees, and then he rises to keep a chop battle going. Andrade chases after Dorada and fires off a Spanish Fly from the second rope that gets two as Callis is incensed on the outside. Andrade hits a huge Meteora and gets two. Andrade gets caught in a roll up that gets two and then eats a big thrust kick when they both rise. Dorada snaps off another thrust kick and then pulls Andrade up for a chop. Dorada catches Andrade for a flying Frankensteiner before ascending. Andrade escapes to the apron and ascends to deal with Dorada. Andrade pulls Dorada into a hammerlock-headlock combo and then yanks him face-first onto the top turnbuckle. Andrade hits the DM and covers Dorada for three.

Okay, this was a solid main event but every match tonight, save for the TOM squash, has gone on TOO LONG. I guess that’s the theme for this week, and at least this main event delivered. Andrade is on a heater right now and I’ve mentioned before, Khan better keep him motivated because we’ve all seen what happens when Andrade gets distracted by life. I suspect that he’ll have a banger with Bandido tomorrow evening but I’m not sure why the ROH title isn’t on the line there. Regardless, Dorada looked fantastic in defeat and Andrade is working hard, so I don’t have too many complaints here. 4*

Winner – Andrade (DM)

Post-match sees a jubilant Callis give Andrade a big hug, but here’s Bandido out to a big pop. He gets immediately waffled from behind by Rocky Romero and Trent Baretta, but here’s Brody King out to start smashing RPG Vice around. This predictably brings out Swerve Strickland and he and King start going at it on the ramp. Bandido hops on the apron and stares down Andrade but a recovered RPG Vice start smashing Bandido around to a chorus of boos. Bandido dumps them both and then hits a huge tope con hilo as Andrade hangs with his Only Fans lady friend. Credits, fin.

For a go-home recorded show, this wasn’t too bad overall. Only one squash, minimal gaga, and only one tag match with a bunch of nonsense. We’ll call this thumbs in the middle leaning up because the main event delivered in spades, and set the stage for a bunch of other stuff on the Revolution card. Now it’s on to Revolution and we’ll see what happens on Wednesday in the aftermath of that show.

Thanks for reading and commenting, as always. Enjoy your weekend.