Collision – 10.03.26

SK reviewed a wildly emotional Dynamite : Tribute to PAC, and while I hope they don’t have to do another tribute show for a very very long time, I thought everyone involved did the best job they could under the worst of circumstances.

Tonight’s Collision comes to the TNT/HBO Max airwaves from the Truist Arena in Highland Heights, KY (they’ll be calling it Cincinnati on the broadcast, for sure). The announcing team for tonight’s show consists of Tony Schiavone, Smilin’ Paul Wight, and Nigel McGuinness on play by play and analysis, Arkady Aura on ring introductions, and Renee Paquette on interviews and news. There’s a big Dynamite card in France this coming Tuesday with only one match announced so far (Will Ospreay defends the AEW Men’s World Championship against AEW International Champion Kazuchika Okada) so I would expect we’ll hear some more about that and perhaps about some matches for the upcoming WrestleDream PPV. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Here’s Renee Paquette backstage with ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty (surrounded by the entirety of Shane Taylor Promotions) and AEW Trios Champion Kofi, who’s got AEW Trios Champion Austin Creed with him. Kofi is happy to be here in AEW to face the best, and Moriarty is an up-and-coming….and Moriarty chimes in to say that he’s no up-and-comer, he’s one of the best pure wrestlers on the planet. Moriarty says Kofi will have something to prove…to him, and he and STP leave in a huff. A baffled Kofi leaves mentioning “I complimented him….”

AEW Trios Champion Kofi vs ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty

Austin Creed is out ringside with Kofi, while Moriarty decides to leave Shane Taylor Promotions in the back. Creed joins the announcing team at the desk because this match definitely needs four commentators. There’s some standing switches to start and Moriarty puts some bad words in Kofi’s ear before giving a clean rope break. (Creed messes up here and calls Wight “Show” while describing how he and Kofi are interested in collecting as many titles as they can.) Moriarty has Kofi tied up from behind in a straightjacket, but Kofi is able to reverse. Moriarty reverses into an octopus and Kofi makes the ropes to break it up. Moriarty gets dumped to the floor and Kofi does some strutting before inviting Moriarty back in. Moriarty dumps Kofi down instead and tries a lungblower, but Kofi flips out of it and casually lands on his feet. Kofi hits a dropkick and covers for one. Moriarty yanks Kofi into a spike DDT that sends him to the floor. Moriarty goes out and runs Kofi back in for some knees and a bridging suplex. We go to commercials.

Moriarty runs Kofi into a corner and smashes him with a lariat when the show returns. Kofi slips a charge and boots Moriarty in the head before ascending. Moriarty ducks Kofi’s dive and nails him with a back body drop. Moriarty pounds away with uppercuts and then mounts Kofi on a top turnbuckle for some headbutts. Kofi fires up with some rights and then waffles Moriarty with a leaping tornado DDT. Kofi runs wild for a bit and Moriarty boxes his ears to stop the flurry. Kofi recovers quickly and nails Moriarty with a moonsault. Moriarty yanks Kofi right into an armlock, so Kofi rolls him over and gets two. Kofi wallops Moriarty with a reverse thrust and some sort of springboard rolling thing that gets two. Moriarty hits a belly-to-belly suplex and bridges for two as we get a ten minute announcement. Kofi hits a leaping lariat and follows with a standing senton. Moriarty yanks Kofi into an airplane spin and pulls him into a Border City Stretch. Kofi makes the ropes and then yanks Moriarty into a rear naked choke as Moriarty grabs the ropes to break it up. Moriarty gets rolled up for two, and he gets one of his own for two. Kofi nails Moriarty with the TNT Kick and that ends things in a hurry.

This was a good solid opener, but you can start to see the miles on Kofi’s tires at this point. Not everything is as crisp as it used to be but he’s still a very good wrestler with an undeniable presence. Creed was good on commentary but did slip out a “Kofi Kingston” just after the match ended, so it’ll take a bit before he’s got the AEW-Speak down. Moriarty is a good solid opponent, who in a different company would probably be a bigger deal, but he’s got a place and he pretty much wrestles to that place, if you get my drift. As I said, this was decent. 3.25*

Schiavone throws to a highlights package from Wednesday’s Ben Satterley tribute show. I can’t say enough good things about that show and I hope I don’t have to see another one like it ever again. McGuinness gets to say a few words in front of a “PAC made the world better” sign. Wight then gets to say a few words and mentions that for some of them, it still doesn’t feel real yet. Schiavone throws to the AEW World Tag Team Champions Young Bucks talking head that was shown in the “didn’t make television” tribute video. We go to commercials.

Here’s a video showing how we got to the upcoming main event in Grand Slam: Paris with Kazuchika Okada challenging Will Ospreay in the media scrum following All Out.

Back at the desk, Schiavone mentions that there will be a Clockwork Carnage match for the World Title as the main event at WrestleDream. It’s eight wrestlers, two enter first randomly, then every three minutes another wrestler is added in until all remaining six are in the ring. At that point, a fifteen minute clock starts and every pinfall and submission counts as one point. Whomever has the most points at the end of the fifteen minutes will be the AEW Men’s World Champion.

The Conglomeration (Kyle O’Reilly, Orange Cassidy, and Roderick Strong) vs Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto, and Griff Garrison

Strong attacks Garrison at the bell and he and O’Reilly take turns smashing Garrison in the Conglom corner. Cassidy tags in and delivers a bunch of rights to Garrison’s dome. Strong and O’Reilly send Solo and Comoroto into a triple suplex before Cassidy mashes Garrison before bringing him back in. Cassidy hits a Stundog Millionaire on Solo before nailing Comoroto with a DDT. Strong and O’Reilly murder Solo on the floor before Comoroto tries to take Cassidy’s head off with a lariat. Cassidy fires up with an Orange Punch on Comoroto and that ends things.

You could tell that O’Reilly and Strong were using the recent story of Strong being wildly frustrated with some of the laissez-faire aspects of the Conglomeration as motivation tonight. 1.5*

Winners – Conglomeration (Orange Punch on Comoroto)

Post-match sees the Death Riders music blaring out of the speakers as they make their way in en masse for their trios match. There’s a mid-ring face to face with the Conglom and the Riders, before the Bang Bang Gang music hits.

The Death Riders (Claudio Castignoli, Wheeler Yuta, and Daniel Garcia) vs The Bang Bang Gang (Ace Austin, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn)

Jay White is on the shelf right now, but Juice Robinson is out with the Gang, while Marina Shafir and Gabe Kidd are at ringside with their crew. Helpful key for reading this: Ace = Ace Austin, Austin = Austin Gunn. If Steve Austin shows up, you’re all on your own. Yuta and Austin start with a bunch of grappling before Yuta starts firing off jabs. Austin responds with a bunch of lefts and a big right to drop Yuta. Ace tags in and grabs a headlock but Yuta reverses and here’s Garcia. Garcia chops away and Ace fries off an armdrag and dropkick before Castignoli flies in. Ace disposes of him and then mashes Yuta from the apron. Ace handles Yuta and Garcia before bringing them both onto his shoulders for some squats. Castignoli ends that fun with a big boot and we go to commercials.

Castignoli is working Ace’s wrist when the show returns. Castignoli eats a spinning kick and Austin hoists him up for a Death Valley Driver. Garcia and Colten tag in and Colten runs wild for a bit before Austin tags in to go nuts on Yuta. Austin and Colten take care of Castignoli and Yuta and Castignoli has to break up a cover on Garcia at two. Colten hoists Garcia on a turnbuckle but he slips down as Shaifr distracts the referee. Castignoli powerbombs Colten and Garcia sneaks in for a cover that gets two. Everybody flies in for clotheslines and everyone is down. Shafir and Robinson jump up and square off mid-ring but Kidd flies in to wreck Robinson. The Gunns chase him away and Yuta hits them with a cross-body when they try to return. The Death Riders get their violence conveyor belt and Shafir sneaks in for one as it ends. Yuta wastes Ace with a Baisaku knee and Garcia slaps on the Dragon Tamer to get the victory.

This was your typical AEW six man chaos tag, where basically everything goes and there’s no real tag structure. As far as those types of matches go, this one was pretty good in terms of the execution of the whole thing. I have no idea how anyone calls any of this in the ring nor how anyone might plan anything out backstage because of the pace of the whole thing, but as long as no one gets hurt, these aren’t going away. 3*

Winners – The Death Rider (Garcia Dragon Tamer on Ace Austin)

Here’s Darby Allin in a pre-tape talking about putting things in perspective regarding Steven Borden’s incident at All Out. Allin says it was humbling to see Borden go out on a stretcher but Borden told Allin at the hospital that he’s not stopping with wrestling. Allin wants to give Kyle Fletcher a chance to win the TNT title in Paris, since he lost the title while injured and not in the ring.

Myron Reed vs Dante Martin

Christopher Daniels is out with Martin, who daps it up with Reed prior to engaging. There’s some wristlock exchanges before they exchange covers. Martin lifts a knee and Reed responds with a leg drop to send Martin to the floor. Reed gets duped and Martin waffles him with a double axe handle when he tries to return. Martin kicks Reed again and goes out on the opposite side. Martin flies around to dropkick Reed before getting a high five from a very reluctant child. Martin gets caught by a Reed sunset flip and a couple of dropkicks as we go to commercials.

Martin misses a standing moonsault when the show returns. Reed misses a top rope move and follows by blasting Martin with an enziguri. Reed gets dumped and he catches Martin for a draping DDT on the floor. Reed dumps Martin back in and covers him for two. Reed positions Martin and ascends but Martin recovers quickly and joins him for a superplex. Reed fires off a Stundog Millionaire and both guys end up down on the floor. Martin eats an kaman giri and Reed tries his pescado cutter, but Martin blocks it and turns it into a poison rana. Martin runs Reed back in and smashes him with an enziguri. Martin ascends and flies right into a Reed cutter. Reed ascends for a 450 splash and that ends things.

I feel like Myron Reed is one of those guys that people either really like or don’t care for all that much, and I get both trains of thought. The Rascalz are kind of a Collision staple at this point, so I’d expect Myron to keep getting singles shots on this show. Martin is just a body at this point until they inevitably try to reheat Sky Flight for whatever reason. 3*

Winner – Myron Reed (450 splash)

Here’s Thekla backstage knocking on Mercedes Mone’s locker room door. Thekla wants a face to face but no one answers. Here’s AEW World Champion Mercedes Mone in from behind to wreck Thekla and tell her she’ll see her at WrestleDream.

Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne and Lena Kross) vs Emily Rose and Joiya Blake

This is a straight mugging that ends in about 45 seconds with the Dominion double chokeslam.

.25*

Winners – Divine Dominion (double chokeslam)

Post-match sees Julia Hart’s music fire up as she makes her entrance between Kross and Bayne, who presumably leave in a huff.

Artist of Stardom Champion Julia Hart vs Queen Aminata

Hart offers a handshake so Aminata blasts her with a right. (This made my whole night, I’m not going to lie.) Hart bails and Aminata gives chase. Hart gets the advantage briefly but Aminata rolls her over for more rights. Hart gets caught by an Aminata kick and gets yanked in to some Chocolate Kisses. Aminata hits a PK and covers Hart for two. Aminata ties up Hart’s arms but she manages to roll back and get two. Aminata misses a charge and eats a slap from Hart who follows with by dumping Aminata down. We go to commercials.

Hart catches Aminata in an octopus when the show returns. Aminata yanks Hart in for a backbreaker and drives her down with a couple of lariats. Aminata hits an overhead suplex and mashes Hart with a running kick to the face. Aminata hits a double stomp and covers Hart for two. Hart bails and Aminata goes out to run her into the barricade. Aminata sets up a chair and sits Hart on it before mashing her with a running dropkick from the apron. Aminata runs Hart back in and ascends. Hart slips the dive and mashes Aminata with a superkick. They slug it out and Hart slaps on another octopus. Aminata sneaks out and hits an Air Raid Crash for two. There’s a roll up exchange that each get two, and Aminata breaks out of Hart’s sugar with a lungblower. Hart crushes Aminata with a running tackle but Aminata responds with a release German. Aminata hits the Off With Her Head running kick and that ends things.

Aminata is fun to watch now, because she is fully laying her shit in and it looks like it would hurt. That’s such a huge leap for someone to make where you feel confident enough to know your stuff looks painful while you’re still protecting your opponent. Love that for her. Hart’s just a body until they need her for something, but she just feels like a full-on sidekick to Thekla at this point. 2.5*

Winner – Queen Aminata (Off With Her Head kick)

Here’s Austin Creed and Kofi backstage bragging about Kofi’s win before mentioning that they want to be tag champs, singles champs, and Kofi wants Bandido in Paris for the ROH World Title. We go to commercials.

Here’s a look at the return of Samoa Joe and some words from Jack Perry in a pre-tape. Perry beat Shibata at All Out to get a shot at Joe, and he promises to take something from Joe when they meet. Here’s Samoa Joe for a response and he says he understands what Perry is trying to accomplish. Joe talks about Perry’s fantasies of blade-work, and Joe is actually the fire that Perry must respect.

Mark Davis vs Adam Priest

Rocky Romero is out with Davis to join commentary. Davis mashes Priest around before slamming him down. Davis misses a senton and Priest fires off some chops and right hands. As Davis retakes control, Schiavone runs down the current Paris card which now includes Darby Allin defending the TNT Championship against Kyle Fletcher, Samoa Joe vs Jack Perry in a qualifying match for the Clockwork Carnage match at WrestleDream, and Bandido defending the ROH Title against Kofi. Priest hits a dragon screw leg whip as Davis tries to return to the ring. Davis dumps him off before nailing Priest with a shotgun dropkick. We go to commercials.

Davis is mashing Priest around but Priest hits a low tackle as the show returns. Priest ascends for a tornado DDT and continues to work Davis’s knee. Davis gets caught charging and Priest smashes his knee on the mat. Davis misses an enziguri and Priest slaps on a half-crab. Davis breaks out of it and yanks Priest into a big German. Davis signals that it’s over and yanks Priest up, but he slips off and tries for a backslide. Priest manages to grab a small package for two. Davis yanks Priest up for a piledriver and that ends things.

Davis toyed with his food before eating it, but he got there in the end. I’ve said this before but if Priest was like five inches taller, they would really have something with him, but as it stands, he’s a tiny goober jobber with a credible set of offensive moves. 2*

Winner – Mark Davis (piledriver)

Here’s Renee Paquette with Queen Aminata and Mina Shirakawa. Aminata wants a world title shot in Paris and then wants to face Thekla, who she hates, at WrestleDream. Aminata and Shirakawa shake it out a bit and make an exit. We go to commercials.

Schiavone runs down the full Paris card and it’s time for the main event.

AEW Continental Championship Eliminator Match: Jon Moxley (C) vs Jake Doyle

Renee Paquette is at ringside to describe how hard this week has been for the Death Riders and she mentions how focused Moxley is on his mission. Doyle doesn’t give a clean break and puts the bad-mouth on Moxley. Moxley starts working Doyle’s arm after driving him down before starting SMALL JOINT MANIPULATION. Moxley grabs a side headlock but Doyle responds by trucking him down. Doyle trucks Moxley down again and Moxley finally responds by blasting Doyle down. Doyle starts driving in a shoulder in a corner before blasting Moxley with a running splash. Doyle misses a charge and Moxley pounds away in a corner. Doyle dumps Moxley to the apron and then blasts him off with a running shoulder that sends Moxley into the barricade. We go to commercials.

Doyle hits a running shoulder tackle in a corner when the show returns. Doyle bodies Moxley down again and he ends up on the floor. Doyle doesn’t go out and wants the countout but Moxley takes some time before re-entering at nine. Doyle makes the mistake of a lifetime by putting the badmouth on Moxley who fires up with some clotheslines. They exchange lariats and a strong-style fight breaks out. Moxley fires in some forearms and gets pulled into a side suplex. Moxley rises up with a lariat as the ten minute announcement is made. Moxley fires off a cutter and Doyle bails. Moxley hits a tope suicida and fires Doyle back in. Moxley pulls Doyle in and wants a piledriver, but Doyle reverses it and wants a powerbomb. Moxley bites Doyle’s forehead and yanks him into a piledriver. Doyle no-sells it and mashes Moxley with a right before yanking him into a powerbomb that gets two. Moxley slaps Doyle and shows him the bird before slapping on the bulldog choke. Doyle taps out.

This was not a classic Moxley match, but Doyle was a game hoss opponent. This felt like Moxley just needing to work out some of the demons prior to hopefully taking a week off since he isn’t announced for Paris. I would imagine he could use a break. Overall, this was fine for what it was but you don’t have to seek it out if you didn’t see it. 3*

Winner – Jon Moxley (Bulldog choke)

Moxley and Shafir celebrate as Schiavone runs down the Paris card, and we’re out at the top of the hour for soccer.

They had to move a lot of pieces around tonight to set things up for Paris and for WrestleDream, and I thought they did fairly well in that regard. It was certainly an episode of Collision with eight matches in two hours, but given this week’s circumstances, I’ll give them a pass tonight and we’ll move on to Paris for what should be two big shows.

Thanks for reading.