The SmarK Rant for AEW Collision – 01.11.25

The SmarK Rant for AEW Collision – 01.11.25

Well I’m back.

On Saturday night, I was on the way to see Nosferatu and I got a call from my parents’ neighbor informing me that she was in the hospital with pneumonia, which wasn’t great because she’s already battling cancer, and I should probably fly out immediately to say my goodbyes. Ever tried to find a flight in Canada at the last minute? Would have cost me $3000 for myself and my wife, which is a lot of money even for a famous internet writer such as myself. But I planned to be off to Vancouver for a week just in case, and posted a bunch of Royal Rumble reviews for the week in advance. And then Sunday afternoon we called the hospital to get clarification because we were hearing different things from different relatives, and it turns out that she was actually up and around and most importantly, NOT dead and/or immediately nearing death, so according to Canadian medical system protocols, that means she goes home. My blood pressure is still near the point of my temples exploding but at least I can hopefully sleep tonight. My dad’s got his own shit going on too but that’s another deal. In short, 2025 can fuck off.

Anyway, I’ve been completely off social media all weekend because of obvious reasons so I have no idea what happened on this show and it’s all new to me.

Live from Athens, GA, on the USA NETWORK!

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuinness

COPE v. Big Bill

They fight for the lockup and quickly head to the floor while COPE smashes Bill’s head into the table to irritate Chris Jericho. My wife is apparently feeling things about Big Bill, and is also tickled that Jericho wears a “I Heart Chris Jericho” shirt. I reminded her that we saw Big Bill here in Saskatoon last year, and she was impressed and then reiterated that she could probably swing from his arms. I’m sure it’s fine. I mean, I’m pretty tall too. Bill beats on COPE with chops and does a little dance for us. We take a break and return with Bill hitting a black hole slam for two. Jericho takes the ref and Bill rips the turnbuckle off, but COPE makes the comeback and necks him on the top rope, and then rams him into the exposed steel and powerbombs him for two. COPE misses the spear and Bill hits him with a big boot for two. Chokeslam is reversed into the Impaler and another spear hits this time, but that only gets two. And then Bill pops up and GOOZLES him like the Undertaker, so COPE spears him again and then chokes him out at 13:00. Holy shit, this match RULED. ***1/2. And then FTR hits the ring for the brawl with the Learning Tree.

Meanwhile, Hangman Page talks about feeling ashamed of letting the home invasion happen, and then he burned down Swerve’s home in revenge and cracked open his skill in the cage match for good measure. And now Christopher Daniels has laid hands on him, so he gets to face Hangman in a Texas Death match next week and have his career ended.

Pac v. Komander

Oh man I really wish they wouldn’t use Komander for doing meaningless TV jobs now that he’s a champion. Pac takes him down with a headlock and they battle to a stalemate, so Pac bails to the floor and Komander does a slick flip over the top into a headscissor takedown. And then back in for the incredible running ropewalk into the moonsault, and a crossbody for two. Pac chokes him down and they fight to the floor again, where Komander gets the worst of it, and back in the ring for a pump kick in the corner from Pac that gets two. But then he goes after poor Alex Abrahantes, so Komander saves with a dive and it’s a double down on the floor. Back in the ring, Komander flips up into a cutter and then spins into a tornado DDT for two. He charges and hits himself right in the GROIN in the corner, but Pac goes up and Komander casually rolls away like Orange Cassidy. Komander with a pair of superkicks and then he springboards with a destroyer and goes up with a 450, but that hits knees and Pac puts him out with the Brutalizer at 8:04. ***3/4. This looks like it’s gonna trigger a Death Rider beatdown, but the OUTRUNNERS make the save and we got a match.

The Outrunners v. Wheeler Yuta & Claudio Castagnoli

The Runners double-team Yuta in the corner, but Turbo gets clobbered from behind by Claudio and the Riders go to work. Claudio with a slam and double stomp and he beats on him with forearms, but Turbo comes back and they clear the ring as we take a break. Back with Truth as the Girth-in-Peril, and Claudio drops an elbow from the middle rope for two. Truth backdrops Claudio over the top and it’s almost the hot tag, but Claudio inserts himself in between, and Truth has to dive past him and make the HOT TAG. Turbo with the FULL BODY LIFTS AND SLAMS, which sets up the double elbow on Yuta. But then Claudio takes out Truth and Yuta rolls up Floyd for two. Floyd with a sunset flip for two and the Bulldog cradle for two, and a crucifix for two. But then Yuta dropkicks him down again, so Turbo hits a twisting suplex for two and Claudio has had enough and tags himself in. Giant Swing on Turbo gets two off that. Claudio takes Turbo to the top, but Turbo slugs him down again, so Yuta crotches Turbo and Claudio gets a top rope gut wrench. Rocket Launcher finishes for the Death Riders at 10:41. Outrunners definitely did not look like a joke here. ***

Meanwhile, Hobbs tells Mox that he’s the guy taking initiative, just like Moxley wanted. I’m increasingly convinced that Hobbs just going out and smashing Moxley in his hometown to win the title would open up a lot of stories. Moreso than Moxley just getting another win and beating everyone.

Mariah May v. Harley Cameron

Nigel notes that Tony misread it as “Hot Girl Grabs”, which was Tony’s dating style in the 80s. Harley quickly cradles for two and gets a small package for two, but Mariah headbutts her to end the run. Mariah stomps her down in the corner, but Harley comes back with a clothesline and hits May with knees and a legsweep for two. Mariah tries the Mayday and Harley escapes with an enzuigiri for two. The crowd is very pro-Harley as we take a break. Back with Mariah holding a chinlock, but Harley fights out of that, so Mariah puts her on the top rope and gives her a BOOB SLAP and a rana for two. Harley fights back again with a sling blade and slugs her down before hitting a neckbreaker and pumphandle driver for two. Jackknife cradle gets two, but Mariah hits her with a knee strike and Storm Zero to finish at 9:18. HOT GIRL GRAPS! Definitely Harley’s best singles match so far. ***1/4.

Meanwhile, Christopher Daniels reminds everyone of his history in wrestling and accepts the challenge for next week.

Brody King v. Trevor Blackwell

Brody quickly wrecks the geek with the cannonball and Ganso Bomb to finish at 1:25. Glad to see Julia back with him, they’re a good combo.

Meanwhile, COPE confronts Brody King backstage and tells him to take the reins of the House of Black and run.

TNT title: Daniel Garcia v. Katsuyori Shibata

Garcia hasn’t really been setting the world on fire as TNT champion but it’s hardly his fault. They trade chops to start and Garcia loses that battle handily, allowing Shibata to hit him with a shotgun dropkick in the corner and a butterfly suplex for two. We take a break and Garcia slugging away in the corner and a neckbreaker gets two. Shibata cradles for two and Garcia gets his own cradle for two, and then they trade big boots and Shibata drops him with a backdrop suplex and STO for a double down. They’re both up at 8 and they get into another chopping battle, leading to Garcia trying the Dragon Tamer. But Shibata reverses him into a heel hook and then a figure-four. Garcia makes the ropes, but Shibata blocks the dragon screw with a cradle for two, only for Garcia to use his JACKKNIFE CRADLE OF DOOM for the pin at 11:37 to retain. ***

Chris Jericho v. Dax Harwood

They do a lockup battle and fall to the floor while still holding it and neither lets go, so they head back in the ring and try it again. To the floor and Dax posts Jericho, but they head into the crowd and brawl out there. Back in, Dax with a brainbuster for two. They head to the top and Jericho brings him down with a rana and we take a break. Back with Dax slugging away, but Jericho comes off with the top with a crossbody and Dax rolls through for two. Dax with the rolling germans, but Jericho catapults him into the turnbuckles and follows with a Lionsault for two. Dax goes for the leg and Jericho runs him into the post to break, bu the goes up and takes too long saying Hi to the fans and gets brought down with a superplex. They fight to the floor again and Jericho takes him out with a codebreaker out there, but Dax beats the count. Dax with a Sharpshooter and Jericho quickly makes the ropes, but then he grabs the ROH title and misses with it. Dax goes up and misses whatever, and Jericho hits him with the belt on the second try and that gets two. Judas Effect finishes at 15:20. This one was pretty rough at the end and they never really clicked. **1/4. And then it’s PANDEMONIUM as we get a giant brawl with Rated FTR and the Death Riders and the Outrunners, which all sets up a 12 man tag team match on next week’s show.

This show was a much needed boost to my mood tonight, although the rigidly defined roles for everyone meant that every match went with exactly the finish you’d predict, which gets a bit tiresome after a while. Still, Harley Cameron and the Outrunners both on my TV equals THUMBS UP.