‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Jul 15th 2023)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW’s latest television show, Collision, which brings wrestling back to Saturday nights! We’ve got the commentary team of Nigel McGuiness and Kevin Kelly calling the action, so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: 2/3 Falls Match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship – FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) def. Bullet Club Gold (Jay White & Juice Robinson)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Dax locked up with Jay White. Dax cradled White for a quick near fall. White got to his feet and dropped Dax with arm drags. Juice and Cash tagged in for their respective teams. Cash ran into Juice with a hard shoulder block. Juice rolled to the outside to collect himself. Dax Harwood applied an abdominal stretch to Jay White. Wheeler tagged in and FTR used tandem offense on White. Switchblade dropkicked Cash and tagged in Juice. Juice jabbed Cash and clocked Cash with a left hand. Wheeler press slammed Juice. Dax hit a snap suplex on Juice. Jay White tagged in and chopped away at Harwood’s chest, lighting him up. Jay White DDT’ed Dax, and then he spiked Cash with a DDT. Jay White planted Dax with a Spicolli Driver for a near fall. White shocked Dax with a flatliner. He followed up with a German suplex on Dax for a two-count. Cash grabbed a blind tag and FTR were looking for Shatter Machine. Juice countered by shoving Cash into Wheeler! Jay White blasted Dax with the Blade Runner and pinned him! Juice and Switchblade began to work over Dax’s arm. Cash tagged in and belted Jay White with a lariat with a two-count. Juice splashed Cash with sentons. Jay White tagged in and nailed Cash with a neck breaker. It was clear that Bullet Club Gold were isolating Cash Wheeler at this point. Juice Robinson planted Cash with a DDT on the arena floor. Juice splashed Cash with another senton. He tried again but Cash countered by raising his knees! Cash was able to grab a tag after a hurracanrana to Jay White. Harwood jumped into the ring with a full head of steam, cleaning house on Bullet Club Gold. Harwood hit Juice with a cross body for a near fall. Dax backdropped Jay White and then planted Juice with a brain buster for a two-count! Dax tried for the sharpshooter on Juice, but Juice kicked his way out of the hold. Jay White tagged in and snap suplexed Dax into the turnbuckles. Juice followed up with a cannonball. Cash ran in to break up the pin attempt that Juice had on Dax. Harwood and White exchanged chops in the center of the ring. Cash hoisted up White in the Razor’s Edge. He threw White and Dax caught White in a cutter. Cash covered White but White somehow managed to kick out at two! FTR pummeled Jay White with chops on the top rope. Dax superplexed Jay White with the Power! Cash went for the Glory splash, but Jay White raised his knees to counter! Juice frog splashed Dax while Jay White covered Dax. Dax found the intestinal fortitude to kick out. FTR finally smashed Juice with the Shatter Machine and Cash scored the pin! Jay White backdropped Dax Harwood on the apron. Dax picked up Jay, positioning him for a powerbomb, but they both tumbled over the guardrail. Ref Paul Turner called for the AEW Medical Team to check on Wheeler and White. Dax suplexed White on the arena floor! FTR double suplexed Jay White onto the arena floor. They followed up with a double suplex to Juice on the arena floor. Jay White locked Dax in the sharpshooter! Dax crawled and reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break up the submission. Harwood suplexed Jay White off the top rope. Jay White caught Dax with a bridging suplex for a near fall. FTR applied stereo sharpshooters to Bullet Club Gold! FTR were exhausted and couldn’t stay in position. Dax was grabbing his knee. Dax countered Pulp Friction and put Juice into the sharpshooter! Juice tapped out!

My Score: 4.5 out of 5

Match #2: Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Finals – Willow Nightingale def. Ruby Soho

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Willow blocked an arm drag attack and came back with a shoulder tackle on Ruby. Willow suplexed Ruby three consecutive times! She splashed Ruby in the corner. Ruby fired back with knee strikes to Willow. Ruby connected with a big back elbow. Willow rallied back with a powerslam. Soho grabbed a victory roll for a near fall on Willow. Willow planted Ruby with a spinebuster. Willow locked on a single leg crab. Ruby reached the bottom rope to force the rope break. Ruby slipped Willow a can of spray paint. Willow had no intention to use it, but ref Aubrey Edwards didn’t know that and admonished Willow. As the ref retrieved the can from Willow and turned her back, Ruby delivered the No Future kick for a near fall. Ruby attempted to use the can of spray paint again, but Willow wasted no time with a pounce. Willow power bombed Ruby and pinned her!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #3: Kings of the Black Throne (Malakai Black & Brody King) def. Randy Myers & Artemis Spencer

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Black hit a roundhouse kick. Brody squashed his opponent in the corner. Andrade El Idolo walked onto the ramp. Malakai finished off his opponent with the Black Mass and pinned him. Julia Hart gave Malakai the mask that once belonged to Andrade. Andrade tried to charge the ring to get his mask back, but the referees held him back.

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #4: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Finals – Ricky Starks def. CM Punk

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Punk used a side headlock takeover. Punk followed up with a shoulder tackle. Starks charged back with a shoulder block on Punk. CM Punk hip tossed Ricky over the top rope. Punk held the ropes open and invited Starks back into the ring. Punk charged at Starks and Starks dodged him, shoving Punk through the ropes. Punk spilled out onto the arena floor. Starks held the ropes open and invited Punk back in. Punk hit a side Russian leg sweep on Ricky, an homage to Bret Hart. Punk body slammed Starks. Punk climbed to the second turnbuckle, but Starks pulled Punk off the ropes. Punk crashed hard onto the mat. Punk nailed Starks with Punk’s signature running knee in the turnbuckles. Starks tried for a DDT, but Punk blocked it. Punk connected with a roundhouse kick to Starks. Ricky countered a short arm clothesline with a DDT for a near fall on Punk. Starks climbed to the top rope. Starks attempted an elbow drop but Punk sat up and laughed as Starks hit the mat. Punk grounded and pounded Starks. Starks and Punk collided off the ropes, torso to torso, knocking the wind out of each other. Starks rocked Punk with rapid fire forearms. Punk spiked Starks with a piledriver for a two-count. Punk signaled for the GTS. Punk lifted up Starks, but Starks escaped. Starks speared CM Punk, but Punk rolled outside to buy himself some time. Starks tried for the spear again, but Punk countered with a front face lock. Starks boot touched the bottom rope, so the ref broke the hold. Punk hit a hurracanrana off the top rope! Using the momentum, Starks rolled up Punk. Punk reversed it, but then Starks countered with a rollup and held the ropes and pinned CM Punk!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4/5

What can you complain about a show that features what is surely an instant classic match as its opener? Goddamn, that 2 out of 3 falls tag match has to be one of the best tag matches we’ve ever had in AEW, up there with a lot of FTR other tag matches IMHO. And it also showed why Jay White and Juice Robinson we great hires for the company… this was easily the duo’s best match since arriving in AEW. And I know I’ve complained about the tournaments that have been going on in AEW over the past few weeks but the culmination of the Owen Hart tournament proved to me why these things SHOULD exist, with both finals really delivering, especially the women’s match – I do hop that this win over Ruby Soho leads to bigger things, bigger feuds, and title shots for Willow, she’s really earned it and getting that brief spell with the New Japan title not only put her over but it also proved she’s can carry a belt in ANY company. The only downside this week? The squash match from the House of Black, which was more of an angle with Andrade rather than a true match… but hey, when the rest of the show was that good, what’s one squash match to spoil the mix?!