‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Dec 23rd 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 McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone calling the action, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Continental Classic: Blue League Match – Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli (Draw)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danielson and Claudio grappled on the mat, reaching a stalemate. The Blackpool Combat Club teammates know each other very well. Danielson stomped on the back of Claudio’s knees. Claudio fired back with a European Uppercut, stunning Danielson. Claudio slammed Danielson and then dropped an elbow on him. Claudio thumbed Danielson in the eye. Claudio tried for the Giant Swing, but Danielson cradled him for a near fall. Claudio rocked Bryan with a lariat for a two-count. Claudio tried again for the Giant Swing, but Danielson countered with the Le Bell Lock. Claudio escaped by grabbing the ring ropes. Danielson jumped off the apron and connected with a high knee to Claudio’s shoulder. Danielson whipped Claudio into the steel ring steps. Back in the ring, Danielson charged at Claudio with a dropkick, but Claudio caught him and hurled him around in the Giant Swing! Claudio hit Danielson with a headbutt. Claudio followed Danielson out of the ring and ran at Danielson with a running European Uppercut. Claudio was perched on the top turnbuckle, but Danielson knocked him down, putting Claudio in a Tree of Woe type position. Danielson kicked Claudio and then walloped him with a belly-to-back suplex off the top rope. Danielson managed to apply the Le Bell Lock again. Claudio touched the rope with his bottom rope and Danielson held onto the submission lock as long as legally possible. Finally, the ref saw Claudio’s boot and forced Danielson to relinquish the hold. Claudio made Danielson pay with an avalanche superplex from the top rope, and there was less than five minutes remaining. Claudio hoisted up Bryan for the Ricola Bomb. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s arm, looking for a triangle choke, but Claudio planted Danielson with the Neutralizer for a near fall! Danielson charged at Claudio with a running knee strike. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s wrists and began to stomp on Claudio’s head. Claudio reversed it and began to stomp on Danielson’s head! They kicked one another until Claudio applied the sharpshooter. There was one minute remaining! Danielson clawed the mat, trying to reach the ropes. Claudio sat down, making the sharpshooter even tighter! Thirty seconds remained! Fans were on their feet! With ten seconds left, Claudio tried for the Ricola Bomb, but Danielson escaped. Claudio rocked Danielson with a knee and went for the cover but time expired! The match ended in a draw!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Trios Championship Match – The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) & Daddy Ass def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) & Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Action went for a backdrop, but Bowens countered with a neck breaker. Bowens blasted Action with a thrust kick. Darius and Action hit the Acclaimed with stereo dropkicks. Daddy Ass tagged in and knocked Action Andretti to the mat. Daddy Ass planted Action with a side slam. Top Flight used tandem offense on Max, and then Action splashed Max with a standing shooting star press. Dante jumped off the ropes, but Billy waffled him with a stiff uppercut. Billy planted Darius with a tilt awhirl slam. Top Flight took flight and connected with topes to Daddy Ass and Anthony Bowens. Meanwhile, in the ring, Max Caster rolled up Action Andretti out of nowhere and pinned him!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Keith Lee def. Brian Cage
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Keith Lee and Brian Cage locked up. Keith shoved Cage away and smiled. Keith Lee charged at Cage, but Cage dodged him. Cage whacked Lee with a basement dropkick and then a tornado DDT. Keith Lee splashed Cage in the corner and then clobbered Cage with body shots. Keith Lee threw Cage over Lee’s head for a two-count. Brian Cage superplexed Keith Lee. Cage hoisted up Lee and tossed him down with a faceplant. Prince Nana pulled a cinder block from beneath the ring. He slid it into the mat. Keith Lee headbutted Cage and then finished him off with a jackhammer, scoring the pin on Cage!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Continental Classic: Blue League Match – Daniel Garcia def. Brody King
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Garcia slapped Brody in the face, making a statement. Brody immediately began to pummel Garcia and then clobbered him with a gigantic cannonball for a near fall. Brody hammered Garcia with forearm shots. Brody fought off Garcia with boots to Brody’s face. Brody used a sit out senton on Garcia for a two-count. Brody crumpled Garcia with a knife edge chop. Brody invited Garcia to chop him, and Garcia obliged. Garcia was fighting like the rent was due. Garcia shocked Brody with a suplex. Brody retaliated with a Death Valley Driver and then a lariat for a near fall. Brody spiked Garcia with the Gonzo Bomb but Garcia kicked out. Brody picked up Garcia, who was like deadweight. Brody slapped at Garcia, but Garcia jackknifed Brody and pinned him!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Thunder Rosa & Abadon def. Julia Hart & Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Skye Blue stomped on Abadon. Julia tagged in and began to bash Abadon’s head on the mat. Abadon caught Julia and planted her onto the mat. Abadon began to batter Julia on the mat and then connected with a running knee. Abadon tried to make a tag, but Skye Blue charged in and prevented Abadon from reaching Thunder Rosa. Julia Hart and Skye Blue double teamed Abadon. Abadon double DDT’ed Blue and Hart. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and cleaned house on Julia and Skye. Thunder Rosa smashed into Skye Blue with a flying lariat and then double knees! Thunder Rosa nailed Skye with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Skye Blue clocked Thunder Rosa with a thrust kick. Julia Hart climbed to the top rope, but Abadon knocked her down. Thunder Rosa hit the Tijuana Bomb on Skye Blue and then pinned her!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Continental Classic: Blue League Match – Eddie Kingston def. Andrade El Idolo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kingston ducked Andrade’s back elbow at the start of the match. Andrade ducked Eddie’s spinning back fist. Kingston did a double foot stomp on Andrade’s abdomen. Andrade came off the ropes, but Kingston turned him inside out with a lariat. Andrade wiped out Kingston with a dragon screw leg whip. He sent Kingston back down again with a flying forearm. Andrade smoked Kingston when he ran into Kingston in the corner with a double knee strike. Andrade rocked Kingston with the three amigos suplex. Andrade jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Kingston countered with a boot. In the process, Kingston tweaked his knee. Kingston fired off the Kobashi chops to Andrade and followed up with an Exploder Suplex for a near fall. Andrade snapmared Kingston through the ropes and to the arena floor. Andrade connected with a moonsault. Andrade went for another moonsault, this time in the ring, but Kingston moved, so Andrade adjusted and crashed onto Kingston with a standing moonsault. Eddie sent Andrade flying with a belly to back suplex for a two-count. Andrade backed up Kingston into the corner. Andrade starched Kingston with a spinning back elbow but Kingston kicked out at the two-count! Andrade applied the figure four, bridged up for the figure eight, but Eddie grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. Eddie stunned Andrade with two spinning back fists! Kingston hoisted up Andrade and planted him headfirst on the mat and pinned Andrade!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
What a pre-Christmas treat this week’s episode of Collision was! Opening with Danielson versus Castagnoli was THE perfect start to the show, and the other Bkue League matches in the show really delivered as well. A shock win for Daniel Garcia was a very nice surprise, whilst I would have REALLY preferred Top Flight and Action Andretti to take the Trios titles but maybe we’ll get a rematch down the line where that will happen. It was interesting that Keith Lee resurrected his feud with Swerve Strickland… I wonder why though? Strickland has left that feud far behind in recent weeks. Whatever, we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and see how it pans out.
