‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Sept 9th 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 and Kevin Kelly calling the action this week, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: AEW International Championship Match – Jon Moxley def. Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moxley blasted Andretti with a chop in the corner. Mox cracked Action with a forearm. Moxley extended his leg, booting Andretti in the face. Action surprised Moxley with a tope suicida. Moxley hammered away with headbutts. Andretti clipped Mox with a dropkick. Action flipped over the ropes and crashed onto Moxley. The champ charged at Andretti, but Andretti dodged him, and Moxley’s own momentum forced him into the steel ring steps. Moxley rallied back with a wild dive through the ropes to Action. Andretti fought back with a Falcon Arrow. Action propelled Mox back with a shotgun dropkick, but Moxley fired at Action with his own! Action grabbed a near fall after a tornillo on the champ. Action grabbed Mox by the wrists and began to stomp on him. Moxley countered, putting Action in the bulldog choke and putting him to sleep! Mox won via submission!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: TBS Championship Open Challenge Match – Kris Statlander def. Robyn Renegade
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Kris connected with a dropkick. Kris German Suplexed Robyn. Charlotte Renegade grabbed Kris’ ankle from outside the ring. The distraction allowed Robyn to hit Kris Statlander with a cheap shot. Statlander rocked Robyn with a round kick. She followed up with a running elbow and then a charging boot in the corner. Statlander grabbed a near fall after a Blue Thunder Bomb. Statlander rolled up Robyn and pinned her.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Bullet Club Gold’s Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn & Juice Robinson def. Aerostar, Dios Del Inframundo & Gravity
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Juice jabbed away at Dios Del Inframundo. Andrade El Idolo was watching the match on a monitor backstage. Gravity and Aerostar double teamed Juice. The Gunns distracted the ref and Juice quickly regained control of the match, grounding and pounding Gravity. Aerostar made the tag and rocked Austin Gunn with a stunner. Dios Del Inframundo tagged in, and the Gunns went after him. The Gunns dropped Gravity with their 3:10 to Yuma! Juice rocked Dios with a leg lariat and then finished him off, grabbing the pin for Bullet Club Gold!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Rey Fenix def. Angelico
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Rey Fenix rocketed out of the ring at Angelico with a tope. Fenix jumped off the apron and kicked Angelico in the face. Angelico hit a back breaker on Rey Fenix. Angelico began to work over Rey Fenix’s arm. Rey Fenix took Angelico down with a springboard arm drag. He followed up with a frog splash for a near fall on Angelico. Rey clocked Angelico with a thrust kick. Angelico ate another thrust kick. Rey Fenix rocked Angelico with a cutter for a two-count. Rey Fenix spiked Angelico, dropping him right on his head and scoring the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Grand Slam World Championship Eliminator Semi-Finals Match – Roderick Strong def. Darby Allin
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Darby was making his entrance on a skateboard when TNT Champion Luchasaurus ambushed him, grabbing him off the board. Christian Cage told Darby he’d never be champion. Luchasaurus hurled Darby into the overhead garage doors. Darby crawled down the ramp. Nick Wayne was there to support him and pump him up. As Darby entered the ring, Roderick Strong charged at Darby and went to work on Darby’s back. Darby shot out of the ring with a tope, crashing into Strong! Darby nailed Roddy with the Code Red for a near fall. Roderick reversed things with an STF, but Darby managed to grab the ropes. Roderick blistered the chest of Darby with stiff chops. Darby headbutted Roddy off the top rope. Roddy ran back and shoved Darby throat first into the top of the ring post. Roderick planted Darby on the top turnbuckle. Darby careened off the top turnbuckle and crashed onto the edge of the ring. Somehow Darby mustered the energy to nail Roderick with a Coffin Drop! AR Fox came down to even up the odds as the Kingdom outnumbered Nick Wayne. Roderick rocked Darby with the Sick Kick. AR Fox inadvertently hit Nick Wayne. In the ring Roderick smashed Darby with the End of Heartache and pinned Darby!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #6: Grand Slam World Championship Eliminator Semi-Finals Match – Samoa Joe def. Penta El Zero Miedo
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Jim Ross joined the broadcast booth for the main event. Samoa Joe battered Penta El Zero Miedo with chops and headbutts. Roderick Strong and the Kingdom were scouting the match backstage on a monitor. Penta tried for a sliding dropkick, but Samoa Joe moved out of the way. Penta surprised Samoa Joe with a sling blade. Samoa Joe whipped Penta El Zero Miedo into the steel barricade. Both men exchanged chops on the outside of the ring. Samoa Joe thumbed Penta in the eyes. Penta El Zero Miedo pulled a table out from beneath the ring. He and Alex Abrahantes propped the table up against the barricade. Back in the ring, Penta attempted a double foot stomp, but Samoa Joe moved out of the way. Samoa Joe followed up with a big back elbow. Samoa Joe hit a hot shot on Penta on the top turnbuckle. Samoa Joe splashed Penta in the corner turnbuckles. The pace quickened with Penta cracking Samoa Joe with a backstabber. Penta connected with a thrust kick. Samoa Joe caught Penta with a powerslam for a near fall. Penta nailed Samoa Joe in the back with a kick. Penta was looking for an arm bar submission, but Samoa Joe escaped. Samoa Joe crushed Penta with a senton for a two-count. Penta flipped over the top rope and landed on top of Samoa Joe. Penta went for a second dive, but Samoa Joe walked away, sending Penta crashing through the table that he propped up earlier. Samoa Joe applied his submission hold and made Penta El Zero Miedo tap out!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Jade Cargill returned to AEW after Kris Statlander’s match
- Bryan Danielson announced plans for his retirement
Final Verdict: 4/5
This was a fantastic episode of Collision, with some great matches (both Grand Slam tournament matches), the appearance of roster members whom we haven’t seen in a while (Angelico and a returning Jade Cargill) and an impassioned promo from Bryan Danielson that got me more excited for what we’re going to get in the next year rather than sad we’ve only got a year left! Plus there was an intriguing tease of Ricky Starks possibly aligning himself with the BCC – whether that happens or not, seeing Starks and Big Bill take on the BCC will be great to watch in the coming weeks.
