‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Nov 11th 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 Tony Schiavone calling the action, so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: Andrade El Idolo vs. Daniel Garcia

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Before the match began, CJ Perry walked down the ramp and stood next to Andrade. They nodded and smiled at one another. Miro was watching on a monitor backstage. Garcia and Andrade locked up with a stiff collar and elbow tie up. Andrade grabbed a full arm twist, but Garcia escaped. Andrade applied a side headlock. Garcia was about to perform his dance, but Andrade rocked him with a shoulder tackle. Garcia fired off forearm shots to Andrade El Idolo. Garcia dropkicked Andrade. Garcia missed a knee drop. Andrade jumped off the top turnbuckle with a big crossbody to Garcia. Daniel Garcia caught Andrade with a dragon screw leg whip through the ropes. Garcia charged at Andrade El Idolo with a running knee strike. Garcia danced in front of CJ Perry. Daniel Garcia nailed Andrade with a German Suplex. Garcia attempted a superplex but Andrade El Idolo headbutted Garcia, knocking him to the mat. Garcia grabbed an ankle lock on Andrade. Garcia wrenched on the leg. Andrade tried to fight the pain instead of going to the ropes. Garcia chop blocked Andrade, but Andrade retaliated with two dragon screw leg whips. Andrade hit Garcia with a running forearm shot. Andrade got a full head of steam and rammed Garcia with a double knee strike in the turnbuckles! Garcia managed to pick up Andrade with a vertical suplex. Andrade returned the favor with vertical suplexes of his own. Garcia answered with a brainbuster for a near fall! Andrade scoop slammed Daniel Garcia. Andrade climbed to the top turnbuckle and connected with a moonsault for a two-count. Andrade connected with a pump kick and applied the figure four. Andrade transitioned into the figure eight and forced Daniel Garcia to tap out!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #2: Nick Wayne def. Dalton Castle

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Dalton Castle grappled Nick Wayne to the mat. Dalton Castle suplexed Nick Wayne and rammed his knee into Wayne’s back. Castle rocked Wayne with another gut wrench suplex. Nick Wayne stunned Castle with a flying forearm shot. Nick Wayne followed up with a snap mare. Nick Wayne countered a German Suplex attempt with a forward roll. Dalton Castle threw Nick Wayne with a suplex. Nick Wayne tried for Wayne’s World, but Castle blocked it with a German Suplex. Luchasaurus chokeslammed the Boys on the arena floor! Dalton charged at Nick, but Nick moved, sending Dalton right into the ring post. Nick Wayne planted Dalton with Wayne’s World and won the match via pin fall!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #3: LFI’s RUSH & Dralistico def. The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Dralistico and Henry chain wrestled at the start of the match. Henry back kicked Dralistico in the stomach. JD Drake tagged in and splashed Dralistico. Dralistico chopped Drake but Drake absorbed it. Rush tagged in and traded chops with JD Drake. Rush rocked Drake with a shotgun dropkick and then stomped Drake. Henry ran in but Rush shoved Henry over the top rope, sending Henry tumbling to the arena floor. Rush and Dralistico connected with a double dropkick on JD Drake. The Workhorsemen double teamed Dralistico. Rush tagged in and cleaned house on the Workhorsemen. Rush clobbered Henry with a spinning forearm. JD Drake and Anthony Henry staggered Dralistico with tandem offense. Drake connected with a cannonball on Dralistico. Drake went for a moonsault, but Dralistico dodged it. Rush charged at Drake with the Bull’s Horns and pinned JD Drake!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #4: Roderick Strong def. Darius Martin

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

The Kingdom rolled Roderick to the ring in a wheelchair. Strong bullied Darius into the corner. Strong wrenched on Martin’s arm and wrist. Darius retaliated with a beautiful dropkick. Darius connected with a big cross body off the top rope for a near fall on Roderick Strong. Roddy lured Darius in and then blasted him with a back breaker. Roddy chopped Darius in the corner. Roderick followed up with another back breaker. Roderick hit Darius with a perfect dropkick. Darius stunned Roderick with a jawbreaker. Darius battered Roderick in the corner with chops. Roderick waffled Darius with the Sick Kick and finished him off with the End of Heartache, scoring the pin on Darius!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #5: Julia Hart def. Willow Nightingale

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Willow pointed at her eye, remembering what Julia Hart did to her. Willow hurled Julia across the ring. Willow body slammed Julia Hart. Skye Blue was watching on a monitor backstage. Willow planted Julia with a side slam. Outside the ring, Julia and Willow traded strikes. Willow connected with a vertical suplex on Julia on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Julia stomped on Willow’s left arm and hand. Willow powered out with a clothesline to Julia Hart. Willow splashed Julia with a hip attack in the corner. Willow booted Julia in the chest. Willow planted Julia with a spinebuster for a near fall. Julia charged at Willow with a hip check in the corner. Julia applied the Heartless Lock, but Willow stood up. Julia hammered away at Willow’s back. Willow pounced Julia! Outside the ring, Willow shoved Julia into the steel ring steps. Willow charged at Julia, but Julia moved, sending Willow crashing into the steps. Willow slammed Julia with a half and half full nelson for a near fall. Julia cracked Willow with a lariat to the back of the head. Julia scored the pin after a moonsault press!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #6: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Alexander

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Paul Wight joined the commentary team for the next match. Hobbs clubbed his opponent and then planted him with a spinebuster. Hobbs quickly pinned his opponent and then stared at Paul Wight.

My Score: 0 out of 5

Match #7: Sting, Darby Allin & Adam Copeland def. “The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer & The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Big Dutch knocked Copeland down to the mat. Copeland connected with a flying lariat and tagged out to Darby Allin. Darby put Vincent in a side headlock. Vincent kicked Darby in the face and headbutted Darby’s jaw. Lance Archer tagged in, and Sting demanded Darby tag him in. Sting ducked a lariat from Archer. Sting chopped at Archer. Sting knocked Archer over the top rope with a clothesline. Sting punted Dutch off the top turnbuckle pad. Archer caught Sting midflight and planted him. Archer and the Righteous worked over Sting in their corner. Vincent chomped down on Sting’s forehead. The Righteous collided with Sting in the corner with running elbows, one after another. Lance Archer stomped on Sting. Sting rocked Vincent with a shoulder tackle. Darby tagged in and blasted Vincent with a shotgun dropkick. Darby tried for a Code Red on Vincent but Dutch nailed Darby with a lariat. Lance Archer launched Darby with a suplex. The Righteous tried tandem offense but Darby shoved Vincent into Dutch! Archer pulled Sting off the apron and rammed him into the guardrail. Copeland tagged in and flew off the top turnbuckle with a double clothesline for the Righteous. Copeland speared Lance Archer. Copeland jumped through the rope with a tope suicida onto the Righteous and Archer. Darby Coffin Dropped Archer outside the ring. Copeland went for the spear, but Dutch countered with a Bossman slam! Sting grabbed Dutch in a Scorpion Death Drop and Copeland dropped an elbow on Dutch! Sting splashed Vincent in the corner and Copeland speared Vincent for the pinfall victory!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3/5

A pretty decent week on Collision, with only the stupid Hobbs squash match ruining proceedings. As others have said, this show feels different from other AEW shows and that’s a GOOD thing, with three shows per week from the brand – especially now it’s all mainstream TV stuff and not more “experimental” matches on YouTube – things feel a little samey at times. So kudos for programming Collision differently. Though there’s one thing almost as bad as the squash match this week… Roderick Strong’s shitty neck gimmick. It sucks. Don’t try and defend it. Strong has gone from someone who could’ve been in the title race to someone who’s falling further and further down the card; and so are The Kingdom. Stop this crap and stop it now. Please! As for the best match in this episode, well that is the women’s match between Julia Hart and Willow Nightingale. Yes, these two women stole the show and on top of that they’re both YOUNG talents as well. You don’t get future-talent building like that on the “other” brands two big shows.