‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Dec 2nd 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 Tournament: Blue League Match – Brody King def. Claudio Castagnoli
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Brody and Claudio, both known for their power, began the match by blasting one another with forearms. Brody hit Claudio with a lariat, not afraid to utilize the cast on his injured arm. Brody pump kicked Claudio, taking down Claudio with a big boot to the face. Claudio came back with a body slam and then knocked Brody over the top rope and to the arena floor with a clothesline. Claudio followed up with a running European Uppercut. Claudio whipped Brody into the steel barricade. Brody charged back with a lariat and then removed the steel padding on the barricade. Brody hurled Claudio back into the exposed barricade. Back in the ring, Brody clobbered Claudio with a scoop slam and a running senton splash. Claudio rallied back with European Uppercuts to Brody in the corner. Claudio went for the Giant Swing, but Brody pushed him away. Claudio shot back with a double foot stomp for a near fall. Claudio rocked Brody with a pop up European Uppercut. Claudio grabbed Brody in the Giant Swing! Claudio applied a sharpshooter. Brody crawled to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Brody managed to German Suplex Claudio and followed up with a running cannonball in the corner. He covered Claudio but Claudio kicked out at one! Claudio hit a Canadian Destroyer on Brody and covered him, but Brody kicked out at one. Brody spiked Claudio with a piledriver for a near fall! Brody leveled Claudio with a massive lariat and pinned Claudio!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Abadon def. Kiera Hogan
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hogan hit a shotgun dropkick on Abadon. Abadon battered Hogan in the corner. They charged at Hogan, but Hogan moved and connected with a thrust kick. Kiera Hogan followed up with a dropkick for a near fall. Abadon used a sidewalk slam on Kiera Hogan. Abadon stunned Hogan with a cutter. Kiera Hogan nailed Abadon with a neck breaker. Abadon fired back with a knee strike. They planted Hogan hard on the mat with the Black Dahlia and pinned Hogan!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match – Andrade El Idolo def. Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Andrade applied a side headlock. Garcia shoved him off, but Andrade came off the ropes with a shoulder block. Andrade hit a big cross body press on Garcia. Andrade jumped over the top with a plancha to Garcia. Garcia used a pair of dragon screw leg whips on Andrade. Garcia rammed Andrade into the barricade. Garcia climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Andrade shoved him off the perch. Garcia tumbled hard onto the arena floor. Garcia rallied back, tying Andrade into the Tree of Woe and then hammering on Andrade’s knee. Garcia blasted Andrade with a running dropkick and then a brain buster for a near fall! Garcia missed a lariat and Andrade countered with two suplexes. Garcia escaped a third attempt from Andrade, jumping on Andrade’s back with a sleeper. Andrade climbed to the top rope with Garcia on his back. Andrade superplexed Garcia! Andrade followed up with a series of suplexes, an homage to Eddy. Andrade finished off Garcia with the flatliner and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) def. The Iron Savages (Boulder & Bronson)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Boulder knocked down both members of the Kingdom with a cross body. He choke slammed Bennett on the apron. Taven cracked Bronson with a thrust kick. Boulder tried for a moonsault, but Taven rolled out of the way. Bennett nailed Bronson with a Death Valley Driver and Taven followed up with Just the Tip of the Knee strike! They spiked Bronson with a piledriver, and Taven scored the pin. Roderick Strong jumped into the ring after the match and wiped out the manager of the Iron Savages!
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #5: Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews def. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sydal jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Buddy grabbed him and nailed him with an elbow. Sydal fired back with a high kick to Buddy’s head. Daniels tagged in and they exhibited great tandem offense on Buddy. Malakai wiped out Daniels with a moonsault to the floor! Sydal tagged in and connected with a missile dropkick on Black. Malakai cracked Sydal with an elbow to the back of the head. Buddy blasted Daniels with a meteora, and Sydal had the same idea, taking down Black with a meteora of his own. Black swept out Daniels’ legs, and then Buddy curb stomped CD! Black ended it with a high roundhouse kick to Daniels’ head and pinned Daniels!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: El Hijo del Vikingo def. Kip Sabian
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Vikingo shocked Sabian with a kick and then an arm drag off the ropes. Vikingo went for a tope, but Sabian had an answer, drilling Vikingo with a stiff kick to the face. Kip followed up with an Arabian moonsault. Vikingo connected with a spinning kick to Kip. He followed up with a torture rack knee lift strike to Sabian. Vikingo came off the ropes with a 360 phoenix splash from the other side for a near fall on Sabian. Sabian climbed to the top turnbuckle and jockeyed for position with Vikingo. Sabian took down Vikingo with a hurracanrana. Vikingo rallied back with a tornillo from the top and then a running knee strike! Vikingo pinned Sabian after a 630 splash!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #7: Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match – Bryan Danielson def. Eddie Kingston
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danielson fired off a chop to Kingston’s chest. Kingston retaliated, knocking Danielson off his feet! Danielson’s view was limited as he was wearing an eye patch over his injured eye. Danielson pulled back on Kingston’s arm, driving his knee into Kingston’s back. Danielson German Suplexed Kingston. Danielson booted Kingston in the face. Danielson slid out of the ring but Kingston back suplexed Danielson on the arena floor! Danielson headbutted Kingston and dropped Kingston with a missile dropkick. Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock. Kingston escaped, mounted Danielson, and began to ground and pound Danielson. Kingston cracked Danielson with a spinning back fist for a near fall! Kingston grabbed a two-count on Danielson after a vertical suplex. Danielson stunned Kingston with a round kick to the top of the head. Danielson battered Kingston with a barrage of kicks. Eddie tossed Danielson with a half and half suplex. Danielson blocked a spinning backfist and then dumped Kingston on his head with a suplex. Danielson grabbed Kingston’s wrists and began to stomp Kingston’s head! Kingston flipped off Bryan Danielson. Bryan nailed Kingston with the running knee strike and pinned Kingston!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Another week, another good episode of Collision and one that was made, and yes I do sound like a broken record at this point, by the Continental Classic tournament – which delivered a fantastic opening match, a great mid-show match and then closed the show even better with an absolute banger from Danielson and Kingston. Speaking of Kingston, the man is currently the GOAT of this tournament (and I’d go as far as saying he’s one of the goats of AEW altogether) even though he hasn’t won a single match! It was also great to see Kiera Hogan in action this week too, and against Abadon, who seems to be on something of a streak appearing on AEW television – may it long continue! The only letdown in this episode was the Kingdom match… But I’ve already made my feelings very clear on those guys. But let’s just say I’d have preferred the Iron Savages (yes, I’m finally warming to the new name and personas) gave them an ass-whooping!
