‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Mar 16th 2024)
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: Bryan Danielson def. Katsuyori Shibata
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danielson and Shibata chain wrestled at the start of the match. Danielson bridged his way out of wristlock. Shibata tried to keep his distance from Danielson’s kicks. They locked up and traded kicks. Danielson stomped on the back of Shibata’s knees, targeting the hamstrings. Danielson kicked Shibata in the spine. Shibata rocked Danielson with forearms, but Danielson countered with a butterfly suplex. Danielson put Shibata in a surfboard submission, but Shibata escaped. Danielson and Shibata traded chops until Danielson went low and dropped Shibata with a single leg takedown. Shibata suplexed Danielson out of the ring and followed up with a running PK from the apron. Danielson rallied back with a running dropkick, but Shibata chased after Danielson and clocked the American Dragon with a running boot in the corner. Danielson tried for a discus elbow, but Shibata countered and planted Danielson hard with a trip. Shibata and Danielson clinched one another and exchanged knee strikes. Shibata drilled Danielson with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Danielson rocked Shibata with a running knee strike. Danielson applied the LeBell Lock. Shibata managed to reach the ropes with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Shibata taunted Danielson, inviting Danielson to kick him. Danielson obliged, and then Shibata served up straight pump kicks to Danielson. Shibata blistered Bryan with kicks to the chest. Now Danielson taunted Shibata and invited Shibata to kick him. They both sat down and slapped one another with open palm strikes! Danielson caught Shibata in the back of the head with a kick. Shibata dodged Danielson’s charging knee strike and put Danielson in the Iron Octopus. Danielson escaped after putting his boot on the ropes. They grappled until Danielson was able to cradle Shibata and score the pin!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: TBS Championship Match – The House of Black’s Julia Hart def. The Infantry’s Trish Adora
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
This match took place under “House Rules.” The loser will be banned from ringside during their respective team’s match later tonight. Trish knocked down Julia with a shoulder block. Julia escaped a body slam attempt and rammed Adora headfirst into the steel ring steps. Julia whipped Trish into the ringside barricade. Trish retaliated with a shoulder breaker back in the ring. Julia dodged a pump kick and then blasted Trish with a running lariat. Trish rocked Julia with a German Suplex from her knees for a near fall on Julia. The champ fired back with a thrust kick. Julia nailed Trish with a moonsault and pinned Trish, racking up another win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Daniel Garcia def. Lee Moriarty
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Garcia blasted Moriarty with a shotgun dropkick. Shane Taylor distracted Garcia on the arena floor, long enough for Lee to rocket out of the ring with a tope suicida to Garcia. Lee Moriarty swung at Garica, but Garica answered with strikes and then stomped Moriarty in the corner. Moriarty cracked Garcia in the back of the head with a jumping kick. Moriarty hit a double foot stomp on Garcia. Moriarty went for the Fang, but Garcia countered and locked in a vicious heel hook, forcing Moriarty to tap out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: “The Bastard” Pac def. Aaron Solo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Solo came out of the gates strong, with a flurry of offense on Pac! “The Bastard” stomped on Solo. Pac’s quick feet knocked Solo to the mat. Pac rocked Solo with a shotgun dropkick off the top rope. Pac splashed Solo with the Black Arrow! Pac, wanting to make a statement, put Solo in the Brutalizer submission and won via ref stoppage!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #5: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Lance Archer (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They rammed each other with shoulder blocks, neither man budged. Claudio scoop slammed Archer, but Archer got right up! Claudio and Archer slugged it out, two battling bulls in the ring. Claudio clocked Archer with a lariat, knocking Archer over the top rope. Claudio attempted a running European Uppercut on the floor, but Archer blocked it. Archer followed up with a cannonball senton off the apron and onto Claudio! Archer nailed Claudio with a side slam in the ring. Archer signaled for a DDT, but Claudio reversed it and stunned Archer with a big vertical suplex. Archer tried to walk the ropes, but Claudio pulled him down and cracked him with a European Uppercut. Claudio climbed up the turnbuckles, but Archer blasted him with a rising knee strike. Archer choke slammed Claudio for a near fall! Claudio came back with a Death Valley Driver on Archer! Claudio hit a cutter on Archer from the top turnbuckle for a near fall. Claudio got Archer in the Giant Swing but The Righteous—Vincent and Dutch—sprinted down the ramp and ambushed Claudio in the ring! The Righteous attacked Claudio until Bryan Danielson came down to even up the odds for his fellow Blackpool Combat Club teammate! The numbers were too many, and they swarmed Danielson! Shibata sprinted to the ring with a chair, and Archer and The Righteous retreated!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: Kyle O’Reilly def. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kyle cracked Keith with a forearm. Keith baited Kyle in and connected with a spinning kick. Keith put O’Reilly in an abdominal stretch. Keith transitioned with a DDT, spiking Kyle right on his head and neck. Kyle put Bryan Keith in a triangle choke. Kyle gave up the submission attempt in search of something else. Keith battled back with a double underhook power bomb, though. Kyle fired back with a lariat, a brain buster, and then the Armageddon submission hold, forcing Bryan Keith to tap out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #7: The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Captain Shawn Dean) def. The House of Black (Brody King & Buddy Matthews)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winning team faces FTR in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The House of Black wasted no time pummeling the Infantry outside the ring, seeking and destroying. The ref asked the Infantry if they could compete, and the Infantry wouldn’t back down. Shawn Dean splashed Brody and Buddy in the corner. Brody fired back with a monstrous lariat! The House of Black took turns battering Carlie. They hit Dante’s Inferno on Dean, but Carlie broke up the pin attempt. The House of Black circled the Infantry, stalking them in the ring. Brody spiked Carlie Bravo on the announcers’ desk! Buddy curb stomped Shawn Dean! Julia Hart whispered into Buddy’s ear, and he smiled. Buddy climbed to the top turnbuckle. The ref had his back turned on Buddy, as he was admonishing Julia Hart on the apron. Mark Briscoe ran down to the ring and whacked Buddy in the head with a steel chair! Brody King followed Briscoe up the arena steps, leaving Buddy in the ring. Shawn Dean crawled over and covered Buddy, scoring the pin! Malakai Black stormed down to the ring, furiously staring at Mark Briscoe!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
There’s no way anyone can complain about this week’s Collision – the show opened with a LITERAL dream match! Two guys in the ring who really shouldn’t be given their past health scares/issues but two men who overcame those issues and kick-ass each and every time they get in the ring! If anyone ever belittles AEW you only have to point them to matches like this to show why AEW should and does exist! The rest of the card was on point too. Solid matches across the board, and even though the Castagnoli/Archer match ended in a no-contest it was easily the second-best match of the night. Archer looked like a beast against Castagnoli and for once was given ACTUAL competition in the Swiss Cyborg! And let’s not forget The Infantry… I’ve always loved seeing Bravo and Dean in action and to give them a high-profile spot like the main event this week was, for me, fantastic!