‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Apr 27th 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 Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness calling the action, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Unified World Trios Championship Match – Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & The Gunns — Austin & Colten) def. Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jay White dropped Dante with a dragon screw leg whip. Jay White chopped Dante in the corner and then tagged in Colten. The Gunns used crisp tandem offense on Dante Martin. The Bang Bang Gang isolated Dante in the corner and worked him over. Darius grabbed a tag and wiped out Austin with a flatliner. Darius slid out of the ring but was met with a running lariat from Jay White. Action entered the fray and cleaned house on the Bang Bang Gang! After a Spanish Fly, Action covered Austin Gunn for a near fall. Action climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Jay White knocked him down as the ref was distracted. Dante jumped off the top, but Jay White countered with a uranage. The Gunns nailed Darius with the 3:10 to Yuma. Action scored with a thrust kick and then a shotgun dropkick to Jay White! Action tried for a handspring back elbow, but Jay White was waiting for him, blasting Action with the Bladerunner and scoring the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Rey Fenix def. The Beast Mortos
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Beast Mortos grabbed Rey Fenix by the neck and hurled Rey into the turnbuckles. Mortos powerslammed Rey Fenix. The Beast Mortos connected with a twisting tornillo on Rey Fenix! Mortos charged into Rey Fenix with a running lariat and then a discus lariat! Mortos grapevined Rey Fenix’s legs and attacked them, wrenching back. Rey managed to roll to the ropes, forcing the referee to break the submission hold. The Beast Mortos tried to tear and rip at Rey Fenix’s mask. Mortos steamrolled Rey Fenix, ramming Rey to the mat. Rey rallied back, rocking the Beats Mortos with kicks to the jaw. Rey springboarded off the ropes but the Beast speared Rey in the sternum! Somehow Rey Fenix found the strength to wallop the Beast with a tornillo from the top. The Beast countered a tombstone piledriver with a lung blower to Rey Fenix. Rey Fenix served up a series of thrust kicks. Rey Fenix took flight with a frog splash, but the Beast Mortos kicked out at the two-count! The Beast grabbed Rey by the throat again, but this time Rey cradled the Beast Mortos and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Rush def. Martin Stone
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Rush German Suplexed Stone and followed up with a running knee strike! Rush rammed Stone into the steel guardrail. Rush whipped Stone with the TV camera cables. Stone charged at Rush, but Rush countered with a suplex into the buckles. Rush smashed Stone with the Bull’s Horns and pinned Stone!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #4: Toni Storm def. Anna Jay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Anna used a snap mare takeover. Toni Storm hit a Thesz Press on Anna Jay. Toni Storm charged at Anna Jay with a hip attack, inadvertently knocking Anna Jay into Mariah May! Toni checked on Mariah May and as Toni was returning to the ring, Anna Jay rocked Toni with a guillotine neck breaker. Anna Jay applied the Queen Slayer in the center of the ring. Toni Storm managed to get to her feet and then slammed herself backwards on Anna Jay! Toni Storm cracked Anna Jay with the hip attack and then pinned Anna Jay after the Storm Zero!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) def. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Grizzled Young Vets worked over Caster with their European wrestling style. Bowens tagged in and nailed Drake with a neck breaker across Caster’s knees. Gibson grabbed a blind tag, and the Grizzled Young Vets used their seamless tandem offense on Bowens. Drake used Gibson as a launching pad to dropkick Bowens, knocking Bowens off the ring apron. Gibson slammed Caster to the mat and taunted Daddy Ass. Bowens managed to tag in and took on both of the GYV. Bowens connected with the Scissor Me Timbers on Drake. Gibson had Caster cornered. Drake drilled Caster with a running dropkick as Gibson had Caster sandwiched against the turnbuckles. Gibson backdropped Caster over the top rope and onto the ramp! Gibson held Bowens in one corner of the ring while Drake dropkicked Bowens from the opposite corner turnbuckles. The GYV taunted Billy, but Caster came back out of nowhere and hit Drake with a clothesline. After a slam from Bowens, Caster smashed Gibson with the Mic Drop and pinned Gibson for the three-count!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: AEW World Championship Match – Swerve Strickland def. Claudio Castagnoli
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They chain wrestled to start the match. Claudio caught Swerve midair and countered with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. They brawled onto the ramp and up to the stage area. Swerve clocked Claudio with a clothesline back into the ring. Swerve followed up with a cross body press. Swerve staggered Claudio with two reverse neck breakers. Swerve hit a third neck breaker, this time using the middle rope to put more pressure on Claudio’s neck. Claudio grabbed Swerve off the apron and then press slammed him against the concrete staging. The champ rallied back with a pump kick to Claudio. Swerve served up a flying European Uppercut to Claudio. Swerve planted Claudio with a flatliner for a near fall. Swerve ran off the stage and crashed onto Claudio with a moonsault. Swerve landed a 450 splash on Claudio for a near fall! Claudio stomped Swerve! The champion got right back up and he and Claudio traded European Uppercuts in the center of the ring! Claudio had a head of steam and wiped out Swerve with a lariat. Swerve showed his incredible strength, hoisted up Claudio with a vertical suplex and planted him! The champion jumped from the top rope with the Swerve Stomp. Claudio kicked out at the two-count! Claudio dodged the House Call kick and countered with the Giant Swing. Claudio put Swerve in the sharpshooter! Claudio transitioned to a cross face in the center of the ring! Claudio used the hammer and anvil strikes on Swerve. Claudio turned Swerve inside out with a running lariat for a near fall! Swerve escaped a Neutralizer attempt and spiked Claudio with a DDT! Swerve attempted the Swerve Stomp, but Claudio caught him and countered with a European Uppercut for a near fall! Swerve rocked Claudio with a release German Suplex. Swerve finally hit the Swerve Stomp! Swerve finished Claudio with the House Call and pinned Claudio!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
I feel we’re getting somewhat of a pattern emerging when it comes to Collision. Namely that when that week’s Dynamite isn’t as well-received as it could be ALL the stops are pulled out to make Collision THE show to watch that week. Oh and this week, as some have pointed out online, it felt like Fenix and Rush’s returns could have possibly been timed to be counter-programming to the lacklustre reception of the whole TK/Elite thing. Bringing back wrestlers that people are excited to see certainly goes some way to helping them “forget” what happened on Dynamite. The big surprise this week, however, was Swerve Strickland defending his title for the first time in the main event of this show. Again, that SHOULD have been a Dynamite thing given Dynamite is the flagship show but – as with this week – it certainly doesn’t feel like that’s the case. It feels like Dynamite is becoming the “story” show and Collision the [frankly better] “wrestling” show. If only the ratings reflected that though.