‘AEW: Collision’ Review (Dec 21st 2024)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW’s, 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: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Ricochet def. Will Ospreay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Fans threw streamers for Ospreay, but then threw rolls of toilet paper at Ricochet. They grappled to the mat and then Ricochet hit a shoulder tackle. Ospreay popped right back up on his feet. Ospreay went for a hurracanrana, but Ricochet landed on his feet! Ricochet caught Ospreay and tossed him at the top turnbuckle. Ricochet flipped over the top rope and wiped out Ospreay. Ospreay connected with a springboard forearm for a near fall. Ricochet blocked a Styles Clash attempt. Ricochet missed a moonsault attempt and Will nailed him with a Styles Clash. Ricochet kicked out at the two-count. Ricochet rolled out of the ring as Will was setting up for the Hidden Blade. They jockeyed for position on the apron until Ricochet drilled Will with a Death Valley Driver. Ricochet followed up with a shooting star press to Will on the arena floor. Ricochet then blasted Will with a 450 splash. Ospreay somehow, someway kicked out. Ospreay ducked the spirit gun and then countered with a stunner. Ricochet countered an Os Cutter with a stunner. Ricochet went for the spirit gun, but Will hit the hidden blade. The fans erupted with chants for “A-E-W!” They traded forearms, going toe-to-toe. Ospreay fired up and staggered Ricochet with a forearm shot. Ricochet held the referee and shoved Ospreay into him. Ospreay went for Vertigo, but Ospreay countered with a Tiger Driver. The ref tried to get to his feet. Ospreay was climbing the ropes and Ricochet shoved the ref with his boot, knocking him into the ropes. This caused Ospreay to lose his balance and fall. Ricochet rocked Ospreay with the spirit gun and stole the pin!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Statlander displayed her power with a shoulder block that knocked Penelope off her feet. Kris followed up with a delayed vertical suplex, but Penelope slipped out of it and countered with a reverse naked choke. Statlander escaped and hit the suplex this time. Penelope blasted Stat with a blockbuster from the top rope. Penelope nailed Statlander with a double knee smash. Kris fired back with a shotgun dropkick. Statlander turned things around in a heartbeat, whipping Ford into the guardrail. Penelope used a fisherman’s suplex for a two-count on Statlander. Penelope went for a handspring into a back elbow, but Statlander saw it coming. Penelope spiked Stat with a poison rana for a near fall! Ford missed a moonsault, so Kris punished her with a pair of German Suplexes. Statlander finished off Ford with Staturday Night Fever and scored the pin.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Continental Classic Blue League Match – Daniel Garcia def. Shelton Benjamin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Garcia struck Benjamin with a chop and Benjamin grabbed him and slammed Garcia. Benjamin bounced Garcia off the guardrail and then whipped him into the steel ring steps. Benjamin dropped Danny with a lariat. Garcia hit a John Woo dropkick. Shelton hurled Garcia with a big release German Suplex. Benjamin caught Garcia in midair and then threw him overhead with a belly to belly suplex on the arena floor. Daniel Garcia fired back with a John Woo dropkick. Garcia countered a pump kick with a dragon screw leg whip through the ropes. Garcia locked on the Dragon Tamer, but Shelton escaped and transitioned to an STF on Garcia! Benjamin flattened Garcia with a thrust kick. Out of nowhere, Garcia, who was playing possum, rolled up Benjamin and pinned him!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: Continental Classic Blue League Match – Mark Briscoe def. The Beast Mortos
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Briscoe and the Beast slugged it out in the center of the ring. Briscoe unleashed his redneck Kungfu. They chain wrestled, reversing one another’s pin attempts. The Beast bulldozed Briscoe with a running shoulder tackle. The Beast Mortos speared Mark Briscoe! The Beast headbutted Mark. Mark dodged a charge from Mortos and Briscoe dropkicked Mortos through the ropes. Briscoe followed up with a tornillo. Briscoe nailed the Beast Mortos with a release German Suplex on the apron. Briscoe crashed onto Mortos with a sky twister moonsault! Briscoe catapulted off a steal chair with a tope con hiro to Mortos. Briscoe went for the Froggy Bow, but the Beast Mortos raised his knees. The Beast Mortos nailed Mark with a big back breaker and then a power bomb onto his knee! Mortos flattened Mark with a Samoan Drop for a near fall Briscoe dodged a discus lariat. Briscoe connected with the Froggy Bow, but Mortos kicked out at the two-count. Briscoe landed another Froggy Bow and then planted Mortos with the Jay Driller to pick up the 1-2-3!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Claudio Castagnoli def. Darby Allin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida as Claudio was making his entrance. Darby shoved Claudio into the lighting rig. Darby launched himself off the lighting rig and crash landed onto Claudio. Claudio cracked Darby with a pop-up European Uppercut. Claudio hurled Darby by the legs in the giant swing. Darby managed to get to his feet, and he used his body as a projectile battering ram before following up with a Coffin Drop to Claudio. Darby jumped on Claudio’s back and applied a sleeper. Claudio jumped backwards and smashed Darby through the timekeeper’s table. Claudio squashed Darby with a double stomp. Claudio body slammed Darby onto the ring apron. Claudio rammed Darby spine-first into the steel ring post. Claudio swung Darby by the legs into the steel ring steps. Claudio knocked Darby for a loop with a running lariat for a near fall. The fans chanted Darby’s name. Darby countered the Ricola Bomb with a Code Red, but Claudio kicked out at the two-count. Ricochet was seen watching the match backstage on a monitor. Darby went for a Coffin Drop but Claudio raised his knees. Claudio planted Darby with a power bomb for a near fall. Claudio power bombed Darby again and again Darby kicked out! Claudio grabbed a steel chair, and the ref pulled it away. As the ref had his back turned Claudio knocked out Darby with a pair of brass knucks and stole the pin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
What a show! The Hammerstein Ballroom gave this episode of Collision a really interesting atmosphere and that, coupled with some fantastic wrestling action, meant this week’s show “ended” Collision’s year on a true high note (and yes, I know there’s still one more weekend left in 2024 but let’s face it, Christmas is seen as the end of the year by many, me included).