AEW Collision: July 22

July 23, 2023 3:58 PM - Season 1, Episode 6

Yours truly was exhausted yesterday after being live for Ring Of Honor: Death Before Dishonor (hey kids! You can spot me when Chuckie T throws Fenix into the crowd!) and so couldn't make this post pre-Collision, so let me excerpt our recaps from The Wrestling Observer!

--Ricky Starks heel turn begins (or re-commences, honestly), along with CM Punk, Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, & Darby Allin

Schiavone asked Starks about his use of the ropes to win the [Owen Hart] tournament as the crowd told Starks that he deserved it. After showing off his Louis Vuitton bag, he says that it doesn’t matter how he did it, all that matter is that it was done and that he was the winner. After blowing off a question about Jushin Thunder Liger, he says that while he appreciates the sentiment from the fans, he doesn’t want to be a pillar. The Pillars never won the Owen Hart Cup, he did. Out walked CM Punk to a mixed reaction that leaned negative. Punk says he’s not mad at Starks, he’s actually a bit proud of him. Punk won’t act like he’s never cheated. He can live with the loss but asks Starks if he can live with the fact that he couldn’t beat Punk without cheating.

Punk goes to leave, but Starks says that his Vuitton bag is as empty as the red bag Punk’s been carrying around. Punk comes back and gets in Starks’ face. He says that Starks is just like MJF in that they just don’t want Punk to have it. Punk calls himself the Real World Champion before TNT Champion Luchasaurus & Christian Cage enter the scene. Cage says that they don’t want to be in New Jersey longer than they have to be, so he’ll ask one question. What kind of man carries around a title that he didn’t win?

Cage goes to leave, but Darby Allin – Royal Rampage winner – comes out. He addresses Starks and Punk before telling Luchasaurus that he’s going to win the TNT Title at All Out in Chicago. Allin suggests a tag team match, with Allin and Punk teaming against Starks and Cage.

--Jay White & Juice Robinson (w/ The Gunns) defeated Action Andretti & Darius Martin

Andretti went for the split-legged moonsault, but Robinson cut him off, hanging him in the Tree of Woe. Robinson hit cannonballs on both men before hitting his pendulum DDT on Andretti. White hit the Blade Runner to score the win. The Gunns tossed Andretti and Martin out of the ring before celebrating with White and Robinson.

--Miro defeated Nick Comoroto

This crowd was into Miro. It’s time to do something with him that isn’t a squash. [My note: Nick Comoroto has also never been used properly -- he should either be a monster heel or a big dumb babyface!]

--AEW World Trios Title Match – The House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) (w/Julia Hart) (c) defeated The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, & Billy Gunn)

This was a surprisingly quick win, but the story here is the post-match...

King tried taking out Bowens and Gunn again, but Gunn took him down with punches. Caster made the tag to Gunn, who ran wild on the House before taking a massive lariat from King. Black hit the Black Mass on Gunn to score the emphatic victory. As Gunn recovered, Black whispered something to Gunn before leaving.

Back in the ring, Gunn began unlacing his boots as the crowd begged him not to. They chanted "You Still Got It" at him, making Gunn tear up. But Gunn took his boots off and left them in the ring, pushing his way past the Acclaimed to leave.

--Taya Valkyrie defeated Skye Blue

--Ricky Starks & Christian Cage defeated CM Punk & Darby Allin

A fine main event. Starks winning with the ropes for a second time is setting up a payoff, either with the referee catching him or his opponent kicking out anyway. Starks had a vocal fanbase here, a week after cheating to win a prestigious tournament. The situation with Punk being a divisive babyface makes everything energetic, but it muddies up a lot of the face/heel division surrounding him.

posted by The Pluto Gangsta