AEW Collision: January 20, 2024 (& Rampage, January 19)

January 20, 2024 9:06 PM - Season 1, Episode 32

Collision comes from St. Louis tonight, as three-fourths of the Blackpool Combat Club show up to tear strips of flesh off their foes, Matt Sydal pulls a double shift, Daniel Garcia continues to grow his legend, and THUNDER ROSA returns from the graveyards of Tijuana to have her first singles match since ::checks notes:: August 2022?? Holy cow.

Quote sections from The Wrestling Observer.

Rampage was taped on the same day as Dynamite this week, and was headlined by a Darby Allin/Jeff Hardy rematch.

RAMPAGE -- January 19

Chris Jericho defeated Matt Sydal

"...for the first time in over 13 years, with their last match taking place at a WWE house show in September 2010 when Sydal wrestled as Evan Bourne.... I wasn’t all that enthused to watch this match 13 years ago in WWE. [...] After the match (which was very good), Konoshue Takeshita attacked Jericho at the entrance ramp."

I suppose that since Jericho's erstwhile tag partner Kenny Omega is gone, there's nothing left for him to do booking-wise other than renew a feud with Callis Family members he's already beaten? Could he not just... take a break and the time could be used on another wrestler instead?

El Penta Zero Miedo (w/ Alex Abrahantes) defeated Anthony Henry

How long is Rey Fenix going to be away? Whenever Penta's in singles action, he ought to revert back to the badass skeleton ninja arm-breaker he's been since the days of Lucha Underground. Is there a title he can take a run at?

Ruby Soho tried to strangle Harley Cameron for kissing Angelo Parker, but (at Saraya’s urging), she pinned the whole thing on Anna Jay. Soho and Cameron go off to find Jay, while Rene Paquette (who was there to interview… someone) looked on disapprovingly. Ruby could figure out who is responsible just by watching Rampage.

With every part of the former Jericho Appreciation Society spinning in different directions, this is what I mean about time better spent elsewhere. This storyline is funny, but better if it does not solely revolve around Angelo Parker's affections and sticks closer to Saraya's raging jealousy.

Kris Statlander (w/ Stokley Hathaway) defeated Queen Aminata

"Aminata caught Statlander with a hip attack and a sliding boot in the corner for a near fall. Aminata locked in a crossface. Statlander rolled through and into the Friday Night Fever, but Aminata countered with a roll up for two. Statlander hit a discus lariat for two. Statlander missed a charging knee in the corner, and Aminata hit a sliding knee . Aminata went for an Air Raid Crash, but Statlander countered into a spinning Falcon Arrow and got the pinfall. Both women looked really good hear. Statlander always looks good, but Aminata was also impressive. [...] Rene Paquette asked Kris Statlander & Stokley Hathaway about the nature of the relationship. Willow Nightingale showed up, just getting to the arena since her travel accommodations were canceled. Willow and Stokley argued about who cared about Statlander more, and Kris stormed off."

I don't hate this, but when did Kris Stat get so dumb? Is this what she's supposed to be like when she's away from the Best Friends? Best possible ending for this is that her and Willow take turns beating the mess out of Stokely.

Darby Allin defeated Jeff Hardy

"[...]After a split-screen break, Hardy worked over Allin’s neck with a series of rolling neck snaps. Hardy hit a face-first suplex for a near fall. Allin caught Hardy with an avalanche code red for a near fall. Allin set up for the Coffin Drop, but Hardy rolled onto the apron. Hardy hit Allin with a hangman’s neckbreaker while Allin was hung up in the top turnbuckle. Hardy pulled a table from under the ring. Hardy set Allin up on the table and went for a Swanton off the top, but Allin rolled out of the way and Hardy crashed through table. Allin threw Hardy back into the ring and went for the Coffin Drop, but Hardy got his knees up and both men were down on the mat in a lot of pain.

Hardy went for a Twist of Fate, but Allin rolled through and flipped Hardy into a jacknife cover and held Hardy down for the three count. After the match, Allin went in for a fist bump of respect, but Hardy faked him out and walked away. If you like car crash matches, this was a good one. Jeff Hardy seemed to move a lot better in this match than in the tags I've seen him the last few weeks."

Jeff Hardy working heel and hating on the new blood? What's Matt doing right now? Are we getting one last brother-vs.-brother war before the Hardys' contracts end?

COLLISION -- January 20

Jon Moxley defeated Shane Taylor (w/Lee Moriarty) by referee stoppage

"This was a slugfest and a great way to open the show. [...] Moxley caught Taylor with a back suplex, but Taylor got out of the Paradigm Shift to hit a short-range lariat. Taylor hit a headbutt and a knee before landing a Tree Slam, but Moxley caught Taylor in a Triangle Choke as he crawled to the cover. Taylor powered Moxley up to get out of the choke, but Moxley hit the hammer-and-anvil elbows. Moxley hit two Regal Knees for a nearfall before both men traded more strikes. Moxley ducked a strike to lock on a sleeper. He then took Taylor to the mat and transitioned into a Bully Choke to score the win via referee stoppage.

After the match, Moxley took the microphone and noted that he was pissed off. He isn’t taking any crap from anyone anymore. He said that anyone who wanted to get in his face, call themselves a teammate, or call themselves a colleague of his, had better keep up. The announcers made a note of Moxley saying “teammate.”

Adam Copeland defeated Dante Martin

"The best match of the Cope Open so far. Martin selling his equilibrium throughout the match was a great set-up to the finish. Copeland promoting himself as the hard worker opposed to Christian Cage is a nice, grounded way to keep the people behind him as he works toward another title match. After the match, Tony Schiavone got in the ring and congratulated Copeland on the fight. Copeland noted that the only people who were stepping up to the Cope Open were young, hungry talents."

First of all, I'm gonna clutch my pearls for a while every time I see a Martin brother or a Private Party member without their partner, as I'll immediately assume someone's injured. Second of all, Tony Khan must have heard Copeland make a crack about young talent, because now on Wednesday he's gotta fight Minoru Suzuki. Fuck yes.

Thunder Rosa defeated Queen Aminata

"[...]They traded forearms as we came back from the break. Aminata laid in a heavy kick to the back before hitting a hip attack in the corner. Rose moved out of the way of a facewash kick and hit a big clothesline. Rosa hit a Meteora in the corner before hitting the dropkick in the ropes. Rosa hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. Rosa laid in some “back leg front kicks” as called by Schiavone. Aminata caught Rosa with a loud headbutt before landing an Air Raid Crash for a nearfall. Aminata hit a big boot, but Rosa came back with a shotgun dropkick. Rosa hit the Tijuana Bomb to get the win."

Aminata also pulling a double shift this week! Is she signed to AEW or just passing through? Rosa was still selling her back, the legit injury of which kept her out of action for a while. I think she's due for a feud with Julia Hart, so that Hart can target that back without mercy.

The Acclaimed and Bullet Club Gold have a meeting in the ring and decide to make a go at being a "supergroup". They also discuss getting singles gold for Billy Gunn and Jay White. Ain't it great when your favorite characters have common sense?

Daniel Garcia (w/ FTR) defeated Buddy Matthews (w/ The House of Black)

Matt Menard was on commentary, and FTR came out to watch Garcia’s back. Matthews repeatedly flattened Garcia with shoulder blocks, sending Garcia to the floor. After conferring with FTR, Garcia got back in the ring and took Matthews down with a shoulder block of his own. The six men all stared each other down from the opposite aprons, and Garcia teased his dance as we went to the commercial. [...] Garcia fired up, stomping on Matthews before going after the knee. Garcia locked on a figure four on the ringpost before taking Matthews into the ring and hitting a chop block. Garcia locked on the Dragon Tamer, but leaned back too far, allowing Matthews to slam his head off the mat.

Matthews hit a pair of rising knees before landing a Jackhammer for a nearfall. Garcia ducked a curb stomp and mocked Matthews with his dance. Matthews hit another knee, but Garcia reversed a powerbomb into a jackknife cover to score the win. The six men got into a massive brawl after the bell, with referees, security, and wrestlers coming out to break them up. After a commercial, FTR & Daniel Garcia were backstage when Lexy Nair came up. Harwood challenged the House of Black to finish this next week. He challenged the House of Black to a six-man elimination tag match inside a steel cage.

Next week is going to tell us a lot about how AEW feels about Malakai Black, whether he has a future here as a singles performer or not (and therefore likely heads back to WWE at the end of his contract). FTR don't need help getting over, maybe Daniel Garcia still does. I can't really guess whether next week is really the end of the feud of not -- surely he has to face Black 1-on-1 at Revolution?

Roderick Strong defeated Matt Sydal

"The commentators noted that these two men came up together in Ring of Honor as part of Generation Next. After some early grappling, Sydal got the advantage with a pair of headscissors and a kick that sent Strong to the floor. Sydal hit a plancha as we went to a commercial. As soon as the commercial ended, Strong caught a jumping Sydal with a backbreaker. Sydal hit another headscissors and a hurricanrana before hitting jumping kicks to take Strong down. Sydal hit a Meteora off the top for a nearfall. Sydal caught Strong with a rollup for a nearfall before hitting an Air Raid Crash for another nearfall. Strong caught Sydal with a jumping knee before hitting the End of Heartache for the win."

Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli defeated Eddie Kingston & Ortiz

"Kingston sat Danielson on the mat before laying in chops and kicks. Ortiz tagged in but quickly got overwhelmed by Castagnoli. The BCC isolated Ortiz as we went to commercial. After the commercial, Ortiz tried to fight his way to Kingston, but Castagnoli caught him in the Giant Swing. [...] Kingston drove Castagnoli into the corner and laid in the machine gun chops. Castagnoli took Kingston’s arm and landed a short-arm lariat. Castagnoli hit a chokeslam before tagging in Danielson, who hit a diving headbutt for a nearfall. Castagnoli took Ortiz off the apron, throwing him into a security guard before hopping in the ring.

Kingston tried to fight both men off, but Danielson caught him with a roll-up for a nearfall. Kingston kicked out and hit Danielson with a DDT. Ortiz tagged in and hit a double team with Kingston, but Castagnoli broke it up with a deadlift. Ortiz and Kingston ran wild, with both men hitting dives. Back in the ring, Danielson pulled Ortiz into a LeBell Lock. Castagnoli held Kingston back, but Ortiz fought to the ropes. Castagnoli crotched Kingston on the ropes, allowing Danielson to kick Ortiz’s head in. Danielson hit the Busaiku Knee and pinned Ortiz for the win as Kingston was held back. Danielson talked trash to Kingston as he was consoling Ortiz. Danielson spat in Kingston’s face before bailing from the ring. A solid main event, and a sign that Kingston isn’t done with the Blackpool Combat Club just yet."

Since Kingston already has a separate issue with the War Dogs over in NJPW, it makes sense that AEW should heat up the chase for his Triple Crown on Collision as well. I have to say that portraying Danielson as being such sour grapes is a bit out of character to me, a trait that would be better assigned to Claudio. This was the guy preaching about purifying people through violence and combat when he was trying to recruit Moxley way back! Unless this is all some super passive agressive attempt to bring Kingston into BCC? Also, discussion question: Are Eddie's current three titles ever going to be defended separately? Right now he's made appearances here and on NJPW, but he does hold ROH gold as well? With Wheeler Yuta already holding a title, maybe the time is right for the remaining three members of Blackpool Combat Club to either stalk Eddie for each of his belts, or fall on each other in competition for them.

posted by The Pluto Gangsta