AEW Collision: May 18, 2024 (& Rampage same day live)

May 19, 2024 2:10 PM - Season 1, Episode 46

With nine days to go before Double Or Nothing, AEW centers Chris Jericho's FTW Championship in a series of "contender series" matches. The "Team AEW" that's assembled against the Elite faces even more hired goons. Elsewhere, Will Ospreay's in action, Serena Deeb shows no fear in the lead-up to facing Toni Storm, and Orange Cassidy's character alignment slowly moves from "shenanigans babyface" to "fear my righteous fury!"

(Sorry, this goes up a little late.)

COLLISION

Will Ospreay defeated Shane Taylor (w/Anthony Ogogo)

"A hot opener this week. Taylor looked great here, as Ospreay gave him a lot as a bigger opponent. The Strong/Ospreay match feels hotter than it did a week ago after that tremendous face-to-face on Dynamite. [...] Taylor drilled Ospreay with a punch as Taven menaced Ospreay at ringside. Chaos broke out at ringside, as after Taylor ran into the ringpost, Ospreay sent him into the Kingdom near the announce desk. Ospreay then took a glass of water and threw it in Strong’s face, but the melee allowed Ogogo to sneak in a body shot as the referee was distracted.

[...] Ospreay came back with a Spanish Fly before the Kingdom got in his way of an OsCutter. Taylor then caught Ospreay with the Rikishi Driver for a nearfall. Taylor went for the Marcus Garvey Driver, but Ospreay trapped him in the corner and hit repeated Cheeky Nandos kicks. Ospreay then took Taylor out of the corner on his shoulders and hit the Stormbreaker – mistakenly called the Storm Driver by McGuinness on commentary – to score the win. After the match, The Kingdom jumped Ospreay, but Ospreay dumped them all to the floor and hit a dive on Taven and Bennett before escaping up the ramp."

FTW Contenders Series – Hook defeated Johnny TV (w/Taya Valkyrie)

"After an early scramble, Johnny hit Hook with a running knee for a quick nearfall. Johnny got a headlock in, but Hook lifted Johnny up into a suplex. Hook hit some more throws and suplexes before Johnny cut him off. Taya distracted Hook, allowing Johnny to hit a springboard kick. Johnny went for the Starship Pain, but Hook moved and snatched Johnny in the Redrum to get the submission win."

FTW Contenders Series – Katsuyori Shibata defeated Rocky Romero

"I will never not be amazed at Katsuyori Shibata being a member of the AEW roster. I’ve compared it to Russell Westbrook on the Clippers – a talent that may not be at MVP level anymore but can still be a useful contributor on the roster. Fun match with Romero, with Shibata’s stubbornness on the Figure Four paying off. Shibata made his entrance as Hook was leaving, with the two sharing a fist bump on the ramp. Shibata quickly got Romero in a Figure Four to weaken his knees. Romero got to the ropes, then caught Shibata off the ropes with an Octopus Stretch that Shibata powered out of to re-apply the Figure Four. Romero got to the ropes again and cut off a Shibata charge into the corner to hit a Tornado DDT as we went to a commercial.

Shibata fought through a series of Romero kicks to hammer Romero with a forearm. Romero sent Shibata to the apron before snapping his arm over the ropes. Romero hit a springboard dropkick to a tied-up Shibata in the ropes for a nearfall. Shibata bounced off of the ropes and snatched Romero into a quick Figure Four. Romero escaped but couldn’t avoid the basement dropkick, with Shibata following with a suplex for a nearfall. Romero caught Shibata with a set of flash pins before Shibata caught him with an Ushigoroshi. Shibata hit the Penalty Kick before applying the Figure Four again, this time scoring the submission win."

FTW Contenders Series – Bryan Keith defeated Boulder (w/Bronson & Jacked Jameson)

"Keith quickly won with the Diamond Dust to earn his slot in the three-way on Dynamite. It will be Hook vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Bryan Keith on Wednesday, with an FTW Title match against Chris Jericho at Double or Nothing hanging in the balance."

My take here: The FTW title should stay in Hook's past -- he is way too talented and charismatic (and good-looking) to be carrying around his dad's legacy title. I would book him to lose (possibly via Chris Jericho shenanigans). If Bryan Keith is the contender, he'll have a great hardcore match and then lose, but if Shibata is the contender then I want an angle where Jericho forces him to sit under the learning tree and call him "senpai".

Orange Cassidy defeated Isiah Kassidy

"A good, competitive match here. Isiah has some talent when he’s not anchored to the departed Hardys, and Cassidy continuing to be distracted by Trent Beretta at ringside gave him openings that he wouldn’t have otherwise had. I like Beretta hypocritically insisting on a normal singles match at Double or Nothing, as Beretta has been the one to escalate things in this feud. [...] Speaking of Beretta, he made his way through the crowd as Cassidy was sending Isiah into the barricade. Isiah took advantage by sending Cassidy into the barricade, into the ring, and over the buckles with a hard Irish whip.

After a commercial, Cassidy backdropped Isiah off of the stairs to avoid another piledriver. The two traded strikes in the ring before Cassidy ran wild, hitting the Stundog Millionaire. Isiah ducked the Orange Punch and fought out of the Beach Break to hit a hurricane kick. Cassidy launched to the apron and sent Isiah pillar to post, but Isiah cut him off with a stunner over the ropes. The two fought on the apron before dropping each other with pump kicks. Cassidy distracted himself with Beretta, allowing Isiah to hit a Poetry In Motion against the barricade. After some commotion with the referee, the ref inadvertently helped Isiah to hit Silly String on Cassidy. Isiah hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall. Isiah picked Cassidy up, but Cassidy hit the Beach Break to score the win."

Serena Deeb defeated Anna Jay

"Jay is improving on her in-ring. She feels like she has more confidence between the bells. Meanwhile, Deeb is a cold challenger for Toni Storm, and I don’t think anything in the next week will change that. Deeb quickly locked on the Paradise Lock, but Jay came back with a running neckbreaker. Deeb got the advantage back with a neckbreaker in the ropes. After the commercial, Jay fired up, hitting a Dangerous Jay kick in the corner and a flatliner for a nearfall. Deeb caught Jay’s legs in the corner before hitting a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Deeb hit a hammerlock lariat for a nearfall.

Jay hit another Dangerous Jay kick, but Deeb followed her into the ropes and hit a chop block. Deeb went to work on the knee, but Jay snatched on the Queenslayer choke. Deeb fought out, so Jay went for the Gory Bomb. Her knee gave way, allowing Deeb to hit the Styles Clash. Deeb then locked on a single leg crab for the submission win. While Deeb had the submission locked on, Luther stole her Deeb’s Dojo flag. Luther brought it to the stage, where he and Mariah May held it up while Toni Storm undressed behind it. She then wrapped herself in the flag and pranced around before Deeb chased them all away. Well, that was wacky."

I too fail to understand why Anna Jay has become the highest profile jobber in both AEW and ROH. Is the women's roster just so crowded that there's no way to capitalize on a performer in good health with no skill gaps? Well maybe we need MORE WOMEN'S WRESTLING THEN, Tony.

Nick Wayne defeated Jack Cartwheel

Me again: Do yourself a favor and find compilations of Jack Cartwheel's work. He's done a lot of GCW matches in the past few years and this video here should give you an idea what he's capable of. It takes a lot of heart to full-send an over-the-top-rope moonsault to the floor the way Jack did here, and some promotion can make good money pushing him as a top babyface.

Bryan Danielson & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defeated Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)

"Vincent and Harwood started, with FTR quickly hitting a double-team gourdbuster for a nearfall. Dutch tagged in, leading Wheeler to outpace him and hit a dropkick. FTR hit a double leg sweep on Dutch, with Harwood following up with a Steiner bulldog off the ropes. Vincent was working over Harwood as we came back from commercial, as we saw Dutch crush Harwood with a crossbody during the break. Vincent hit a kneeling flatliner for a nearfall. Archer tagged in and went for the Blackout, but Harwood bit his way free. Harwood ducked a splash in the corner and fought to get the tag Danielson.

Danielson ran wild on Dutch, hitting a tope suicida on him before landing a shotgun dropkick in the ring. Wheeler and Danielson hit running dropkicks on The Righteous before Danielson went for the Lebell Lock on Dutch. Archer cut him off and ran wild, laying out FTR by himself. The Righteous hit Autumn Sunshine on Danielson for a nearfall that Wheeler broke up. Wheeler sent Archer into the ring steps before he and Danielson hit the Power Plex for a nearfall. We got a big move train, ending with FTR hitting the Shatter Machine on Vincent for the win.

After the match, The Righteous and Archer laid out FTR and Danielson, putting them down on behalf of the Elite as intimated earlier. Chairs came out as McGuinness noted that Darby Allin wasn’t here. Archer hit Wheeler with the Blackout on a chair, with Vincent following with a Swanton Bomb on Harwood. Daniel Garcia came out with a chair to clear the ring as Collision ended."

The absence of Darby Allin puzzles me. If he's not medically cleared to join "Team AEW" next week, why was he added to the card for DoN? If he is, why is Garcia showing up instead? Will any of Kenny's Avengers manage to stay healthy for the next 9 days? Garcia definitely gave Danielson an Important Look after he made the save, but I hope he doesn't heel turn next Sunday.

RAMPAGE

Kyle O’Reilly defeated Lee Moriarty (w/ Anthony Ogogo)

"Lots of mat work to start. O’Reilly worked on Moriarty’s arm, until Moriarty used a flatliner to send O’Reilly into the middle turnbuckle. After the split-screen break, O’Reilly fought out of arm bar, but Moriarty transitioned it into a choke. O’Reilly escaped and kicked Moriarty down. Backdrop suplex into a leglace from O’Reilly in a pretty cool spot. Moriarty escaped and exchanged kicks with O’Reilly. Moriarty did the gnarly finger-snap spot, then hit a running boot in the corner for two. Moriarty locked in the Border City Stretch, but O’Reilly countered with a head and shoulder capture suplex.

Both guys exchanged kicks and slaps mid-ring. Moriarty wenty for a suplex, but O’Reilly countered with aknee to the head. They exchanged armbars, andO’Reilly locked in a hammerlock, guillotine and bodyscissors all at once. Moriarty tried to fight out, but O’Reilly transitioned into a triangle choke, then took Moriarty out with a knee. A suplex into an armbar forced Moriarty to tap out."

Rush defeated Cody Chhun

"Chhun missed a splash in the corner right away then Rush hit a forearm and the dropkick in the corner. That was it. After the match, Rush pulled Chhun to the floor and beat him up around the ringside area. Rush whipped and choked Chhun with an electrial cable."

You know you're seeing a PNW wrestling match when Cody Chhun shows up. Between him and Jack Cartwheel, there were more than a few chants for Defy Wrestling in the crowd.

“The Virtuoso” Deonna Purrazzo defeated Robyn Renegade

"Lots of good work on the mat to start. Purrazzo countered a sunset flip attempt with a juji gatame, but Renegade escaped by making it to the ropes. After a split-screen break, Renegade hit a flying clothesline to make a comeback. Renegade hung Purrazzo up in the ropes and hit a dropkick for two. Purrazzo came back with a pump kick. Purrazzo hit another pump kick, then locked in the armbar for a submission.

After the match, Purrazzo put Renegade in her finisher until Thunder Rosa ran Purrazzo out of the ring. When Rosa went to check on Renegade, Purrazzo snuck back in the ring for a cheap shot on Rosa. Rosa caught Purrazzo up the ramp and whipped her into the ring apron. Purrazzo escaped through the crowd."

Since neither Deonna nor Rosa are in any title picture, I wonder where this is headed. If Thunder Rosa doesn't get her contract renewed for AEW -- sad but it must be a possibility -- then Purrazzo should go full heel and have an "I Quit" stipulation match to send her out.

A commercial for Double or Nothing promoted the show with a triple main event: Willow/Mercedes, Swerve/Christian, and Anarchy in the Arena.

I told some wrestle friends that I don't see any way AEW books the Willow/Mercedes match this hugely without Mercedes walking out the winner, making Willow a transitional ch(a/u)mp. The TBS Championship is part of the main event but the AEW Women's title isn't??? (That bodes poorly for Serena Deeb as well.). But they were of the opinion that it could either have a time-limit draw, which makes Willow look hella tough and drives Mercedes up-the-wall with anger, or that Willow loses through heel trickery. Tony Khan could do worse then simply taking all of the Bayley/Sasha Banks storyline from early NXT and restaging it with Willow for Bayley, but I'm a lazy fantasy booker sometimes.

Brian Cage defeated Anthony Bowens (w/ Max Caster & Billy Gunn)

"Bowens countered a hip toss attempt with a spinning DDT for a one count. Cage came back and mauled Bowens in the corner. Cage followed up with an avalanche clothesline in the corner and a back suplex. Cage missed a charge in the corner and Bowens took him down with a dragon screw leg whip. A dropkick to the knee sent Cage tumbling to the floor. Bowens tried to dive on Cage from the apron, but Cage caught him and powerbombed him into the ringpost.

After a split screen break, Bowens dove off the middle rope into a suplex attempt from Cage, but Bowens countered with a small package for two. Bowens back-handed Cage and hit a superkick, then hit a Famouser for a near fall. Bowens went for his uranage, but Cage countered with a full nelson slam for two. Cage got hung up in the ropes, and Bowens DDT’d him into the ring apron. They fought on the ring apron. Cage hit Bowens with an outside-in superplex for another near fall.

Bowens escaped a pump handle suplex, but Cage hit a discus lariat. He went for the Drill Claw, but Bowens escaped and hit a rolling forearm, a superkick and a punt kick for two. Cage sent Bowens into the corner where he almost collided with the referee. Cage followed in the corner and almost hit the ref, and when Bowens came up behind Cage, Cage back-kicked him low, and hit the Drill Claw for the finish. This was really good stuff with a great finish sequence, despite the screwy ending. I want to believe it was a coming out party for Bowens as a single. Or at least some renewed focus on the Acclaimed as a tag team."

I was surprised Cage got the win here, as he's usually slotted in to be the Goliath that a clever babyface overcomes. But I suppose Lance Archer already fulfilled that role tonight. Still, it adheres to my pet peeve that tag-team fighters should not regularly win over solo stars in 1-on-1 matches. (Remember when Brian Cage and Big Bill were a tag team?)

posted by The Pluto Gangsta