AEW Collision: June 22, 2024 (& Rampage, June 21)

June 23, 2024 7:59 AM - Season 2, Episode 2

First ever matches are the order of the day, as Okada defends his title against CMLL legend Último Guerrero, and Ospreay tries to fend off Brian Cage. Everywhere else is tag-teams galore.

RAMPAGE -- June 21

Private Party defeated Metalik & Komander (w/ Alex Abrahantes)

"Private Party came out strong early on by hitting Metalik with the Silly String for a near fall. Metalik hit handspring back elbows and made the tag to Komander, who hit both members of Private Party with a top rope bodyblock. Komader dumped both members of Private Party to the floor. Metalik hit a tope on Private Party, then Komader followed up with a Skytwister Press to the floor. Back in the ring, Komander got a near fall on Zay just before the commercial break.

After the break, Zay hit Komander with a spinebuster out of the corner and got the tag to Marq Quen. Quen took out Komader with a moonsault, then superplexed Metallik off the top rope. A 450 splash on Metalik got Quen the near fall. Metalik came back with a middle rope dropkick for a near fall. Komander and Quen both went for shooting star presses on their opponents at the same time, but missed. Private Party hit Metalik with the Gin & Juice and got the victory."

Rey Fenix (w/ Alex Abrahantes) defeated Turbo Floyd (w/ Truth Magnum)

I think I've said before how amusing it is to me that Alex Abrahantes is the default valet for every luchador AEW's got. Dude's going to become this decade's Dario Cueto pretty soon (shout out to the Lucha Temple)!

Lio Rush defeated Action Andretti in a TNT Title Ladder Match Qualifier

"Both guys went for a crossbody and collided in the middle of the ring right before the show went to commercial. After the break, Andretti dumped Rush on the apron, then set him to the floor with a boot. Andretti hit an Arabian Press on the floor. Andretti missed a 450, but caught Rush with a Falcon Arrow for two. Rush went for a crossbody, but Andretti countered with a flipping powerslam/Spanish Fly type move for a near fall. Rush avoided a split-legged moonsault and hit a roundhouse kick. Rush hit a springboard stunner and followed up with a big frog splash to get the pinfall. After the match, Top Flight came out to check on Andretti. Rush then showed respect to all his opponents by shaking their hands."

Shingo Takagi defeated AR Fox

"Fox got a fast start on Takagi, hitting a senton for a near fall. Takagi came back with a huge clothesline. Takagi used the hammer and tong elbows (like the Blackpool Combat Club), but Fox avoided the sliding lariat. Fox hit a 450 splash for a near fall. Takagi came back with a Death Valley Driver and the Pumping Bomer. Takagi hit Made in Japan to finish off Fox. After the match, Bryan Danielson came out to shake Takagi’s hand, but Takagi slapped it away."

It is a damn shame that AR Fox didn't catch on bigger with AEW audiences when he was part of the Darby Allin/Nick Wayne storyline, I have a lot of good memories seeing him at East Coast indie shows and he is very talented.

Willow Nightingale defeated Serena Deeb in a First Round match of the Owen Hart Women’s Tournament

"There were dueling “Let’s Go Willow! Let’s Go Deeb!” chants. Willow slammed Deeb at hit a sliding crossbody for a near fall. Nightingale followed up with a delayed suplex. Nightingale missed a middle rope dropkick, which gave Deeb the opening to start working on Nightingale’s leg. The fight went to the floor, where Deeb hit a Twist-n-Shout neckbreaker. Back in the ring, Nightingale hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Deeb came back with an Octopus, but Nightingale powered out. Deeb tried for a half-crab, but Nightingale powered out again. Deeb hit a German suplex and followed up with the hammerlock/clothesline combo for a near fall.

Deeb went to the top, but Nightingale cut her off and superplexed Deeb to the mat. Both women exchanged strikes, and Willow hit a big lariat for a near fall. Deeb dodged a cannonball in the corner. Deeb hit the Detox for a near fall. Deeb tried for a figure-four, but Nightingale kicked her away. Nightingale came back with the Pounce, and then hit the Doctor Bomb to get the pinfall. Nightingale now advances to the semifinals to face Kris Statlander."

It's a good thing Willow and Kris Stat are on the same side of the tournament bracket, otherwise the entire quarter and semi-finals would be zero surprise. Deeb was about equally over with the crowd, partly she's in her home state. My particular watch group seems to dislike her for some reason? Part of me sneakily suspects that this tournament ends with Mariah May winning to feed her drama with Toni Storm.

COLLISION -- June 22

Hook, Katsuyori Shibata & Samoa Joe defeated The Premier Athletes (Ari Daivari, Josh Woods & Tony Nese) (w/Mark Sterling)

"This is what I want AEW’s trios division to look like. Some established groups, but more groups of singles guys coming together for a common cause. Whether it be to win Trios gold, or menace the Premier Athletes as Hook, Shibata, & Joe have come together to do. This was nothing special, but a useful enhancement match."

The Learning Tree (Big Bill & Chris Jericho) (w/Bryan Keith) defeated Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)

"Bill dominated Quen to start the match. Kassidy tagged in and went after Jericho with a flurry of offense. Kassidy hit Silly String for a nearfall before Keith cut off Quen with a trip on the floor. After a commercial, Quen hit a high cross to Jericho to get the tag to Kassidy. Kassidy ran wild on both Jericho & Bill, getting a nearfall with a sunset flip. Jericho went for a Lionsault on Quen, but Quen got his knees up and held Jericho in place for a Kassidy dive to Bill on the floor. Private Party hit a pair of top rope moves, with Jericho kicking out of a 450. Kassidy springboarded into a big boot from Big Bill for a nearfall.

Jericho caught Kassidy’s huracanrana attempt into the Walls of Jericho, but Kassidy got to the ropes. Big Bill tagged in and got a nearfall with a double-rotation Bossman Slam. Bill chokeslammed Quen onto Kassidy for another nearfall. Private Party knocked Bill into Jericho on the top rope, allowing them to hit a modified Gin & Juice for a nearfall. Big Bill distracted the referee, allowing Keith to hit Kassidy with a set of brass knuckles to help Jericho score the win. The Learning Tree put the boots to Private Party before Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & Hook made the save. Joe made the challenge for a trios match between the teams at Forbidden Door."

AEW Continental Title Eliminator Match – Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Último Guerrero

"The match was clunky, as the two didn’t have the smoothness you’re used to seeing in AEW. They pulled it together by the end to have a good enough TV match. The normally unmasked Guerrero controlled things early on as Schiavone ran down his credentials as a long-time star in CMLL. Guerrero clubbered on Okada in the corner before an attempt at a submission got Okada to the ropes. Guerrero fought off the neckbreaker out of the corner, but a second attempt scored for Okada as we went to commercial.

Both men went down with clotheslines as we came back from the break. Guerrero knocked Okada to the apron, then baseball slid him to the floor. Guerrero threw Okada back in the ring but got caught with a dropkick. Okada went for the mask, but Guerrero pulled him out of the corner to hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. Guerrero went for a reverse superplex, but Okada clawed at the mask to escape. Guerrero ducked a Rainmaker attempt, but after snatching the mask off, Okada hit a Rainmaker to win."

The Patriarchy (Christian Cage, Killswitch & Nick Wayne) (w/Mother Wayne) defeated Iron Savages (Boulder, Bronson & Jacked Jameson)

We got a video recapping Mercedes Mone’s surprise appearance in Arena Mexico to confront her Forbidden Door opponent, Stephanie Vaquer. The two got into a scrap ending with Mone holding both titles high.

Mariah May & Toni Storm (w/Luther) defeated Lady Frost & Leyla Hirsch

House Of Black (Brody King & Malakai Black) defeated LSG & MSG

Hechicero (w/Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) defeated Matt Menard

"Hechicero caught Menard on a leapfrog and dropped him on his head. He followed up with a rising knee in the corner and a back body drop. Menard avoided another rising knee, hitting ten punches in the corner before hitting a Diamond Cutter for a nearfall. Hechicero came back with a choke over the ropes and a twisting dive into the ring. Hechicero got the win with the twisting leg drop and a Rings of Saturn variant."

We got a Jeff Jarrett video package. Jarrett spoke candidly and emotionally about his memories with Owen Hart. He said that the Owen Hart Memorial Tournament meant more to him than anything in his career, and it meant the world to him to get the chance to win the tournament in Owen’s hometown.

AEW International Title Match – Will Ospreay (c) defeated Brian Cage to retain

"These two got after it at the bell, with Cage jumping Ospreay to start and tossing him away on a headscissor attempt. Ospreay low-bridged Cage before hitting a house show dive as we went to a commercial break. After the break, Ospreay fought out of a bear hug and hit an enzuigiri. Daniel Garcia looked on as Ospreay hit a Phenomenal Forearm for a nearfall. Ospreay got back body dropped out of a Stormbreaker attempt, leading to Cage dumping Ospreay with a German suplex. Cage hit an apron superplex for a nearfall. Ospreay reversed a powerbomb into a hurricanrana into the corner. Ospreay hit a forearm off the top rope, but after a series of reversals, Cage dropkicked Ospreay out of the sky on an Oscutter attempt.

Cage went for a discus lariat, but Ospreay flipped through and hit a powerbomb as the match reset. Cage eventually caught Ospreay with an F-5 for a nearfall. After a commercial, Ospreay fired up and caught Cage with a pair of Scorpion Kicks, but Cage laid him out with a lariat. Cage hit a pair of powerbombs for a nearfall. Ospreay maneuvered out of another powerbomb and hit a DDT. Cage caught Ospreay on a handspring for a German suplex, but Ospreay rolled to his feet and hit a Hidden Blade for a nearfall.

Cage powered Ospreay to the corner, then caught Ospreay with a gamengiri. Ospreay stuck Cage’s head in the corner and hit a Cheeky Nandos kick. Cage cut off a hurricanrana and hit a sick powerslam off the ropes for a nearfall. Cage hit a lariat that sent Ospreay up-and-over to the top rope, but Ospreay hit the hurricanrana he was looking for. Ospreay got caught with a forearm but came back with a Stundog Millionaire and a poisonrana. Ospreay only got a nearfall with the OsCutter, but the Hidden Blade put Cage down for the count as Ospreay retained the International Title.

A strong defense for Ospreay, and a strong main event for a largely uneventful Collision. Ospreay allowed Cage to muscle him around, including that wild powerslam off the ropes. Ospreay got another good win leading up to the Forbidden Door main event against Swerve.

posted by The Pluto Gangsta