AEW Collision: December 21, 2024 (& Rampage December 20): CHRISTMAS COLLISION

December 22, 2024 3:12 PM - Season 2, Episode 26

Tony Khan's residency at the Hammerstein Ballroom continues after yesterday's ROH Final Battle. There's a 5-way tie in the Continental Classic Gold League that must be resolved, including Ricochet vs. Ospreay after their draw in October. Kris Statlander wants another shot at the TBS Championship, and must defeat Penelope Garcia to prove herself. And (because pro-wrestling fandom is a big tent) the Costco Guys are still here after Full Gear.

RAMPAGE -- December 20

The Don Callis Family came out for an interview with Tony Schiavone

Konosuke Takeshita & Brian Cage (w/ Don Callis) defeated Mark Davis & Powerhouse Hobbs

"This was a meat party match."

Lio Rush & Action Andretti defeated Goldy & Miles Hawkins

"After the match, Private Party came out to… party… in public? They know when you party in front of everyone it isn’t private, right? Top Flight’s music played and this actually distracted Private Party and gave Andretti and Rush the opportunity to jump the champs."

Willow Nightingale defeated Harley Cameron

"Rene Paquette interviewed Harley Cameron about her upcoming match, when Penelope Ford came by to compare assets. By which, she meant win/loss records. Ford offered to watch Cameron’s back. “What’s on my back? Feel the wrath of Harley Cameron!” Rene: “But she was nice to you.” “Then… don’t feel the wrath of Harley Cameron!”

Nightingale missed a cannonball in the corner, and Cameron hit a Shining Wizard for a near fall. Cameron countered a fireman’s carry with a victory roll. Nightingale dropped Cameron with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall, then hit a Doctorbomb for the pinfall. After the match, Penelope Ford jumped Nightingale, and Kris Statlander ran in for the save. The crowd chanted for Willow and Kris to hug it out, but Kris (who was struggling with her top) left the ring instead."

Continental Classic Gold League Match: Brody King defeated Komander

"[...]Komander managed a sunset flip powerbomb off the top on King, then hit a 450 splash for a near fall. Komander dodged a shoulder tackle in the corner and dropkicked King to the floor. Komander hit another springboard moonsault to the crowd. The crowd chanted for Komander, as they were really into the match. Komander again went to the top and caught King with a ropewalk shooting star press just as King was sliding into the ring to break the count. Komander dove and King again, but this time King caught him and stuffed him with a piledriver to get the pinfall and the three points. Komander is mathematically eliminated and King can create a four-way tie on the top of the Blue League with everyone having six points. Tremendous match."

COLLISION -- December 21

Continental Classic Gold League Match – Ricochet def. Will Ospreay

"Ricochet has been getting real heat over the last few weeks with this try-hard character he’s been rolling out. Meanwhile, Ospreay is on the back foot, as with one match left, he’ll need a lot of help to advance to the Continental Classic playoffs. Ospreay got streamers on his entrance, while Ricochet got toilet paper thrown at him to Ospreay’s delight. [...] After a commercial break, Ospreay got on offense, hitting a Phenomenal Forearm for a nearfall. Ricochet fought out of a Styles Clash, hitting an Angel’s Wings for a nearfall. Ricochet had an uncharacteristic stumble on a Best Moonsault Ever attempt, allowing Ospreay to move out of the way. Ospreay caught a cartwheeling Ricochet on his shoulders before transitioning into a Styles Clash for a nearfall.

Ricochet rolled to the apron when the Hidden Blade was teased, leading Ospreay to follow. Ricochet popped Ospreay onto his shoulders and hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron. Ricochet followed with a Shooting Star Press off the apron to the floor, followed by a springboard 450 in the ring for a nearfall. Ricochet hit a head kick and a lifting reverse DDT for another nearfall in this offensive flurry. The crowd was firmly behind Ospreay as Ricochet loaded up the Spirit Gun. Ospreay ducked, and a series of counters ended with Ricochet catching Ospreay with a cutter on an Oscutter attempt. Ricochet hit another Death Valley Driver, but Ospreay countered the Spirit Gun with a Hidden Blade to put both men down. They both agreed to stand up and trade forearms, with Ospreay winning the exchange. Ospreay went for the Stormbreaker, but Ricochet forced Ospreay into the referee. Ospreay hit the Stormbreaker, but the referee was out. Ospreay went to the top rope, but Ricochet booted the referee into the ropes and knocked Ospreay down. Ricochet drilled a recovering Ospreay with the Spirit Gun to score the win to big boos."

MJF & Adam Cole "Summit"

"This is the closest this feud has felt to having any juice in a long time, so I’ll call it a success. I’m still not personally invested in it at all, but the crowd here did seem to at least play along with the promo."

Kris Statlander defeated Penelope Ford

"Statlander went for a stalling vertical suplex, but Ford transitioned to a sleeper hold. Statlander maneuvered Ford back into the suplex before completing it for a nearfall. Statlander got Ford onto her shoulders and went to the second rope, but Ford knocked Statlander to the mat and hit a blockbuster for a nearfall. Ford hit double knees to Statlander on the apron as we went to a commercial. After a commercial, Ford missed the double knees before Statlander dropkicked her off of the apron. Statlander hit a spinning Fisherman buster for a nearfall. Ford ducked a corner boot and hit a Perfect-Plex for a nearfall. Statlander caught Ford on a handspring elbow, and a series of counters ended with a Ford springboard poisonrana for a nearfall. Statlander came back with a pair of German suplexes before landing Staturday Night Fever for the win.

Mercedes Mone came out after the match. She was planning to take the PPV off but decided to grant Statlander another beating. She accepted Statlander’s challenge for Worlds End. I’ll take another Statlander/Mone match. With Statlander getting back into Willow Nightingale’s orbit, I can see all of this leading to a big three-way for the title down the line no matter who wins at Worlds End."

Big Boom AJ, Chris Jericho, Anthony Bowens "Summit"

"Big Boom AJ & Big Justice were hyping the crowd up when The Learning Tree interrupted them. Chris Jericho asked if they had a permit to be there from Mayor De Blasio, and Big Justice called him a jackass. Jericho said that he spoke for all New Yorkers when he said that they didn’t want Big Boom AJ there. They didn’t even have Costcos in New York, they had bodegas. Jericho said that New York wasn’t about silly gimmicks like Boom, or guys in bandit masks – referring to Bandido after his run-in at Final Battle – or people who scissor.

This brought out Anthony Bowens by himself, who told Jericho to shut the hell up. Big Bill said that people who asked for silence were afraid of the truth, and his hometown crowd chanted his name. Bowens challenged Jericho to fight him now, but The Learning Tree bailed. AJ went to hit his line, but Bowens interrupted him and scissored with them instead."

Deonna Purrazzo & Taya Valkyrie were backstage with Lexy Nair when Technicolor Toni Storm stumbled into the frame to introduce herself to them. Purrazzo didn’t feel like dealing with Storm, so she challenged Storm to take on Valkyrie on Dynamite.

Continental Classic Blue League Match – Daniel Garcia defeated Shelton Benjamin

"The finish played into Benjamin’s weakness of “playing with his food” as MVP often calls it, as Garcia survived Benjamin’s onslaught to get the win with his now-trademark jackknife flash pin. Both men are still alive for the playoffs going into Dynamite, with win-and-in scenarios against Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada respectively. The post-match was great, as it both worked as a Heyman Special for the next match and a reminder of the Swerve/Lashley feud."

Continental Classic Blue League Match – Mark Briscoe defeated The Beast Mortos

"This is the final match of the tournament for both Briscoe and Mortos. A win would keep Briscoe ever-so-slightly alive, as he would need some help on Dynamite to advance to the playoffs. The two traded strikes to start before transitioning to flash pin attempts. Mortos dropped Briscoe with a shoulder block before Briscoe vaulted Mortos to the floor. Mortos cut off a Briscoe dive attempt with a spear as we went to a commercial. Mortos was in control after the break before Briscoe ducked a rising knee in the corner and sent Mortos to the floor. Briscoe hit a baseball slide, then followed it with a tope con hilo.

Mortos cut off the tope, but Briscoe dumped Mortos on the apron with a German suplex. Briscoe hit a skytwister press from the top rope to the floor before hitting the tope chair hilo. Justified This Is Awesome chants rang out as Briscoe went for the Froggy Bow, but Mortos got his knees up and hit the Banebreaker and a powerbomb over the knees. Mortos hit a pop-up Samoan Drop for a big nearfall. Mortos fought out of the Jay Driller, but a Death Valley Driver and a Froggy Bow scored Briscoe a nearfall. A second Froggy Bow landed, and a Jay Driller scored the win for Briscoe to keep his faint tournament hopes alive. Another energetic, fun match on this Collision."

Continental Classic Gold League Match – Claudio Castagnoli defeated Darby Allin

"Allin fought Castagnoli to the top of the ramp before climbing to the top of the entrance structure and diving onto him. The two crawled to the ring so the bell could ring, and Castagnoli immediately caught Allin with the Swiss Death uppercut for a nearfall. Castagnoli got Allin in the Giant Swing for nearly a minute before tossing him to the floor. [...] Castagnoli deadlifted Allin up and bodyslammed him from the ring to the apron. He then drove Allin into the ringpost back first before swinging him into the ring stairs. Castagnoli hit a big lariat for a nearfall. Allin countered the Ricola Bomb into a Sunset Bomb for a nearfall. Castagnoli set Allin on the top rope and went for a superplex, but Allin reversed it into an Avalanche Scorpion Death Drop. A Coffin Drop met Castagnoli’s knees, but a Ricola Bomb only scored a two-count.

Another Ricola Bomb got another nearfall. Castagnoli went outside and got a chair. The referee took the chair away, but that allowed Castagnoli to pull out brass knuckles and knock out Allin. Castagnoli scored the pin and went to do more damage after the match but Will Ospreay returned the favor to Allin from last week’s Dynamite and ran Castagnoli off.

A solid main event featuring Castagnoli pinballing Allin around some more. Castagnoli’s frustration at not being able to put Allin down was the key point of the finish, resorting to brass knuckles to beat him. I expect Allin to get his win back over Castagnoli at some point in the new year as the Death Rider feud continues. As far as the tournament goes, Ricochet and Castagnoli control their own destiny as the outright block leaders and will clinch playoff spots if they win their matches. An upset will open the door for the winner of the Brody King/Will Ospreay to sneak in."

posted by The Pluto Gangsta