Good evening to all you wrestling fans, and especially to the SICKOS who are tuning in for some live coverage of AEW Collision tonight! Theo Sambus on hand for your Saturday night instalment, and it has been QUITE the week in the world of wrestling, amiriiiiight?! Raw made it’s debut on Netflix and brought the spectacle, and the AEW-NJPW collaboration brought us the goods with Wrestle Dynasty last Sunday. Omega vs Kidd gets the nod from me for the single greatest spot featuring an abdominal stretch, maybe ever? Masterful execution. Having said that (and I’m bracing myself here for the inevitable ‘Sambus, WHAT are you smoking?’) I actually felt that Takeshita vs Ishii was the MOTN. Whereas Takeshita/Shingo the night before didn’t quite Dave-Batista-Give-Me-What-I-Want, Sunday’s bout absolutely delivered and I was loving every second.
Regardless, the landscape moves on quickly, and AEW comes to Georgia tonight, where we are promised some ‘Hot Girl Graps’ as Mariah May goes one on one with the charismatic sensation that is Harley Cameron. Should be a blast. Not only that, Pac looks to take revenge on Komander for knocking Castagnoli out of the Continental Classic, Dax Harwood faces Chris Jericho, and Cope goes up against Big Bill. Decent little card despite some various travel issues, so let’s head down to ringside and get this show on the go.
Location: Athens, GA
Venue: Akins Ford Arena
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
It’s another cold open, as Harley Cameron has her guitar and sings about feeling the wrath. Mariah May says it’s Hot Girl Graps tonight and Cameron will not sing again once she’s ripped out her vocal chords. Big Bill says Cope shortened his name and he will shorten his career tonight. Jericho will show that Harwood is NoGood. Sick burn. Tonight, Dax the Axe chops the Learning Tree down. Top Guys out.
Jericho has joined the commentary desk for this one. Collar and elbow tie up, and Bill shoves Cope back into the buckles. They spill to the outside, and Cope drop toe holds Bill into the steel steps before bouncing his head off the barricade a number of times. Up to the apron, Cope goes for a spear but Bill sidesteps and clubs away at the back. Big boot to the side of the head from the Redwood. Snake Eyes into the announce desk! And another into the steel steps, and Jericho wants to celebrate that. Bill pins Cope up against the barricade and slaps him across the chest. Bill continues the assault on Cope around the ringside area as we head to PIP.
During the break, Bill brings Cope back in the ring, and stands on the back of the neck. Neck crank applied, but Cope rallies and stomps the leg to cut the Redwood down to size. Northern lariat to the back of the neck, cover, 1, 2, Bill kicks out. Cope ducks a few clotheslines but gets caught with a spinning side slam for a 2 count. Bill calls over Jericho to the ring, allowing Bill the distraction to expose the top turnbuckle. Cope to the top rope, gets caught with a right hand. Cope sends Bill headfirst into the exposed buckle though, and then hits a powerbomb out of the corner for 1, 2, no. Spear attempt, Bill ducks it and Cope goes headfirst into the exposed buckle, Bill follows with a big boot, 1, 2, no. Bill signals for a chokeslam, reversed into the Impaler DDT! SPEAR! 1, 2….KICKOUT, that was a loooong 2. Goozle by Bill, Cope grabs the referee though? SPEAR. Hammer and anvil elbows from Cope into the rear naked choke, and Bill is out.
Winner: Cope
Time: 13:33
Rating: **3/4 – Pretty standard stuff that didn’t sizzle until the closing moments. Also Cope totally grabbed the ref for a distraction which is NOT VERY FACEY! Bill kicking out of the Spear didn’t have the best timing, but the fact that he kicked out itself is pretty big, helping him look good in defeat.
The Learning Tree swarm Cope and attack him as soon as the bell rings…but here come FTR! Cash takes out Jericho, Dax goes for the Bad Apple, and Cope and Bill carry on fighting. Security pour out to break them all up.
*We hear that everyone is barred from ringside for Jericho vs Dax Harwood later on.
*Hangman Adam Page is backstage speaking to camera, saying he’s worked hard to protect his family from prying eyes. In one night, all of that work was undone and it nearly tore his family apart. It broke him, because for a long time he was ashamed. He was ashamed to look his wife and son in the eyes after what he allowed to happen to them. Page knew that he had to make a decision. He could remain the husk of a man that he was, or he could do something about it. So he found Strickland and he made sure he did not hold the AEW World championship. He severed the ties that meant Swerve could have a family and a home like he had. Page understands what Christopher Daniels was trying to say to him. Daniels was the first person who’d ever done anything in this business that saw a future in Page. But Daniels crossed a line when he lay his hands on him. Next Saturday in Collision, it will be Page vs Christopher Daniels in a Texas Deathmatch. Page has decided who he will be, and he would rather injure and maim, tear every life apart, than be the man he was last year. Daniels has made his bed, and next Saturday, Page will lie him down in it forever. Damn, nice promo there.
Aggressive tie up as the bell rings, Komander flips out of it though. Komander tries a monkey flip but Pac lands on his feet. Tijeras sends Pac to the floor, Komander reverses himself out to the floor, lowering into a tijeras, taking Pac down. Komander back to the ropes, does the rope walk across the ring and hits the dive. Springboard crossbody back into the ring gets a 2 count.
Pac takes control, throwing Komander to the outside and tossing him into the guardrail. Pac gestures at Alex Abrahantes before getting back in the ring. Komander makes it back inside, dodges a shot in the corner but misses a dropkick and Pac hits a running pump kick. 1, 2, no. Pac darts to the floor and grabs Abrahantes! But that provides a distraction, allowing Komander to jump to the top rope and hit a springboard moonsault to the floor! In the ring, a cutter connects, followed by a spinning DDT for 2. Komander leaps to the top for another dive, but Pac is up and clips the leg, preventing the dive. Pac to the top instead, but Komander rolls to the other side of the ring out of harm’s way. Thrust kick, and again from the ROH TV champ. Springboard Destroyer by Komander! He heads up top again, 450 splash but Pac gets the knees up! Brutalizer applied! Komander has to tap.
Winner: Pac
Time: 8:03
Rating: ***1/2 – That was fun! They kept it pacey without resorting to a bunch of kickouts, and I love that Pac can bust out that Brutalizer at any point, it’s still seen as quite the killer move and has been well protected.
After the bell, Claudio Castagnoli’s music hits, and out come the Death Riders. Wheeler Yuta and Pac hold back Komander as Claudio steps into the ring…but here come the YOUNGEST MEN ALIVE! The Outrunners dive into the ring, and the ref rings the bell, this match is on!
Yuta works over Magnum in the corner, until Magnum comes back with some chops. Floyd in for an uppercut, quick tags between the Outrunners. Claudio and Yuta double wishbone legsplit to Turbo Floyd, and Claudio muscles him up for a big body slam. Uppercuts from Castagnoli now, Lou Thesz Press from Turbo, who tags Magnum back in for a little double team combo. They take the Death Riders to the floor with stereo clotheslines as we head to commercial.
On the outside, Magnum is thrown knee-first into the steps, and the Death Riders immediately start working the leg, dropping him knee-first over the guardrail. Yuta in, dropkick to the knee, Magnum gets a rollup though for 2. Yuta locks in a figure four, tags in Claudio, who stomps away on the prone Magnum. Neck twist, and Claudio goes back to the leg and ankle, applying a short heel hook. Magnum shakes him off but Claudio takes out Floyd, and Yuta comes back in. Hart Attack, 1, 2, no. Magnum manages to back body drop Claudio to the floor and goes for the tag, but Claudio dives into the ring right by Floyd to cut him off. Magnum works around him though and finally makes the tag.
Floyd with scoop slams to both guys, before slamming Magnum on top of Yuta. SUNAVABITCH ELBOW! Total Recall attempt, Claudio sweeps the legs of Magnum though. Floyd gets rolled up for 2. Sunset flip attempt by Yuta, Floyd sits down into a pin for 2. Pin exchanges, all for 2. Dropkick to the face by Yuta, Floyd right back with a suplex for 2. Claudio tosses Yuta into his corner, tagging himself in. Giant Swing! Into the kick from Yuta, Yuta goes for the pin but Claudio is legal so he shouts at Yuta, and that momentary miscommunication allows Magnum to break it up. Claudio and Floyd battle on the top rope now, Claudio shoved off but Yuta holds the leg. Claudio with a gutwrench superplex, and Yuta gets rocket launched into a splash on Floyd for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
Time: 11:40
Rating: ***1/4 – Good double team offense from both teams on display here, and the leg work on Magnum gave us a neat face-in-peril stretch. Yuta still appeared like the weak link of the Death Riders, which may be the point, but hopefully he gets a chance to work his way into Claudio and Mox’s good books.
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