PODCAST ALERT IN SPOTLIGHT (YOUR ARTICLE STARTS A FEW INCHES BELOW)…
AEW COLLISION REPORT
AUGUST 24, 2024 (Recorded on August 21)
CARDIFF, WALES, AT THE UTILITA ARENA
REPORT BY AMIN AJANI, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuiness
(1) MARK BRISCOE & KYLE O’REILLY & ORANGE CASSIDY vs. UNDISPUTED KINGDOM (Roderick Strong & Matt Taven & Mike Bennet)
Tomohiro Ishii commentated on the match. Good action to start with Strong unleashing Orange, who caught Bennett with a DDT. Orange took down Strong with another DDT. Orange called for the beach break, but Strong saved. Bennett and Taven took control and hit Orange with a spike piledriver, but his team saved. Orange fought back and got the hot tag to Briscoe. Briscoe ran wild, shaking Taven with punches. The action broke up and everyone jumped. Bennett caused a distraction when Strong threw Briscoe into a chair for a two count. (c)
Briscoe caught Taven with an overhead suplex. O’Reilly ran wild, shaking Taven with punches. Briscoe caught Taven on the floor with a flying blockbuster. Orange hit Bennett with a flying elbow, but Taven saved him. Bennett responded by knocking O’Reilly down with a Death Valley Driver. Taven followed with a PK for two. Strong knocked O’Reilly down with a gut buster for two. The babyface responded by putting everyone in submission holds, but was interrupted. The action broke down when Briscoe hit everyone on the floor with a flying cannonball. O-Reilly caught Taven in a guillotine hold and won by submission.
WINNERS: Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly and Orange Cassidy in 15:20.
(Amin’s thoughts: A fun, action-packed tag team match to kick off the show, where everyone got a chance to shine. Nice to see O’Reilly pick up another win for his team. It was funny that Ishii got on commentary but didn’t say anything.)
—They aired a highlights package for the AEW World Trios Titles
(2) WILLOW NIGHTINGALE vs. HARLEY CAMERON
Willow got a nice reaction from the crowd. Ishii also commentated on this match. Willow took control early and knocked Cameron down with a scoop slam. Willow landed a back senton that almost led to the win. Willow shook Cameron down with corner clotheslines. Cameron fought back with a leg sweep that almost led to the win. Cameron caught Willow with sole food. Cameron followed with a sliding boot for a two count. Willow fought back and shook Cameron down with a forearm smash. Willow delivered a doctor bomb and got the win.
WINNER: Willow Nightingale in 4:10
—Willow and Ishii celebrated together after the match.
(Amin’s thoughts: This was a great match. I was impressed with Cameron as she continues to show signs of improvement in her matches. A good performance from Willow who looked strong in the win.)
—Lexi Nair was backstage introducing Private Party as the official MC for All In. They got excited as they made a disgusting promo clip and then quickly left the set.
—Lexi Nair then called new ROH World Tag Team Champion Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara to the set. Guevara talked about how the last few weeks have been crazy. He said they were going to issue an open challenge. He said they weren’t coming alone. Rhodes said they were going to bring the legendary Von Erichs. He said he was going to bring Katsuyori Shibata too. Shibata did that phone translation trick. They all put up the “Hook Em Horns” sign. (c)
(3) KATSUYORI SHIBATA (with Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara) vs. JAY LETHAL (with Satnam Singh & Sonjay Dutt)
Lethal and Shibata began trading blows. Lethal quickly took control and worked Shibata’s legs. Shibata responded by throwing Lethal to the mat. Shibata stomped on Lethal’s hand. (c)
Lethal applied a figure-four leg lock, but Shibata held on to the ropes. Lethal took Shibata down with a Lethal Combination. Lethal tried a jump, but Shibata caught him with an armbar. Lethal put his foot on the ropes. Shibata came back and hit a corner dropkick. Shibata landed a butterfly suplex for 2. Shibata took Lethal down with an STO. Shibata applied the Iron Claw. Shibata went into an armbar and won by submission.
WINNER: Katsuyori Shibata in 9:50
—Shibata offered a handshake. Lethal accepted.
(Amin’s Thoughts: This was a solid wrestling match as both Lethal and Shibata worked well together. Shibata getting the win was the right call as he is part of a match in All In Zero Hour.)
— They aired a highlights package from MJF vs. Will Ospreay. (c)
— They showed footage of Kris Statlander training with Stokely Hathaway at the Create A Pro wrestling school. She talked about how she was ignored for far too long. She said she and Stokely would defeat both Willow and Ishii at All In.
(4) KRIS STATLANDER & STOKELY HATHAWAY vs. KID LYKOS II & NINA SAMUELS
Hathaway shook hands with both his opponents. Statlander hit a double clothesline on both Lykos and Samuels. Hathaway took Lykos down with a spinebuster. Statlander took Lykos down with a doctor bomb. Statlander dropped Hathaway on top of Lykos for the win.
WINNER: Kris Statlander & Stokely Hathaway in 1:00
—Hathaway said what you just saw was a preview of All In. He called himself and Statlander the best tag team. He mocked Willow and Ishii. He said they will win. He mocked the food in England. Schiavone noted they were in Whales.
(Amin’s Thoughts: A quick demonstration to give both Statlander and Hathaway a strong win before their match against Willow and Ishii at All In Zero Hour.)
—Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Films narrated a video package for Toni Storm and Mariah May.
(5) Hook vs. big beak
Hook’s eye was taped shut. Chris Jericho commentated on the match. Hook quickly shocked Big Bill with punches. Big Bill quickly took control and sent Hook through the air with a fallaway slam. Big Bill pounded Hook with punches. (c)
Big Bill took Hook into a bear hug. Big Bill took Hook down with an elbow drop and put him on the floor. Hook came back and shook Big Bill with corner shots. Hook took Big Bill down with a T-Bone Suplex. The crowd booed when Hook came back. The crowd cheered when Big Bill feinted a choke slam. The crowd booed when Hook put Big Bill in the Red Rum and won by submission. The crowd booed the finish.
WINNER: Hook in 10:45
—Chris Jericho stood on the commentary table holding the FTW title
(Amin’s thoughts: This was a good match as Hook suplexed Big Bill to the floor looking impressive. The UK crowd was just having fun with their own chants which made the match even more entertaining. The Jericho vs. Hook match is still the least interesting one for me at the All In PPV.)
— They aired a highlights package in which Jack Perry talks about how he recreated the TNT title for his own image. (c)
– They aired a highlights package announcing the “Swerve” Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson match for the AEW World Title for All In.
—Ariya Daivari came out and interrupted Arkady Aura’s ring introduction. Daivari mocked the crowd for not having a premier league team. This didn’t get much of a reaction from the crowd. Jeff Jarrett took the stage with Karen Jarrett and got a strong reaction.
(6) JEFF JARRETT (w/Karen Jarrett) vs. ARIYA DAIVARI
Daivari took control early and wobbled Jarrett with two shoulder thrusts. Jarrett responded by hitting Daivari with a right hand. Jarrett took control and ran Daivari into the ring. The crowd enjoyed themselves and chanted as they went into the break. (c)
Jarrett pushed Daivari into the barricade. Daivari responded by catching Jarrett off the ropes in a choke. Jarrett responded by throwing Daivari to the floor with a backdrop suplex. Jarrett came back and hit a leg sweep for a near win. Jarrett confused Daivari with a running attack. The crowd cheered as Jarrett did his strutting walk. Jarrett hit the shot for the win.
WINNER: Jeff Jarrett in 9:55
(Amin’s thoughts: That was a pretty normal match. Nice to see Jarrett get that babyface reaction from the crowd. I wouldn’t mind if Jarrett participated in the Casino Gauntlet Match at the All In PPV.)
—They aired a highlight package on Hologram (c)
(7) CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI & WHEELER YUTA & PAC vs. LIO RUSH & DANTE & DARIUS MARTIN (with Action Andretti) — Qualifying match for the London Ladders
Pac got a huge reaction from the crowd. Darius and Yuta started with a nice counterattack. Dante and Darius took Yuta down with a high/low combination that almost resulted in the win. The crowd cheered when Pac was tagged in. Dante caught Pac with a dropkick. Claudio shook everyone with uppercuts. Darius responded by catching Pac with a DDT. (c)
Darius caught Pac and Yuta with a double DDT. Rush caught Yuta on the floor with a springboard moonsault. Rush landed a tope and sent Pac into the announce table for a near win. Rush hit a Falcon Arrow on Pac but Yuta made the save. The action broke down and everyone hit a big move. Pac caught Rush with an overhead German suplex. Dante stopped Pac from climbing the ropes. Rush hit Pac with Rush Hour but Claudio and Yuta made the save. Yuta caught Darius with a tope. Claudio hit Rush with an uppercut. Claudio hit Rush with the Giant Swing. Pac hit Rush with the Black Arrow for the win.
WINNER: Claudio Castagnoli, Pac & Wheeler Yuta in 13:00
— After the match, The Patriarchy came out. Christian Cage told the crowd not to start with him. He congratulated Claudio, Pac and Wheeler on qualifying for the London Ladder Match. Killswitch and Nick Wayne came out from behind and hit Claudio, Pac and Yuta with chairs. Bang Bang Gang came out next. They brought tables out from under the ring. House of Black took the stage next. There was a ladder on the entrance ramp. The Patriarchy left the ring. A brawl broke out between the other teams. The show ended.
(Amin’s thoughts: This was a fun, action-packed match between both teams. The crowd reaction to Pac was great. Nice to see Pac get a match at the All In Show. The post-match angle was honestly pretty lame. The angle didn’t pique my interest in seeing the actual London Ladders match at the All In Show.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: The audience reactions were what I enjoyed the most. The Collision show itself was honestly a waste of time and didn’t exactly increase my anticipation for All In.
