This was a good episode of Collision, but was let down by a lack of weight. The matches on the show were strong across the board, with the main event a better executed ending away from a home run. The show was varied in its match styles and nicely structured, though perhaps the sameness of the match/in ring promo formula wore a little thin after a while. I’d heard reports about a bad atmosphere but I only really heard it in the two squash matches, and I felt the crowd were very lively in most other areas, particularly the Jericho tag and the main event. While the show did feel focused to highlight the Wrestledream matches, very little on this show made me that much more excited to see them, rather just reminded me of their existence and the stories so far. I feel like those who didn't see this show will for the most part go in with the same level of knowledge as those who did, which is why storytelling does not get a higher rating. It felt like a placeholder Collision before Wrestledream with the real go home show having happened on Dynamite. A good and entertaining placeholder, but a placeholder all the same.
Tonight on AEW Collision, we will see an All Star 8 Man Tag as Aussie Open teams with Ricky Starks and Big Bill to take on FTR, Bryan Danielson and Wheeler Yuta. Elsewhere on the card, Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho team together to take on the Gates Of Agony, The Best Friends take on The Kingdom and Andrade El Idolo faces ‘Rock Hard’ Juice Robinson. Lets get at it!
This week’s opening pre-intro promos are particularly uninspired and extremely clunky.
GREAT Juice Robinson vs Andrade El Idolo
An opening match better than it had any right to be. This was a strong back and forth with both guys looking great. The outside influence of The Gunn’s was great fun, and it was nice to see this was such a great turn for the ever reliable Juice. An excellent opening contest, with another added layer of intrigue with CJ Perry seen watching from backstage, potentially hinting at an Andrade recruitment.
Result: La Sombra DDT
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.75 Stars
Jericho and Omega tell each other they don’t like each other but will coexist tonight and tomorrow night. This was a pretty decent sales job for the PPV.
Second part of the Toni Storm interview series. This continues to be very very entertaining, and I love the character beat of the Outcast days of Toni now contextualised as ‘the old days’ because it makes some very funny parallels to the Monroe character she is playing
GREAT Best Friends vs The Kingdom
Another really strong match here for what it’s designed for, with Best Friends getting some really entertaining offence and The Kingdom being a super entertaining unit. There was one aerial move that clearly went awry, but otherwise it was very clean, and the tiger driver onto the steps was nasty. Very good little showcase for both teams/
Result: The Kingdom by Pinfall via Piledriver
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.5 Stars
GOOD The Kingdom Promo
This was very short but had me absolutely howling. Matt Taven cut a fun promo calling Adam Cole to meet them at Roddy’s house and be there for him, but the real star of this was Mike Bennett doing Buster Keaton quality pratfalls behind him holding a suitcase. A good promo, but Bennet’s antics had me absolutely creasing
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.25 Stars
Nana and Callis may be conspiring, just wish the reveal hadn’t been spoiled by commentary 30 seconds before it actually happened.
Julia Hart looks an absolute megastar in the hype package for her vs Statlander
SQUASH Vertvixen vs Julia Hart
This started boring but it did get better by the end as we got some solidly stiff action before the inevitable Julia Hart win.
Result: Julia Hart by Pinfall via Moonsault
Too Short To Rate
Barnett vs Claudio? Yes please.
GREAT Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega vs The Gates Of Agony
Easily the match the crowd have been most invested in so far, this was a very well structured match from a storyline perspective and I loved the integration between the earlier promo and the match. The Gates Of Agony are a fantastic tag team and they really do a great job making the Jericho and Omega comeback spots feel all the sweeter. Nothing magnificent or mind blowing by any stretch, but a very nicely worked contest to build up Jericho and Omega before Wrestledream
Result: Chris Jericho by Pinfall via Liontamer
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.75 Stars
GREAT Jericho and Omega Promo
Unsurprisingly with an excellently delivered promo, Jericho and Omega really put their working boots on to sell this 6 way, with Omega in particular doing a fantastic job. Jericho’s first interlude was excellent, but I could’ve done without his spoken word retelling of his own theme song to call Guevara a Judas, which was both pretentious and insanely hypocritical in the context of the story. With that being said though, it still sold the match well and the two men had the crowd in the palm of their hands.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.75 Stars
Amazing vignette for Christian Cage vs Darby Allin. I think the main event slot may possibly signal the arrival of a certain someone. I think you know him…
SQUASH The Righteous vs Judas Icarus and Travis Williams
Quick and easy for the Righteous. They get a slightly better reception here than their last match but the crowd don’t really seem to care all that much.
Result: The Righteous by Pinfall via Boss Man Slam
Too Short To Rate
GOOD The Righteous Promo
Standard Righteous promo about paper people and paper friendships. It was a good enough speech before they decide to pull a ‘Misery’ on poor Williams, only with a chair instead of a sledgehammer. Fun little gimmick if they wanna do that more going forward on AEW.
TMDK are now on AEW? They’re facing The Acclaimed at Zero Hour which should be fun, but this completely blindsided me.
AMAZING Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta and FTR vs Aussie Open, Ricky Starks and Big Bill- Watch Match Here
A 4.25 Star Match right until the end, this was an incredibly fun main event built around the anticipation of Bryan Danielson getting in the ring. The main highlight of the match was Zac Sabre Jr on commentary, who alongside Nigel McGuiness was absolutely hilarious from start to finish. As good as the match was, the ending felt bizarre, with Cash Wheeler getting to the pin way too early and having to crawl like an idiot as slowly as possible so the 3 count could be made before he broke it up. An excellent match no doubt, but one that did end in a strange way.
Result: Ricky Starks by Pinfall via Assisted Spear
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 4 Stars
Overall…
This was a good episode of Collision, but didnt retain the must-watch energy of last weeks amazing episode. The matches on the show were strong across the board, with the main event a better executed ending away from a home run. The show was varied in its match styles and nicely structured, though perhaps the sameness of the match/in ring promo formula wore a little thin after a while. I’d heard reports about a bad atmosphere but I only really heard it in the two squash matches, and I felt the crowd were very lively in most other areas, particularly the Jericho tag and the main event. While the show did feel focused to highlight the Wrestledream matches, very little on this show made me that much more excited to see them, rather just reminded me of their existence and the stories so far. I feel like those who didn’t see this show will for the most part go in with the same level of knowledge as those who did, which is why storytelling does not get a higher rating. It felt like a placeholder Collision before Wrestledream with the real go home show having happened on Dynamite. A good and entertaining placeholder, but a placeholder all the same.
Matches: 0.5/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere: 0.75/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.5/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 0.75/1 Stars
Overall Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling- September 30th 2023
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