AEW Collision 8/5/2023

AEW Collision 8/5/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/aew-collision-7292023.html 

CM Punk says Ricky Steamboat is in the house to make sure Starks doesn't cheat. Punk said he will seperate the contenders from the pretenders tonight. Starks says he will make history for the 3rd time tonight and says the crowd will chant absolute tonight. Nana, Cage and Big Bill say FTR lose their belts tonight. He says The Embassy changes the game forever tonight. FTR says they can't lose tonight because Cash's mom is here and Dax says they are the best team in the world.

AEW Tag Titles - FTR vs Big Bill and Brian Cage

Cage is wearing surfer Sting style facepaint and shoulders Cash over hard. Dax tries to shoulder Cage but gets nowhere then takes a hard lariat. Cage goes for a gorilla press on Dax but Dax reverses it. Cage double shoulders both opponents then Cage and Bill double shoulder Cash.

Bill misses an elbow drop then is slammed by Bill. Bill elbow drops him for 2. Cash 2nd rope dropkicks him the Bill pulls FTR into each other. FTR double clotheslines Cage over the top and can't get Bill up for the shatter machine. Bill chokeslams Cash onto Dax. Bill then gorilla presses Cash onto Dax outside and Cash takes a hard elbow to the head from Cash on Cash's way down.

We go to PiP break and return. Bill punches Cash in front of his mom then shimmies in front of her until she slaps him. Cash takes snake eyes on the apron then Cage 2nd rope superplexes Cash in. The crowd cheers for FTR and Bill mocks them. Bill racks Cash and hits a big lariat.

Bill misses a corner splash then Cash germans Cage. Cash hits punches on both opponents then does corner punches on Cage. Cash jumps onto Bill and bites him. Cage superkicks Dax then Dax punches him. Dax electric chairs him and Cash springboard bulldogs him for 2. Cage hits a combo fallaway slam + samoan drop on FTR then Bill/Cage hit a chokeslam and jackhammer at the same on FTR.

Bill and FTR mess up some spot and Cash is pushed over the top. Cage then hits a tope con hilo on both FTR members. Bill facekicks Cash for 2. Bill is knocked off the apron then FTR hit a shatter machine on Cage and win it.

It was a good match. I didn't like Cage getting put on FTR's shoulders or him doing a tope con hilo, but it was fine otherwise. They mostly respected the size of Bill and Cage here.

Dax gets on the mic after and says they are going to get in trouble tonight. Dax says they started a legacy 10 years ago. Dax says there's one more thing they gotta do then they call out The Young Bucks. Cash said they have unfinished business and they should finish it at Wembley. Dax says they should have the rubber match and figure out who is the best team of all time.

We get a video on Starks and Punk.

Juice does a promo with a Jay White cardboard cutout. Juices says the bang bang gang is hotter than hell then Jay hits his own cutout. Jay says that's what will happen to Metallik tonight. He then says the Gunn's can teach Tony a thing or two about commentary and they goof off with headsets on. Jay says it will be lights out for Metallik tonight and make Tony do the guns up pose as they put fingers in his face.

TBS Title - Kris Statlander vs Mercedes Martinez

They trade forearms in the corner and Kris shoulders her over. Kris shotgun dropkicks her and hits more forearms. MM is legswept and Kris flips onto her. MM pulls Kris' neck forward then hits boots in the corner. MM double underhook suplexes her then Kris high kicks her MM hits elbows and shots to the back of the head then spinebusters her for 2.

She beats her up in the corner as we go to PiP break. Kris running forearms her as we return then MM spinning forearms her. Kris hits a jumping knee and knocks her out of the ring. Kris misses a crossbody off the apron and lands on the floor.  Kris backbreakers her out there.

MM has her throat dropped over the top rope then she powerslams her for 2. Kris goes up top and gets hit then takes a spider german suplex. MM running knees her for 2. Kris hits a ki krusher for 2. Kris goes for a move from the wheelbarrow position and is dropped on her neck. Kris then rolls her up and wins it.

It was decent. They had the time and they didn't mess anything up.

MM jumps Kris after and pounds on her. Diamante runs down and teases making the save, but pounds on Kris too. Willow Nightingale then runs down and makes the save.  

Toni Storm is interviewed. She is wearing a bathrobe and has her hair in curlers. She said she can handle being called the former champ and said she won't freak out. She asks if she's not a star or as talented anymore. She asks if she's not enough for Tony and then her bathrobe opens up and shows her bra. She said this is not right and tells him to shut up as the interview is over. Tony says, "let's go back to you" and Toni tells him to shut up again. Different, but it caught my attention.

Samoa Joe vs Serpentico

Why? Serp runs at him and is thrown. Joe then chokes him out and wins this complete waste of 10 seconds. They say it's the fastest match in the history of Collision.

Joe gets on the mic after. He says his name is Samoa Joe and he says he's the one true king of television. He says we go All In at Wembley but he has nobody to dance with. Joe says he knew Punk was never better than him a day in his life. He says he lost the ability to say that though at the Owen Hart Tournament. He says a roll-up is not good enough for their legacy together and Joe hints that he wants a rematch. He said if he doesn't answer within a week, he'll come to get him as his patience will run short. This was a good promo.

Andrade El Idolo does a promo with his mask. He says he is always tranquillo and says he fights for everything and everyone. He then says something else that I couldn't make out.

Tony Schiavone interviews The Acclaimed. They have Billy Gunn's boots with them. Bowens says they tried to give Billy his boots back, but he won't take them. Billy says he is officially retired according to Bowens and Billy said he feels like he cost them the trios titles. Tony asks where The Acclaimed goes form here. Max says he wants to respect Billy's decision but they say they have unfinished business. Bowens says maybe they failed him, instead of Billy failing them. They tell Billy he meant a lot to them and say they will miss him. They say they will go out with his boots for him and they said they want him to know how much they love him. They then ask him to throw up the scissors and scissor. A very nice promo.

AEW Trios Titles - The House of Black vs Darius Martin, Action Andretti and Lee Johnson

Lee was apparently out with an injury. Julia Hart is banned from ringside as that was the stip chosen for the House Rules thing (which doesn't make any sense unless there's various previsions). Darius dropkicks Brody then Brody shoulders him over. Darius bulldogs him through the ropes and tries to top rope crossbody him but Brody doesn't move.

Black hits off a 2v1 and makes AA dropkick Darius. AA hurricanrana's Black then Black pulls out AA and facekicks him. Black hits a nice knee on AA then legsweeps him. Buddy gets in and hits a top rope double stomp on AA's arm. AA is thrown belly first onto the top rope then Buddy knocks him off the apron into the announcer's table.

We go to PiP break and return. AA tries to make a comeback and tags in Lee. Lee top rope crossbodies Black and dropkicks Brody. Lee 2nd rope moonsaults into a double ddt. Lee then does a double back cutter off the 2nd rope. LEe takes a Buddy spear in the corner then Black flying kicks him. Lee takes a combo double sliding dropkick in the corner and a cannonball at the same time. Lee is thrown into a Brody forearm then AA springboard 450's Brody's back.

AA hurricanrana's Black over the top rope then asai moonsaults Buddy and Black outside. Darius top rope splashes Bordy's back for 1. Brody takes various kicks and a double superkick from Darius and AA. Darius pops up AA into a knee from Buddy and Black then Darius takes a spinning lariat from Brody. Brody picks up the win.

It was an entertaining match with the faces flying and eventually getting stopped by the heels. 

They announce the House of Black vs CM Punk and FTR in a trios title next week.

Hobbs is interviewed. QT Marshall and Harley interrupt. Tony is kicked out. QT has gifts for Hobbs. He has a gold chain for him and wants to give him his biggest win in Chicago. Hobbs says he doesn't want or need his help, but says thanks for the gold and leaves.

Christian and Luchasaurus are interviewed by Tony. Christian brings his daughter for this. She looks scared. Christian says he is a role model for children around the world and says Darby annoys him. He says Darby has a 18 year old punk kid who has no business in his ring in Nick Wayne. Christian's daughter asks for the belt. Christian says she didn't win the belt and says nobody touches the title but him. Christian then tells security to remove his daughter from the building. Christian says he is the TNT champ now and forever.

Jay White vs Metallik

The Gunn's join the commentary desk as promised. They have the Jay White cutout behind them. Jay knees Metal in the corner and then stomps and pounds on him. Metal headscissors Jay then Jay ddt's him for 2. Metal is thrown out and Juice yells at him. Metal is thrown into the post.

Jay tilt-a-whirl backbreakers Metal for 2 then single leg crabs him. Jay catapults his neck into the bottom rope for 2. MEtal hits a slingblade bulldog then walks the ropes into a hurricanrana. Metal has his neck brought down over the top rope then Metal asai moonsaults out on him.

Jay tazzmission suplexes Metal then hits a bladerunner to win it.

This was a fun match with Metal flying around before getting shut down. Metal was totally brought in here out of nowhere though as he was last seen in ROH many months ago.

Anna Jay does a promo on Shida. She says Shida took advantage of her when she was a rookie in AEW. She said she came close to beating her and says she is a rookie no more. She says she has a lot on her plate and will beat her to become AEW women's champ.

Jim Ross joins the commentary booth after being out for a while.

Special Outside Ref - Ricky Steamboat, Real World's Championship - CM Punk vs Ricky Starks

Punk wore a stupid shirt down to the ring that said, "I'm a Collision Girl" on the back of it. What is it with FTR and Punk constantly calling themselves girls and stuff like that?

Punk hiptosses Starks and Starks goes out. The crowd is hot for this. Punk shoulders over Starks and does his pose. Punk shoulders him over then Starks armdrags him. Starks hits punches on Punk in the corner. Starks lariats Punk over the top and goes with him.

We go to PiP break then full break. Starks shoves Punk and they slap each other. Starks flurries on him in the corner then Punk flurries on him in the corner. Starks slaps him and goes outside. Punk pushes him into the rails. Punk pounds on Starks and Steamboat pulls him off.

Punk hits corner punches then takes a stun gun style move. Starks baseballs slides him out then back elbows him. Starks does Steamboat's top rope chop on Punk then stares at Steamboat. Punk is thrown hard into the buckles then 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him. Punk slingshot sunset flips him and Starks holds onto the ropes. Steamboat makes Starks let off the ropes and Starks does.

We go to PiP break and return. They go up top and Punk superplexes him. Punk drops him with punches then leg lariats him. Punk hits a neckbreaker and a bulldog for 2. Punk comes off the top and completely misses whatever he went for. Punk goes for a step-up knee in the corner then is powerbombed for 2.

Starks walks the top rope but Punk pulls him off. Punk's shoulder goes into the post and Starks goes headfirst into the 2nd buckle. Punk high kicks him then Starks hits an alabama slam. Starks ends up shouldering the ref out on accident. Starks rolls up Punk with his feet on the ropes and Steamboat knocks his feet off the ropes. Punk rolls up Starks and wins the match.

Steamboat gives Punk the belt and hugs him then Starks nails Steamboat from behind. Punk is knocked off the apron. Starks takes Steamboat's belt and whips him with it. Punk tries to make the save but can't then gets a chair and clears him off.  The doc checks on Steamboat and Starks is chased to the back by Punk.

The match went around 20-25 minutes or so. It kept my interest though it did get drag a little towards the end. I felt they could have built up the Steamboat stuff more. Maybe he could have caught Starks cheating again or Starks could have accidentally hit him somehow. The crowd was good for this and it was a solid match that further cemented Starks as a heel and has gotten the crowd to forget about booing Punk.

Overall thoughts: It was a really good show. All matches minus the 10 second squash delivered. They furthered the Starks/Punk thing and they set up some stuff for All In.