AEW Collision 3/16/2024

AEW Collision 3/16/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/03/aew-collision-392024.html

Bryan Danielson vs Katsuyori Shibata

They grab each others arms. Bryan hammerlocks him with a bridge and fight for holds. They trade leg kicks and Bryan bangs Shibata's knees into the mat. He then stomps the arm into the mat. Shibata hits forearms and boots. Bryan double underhook suplexes him then bow and arrows him.

Shibata kimuras him and they shove each other. They trade chops and Bryan throws him on a wristlock. Shibata suplexes him over the top to the floor then PK's him from the apron.

We go to PiP break and return. Bryan top rope dropkicks him then flying kicks him in the corner. Shibata no sells it then face kicks him and hits forearms. Bryan flying kicks him again. Shibata forearm flurries him in the corner then dropkicks him in the corner. Shibata suplexes him for 2 then ankle locks him. Bryan reverses it and Shibata reverses that. Bryan germans him then Shibata STO's him.

Shibata death valley drivers him for 2. Shibata hits downward elbows then Bryan flying knees him for 2.Bryan ties up both arms and Shibata ropebreaks. Bryan hits kicks while he's down. He PK's Shibata then Shibata pump kicks him. They trade boots and Shibata jumping face kicks him. 

They sit down and chop each other. They slap each other at the same time and Bryan buzzsaw kicks him. Shibata slaps him and then puts him in an octopus. Bryan rolls him up off a missed PK then Bryan pins him soon after.

It was a back and forth wrestling match with various strikes. I thought it went long for the opener. It wasn't great or memorable but one of the better matches we have seen out of Shibata in the US. There was no real need for this though. It wasn't built up to in any way, no angle came out of it and I highly doubt this drew any viewers. It was just simply Bryan and Tony booking for themselves.

TBS Title - House Rules - Julia Hart (c) vs Trish Adora

The loser is banned from ringside in the the Tag Title Tournament. Trish works her arms then splits on her, sitting on her back while pulling the arms. Trish puts her in a submission over the knee then she shoulders her over. Trish's head is banged off the steps outside. Trish is then sent into the rails.

We go to PiP break and return. Trish shoulderbeakers her then Hart hits running moves in the corner. Hart STO's her then is put in a pin on a hartless attempt. Trish germans her from her knees for 2. Hart double foot presses her down in the corner then superkicks her. Hart top rope moonsaults her and wins it.

It was short and it wasn't that great. It had a slower pace to it from the start and the ending of it was not well built to. Trish obviously never had a shot from the start after. 

Zak Knight and Harley Cameron are interviewed. Zak said it's a joke that Angelo Parker wants to fight him. He says he will do it but not in Canada, where Parker is from. Harley makes fun of Canada. Zak says he will give him a fight but it's on his terms.

Daniel Garcia vs Lee Moriarty

Lee hits an armdrag and is headscissored. DG headlock takeovers him then escapes a headscissors and dances. DG kicks him in the knee then basement dropkicks him out. Shane distracts DG outside then Lee blindside topes DG.

Lee basment dropkicks him inside then Shane cheapshots DG on the ropes. Lee belly to belly suplexes him. DG hits punches then boot flurries him in the corner. DG clips him then works the leg. DG backdrops him then Lee enzugiri's him. DG is back body dropped then Lee double stomps DG as he goes low.

DG rolls Lee into a heel hook and taps him out.

It was a short one here. DG worked the leg a little before getting the submission. It was okay for what it was. 

Matt Menard celebrates with Garcia after.

They talk about Darby Allin breaking his foot thanks to Jay White.

Pac vs Aaron Solo

Solo corkscrew kicks him then exploders him. Pac goes out and Solo tope con hilos him. Pac hits boots then spin kicks him in the gut. Pac kicks him in the side of the head then top rope dropkicks him. Pac running euros him then hits a corkscrew ssp. Pac then wins with the brutalizer.

It was a quick squash with Solo getting a little in at the beginning.

Pac calls out Tony and says he's back. He said he's looking for trouble and said Solo is not what he had in mind. He tells Tony Khan again that he wants trouble or he will find it himself.

Bryan Danielson is meditating in the back. He talks about gratitude. He said he is thankful to wrestle shibata tonight. He said both of them were told they weren't going to wrestle again. He said they fought like h3ll. He said he's grateful he has a match coming up with Will Ospreay. He said Will says it's live or die when he gets in the ring. Bryan says that means Will is following and emulating him but can't walk in his shoes. Bryan said he can't do that though as he was told he can't wrestle again. Bryan says he knows what he's willing to do and doesn't think Will is ready for it.

Claudio Castagnoli vs Lance Archer

Well, Lance hasn't lot in a while. I think they will fix that. They shoulder battle and slam each other. CC hits a facekick then euros. CC lariats him over the top then Lance cannonballs him off the apron.

We go to PiP break and return. Lance spinning uranages him for 2. CC suplexes him. CC running euros him and gets lariated. Lance walks the top rope and is pulled down into a euro. CC double stomps him then Lance goes out. CC running euros him then Lance step up knees CC while he's on top. Lance chokeslams him for 2.

CC escapes blackout then death valley drivers him. CC hits running euros then euros in the corner. Lance is seated on the top rope and CC running cutters him for 2. Lance backdrops him then CC springboard euros him for 2.

CC giant swings him then The Righteous run in and beat up CC. Claudio wins via DQ.

Bryan Danielson makes the save then takes an assisted shiranui. Shibata comes down with a chair and The Righteous leave.

It was an okay match with two of the bigger guys on AEW's roster. The Righteous/Archer team was revived here after being formed a few months ago and never really being seen since.

Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker are interviewed. Parker says he doesn't know what to think about Zak and said this is a second home. He said he was ready for a fight tonight. He said Zak is a coward and he will find him right now to fight him. Ruby says he's being baited in and will have to fight without her if he wants a fight. Parker says he apologizes and will leave it alone for tonight.

Kyle O'Reilly vs Bryan Keith

This is Kyle O'Reilly return after being out for a long time. Bryan side headlocks him and Kyle wristlocks him. Bryan hammerlocks him and Kyle goes for an armbar. Bryan shoulders him over then Kyle rolls out. They trade forearms.

Kyle takes a spin kick to the gut then Kyle flying knees him. Kyle slaps him then Bryan side kicks him. Bryan ddt's him. We go to PiP break and return. Bryan face kicks him then Kyle knees him in the gut.

Kyle hits slaps, a jumping knee and a legsweep. Kyle corner forearms him then backdrops him. Kyle then puts a leglock on him but Bryan ropebreaks. Kyle triangles him.

Kyle is up top and takes a headbutt. Bryan knees him then knees him as he falls for 2. Bryan tiger drivers him for 2. Bryan is armwhipped off the buckles then Kyle spinning forearms him. Bryan enzugiri's him. They hit high kicks at the same time and Kyle rebound lariats him. Kyle brainbusters him for 2 then wins with an armbar.

It was a long match that wasn't so interesting. I don't know what they were thinking here by not giving Kyle a quick win and letting him show off some.

The Undisputed Kingdom celebrate with Kyle after.

Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo are interviewed. Deonna says an enemy of an enemy is a friend. She said she trusts Deonna and said Toni Storm passed out at Revolution. She said she'd be champ if it wasn't for Toni's crew. Rosa said she never lost the title and said she will stop the games and the jokes. Rosa then said they are on some kind of mission but it was too hard to make out.

AEW Tag Title Tournament Quarterfinals - The House of Black (Buddy Matthews and Brody King) vs The Infantry

AEW is insane to put The Infantry in essentially the main event spot when they really haven't been on TV much. The Infantry pose on the ropes and are knocked down to the floor. They get thrown into the rails then they take shots against the rails. The House then stands in the corner of the ring while they wait for the match to officially start.

The Infantry get hit as soon as it starts and Brody cannonballs Bravo. Dean breaks it up. Buddy PK's Dean from the apron. We go to PiP break and return.

Bravo rolls up Buddy then Dean slips off the top rope. Bravo backdrops Buddy. Dean step eup enzugiri's Buddy then Dean hits splashes on both in the corner. Brody lariats Dean. Buddy pop up knees Bravo then Dean is thrown into a fire thunder from Brody. Bravo pulls Brody over the top rope then Bravo takes an attitude adjustment on the commentary table. Brody piledrivers Bravo on the apron and Buddy curbstomps Dean for 2.

Buddy goes up top and Mark Briscoe hits Buddy with a chair. Dean then pins Buddy in an upset. Malakai Black comes out after.

I didn't like the faces getting attacked before the bell and the match still being allowed to go on. The Infantry winning was a surprise but the win didn't really do much for them. They weren't hyped up in any way and they got little in before Mark helped them out. Brody also should have been DQ'd for the piledriver on the table.

Edge comes out with a box that says "spike" on it. He said he shares a lot of history with Ottawa. He says it's fitting he's facing a guy who he thought was his best friend for 40 years. He said Jay is dead and he has became Christian Cage. He said they chased and crushed their dreams. He said he earned his title shot thru the Cope Open then Christian took him out.

He said he talked on the phone with a sociopath (Foley) who created Barbie and Janice and then said he created Spike - a wooden 2x4 with spines in it. Adam says Spike is hungry and wants Christian. He said he will put CC in the hospital and says he and Spike will take Christian's manhood. He said they will take Christian's manhood and says it all ends on Dynamite. He said he will make him say "I Quit".

Overall thoughts: It was a very weak episode of Collision with lots of one-sided matches and people who can't even make main roster TV most of the time. I really don't think its asking that much to come with reasons for some of these people to fight but AEW couldn't do it. There was just very little effort put into this one. I wouldn't recommend this.