AEW Collision: Fight For The Fallen Review – August 19, 2023
Samoa Joe vs. The Golden Vampire
The Golden Vampire attacks Samoa Joe at ringside and takes out a referee then once in the ring The Golden Vampire hits Joe with a high knee in the corner and then puts him down with a Go 2 Sleep.
The Golden Vampire removes his mask and revealed himself to be CM Punk. He picks up the mic and stood over Joe while saying I accept bitch. Punk’s theme song plays while he exits the ring. Joe came to and clutched his jaw then started seething while he & Punk had a long distance staredown. Joe heads to the back.
Winner: No One (Match Never Got Started)
Jay White vs. Dalton Castle
Dalton Castle charges at Jay White in the corner and tumbled over the top rope to ringside after White moves out of the way. White went to ringside and dumps Castle on the ring apron. White grabs his own cutout and posed with it while standing over White heading into a picture in picture break.
After the break Castle rallied and hits a few suplexes and then plays to the crowd then Castle charges at White but he held down the top rope causing Castle to tumble to ringside again. White chops Castle in front of the broadcast table before Castle came back with a headscissors takedown on the floor and then threw White back in the ring.
Bullet Club Gold surrounds Castle at ringside before The Boys performed dives onto BC Gold. Castle returns to the ring and counters Blade Runner but White was still able to put him down.
White applied a choke as Robinson stomped Castle’s foot and eventually elbows his way free. White put Castle down with a dragon suplex and then hits Blade Runner for the win.
Winner: Jay White (12:06)
Rate: 6
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring with Bullet Club Gold & White said they talk about what they want to talk about and took the mic away. White said he got a message from his old friend Kenny Omega from a hospital bed. White said that Omega should stay in the hospital bed if he doesn’t want to be exposed at All In.
White said The Elite have deceived fans by convincing them that they are the peak of Bullet Club. White said Bullet Club Gold has shown that they are a cut above The Elite. White said they’ve beaten them before and would do it again.
Robinson spoke about hospitalizing Omega after only a 2 minute beatdown. He asked Omega what he thought they would do to him at the biggest pro wrestling show in history.
The Gunns took their turn. Colten Gunn said The Elite may have started the company but now they run it. The Gunns calls for Tony Khan to send out competition so they could get ready for Fyter Fest.
Trios Match
Bullet Club Gold (Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn & Coleton Gunn) vs. Iron Savages (Boulder, Bronson & Jacked Jameson)
Boulder took a hot tag from Bronson & Boulder puts The Gunns down then Juice Robinson dove from the ropes at Boulder but he caught him and slams him on The Gunns. Boulder ran the ropes and splashed Robinson & Colten and got a two count.
The Gunns went for 3:10 To Yuma on Boulder but they couldn’t get Boulder off his feet so they did manage to clear him from the ring before The Gunns took out Bronson with a 3:10 To Yuma as Robinson hits Jacked Jameson with The Juice Is Loose for the win.
Winners: Bullet Club Gold (9:31)
Rate: 5
We get a video from Trios Champions House Of Black aired and it shows them putting Billy Gunn’s boots in a trash compactor while Malakai Black provided a narration.
Jose The Assistant asked if the camera was rolling. He said the boss wanted him to document the call. Jose calls Rush & he said he needs a factions of bad asses and real killers. He said he wants the whole group in Mexico including Jose as he told the cameraman to turn off the camera.
They cut to a video of Jose, Preston Vance & Dralistico partying in Mexico. A van showed up and men covered in black put hoods over the heads of Vance & Dralistico and then threw them in the back of the van. Jose taps the back of the van indicating to the driver that he could drive away.
Ricky Starks was interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Schiavone said he misspoke last week when he said Starks was suspended for 30 days. He said it was actually a 4 week suspension meaning 28 days. Starks said he’d already served half of that.
Starks said he feels like AEW is a nonprofit because people like Schiavone are making mistakes left and right an he has to suffer for it. Starks said he meant it when he said he was going to bring war to AEW. Starks said he would bring chaos tonight. The camera pulls back and showed Big Bill standing beside them.
A Starks video package aired. He said people took his kindness for weakness then he spoke about bringing chaos and said this is who he was all along. Starks said he is absolute.
Big Bill vs. Derek Neil
Big Bill chokeslams Derek Neil to get the victory.
Winner: Big Bill (1:07)
Rate: 3
After the match Ricky Starks whips Neal before Bill tossed Neal to ringside.
Footage aired of Darby Allin showing up at Thursday’s WWA4 independent wrestling show in the Atlanta area event that AR Fox was at when Fox was distracted by Allin Sting shows up in the ring behind him and put his baseball bat around his neck and then Allin was shown hitting Fox with a Coffin Drop. Allin spoke about how it would have been easy it would have been to end Fox that night but he has bigger plans for him in front of 80,000 people. Nick Wayne asked if he had to do what Fox & Swerve Strickland did to him to make a name for himself or stick with the morals he was taught growing up.
Willow Nightingale vs. Diamante
Willow Nightingale was in offensive control when Mercedes Martinez walks out to ringside before Diamante clips the back of Nightingale’s leg and was in offensive control heading into a PIP break.
After the break TBS Champion Kris Statlander ran out and took out Martinez at ringside then Nightingale went to ringside and hits a Pounce on Diamante.
Nightingale threw her back inside the ring and hits Babe With The Powerbomb to get the win.
Winner: Willow Nightingale (11:02)
Rate: 6
A video package aired on AEW World Tag Team Champion FTR & Young Bucks. Cash Wheeler spoke about how he respects everything Young Bucks have done but he thinks he & Dax Harwood are better. Harwood spoke of having the greatest tag team match of all time and FTR coming out of it as the AEW World Tag Team Champions.
After the break Toni Storm was interviewed by Lexi Nair & Storm said she didn’t know who Nair was. She said the last girl who interviewed her was very rude. Nair asked if Saraya would have her back in the Fatal 4 Way match for the Women’s Title at All In.
Storm told her Nair not to question the friendship of The Outcasts. Storm said they are a sisterhood. Storm said she will become the 1st ever 3x Women’s Champion. She told Nair to be more prepared next time and wipe the look off her face. Storm walks away and then tossed something back at Nair while she was wrapping things up.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Kevin Ku
Powerhouse Hobbs turns Kevin Ku inside out with a clothesline then lowered the straps on his singlet and hits a spinebuster to get the win.
Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs (1:58)
Rate: 4
After the match Hobbs asks where Miro was then put Garrini in Game Over then Miro appeared on the big screen and said that like Hobbs he used to rely on a book for guidance and surrounded himself with distractions. Miro said he now walks alone. He said he’s not there to feud with his god he’s there to replace him. Miro spoke of redemption and said that he is godless but Hobbs is not because he prays to him now.
A brief video package aired on AEW World Champion MJF & Adam Cole.
Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage
Christian Cage targets Darby Allin’s left arm and tossed him into a corner of the ring before flexing as we go to a break.
After the break Cage remained in control as he went to ringside and grabs the TNT Title then asks Allin if he wanted it. Cage told Allin to come get it so Allin crawls toward the corner and then Cage punches him and returned to the ring.
Allin rallied and hits a Code Red for a near fall then Allin pulls Cage’s turtleneck over his head for a moment before Cage & Allin butted heads and were down heading into the final PIP break.
After the 2nd break Allin had Cage down when he went up top. Allin opted to go for a Coffin Drop on Luchasaurus but he caught him at ringside. Cage went to the floor and caught Allin with a clothesline. Cage charges at Allin but he moves and sent Cage’s face into a chair against the barricade.
Allin seats Cage in a chair on the floor. Allin went up top and then hit the seated Cage with a missile dropkick then back in the ring Allin went up top for Coffin Drop but Cage rolls under the bottom rope to the apron.
Allin went for the Coffin Drop but Luchasaurus pulls Cage out of the way causing Allin to crash and burn on the apron so the referee ejected Luchasaurus from ringside so Luchasaurus was so upset that he hit the ring post with a chair shot.
While the referee was distracted, Cage hit Allin with the TNT Title then Cage went for the pin but Allin got his foot on the bottom rope. Cage waits for Allin to stand up and then charged at him but Allin sidesteps him before Allin dropkicks Cage into the corner.
Allin places Cage on the top turnbuckle and bites him. Cage fought back and slams Allin’s head on the turnbuckle pad then hits a Destroyer. Cage blasted Allin with a clothesline and covered him for a near fall. Cage went for Killswitch but Allin rolls him up and then rolls into a bridge to get the win.
Winner: Darby Allin (20:34)
Rate: 7
After the match Schiavone enters the ring and spoke to Allin as he was kneeling on the mat. Schiavone spoke about how Allin earned his TNT Title shot and would get it in 2 weeks. Schiavone & Allin spots Luchasaurus as he had return to ringside.
Cage hit Allin from behind. Luchasaurus enters the ring and chokeslams Allin. Cage covers Allin and ordered Schiavone to make a 3 count. Cage also ordered Schiavone to announce that he was still the TNT Champion. Cage celebrated with the TNT Title. Luchasaurus puts Cage on his shoulders and then Cage held up the TNT Title as Swerve Strickland & AR Fox were shown watching on the backstage monitor. Cage laid on Allin and slaps his face in a condescending manner before exiting the ring to close out Night 3.
