AEW Collision Review – September 2, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Collision with Tony Khan standing backstage with a microphone. Khan welcomed viewers to Collision. Today I had to make one of the toughest decisions of my professional career Khan said. Today I terminated Phil Brooks/CM Punk for cause.
The incident was regrettable and it endangered people backstage that includes the production staff, the people who put the show on every week innocent people who had nothing to do with it. I have been going to wrestling shows for over 30 years. I’ve been producing them on this network for over 4 years. Never in all that time have I ever felt, until last Sunday, that my security, my safety, my life was in danger at a wrestling show. I don’t think anybody should feel that way at work. I don’t think the people I work with should feel that way and I had to make a very difficult choice today.
It came at the recommendation of a discipline committee here in AEW as well as outside legal counsel who delivered a unanimous recommendation and I have followed up on that recommendation. I’m sorry to any fan who is upset by this I’m sorry to anyone who is upset by this.
Khan said despite this, they would have a great Collision and a great All Out pay per view. Khan said it’s the greatest week in AEW history and then set up a video package on AEW All In.
Tony Schiavone stood inside the ring and introduced Ricky Starks & he was accompanied by Big Bill. Starks carried a weightlifting belt with his name on it and handed it off to Bill & once Starks was in the ring Schiavone asked Starks if he was out of his mind for challenging a 70 year old man to a strap match.
Starks took the mic from Schiavone. Starks said he found himself at square one. He said he is so tired of having to start over. He said he does it because he shows up and shows out and delivers every single time. Starks said no matter how many people try to suck the life out of him it doesn’t work. Starks said you can’t put a lid on a boiling pot because he will overflow.
Starks addressed Big Bill and told him that he’s a hell of a dude. Starks said Bill overcame addiction. He said he was telling him from his heart that he can do whatever he wants. Starks said he believes in Bill and believes in himself. Bill acknowledged Starks by holding up his fist.
Starks said he’s tired and frustrated. He said there were so many things he could say but he would be a man about it and do what he needed to do. Starks said he sat at home and watched All In. He asked if there wasn’t time for him. He said it’s because he was suspended for whipping Ricky Steamboat. Starks calls out Steamboat and said he hopes he will someday see what he did what he did.
Ricky Steamboat made his entrance & walks intently to the ring with a contract folder in his hand. Steamboat said he never complained on social media about what Starks did to him. He said he heard Starks wants to have a strap match with him.
Starks said he reached out to AEW legal. He showed off the contract that read Ricky Starks vs. The Dragon in a strap match. Starks signed the contract. Steamboat said people know him in pro wrestling as The Dragon but they also know this guy Steamboat added.
Bryan Danielson made his entrance & he plays to the crowd as he headed to the ring. Danielson entered the ring. Starks said it was supposed to be Steamboat & the crowd chanted You f*cked up.
Danielson signed the contract and then looked at Starks & he said that if this is the bed that he lays in he’s going to make sure he’s real comfortable. Steamboat said they just wanted to make sure that Starks got what he wanted and said he has his Strap Match.
Jon Moxley stood backstage and delivered a promo about calls International Champion Orange Cassidy the player that no one can checkmate and the puzzle that no one can solve. Moxley said some idiots call Cassidy a cosplay. Moxley asked who Cassidy is intending to be. He asked if anyone of them became the winningest champion in pro wrestling.
Moxley said Cassidy beat him a couple of years ago by forfeit. Moxley said that’s all Cassidy is going to get. Moxley said Cassidy is on the run of a lifetime. Moxley said there are times he’s won a match before the bell rings but Cassidy looks like the real thing to him. Moxley said people would find out one way or another on Sunday. Moxley said he would target Cassidy’s soul and his will to even be here.
Moxley said some wrestlers say they want to be perceived as great pro wrestlers, but they don’t really want to be great wrestlers because they look for a way out when things get hard. Moxley wondered if Cassidy would look for a way out when things get hard. Moxley said he hopes not. Moxley said there’s a lot of people who believe in Cassidy and told him not to disappoint us.
Trios Titles Match
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & Billy Gunn (c) vs. 2.0 (Matt Menard & Angelo Parker) & Daniel Garica
Daniel Garcia caught Anthony Bowens in Dragon Tamer but Bowens reached the ropes but the referee was distracted then Billy Gunn eventually broke the hold heading into a picture in picture break.
After the break 2.0 & Garica isolated Max Caster. Gunn took a hot tag and was on the verge of hitting a move when he was distracted by Jake Hager on the apron.
Gunn puts Matt Menard down with Fameasser then Bowens hits The Arrival and then Caster hits Mic Drop to get the win.
Winners & Still Trios Champions: The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!!)
Backstage Lexi Nair interviewed Dark Order & John Silver said most people don’t remember that Adam Cole was their best friend but he threw it away to team with MJF. Alex Reynolds said a lot of people don’t know that he helped train MJF. He recalled telling MJF that he would have to do whatever it takes to win.
Reynolds said MJF took that advice and he couldn’t be prouder of him for what he’s accomplished. Reynolds said looking back MJF was the only one who took that advice. Reynolds said that would change at All Out because they would do whatever it takes to beat MJF & Cole because we have to.
Ricky Starks & Big Bill were walking backstage when Tony Schiavone approached and asked him for his reaction to facing Bryan Danielson in a Strap Match. Starks said he knocks every opportunity they give him out of the park. He said he would show Danielson that he is who they say he is.
Tag Team Match
Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs. Nick Wayne & Komander
Aussie Open hits a series of double team moves on Nick Wayne & Komander and picks up a two count on Komander heading into a PIP break.
After the break Wayne took a hot tag and had a flurry of offense on Aussie Open then Wayne caps it off with a frog splash on Fletcher for a near fall.
Fletcher came back with a suplex and then tags out & Davis held up Wayne and then Fletcher set up for a move but Komander cut him off with a kick.
Davis took out Komander with some power moves then Wayne got the better of Aussie Open briefly. Wayne went to the ropes and dove at Aussie Open but he caught him then hits Coriolis to get the victory.
Winners: Aussie Open
After the match Schiavone entered the ring and said Wayne has a bright future. Wayne said he was frustrated he lost the match. He said he is even more frustrated by Darby Allin forgiving AR Fox despite what he did to Wayne.
Allin came out with a mic in hand and asked Wayne to stop. Allin enters the ring and said he would explain why he forgave Fox. Allin said Wayne knew what happened between him and his father. Allin said he didn’t talk to the Wayne family for 3 years. Allin said he burnt a bridge and Wayne’s father passed away before he could make things right.
Allin said AR Fox is another one of his trainers and he had to let go of the hate. Allin said Wayne didn’t need to do it now, but he asked him to find it in his heart to let things go. Allin said he would fight for the TNT Championship on Sunday and added that it would be an honor if Wayne would be in his corner.
Christian Cage’s entrance music played and he made his entrance along with TNT Champion Luchasaurus. Cage stood on the stage and said it was rude of him to say much about Wayne’s father last week when he forgot to ask what his mom’s name is. Cage said she wasn’t in the building so he might slide into her DMs.
Cage accused Allin of using Wayne as a pity project so that he can feel like a good person. Cage said Allin is a loser in life. Cage told Wayne to bring a towel with him to ringside because it would be a massacre. Cage calls Luchasaurus the most complete big man in the business today. Cage said he then corrects himself to say that Luchasaurus would stand on top forever.
Footage aired from last Wednesday at Dynamite of Claudio Castagnoli speaking while Wheeler Yuta stood by weary from his match. Castagnoli congratulated Eddie Kingston for beating the youngest member of the Blackpool Combat Club. Castagnoli said he had a news flash for Kingston. Castagnoli hits Yuta with several uppercuts. He said they beat Yuta every day of the week. He said the difference between Yuta & Kingston is that Yuta keeps getting up.
Castagnoli said he thought Kingston going to Japan would change him and make him a better man. Castagnoli said he was wrong. He said he saw Kingston cry when he won the NJPW Strong Openweight Title and said he couldn’t lose any more respect for him. Castagnoli walks away and then Yuta fell to the ground.
They cut to Eddie Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata. Kingston scoffed at Yuta letting Castagnoli beat him up. Kingston said Castagnoli is a coward who won’t fight him again. Kingston asked Shibata what he thinks of Castagnoli & Yuta. Shibata held up his phone translator and it said They both suck.
Footage aired of Saraya pinning Toni Storm in the Fatal4 Way Match to win the Women’s Title at All In. Additional footage aired of Ruby Soho taking out Kris Statlander with a kick on Dynamite.
Backstage Lexi Nair asked about dissension in The Outcasts. Women’s Champion Saraya told Nair not to be ugly and said she was being disgusting. Saraya said they should talk about her and how she won in front of friends and family. She said they are stuck in America in Chicago where she could smell their breath.
Soho said TBS Champion Kris Statlander has never beaten her. She told Nair not to worry about The Outcasts. She said they will have 2 titles after All Out. Soho said she saw Toni Storm half naked in the parking lot throwing shoes at birds but said Nair should worry about that. Soho wrapped up by saying she would win the TBS Title.
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Dennis Rodman after running through some of his NBA statistics. Rodman made his entrance and they also showed the Chicago Bulls championship banners in the rafters.
Rodman joined Schiavone inside the ring and put an unlit cigar in his mouth. Rodman faced the crowd. Schiavone had him turn toward the hard camera and then asked him what he was doing in AEW.
Jeff Jarrett’s entrance theme played and he headed out with Karen Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh & Sonjay Dutt. The heels all entered the ring. Jeff dismissed Schiavone and said he had a deal to make. Jarrett said he and Rodman go way back and everyone in the ring had something in common.
Jarrett said Singh had a basketball with him was one of the greatest basketball players of all time and so was Rodman. Jarrett spoke about Rodman’s run in the NWO without mentioning the faction name. Jarrett said if Rodman wants to run with the bulls and get real heat he should join his family.
Rodman took the mic and plays to the Chicago crowd. He said it was his 1st time in Chicago in 13 years. Rodman said he was sorry he couldn’t be there then said he was happy the fans love AEW. Jeff told him to give his answer. Rodman said that when he was playing basketball Shaq was as big as Singh. I whipped his ass Rodman said.
Dutt had everyone else leave him and Rodman in the ring so that he could show them there was no funny business. Dutt offered a handshake. Rodman threw Dutt to the mat. The heels climbed onto the apron.
The Acclaimed’s entrance music started and they joins Rodman in the ring while Jarrett, Lethal, Dutt & Singh went to ringside. Anthony Bowens invited them to fight them. Billy Gunn said he wasn’t wrestling twice in 1 night. He said they had nothing to do on Sunday and said they would put the Trios Titles on the line with Rodman in their corner.
A Shane Taylor video aired. Taylor spoke about challenging Samoa Joe for the ROH Television Title at All Out.
Samoa Joe delivered a backstage promo. He said that to say the week has been turbulent would be an understatement. Joe said that in times of turmoil the jackals come out to feast. Joe said Taylor things something great is going to happen but he was giving him a reality check. Joe said Taylor will hope and wish for success but in reality he will hope that Joe stops hitting him and he’ll wish he’d never put Joe’s name in his mouth.
Trios Match
The Outcasts (Women’s Champion Saraya, Toni Storm & Ruby Soho) vs. TBS Champion Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida & Britt Baker
Hikaru Shida stops just short of hitting Britt Baker after Saraya ducks out of the way as we go to a break.
After the break Statlander took a hot tag and had a run of offense that was cap off by a powerbomb on Saraya then Statlander goes for the pin but Ruby Soho ran in and broke it up then everyone had a series of rapid fire spots. Statlander powerslams Saraya.
Toni Storm drops and elbow to break up the pin but Statlander avoided it and Storm hit Saraya. Soho tags in and eventually Saraya used spray paint on Baker from ringside while the referee was distracted & Soho rolls up Baker to get the win.
Winners: The Outcasts
Adam Cole delivered a backstage promo. He put over Dark Order as an amazing tag team but he said they are not better than him and MJF. Cole read texts from MJF, who brought up Reynolds training him. MJF said it took him nine years to get rid of all of his bad habits. Cole also read a line from MJF about how he didn’t know they could stack crap as high as Silver then said it’s actually easy because Silver is the size of a dollar store garden gnome.
After the break Kris Statlander was interviewed by Nair. Statlander she wouldn’t fall for the spray paint. Ruby Soho & Saraya showed up. Soho & Statlander bickered. Saraya steps in and said Shut up you stupid bitch she’ll see you tomorrow. Statlander yells that she would see Soho tomorrow.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. CPA
Powerhouse Hobbs attacks CPA before the bell then once the bell rings Hobbs hits GPA with a spinebuster to get the win.
Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs
After the match Miro came out and brawled in and around the ring with Hobbs. Miro tried to power up Hobbs at ringside but Hobbs tumbled over the ringside barricade. Hobbs backs up into the crowd while Miro stood on the other side of the barricade.
A video package aired on Don Callis, Kenny Omega & Konosuke Takeshita.
International Champion Orange Cassidy sat on a production crate with the International Title at his side. Cassidy said he didn’t like this. He said he didn’t like talking but his match with Jon Moxley isn’t just another title defense. Cassidy said it’s everything he’s been building to.
Cassidy spoke of proving himself against PAC & Will Ospreay. Cassidy said Moxley is the best. He said Moxley picked up AEW when it was down and put all of the weight on his shoulders. The fans applauded. Cassidy said that he would beat Moxley take the weight off his shoulders and put it on his own shoulders.
Highlights aired from All In of Young Bucks blowing off the handshake offer from FTR.
AEW World Tag Team Champion Dax Harwood vs. Jay White
Dax Harwood was dump to ringside as Juice Robinson & The Gunns approached him on the floor but Cash Wheeler chases them off with a chair then back inside the ring White avoids a charging Harwood but he crashed in the corner and then White hits him with a DDT and covers him for a two count.
Harwood superplexed White. Harwood went for a top rope headbutt that White avoided. White covered Harwood for a two count heading into the final PIP break
After the break Harwood put White down with a brainbuster for a near fall then White rolls to the floor and tried to escape over the barricade.
Harwood caught him and chops him then he chops White a 2nd time before dragging him over the apron and throwing him back inside the ring. Harwood hits White with a chop on the apron but White knocks him to ringside.
White caught Harwood climbing back in the ring and used the ropes while hitting a dragon screw then White picks up another near fall. White no sold a lariat and then puts White down with a lariat of his own. Harwood puts White down with a piledriver and got a near fall.
Harwood set up White for a move from the ropes but White shifted onto him and got a near fall. White ran Harwood through the ropes and into the ring post then puts him down with a uranage for a near fall.
White picks up Harwood and gave him a sleeper suplex. White picks up Harwood and went for Blade Runner but Harwood held onto the ropes.
Harwood hits a slingshot powerbomb for a close near fall then Harwood puts White in a Sharpshooter but he fell to his knees and then White scrambled to the ropes.
Robinson & The Gunns pulls him to the floor so Harwood follows but White puts Harwood down with Blade Runner on the floor. White threw Harwood back inside the ring.
White approached Harwood but he caught him in an inside cradle for a near fall before White got up and hits Blade Runner to get the win.
Winner: Jay White
After the match Robinson & The Gunns rushed the ring and helps up White while celebrating his win. Wheeler enters the ring and checks on Harwood. Bullet Club Gold backs Wheeler into a corner. Wheeler dove on one of The Gunns but he was quickly outnumbered.
Young Bucks ran out and chases The Gunns away then they offered FTR handshakes but they returned the favor by blowing them off and leaving the ring.
