SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW COLLISION REPORT
JUNE 24, 2023
TORONTO, ONT.
AIRED ON TNT
rCommentators: Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a vignette of soundbites from the two four-man teams in the main event.
-The Collision opening aired.
-Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuiness introduced the show as pryo blasted.
-Tony Schiavone introduced the show from mid-ring and hyped that the Forbidden Door PPV on Sunday would be in the same arena. He then introduced Sting and Darby Allin, but Chris Jericho’s music interrupted. Jericho and Minoru Suzuki walked out together. Jericho told Schiavone and the fans to shut up. Jericho said the fans shouldn’t pander to him like Schiavone does to them. “I’m not from Toronto,” he said. “I’m from Winnipeg, you idiots!” He said that he and Suzuki were upset because Sting and Darby were taking so long to reveal their partner. He said Sammy Guevara wasn’t there because he’s miffed that he and Suzuki are so close. They did a secret handshake with each other.
Jericho told Schiavone he must know who their partner is. Jericho pointed his bat at Schiavone’s throat and demanded Schiavone reveal what he knows. Sting and Darby then came out. When they stepped in the ring, there was a brief “Holy shit!” chant. Jericho told the fans to shut up. Darby told Jericho to shut up because he had something to say. Darby said if Guevara still stands with Jericho, he’ll kick his ass just like their tag partner kicked Jericho’s ass at the Tokyo Dome. Fans knew who that meant and chanted “Naito!”
Tetsuya Naito came out in a white suit and cape. Kelly summarized the history of him and Jericho. Naito got in Jericho’s face. They exchanged heated words off-mic. Jericho and Suzuki left the ring. Jericho threw a tantum, slamming his bat against the announce table. Naito opened the ropes for Jericho and invited him to enter, but he didn’t.
-In a pre-recorded promo, Miro said he was in exile for almost a year and then he was summoned. He said when the coward finally spoke, he was told he would be his favorite champion again. He was told there were blessings in his muscles he’d never lose again as long as he praised Him. He said he realized at that moment that The Redeemer kneels before no man or god. He said he will now walk alone and be righteous without seeking reward. He said he renounces his god, his gold, and his beautiful wife because he is Miro and he is godless.
(Keller’s Analysis: There’s something cool about Miro, but I can’t really keep up on his relationship with god.)
(1) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI
As Swerve and Nana walked out, Kelly made a reference to Mark Zuckerberg wanting to face Elon Musk, but they are focused on whether Swerve can get a big win here and “jump into the main frame of the conversation of the world.” He then shifted to plugging MJF defending against Tanahashi and said only Kenny Omega has held both the AEW World Title and the IWGP Title, but Tanahashi wants to be next. Nigel referenced the Three Musketeers of New Japan in the early 2000s.
The bell rang 18 minutes into the hour. Strickland mocked Tanahashi by playing air guitar after he head scissored him and Tanahashi rolled to the floor. Tanahashi jumped onto the ring apron and elbowed Swerve and then played air guitar for the fans, who cheered. Swerve took over again. As Swerve gloated, fans chanted “Let’s go Ace!” Swerve trapped Tananashi between the ring apron and the ring and kicked him. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
They fought back and forth at ringside during the break. Back in the ring, Swerve took control. Back from the break at 7:00 they both had each other’s hair in their grasp. Tanahashi took control and leaped off the second rope with a somersault senton splash for a two count. Tanahashi waited for Swerve to stand and charge, but Swerve took over with a leaping faceplant DDT for a two count of his own. Tanahashi caught Swerve with a small package for a near fall. He followed with Dragon Screw and slingblade for a two count. Kelly said Tanahashi would have great momentum going into Sunday night if he won here. He went for a top rope splash, but Swerve lifted his knees and then scored a near fall.
Swerve landed a jump side kick to the side of Tanahashi’s head and then climbed to the top rope. He leaped off with a double stomp, but Tanahashi avoided it. Tanahashi then climbed to the top rope, but he lost his balance. Nigel said it was due to damage Swerve did to his knee. Swerve went after Tanahashi, but Tanahashi punched him. Swerve went down and Tanahashi landed a top rope splash for the win.
WINNER: Tanahashi in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Clunky finish there. Nothing from Tanahashi there was going to sell anyone in the general audience on his chances to beat MJF on Sunday, but the crowd reaction for Tanahashi conveyed to anyone watching that he’s a legend.)
-As Tanahashi celebrated, MJF showed up on the big screen. He said he wouldn’t show up in person. He said he’s not staying in a dump like Canada longer than he has to. He said he told Tony Khan he would only show up to Forbidden Door if his match could go first because he didn’t want to waste his time watching “a bunch of New Japan jabronis.” He said he’s going the air guitar between Tanahashi’s “gross bowlegged knees” and shove it up his ass. He said he’s not on the level of the Devil.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good straight forward heel promo to give viewers a reason to want to see Tanahashi make MJF eat his words. The idea that MJF doesn’t want to watch of the matches and is just going to show up, wrestle the opener, and skip down is such an effective heel line.)
(2) BRODY KING (w/Julia Hart) vs. ANDRADE EL IDOLO
The bell rang 39 minute into the hour. At 2:00 Andrade backflipped off the top turnbuckle and landed on Brody. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Back in the ring they exchanged hard chops. Brody knocked Andrade to the floor with a hard chop. They cut to a partial split screen break. [c/pss]
Andrade dropped Brody’s neck over the top rope to take over after the break. They fought back and forth for a while. Andrade scored a near fall at 9:00, then regrouped as both were slow to get up. Brody lifted Andrade onto his shoulders, but his knee gave out. He tried again and delivered a Death Valley Driver into the corner. Andrade came back with a chop block and a figure-four. Julia Hart stepped onto the ring apron and taunted him with the stolen mask. Brody recovered and swung at Andrade. Andrade ducked and landed a back elbow. He let out a “woo!” and then applied the figure-four. He bridged into a Figure-Eight, at which point Buddy Matthews attacked him.
WINNER: Andrade via DQ in 12:00.
-Matthews and Brody attacked Andrade afterward. Kelly said it seems the House of Black always has the numbers advantage. A close-up of Malakai Black’s head showed up on the big screen. Then the lights went out. Then they cut away to clips hyping upcoming segments.
-Schiavone stood mid-ring and introduced Christian Cage and Luchasaurus. Schiavone said he’s home in Toronto. Fans began chanting “Christian Cage!” He said he was in a really bad mood when he left the show last week, but he knew in a few short days he’d be back in Toronto with the TNT Championship and now he’s in a worse mood. He said the moment he stepped off the plane in Toronto, he realized “this city breeds losers and, in turn, is populated with losers.” He said they are okay with mediocrity, but he’s not.
He said the Maple Leafs finally win a playoff round after twenty years, but then they choke in the second round and embarrass themselves. He said the only glimmer of hope they had was when the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship. He said that was due to one man only – Kawhi Leonard. He said Kawhi is his good friend and he called him and told him to leave because the other option was staying and carrying the burden of all of the losers. He said he had to leave the city to become a champion. Kelly interjected, “What? Who’s the champion?!”
[HOUR TWO]
Christian said they’re done with open challenges. He said if you want a title match, you have to scrap and claw and earn it like his “right hand of destruction did.” He said he didn’t create the title as some sort of vanity project like a former AEW wrestler (Cody Rhodes). He said he will take the title to new new heights and make it the most prestigious in AEW. “I… We will remain the face of AEW.” Kelly wondered if Christian really thinks he’s the TNT Champion. Luchasaurus put Christian on his shoulders as Christian’s music played.
(Keller’s Analysis: Christian’s mic work is great. He should be on TV more often. The only drawback is how localized that promo was about Toronto. It’s not like that’s getting heat in Montreal or Vancouver, much less anywhere in the United States of the rest of the world.)
-A video feature aired on the Owen Hart Tournament opening round matches. C.M. Punk, Samoa Joe, Roderick Strong, Powerhouse Hobbs, Juice Robinson, and Ricky Starks spoke.
-Kelly said the tournament starts with Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima at Forbidden Door on Sunday night. Nigel narrated clips of the start of the Owen Hart Women’s Tournament with Anna Jay beating Skye Blue on Rampage.
(3) NYLA ROSE (w/Marina Shafir) vs. WILLOW NIGHTINGALE – Owen Hart Tournament match
The bell rang eight minutes into the hour. After some early back and forth, Willow dropkicked Rose into the corner. She played to the crowd and charged at Rose, but Rose rolled to the floor. When Willow went after her, Shafir blocked her. Rose then threw Willow shoulder-first into the ringpost. They cut to a split-screen break at 3:00. [c/ss]
Willow favored her shoulder for the next few minutes as Rose focused on it. Rose raked Willow’s back with her fingernails and then pounced her as she bounced off the ropes. She followed with her gut-wrench powerbomb for the win. The announcers were amazed she could pull off lifting Rose like that.
WINNER: Nightingale in 9:00.
-Afterward, Toni Storm, Saraya, and Ruby Soho tried to corner Willow, but Skye Blue ran out. The heels gathered at ringside and mouthed off from there.
-Lexi Nair interviewed Scorpio Sky. Sky said he should have felt good watching all of those highlights of his AEW career last week, but he said instead it reminded him that he didn’t handle success well since his life was a struggle until he got a big break. “I let it control me,” he said. He said he wanted to introduce himself again. He listed his accomplishments, but said he accomplished all of that as a shadow of his former self. He said he’ll show who he really is now. He snapped his fingers and magically that cut off the camera feed to his promo.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid reset for him. His promos and ring work has to reflect that he’s actually substantially different than before, though. It’d be good to get more details on what he’s referencing in terms of not handling success well.) [c]
(4) POWERHOUSE HOBBS vs. JEREMY PROPHET
Kelly said Prophet is a 19 year veteran wrestler out of Montreal. The ref called for the bell as Prophet was still reacting to his name being announced. Hobbs jumped him from behind. Kelly blamed the ref for “not doing Jeremy Prophet any favors” by calling for the bell that soon. Hobbs battered Prophet aggressively. He finished him with a spinebuster.
WINNER: Hobbs in under 2:00.
-The announcers hyped Forbidden Door’s line-up and then next week’s Collision line-up focused on the Owen Hart Tournament matches. [c]
(5) JUICE ROBINSON & JAY WHITE & THE GUNNS (Colten & Austin) vs. C.M. PUNK & FTR & RICKY STARKS
When Punk’s music started, boos erupted. Kelly said, “We’re not in Chicago anymore.” Punk came out and cupped his ear and appeared to be a good sport about it. The screen listed his AEW record at 22-2. Some fans cheered, but when they showed the crowd, more fans appeared to giving him double middle finger gestures. Then Punk fans began a “C.M. Punk! C.M. Punk!” chant, trying to overtake the boos. Kelly said, “I love it!”
Punk opened against White 37 minutes into the hour. White flexed in Punk’s face. Punk shoved him. White poked his finger at Punk’s forehead. Punk stared and smiled. Juice mocked Punk’s “Go To Sleep” gesture and tagged in. A loud “Juice! Juice!” chant broke out. Punk knocked Juice down and flexed. Punk then tagged in Dax. Another “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out. Nigel said Punk is one of the most influential and divisive wrestlers of his generation.
When Austin tagged in, Dax chopped him and Austin bumped hard for him. Cash tagged in and dropkicked Colten off the ring apron, then went after Austin aggressively. Starks walked the top rope while holding Austin’s arm and then leaped off with a forearm. Austin tagged in White who battled Starks next. White called for Punk. Starks tagged him in.
Punk did a Rick Rude hip gyration. Jay shoved him into the corner. They took turns chopping each other. Punk mounted White in the corner and punched away at him. They blocked each other’s signature moves. When White sent Punk to ringside, the Gunns swarmed. Everyone squared off at ringside as the ref stepped between them. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, fans booed as Punk beat up Colten. Kelly said he expects fans at Forbidden Door to be so anti-Punk that it’ll give Kojima an advantage. “He might be able to get it done,” said Kelly. Punk fended off White on the ring apron, giving Colten an opening to clothesline him. Austin tagged in and stomped away at Punk in the corner. When Punk showed signs of life, more boos rang out. White tagged in and stayed aggressive against Punk. They cut to a split-screen break at 14:00. [c/ss]
White settled into a body vice on the mat during the break. White yelled at Punk, “You don’t belong in this ring anymore.” Punk fought back and landed a crossbody block. White taunted Punk when he tried to tag out, grabbing his hand and trash-talking him. Punk caught White with a knee in the corner. Chaos broke out briefly and then Juice tagged in. He went for a Go To Sleep on Punk, but Punk blocked it and kneed Juice. Colten tagged in. Punk fended off Austin and Colten, then leaped and tagged in Starks. Starks punched away at Colten and Austin and Juice in the ring. Fans chanted, “Ricky! Ricky!” He delivered a tornado DDT on Austin for a two count.
Chaos broke out with everyone brawling in the ring and at ringside. Starks and White battled. White rolled up Starks and yanked on his tights for a near fall. Juice broke up Starks’s subsequent cover. Dax entered and gave Juice a leaping piledriver. The Gunns gave FTR their double-team finisher. Cash pressed and tossed Colten over the top rope onto his partners at ringside. Cash then ran and dove through the ropes and overshot everyone and crashed into the barricade. Punk leaped off the top rope, but White caught him and gave him a uranage. White then gave Starks a uranage for a near fall. Kelly clarified Starks was legal. Starks rolled up White for a two count. He speared White and then Colten and then Austin. He played to the crowd who cheered. Juice punched Starks and then White hit the Blade Runner for the win.
WINNERS: The Gunns & White & Juice in 20:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a ton of fun. Just non-stop action except for some of the down time during commercials, which was fine. The crowd reaction to Punk is the story of the match and of the entire night. Everyone looked good in this match. The Gunns continue to totally earn their increased TV time and position on the card.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: They did a good job pushing the Forbidden Door line-up several times during the show. With some of the key AEW wrestlers being Dynamite exclusives, it did cut back on what they could do that was fresh to build up their matches, though.
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