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AEW COLLISION REPORT
AUGUST 5, 2023
GREENVILLE, S.C.
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
BY BRIAN ZILEM, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
[HOUR ONE]
The show opened with a C.M. Punk soundbite. Punk said Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat is in the house to ensure no cheating tonight. “He said tonight separates the pretenders from the contenders. Ricky Starks said he would make history tonight in Greenville. He said, “After I beat you tonight, the fans will be chanting absolute. Then they cut to Prince Nana. He said tonight, the Embassy changes the game forever. Finally, they cut to FTR. Cash Wheeler said We are in FTR country and his mom is at the show. Dax said FTR is the best tag team in the world.
-The AEW Collision opening to Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”
(1) BIG BILL & BRIAN CAGE (w/Prince Nanna) vs. FTR – AEW Tag Team Title match
As Big Bill and Brian Cage made their way down to the Ring, Ian and Niguel recapped their recent success as a tag team and how they won the battle royale. FTR made their entrance with a great reaction from the fans. The bell rang, and Wheeler jumped down from the apron to hug his mom at ringside.
Wheeler went back and forth with Cage before Cage hit a shoulder block who tagged in Harwood after the exchange. Hardwood tried to take Cage off his feet with shoulder blocks only to get nailed with a closeline. FTR tried a double-team move on Cage, but Cage ran through them both with a shoulder block.
Big Bill and Wheeler exchanged blows before Bill hit Wheeler with a power slam. FTR managed to get Cage out of the Ring and went for the shatter machine on Bill, which Bill reserved into a choke slam where Wheeler laid on Harwood. Bill then overhead pressed Wheeler over the ropes onto Harwood.
During the commercial break, Cage and Bill got the heat on Wheeler and gained the advantage during the match. Bill pushed Wheeler against the railing where his mother was sitting and began chopping Wheeler in the chest. Afterward, Wheeler’s mother slapped Bill in the face. Cage was tagged in and suplexed Wheeler from outside the Ring for a near fall.
Bill taunted the fans when they chatted FTR. Wheeler hit a suplex and Cage and finally tagged in Harwood, who ran wild. Hardwood. Harwood hit forearm shots and bit Bill at one point. FTR managed to get Cage up for the Steiner bulldog for a near fall. Cage showed incredible feet of strength and threw both members of FTR with a reserve fallaway slam. Cage hit Wheeler with a jackhammer and got a near fall. Cage followed up and hit a cannonball outside the Ring on both FTR members. The fans chatted holly s***, and this is awesome. Wheeler pushed Cage into Bill, who got knocked off the fall following the exchange. With Bill on the floor, FTR hit the shatter machine for the victory.
WINNERS: FTR in 18:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles
(Brian’s Analysis: FTR continues this incredible run of tag team wrestling in 2023. FTR did a fantastic job putting their bigger opponents over throughout the match. Brian Cage looked like a killer in this match, and I’ve glad he got the proper t.v time to show his unique wrestling skills.)
-Hardwood grabbed a microphone and said FTR has built a legacy, and they have been champions in every promotion they have been in. ” He said, but there’s still one thing left to do to complete their legacy. Wheeler grabbed a microphone and said The Young Bucks. ” He said we have unfinished business and asked how about we finish this at Wembley Stadium.
(Brian’s Analysis: With All-In being labeled as the biggest wrestling show in history, it was time to start building the card with big-time matches. FTR& Young Bucks III sounds like a big-time match to me.)
-A vignette a shown to build the C.M. Punk Rick Starks main event.
-Tony Schiavone spoke with Juice Robinson and Jay White in the back. The Gunns made fun of Schiavone. White said tonight would not be fun for Gran Metalik.
(2) KRIS STATLANDER vs. MERCEDES MARTINEZ – TBS Title match
As Martinez entered the Ring, Ian and Niguel highlighted Martinez hitting Statlander with the TBS title the previous week.
The match started with both women landing shots in the corner; Statlander followed up with a dropkick on Martinez after Martinez threw stiff shots on Statlander and followed up with a choke bomb for a near fall. Martinez held control over the match going to the commercial break. After the break, Stanlander landed a shoulder block to regain control of the match.
Statlander hit a charging knee onto Martinez, knocking her out of the Ring. After both wrestlers are back in the Ring, Statlander hit a power slam on Martinez for a near fall. After Statlander went to the top rope, Martinez got the better of the exchange and hit a back suplex onto Statlander. Martinez followed up with a knee onto Statlander for a near fall. Martinez hit a great-looking wheel barrel driver for a near fall. The fans bit on the near fall and started to chant for Statlander. Martinez went for a knee which, then, Statlander ducked and rolled up for Martinez for the victory.
WINNER: Kris Statlander in 10:04 to retain the TBS Title
(Brian’s Analysis: The best TBS title defense from Statlander since winning the title at Double or Nothing. Both women worked hard throughout, and I hope to see more hard-hitting matches like this on weekly AEW television for the Women’s Division.)
-After the match, Martinez jumped Statlander, and then Diamante came and helped Martinez during the beatdown. Willow ran down to chase off both women. I assume this is setting up a tag match or multi-person match at All-In.
-Tony Schiavone spoke with Toni Storm in the back. Toni asked whether I was a star anymore. ” She said she’s well known and respected for everything she had done.
(3) SAMOE JOE vs. SERPENTICO
WINNER: Joe wins a non-title match in 14 seconds.
-Joe grabbed a microphone after the match and said he’s the one true King of television. ” He said I have a problem. I have no one to dance with at All-In, and then references C.M. Punk.
Joe said a roll-up is not good enough for our legacy and pleaded with C.M. Punk to give him a rematch at All-In.
(Brian’s Analysis: A hell of a promo from Joe here. Talk about maximizing your minutes. In the past year, Joe has shown the world he’s still got a lot left in his tank. I’m all for a Joe and Punk and Wembly.)
-Tony Schiavone spoke with The Acclaimed backstage. Tony asked if The Acclaimed had spoken with Billy Gunn since he left his boots in the Ring. Max Caster said yes, they have talked to Billy, and Billy feels responsible for losing the Trio’s tile matches. Max Caster got emotional and said the duo would bring the beats of Billy Gunn to the Ring moving forward.
[HOUR TWO]
(4) THE HOUSE OF BLACK (Brodie King & Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black w/Julia Hart) vs. ACTION ANDRETTI & DARIUS MARTIN & LEE JOHNSON
Before the match started, the dealers’ choice was Julia Hart, is banned from ringside. Once Black entered the match, he and Action had eclectic exchanges inside and outside the Ring. Once Murphy is tagged in, he hits a suplex on Andretti and a knee onto Martin as they go to a commercial break. After the break, Lee Johnson received the hot tag and ran wild for his team. Lee hit a double-cutter and then gets bullied into the corner by the HOB. King nails Lee with a Cannonball in the corner, followed by a forearm. Andretti came out of nowhere and saved the match for his team. After several superkicks landed on, King Martin and Andretti went for a double-team move, only for Murphy and Black to hit Andretti with a double knee to the face. King nailed Martain with an awesome-looking closeline for the victory for the HOB.
WINNERS: HOB in 9:08 to retain the AEW Trio’s titles
(Brian’s Analysis: The Trio’s Titles were meant for a team like HOB. Their promos are sometimes out there for me, but when they are focused in the Ring, they look like absolute killers.)
-Ian mentioned he had breaking news. HOB would face CMFTR next week for the Trio’s titles.
-Tony Schiavone spoke with Will Hobbs in the back. Q.T. Marshall interrupts and tries to get Hobbs to rejoin QTV. Hobbs said he doesn’t want or need Marshall’s help.
-Tony Schiavone spoke with Christian Cage and Luchasaurus.
Christian had his daughter with him and said he wanted to be a role model for children. Christian’s daughter asked for his belt, and Christian told her to find her mother.
(5) JAY WHITE vs. GRAN METALIK
BCG came down with Jay White, and the giant Jay White cut out. The Gunns then joined Ian and Niguel on commentary for the match. White hit a good-looking DDT for a near fall on Metalik.
White, then, hit a spinning backbreaker for another near fall. Metalik hit something I’d never seen before in a wrestling match. Metalik used a reserve sling blade bulldog that gained momentum in the match, followed up a moonsault onto White on the outside of the Ring. White didn’t lose control for long. Metalik missed a drive which White capitalized to hit Metalik with a cobra clutch suplex. This led to White winning after he hit Blade Runner on Metalik.
WINNER: Jay White 5:11
(Brian’s Analysis: Great way for AEW to build Jay White as a threat for a singles title. He’s my pick to dethrone O.C. for the International champion.)
-Niguel ran down the Dynamite card for next week.
-Ian ran down the card next Saturday for Collision
(6) RICKY STARKS vs. C.M PUNK – AEW Real World Championship match
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat was the special outside referee. Before the match started, Ian and Niguel welcomed a returning Jim Ross to the commentary table. Ricky said hi to everyone at ringside and hugged Jim before the wrestlers made their way to the Ring. Ricky made his entrance to a great reaction from the crowd and wore all-white gear for the match. Jim put over how Steamboat is in great shape to call this match. C.M. Punk made his entrance and received an excellent reaction from the crowd.
The crowd had split chants of Let’s Go, Ricky, and C.M. Punk.
The crowd was so loud you couldn’t hear Jim speaking at times.
Ricky gained the upper hand early on Punk with a few hip tosses, which caused Punk to regroup on the outside of the Ring. After getting back into the Ring, Punk went for a GTS on Starks, which was reserved by Starks that led to a closeline outside the Ring that took the show to a commercial break.
After the break, both men exchanged slaps in the corner. Starks and Punk make their way outside the Ring, where Punk gets the advantage on Starks with a full mount. Steamboat got involved for the first time in the match to remove Punk from the full-mount position. Once both men returned to the Ring, Starks hit a baseball slide dropkick on Punk that sent him to the outside of the Ring. The crowd still split their chants of The crowd had split chants of Let’s Go, Ricky, and C.M. Punk. Ian put over how much Punk had on his plate in the upcoming weeks. Starks continued to work the Chest of Punk throughout the match. Starks and Steamboat had a brief exchange before going to another commercial break.
Returning from the break, Punk hit a superplex from the top rope for a near fall. Punk followed up with a knee and a running bulldog for another near fall. Punk removed his knee pad, hoping to land another knee shot onto Starks in the corner. Starks reserved Punk’s knee attempt into a powerbomb for a great near fall. Both men had great exchanges in which a GTS and spear were reserved. Punk landed a kick to Starks for a near fall.
Punk went for a pile driver, which Starks then reserved into an Alamaba slam for another near fall. Starks ran into the official, which caused him to go to the floor ringside. Starks tried to cheat with his feet on the ropes, but Steamboat pushed his feet away. Afterward, Punk rolled up Starks for a pin, and Steamboat entered the Ring to count the pinfall victory for Punk.
WINNER: C.M. Punk in 22:19 to retain AEW Real World Tile.
(Brian’s Analysis: A slow burn but a compelling main event title match non the less. The finish might have had slight timing issues, but in the end, Punk beat Ricky with a simple wrestling move and didn’t cheat to win.)
-Starks attacks Steamboat after the match. Starks removed Steamboat’s belt and started whipping him. Punk got a chair to chase off Starks from the Ring. Loud chants from the crowd; you suck following the actions from Starks.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Collision results (8/5): Powell’s live review of CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks for the Real World Championship with Ricky Steamboat as ringside enforcer, FTR vs. Big Bill and Brian Cage for the AEW Tag Titles
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