AEW Collision tonight comes to us from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA.  After last week drawing 562,000 & 0.18 in the 18-49 demo.

*****

• Main event heels: Bill said time to trick or treat – he’s handing out size 16 boots, Aussie Open have waited a year for FTR – tomorrow they’ll be taking their titles, Starks answered a fake phone – the ‘caller’ said everyone’s getting their ass beat
• Main event faces – Tonight’s a preview of tomorrow – Yuta’s going to preview Starks’ ass kicking, BD yelled ‘Let’s go!’ since they’re in his home town, FTR hit their line

Andrade El Idolo vs Juice Robinson

Backstory: Juice cost Andrade his match vs Jay White last week

Juice out to start the show, along with the Gunns.  Don’t remember his theme being this good – some nice hard drums.  They showed the show-ending beatdown to Jay White from Weds. – Nigel insisted it was MJF behind the mask.  Kelly wasn’t sure.  Andrade got a nice pop.  Adore those latin guitars.

They replayed the finish of last week’s bout between El Idolo and White.  The Gunns had to be forced out the ring by the ref, a shoving match started between Andrade and Juice until the former leg-swept Juice looking for the figure four, Juice slipped free and rushed outside.

El Idolo pursued him, faking him out to dive back in from the top via cross body; snap suplex, a second, hips all kinds of swivelling before the third amigo: early two count.  El Idolo back to the top, Juice fled the ring so Andrade crashed through all three heels via moonsault.  Juice took the ref, the Gunns grabbed Andrade’s boot and he was smashed off the apron by Robinson.

He took the ref again – the Gunns laid the boots in.  BCG used to be better than this low-rent interference.  Robinson dropped Andrade face-first against the apron then ran back in to break the count as the Gunns talked trash.  Robinson dragged him back in, dropped him via neckbreaker for two.

Snapped him across the knee via backbreaker, Andrade fought back with knife edges until running into a Juice back-elbow/senton combo.  Andrade blocked a whip then reversed it, smashing lariat in the corner, ten rights atop the buckle – or nine – Juice dropped him face-first into the top buckle then tripped him into the middle one.  Cannonball for desert.

Ads.

Back to Andrade fighting free – shots to the gut, Juice responded via back suplex, blowing his nose on El Idolo.  He beckoned Andrade to get up – he did, big overhand, slipping out of another back suplex, pair of dragon screws, diving lariat, kip-up – big pop.  CJ Perry was shown watching backstage.

Juice got his knees up on the double jump moonsault, a quick pin bagged two.  Robinson looked for Juice is Loose (wasn’t clear how Andrade escaped since they’ve run a ton of pic-in-pic since the break), Andrade dropped him face-first into the buckle, Robinson slumped in the corner, Robinson dragged the ref in front of a rushing Andrade (the ref was basically stood in the way anyway, looked totally contrived) – Juice poked the eyes, powerbomb, stack, two.

To the top, diving cross body, Andrade rolled through, hooked into a cradle by Juice for two, Andrade hip tossed him into the corner, absolutely murdered him with running double knees, figure four coming, the Gunns got in the ring, the ref ejected them after a long discussion, Andrade stood still at the ropes for ages so Juice could roll him up for a near fall.

Leg lariat missed, Andrade responded with a spinning back elbow for a close call of his own.  Then dragged him up into the El Idolo DDT for the win.

Really good action, lively crowd, godawful booking – so much interference.  Also surprised how much of the match Juice took, perhaps they’re transitioning away from he and White after White’s interaction with MJF?

Winner: Andrade El Idolo

Schiavone with Jericho and Omega.  Jericho said AEW was built on their rivalry.  ‘It’s been nothing but stellar’ – he added humbly.  They had to figure out if they can co-exist.  Omega said they can but it’s not about big double-team moves or going for the tag titles: the Callis Family issue is bigger than theirs – so Kenny promised he’ll have Jericho’s back.  The Ocho reciprocated.

‘The Demogod and the Cleaner are gonna take you all out’.

Good stuff.  It’s nice to see Omega actually talk – particularly like a serious human being.  He seemed like a main event act here.  Which he should.  But often doesn’t.

*****

Part two of Toni Storm’s interview with RJ City.  She had her feet in his crotch.  He asked when her peak was – she angrily said ‘now’, all she does is peak.  She then took his hand and said she missed the old days – talked about old-timey stuff like pies in the face and write-ups in the trades.  She did her ‘chin-up, tits out’ line again just to jam it in there.  Then asked if City was flirting with her, he insisted not, she was angry cause he didn’t want her: ‘Am I not good enough for you?’.

There’s a lot that could be said here.  But for now a simple question in two parts – What was the point of this?  What was it intended to achieve?  We know she’s crazy, we know she’s a paranoid fallen star.  All this did was repeat that.

The Kingdom vs Best Friends

Backstory: It’s neck health awareness month dammit! And the Best Friends aren’t celebrating

Best Friends attacked right away, looked for piledrivers, the Kingdom bailed.  Psyching each other up, Bennett ran back in to be immediately drilled around the ring by Trent.  Tag to Chuck, double shoulder block, Bennett down.

Belly to back, Chuck did Jericho’s cocky pin for one.  Beretta in – you’ll never believe it but the heels took the ref to take an advantage.  Taven hit a missile dropkick to leave Chuck down.  Taylor popped back up with a big chop until being dragged outside by Bennett.  Taven drilled him with a dropkick through the ropes.  Beretta threw himself over the top onto Taven but was flung into the barricade – afterward holding his neck.

Taylor was tripped into it too.

Ads.  A bunch more dumb interference and a dead crowd.

Back to Chuck tagging Trent who nailed Bennett with a German, catching Taven off the top into a high-angle one, he avoided a splash in the corner, crushed both heels, diving dropkick to both, crowd coming alive until Taven hit an enziguri.  Trent came back via swinging ddt off the buckle for two.

The announcers keep talking about the ‘new era’ coming tomorrow and next week (Tony Khan’s mentioned it this week too).

Kingdom hit a slick double team ending with a running knee to the face, Taylor broke the pin, flinging Taven into the steps; Bennett caught him via discus elbow.  Then positioned the steps and looked for a piledriver to Trent.  Beretta countered into a DVD on the steps, nasty bump.  Holy S from the crowd.

Back inside, Beretta nailed a diving knee strike with Bennett on Taylor’s shoulders.  Instead of pinning him, they did the stupid hug.  Crowd enjoyed it.  Taven ran in, the heels ate stereo piledrivers, Bennett got his foot on the ropes at nearly three.

Bennett landed the weener (have no idea how to spell this, not a word we use in the UK) punch with the ref taken, and another, Taven came off the top for a spike piledriver, Bennett pinned Taylor.  Nigel asked who the ‘weener… and loser’ were.

The Best Friends deserve to lose for that stupid hug.

Acting like he was struggling for breath – Bennett choked out ‘weener punch… piledriver… Roddy Strong’.  Taven insisted they had to go (they’d brought suitcases to the ring with them) to see Strong.  But had a message for Adam Cole.  Taven begged Cole to meet them at Roddy’s house ‘right now’, ‘if we’ve ever meant anything to you at all’.  Despite knowing Cole is scheduled for surgery.

Until then, Strong has to ‘stay neck strong’.

It filled time.

Winner: the Kingdom

Prince Nana and Don Callis with Alex Marvez.  Kelly had introduced this as such; somehow Marvez was surprised at seeing the two together.  Callis fled.  Marvez asked what it was all about.  Nana showed exactly why he shouldn’t be associated with Swerve by being a cartoon and singing ‘We’re in the money’ re: the Gates of Agony’s match with Omega and Jericho – implication being Callis is paying them.

*****

Back to a ‘spooky’ video of Julia Hart out in the woods with occult stuff: talking about herself being a little girl who didn’t see her own potential until the House showed it to her.  They played Statlander responding by calling her a ‘bitch’ (because women possess no other derogatory terms for one-another) before saying she didn’t want to make an example of Julia but would (why doesn’t she want to make an example of her?).

Julia Hart vs Vertvixen

Backstory: None

Vertvixen is your token local who’s gonna lose.  Hart had new gear with ‘House of Black’ across it.  Looks better.  She choked Vixen in the ropes, stomped her, Vixen tried to fire back and was immediately battered in the corner.

Hart hit a nice handspring lariat, snapmare, kick to the spine.  But didn’t go for a pin.  Vertvixen avoided a charge in the corner, Hart hit a thrust kick, got her feet up to block a rushing Vixen and rolled through.  Then headed upstairs to land a very tight moonsault (Vixen was almost directly underneath the buckle) for the win.

We’re all totally convinced Julia’s taking the title now right?  She did look good here in a short showing tbf.

She took the mic to tell Stat she can’t wait till tomorrow and the champ should come out right now.  Which she did to a big cheer.  But she’s not an idiot so brought the Best Friends and Rocky Romero (who was also out in the earlier tag).  She marched to the ring, not backing down from Brody.  The dudes fronted up to Brody – all the guys left.

Statlander begged Hart to hit her if she wanted her so bad.  Hart smiled then left the ring.  Statlander took the mic to say tomorrow she couldn’t run and would be taking on ‘the defeater of the undefeated’ (get her point but doesn’t make much sense).  Statlander told her her time’s up.

Winner: Julia Hart

Kelly sent to a package on Josh Barnett.  First we saw Claudio saying he wanted a challenge at the ppv.  Barnett said lots of people send out challenges but aren’t ready.  He accepted Claudio’s challenge.  That’s on zero hour.  ‘A dream match of sorts’ per Kevin Kelly.  Jesus AEW really cannot help themselves can they?

Don’t know Barnett other than by name but he was very believable.  Just talked rather than cutting a ‘promo’.

Don’t really understand using tv time to hype the preview show.

Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho vs Gates of Agony

Backstory: None

Jericho out to a nice pop.  Omega out to a similar one.  They are hammering p-in-p video packages tonight.  Kelly put over what a big deal these two teaming is.

The Gates came out to silence.  It wouldn’t have taken much to tie some more hype for Swerve and Hangman into this.

Crowd chanting for ‘Kenny’, Jericho to start.  He played to the crowd; they got loud.  Good fans tonight.  A chop battle commenced, Leona landed a headbutt and chop to leave Jericho in the heels’ corner.  Kaun in, double team whip into a clothesline.  Quick tags in and out with Jericho stuck, he briefly fought back but was stomped down on the wrong side of town.

Irish whip, Jericho hit a kick to the face when Leona ducked, tag to Omega, who snapped the heel across the rope and sent his head to the buckle: no dice.  Omega wet to the top – big cross body – crowd chanting his name again.  He tried a suplex, couldn’t budge the big guy – Jericho in to block one from the heel and land a double-team suplex.  Omega offered a careful fistbump, Jericho reciprocated.

The pair hit a chop but couldn’t whip Leona even together, a double shoulder block knocked him down.  Omega took a tag: double sledge to the back, shots and chops, a series of them, Nana grabbed the boot, Leona sent Omega into Jericho, knocking him off the apron.

Kaun in to land Germans and belly to backs for two.  Jericho still down, Omega ate a backcracker/elbow drop combo in the corner.

Break.  AEW desperately need some creative people who know a way heels can get on top without outside interference.  It’s every match tonight.  And not subtle.

Back to Omega making a comeback, fighting his way to a hurracanrana, tag to Jericho, shoulders and lariats until being sent to the apron.  To the top, double axe handle after just about regaining his footing.  Lionsault to a massive pop.  Crowd roaring as Jericho played to them.  Kaun ran in and was swept into the Liontamer but fought it off.

Sending Jericho to the buckle, the vet got his boots up, Judas Effect coming, Kaun ducked, Jericho was drilled by Leona who hit a lungblower.  Kenny in, sent to the corner, ducked a splash, Jericho hit his springboard dropkick, was rolled up by Kaun for two, came up to hit a Codebreaker, Kaun slumped in the ropes, Omega sighted him, V Trigger, Terminator Dive to Leona on the outside, Jericho hooked the Liontamer to bag the tap and the win.

Thankfully, the faces didn’t bicker afterward.  They were massively over here.  And did a nice job making the heels look like monsters without selling too much.

Jericho took the mic to address the crowd.  Omega reiterated what he’d said in the earlier interview.  Callis brainwashed him so he never listened to the people about him.  But now has seen the light.  Ibushi’s lived a life of fighting so takes an attack like Wednesday’s as an invitation.  He said it’s time for the original Alpha and Omega to spell the end of Don Callis.

Jericho put over Takeshita (Omega interrupted to joke ‘don’t remind me’ – the Elite just do not know when to leave the comedy alone), Ospreay and the ‘worst of all of them’ Sammy Guevara.  He spoke the lyrics to Judas and called Guevara the ultimate Judas.  Sammy had called him the villain and he’s ‘damn right’.

In short, tomorrow the good guys win.

Parts of the promo were good; parts not so much.  Overall, effective in hyping the babyfaces and the match.

Winner: Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho.

The Righteous package.  In that same country house with flowers and trees and men made out of paper.  They talked about the ‘ledge of truth’ and kept addressing ‘the two of you’ (MJF & Cole – without naming them, just assuming everyone watching knows).  They talked about ‘karma’s deadline’ and will rip away the bond that keeps them together – the ROH Tag Titles.

Assuming these were shot before Cole’s injury.  If they weren’t, then why didn’t they address it?  If they were, why weren’t they re-done?

*****

An emotional Darby Allin talked about he and Christian main-eventing tomorrow.  The TNT Title is the only thing that’s made him feel worth something (he was almost in tears).  Cage (from a different location) said he didn’t care.  They merged in clips from their sitdown Weds.  Including Allin insisting he won’t lose in Seattle.  And that Cage is fighting someone he’s never seen before.

Cage said Allin will fall at his feet in front of his friends and family.  More excellent work from these two.  Really made the match, the title and the event seem important.

The Righteous vs Travis Williams & Judas Icarus

Backstory: None

The guys facing the world champ tomorrow at a pay-per-view came out to zero reaction.  The cameras desperately honed in on a single fan clicking along with Vincent.

After a couple minutes of silence, Vincent hit a sloppy sliced bread to one of the enhancement talents.  He took a mic and called the fans ‘paper people’ (presumably like the ones in the video).  Then called MJF ‘the devil’ and Adam Cole a ‘liar’.  The crowd responded with ‘What?’ and a loud, genuine ‘STFU’ chant.

He asked Dutch ‘Dig what I’m sayin?’, since it was obvious no-one else did.

They Pillmanized the dude they beat’s ankle.  This only made the crowd more disappointed since they’d expected MJF to make the save.  It’s crazy these two are facing the champ at a show fans are expected to pay for.

Winner: the Righteous

They played a Shibata/Kingston package.  Mostly focusing on a photo of Shibata as a kid with Inoki.  He played a few translated snippets off his phone saying he respected Eddie.  Kingston insisted their match would be the one that matters at WrestleDream.  Pretty basic.  Certainly did nothing to hype a match that’s received none.

*****

They then pushed another match taking place on Zero Hour.  Seriously.  TMDK were interrupted by the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.  Your usual generic Acclaimed stuff.  One of TMDK did a deliberately awful beatbox rap.  Tv time is so precious.

Ricky Starks, Big Bill & Aussie Open vs Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta & FTR

Backstory: FTR & AO are feuding, as are Starks/Bill & the BCC, so they’ve done a very WWE thing and merged them into a tag (not that it’s a bad idea)

Zack Sabre Jr came out to join on comms (with a massive TMDK logo on his entrance vid after they’d just looked like huge dweebs).  As did JR.

Starks and Bill out together to Starks’ music.  Kyle Fletcher’s dancing to Starks’ theme was magnificent.  Kelly continually pushed the tag tomorrow as ‘a year in the making’.

Good lord Danielson got himself a pop.  Yuta came with.  McGuinness complained about the American fans being xenophobic against Sabre.

Cash and Starks to start, quick tag to Yuta – Starks backed up and tagged out.  Fletcher in as Starks ran laps on the outside.  Yuta got a waistlock, Fletcher grabbed an arm-wringer, Yuta flipped and kipped his way free into a rollup for two, kick to the midsection, chops in the corner, avoiding a charging Fletcher into a back body drop and dropkick.

Harwood in, forced to the heels’ corner, Davis in, those two had themselves a fight – hard chops, Davis dropped Dax via deadlift German, Dax ended up outside, the heels piled on, the faces forced them clear, big standoff, ads.  Nice start.

Fletcher planted via belly to back by Dax.  McGuinness and Zack were sucking up to each other the whole time – they named Danielson ‘Brittle Bryan’.  Fletcher grabbed a headlock, Dax elbowed free, slipped out of a suplex, tag to Cash.

Lariats and dropkicks for all, belly to back to Fletcher, the two worked a suplex – each blocking the other, series of standing switches, Cash dropkicked Bill off the apron, Fletcher landed a bodyslam but took a lariat, Yuta in off the top via leaping elbow strike, Davis dropkicked outside, back to work on Fletcher via enizguri, running chop in the corner, Wheeler did his version of skinning the cat into a German for two.

Starks tried to sneak in and was snatched into hammer and anvils, Bill in too, Yuta fought both off, the crowd chanted they wanted Danielson as Yuta was wiped out by a Big Bill boot.  Then a Starks bodyslam.  He and Bill worked over Yuta in the corner, Yuta hiptossed free but was denied the tag by Starks and Bill.  Who came in to smack Cash off the apron as a receipt.  Fletcher in to do the same to Dax, he and Davis hit a killer double-team running powerbomb (crowd oohed at that).

Another break.  Crowd want them some BD; smart to have him wrestle minimally given how much he hurts after matches these days.

Bac to Starks and Yuta, stereo lariats, both down, Danielson desperate for the tag, starting a clap, Starks crawling, Yuta still dead, count at seven when Yuta finally bagged it.  Danielson in to smack Starks with chops and kicks in the corner – Zack was unimpressed.

Suicide dive to the outside, shotgun off the top back in the ring, pair of leg lariats in the corner, Starks interrupted a third via clothesline.  Tornado ddt, tag to Bill.  Bill went for a chokeslam, Danielson countered down into the LeBell Lock.  Zack was impressed by this.

Fletcher broke it up, Dax brainbustered him, Cash ddt’d Davis, Yuta superkicked Starks, JR asked who was legal cause it’s a day of the year.  All eight in, faces standing, synchronized yes! kicks to the heels all on their knees.  Crowd loved it.  Danielson and Cash held Bill in place for a Yuta dropkick from the top, Dax followed via diving headbutt, the other heels all broke up the pin and were flung outside.

Leaving Dax and Bill in the ring.  Starks flung Danielson into the steps, he grabbed his shoulder.  Finally, Bill and Dax met in the middle, Dax ducking, dodging and chopping, Bill missed a corner splash and smacked the ringpost, kicked Dax away looking for a sharpshooter, chokeslam coming, tag to Starks – spear/chokeslam combo – very weird finish with the music late to start after Aubrey’s count.  And Cash almost disrupting it.  FTR have done that before, and while it nominally adds realism, it always looks like they could just break up the pin but don’t.

Crowd booed partly because of that, partly because they wanted Danielson to win.

All eight brawled, Aussie Open and FTR fought up the ramp, Yuta fed Bill into a busaiku knee, Yuta went after Starks, Danielson pointed to Sabre.  The Brit hit the ring, face-to-face with Danielson.  Sabre hit a light slap and tried to provoke Danielson who paintbrushed him then looked for the LeBell Lock.  Zack slipped free and left the ring.  They jawed at each other.  It’s a good thing that’s not main eventing.  Because they haven’t begun to do enough to hype it.

Good match – Yuta looked really good here.  The heels probably needed a win though Aussie Open did in particular.  The company seem behind this Bill/Starks combo.

‘Trust me folks, you’ll never forget it, the beginning of a new era,’  were Kelly’s last words about WrestleDream.  They have pushed that so hard.  It better deliver.  And better not be a reference to an Undisputed Era because that wouldn’t begin to meet the hype.

Winner: Ricky Starks, Big Bill and Aussie Open

 ________________________________________________________________

Next Dynamite:

• Nick Jackson vs Rey Fenix (International Title)
• Saraya vs Hikaru Shida (Women’s Title)

Added to WrestleDream Zero Hour:

• Nick Wayne vs Luchasaurus
• Acclaimed and Billy Gunn vs TMDK
• A big multi-man involving Satoshi Kojima and Keith Lee
• Claudio Castagnoli vs Josh Barnett

Thumbs Up/Down

• Seattle crowd are good everytime, AEW need to come here more
• Main event – good action, nothing special but good
• Juice vs Andrade – action was good, booking sucked, not the guys’ fault
• Allin/Cage promo package
• Jericho and Omega came off like megastars; that match feels bigger

 *****

• Mostly felt thrown together – here’s a bunch of matches
• After ignoring it for a month and particularly on Dynamite, not nearly enough was done to explain Danielson vs Sabre, why it’s happening or why it’s special
• The majority of the pay-per-view didn’t feel enhanced after this show

Appreciate you reading.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend.