AEW Collision - July 29th, 2023

 

AEW Collision - July 29th, 2023

XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut

Results:

• Ladder Match for Andrade El Idolo's Mask: Andrade El Idolo def. Buddy Matthews
• Darby Allin def. Minoru Suzuki
• Samoa Joe def. Gravity
• Trios Match: Bullet Club Gold (The Gunns (Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn) and Juice Robinson) def. Action Andretti, Darius Martin and El Hijo Del Vikingo
• Mercedes Martinez def. Kiera Hogan
• AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (c) def. Adam Cole and MJF to retain the titles

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**


Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the XL Center in Hartford, CT!

Nigel McGuinness and Ian Riccaboni were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!

Ladder Match for Andrade El Idolo’s Mask!
Andrade El Idolo vs. The House of Black’s Buddy Matthews!

Julia Hart tried to distract Andrade from the apron, but he wouldn’t shift his focus off a charging Buddy Matthews. Buddy and Andrade began to exchange lefts and rights. Andrade El Idolo connected with a moonsault off a ladder outside the ring and down onto Buddy Matthews.

Andrade set up several ladders in the ring. Buddy rallied back, blasting Andrade with several stiff kicks. Andrade tried for the three amigos suplexes, but Buddy blocked the third suplex. Buddy rushed toward Andrade, but Andrade countered by hip tossing Buddy into the ladder!

“Malakai Black has to be salivating watching this from whatever dark corner he’s in right now,” said Nigel McGuinness.

Matthews regained momentum, whipping Andrade into ladders on the arena floor. A ladder was wedged between the ring and the announce table, and Buddy planted Andrade right onto the ladder. Buddy and Andrade brawled on the edge of the ring. Andrade tried to spear Buddy through the ropes, but Matthews caught him with a front face lock and DDT’ed Andrade onto the wedged ladder!

Buddy set up another table in the ring. He drove the skull of Andrade into the table. Matthews began to climb a ladder in the center of the ring. Andrade pulled him down and nailed Matthews with a back elbow!

Andrade hit a sunset bomb off a ladder and down onto another ladder! Andrade started to scale the ladder in the middle of the ring. Julia Hart whispered to Buddy outside the ring. Matthews climbed back into the ring and yanked Andrade off the ladder. Buddy drove his knee into Andrade. Julia Hart handcuffed Andrade to the ring post. Buddy tried to hit Andrade with a steel chair, but Andrade blocked it with a kick. Buddy inadvertently fell towards Julia, and she mistakenly dropped the key to the handcuff. Andrade was able to reach the key and unlock himself.

Andrade grabbed Buddy’s wrist and handcuffed him to the ring post. Andrade began to climb the ladder. Julia gave bolt cutters to Buddy. As Buddy was trying to break himself free, Julia jumped into the ring to stop Andrade from climbing the ladder. Julia lunched onto Andrade’s back, but Andrade kept climbing. Buddy finally broke free and ran into the ring, climbing the other side of the ladder.

Andrade knocked Buddy off the ladder. Andrade placed Julia onto the other side of the ladder. She slapped Andrade in the face. Andrade shoved Julia off the ladder, and she plunged backward, onto Buddy, with the momentum forcing both Julia and Buddy through a ladder that was propped against the turnbuckles. Andrade pulled his mask down and won the match!

Tony Schiavone was backstage about to interview “The Redeemer” Miro!

Schiavone said that a few weeks ago Miro mentioned a battle that was coming soon. Before Miro could respond, he was blindsided by Aaron Solo. Miro fought back and got the upper hand after cracking Solo with a chair to the back.

Darby Allin vs. Minoru Suzuki!

Darby was looking for a fight tonight and Minoru answered the challenge!

Darby wasted no time, dropkicking Suzuki as Suzuki was entering the ring. He followed up with a tope suicida. Darby chopped at Suzuki, placed him onto a steel chair, and then hit a shotgun dropkick off the apron and onto Suzuki.

Minoru rocked Darby with a forearm in the center of the ring. Suzuki applied a triangle choke. He followed up with a punt kick to Darby. Suzuki charged at Darby and blasted him with a boot to the face.

Darby chopped Suzuki and Suzuki laughed if off. Suzuki retaliated with his own chops, which staggered Darby.

Darby fired back with a flurry of offense. Darby went for a Coffin Drop but as he crash landed onto Suzuki, Suzuki countered with a sleeper hold. Darby used his own momentum, rolling backwards but holding onto Suzuki and pinning him!

“Sensational win for Darby Allin!” said Ian.

“Suzuki had the choke locked in but wasn’t aware he had his shoulders down. A very rare miscalculation,” replied Nigel.

TNT Champion Luchasaurus and Christian Cage appeared on the giant screen.

Christian Cage: “Congratulations Darby. That was a hell of a win. It seems like you’re finally ready for your shot at the TNT championship. On the surface it would seem that way. But it seems to me you have some other stuff going on, Darby. Namely Swerve Strickland, namely your former friend AR Fox. You’ve got a little bit of a distraction going on Darby and you can’t be distracted when you’re vying for my, for our TNT championship, Darby.

“Some things have changed since you last held this championship. Namely me. This championship is more prestigious now than it has ever been in its entire existence. This title has never meant as much as it does right now draped over my shoulder.

“You are no longer qualified to be the TNT champion. I will send you back to the mall to Hot Topic or wherever the hell it is you came from. You will never touch this championship again. Not as long as it’s in my possession. Do you understand me?”


ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe vs. Gravity!

Gravity hit Samoa Joe with forearms to the back. Gravity taunted Samoa Joe until Joe kicked him in the midsection. Gravity took down Joe with a hurracanrana. Samoa Joe charged at Gravity with a forearm in the corner.

Gravity jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Joe dodged him and then taunted him. Samoa Joe followed up with a senton to Gravity. Samoa Joe jabbed at Gravity. Samoa Joe finished Gravity with the muscle buster and pinned him.

“Samoa Joe is a man Gravity never forgets,” said Nigel.


Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview CM Punk!

CM Punk came to the ring carrying his red bag.

CM Punk: “There has been a whole hell of a lot of things going on here in AEW. But before I talk about the bag, Hartford, how are we doing tonight? It’s been weeks of rotten travel. I just showed up here about two hours ago and I want you to know I’d never let you down. I always make my towns and I show up for the people in the building.

“There’s a whole lot of things going on on Collision that no one really wants to meet head on. No one wants to talk about certain things. So, leave it to me to talk about it. And the first thing I want to talk about is Wimbley Stadium. Gosh am I the first wrestler to mention Wimbley Stadium? 80,000 strong, is CM Punk gonna go to merry ol’ England? Is CM Punk wrestling on Wimbley Stadium show?

“Well, maybe we’ll know by the end of the night but that has a lot to do with what’s in the bag. Ricky Starks has a lot to do with what’s in the bag. He’s beaten me twice. Once in a singles. Congratulations Ricky, I’m not mad at you, I’m a little disappointed. Twice, in a tag match, more pissed off for Darby Allin than I am for myself. Because I said last week I can take the L. Can you take the win knowing that you’re just a cheater?

“As far as the bag goes, it’s not so much that I’ve been carrying it around but that I’ve been left holding it. And that’s the funny thing about responsibility Schiavone. It sucks a lot of the time. Sometimes you gotta wake up and do some things you don’t want to do because you’re the responsible adult in the room.

“So, what’s in the bag? I think Ricky Starks is a cheater and I think since I’ve come back, he’s mistaken my kindness for weakness. And when I came back holding this very same red bag, and I said I wasn’t going to be nice anymore. So, ladies and gentlemen, this is me not being nice anymore.”

CM Punk opened the red bag and reached in.

CM Punk: “Because the truth doesn’t care if you’re nice. The truth doesn’t care if you’re right or wrong. But in this case, I’m right. And I’m the champion.”

CM Punk pulled out the AEW World championship from the bag.

CM Punk: “I am the real World’s champion. This title has my name on it. Not because I deserve it but because I earned it. Nobody has pinned me or submitted me for it. This title is still covered in my blood from last September when I beat Jon Moxley for it. And since then, nobody’s beaten me for it. It’s got my name on it. It’s got my blood on it. And now it’s got my symbol on it.”

CM Punk pulled out a can of spray paint. He sprayed an “X” over the face of the belt.

CM Punk: “This X has represented CM Punk since 1997. This X is the foundation I have built my professional wrestling career on. This X means I’m straight edge and straight edge means I’m better than you. This title is mine. It belongs on Collision. And this title is not stolen unlike my catchphrase. I am the real World’s champion!”

“Absolute” Ricky Starks walked out onto the ramp.

Starks: “Whoa, before I go any further, we’re going to do a real entrance, alright?”

Starks’ music played and Starks made his way to the ring.

Starks: “You know, that was a great ol’ story you told there but to be honest with you, Ricky’s kind of sold on gold right now. And the way I see it is regardless of how I went about things, you would have done the exact same thing. So, I bit you before you could ever bite me, pal. What you have on your shoulder right now belongs to me. I feel like I am owed that.

“Whatever you have is mine. I have beaten you not once, but I have beaten you twice. And that is more than anybody else can say. Honestly, not only am I the real World champion but I am also the face of Collision.”

CM Punk: “Are you the face of Collision, Ricky, or are you the face of cheating? Did you beat me twice or did the referees beat me twice?”

Starks: “Brother man, I could have Stevie Wonder as my ref, and I would still be able to beat you. The way that I see it is a win is a win and that title should belong to me.”

CM Punk: “Sounds like Ricky wants a title shot.”

Starks: “No, it’s not that Ricky wants—”

CM Punk: “It sounds like Ricky wants a title shot!

Starks: “I deserve a title shot!”

CM Punk: “I think you owe a big assist to two referees. But if I’m going to wrestle you again, if you want a shot at the title, I’m going to need extra eyeballs out here. I’m going to need a special guest referee.”

Starks: “Perfect! That’s perfect. I would love that. I have no problem with that because it’s no secret that you don’t have any friends around here. So, if you’ve got to dig in your past, whoever it is, I don’t care because if I did it once, baby, I can do it twice, because ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks is so damn nice.”

CM Punk: “Well I anticipated this a little bit, and I did make some phone calls. You’re right. If we have a match, we’re going to have a special guest referee and it is somebody from my past. You really want a shot at the champ?”

Starks: “I absolutely deserve a shot at the champ.”

CM Punk: “You got it.”

CM Punk shook hands with Ricky Starks.

Tony Schiavone: “Looks like we have a match next week on Collision.”

CM Punk: “Hang on, Ricky. Tony, I think you should do the honors. You want to tell him who the special guest referee is going to be?”

Tony Schiavone: “I’d be honored to. Next week in Greenville, South Carolina, Collision, live on TNT, the special guest referee: Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat!”

Bullet Club Gold—Juice Robinson & The Gunns—Austin & Colten Gunn
vs.
Action Andretti, Darius Martin, & El Hijo Del Vikingo!

Colten and Darius locked up with Colten backing Darius into the corner. Darius fired back with a high cross body. Action and Darius hit the Gunns with double dropkicks.

Vikingo nailed Colten with a double stomp. He tagged Action who connected with a double back elbow onto the Gunns. Andretti and Martin launched El Hijo Del Vikingo over the ring post and out onto the member of Bullet Club Gold outside the ring!

“The Bang Bang Gang got banged,” said Nigel.

Colten smashed Andretti with a forearm to the back of the head. The Gunns rocked Martin with the 3:10 to Yuma and pinned him!

Kiera Hogan vs. Mercedes Martinez!

Martinez rocked Hogan with a big boot and then stomped on her in the corner. Kiera rallied back with a dropkick. Martinez planted Hogan face first. Martinez spiked Hogan with a brain buster for a near fall.


Martinez hit Hogan with a neck breaker off the turnbuckles. Hogan regained control of the bout because Martinez didn’t put Hogan away when she had the opportunity. Hogan scored with a thrust kick. Martinez suplexed Hogan, driving the shoulder down through the mat. Martinez clocked Hogan with the bayonet. Martinez locked in the Brass City Sleeper and forced Hogan to tap out!

TBS champion Kris Statlander ran down to the ring to break up the hold. As Statlander was checking on Hogan, Martinez picked up Statlander’s title and smashed Kris in the head with it! Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring, forcing Martinez to retreat.


Main Event Time!

AEW World Tag Team Championship Match!

FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (c.) vs. AEW World Champion MJF & Adam Cole!

There were dueling chants of “Double Clothesline!” and “FTR!”

Dax took down Cole with a headlock takeover. Dax chopped at Cole. Cash tagged in and slingshot over the ropes with a shoulder tackle to Cole.

Adam Cole rattled Cash Wheeler with a kick to the head. MJF tagged in and called for the double clothesline. Dax grabbed Cash before MJF and Cole could connect with the double clothesline.

MJF tagged in and called out Dax. Harwood scoop slammed MJF. Dax whipped MJF into the ropes and MJF jumped over him with a leapfrog. When MJF landed he immediately clutched his ankle. But it was just MJF playing possum. MJF and Dax hit each other with open palm strikes.

Wheeler tagged in and FTR isolated MJF from his corner, preventing him from tagging Adam Cole. MJF rocked FTR with a double DDT! Cole tagged in and cleaned house on FTR!

“Adam Cole is fresh,” said Nigel.

Cole connected with the Last Shot on Cash for a near fall. Cole hit the Lung Blower on Cash. Harwood made a tag and used an O’Connor Roll on Cole for a near fall. Cole fired back with a superkick for a two-count on Dax.

“That was close! Oh my gosh,” said Nigel.

MJF tagged in and Cash did too. Cash held MJF for a piledriver but Cole superkicked Cash. This allowed MJF to cradle Cash for a near fall! MJF spiked Cash with another piledriver for another near fall!

“That may have been the closest 2.999 we’ve ever seen here on Collision,” said Ian.

MJF and Cole called for the double clothesline. Harwood broke up the double clothesline attempt by pulling MJF out of the ring. Cole tried to kick Harwood, but Harwood ducked and then Cash rolled up Cole for a near fall.

“That’s brilliant tag team wrestling,” said Nigel.

Wheeler rammed Cole into the turnbuckles. FTR attempted a double suplex, but Cole fought his way out of the corner. Dax superplexed Cole and then Cash crashed down onto Cole with a splash from the top! Cole kicked out at two!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Harwood allowed Cole to tag out to MJF. They traded forearms and chops. MJF poked Dax in the eyes. Harwood hit a slingshot powerbomb for a near fall on MJF!

The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”

Harwood was looking for the Panama Sunrise himself, but Cole knocked him off his perch when the referee wasn’t looking. As the ref was admonishing Cole, MJF kicked the turnbuckle between Dax’s legs. MJF covered Dax for the pin, but Cash pulled MJF off him.

Adam Cole was looking to lower the boom, but Cash dazed him with a European Uppercut. FTR were looking for the Shatter Machine on Cole, but MJF shoved Cole out of harm’s way. MJF attempted to hit the Heat Seeker on Cash, but Dax rolled up MJF from behind with the O’Connor Roll and scored the victory!

“MJF in one of the most selfless acts he’s ever done. He saved Adam Cole from the Shatter Machine.”

FTR shook hands with Cole after the match. MJF sat in the corner and said, “I blew it!”

Adam Cole handed the AEW World championship to MJF and said, “Max, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I love you.”

Adam Cole turned his back. MJF held the championship, about to strike Cole with it. Adam Cole sensed what was about to happen and said, “I knew it. Do what you gotta do.”

MJF threw the title down, fighting back tears, and said, “I can’t do it.”

Adam Cole turned around in shock and said, “You didn’t do it.”

Adam Cole and MJF hugged one another. Cole said, “I’m so proud of you.” MJF climbed to the top turnbuckle and held the championship overhead.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE: 200 on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL!

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!