AEW Collision live results: Andrade vs. Brian Cage, Kyle Fletcher vs. ELP
AEW Collision airs tonight from San Diego.
This week’s show was taped on Wednesday after Dynamite and airs on Thursday.
Matches scheduled for the show include Andrade El Idolo vs. Brian Cage, Kyle Fletcher vs. ELP, Adam Copeland teaming with the Bang Bang Gang against Shane Taylor Promotions, and two matches that will determine the number one and number two entrants in next week’s Women’s Casino Gauntlet match.
The full lineup is below.
- Andrade El Idolo vs. Brian Cage
- Athena vs. Rina for the no. 1 spot in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match
- Maya World vs. Julia Hart for the no. 2 spot in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match
- Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & PAC) vs. Unbound Co. (Drilla Maloney & Shingo Takagi)
- Kyle Fletcher vs. ELP
- Adam Copeland, Jay White, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn vs. Shane Taylor, The Infantry (Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo) and Lee Moriarty
- Kyle Fletcher vs. ELP
- Mike Bailey, Bandido & Mistico vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed)
- The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) in action
- Thunder Rosa & Mina Shirakawa in action
Our live coverage kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & PAC) vs. Unbound Co. (Shingo Takagi & Drilla Maloney)
PAC and Shingo is a singles match I would like to see in AEW. It happened in Dragongate, but seeing it in AEW or NJPW would be great, and it has been a long time since they were last in the ring together. Shingo overpowered PAC and quickly had to face off with Claudio Castagnoli, another guy I’d like to see face Shingo in a singles match. Maloney tagged in and, darn it, here are two more singles matches I want to see. Maloney was briefly overpowered by Castagnoli, but was met with chops and strikes in the corner when Shingo tagged back in. Takagi hit a Twist and Shout on Castagnoli and tagged Maloney in, who drove PAC off the apron and they went to an ad break.
As they came back, Castagnoli and PAC were working on the arm of Maloney. Maloney and Castagnoli exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring before Castagnoli dropped him with an uppercut and got a 2-count. PAC hit a shotgun dropkick on Maloney that almost sent him back to his tag partner across the ring, and PAC got a 2-count. Maloney and Castagnoli ended up on the outside of the ring, brawling, and PAC hit a big enziguri on Takagi before tagging in to Castagnoli. Castagnoli and Maloney resumed their brawl, hitting hard strikes.
Maloney hit a spinebuster as Castagnoli bounced off the ropes. Maloney and Takagi hit stereo flying elbows on the Death Riders for a 2-count before going for a double team suplex, but Castagnoli slipped out. Takagi and Castagnoli exchanged a lariat and big boot before Castagnoli hit a dragon screw suplex. PAC hit a German suplex on Maloney, who rolled back to his feet and hit a pop-up powerbomb on PAC before Castagnoli hit a lariat that dropped Maloney.
Shingo Takagi and Castagnoli started exchanging hard forearms, with Takagi getting the better of it, hitting the ropes, and Castagnoli lured him into a giant swing that ended with PAC dropkicking him. Maloney broke up the pinfall while PAC pulled Maloney to the floor and started brawling on the floor, pushing Maloney against the guardrail. Daniel Garcia appeared out of nowhere to choke out Maloney, who pulled Garcia over the guardrail. Meanwhile, PAC and Castagnoli double teamed Takagi, who kicked out, and fought hard against both men. Maloney tried to piledrive Garcia, but PAC broke it up and resumed going after Takagi, but Takagi hit a pumping bomber on both men.
Garcia ran in break up the attack from Takagi while the referee was distracted, but Takagi countered it and threw Garcia from the ring. Unfortunately he turned into a hard uppercut and headlock takeover to get the pinfall, but with significant interference.
Result: The Death Riders defeated Unbound Co.
–Nigel McGuiness noted on commentary his disgust with Garcia, clearly building a match between the two. Takagi and Maloney were outraged at the interference.
–The Conglomeration were backstage and talked about how they won the match at AEW Forbidden Door, but that Mark Briscoe lost to MJF and would not be back for awhile due to injuries. They noted that Tomohiro Ishii was out as well, but Lexy Nair asked about Lio Rush. They looked around scared, but Roderick Strong noted that they still had their trios championship, and Konosuke Takeshita walked in with his AEW International title. Takeshita said that he hated Okada, and that he was going to get revenge on Fletcher for turning on him.
Andrade El Idolo vs. Brian Cage (w/ Lance Archer & Don Callis)
As Cage was making his way down the ring, Andrade hit a tope con giro and the crowd erupted cheering. Andrade brought Cage into the ring, but ate a lariat from Cage as he charged the corner. Andrade fired up though and threw a chop after getting hit from Cage, but was dropped with an overhand chop. Andrade hit a hurricanrana that dropped Cage and sent him to the floor, leading to Andrade hitting a springboard torneo to the floor on Cage before posing with a woman in the front row.
As Andrade tried to come back into the ring, Cage grabbed him and did a dead lift suplex into the ring as they went to the ad break. Cage hit a flying knee on Andrade and a lariat in the corner that Andrade tried to stop with a boot, but failed, as Cage ate it and just hit it anyway. Cage put Andrade on the top rope facing the crowd, but Andrade elbowed him in the face and flipped off Don Callis before going for a moonsault that Cage rolled away from, but Andrade landed on his feet and hit a standing moonsault.
Andrade hit the three amigos on Cage to a roar from the crowd, but only got a 2-count. Cage hit a powerbomb for a 2-count that Callis strongly opposed. Andrade headbutt Cage to knock him off the top rope and hit a frog splash for a 2-count. Andrade hit a meteora in the corner for another 2-count. Andrade went for the DM, but Cage countered into a forearm and the F5 for a 2-count. Cage hit a German suplex and went for a rolling elbow, but Andrade hit a spinning elbow of his own and then a DM for the pinfall.
Result: Andrade el Idolo defeated Brian Cage
Excellent match from Idolo and Cage here.
–Andrade grabbed a mic and said “You think this is over?” to Don Callis, and then said he only has one question in response: “How you know?”
–Gabe Kidd cut a promo if he was a War Dog or a Death Rider – and he said he was both. He was going to come alongside the Death Riders with the Dogs and take over AEW like they did with the Bullet Club in NJPW.
Mina Shirakawa & Thunder Rosa vs. Zara Zakher & B3cca
Rosa started the match with Zakher, immediately hitting a Russian leg sweep and then a lariat. Zakher ducked under one lariat and tagged out to B3cca. Shirakawa tagged in and necked B3cca on the ropes, before hitting a slingshot torneo into the ring for a 2-count, but was saved by Zakher. All four women started exchanging strikes and Rosa and Shirakawa drove the heads of their opponents together before attacking them in the corner. Shirakawa hit a headscissors and tagged out to Rosa, who hit the Tijuana Bomb for the win.
Result: Mina Shirakawa & Thunder Rosa
–Thekla came out wearing Starlight Kid’s mask Thekla claimed that Stardom was dead, and that everyone wanted a shot, so she invited everyone to load their guns and promised to catch it with her teeth.
–SkyFlight were backstage and invited Matt Sydal to join their group. Sydal agreed, and promised to help take the fight to everyone on their behalf.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Carlie Bravo, & Shawn Dean) vs. The Bang Bang Gang (Jay White, Austin Gunn, & Colten Gunn) & Adam Copeland (w/ Juice Robinson & Ace Austin)
This was a party match at the start with lots of quick tags and exchanges, featuring the Gunns and Moriarty, Bravo, and Dean. Austin Gunn was pulled from the ring and beaten down by STP before they went to the ad break. When they came back, the match had broken down into so much happening that I had a hard time keeping track of it. It was very fun though. The Gunns hit 310 to Yuma, and soon thereafter Taylor hit Adam Copeland and Jay White with a lariat.
Shane Talyor climbed the middle rope to a roar from the crowd, but White and Copeland cut him off and hit a superplex that shook the ring and delighted the fans. Bravo and Dean sent Copeland to the floor and attacked Jay White from behind. They went for a double team move but ended up getting hit by a spear from Copeland and White hit Dean with the Blade Runner for the pinfall victory.
Result: The Bang Bang Game defeated Shane Taylor Promotions
–The Dogs came out after the match, and the Death Riders ran through the crowd into the ring to team up with the Dogs to attack the Bang Bang Gang and Adam Copeland. It seems Gabe Kidd was right about their alignment with The Dogs. Castagnoli hit a Neutralizer on Copeland, and Finlay nailed White with the shillelagh.
The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, & Bishop Kaun) vs. Sonico, Chris Nastyy, & Jordan Oasis
This was quite the squash match with The Demand destroying everyone. Liona got busted open somehow, but that only made the squash even better as he threw people around. This was fun.
Result: The Demand defeated Sonico, Nastyy, & Oasis
–Ricochet grabbed a mic and wished Matt Sydal congratulations about finding losers that would actually accept him, but it did not compare to The Demand. Noting that, he said some of his demands have not been met, so while they are in demand, they get to make demands, and SkyFlight is going to be put down.
Rina vs. Athena in a Casino Gauntlet Entry Match
Rina is a young wrestler from Stardom, only 19 years old, but has been wrestling since she was 11, so she is quite the veteran at this point. Athena shut down Rina’s offence quickly with a yank of the hair, but as soon as Athena hit the ropes, Rina chopped her legs to drop her to her knees and hit a dropkick. Rina rolled Athena up, but Athena rolled through and hit a hard forearm. Athena missed a handspring forearm, and Rina hit a shotgun dropkick off the middle ropes for a 2-count.
Athena dodged a shoulder tackle through the ropes and both women ended up fighting on the apron. Rina went for a suplex on the apron, but Athena countered it and hit a face first suplex on the apron before driving Rina into the ring post, sending her crashing to the floor as they went to an ad break. As they came back, Rina hit a kick to the knee of Athena as she came off the middle rope, but that may have been an accident, as the timing looked a little off.
Rina hit two awesome throws and then a STO and a two hair throws before hitting running knees in the corner. Rina hit a reverse suplex and both women were down on the mat. Athena managed to try for an armbar, but Rina countered into a cradle. Athena and Rina then shared some stiff boots back and forth until Rina did a forward roll into a pinfall attempt, but Athena kicked out and hit a tombstone piledriver for a 2-count before transitioning into an armbar.
Rina fought out and managed to hit a German suplex before hitting a Gory Bomb, or Pink Devil as she calls it, and went to the top rope. Rina hit a flying double knee drop, but Athena managed to kick out. Rina hit a kick to the face of Athena and then did an octopus stretch of sorts into a pinfall cradle for a 2-count. Athena hit a boot that sent Rina to the floor as she was leaning on the bottom rope, and Athena hit a great tope suicida. Athena went to the top rope, but Rina cut her off. Athena shoved Rina from the ropes and hit the O Face for the pinfall victory.
Result: Athena defeated Rina
This was an excellent match, and another great showing for Stardom talent in AEW. Rina looked fantastic here, and Athena, as always, looked like one of the best women’s wrestlers alive today. Athena is #1 in the upcoming Casino Gauntlet.
–Kyle Fletcher was backstage with Don Callis and Lexy Nair. Fletcher noted that first time he wrestled ELP was when he was 18 years old, and tonight he was going to introduce him to the man he has become. He said Takeshita should watch closely to see what pain he is going to feel next Wednesday. This was an excellent promo.
Bandido, Mistico, & Mike Bailey vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Myron Reed, & Zachery Wentz)
Xavier started the match with Mistico, who immediately did a lucha armdrag off the ropes before tagging out to Bandido. Myron Reed came in, but got pressed by Bandido. However, he landed on his feet and then hit an enziguri. The Rascalz triple teamed Mike Bailey for a 2-count. As this was happening, I realized we are getting a second party match for tonight, and there were a series of tope suicidas from everyone, starting with Mike Bailey and ending with Wentz, but Bailey went for another and hit a stunner on Bailey. Bailey countered an attack on the apron and went for his moonsault double knees, but Myron Reed came in and hit a cutter off the ropes on Bailey, who flew onto everyone as they went to an ad break.
The Rascalz triple teamed Bandido, but Mistico made the save. Mistico hit a springboard back elbow on two members of the Rascalz before hitting a tiger feint kick. Xavier superkicked Mistico and went for a handspring into something, but Bandido hit X-Knee before hitting a 21-plex while Mistico and Bailey hit dives on the other Rascalz for the win.
Result: Bandido, Mistico, & Mike Bailey defeated The Rascalz
What an excellent, if not short, match. Very fun for what it was.
–Divine Dominion were backstage and said that all the tag teams have disappeared, and that they are sitting atop a mountain so high that no one else wants to climb. Megan Bayne said that every woman breathing might as well start their matches from their knees, as it will be easier for them to bow down.
Rush vs. Jordan Cruz
Well, this one was a foregone conclusion. Rush destroyed Cruz. It was fun. That is about all there is to say here. I am hoping we can do something with Rush, as the pattern seems to be a ton of squashes, then a big TV match that he loses, and squashes again. Hopefully they can do more with Rush soon. I’d like to see him feud with Takeshita.
Result: Rush defeated Jordan Cruz
–Rush grabbed a mic, said Viva Mexico and something that was bleeped out.
–The Opps were backstage they announced Katsuyori Shibata vs. Bandido for the ROH World Championship next week on Collision. Anthony Bowens said that they were all going to get a standing ovation when they get the gold, and Hook and Shibata looked at him with disgust and walked away.
Julia Hart vs. Maya World in a Casino Gauntlet Entry Match
Hart and World had some quick exchanges at the start that took them to the floor and ended with a shoulder block from World on Hart for a nearfall. Hart kicked out, dodged a corner charge, and locked on the tarantula as the show went into a ad break. When they got back, Hart was hitting a running elbow in the corner before locking on a submission in the middle of the ring.
World countered it into a pinfall attempt and hit a kick as both women stood back up. World hit a running kick for a 2-count. World went for a bridging suplex, but Hart fought out. World hit a double stomp to Hart’s midsection for a 2-count. Hart hit boots to the chest of Maya World and a kick for a 2-count. Hart and World seemed to be on different pages over several moves here. Hart went to the top for a moonsault, but World cut her off. Hart slipped off her shoulders, but Hart jumped right into the bridging fall away slam for a 2-count before doing another for another 2-count.
World put Hart on the top rope and went for a superplex, but Hart hit a headbutt and sent World back to the mat before going for a moonsault, but Maya World got the feet up and hit a Shining Wizard on Hart to score the pinfall, earning the #2 spot in the Casino Gauntlet.
Result: Maya World defeated Julia Hart
This was not a very good match. I think Hart and World would have a better one if they got another chance, as they just didn’t seem to be on the same page for parts of this. World gets a win, though, and at least that is something after losing to Mercedes Mone at the PPV.
–A great hype video aired for AEW Dynamite Beach Break next week.
Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Callis) vs. El Phantasmo
ELP gave his LED lighted sunglasses to a little girl in the front row, Bret Hart style, and it was great. ELP and Fletcher started a very quick exchange of holds and counters to start the match. ELP almost scored a pinfall with one of the pinfall exchanges. ELP then chopped Fletcher, ran up the ropes, and hit a lucha armdrag before turning around into a huge big boot from Fletcher that dropped ELP before they went to an ad break.
The fans were singing “You suck!” at Fletcher as they came back from break, and ELP hit a lionsault on Fletcher for a 2-count. ELP hit an enziguri and a tornado DDT on Fletcher before nipping up and calling for a superkick. Fletcher blocked it, and then both men exchanged strikes until Fletcher hit a Michinoku driver for a 2-count. Fletcher missed a Yakuza kick in the corner though, and ELP hit a moonsault from the ropes before posing on the announcers desk. ELP got himself very over in this match, but unfortunately, his posing led to Fletcher having time to recover and he hit a half and half suplex and then lawn darted ELP into the guardrail.
Fletcher hit a popup powerbomb for a 2-count. Fletcher and ELP exchanged several nearfall attempts after this, with ELP getting close many times, but on the last one, Fletcher kicked out, stood up, hit a running knee, a lawn dart into the corner, a yakuza kick, and a brainbuster for the pinfall.
Result: Kyle Fletcher defeated El Phantasmo
This was an incredible match to close this very long edition of AEW Collision. It was a quick 2 1/2 hours, but nonetheness, still went into an overrun!
–Don Callis grabbed the mic and said that Takeshita was a nobody before Callis recruited him, coached him, paid him, and made him. He said Takeshita was his chosen one to replace Omega, so he was going to teach him a lesson on Dynamite, starting with taking the AEW International Championship from him and Fletcher was reclaiming it. Konosuke Takeshita’s music hit and ran down to chase off Callis, and Takeshita posed with the title as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts
This show definitely went too long, but none of it was bad. It was still a good wrestling show in terms of action, and I liked how they build several matches for next Wednesday while also hinting at matches for the PPV in Quebec. Overall, the main event was the best match, but the party match tags are worth a look, and Athena and Rina was excellent as well.
Josiah has been writing for WON/F4W for several years now, from initially covering Lucha Underground, to TNA Impact, and now filling in where ever needed.