AEW Collision Winter is Coming live results: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Claudio Castagnoli
AEW returns to Cardiff, Wales, for today’s Winter is Coming edition of Collision at a special start time of 4:30 PM Eastern.
One of the featured bouts is former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland taking on former TNA World Champion Josh Alexander for the first time ever in a match that will likely have implications on this month’s Worlds End.
The Continental Classic will continue with two matches.
Blue league co-leaders Konosuke Takeshita and Claudio Castagnoli will do battle in a clash of the IWGP World Champion and CMLL Heavyweight Champion.
Coming off his highlight reel match against Kyle Fletcher Wednesday, “Speedball” Mike Bailey will look to grab another three points when he takes on tag team partner Kevin Knight in the Gold league.
TNT Champion Mark Briscoe defends against former champion Daniel Garcia.
AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander teams with former champion Jamie Hayter against The Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue).
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AEW Collision opened with a recap of Samoa Joe and Eddie Kingston and Hangman Page & Swerve Strickland vs. Shibata & Will Hobbs, with Hangman making his intentions clear – he wants Samoa Joe at AEW World’s End.
Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Josh Alexander (w/ Don Callis)
The crowd was immediately red hot, cheering for Swerve and singing for him. Alexander tried to hit a shoulder tackle on Swerve, but he just shook it off. Alexander went for a leg pick, but Swerve cartwheeled over it and hit a fireman’s carry into the top turnbuckle before hitting a pump kick that drove Alexander into the corner. Swerve hit a big back breaker on Alexander, leading to Alexander going for a takedown, but Swerve hit a snapmare and a knee drop.
Swerve hit a few rolling neckbreakers, working over the previously injured neck of Josh Alexander. Josh Alexander pulled Swerve from the ring and suplexed him knee first on the announce table. That was brutal. Alexander hit a crossbody that sent Swerve to the floor as they went to the ad break. When they came back, Swerve and Alexander were exchanging forearms. Swerve hit an upkick on Alexander but stumbled when he tried to roll onto his feet. Alexander trapped the knee, hit a knee crusher, and then hit a back suplex. Swerve countered Alexander trying to pick him up into a powerbomb into a powerslam before collapsing to the mat selling his knee.
Swerve hit an uppercut off the middle rope. Swerve missed a kick and Alexander pulled his leg over the rope, and then hit a world strongest slam on the apron. Swerve went for the JML Driver, but Alexander rolled him up for a nearfall. Alexander went for a sliding lariat which Swerve countered into a crucifix pin for a 2-count. Alexander went right back after the knee and did a single leg crab that forced Swerve to the ropes. Alexander missed a knee drop off the top rope and Swerve rolled up to his feet and hit a flatliner and hit the House Call that knocked the headgear of Alexander before hitting a JML Driver for the pinfall.
Result: Swerve Strickland defeated Josh Alexander
–Swerve Strickland grabbed the mic and said that he did not come back to face the Don Callis Family. He came back for the AEW World Championship, and Hangman Page was not the only guy after Joe. Swerve wanted his title back.
–Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa said they were going to join the toast to celebrate the new AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions.
Kris Statlander & Jamie Hayter vs. The Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) (w/ Thekla)
Hayter immediately slammed Blue and tagged out to Statlander who slammed Hayter on Blue, and then Hayter slammed Statlander on Blue. Statlander and Hayter tried to show each other up by slamming Blue, who unfortunately had to face hitting the mat repeatedly. Hart tagged in and did a rope walk into a hurricanrana on Statlander and Hayter tagged in, hitting an exploder and then a snap suplex for a two count on Hart.
Hart hit a standing moonsault on Hayter as they went to the break. When they came back Hayer knocked Hart from the apron and hit a running knee on Sky Blue. Statlander went for Staturday Night Fever, but Blue cradled Statlander for a 2-count before tagging out to Hart, who hit a double front suplex and double superkick for a 2-count. Blue hit a Code Blue for a 2-count, and Hayter made the save. Julia Hart hit a lung blower of sorts on Hayter and everyone was laid out.
Blue hit a thrust kick on Hayter and tagged out to Hart to went for a rope walk again, dropping Hayter’s arm across the ropes and then holding her arms. Blue charged, but Hayter dodged and Blue knocked Hart off the apron while Hayter hit a back breaker and then a Hayterade for the pinfall.
Result: Jamie Hayter & Kris Statlander defeated The Sisters of Sin
–Jamie Hayter, once backstage, challenged Kris Statlander to a title match at AEW World’s End, and Statlander accepted before they started arguing.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita – C2 Blue League Match
Both guys started with some grappling, feeling each other out, with both exchanging holds building to a forearm and uppercut battle until Castagnoli raked the eyes and hit a lariat. Takeshita tried to hit a running knee off the apron but Castagnoli caught him with a European Uppercut that sent Takeshita crashing to the floor. Takeshita blocked a suplex attempt on the ramp and turned it into a DDT. Castagnoli countered a knee charge into a backbreaker as they went to an ad break.
Takeshita fought out of a sleeper hold and hit a hurricarana that sent Castagnoli to the floor. Takeshita hit a tope gon giro and then a blue thunder bomb in the ring, but Castagnoli kicked out and did the giant swing before locking in the sharpshooter. Castagnoli transitioned into a crossface, but Takeshita got out of it. Castagnoli was frustrated and started lightly kicking Takeshita to taunt him. Takeshita and Castagnoli started exchanging forearms and uppercuts.
Takeshita hit an inverted piledriver and then a hidden blade for a 2-count. Castagnoli hit a pop up uppercut and then a springboard uppercut. Castagnoli went for the Neutralizer, but Takeshita countered and went for a back body drop, but Castagnoli landed on his feet and both hit lariats and collapsed. Takeshtia hit a series of forearms on the apron, and Castagnoli hit a series of his own. Takeshita hit a big boot to block a European uppercut, and then Takeshita charged but Claudio got a big boot. Then both men hit big boots and collapsed to the floor. Both men started exchanging strikes on the floor until Castagnoli hit a big boot that sent Takeshita crashing to the mat before he also collapsed. Takeshita hit a hard forearm that kept Castagnoli from getting in the ring. Castagnoli barely made it back into the ring, and then both men exchanged finishers but couldn’t finish each other until the time limit was up.
Result: Claudio Castagnoli & Konosuke Takeshita went to a draw
This match was awesome. What a tremendous match, and it protected both guys where the CMLL Heavyweight Champ and IWGP World Championship didn’t take loss.
–Speedball Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight were backstage talking about how they are going to give it their all when they face each other later.
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.