IT FINALLY HAPPENED - AEW COLLISION REVIEW 16/12

Welcome to this weeks edition of AEW Collision. With two weeks to go til worlds end the blue league is shaping up nicely and we have more league matches today so let's kick things off.

Match one Continental Classic Blue League: Andrade El Idolo vs. Claudio Castagnoli

They fight over a lockup to start before an exchange of shoulders doesn’t get either of them anywhere. Andrade knocks Claudio outside but Castagnoli is back in with a hard clothesline. It’s too early for the Swing though as Andrade hurricanranas him to the floor. A dropkick through the ropes has Castagnoli in more trouble but he nails an uppercut. Back in and Castagnoli shrugs off a dragon screw legwhip and hits Swiss Death.

We come back with Andrade hitting a running forearm but the Swing puts him down. The Sharpshooter goes on but Andrade reverses into a Figure our. That’s enough to send Castagnoli bailing to the ropes for the break so Andrade goes up, taking off the turnbuckle covering at the same time. A super sunset bomb gives Andrade two and the running knees in the corner get the same.

Castagnoli catches him on top though and it’s a superplex back down, only to have Andrade roll some Amigos. They trade kicks to the face until Andrade scores with a spinning elbow to the face. Andrade goes up again and tries a super hammerlock DDT, only to get crotched onto the turnbuckle. The referee notices the removed pad, allowing Castagnoli to get in a low blow from the distraction. The Neutralizer on Andrade and this one is over.

Here is your winner: Claudio Castagnoli

This match was everything you would expect from two incredible athletes. Claudio winning add a bit more drama to the standings and the low blow was a little bit of karma for Andrade as he has cheated several times to win his matches. Solid opening match.

Match two Abadon vs. Jazmin Allure

Abadon jumps her to start and hits a swinging Rock Bottom. A running knee and the Black Dahlia finish Allure.

Here is your winner: Abadon

Post match here is Julia Hart for the brawl, with Abadon laying her out and posing with the title.  Skye Blue is out and jumps Abadon and the double teaming is on. Cue the returning Thunder Rosa for the save.

So it finally happened. I have been going on about this for the longest time but they have finally teamed up. Julia Hart and Skye Blue. I called it and it finally happened. Pleased to see Thunder Rosa back but im so excited for this pairing now. Thank you AEW! Nigel McGuiness on commentary saying that isn't Skye Blue that's Skye Black gave me chills. This is exciting.

Match three International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Bryan Keith

Keith is challenging and the fans certainly seem to like him. A headlock takeover puts Cassidy down to start but he’s back up to put his hands in his pockets. Cassidy starts picking up the pace but gets kicked in the face as we take a break. Back with Cassidy hitting the tornado DDT and suicide dive to send Keith into the barricade.

Keith is able to catch him on top though and a running knee drops Cassidy. The tiger driver is countered into Beach Break for two and Cassidy needs a breather. Cassidy kicks away but Keith does the same, setting up Diamond Dust for two more. The tiger driver is loaded up again but this time Cassidy reverses into the mouse trap to retain.

Here is your winner: Orange Cassidy

Bryan Keith gave a good account of himself here and he deserves to be here but we knew he was never winning this. They need a plan for Orange Cassidy and his title because there is no real challenger at the moment.

Match four Kris Statlander/Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Martinez/Diamante

Street fight, with weapons provided. Believe it or not the brawl is on to start and they’re quickly on the floor, where Nightingale gets hit in the head with a bottle. Martinez tears away at the cut but Nightingale and Statlander can cut off Diamante’s dive off the steps. A barbed wire bat to the head cuts Diamante open but Martinez is back in with a tire iron for the save. Martinez hits a release German superplex to drop Nightingale onto some chairs for two.

Back with Statlander being sent through a piece of plywood but Nightingale sends the villains into each other. A Pounce sends Martinez into a board in the corner but Diamante gets in a shot to Nightingale. Statlander is back in to beat on Martinez, only to have Diamante come back in with a briefcase (that Statlander and Nightingale brought to the ring). Said briefcase is full of thumbtacks and glass and it’s time for people to be dropped onto the contents.

Diamante dropkicks Nightingale into a powerbomb through a table at ringside but Statlander hits a discus lariat with a chain to pin Diamante.

Here is your winners: Statlander and willow Nightingale

I have no idea what to say about this, but it was certainly a violent sprint. Statlander and Nightingale were always winning this one. They now need a motive to move towards. Good effort from all four women though.

Match six Continental Classic Blue League: Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia

Matt Menard is on commentary. Kingston wants him to bring it to start so Garcia loads up the dancing. Instead he chops away and actually gets the better of things, with Kingston favoring his throat. A dragon screw legwhip off the apron drops Kingston again and it’s time to crank away on that leg back inside. Kingston isn’t having that and fights up to drop Garcia as we take a break.

Back with Garcia fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught in the corner for the rapid fire chops. Garcia tries some weak dancing, earning himself even more chops. Even more dancing, this time with Garcia down in the corner, actually starts a comeback, setting up a running knee in the corner.

A kneebar sends Kingston bailing to the rope so Garcia pulls him back in with an ankle lock, complete with a grapevine. That’s broken up as well and Kingston suplexes him into the corner, setting up the spinning backfist for two. Back to back Saito suplexes give Garcia two but Kingston hits a half and half suplex. Another spinning backfist finishes Garcia and this one is all over.

Here is your winner: Eddie Kingston

They had a story here of Garcia turning into a hybrid of the dancing goof and the serious wrestler, which made for a good mix. That version had Kingston on the ropes but still came up short, I can see Garcia losing his final match and having a real character change. Kingston surviving, and possibly even advancing to the finals, makes sense as you don’t want him to just lose his title without even making a run in the tournament. Good match here, with some of the stories being set up for later.

Match seven Continental Classic Blue League: Bryan Danielson vs. Brody King

King backs him into the corner so Danielson starts kicking away at the leg to slow things down. That’s not working for King, who knocks him right back down and rakes away at the eyes in the corner. There’s the Cannonball in the corner to knock Danielson silly and they head outside, with King sending him face first into the announcers’ table. One heck of a crossbody up against the barricade crushes Danielson.

Back with Danielson’s bad eye busted open and the fight heading outside again. This time King misses another crossbody into the barricade, allowing Danielson to hit a shotgun dropkick back inside. King crotches him on top for a clothesline and they both need a breather. Danielson manages a quick half crab before kicking away at the leg even more.

The hammer and anvil elbows rock King but he’s right back with the Death Valley Driver for two. Back up and Danielson’s running knee gets two so he fires off kicks at King’s head. A hard clothesline takes Danielson’s head off for two but he’s back up with the fabled small package for two. Three straight running knees, with the last one to the back of the head and this one is all over.

Here is your winner: Bryan Danielson

This started a bit slow but once they got going, they were beating the hell out of each other. That’s about what you have to expect from Danielson in a tournament like this, as he can bring out the best in anyone. Awesome big man vs. little man match and they had the crowd going nuts on those kickouts at the end. I really hope they don’t just forget about Brody King after this tournament cos he really has been incredible.

A very good show this week on Collision with the Blue league coming to an end next week. And finally we get to see Julia Hart and Skye Blue together. Very pleased with that. Thanks for joining me this week guys. See you next week for Rampage.