AEW Collision live results: Darby Allin vs. Lance Archer
Darby Allin and Lance Archer will go at it on this week’s Collision in Wichita, Kansas.
Allin will make his return to in-ring competition, having last wrestled at last month’s AEW WrestleDream event. Lance Archer made his return to TV on a recent episode of Dynamite, destroying a local athlete.
Swerve Strickland will also be in action, taking on former Mogul Embassy member AR Fox. Strickland was last seen being attacked by Hangman Page backstage on Wednesday’s Dynamite after Strickland taunted Page during a match, ultimately costing Page and The Young Bucks the ROH Six-Man Tag Team titles.
An eight-man tag match has been added following the events of last week’s Collision, where FTR and La Faccion Ingobernable teamed together to clear The House of Black out of the ring. FTR, Rush, and Preston Vance will team to take on Big Bill, Ricky Starks, and The Gates of Agony.
The Acclaimed will also have their 69 day celebration, as that will be the number of days they have held the AEW Trios Tag Team titles. Willow Nightingale will also be in action, facing Emi Sakura.
Live coverage begins at 8 pm ET.
*****
The cold open promos have returned, as we got comments from FTR, Big Bill, Jake Roberts with Lance Archer, and Darby Allin. We were getting words from Swerve Strickland when AR Fox attacked him and dragged him off-screen.
After Sir Elton John played us in, Fox and Strickland brawled through the opening pyro to get their match started. Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, & Nigel McGuinness were on the call.
Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) defeated AR Fox
An excellent opening to Collision, with Fox and Strickland having an appropriately heated brawl because of their recent history. Fox continues to impress when he gets the chance.
Fox continued the offensive after the bell rang, hitting a big dive to Strickland on the floor when he tried to bail out. Fox hit a rolling cutter for a nearfall as Nana fired up the crowd with Swerve’s House chants. Swerve and Fox evaded each other with springboards until they ended up on the floor, where Strickland dumped Fox into the apron with a hip toss.
Strickland clubbered on Fox as the Gates of Agony made their way to ringside. Strickland hoisted Fox across the top rope before hitting a superplex as we went to a commercial break. Fox fired back up after the break, hitting a DDT in the ring before landing a twisting suplex. Fox hit a 450 splash for a nearfall.
Fox sat Strickland on the top rope and hit the Lo Mein Pain for a nearfall. Fox went for another rolling cutter, but Strickland countered it with a neckbreaker before hitting the House Call for a nearfall. Fox got a flash pin in, but Strickland threw him into the buckles with a back suplex. Strickland pulled Fox up for a powerbomb before turning it into a powerslam. Strickland hit the Swerve Stomp to score the win.
After the match, the Embassy surrounded AR Fox before FTR ran out to make the save. A big brawl broke out, with Ricky Starks & Big Bill joining the fray. La Faccion Ingobernable ran out to make the save for their partners in the main event tonight. FTR offered a handshake, but LFI brushed past. The House of Black watched on from the crowd.
We got a video package hyping MJF vs. Daniel Garcia for the AEW World Championship on Dynamite. Garcia made the challenge on last night’s Rampage, with MJF accepting online.
We transitioned to words from MJF after last week’s Dynamite addressing Jay White. MJF sarcastically congratulated White before telling him that a cheap win didn’t make him better than him, and he would prove it at Full Gear. Jay White bragged about pinning MJF before giving Bullet Club Gold the week off of Collision.
Kip Sabian was backstage with Lexy Nair, addressing Mark Briscoe’s attack on him last week on Rampage. Sabian brought in the Workhorsemen, calling them one of AEW’s most underrated teams. He challenged Briscoe to a six-man tag match.
The Kingdom & Roderick Strong made their way out to the ring, with Strong cutting off the introduction. He said that no one would take them seriously, so they would make sure everyone made sure to take them seriously, especially Adam Cole.
The Kingdom defeated James McGregor & Brixton Nash
This is my least favorite act in AEW right now, which is saying something considering how much I enjoy these guys as wrestlers. There are ways to make these guys hateable that don’t involve making them act like cartoon characters. These are three great talents being anchored by these silly characters.
The Kingdom got a quick win with the Hail Mary spike piledriver. After the match, Strong leaped out of his wheelchair to drill Nash with a jumping knee before the Kingdom returned him to his wheelchair.
We got a video package hyping TNT Champion Christian Cage.
Mark Briscoe was backstage with Lexy Nair. FTR came in, as they were willing to pull double duty to help their friend. Briscoe told them to handle their business, as he had other partners in mind.
Darby Allin defeated Lance Archer (w/ Jake Roberts)
This was exactly what you expected when you saw these names put together. The Righteous with Archer and Roberts is an interesting pairing, but one that can possibly work.
Allin tried using his speed to outrun Archer, but Archer pounced Allin out of the ring. Back in the ring, Archer hit a shoulder breaker on the bad shoulder of Allin. Archer went to take Allin old school, but Allin crotched him on the ropes before hitting a suicide dive. On the floor, Allin hopped on Archer’s back, but Archer flung him off. Archer sent Allin flying with a suplex on the ramp as we went to a commercial break.
Archer set Allin up for the Black Out in the corner, but Allin jumped into a sleeper hold. Allin ducked a corner charge and went to the top rope, but Archer met him with a step-up knee lift. Archer set up the Black Out, but Allin countered it with a Stunner. Archer caught a Coffin Splash and sent Allin up and over with a German Suplex. Archer flung Allin into the turnbuckle before hitting a chokeslam. Archer lifted Allin up for another chokeslam onto the apron.
As the ref laid in the ten count, Jake Roberts reared back to drill Allin with his skateboard. The referee caught him and ejected him from ringside. Allin got back in the ring, where Archer set him up on the top rope. Allin bit Archer’s fingers and clawed his eyes and back before hitting a Code Red off of the top rope to get the win.
After the match, Roberts came back to the stage. He said that he never came to a fight with one piece of artillery. He welcomed out The Righteous, who implied that they attacked Sting. Archer made his way back into the ring, laying out Allin with the Black Out.
TBS Champion Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Skye Blue were backstage with Lexy Nair. Statlander thanked Blue for helping out against Julia Hart on Dynamite. Blue told Statlander not to thank her, saying that she only did what she did to help Nightingale. Blue wished Nightingale luck in her match tonight.
Alex Abrahantes was backstage with Lexy Nair, hyping up Penta El Zero Miedo’s win on Rampage. Swerve Strickland made his way in, bragging about his win. Abrahantes was disgusted with Strickland’s home invasion, noting that Penta loves his family more than lucha libre. I would certainly hope so. On behalf of Penta, Abrahantes challenged Strickland to a match on Dynamite, which Strickland accepted. Strickland noted that he used to wear a mask in the past, and looked forward to seeing what was under Penta’s mask on Wednesday.
The Acclaimed 69 Day Celebration
Get it? Like the sex position?
The Acclaimed came out to celebrate their 69th day as AEW World Trios Champions. How nice. They shot streamers before Anthony Bowens announced a surprise for Max Caster. We saw a video of MJF saying that he respected Caster for taking the belt shot for him at Dynamite. He said that he didn’t love the Acclaimed, but he was starting to like them.
Caster said that this celebration was a culmination of their hard work, symbolized by a trophy that was on the announce desk. They made some 69 jokes before going to wrap things up, but Dalton Castle and The Boys interrupted. What is this, Ring of Honor? I mean, I review that show too. The Boys grabbed the trophy off of the desk and handed it to Castle. Castle threw the trophy to the ground, kicking off a Pier Six brawl that turned into an impromptu Trios Title match.
AEW Trios Title Match: The Acclaimed defeated Dalton Castle and The Boys to retain
The Boys pulled out a pinata from the party to try and hit Caster, but Bowens came in and dropped them with clotheslines. Caster broke open the pinata to find Acclaimed merchandise before throwing it out to the crowd as we went to commercial.
Bowens ran wild as we came back from the commercial. The announcers noted that The Acclaimed had put out an open challenge for the titles, which is why this match was happening in this impromptu manner. The Acclaimed hit their moves on one of the Boys to win and retain the titles.
Andrade El Idolo was backstage with Lexy Nair, who asked him about CJ Perry’s offer. Andrade reiterated that it was their business only, but he would give Perry an answer face-to-face next week.
Mark Briscoe, Dustin Rhodes, & Keith Lee defeated Kip Sabian & The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
It’s good to see Mark Briscoe back in action. Lee’s issues with Shane Taylor were brought up on commentary, so while that hasn’t been fully dropped, it’s still odd to see that issue still unresolved.
Keith Lee is announced from Wichita Falls, Texas, so it’s kind of a hometown match. Sabian and the Workhorsemen got the jump on their opponents before Sabian hit a cannonball on Briscoe in the corner. Briscoe fought off all three men before Henry sent him to the floor, where Drake hit a rebound forearm to the face. Sabian hit a springboard moonsault to Briscoe before sending him back into the ring, where Drake landed a double stomp for a nearfall.
Briscoe got clubbered on for a while, with the Workhorsemen landing double teams on him. Sabian went for the Jay Driller, but Briscoe fought out and landed an Exploder suplex. Briscoe made the tag to Rhodes, who ran wild on everyone. Briscoe hit a corkscrew moonsault to Drake on the floor as Lee hit a Spirit Bomb on Drake onto Sabian. Briscoe hit the Froggy Bow on Sabian for the win.
Mark Briscoe was backstage with Lexy Nair. Briscoe said that he’s been watching AEW on his 70-inch plasma TV, and he’s seen an imposter in Jay White. He challenged Jay White to a match on Dynamite, with White’s Full Gear World Title match on the line.
Willow Nightingale defeated Emi Sakura
Of all the veteran hands in the women’s division, Sakura is head and shoulders above the rest as far as wrestling.
Sakura and Nightingale traded shoulder blocks before Nightingale dropped Sakura. There was a miscommunication on a crossbody, but Nightingale came back with corner charges. The commentators announced that the Strickland/Penta and Briscoe/White matches were official for Dynamite. Sakura sent Nightingale to the floor before hitting a crossbody against the stairs.
Nightingale fought back, but Sakura clawed at Nightingale’s eyes before chopping her in the corner. Sakura hit a running crossbody into the corner as we went to commercial. Sakura low-bridged Nightingale to the floor before whipping her between the apron and the floor. Nightingale caught Sakura on her shoulders before hitting a Death Valley Driver on the floor.
Back in the ring, Nightingale hit a shotgun dropkick for a nearfall. Julia Hart vs. Red Velvet was announced for Dynamite during this action. Sakura dropped Nightingale with a neckbreaker but couldn’t make a cover. Sakura hit a spinning back elbow before dropping Nightingale with a lariat/chop combination. Sakura ran into a main event spinebuster from Nightingale before Nightingale hit the Babe With The Powerbomb for the win.
Samoa Joe was backstage with Lexy Nair, who congratulated him on becoming the longest-reigning ROH World Television Champion. Joe noted that MJF had yet to answer his request for help, saying that MJF needed someone to watch his back. Joe went on to say that he’s beaten everyone who’s stood in his way before Keith Lee entered the scene. Lee said that Joe hasn’t beaten him, with Joe saying that it can be arranged for Dynamite.
FTR & La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush & Presten Vance) defeated The Gates of Agony, Big Bill, & Ricky Starks
This was a solid main event, with Rush as the standout component. He is like a shot of adrenaline every time he gets in the ring, and the people respond to his intensity with energy.
Big Bill started with Presten Vance, with Vance clubbing on Bill in the corner. Bill and Vance traded corner charges before Bill laid out Vance with a lariat. Kaun tagged in, but Vance avoided a senton and tagged in Wheeler. Tags came quickly, with Harwood and Liona ending up as the legal men. Liona laid out Harwood with a lariat before tagging in Starks, who clubbered on Harwood in the corner. Harwood made his way to the corner and tagged in Rush, who took Starks to the floor and ran him into the barricades all across ringside.
Harwood was your main eventer in peril as we came back from commercial, with the Gates of Agony beating on him as we came back from the break. Starks tagged in and went Old School on Harwood before dropping a leg on the apron for a nearfall. Bill tagged in as Starks went to ringside and got on the headset, shouting out Big Bill for his great work. Bill missed an elbow, forcing Starks to get back in.
Rush tagged in and ran wild, feigning the Bull’s Horns on Starks before landing a single boot to the face. Rush caught Starks with a powerslam for a nearfall. Vance broke up a Rochambeau attempt, with LFI hitting a tandem slam for a nearfall. Liona got some offense in on Vance, but Vance ducked a corner charge. Bill laid Vance out with a chokeslam before dropping FTR with clotheslines.
Rush dropped Bill with a dropkick and sent Kaun out of the ring before running into a spear from Starks. Wheeler saved Rush from a double suplex before getting a gutbuster from Kaun for his troubles. Rush hit rolling elbows on both Kaun and Starks before tagging in Harwood. Rush and Harwood teamed up to hit the Shatter Machine on Kaun before Rush hit the Bull’s Horns to score the win.
FTR went for another handshake, but LFI bailed on them again. The lights went down as The House of Black addressed FTR from the screen. They said some spooky things before the lights came up, where the House of Black was in the ring to lay out FTR. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta made the save with a chair to run them off, not forgetting the House of Black coming after the Blackpool Combat Club as well.