AEW Collision live results: FTR vs. MJF & Adam Cole Tag Team title match

FTR will look to continue their run of recent success as they defend the AEW Tag Team titles against AEW World Champion MJF & Adam Cole on Saturday’s AEW Collision from Hartford, Connecticut.

FTR is coming off a match of the year candidate against Jay White & Juice Robinson and will now face Cole & MJF, winners of the Blind Eliminator tag team tournament. 

Amid a two-match losing streak, former AEW World Champion CM Punk will be on hand to give his thoughts about his current situation.

In a ladder match for his stolen mask, Andrade El Idolo will take on Buddy Matthews of the House of Black, the rest of which are banned from the arena.

Bullet Club Gold’s Juice Robinson & The Gunns will take on AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo, Darius Martin & Action Andretti.

ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe faces Gravity while former ROH Women’s Champion Mercedes Martinez makes her Collision debut against Kiera Hogan.

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The cold open promos feature Darby Allin asking for a fight, and the challengers and champions hyping up the AEW Tag Team Title match tonight. Elton John reminds us that Saturday Night is Alright For Fighting before Ian Riccaboni and Nigel McGuinness officially welcome us to AEW Collision.

Ladder Match for Andrade’s Mask: Andrade El Idolo defeated Buddy Matthews

This was a fun time. These two worked hard and did some wild spots here. Andrade won the mask, but has he won the feud? Time will tell.

This is a rematch from their stellar encounter on the debut episode of Collision. Andrade had new gear on, looking like a Latino Diesel. The two went after each other early, with Andrade sending Matthews to the floor after a chop exchange. Andrade climbed a ladder on the outside and hit a moonsault to Matthews on the floor. Andrade took some time to get a number of ladders into the ring. Matthews got some strikes in, but Andrade sent him into a ladder before hitting the three Amigos.

Matthews avoided the third suplex but did not avoid a hip toss into a ladder in the corner. Andrade went for a ladder-assisted double knee attack in the corner, but Matthews flung the ladder in Andrade’s face. Matthews went to the doctor to have his shoulder checked on as we went to picture-in-picture commercial. On the small screen, the doctor seemingly pulled Matthews’ shoulder into place.

We came back from commercial to Matthews ragdolling Andrade around the ringside area. Matthews built a ladder bridge between the ring and the announce table and sent Andrade into it with a flapjack. They fought on the apron, with both men teasing falls onto the ladder bridge. Eventually, Andrade ended up running into a double-arm DDT onto the ladder.

Matthews set up a table in the corner of the ring, driving Andrade head-first into the table multiple times. Matthews went for the mask, but Andrade tipped him off the ladder before hitting a back elbow that sent Matthews onto a ladder bridge on the other side of the ring. Andrade climbed the ladder on the other side of Matthews, then dared Matthews to meet him at the top. They fought on top of the ladder before Andrade hit a sunset flip powerbomb onto the ladder bridge.

Andrade went for the mask, but Matthews pulled him down into a knee strike. Julia Hart produced handcuffs, helping Matthews lock Andrade on the ringpost. Matthews went to hit Andrade with a chair, but Andrade kicked the chair into Matthews’ face. Andrade grabbed the key from Hart and unlocked himself before locking Matthews into the cuffs. Andrade went for the mask, but Julia Hart climbed onto his back. Matthews went to stop Andrade, but Andrade sent him to the floor. Andrade then pushed Hart into Matthews, both of them going through Chekov’s Table at ringside. Andrade then grabbed the mask to win.

Backstage, Tony Schiavone attempted to talk to Miro, but Miro was quickly attacked with a chair by Aaron Solo of QTV. Miro quickly dispatched Solo. Darby Allin came out for a match with an unknown opponent.

Darby Allin defeated Minoru Suzuki

Well, I’ll be damned, it’s Minoru Suzuki! The announcers recapped the recent history between these two, with run-ins at Forbidden Door and the Royal Rampage. Allin got a jumpstart to the match, booting Suzuki off the apron before hitting a suicide dive. Allin dropkicked Suzuki out of a chair before throwing him into the ring to officially start the match.

Allin laid in strikes to Suzuki before Suzuki dropped him with a forearm shot. Suzuki battered Allin, landing a Penalty Kick for a nearfall. Suzuki ripped the tape off of Allin’s waist as we went to a picture-in-picture commercial.

We came back from break with Allin laying in chops to Suzuki, only for Suzuki to drop him with a single shot across the chest. Allin tried fighting back, but Suzuki dropped him again. Suzuki offered a free shot, with Allin taking several shots before landing a Code Red for a nearfall. Allin went for a Coffin Splash in the corner, but Suzuki caught him in a choke. Allin avoided the Gotch Style Piledriver, hitting a springboard Coffin Splash. Allin went for the Coffin Drop, but Suzuki caught him in a rear-naked choke. Allin rolled back, stacking Suzuki on his shoulders for the flash pin and the victory in this surprising encounter.

After the match, TNT Champion Luchasaurus and Christian Cage sarcastically said that Allin looks ready for his shot at Luchasaurus and the TNT Title. But with Allin’s issues with Swerve Strickland and AR Fox, he needs to focus before All Out. Cage said that the TNT Title meant much more now than it did when Allin held it.

We got a hype video for the AEW Women’s Title match this Wednesday at Dynamite 200. Toni Storm called Hikaru Shida a stupid cow, noting that she was a pandemic champion. “Much like the pandemic, we’re all glad it’s over.” Storm said that Shida would be using her kendo stick as a crutch when Storm was done with her.

Samoa Joe defeated Gravity

Gravity avoided Joe and did some spacewalking before catching Joe with a hurricanrana and a lucha armdrag. Joe cut him off with elbows in the corner. Gravity went for a dive, but Joe spacewalked away to a big pop from the crowd and a hearty laugh from me. Joe ended proceedings with a Muscle Buster.

CM Punk Speaks

OK, there’s a lot to cover here. Punk officially crowning himself the Real World Champion makes the road to Wembley very interesting, especially with the Ricky Starks match coming next week as opposed to Wembley. However, with next week’s Collision going head-to-head with Summerslam, I can understand hyping a “World Title” match with CM Punk involved. There were also a few comments that could be seen as veiled shots at the Elite, keeping that issue simmering.

Tony Schiavone welcomed CM Punk, who came out with the red bag he came out with on the debut episode of Collision. Schiavone straight-up asked Punk what was in the bag. Punk noted that despite his travel issues and only getting to the building 2 hours ago, he always made his towns. Punk brought up Wembley Stadium, saying that maybe we’ll know if he’s wrestling there by the end of the night.

He pivoted to Ricky Starks, noting that Starks has beaten him twice. Punk said that it’s not really about what’s in the bag, it’s that he’s been left holding the bag. It’s a burden he has to carry because he’s the adult in the room. Punk opened the bag and revealed the AEW World Championship that still carries his nameplate and his blood from last September, calling himself the Real World Champion. He spraypainted a black X on the title, noting that the X has been his logo since 1997. It means that he’s straight edge, which means he’s better than you. It means he’s the Best In The World. No one has beaten him for the title, which means he’s still the Real World Champion.

Ricky Starks came out, then asked for a proper entrance with full music, which he got. Starks said that whatever Punk claims is his, Starks is owed it because he’s beaten him twice. Starks said that from his vantage point, he’s the World Champion and the face of Collision. The fans split chants of Ricky’s Title/CM Punk as Punk requested a special guest referee. Starks said it didn’t matter who it was – whether it was Dave Prazak, Julio Dinero, or an old friend from Stamford – he would beat Punk again.

Punk accepts the challenge for next week on Collision. Punk tells Schiavone to tell Starks who the guest referee will be next week. Schiavone announced that the special guest referee will be Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, who has a history with Punk going back to Ring of Honor in 2004.

We got a video package highlighting Adam Cole and MJF’s last month before hyping the main event title match against FTR.

Bullet Club Gold (Austin Gunn, Colton Gunn & Juice Robinson) defeated Action Andretti, Darius Martin & El Hijo del Vikingo

The match went to commercial quickly after it started. Bullet Club pulled out a cardboard cutout of Jay White from under the ring. Back from the break, Vikingo got through both Gunns to make a hot tag to Andretti.

Andretti missed a split-legged moonsault on Colton before rolling through and hitting a Pele Kick to Austin. He dropped Colton before avoiding a senton from Robinson. Martin and Andretti launched Vikingo onto all three opponents on the floor. The Gunns got control back, isolating Martin before hitting the 3:10 To Yuma for the win.

Mercedes Martinez defeated Kiera Hogan

Martinez booted Hogan into the corner to start. Hogan came back with a dropkick off the top rope, but Martinez cut her off with a facebuster. Martinez hit a twisting suplex for a nearfall. Hogan dropped Martinez with a low enzuigiri, but Martinez cut her off on the top rope. She hit a Tower Of London-style neckbreaker for a nearfall before we went to a picture-in-picture commercial.

Back from the break as Hogan hit a low kick in the ropes for a nearfall. Hogan ran wild with kicks and set up her finisher, but Martinez rolled out and hit a Saito Suplex. Martinez hit a running forearm to the back of the neck before locking in the Brass City Stretch for the win. Martinez refused to release the hold after the match, bringing out TBS Champion Kris Statlander for the save. Martinez feigned bailing out before coming back in and dropped Statlander with the title. Willow Nightingale made the save, making sure Martinez left the premises.

AEW World Tag Team Title Match: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defeated Adam Cole & MJF

This was an awesome main event, with the beloved makeshift team taking on the experienced tag team and coming up just short. I was banking on a turn happening here between Cole and MJF, but it looks like Better Than You Bay Bay will live on.

FTR came out to boos, as this crowd was firmly behind Cole and MJF. We got dueling chants for both teams by the time the bell rang as Cole and Harwood started off. FTR cut off Cole after Harwood led Cole into a Wheeler shoulder block. Cole hit an enzuigiri before teasing the double clothesline, but Harwood held onto Wheeler to keep it from happening.

MJF tagged in, asking for Harwood to tag in. MJF went to bash Harwood’s…groin in, but Harwood avoided it. As MJF and Harwood went back and forth, the announcement was made that whoever won this match would defend the titles next week on Collision against Brian Cage & Big Bill, who earned a title shot on last night’s Rampage. MJF feigned an ankle injury before things got heated with Harwood. Both teams had a tense face-off as we went to commercial.

Harwood held MJF in a Camel Clutch as we came back from the break. MJF went to split the uprights to get out of the hold, but Harwood caught his legs and tagged in Wheeler. MJF got caught by FTR on a tag attempt, but MJF dropped both of them with stereo DDTs. FTR went for the Double Clothesline, but MJF ducked and made the tag to Cole.

Cole ran wild, landing pump kicks on both men before dropping Wheeler with an Ushigoroshi for a nearfall. Cole avoided a double team from FTR but got caught with a crossbody from Harwood for a nearfall. Harwood went to the well again, but Cole caught him with a superkick for a nearfall. Cole and MJF went for a double clothesline again, but Harwood ducked it and tagged in Wheeler. Wheeler and MJF went back and forth in Tombstone position, but Cole superkicked Wheeler, allowing MJF to hit his Tombstone for a nearfall.

They called for the Double Clothesline, but Harwood yanked MJF out of the ring. Cole got caught with a lariat from Wheeler before FTR set Cole up on the top rope. Cole knocked them both off, but Harwood shoved Wheeler into the buckles to knock Cole down. FTR then hit the Powerplex for a nearfall. Harwood then allowed MJF to tag in, with the men trading strikes and flash pins before Harwood hit the Rebound Powerbomb – Rebowerbomb? – for a nearfall.

Harwood set up the Panama Sunrise on MJF, but Cole dropped him down. Cole took the referee as MJF hit the Shattered Dreams on Harwood for a nearfall that Wheeler broke up. Cole went for the Boom, but Wheeler drilled him with a lariat. FTR set up Cole for a Shatter Machine, but MJF shoved Cole out of the way. MJF countered the Shatter Machine, setting up Wheeler for a Heatseeker Piledriver. Harwood then rolled up MJF from behind to score the win and retain the titles.

After the match, Cole shook hands with FTR before consoling a disappointed MJF. Cole handed MJF the World Title, telling him that they lost the match, not just MJF. With tears in his eyes, MJF set Cole up for a belt shot. Cole knew the shot was coming and held his arms up. But MJF threw the belt down. Cole turned around and gave MJF a hug to a huge reaction. MJF posed with the title as they announced Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Martinez for the TBS Title for next week. They hung around in the ring for a few minutes, but they remained on good terms as we faded out.