AEW Collision live results: Holiday Bash
The final matches in the Continental Classic Blue League takes place on Saturday’s Collision.
Brody King vs. Daniel Garcia, Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli, and Andrade El Idolo vs. Eddie Kingston will determine who makes it to the Blue League finals on next week’s AEW Dynamite. Everyone still has enough points to make it to the Blue League finals with the exception of Daniel Garcia, who at 0 points is mathematically eliminated from the tournament. However, he could be a spoiler for King.
A match for the AEW Trios titles will take place with The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn defending against Top Flight and Action Andredtti. The champions made their return to TV last week, with Top Flight & Andretti accepting an open challenge.
Thunder Rosa will make her in-ring return, teaming with Abadon to take on Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Rosa made the save for Abadon after Hart and Blue joined forces to attack Abadon. Keith Lee will also be in action, taking on Brian Cage.
Christian Cage is also set to appear. On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Tony Schiavone read a letter from Cage where he said he would appear on Collision to respond to Adam Copeland’s challenge to a no disqualification match at AEW Worlds End on December 30.
Live coverage starts at 8 pm ET.
*****
Sir Elton John gets the weekend off this week, as Bryan Danielson made his way to the ring to start this week’s Collision. Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, & Nigel McGuinness were on the call.
Continental Classic Blue League Match – Bryan Danielson [10] and Claudio Castagnoli [7] fought to a time-limit draw
Danielson goes five-for-five with excellent Continental Classic matches, as the drama escalated to a wonderful crescendo here. AEW making a habit of the 15-minute time calls in matches over the last few weeks made the draw a possibility in fans’ heads, and it paid off here as Danielson survived the Sharpshooter to clinch his spot in the Blue League Final.
Danielson clinches a spot in the Blue League Final with a win or a draw. Castagnoli would be eliminated with a loss or a draw. Castagnoli went for quick pins early on, quelling any thoughts of a Fingerpoke of Doom scenario coming from McGuinness on commentary. The two men traded holds on the mat, with Danielson teasing a Romero Special before stomping on Castagnoli’s knees. Castagnoli got to his feet and drilled Danielson with an uppercut, with Danielson looking surprised on the mat.
Castagnoli clubbered on Danielson in the corner before dropping a standing elbow for a nearfall. Danielson went back to the legs before both men locked wrists and traded monkey flips. Danielson broke the knuckle lock with a kick to the face. Castagnoli took Danielson to the corner and feigned a clean break before poking Danielson in the good eye and hitting a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall. A lariat from Castagnoli only scored a nearfall.
Castagnoli went for the Giant Swing, but Danielson lifted himself and transitioned into a LeBell Lock. Castagnoli slid to the ropes to the floor, but Danielson followed him out with a knee off of the apron. Danielson sent Castagnoli into the stairs and the barricade, but Castagnoli caught Danielson with an uppercut when Danielson came off of the top rope. Danielson dropped Castagnoli on a corner charge, then hit the running dropkicks in the corner. Castagnoli caught the third dropkick and went directly into the Giant Swing for a nearfall.
This Is Awesome chants rang out from the San Antonio crowd as Danielson fought off a Sharpshooter attempt. Castagnoli sent Danielson to the floor after a headbutt, then hit a charging uppercut to him against the barricade as we went to a commercial.
Danielson fought off a superplex attempt, crotching Castagnoli as we came back from the commercial. Danielson kicked Castagnoli in the Tree of Woe before landing a belly-to-back superplex for a nearfall. Hammer-and-anvil elbows from Danielson got caught from Castagnoli, but Danielson hit La Mistica before locking on the LeBell Lock. Castagnoli got to the ropes, but Danielson shielded the referee from the ropes. The referee caught on, but Danielson held on until the five count. He let the referee know that he had until five.
Danielson brought Castagnoli to the top rope at the fifteen-minute mark, but Castagnoli hammered Danielson with elbows before dropping him with an avalanche twisting superplex for a nearfall. Danielson countered the Ricola Bomb with a Triangle Choke, but Castagnoli picked him up and hit a one-armed Neutralizer for a nearfall.
At 17 minutes, Danielson flipped out of a powerbomb attempt and hit the Busaiku Knee for a nearfall. Danielson kicked Castagnoli in the head, but Castagnoli reversed position and stomped on Danielson’s face. They fell to the ground and traded up kicks, with Castagnoli hammering Danielson in the bad eye. Castagnoli locked on the Sharpshooter at the 19-minute call. Castagnoli cinched the hold in as McGuinness screamed for Danielson to tap. At the 10-second call, Castagnoli transitioned out to hit the Sudden Death uppercut, but the bell sounded before he could make the cover.
With this result, Danielson has clinched a spot in the Blue League Final this Wednesday on Dynamite. This result also eliminates Brody King.
We got a video package for the Gold League of the Continental Classic, and the resulting three-way final between Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, & Jay White.
AEW World Trios Title Match – The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, & Billy Gunn) defeated Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) to retain
I don’t understand this result at all. Top Flight & Andretti had some real momentum, and this Acclaimed title run is far past its sell-by date.
This is the Acclaimed’s 10th defense of the titles. Caster used his rap to wish Dante good luck, telling him to Break A Leg. Caster and Darius started, with Bowens making a blind tag and taking Darius down with a backbreaker over Caster’s knees. Andretti tagged in, taking down Bowens with a dropkick before Bowens came back with a neckbreaker. Bowens hit a Rock, Paper, Scissor combo for a nearfall. The match broke down, with a standoff between Bowens, Caster, Andretti, and Darius. Gunn tagged in, taking down Andretti with a backbreaker as we went to a commercial.
Andretti evaded a corner charge from Gunn before tagging Dante. Dante ran wild, with Top Flight hitting multiple combos on Caster. Gunn broke up a pin, leading to him taking on all three of his challengers on his own. Andretti and Dante cut off Scissor Me Timbers, isolating Caster in the ring. Andretti hit a springboard 450 for a nearfall. Caster evaded a running Shooting Star Press, with Caster scoring the win with a roll-up. Kevin Kelly thought he saw Caster pull the tights, but I couldn’t see that on the camera angle we had.
We got a video from Hook, accepting Wheeler Yuta’s challenge for an FTW Rules Title match at World’s End.
Keith Lee defeated Brian Cage (w/ Prince Nana)
Lee looked better here than he did at Final Battle. An interesting time for the Swerve feud to pick back up with his involvement in the Continental Classic, but he will need something to do afterward anyway.
Both men traded shoulder blocks before Cage took Lee down with a headscissors. Lee came back with a headscissors of his own. Cage avoided a corner charge and hit a pair of strikes in the corner. Cage took down Lee with kicks before hitting a tornado DDT as we went to a commercial.
The two men traded strikes as we came back from the break. Lee forced Cage into the corner and clubbered on him before sending him head-over-heels with a German Suplex Throw. Cage escaped a Spirit Bomb before hitting a 619. Cage went for the outside-in superplex, but Lee headbutted him down. Lee went to the top rope, but Cage cut him off and hit a superplex for a nearfall.
Cage hit a series of kicks before landing an F-5 for a nearfall. Prince Nana pulled out a cinderblock, the same weapon Swerve Strickland used to take Lee out this time last year in this very city. Lee caught Cage with the Big Bang Catastrophe to score the win.
After the match, Lee took to the mic. He brought up the attack from last year while refusing to say Swerve Strickland’s name. Lee said that he’s been trying to send him a message for weeks. Swerve wouldn’t listen, so at Dynamite, he’d be tearing down a house brick-by-brick.
Timeless Toni Storm, Mariah May, & Luther were backstage with Renee Paquette. Storm blew off May’s help on Dynamite, pretending not to know her after she’s been around for a month. May said that her American wrestling license had been approved, so her debut would be coming soon. She blew Renee off when she asked when her debut would be happening. Storm, having not listened to May, told Riho that she would gobble her up at World’s End.
Christian Cage Responds to Adam Copeland
Christian Cage & Nick Wayne came to the ring. Cage said that he could explain Shayna Wayne’s actions at Dynamite in Montreal, hitting Adam Copeland with the TNT Title and costing him the match, but he’d rather let her do it herself. Shayna came to the ring, incredulous at the boos. She watched Copeland hit her son on the head with a chair, so she did what any loving mother would do. Shayna said that the only person who cared about her son like she did was Christian Cage.
Cage took the mic, calling Copeland a piece of garbage. Shayna worked crappy jobs to give Nick a chance to live his dream. Cage said that Copeland should understand where the Waynes were coming from considering he grew up with a single mother who did the same for him. The jobs, not hitting people with titles. Cage wished Copeland’s mother was still alive so she could disown him on behalf of single mothers everywhere.
Cage said that Copeland could never control his rage, and it cost him in Montreal. Cage said that he scored one of the biggest wins of his career and scored in other ways that night too, gesturing to Shayna. He accepted Copeland’s challenge but said that Copeland wasn’t a challenge to him in any way. Cage said that he would take Copeland out on behalf of single mothers all over the world.
AEW World Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks & Big Bill were backstage with Lexy Nair. Bill claimed that Kenny Omega made diverticulitis up and was just running scared. Starks said that Omega didn’t have the guts to challenge them, with Bill laughing at the wordplay. Chris Jericho entered the frame, saying that he still had a signed contract for Worlds End. He didn’t know who his partner would be, but he would find one and take their titles.
Continental Classic Blue League Match – Daniel Garcia [3] defeated Brody King [6]
Garcia gets his win in a big upset here. His defiance and grit got the crowd behind him, and the Gonzo Bomb kickout shocked me. The post-match was effective, transitioning to the build for the FTR/Black & Matthews tag at the PPV.
Both men are eliminated going into this one. Matt Menard was on commentary, rooting for Garcia to get a win.
Garcia slapped King in the face, motivating King to tee off on Garcia in the corner. King hit Garcia with a cannonball for a nearfall. King clubbered Garcia with forearms and chops, but Garcia caught King with a choke on the apron. King chopped Garcia back onto the apron, then locked on a hanging choke off of the apron as we went to a commercial.
Garcia fought off King in the corner as we came back from the commercial. King stuffed a suplex attempt before hitting a senton for a nearfall. Garcia stood up through the chops, firing the crowd up before returning the chops to King. They traded forearms before King shut down another backdrop driver attempt with elbows. Garcia defiantly danced before ducking a lariat and hitting the backdrop driver for a nearfall.
King came back with a flurry of offense, hitting a lariat for a nearfall. King hit the Gonzo Bomb, but Garcia kicked out to the shock of King and the crowd. Garcia was dead weight in the center of the ring, but eventually caught King with a jackknife pin to score the upset and his first points in the tournament.
After the match, the lights went out. Malachi Black & Buddy Matthews were in the ring when the lights came up, holding Garcia up for King. Menard came off of commentary to help Garcia but got booted down. King snapped Garcia’s three fingers, the fingers he was holding up in celebration after his win. Menard covered Garcia as FTR ran to the ring. Harwood made the challenge again to the House of Black for a tag team match at Worlds End.
Abadon & Thunder Rosa defeated Julia Hart & Skye Blue
Rosa looked good in her return. Not a lot of shine for Abadon going into her PPV title match, though.
Earlier today on Twitter, Tony Khan announced that Hart would defend the TBS Championship against Abadon next Saturday at the World’s End PPV. This is Thunder Rosa’s first match since the August 15, 2022 episode of Dark: Elevation.
Blue had new, all-black gear. Thunder Rosa made her entrance in a low rider. Abadon caught Hart on a crossbody before dropping her with a tilt-a-whirl slam. Abadon hit a running knee before Blue cut off a tag to Rosa. They double-teamed Abadon as we went to a commercial.
After the break, Abadon fought out of the wrong corner, dropping both opponents with a double facebuster. Rosa got the tag in and ran wild, hitting a Northern Lights Suplex on Blue for a nearfall that Hart broke up. Blue caught Rosa with a superkick in the corner before hitting a powerbomb for a nearfall. Abadon cut off Hart on a moonsault attempt, allowing Rosa to hit the Tijuana Bomb for the win in her return.
Continental Classic Blue League Match – Eddie Kingston [9] defeated Andrade El Idolo [9]
Kingston was the perfect person to fight back from the brink of elimination. The story of Danielson motivating him after embarrassing him with the “Eddie Is A Bum” sign gives the Blue League Final even more story depth, as Kingston still isn’t done fighting. His titles and his pride are still on the line. A great main event, and a great conclusion to the Continental Classic on the Collision side.
The winner of this match will wrestle Bryan Danielson in the Blue League Semi-Finals on this week’s Dynamite. A draw will send Andrade through to the semi-final.
After some shoving, Kingston ducked a surprise back elbow attempt. Andrade ducked a quick backfist attempt in response. After a fight for wrist control, Andrade vaulted over the corner and hit a high crossbody for a nearfall. Andrade hit a jawbreaker before Kingston responded with a lariat as we went to a commercial.
Andrade dropkicked a charging Kingston’s knee before hitting a pair of Dragon Screw Leg Whips and a flying forearm. Andrade hit the Meteora in the corner for a nearfall. Andrade hit the Three Amigos for a nearfall. Andrade went to the top rope, but Kingston drilled Andrade with a gamengiri as Andrade launched off the ropes.
Kingston fired up with the machine gun chops in the corner, then obliged Andrade when he asked for more. Kingston hit an exploder suplex for a nearfall. Andrade fought off a half-and-half suplex attempt and sent Kingston to the floor, where he followed with a moonsault to the floor. Andrade hit the double jump moonsault in the ring for a nearfall. Kingston fought off the Hammerlock DDT as the crowd chanted for both men. Kingston hit a belly-to-back suplex for a nearfall.
Andrade drove Kingston into the corner, hitting back elbows to escape Kingston’s grip. Andrade hit the running back elbow for a nearfall. This Is Awesome chants rang out as Andrade went for the Figure Four, but Kingston got to the ropes as Andrade bridged up. The fifteen-minute call came as Kingston hit a pair of backfists and the Northern Lights Driver to score the win and earn his spot in the Blue League Final on Dynamite.
After the match, Bryan Danielson went face-to-face with Kingston as the show went off the air.