It’s Saturday night, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. with this week’s episode of AEW Collision.
Featured below are complete results courtesy of Suit Williams and F4WOnline.com.
AEW COLLISION RESULTS (8/5/2023)
Our opening comments feature CM Punk saying he’s gonna separate the contenders from the pretenders, Ricky Starks saying he’s going to leave the Greenville crowd chanting his name, Prince Nana saying that his “brolic buddies” will leave with the titles, and FTR saying that they’re going to retain the titles in FTR Country.
AEW World Tag Team Title Match: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (c) defeated Big Bill & Brian Cage (w/ Prince Nana) to retain
This was another fun TV Title defense from FTR. Big Bill and Brian Cage worked well together as the big men that the hometown babyfaces needed to topple. Big Bill in particular has shined lately, taking complete advantage of the opportunities he’s been given.
Wheeler started this match by giving a hug to his mother in the front row. He engaged with Cage, with Cage bowling him over with a shoulder block. Harwood tried his hand and staggered Cage, but Cage dropped him with a lariat. Cage and Harwood went back and forth before Cage dropped both champions with shoulder blocks.
Big Bill tagged in and dropped Wheeler with a bodyslam and an elbow drop for a nearfall. Wheeler fought out of the corner and tagged Harwood. FTR fought off both challengers but couldn’t hoist up Bill for the Shatter Machine. Bill chokeslammed Wheeler on top of Harwood, then press slammed Wheeler out of the ring onto Harwood on the outside. The challengers posed as we went to a commercial break.
We came back from break with Bill beating on Wheeler in front of Wheeler’s mother. Bill posed in front of Wheeler’s mother, earning a slap to the face from her. Back in the ring, Cage hit his apron superplex to Wheeler for a nearfall that Harwood broke up. Wheeler fought out of a Torture Rack attempt from Bill and eventually rolled him up, but Bill kicked out and dropped him with a lariat. Wheeler avoided a corner charge from Bill and hit a German suplex on Cage, then fought his way to his corner to tag in Harwood.
Harwood ran wild, sending Bill out of the ring with a running forearm and hammering Cage with lariats. Harwood punched him in the face, then tagged in Wheeler to hit the Steiner Brothers Doomsday Bulldog for a nearfall. They set up the spike piledriver, but Cage caught them both and hit a fallaway slam/samoan drop combination. Cage and Bill hit their finishers on Harwood and Wheeler, but Wheeler kicked out at two.
Bill sent FTR to the floor, with Cage following them with a tope over the top rope. Bill hit his big boot on Wheeler for a nearfall. Cage went for the F-5, but Wheeler sent him into Bill on the apron. That allowed FTR to hit Cage with the Shatter Machine to win the match and retain the titles.
After the match, Harwood took to the mic and ran down FTR’s accomplishments. They said there was one thing they needed to do. Wheeler made the challenge for Wembley Stadium. FTR vs. The Young Bucks, the rubber match at All In.
We got a video package running down the recent history between CM Punk and Ricky Starks.
Back from the commercial, Tony Schiavone was backstage with Juice Robinson & a cardboard cutout of Jay White. Robinson bigged up the Bullet Club Gold before the real Jay White arrived, saying he would take care of Metalik tonight. The Gunns entered the frame, mocking Schiavone’s commentary. White said that when Bullet Club Gold was having fun, no one else would.
TBS Title Match: Kris Statlander (c) defeated Mercedes Martinez
This was Martinez’s best showing since coming to AEW. She and Statlander had a solid TV match, with the crowd firmly behind Statlander. Diamante has gotten some necessary reps in ROH lately, having a quality title challenge against Athena last week.
They got a jump start on each other in the corner to start, with Statlander getting the early advantage with a shotgun dropkick. Martinez seemed to avoid a somersault senton from Statlander before taking control of the match. Martinez hit two butterfly suplexes, but Statlander fought out of the third. Martinez hammered Statlander with elbows before hitting a tree slam for a nearfall. Martinez clubbered on Statlander in the corner as we went to commercial.
Statlander fired up on Martinez as we came back from the break. Martinez tried to cut her off with a rolling elbow, but Statlander came back with a running knee that sent Martinez to the floor. Martinez avoided a crossbody on the floor, but Statlander came back with a backbreaker. Martinez rolled to the other side of the ring and hung Statlander up in the ropes, but Statlander came back with a powerslam.
Statlander went to the top rope, but Martinez cut her off and followed her up. Martinez hit a Spider Suplex, then followed with a running knee for a nearfall. Statlander countered a Fisherman’s Buster with a roll-up, then hit Saturday Night Fever for a nearfall. Martinez countered a wheelbarrow facebuster attempt by sitting down for a nearfall. Martinez went for a running forearm but Statlander ducked it and rolled Martinez up for the win.
After the match, Martinez jumped Statlander. Diamante came out, feigning the save for Statlander. Diamante quickly helped Martinez beat down Statlander, leading to Willow Nightingale coming out to make the actual save.
Backstage, Tony Schiavone was with a distraught Toni Storm. Storm had a crisis of confidence, wondering whether she was good enough anymore.
Samoa Joe defeated Serpentico
Joe won this match with the Coquina Clutch before I finished typing the competitors in the match. Riccaboni teased that Joe may have set a Collision record for fastest victory.
Joe grabbed the mic and was upset that he had no dance partner for All In. Joe called out CM Punk, noting that he was able to walk around knowing he was better than the Best In The World. He lost that ability during the Hart Foundation Tournament, but a roll-up wasn’t good enough for their legacy. He challenged Punk to a rematch at All In, saying that if Punk made him wait, Joe would make sure to convince him.
We got a quick video package on last week’s ladder match between Andrade and Buddy Matthews, with Andrade saying that if anyone took from him, he would pursue them until it is returned.
Back from the commercial break, we cut to video from earlier today of Tony Schiavone sitting down with The Acclaimed. They say that they’ve talked to Billy Gunn this past week, with Gunn refusing to take his boots back. Gunn believes he has lost a step and cost the Acclaimed both the Tag Team and Trios Titles. Caster disagreed with him but will respect his decision. Bowens says that they will carry the boots with them as they move forward before telling Gunn how much he means to both of them. The Acclaimed will return to action next week on Collision.
Open House Rules Match for AEW World Trios Title: The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) (c) defeated Action Andretti, Darius Martin & Lee Johnson
Brody King has been getting larger and larger reactions for his participation in these matches. It makes sense as he looks like an unstoppable force in these Trios Title defenses. Lee Johnson came back from injury and didn’t miss a step, as he looked fantastic in his short flurry.
The House Rule chosen by the challengers was to have Julia Hart banned from ringside. Martin started with King, running wild until King stood tall on a crossbody attempt. Black tagged in and avoided an Andretti shotgun dropkick before sending Andretti into the barricades. Matthews tagged in and hung up Andretti on the ropes before sending him into the announce table as we went to commercial.
Andretti made the tag to Johnson as we came back from commercial. Johnson ran wild, taking Matthews and Black down with a double reverse DDT. Matthews and Black teamed up to take him down before King hit a cannonball to Johnson in the corner. Matthews and Black launched Johnson into a King forearm for a nearfall that Andretti cut off with a 450 splash.
A Pier Six brawl broke out, with Martin and Andretti taking King down with superkicks. Black and Matthews hit dual knees to Andretti before King hit a discus lariat for the win. As the House of Black celebrated, Ian Ricabonni announced that the House of Black would defend their titles next week against CM Punk and FTR.
Backstage, Tony Schiavone was with Powerhouse Hobbs. QT Marshall & Harley Cameron came into frame, bearing gifts to apologize. Marshall offered Hobbs a set of gold chains and a marquee match at All Out in Chicago. Hobbs told them that he didn’t want their help but took the chains anyway. I would have taken the chains too, they looked nice.
Back from the commercial, Tony Schiavone was with TNT Champion Luchasaurus, Christian Cage, and a small child. Christian introduced the child as his daughter. He brought his daughter in to prove a point that he is a role model for children, unlike Darby Allin and his snot-nosed protégé Nick Wayne. Christian’s daughter asked to hold the TNT Title, but Christian said that she didn’t get to hold it because she didn’t win it. He told her to go find her mother, then told security to kick her out as she wasn’t credentialed. A very funny segment.
Jay White defeated Metalik
The Gunns joined commentary, with White throwing them his shirt. White caught Metalik on a springboard and dropped him with a DDT. White hit a backbreaker and locked on a single leg crab, but Metalik got to the ropes. White clubbered on Metalik, but Metalik came back with a rope walk hurricanrana. White sent Metalik to the apron, but Metalik ducked a charge and hit a springboard moonsault in one fluid motion. White avoided a moonsault before hitting a snap suplex and the Blade Runner for the win.
We got a rundown of the Dynamite card, with the addition of Hikaru Shida vs. Anna Jay for the AEW Women’s Title. In a video package, Jay talked about Shida being her first opponent in AEW. She accused Shida of taking advantage of a rookie. She said that while she had a lot on her plate with the Jericho Appreciation Society meeting, she would still beat her and win the title.
Next week on Collision, we will get the House of Black vs. CM Punk & FTR, and Mercedes Martinez & Diamante vs. Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander.
AEW “Real World Title” Match (Special Outside Official: Ricky Steamboat): CM Punk defeated Ricky Starks
Jim Ross joined commentary for this match. He’s going to enjoy the extra-focused officiating in this one, without a doubt. Ricky Steamboat came out to his WCW music, giving JR a hug at the desk.
The two men started as the crowd gave dueling chants for both men. Punk dropped Starks with a shoulder block before mocking Starks’ pose to a big reaction. Starks hit a pair of deep arm drags before hitting his pose to a big reaction. Steamboat looked impressed by the arm drags. Starks took control and went for the Rochambeau, but Punk fought out. Punk went for the Go To Sleep, but Starks fought out and sent them both to the floor with a clothesline as we went to commercial.
Back from commercial as Starks was hitting chops on Punk. Starks and Punk traded chops, then slaps, before brawling with each other in the corner. Starks slapped Punk and bailed to the floor, but Punk followed him and sent him over the barricade. Punk mounted Starks and hammered him with forearms, leading Steamboat to pull Punk off of him.
Back in the ring, Punk went to hit the ten punches in the corner, but Starks dumped him onto the ropes before baseball sliding him to the floor. Starks took control, hitting a top rope chop before eyeing Steamboat on the floor. Starks locked on a waistlock before sending Punk into the turnbuckle sternum first. Starks sent Punk hard into the other turnbuckle, but a third Irish Whip saw Punk hit a reverse crossbody for a nearfall. Punk went for a sunset flip, but Starks held onto the ropes. Steamboat noted it, forcing Starks to let go of the ropes and drop an elbow on Punk for a nearfall.
We came back from another commercial with both men fighting on the top rope. Punk hit a superplex on Starks. Punk hit a big set of punches before landing a leg lariat and a neckbreaker. Punk hit the rising knee and bulldog for a nearfall. Punk went to the top rope for an elbow, but Starks stood up. Punk flew, they crashed into each other, and Starks ended up getting a nearfall. Punk went for another rising knee, this time with the knee exposed, but Starks caught him and hit a powerbomb for a nearfall.
Starks went to take care of Punk with Old School, but Punk pulled him into a GTS attempt. Starks fought out and sent Punk into the ringpost. Punk avoided a spear, with Starks going into the turnbuckle. Punk hit a high kick for a nearfall. The crowd chanted This Is Awesome as both men recovered. Punk went for a piledriver, but Starks reversed it into an Alabama Slam for a nearfall. Starks went for the Rochambeau, but Punk fought out of it. The referee got bumped to the floor, leading Starks to try and get another pin with his feet on the ropes. Steamboat knocked his feet off the ropes, leading to Punk rolling up Starks. Steamboat got into the ring and counted the three for Punk to win the match and retain his version of the World Title.
After the match, Starks shoved Steamboat into Punk to knock him off the apron. Starks ripped off Steamboat’s belt and started whipping him with it before Punk ran him off with a chair. Starks teased coming back, but Punk chased him up the ramp with the chair. The show ended with Punk and the ringside doctor helping Steamboat back to his feet.
