It’s Saturday, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey tonight at 8/7c for this week’s episode of AEW Collision on TNT.
On tap for tonight’s two-hour show is Ricky Starks celebrating his Owen Hart Cup win in the opening segment. Additionally, we’ll hear from FTR ahead of title defense against MJF & Adam Cole.
Also scheduled for the show this evening is Taya Valkyrie vs. Skye Blue, Action Andretti & Darius Martin vs. Bullet Club Gold, and CM Punk will be on-hand looking for a fight.
Featured below are complete AEW Collision results from Saturday, July 22, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-10pm EST. on TNT.
AEW COLLISION RESULTS (7/22/2023)
We shoot to the usual compilation video intro with all of the main guys and gals involved in tonight’s show talking about their various individual issues and why they’re going to win their respective matches.
Now we hear the sounds of Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fightin'” as the weekly opening signature airs. We then shoot live inside the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Ricky Starks & CM Punk Kick Off This Week’s Show
The commentary duo of Ian Riccaboni and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the show and then we head down to the ring for our opener, where we see Tony Schiavone.
Schiavone introduces his guest at this time, the winner of the 2023 Men’s Owen Hart Cup, “Absolute” Ricky Starks. His theme hits and out he comes with his Owen Hart Cup belt and a bag in his other hand.
A WrestleMania amount of pyro and fireworks erupt and explode after Starks hits the ring and poses on the turnbuckles. Seriously, like a straight up ridiculous amount. Clearly obviously an obnoxious amount. It would put a Fourth of July celebration to shame. That much.
Fans in the arena in Newark loudly chant “Ricky! Ricky!”, as they clearly didn’t get the memo that he turned heel last week. To make matters worse, Schiavone brings up him cheating to win last week over CM Punk while fans chant “You deserve it!” Starks says he’s never agreed with the fans more.
Starks goes on to say he’s sure everyone wonders what’s in the bag. He says nothing is in there, he just wanted to show off his Louis Vitton that he bought after winning the Owen Hart Cup. He says he knows everyone is talking about the controversy, but seriously, what does it matter? He says 20 years from now, anyone in his shoes, which are Prada by the way, would do the same thing, because he got the job done — by any means necessary.
He doesn’t want to hear about what is right or wrong. He wants to hear about how sexy he is. Schiavone asks about the disrespect he showed to Jushin Thunder Liger last week. He says he didn’t disrespect him, and then changes the subject talking about how everyone says he should be one of the pillars in AEW. He says he doesn’t want to be one. Now without any music comes a guy who clearly tried to avoid and skip past the loud collective boos, CM Punk.
Punk settles in the ring and gets an overwhelming mixed bag reaction, which leans more negative than anything else. Punk says he didn’t come out to be screaming and mad. He says he’s not mad at anyone but himself. He says he’s honestly kind of proud of Ricky. The fans chant “Shut the f*ck up!”
CM Punk says he’s fine and he’ll live with the win. He says can Ricky Starks live with the knowledge that he can’t beat CM Punk without cheating. Punk walks off. Starks mocks Punk for his little red bag he’s been carrying around. Punk walks back down to the ring. He asks if Starks wants a shot at what’s in the bag. He says he’s the real world’s champion.
Christian Cage, Luchasaurus & Darby Allin Join The Fun
“Hold on! Hold on!” we hear, as Christian Cage comes out with the TNT Championship and Luchasaurus by his side. Cage says he’s contractually obligated to appear as TNT Champion tonight, but this is taking too long for his liking. He doesn’t want to spend any more time in New Jersey than he has to. “You’re called dirty Jersey for a reason, sweat hogs, so shut up and let me conduct business.”
Christian Cage asks what kind of man carries around a championship he didn’t win, as he holds Luchasaurus’ TNT title over his shoulder. The fans chant “You! You! You!” Cage says he and Luchasaurus are the faces of AEW now and forever.
Walking past the two is the winner of the 2023 Royal Rampage, Darby Allin. With his win in the match, he has earned a shot at the TNT Championship. Darby tells Ricky he knows that he too hates the term pillar. He calls CM Punk his good friend. Darby asks if Cage or Luchasaurus is the champion, and says it doesn’t matter because he’s winning it at ALL OUT. He calls Luchasaurus someone who has had too much acid and thinks he’s a dinasaur.
He goes on to suggest a tag-team match pitting himself and CM Punk against Ricky Starks and since Christian Cage ain’t wrestling anymore, Luchasaurus. He then asks if Christian wants to be in the tag match. Schiavone says Tony Khan has just told him it’s official tonight. The crowd roars.
Andrade El Idolo Gets Kicked Out Of The Building
We see footage from earlier today of Andrade El Idolo being stopped by security as he tries to enter the building. They tell him he can’t enter any of the locker rooms and must leave. They force him to head out of the building. We then head to a commercial break.
Action Andretti & Darius Martin vs. Bullet Club Gold
As we settle back in from the break, the team of Action Andretti and Darius Martin make their way out to a so-so reaction from the New Jersey crowd. They settle into the ring and their music dies down.
Now the theme for Bullet Club Gold hits and out comes the duo of Juice Robinson and Jay White accompanied by The Gunn Club. The four men do their Bullet Club pose and then head to the ring together. White and Robinson will be in tag team action.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. The fans are heard loudly chanting “Ass Boys!” at Austin and Colten Gunn at ringside. We see “Switchblade” Jay White and Darius Martin kick things off for their respective teams. The crowd is hot for this one.
Andretti and Robinson each tag in, but it is Andretti who takes over. He heads to the top-rope and hits a crazy spinning splash for a close near fall. Martin hits the ring to help Andretti with a two-on-one attack. The baby face duo clear the ring of the Bullet Club Gold guys and then Andretti goes back to work on “Rock Hard” Juice Robinson.
The fans chant “Daddy Doesn’t Love You!” at The Gunn Club outside the ring. We see some high spots on the floor as The Bullet Club Gold duo takes over. They do the “Too Sweet” gesture and then go back to work on Andretti and Martin. We then head to a mid-match commercial break as the first match of the evening here on AEW Collision continues inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
When we return from the break, we see Robinson hoist Andretti up for a stalled / delayed suplex, but while in mid-air upside down, Andretti blasts Juice with repeated knees. He frees himself and then makes the much-needed hot tag to Darius Martin.
Martin hits the ring like a bat out of hell, taking it to White and Robinson by himself and popping the crowd in the process. After some action on the floor, Bullet Club Gold take back over. Back in the ring, moments later White finishes things off with his finisher for the win. After the match, we see The Gunn Club of Austin and Colten Gunn unnecessarily hit the ring and help further beat down Andretti and Martin for no reason. We then head to another commercial.
Winners: Bullet Club Gold
Miro vs. Nick Comoroto
When we return from the break, the commentators shift focus to talk about recent action in the AEW women’s division. They show her winning the Women’s Owen Hart Cup and then her main event showdown against Athena at the ROH Death Before Dishonor 2023 pay-per-view.
Now back live, we hear the familiar sounds of Miro’s theme song and out comes “The Redeemer” to a mega main event level reaction from the Newark crowd. He heads to the ring for our next match of the evening. As he is heading out, he is ambush attacked from behind by the big man, Nick Comoroto.
The Nightmare Factory muscle man beats Miro all the way down to the ring. Once in the ring, the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Comoroto fares well for another minute and then Miro completely takes over. He hits a pump kick, riles the crowd up and then puts his submission finisher on him for the tap out victory.
Winner: Miro
AEW Trios Championships
The House Of Black (C) vs. The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn
It’s time for championship action!
We head back inside the Prudential Center where the lights go down and out. The theme for The House of Black plays and out comes Malakai Black, Brody King and Buddy Matthews ready for the latest defense of their AEW Trios Championships.
As the reigning and defending AEW Trios Champions make their way to the ring, we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
When we return, the theme for The Acclaimed hits and out comes Anthony Bowens and “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn, along with Max Caster, who does some freestyle rhymes on the way to the ring. One caught Buddy Matthews the wrong way, as he bolts from the ring and blasts Caster on the entrance ramp.
Brody King and Malakai Black follow out for a similar ambush attack on Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn. In the ring, Buddy Matthews and Max Caster gets things started as the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running.
Out at ringside, we see Brody King and Malakai Black continuing to beat down Bowens and Gunn. Matthews knees Caster in the gut a few times and then tags in Malakai. The two hit some double-team spots and then Malakai goes for the cover but only gets two. The fans break out in loud “Oh, scissor me, daddy!” chants.
Caster is kept isolated in the ring for a few minutes. Eventually, he makes it to his corner and tags in Billy Gunn. As “Daddy Ass” hits the ring off the hot tag, he goes wild on all three members of The House of Black until Brody King decks him and Malakai follows up with the pin fall. With the win, The House of Black retain their AEW Trios Championships.
Winners and STILL AEW Trios Champions: The House Of Black
Billy Gunn Retires?
After the match, The House of Black walk off with their titles in tact. The commentators talk about The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn being 9-1 in their last 10 Trios bouts. We see Billy Gunn unlacing his boots in the ring as the fans chant “No! No! No!”
We see Max Caster and Anthony Bowens at ringside but they stop. Gunn takes his boots off as the fans loudly, loudly chant “You still got it!” He takes off the boots to symbolize his retirement from in-ring competition. The second one takes a while, and the length of time it took to do that kind of took away from the moment a bit.
Luckily the crowd stuck with it and Gunn stands up and lays his boots in the middle of the ring. He exits the ring. Bowens goes to hug him but Gunn pushes past he and Caster and heads to the back by himself. Bowens grabs Gunn’s boots from the ring and then he and Caster head to the back together.
Tony Schiavone Talks To FTR
From there, we shoot back to the ring where Tony Schiavone introduces “The Greatest Team in the World,” the reigning AEW World Tag-Team Champions FTR.
On that note, the Midnight Express-sounding tune begins playing and out comes top guys Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler with their titles in-hand as the commentators talk about their match of the year candidate and possibly best tag match in wrestling TV history last week.
The crowd gives FTR a big pop as they settle in the ring and their music dies down. Cash Wheeler starts, and he talks about the battle he and Dax had last week that has received rave reviews.
Dax Harwood takes over and they talk about the tag-team title defense next week against Blind Eliminator Tag-Team Tournament winners Adam Cole and MJF. They also warn Cole not to trust MJF. “Top guys — out!” We head to another commercial break.
Taya Valkyrie vs. Skye Blue
When we return from the commercial break, we see a video package showing highlights of the brutally gruesome Blood & Guts match between The Golden Elite and Blackpool Combat Club on AEW Dynamite this past Wednesday night.
From there, the familiar sounds of Skye Blue’s theme plays and the women’s wrestling star makes her way out and settles inside the squared circle for our next match of the evening.
Now the entrance tune for Taya Valkyrie. She makes her way out to a pretty big reaction from the New Jersey crowd and heads into the ring ready for action.
The bell sounds and we’re now officially off-and-running with this one-on-one showdown in the AEW women’s division. Blue fares well early on as the fans chant her name. Valkyrie knocks her out to the floor and then hits a big clothesline on the floor that turns Skye inside-out.
Back in the ring, Taya continues to work over Blue until she walks into a big back elbow. Skye yanks Taya down by her hair and then unloads on her with punches. Taya hoists her up walks her to the middle of the ring and hits a seated power bomb for a close near fall. After Skye kicks out, we head to a mid-match commercial break.
As we settle back in from the break, we see Skye Blue starting her fight from underneath back into competitive form. Ian Riccaboni informs us that it was all Taya during the break. The crowd comes to life as Skye Blue starts to fire up and take it to Taya. Taya cuts her comeback short and finishes her off for the impressive win.
Winner: Taya Valkyrie
Taya Valkyrie Wants To Play With Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
After the match, Taya Valkyrie gets on the mic and says New Jersey is worse than she thought. She says she knows things haven’t been going her way as of late, but tonight she got the victory over Newark’s little hometown girl.
Valkyrie says someone else who has been doing well is Britt Baker. She mentions her winning recently but then points out it was against an “extra.” She says how about this, on Wednesday in Albany, N.Y., Taya Valkyrie vs. Britt Baker. She finishes by saying, “Come play with me, Britt!”
CM Punk & Darby Allin vs. Ricky Starks & Christian Cage
It’s main event time!
Nigel McGuinness and Ian Riccaboni announce new matches for next week’s Dynamite and Collision and then we head down to the ring for our final match of the evening.
The theme for Christian Cage hits and out comes the friend of the TNT Champion. He settles in the ring to boos from the New Jersey crowd. His music dies down.
Now we hear the familiar sounds of Ricky Starks’ theme and out comes the “Absolute” 2023 Owen Hart Men’s Cup winner. He joins his tag-team partner for tonight, Christian Cage, in the ring.
From there, Darby Allin’s theme hits and to the beat of the song, the fans chant “Darby! Darby! Darby!” He settles in the ring and the theme dies down.
CM Punk’s music hits now and the roof almost explodes with a mixed bag reaction, leaning towards the negative side of things. Punk sort of wins over the crowd by the time he settles in the ring, as many start chanting his name.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our final match of the evening. CM Punk kicks things off for his team, while Starks and Cage argue over who gets to not start for their side. Ultimately Starks gets stuck having to start things off.
Punk runs up behind Starks and tries rolling him up twice and then goes for a GTS but Starks wiggles free and makes the tag to Christian. The fans chant CM Punk’s name as he goes to work on Cage and then tags in Darby, who gets a rock star reception coming in.
After some more back-and-forth action, we shift gears and head to a mid-match commercial break as our AEW Collision main event of the week continues.
When we return from the break, we see Punk being kept isolated in the ring while Christian Cage works him over and tags in Starks, who comes in and does the same. The fans chant “Turtle neck! Turtle neck!” at Starks as he continues working over “The Best in the World.”
The fans break out in a loud “Let’s go Ricky!” and “CM Punk!” dueling chant. Starks continues to beat Punk down and then tags in Christian, who picks up where he left off, taking it to “The Second City Saint.”
Scorpio Sky is shown sitting alone in the rafters with a tight close-up camera shot on the broadcast, which the commentators acknowledge. Luchasaurus is shown cheering on Starks and Christian as Punk finally starts showing signs of life.
Darby finally gets the hot tag and he starts going wild with dives to both sides of the floor. He ends up going to the well one time too many, as he dives right into a big shot from Luchasaurus. Christian then rams him into the commentary desk. Starks and Darby duke it out as we head into a mid-match commercial break once again.
As we settle back in from our final break of the evening, we see Christian Cage working over Darby Allin in the ring. Starks tags in and goes to work on Darby as he looks to try and make it to his corner for the tag to the fresher Punk. We see some more back-and-forth action and then Starks and Darby end up as the legal men.
Darby and Starks have a wild collision in the middle of the ring here on Collision, and then Starks hits his Ro-Sham-Bo finisher for a close near fall attempt. A loud “This is Awesome!” chant breaks out. Starks hoists Darby up for a huge super-plex off the top-rope but Darby counters with an insane reverse DDT off the top-rope on Starks for a close near fall.
Punk and Christian hit the ring and Punk goes for the GTS. Christian avoids it and knocks Punk to the floor. On the floor, Punk hits his GTS. Darby heads to the top-rope for a Coffin Drop on Starks but Starks pops up. The two each go for pin attempts and Starks finally holds onto the ropes after a reversal into a pin attempt for the win. That’s how this week’s show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
Winners: Ricky Starks & Christian Cage
