AEW Collision comes to the Battelle Grand at the Greater Columbus Convention Centre, which, like the Continental Classic, has become an annual tradition. Taking place at GalaxyCon Columbus, round 2 has massive momentum.
The finals of the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship are set for Winter is Coming. Two beloved babyface teams, The Babes of Wrath, will face The Timeless Love Bombs. With one show of build left, expect another classic Toni Storm performance.
Blue League Action
An evening of Blue League action offers three big follow-up matches to Dynamite. Darby Allin vs. Speedball Mike Bailey seemed plausible for this week’s show. Will someone else become an alternate for Allin? Or will the Daredevil soldier onwards? With Allin, it’s easy to wonder if this is a story thread.
Wednesday night, it was confirmed that Orange Cassidy will take on Roderick Strong. Last week, defeated, Roderick Strong’s post-match words revealed layers of built-up frustration. Strong feels like a replacement, an alternate. Strong wants his day and promises to break all his opponent’s backs on that road to victory.
Cassidy needs to watch out. Strong beat Cassidy for the AEW International Championship, but that was a different, broken-down version of the slacker. Add to this match the months of shimmering tension, and disdain Strong has for The Conglomeration. This could be an interesting personal story for Strong. Might Strong discover the power of friendship? We’ll see.
Elsewhere, Death Rider workhorse Claudio Castagnoli takes on CMLL’s Mascara Dorada. Castagnoli is unlikely to be complacent after defeating Jon Moxley on Dynamite, with minutes to spare. The Swiss Superman wants to advance beyond the group stages this year. With laser focus, Dorada will be tested. Even more so than against Moxley two Dynamites ago.
This offers some interesting mirroring. Is Castagnoli going to be able to replicate the efficiency Moxley used to defeat Dorada? Or will Castagnoli, like last year, be outworked by a luchador? Again, the story potential is there to be exploited and built upon.
Yet, as fantastic and potential bangers these matches will be, both in terms of action and storytelling, special attention is required for Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita.
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Compare this fourth singles match between Moxley and Takeshita to their previous trilogy. Starting in 2022, Takeshita, seemingly smaller in stature and a fresh blue-chip prospect, took two separate beatings from Moxley: those early losses, one resulting in a crimson mask, forebode Konosuke’s future. Konosuke could hang with the best, and eventually, he would be the best.
Compared to over a year ago, when Moxley and Takeshita met for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Double or Nothing 2004, where Moxley was trusted as the transitional champion and flagbearer for NJPW, the roles are reversed. Takeshita holds NJPW’s top prize. Moxley is the underdog. Moxley is fighting from beneath. Fighting, backed into a corner.
Unfortunately for The Alpha, that’s when Moxley is at his most dangerous. After every huge defeat, we’ve seen Moxley bounce straight back into competition. Vicious and aggressive, and doing everything he can to win.
But what if Moxley can’t? Likewise, if Moxley does win, what does that mean for The Alpha and his feud with The Rainmaker?
AEW Collision Matches Confirmed
- Continental Classic, Blue League: Orange Cassidy (0-1) vs. Roderick Strong (0-1)
- Continental Classic, Blue League: Claudio Castagnoli (2-0) vs. Mascara Dorada (0-1)
- Continental Classic, Blue League: Jon Moxley (1-1) vs. Konosuke Takeshita (1-0)
Match to be Confirmed
- Ricochet to defend his AEW National Championship
Segment Speculation
- More from FTR and The Gunns
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – AEW – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on the AEW Collision preview and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8 pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube
