AEW Collision Results: CM Punk & FTR Win, Punk References Young Bucks

Photo Courtesy: AEW

AEW Collision Results
June 17, 2023
United Center – Chicago, IL

By: John Kleinchester

“Tell Me When I’m Tellin’ Lies”

The premiere episode of AEW Collision kicked off exactly the same way the second episode of Rampage did: with the capacity crowd at the United Center chanting “CM Punk” and “Cult of Personality” hitting to a huge pop. The only difference this time was that he carried with him a red sack with something inside it and also had his boots strung around his neck. Punk’s first move was to remove the AEW logo from the microphone and throw it down. Punk started off by saying, “I don’t know if you guys heard, but I’m tired of being nice” and continued “As long as I’m still here, this is the professional wrestling business. The business of grown-ups”. 

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1670223369906671616?s=20

It would be best to watch the entire segment, but here are a number of highlight lines:

“It seems there are some people that hate me for the same reasons you all love me”.

“I am the truth and the truth is painful”, which lead to a “F*ck the Elite” chant from the crowd.

“David Zaslav calls me One Bill Phil. I am the one true genuine article in a business full of counterfeit bucks”

“There are the people that think they’re owed an apology… I’m sorry that the only people softer than you are the wrestlers you like.”

Punk then referenced (but did not actually show) that in the red bag was his AEW Championship. He said it was still his until someone pinned or submitted him for it. Then he held up the boots around his neck and said “Until there is someone in this company that can fill these boots, they belong on my feet. Tell me when I’m tellin’ lies!”

CM Punk’s music hit and he got close to the camera and said, “What’s in the bag, Max?” before walking to the back.

Dinosaur vs. War Dog

The first-ever match in Collision history was Luchasaurs (accompanied by Christian Cage) challenging Wardlow (without Arn Anderson) for the TNT Championship. Christian distracted Wardlow multiple times in the match and the finish saw Luchasaurus distract the referee allowing Cage to grab a camera from a ringside photographer and hit Wardlow twice in the head with it. Luchasaurs is your new TNT Champion and Christian Cage celebrated as if he won the title himself.

Lexi Nair interviewed Powerhouse Hobbs and QT Marshall and they guaranteed that Hobbs would win the Owen Hart Tournament and they would write a new chapter in The Books of Hobbs.

Andrade vs. Buddy

Andrade El Idolo made his return to AEW taking on House of Black’s Buddy Matthews (accompanied by Julia Hart). Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness noted that Andrade had not wrestled in 286 days. The story in this match was that each competitor was having trouble because of previous injuries. Buddy Matthews’ knee gave out multiple times and Andrade had trouble with his pectoral. Andrade applied the figure four but then bridged up into the Figure Eight aka Charlotte Flair’s finishing move and Buddy Matthews tapped out.

After the match, Andrade offered his hand to Matthews which he pushed away at first. But then the lights went out and when they came back on, Brody King and Malakai Black were in the ring surrounding him. King clotheslined Andrade, Malakai whispered something into his ear, the lights went off again and the segment ended there. 

A highlight video of Scorpio Sky aired with him saying he’s been watching and waiting. Then a graphic started to appear with him on it but the show went to commercial before it appeared fully on screen. 

Miro Returns

Tony Nese was in the ring running down the Chicago crowd and he repeated his gimmick that just aired on this past week’s ROH where he was attempting to get the crowd to do a group workout together because he thought they were out of shape. Miro then interrupted to a huge pop and defeated Nese in short order with the Game Over or Camel Clutch as Nigel McGuinness called it.

The Outcasts vs. Willow Nightingale & Chicago’s Own Skye Blue

The Outcasts jumped Willow and Skye before the bell and got in the face of Skye Blue’s mother who was at ringside and promptly retaliated by slapping the both of them in the face. 

Toni Storm brought the green spray paint can into the ring and was going to spray Skye Blue but Willow Nightingale deflected the spray into Soho’s face, which allowed Skye Blue to hit Code Blue for the pinfall victory.

A short promo package aired with Ricky Starks officially declaring for the Owen Hart Tournament. 

After the break, another promo package aired with Jeff Jarrett saying he will face Mark Briscoe in a Concession Stand Brawl.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1670240358217793536?s=20

The Acclaimed Appears. That’s It. Just Appears.

Tony Schiavone interviewed The Acclaimed in the ring and Billy Gunn said they were just about back on track in the Trios Championship hunt. Anthony Bowens said that Chicago is where “Oh, Scissor Me Daddy” was born. Then the trio scissored with Tony Schiavone and that was it.

Kevin Kelly announced Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, & Minoru Suzuki vs. Action Andretti, Darius Martin, & AR Fox for this Wednesday on Dynamite as well as a “Blind Eliminator Tournament” for an AEW Tag Title shot.

CM Punk & FTR vs. Bullet Club Gold & Samoa Joe

A very hoarse and very blackeyed Jim Ross joined the commentary team for the main event which saw CMFTR taking on Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Samoa Joe. The first major highlight of the match was Punk and Samoa Joe squaring off in the ring to a huge pop with Kevin Kelly referencing their classic trilogy of matches in ROH in 2004. Kelly also noted that it had been 6518 days since Punk and Joe had met in the ring.

The finish here saw FTR hitting the Big Rig on Juice Robinson immediately followed by Punk hitting the GTS for the pinfall victory.  The trio celebrated as the show went off the air. 

Announced for Dynamite Next Week in Chicago:

  • Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, & Minoru Suzuki vs. Action Andretti, Darius Martin, & AR Fox
  • TBS Championship: Kris Statlander vs. Taya Valkyrie
  • Orange Cassidy & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia & Zack Sabre Jr.
  • The Hardys vs. The Gunns
  • Concession Stand Brawl: Jeff Jarrett vs. Mark Briscoe
  • Blind Eliminator Tournament for an AEW World Tag Team Title Shot

AEW Collision Results:

  • TNT Championship: Luchasaurus over Wardlow in 10:42
  • Andrade El Idolo over Buddy Matthews in 13:02
  • Miro over Tony Nese in 3:21
  • Skye Blue & Willow Nightingale over Ruby Soho & Toni Storm in 8:04
  • CM Punk & FTR over Jay White, Juice Robinson, & Samoa Joe in 25:12
About John Kleinchester 199 Articles
New Jersey born and raised. Wrestling fan since Lex slammed Yokozuna on the deck of the USS Intrepid. Favorite Wrestler of all time is Owen "The Rocket" Hart.