AEW Collision, Rampage Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights of Apr. 27

At the conclusion of Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, the April 27 edition of Collision would begin a three-hour block of All Elite Wrestling including a Saturday edition of Rampage.

Swerve Strickland would open the show to make his first comments since winning the AEW World Championship.

We will also receive an update on Tony Khan's condition following the brutal attack of The Elite on Dynamite.

Collision would feature exciting matches including The Bang Bang Gang vs. Top Flight and Action Andretti, Toni Storm vs. Anna Jay and the return of Rey Fenix against the debuting Beast Mortos.

On Rampage, two major rivalries would come to a head. Chuck Taylor would face Trent Beretta in a Parking Lot Fight, hoping to make his former Best Friend pay for his betrayal.

Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo would finally clash after months of issues between two of AEW's top women.

This show promised major wrestling excitement and further development of the key stories in AEW.

Swerve Strickland talked about what he wanted to do as AEW world champion then set up an open challenge for the AEW World Championship. Claudio Castagnoli came out to accept the challenge.

Tony Schiavone announced afterward that Tony Khan cannot travel due to multiple head and neck injuries and would run shows from Jacksonville for the foreseeable future. Nigel McGuinness questioned who would settle disputes with Khan out.

AEW shows rarely start with anything but action, but with an NBA audience carrying over, this was a smart way to tell the major stories of the brand to a fresh audience.

Swerve presented himself as the top star of the brand and sold that he is watching everything in AEW. It wasn't the best The Mogul can deliver but absolutely served its purpose well.

An open challenge for the world championship is unusual for AEW. Typically, those are saved for the TNT or International Championship.

It should not be a regular practice since a shot at the world title should always be earned. However, by making the match, AEW set the story for the rest of the night and a massive main event for a card that was lacking big names.

The announcement of Khan's injury sets up an interesting question. Is AEW ready to have its first true general manager in charge of the company? Assuming it does not interfere with his recovery, Kenny Omega would perfectly fit that role.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Swerve mentioned moments over the past week including Willow Nightingale's win, Adam Copeland getting misted and Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay.
• Swerve did not mince words in denouncing The Elite's actions.
• After accepting the challenge, Claudio ripped the microphone from Swerve's hand and claimed this house would be his.
  

Dante Martin and Darius Martin started this action off fast, though Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn were able to take Top Flight out on the outside. This left Jay White to plant Action Andretti with the Blade Runner for the win.

Top Flight and Andretti in any form have always delivered good matches, though this never sold the challengers as real threats to the champions.

The action started solid before building to an exciting homestretch that made the babyfaces look good but not sly enough to keep up with the devious tactics of Bullet Club Gold.

The Gunns remain one of AEW's most underrated teams, seriously improving month to month. White is a top star waiting for an opportunity in the main event scene again. This trios run will keep them relevant for a while.

In an AEW era where the rankings are supposed to define top challengers again, Top Flight and Action Andretti should not have had the first shot at The Bang Bang Gang. The faces are talented and fun to watch but have lost too many trios matches recently.

Hopefully, there is a clearer plan to build a real trios division again in AEW to challenge for the Unified Trios Championships.

Result

Bang Bang Gang def. Top Flight and Andretti by pinfall to retain the Unified Trios Championships.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Dante saved Andretti from a Blade Runner but dived right into a uranage. Darius countered out of a uranage but walked into a 3:10 to Yuma.
  

Rey Fenix found himself outmatched early by the sheer power of The Beast Mortos. Finally, the former International champion found his footing and managed to slip through the grip of the monster to roll him up for three.

It was so good to see Fenix back in action. While it took a while for him to take over the action here, he looked great when his time came to shine.

Before that point though, Fenix sold Mortos as a devastating challenger, and hopefully this is a sign that the former Black Taurus will be regularly featured as a dominant monster in the months to come.

The match was so good that it would have been a perfect moment to establish how dangerous Mortos can be with a dominant win. Fenix though is probably too high a priority in the immediate future of AEW.

Result

Fenix def. Mortos by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Mortos teased ripping off the mask of Fenix several times.
• Fenix was starting to come back until Mortos planted him with a Spear mid-air. He followed up with a lungblower and pop-up Gory Bomb that nearly sealed it.
  

Rush made quick work of Martin Stone, battering him around the ring until he decided to finish it with the Bull's Horns.

This was a complete squash where only one man got any offense. It is a rare sight in AEW but a smart way to establish the anger and violence of El Toro Blanco after months on the shelf.

Without Jose The Assistant in his corner, Rush will need to rebuild on his own. It was unclear if La Faccion Ingobernable will remain a group or if Rush is working alone from now on. This could have been better established.

No matter what he does, El Toro Blanco should be featured on AEW television for the foreseeable future.

Result

Rush def. Stone by pinfall.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• After the match, Rush hit Stone with the Bull's Horns again.
• House of Black accepted the Cope Open for Dynamite but would not declare who would face Adam Copeland.
  

Anna Jay brought the fight to Toni Storm, nearly winning with the Queen Slayer. However, The Timeless One fought out and took down Anna with a hip attack and Storm Zero.

The Timeless One's eccentricities continue to weaken her work in the ring, but she is getting better with adapting to the style that suits her throwback gimmick.

It helped here that Anna was working at a different speed this week, in one of her best individual performances of her career. She has steadily improved with better competition to the point that she may be ready for a title run soon.

Overall, this was better than expected even while the result was a foregone conclusion. What this lacked in drama, it made up for in storytelling. Storm continues to look untouchable as champion.

Result

Storm def. Anna by pinfall.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Serena Deeb reiterated her challenge to Storm in an interview, promising to win the AEW Women's Championship when the opportunity arose.
  
• May was knocked off the apron by Anna. Storm was distracted looking after her.
  

Zack Gibson and James Drake had The Acclaimed on the ropes but got too focused on mocking Billy Gunn at ringside. This allowed Anthony Bowens to plant Gibson to set up the Mic Drop from Max Caster to win.

This was the best match of the night to this point, helped by a fantastic effort from GYV in their AEW debut. It was an exciting back-and-forth clash that even teased the upset victory by the unsigned team.

Gibson and Drake are one of those special teams that could elevate the tag team division if they do get signed with AEW. As long as they are interested, AEW should take the leap.

The most interesting moment in this match saw Bowens fighting his opponents alone. The crowd was completely behind him as the fiery underdog, and AEW may want to explore what he can do solo soon.

Result

Acclaimed def. GYV by pinfall.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• Max Caster happily mentioned the Impact Zone in his pre-match promo.
  
• The Acclaimed landed the Shiver Me Timbers followed by an elevated scoop slam for a near-fall.
• Grizzled Young Veterans sent Caster onto the ramp outside then planted Bowens with a lungblower and Coast to Coast combination for a near-fall.
  

Swerve Strickland and Claudio Castagnoli battled with intensity worthy of the AEW World Championship. The Swiss Superman nearly won it all with a European uppercut, but The Mogul hit the Swerve Stomp and House Call to survive with his title.

This was a phenomenal main event. While that is not surprising given the men involved, the two got the time to really sell this as something special. Some of the near-falls sold a result that seemed impossible.

It was very cool seeing Swerve and Claudio embrace the stage around them, enjoying the intimate set-up for Daily's Place to deliver some big spots along the way.

Throughout this match, it felt like The Swiss Superman was testing The Mogul's mettle, and the champion earned the respect of one of AEW's great veteran performers.

This should be the last time Swerve defends the title until Double or Nothing. His pay-per-view challenger is supposed to be announced on Dynamite, which gives plenty of time to build a great story.

Result

Swerve def. Castagnoli by pinfall to retain the AEW World Championship.

Grade

A+

Notable Moments

• Bobby Cruise gave special introductions for the champion and challenger ahead of this title match.
• The two men fought onto the stage before Swerve sent Claudio all the way to the ring with a headscissors takedown and clothesline.
• Claudio nearly knocked out Swerve with an uppercut on the apron followed by a military press slam onto the barricade and running European uppercut.
• Claudio attempted a Griddy with embarrassing results.
• Swerve nearly got the win with a running moonsault off the stage followed by a 450 Splash.
  

• Claudio kicked out of the Swerve Stomp then reversed the House Call into a Giant Swing and Sharpshooter transitioned into a Crossface.
• In an insane near-fall, Claudio caught the Swerve Stomp and turned it into a European uppercut for a near-fall.
• After the big win, Claudio shook hands with Swerve.
  

Collision delivered a fiery two hours of wrestling action, helped by the involvement of AEW world champion Swerve Strickland.

This was a much stronger spotlight for him than he got on Dynamite, but that may have been by design, trying to ramp up the hype for Collision.

Swerve vs. Claudio Castagnoli was an electric first title defense, allowing The Mogul to establish himself further as the top man in the company.

Grizzled Young Veterans came to work and make a distinct impression against The Acclaimed. While Zack Gibson and James Drake remain unsigned, this was the kind of performance that could get them big money.

The Unified Trios Championship match was a fun opening bout though still showcased the lack of care for the trios division in current AEW due to the overuse of Top Flight and Action Andretti in repeat losses.

Anna Jay came to work motivated and made the most of her match with Toni Storm. It would be nice though to see more variety featured in the women's division between the three TV shows.

Rey Fenix and Rush looked good in return action, but it may have been The Beast Mortos that made the biggest impression as a monster heel to watch.

This was a great episode of Collision, paced so well that the two hours flew by. If new eyes were watching, this could have been enough to get them to tune back in for future shows.

Overall Grade: B+

Chuck Taylor fought with The two hugged atop a car before Trent low-blowed his former Best Friend. He then hit him with a piledriver on the car followed by a Gogoplata to force a referee stoppage.

This was an understandably brutal fight, showing how far this relationship has deteriorated. It was appropriate that it would happen in the same parking lot The Best Friends had the most acclaimed match of their careers against Proud N Powerful.

The rushed announcement did take away from the spectacle of the moment, but the two still worked hard to make the most of the opportunity.

Trent continues to deliver in this new heel role. AEW briefly teased Don Callis may try to recruit him, which could help him rise up the ranks if Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher do leave the group soon.

In the meantime, Trent vs. Orange Cassidy needs a major stage. It could be right for a Double or Nothing spot.

Result

Trent def. Chuck by referee stoppage.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Orange Cassidy seemed dejected in an interview with the debuting Arkady Aura ahead of the Parking Lot Fight until Kris Statlander pulled him away.
• Chuck told Freshly Squeezed to stay out of the match no matter what.
• Trent broke open Chuck early in this fight. Chuck replied with his own brutal attack on his former Best Friend, breaking him open as well.
• After the match, Trent smacked the ankle of Chuck with a wrench.
• Callis was shown watching this match closely backstage.
  

Deonna Purrazzo dominated this match, wearing down the left arm of Thunder Rosa. However, as she locked in the Fujiwara armbar, La Mera Mera reversed into a surprise pinfall for three.

Afterward, Rosa kept taunting The Virtuosa until she snapped. The two brawled into the crowd until officials pulled them apart.

Two of the best women's wrestlers in the world today brought their A-game for a match that felt like the first chapter in a series.

The two both have a strong technical background, though Rosa has often leaned more into the striking game. Here, she was outmatched by Purrazzo but still stole the victory.

The post-match attack by Purrazzo teased a heel turn, but Rosa taunted her into it. This was really about selling the rivalry that is only intensifying.

With months of build already behind them, this is a story that does not need a title to work. It could be a featured heated rivalry for the Double or Nothing card.

Result

Rosa def. Purrazzo by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Purrazzo showed off her technical acumen, trapping Rosa around the bottom ring rope to set up a measured baseball slide kick.
• Rosa tried to come back with a sleeper hold with a leg trap, but Purrazzo powered out with authority.
  
• In an interview, Kyle O'Reilly talked about what it would mean to him to compete in his hometown of Vancouver, challenging anyone to step up to him.
• Roderick Strong delivered a warning to Will Ospreay for Double or Nothing, promising to humble him.
  

Big Bill made quick work of Trevor Blackwell, choosing not to pin him multiple times before sealing the victory with a chokeslam.

This was the second one-sided squash of the night, heavily showcasing what Bill can do to anyone. However, it accomplished little since Bill is already well established.

Chris Jericho is the least interesting character in AEW right now, so association with him could hurt talent more than help them.

Bill has found his way as a top big man, and it is hard to figure out what Y2J does for him. The big man can talk for himself and work top matches already, proven by his work with Sting and Darby Allin recently.

Result

Bill def. Blackwell by pinfall.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• Jericho was shown watching closely backstage.
  

Katsuyori Shibata and Daniel Garcia found a worthy fight in Shane Taylor Promotions. However, while the heels fought hard, Shibata blasted Lee Moriarty with a PK to win.

AEW has featured STP frequently in the past couple months, and Taylor and Moriarty are making the most of the spotlight. They have over-delivered in every match.

This may have been the best match yet from STP, working so perfectly with the unique energy of Shibata and Garcia. This has the feeling of a great tag team rivalry in the future.

Wins and losses do matter in AEW though, and STP is running low on victories.

If this was supposed to be just the next step in the STP vs. Shibata rivalry, this was the time to give the heels a victory. With another loss, this can hardly be considered a feud.

AEW either needs to give STP opponents that they can beat in the tag division or move to singles/trios action instead.

Result

Shibata and Garcia def. Shane Taylor Promotions by pinfall.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Shibata challenged STP to a handicap match during Collision, but Garcia stepped to tag with The Wrestler.
• The Dragon Slayer came out in matching gear with Shibata and showed his respect by taunting alongside him early.
• Shibata got the hot tag late in the match and ran down Taylor. Garcia and Shibata then hit synchronized forearms in opposite corners on their opponents.
  

This was about as important as Rampage has felt in years. The card was stacked with grudge matches that delivered while continuing to build key stories in the division.

Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta worked the kind of brutal brawl that could make the biggest impression in the moment. In particular, Trent walked out established even more as a rising heel ready for more opportunities.

Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo had the kind of mat battle that AEW fans have rarely seen in the women's division. Moreover, they left plenty on the table for future rematches.

Shane Taylor Promotions once again delivered great tag team action, working with a motivated Daniel Garcia and the always reliable Katsuyori Shibata. It is just a shame that STP lost again.

While Big Bill's squash victory was the most unnecessary moment of the night, he at least reminded everyone what he can do. Hopefully, he at least gets more regular TV time again.

Many weeks, Rampage has only been wrestling filler for AEW, but this episode was a major step up especially in terms of story development. It did not reach the heights of Collision but flowed well as a follow-up to a great opening two hours.

Grade: B