Only the four Continental Classic matches this week, with last week’s review featuring EIGHT matches (that was not a fun one to write). The big talking points from last week’s review was with Mark Briscoe getting his first win and upsetting the TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, as well as Komander replacing Juice Robinson and putting on some fun matches, even if he didn’t come out the other side with any points to show.
Gold League Round 3 - Will Ospreay vs Claudio Castagnoli
This is the first of two Dynamite C2 matches. Ospreay has only wrestled one much so far, with him beating Juice Robinson in that bout. Claudio currently tops the bracket with 6 points from 2 matches.
Ospreay starts off super hot with a Spanish fly for a near fall and a ton of high flying offense which takes Claudio by surprise. Claudio gets the upper hand on the outside when he stomps Ospreay’s arm into the steps as we go into the ad break. This starts the story of Ospreay’s arm and shoulder being messed up through this match, with Claudio doing his best to counter Ospreay’s offense and target the arm. The finish sees Ospreay go for the Oscutter but his arm gives way, Claudio hits a big clothesline but Ospreay kicks out - Ospreay then rolls him up in a jackknife pin for the win.
This match was really fun, although perhaps the jackknife pin wasn't the best way to finish it, Ospreay could have very easily just hit the hidden blade and won normally considering Claudio got some heat back with his post match attack. Ospreay was adored by the crowd here and I strongly believe that Ospreay should be pushed as the top babyface (alongside my boy Swerve).
Gold League Round 3 - Brody King vs Ricochet
Ricochet earlier in the night had an interview with Renee Paquette about the upcoming match, Ricochet didn’t say too much but did brandish a black business card with MVP in white letters, looks like the Hurt Syndicate may be growing soon. If either man wins this match, they will go joint top of the group alongside Ospreay and Claudio.
This match is a fun big man vs little man contest, although Ricochet is noticeably a lot more cocky and heelish in some of his actions - not a heel yet but he may venture down that path as the tournament progresses. The finish sees Ricochet hit the shooting star press but Brody grabs him by the throat before Ricochet can pin him, Ricochet tries to escape but gets slam on the apron for his troubles. The two manage to get their way to one corner of the ring (which features an exposed turnbuckle after the top pad was ripped off earlier when Ricochet hit Brody with a sunset bomb) and Ricochet manages to hit Brody with a DDT on the exposed turnbuckle - Ricochet hits the Spirit Gun and he wins the match.
Sad to see Brody take the loss here but this match seems to be furthering a different side of Ricochet that could see him become a heel in the Hurt Syndicate. Ricochet could really do with a freshening up so I’m excited to see where this goes.
Blue League Round 4 - Kazuchika Okada vs The Beast Mortos
We move on now to the Collision portion of this week’s C2 matches (no matches on Rampage). The Beast Mortos is coming into this match looking for his first win of the tournament, whilst Okada needs to bounce back after losing to Kyle Fletcher in order to stay in the fight for qualification to Worlds End. We also got a fun mini-promo at the start of Collision with Okada calling Mortos “The Bitch Mortos” (poor Mortos) spliced with a clip of Mortos roaring at the camera.
Mortos and Okada start off fairly even before Mortos gets dumped to the outside by Okada, holding his knee on the floor afterwards as Okada smiles. Okada proceeds to beat up Mortos all around the outside of the ring. After the ad break we cut back to The Beast Mortos on top, with him no selling his left knee and performing all of his big moves (which is okay actually because Mortos is a man-beast and thus does not follow typical human wrestling logic), the most impressive being him hitting three backbreakers in a row which Okada managed kick out of. Later in the match, Okada hits his signature high dropkick but Mortos sits up Undertaker style immediately which Okada reacts amazingly to. This leads into our finish which sees Okada hit the rainmaker for the win and the three points. Mortos rolled out of the ring afterwards and you can see Okada visibly say Bitch Mortos which I thought was a really great touch.
This match was really solid, especially in the last couple of minutes where the two really picked up the pace. Okada winning here shouldn’t surprise anyone but these two still put in a great performance despite the predictable outcome.
Blue League Round 4 - Mark Briscoe vs Kyle Fletcher
Fletcher is undefeated in the Continental Classic so far, and a win here will guarantee a place for him at Worlds End. Briscoe got a surprise three points over Daniel Garcia in his last match and Briscoe must win in order to stay alive in the tournament.
Kyle Fletcher starts the match upset after the crowd chants “Ospreay’s Better”. This has been part of Fletcher’s story since the start of the tournament with every crowd chanting this at Fletcher and this getting under his skin. Following some brawling on the outside, Fletcher hits Briscoe with a brainbuster on to the top of the barricade, and follows up with a big dive over the barricade onto Briscoe. Briscoe manages to turn it around straight away just before the start of the ad break with Briscoe hitting a crazy suplex from the barricade to the floor. Later in this match we see Briscoe for the froggy bow, Fletcher manages to get the knees up however and goes for his own elbow, before Briscoe avoids that and Fletcher kicks out at the very last moment after Briscoe rolls him. The two continue to counter each other in this match, with Briscoe showing Fletcher that whatever he can do, Mark can do better. Briscoe tries to go for the Cutthroat Driver but Fletcher pokes his eyes and rolls him using the ropes as leverage. The referee, Bryce Remsburg, sees this however. Fletcher then goes for the brainbuster and Briscoe kicks out again! Fletcher tries to go for the top rope brainbuster but Briscoe counters and manages to hit the Cutthroat Driver. Fletcher manages to roll out as the announcer says we have one minute remaining in this match. Briscoe drags him back in and hits the froggy bow but Fletcher kicks out, Briscoe goes for the J-Drilla but Fletcher rolls him up but Briscoe kicks out. Briscoe goes for the J-Drilla following Fletcher’s best attempts to avoid it, 1,2,3!!! Mark Briscoe wins!
This match was amazing, the story here was Mark Briscoe managing to respond to anything Fletcher gave him and the crowd were fully behind Briscoe. This loss does make Fletcher’s final match a lot more exciting too, with the fear of him bottling it now planted in his mind. This was the best match of the week, and a great way to end Collision (apart from the fact that the Death Riders murdered poor FTR in a short video just before the show went off air).
Week 3 Review
The Blue League sees Fletcher still top with nine points, with Okada behind him on seven points and Briscoe in third with six points. Fletcher’s loss means that Okada, Brisoce, Benjamin and Garcia can all jump ahead of Fletcher if Fletcher loses to Garcia in his final match. The most interesting upcoming bouts will be Mark Briscoe vs The Beast Mortos, Daniel Garcia vs Kyle Fletcher, and if Benjamin can win against Mortos on Dynamite, then his match against Okada will decide both men’s fates for a spot at Worlds End.
The Gold League has a few more matches to go, and Ospreay, Ricochet and Castagnoli are all tied on six points. It’s still very open (apart for poor Komander who can only get six points if he were to somehow win his last two matches), and Darby Allin vs Will Ospreay on this week’s Dynamite will be very important for the future of both men in the tournament.