The January 27 edition of AEW Collision saw Bryan Danielson and Yuji Nagata tangling for the first time in approximately 20 years, Danielson wrestling the third generation master to drive a message to Zack Sabre Jr ahead of their singles battle February 11 in Osaka. 

Danielson was unable to take Nagata off his base early, and the veteran pressured Danielson into the corner, but the American Dragon turned the table and landed solid kicks before a half hatch suplex. Back to a vertical base, Nagata had the upper hand in a test of strength, and managed to isolate the arm with a hard snap, and took his foe to the floor. 

Nagata had the advantage on the outside, and when he came back into the ring, he would start burying kicks to the left arm. With right arm still afflicted from last summer and no effective side to throw upper body strikes, Danielson instead went downstairs with a basement dropkick, and trapped the leg of Nagfata in the ropes for a barrage of strikes. A missile dropkick would follow off the top; Nagata kicked out but hammer and anvil elbows followed. 

Nagata stopped the onslaught from Danielson and landed a perfect exploder suplex. A take down later, and Nagata went for Nagata Lock II, clinching the hold but being transitioned into a knee bar by Danielson. As the crowd got behind both men, the athletes reset before Nagata landed a kitchen sink and Justice Boot int he corner. Nagfata wanted another exploder off the top; Danielson fired back but Blue Justice wouldn’t be denied, and the exploder scored for two, transitioned back to the arm, and the eyes rolled back.

Nagata wanted to score victory with the backdrop suplex, but Danielson escaped with a knee and Dragon Screw. Both warriors traded harsh kicks, but it was Danielson on top with a pair of head kicks and then the Busaiku Knee for three.