6/24 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Moynahan’s report on Andrade vs. Fenix, Cash Wheeler vs. Jeff Cobb, Hook, Mercedes, more

AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JUNE 24, 2022
RECORDED AT THE UW-MILWAUKEE PANTHER ARENA, MILWAUKEE, WISC.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur, Taz, and Chris Jericho

Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez

– The opening of Rampage aired. Excalibur welcomed us with, “It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!” Excalibur was joined by Taz and Chris Jericho.

(1) ANDRADE EL IDOLO vs. REY FENIX (w/Alex Abrahantes)

Fenix and Andrade were already in the ring as the show kicked off. Fenix hit a headscissors takeover early on but Andrade landed on his feet. Andrade lifted his knee in time to stop Fenix in his tracks, but Fenix came back with a spinning heel kick to the face. Andrade hit the Eddie Guerrero suplex trifecta to the delight of the crowd.

Fenix went to the top and flew off with a swanton onto Andrade to the outside. Back inside, Fenix hit a German suplex for a two count. Andrade pushed Fenix to the outside as we tried coming off the top rope. [c]

Andrade went to the top but was cut off by Fenix. Andrade hit a double foot stomp on Fenix for a close count. Fenix caught Andrade with a pump kick, and came off the top rope with a dropkick. Fenix followed up with a cutter as the crowd chanted “this is awesome.” Fenix came off the top with a frog splash but Andrade countered into a two-count pin attempt. Fenix missed a follow up move off the top rope.

Both men were on the apron as Andrade missed a running knee and hit the post. Andrade fell to the outside as Fenix flew off the top with a double knee to Andrade’s back. [c]

Both men were on the apron as Andrade missed a running knee and hit the post. Andrade fell to the outside as Fenix flew off the top with a double knee to Andrade’s back. [c]

Fenix hit a Spanish Fly after the commercial break but Andrade got his foot on the bottom rope on the pin attempt. Fenix was favoring his knee as Andrade went to hit him with Jose’s tablet. As the ref’s back was turned, Andrade went for Fenix’s knee. Fenix flew through the ropes and hit a senton onto Andrade. Inside the ring, Alex Abrahantes took out Jose but Rush appeared at ringside and attacked Fenix. Inside the ring, Andrade hit his hammerlock DDT for the win.

WINNER: Andrade El Idolo in 18:00

– After the match, Penta hit the ring to defend Fenix from Andrade and Rush.

(Moynahan’s Take: Solid match, and we finally see Rush in AEW, outside of the vignette shown on the DoN PPV. That said, I was a little underwhelmed by this one as I heard this was a PPV-quality match from those in attendance. Not sure if there were aspects cut or it simply didn’t shine as well on TV.)

– Eddie Kingston cut a promo backstage. He talked up the Forbidden Door PPV and then turned his attention to next week’s Blood and Guts Dynamite and directly spoke to Chris Jericho.

– Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee were backstage. Swerve said they were on a roll, even though they weren’t on the same page recently. Lee said they could get to the top as long as they kept winning.

(2) MERCEDES MARTINEZ & SERENA DEEB vs.L AYNIE LUCK & SIERRA

Deeb started things off for her side. Deeb focused on the arm until she tagged in Martinez, who faced off with Luck. Deeb tagged back in and continued to focus on Luck’s knees. Sierra came in but was met by Martinez as Deeb locked in the leg lock even further. Luck was able to make it to the ropes for the break.

Martinez tagged back in and continued to take it to Luck. Martinez and Deeb each locked in a submission move for a dual tapout.

WINNERS: Mercedez Martinez & Serena Deeb in 3:30

(Moynahan’s Take: A fairly straightforward squash with Deeb and Maetinez seemingly playing reluctant tag partners. Let;’s see where this goes.)

– A backstage promo aired by Tully Blanchard about his Enterprises looking for the greatest athletes in pro wrestling.

– Lexy Nair was backstage wirth Lee Moriarity and Johnathan Gresham until Tully Blanchard interrupted. Tully said his clients deserved a shot more than the two of them, and Gresham challenged Blanchard’s team, which Blanchard accepted.

(3) HOOK vs. THE DKC

Hook took DKC down early with a knee bar. Hook took DKC down across the ring but DKC got Hook in the corner and nailed him with a series of chest chops. Hook caught DKC with an over-heard suplex as the crowd fired up. Hook hit cross face strikes, then locked in Red Rum for the tap out.

WINNER: HOOK in 1:30

(Moynahan’s Take: Another solid and clean win for Hook.)

– Mark Henry was backstage on split screen with FTR and Jeff Cobb/The Great O’Kahn. Cash talked about the rare opportunity FTR had to be multi-time tag champs across multiple promotions. Cobb noted he was an Olympian and how Cash was and Dax were not walking out as champs on Sunday. Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”

– Excalibur ran down the Forbidden Door PPV, which included a backstage promo by the Gunn Club and the Acclaimed. New Buy In matches were announced with QT Marshall and Aaron Solow facing Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Tashi and Swerve and Lee facing El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemuru.

(4) CASH WHEELER vs. JEFF COBB

Caprice Coleman joined commentary for this match. Both guys looked evenly matched early on. Jericho named Cobb the Sports Entertainer of the Week. Cobb took Cash to the mat and locked in a headlock as the crowd cheered on Cash. Cash hit a dropkick but Cobb was quick to send Cash to the outside. [c]

Cobb had Cash in a backbreaker in the center of the ring until Cash countered into a sleeper. Cobb got out of the sleeper and the two went back-and-forth in the center of the ring. Cash went for a backslide but Cobb was too strong. Cash nailed Cobb with a series of strikes, then took him down with a chop block to the back of the knee. Cash took Cobb out on the outside. The two went back into the ring and Cobb cut Cash off on the top rope. Cash went for a sunset flip but ended up hitting a powerbomb for two.

Cash missed a DDT as Cobb shrugged him off. Cobb hit his finish for a two count. Cash got a close two count until Cobb hit a German suplex, then hit a Tour of the Islands for the win.

WINNER: Jeff Cobb in 10:00

– After the match, Great O’Kahn, Dax, and Aussie Open hit the ring. Orange Cassidy and Roppongi Vice followed suit from there. All hell broke loose as Eddie Kingston attacked Jericho at the announce table. Things continued to break down from here as everyone brawled around ringside as the announce team hyped up the PPV.

(Moynahan’s Take: Solid main event between two great workers. Anytime we can see Jeff Cobb on weekly TV is a good day/week. Good post- match chaos that did a good job hyping Sunday’s PPV)

FINAL THOUGHTS: A good show, which helped to get everyone set for Sunday’s PPV. As a fan of both AEW and NJPW, I’m already hyped for the show, but I completely understand the hesitancy of those that may not be as familiar with NJPW. No matter the build (or lack thereof) I think this Sunday’s show will be an incredible one that will beat the (lacking) hype. Now, I just hope I’m right. Until next week, stay safe everyone!