6/9 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Women’s number one contender match, Powerhouse Hobbs in action, more

AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JUNE 9, 2023
RECORDED AT THE BROADMOOR WORLD ARENA IN COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

– The opening of Rampage aired, and JR welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.

(1) BANDIDO & THE LUCHA BROTHERS vs. BIG BILL & LEE MORIARTY & ETHAN PAGE

Page started things off with Fenix as the crowd chanted for the Lucha Bros. Fenix took Page down with a hurricanrana and Page delivered one in return. Fenix connected with a dropkick which rocked him back into his own corner where he tagged in Moriarty. Bandido tagged in to face off with Moriarty and the two found their way into a chop battle. Bandido came off the top onto Moriarty, then took him down with a headscissors. Big Bill tagged in, as did Penta.

The two starred one another down as Bill went for a chokeslam. Penta got out of it and hit him with a superkick. Bill again tried for the chokeslam but Penta kicked away at his legs. Fenix and Bandido hit a dual superkick on Bill. Bill was sent over the top by Penta, who then flew through the ropes but was caught with a big right hand. Moriarty and Fenix battled up the ramp as Bill took out Penta on the outside. Back inside the ring, Bill continued his offensive momentum. [c]

Penta made a flying tag to Bandido who fired away at Big Bill. Bill caught him with a big boot to slow him down. Moriarty and Page came in to help Bill with Bandido. Page, now the legal man, hit a huge powerslam for a close count. Bandido knocked Page and tagged in Fenix who took out Moriarty and Page. Bill caught Fenix but Penta came to his aid. The two brothers took Big Bill down as Bandido took flight over the ropes onto all opponents.

Penta went for a cover on Page for two. Fenix walked the top rope and kicked Page across the face. Bandido hit Bill with a missile dropkick as Fenix hit Moriarty with a cutter. Penta had Moriarty on the apron as Fenix came off the top to hit Fear Factor. Inside the ring, Page took down Bandido as Matt Hardy came out on the mic along with Jeff and Isiah Kassidy. They distracted Page enough for Bandido to hit 21 Plex for the win.

WINNERS: Bandido & The Lucha Brothers in 11:30

(Moynahan’s Take: A good six man with a lame finish. I’m glad to see Bandido get the win but this Hardy/Page storyline is tired by now.)

– A new segment of QTV aired. They talked about Collision but as always, the less said the better.

(2) POWERHOUSE HOBBS (w/QTV) vs. CALEB CRUSH

Crush was a local talent who got a nice pop as the match kicked off. Hobbs hit him with a huge running clothesline then stared down the crowd. Hobbs draped Crush across the top rope then nailed him with a running boot to the head. Crush hit an enziguri but Hobbs fired right back with a spinebuster for the win.

WINNER: Powerhouse Hobbs in 1:00

(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)

– Renee was backstage with Wardlow and Arn Anderson. Anderson gave an update on Brock’s health after the recent attack by Christian and Luchasaurus. Anderson said what goes around comes around. Wardlow said the disrespect has been unreal and their disrespect has come at a cost. Wardlow ran down all of his recent opponents and how he’s left them laying. Wardlow said he has an open challenge on this week’s Dynamite that Jake Hager has accepted.

(3) THE ACCLAIMED & BILLY GUNN vs. SERPENTICO & ANGELICO & LUTHER

Anthony Bowens played to the crowd which annoyed Angelico. Bowens played a bit too much as Angelico hit a quick shot to Bowen’s face. Bowens fired back to take Angelico down. Serpentico tagged in, as did Caster, who hit him with a running back elbow in the corner. Serpentico got hit with a Manhattan drop before being thrown to the outside. Luther hit the ring, and Gunn quickly threw him out. Bowens came off the middle ropes with Scissor Me Timbers. Billy Gunn played around with Serpentico before nailing him with a stiff right hand. Luther hit the ring to interrupt a scissor party. [c]

Caster fought off Serpentico in time to tag in Gunn. Gunn took out each opponent on his own until Angelico caught him with a kick across the face. Luther covered for a two count. Bowens and Caster double teamed Luther with their finish for the win.

WINNERS: The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn in 8:30

(Moynahan’s Take: This was fine, no more no less.)

– Highlights of this week’s Dynamite aired.

– Renee welcomed Karen and Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh to the ramp. Karen took the mic and called Aubrey Edwards a “dramatic diva,” then called her out. Mark Briscoe came out along with Edwards. Edwards said AEW would not sanction a match between the two. She said if she would kick Karen’s ass outside of the ring. Mark Briscoe announced he was able to get a six-person tag team match signed, with Jeff and Karen Jarrett, and Jay Lethal vs. Aubrey Edwards, Mark Briscoe, and Papa Briscoe.

(Moynahan’s Take: 100% no. Stop it.)

– A short video package aired hyping tonight’s main event. Mark Henry announced that it was time for the main event.

(4) SKYE BLUE vs. NYLA ROSE vs. BRITT BAKER vs. MERCEDES MARTINEZ – No. 1 Contender’s Match

All four women went to battle right from the bell. Martinez and Baker fought outside as Rose took it to Blue inside the ring. Martinez joined Rose in double teaming Blue who fought off both women. Blue took down Martinez with a headscissors before Baker attacked from behind. The two ended in a stalemate as Toni Storm and Ruby Soho looked on from backstage. Martinez and Rose battled in the center of the ring as Marina Shafir came in from behind to choke out Martinez. Hikaru Shida hit the ring with a kendo stick to take out Shafir and run her off. [c]

Martinez was caught in the ropes as Rose was about to come down on her from the top. Blue took out Rose who bumped hard to the floor. Baker hit a slingblade on Martinez for a one count. Baker and Blue battled it out as Rose was still out on the floor. Blue hit a spin kick on Baker for two as Martinez broke up the pin. Martinez went for a fisherman’s suplex but Baker turned it around into a pin, then tried for Lockjaw. Blue put Baker in a half crab until Rose took them both out. Blue and Baker double teamed Rose until Baker turned on Blue. Baker fired away on Rose but got caught with a chokeslam for a close count that Martinez broke up.

Martinez hit Rose with a knee to the face, then a suplex. Baker hit curb stomp on Rose but Martinez caught her and threw her to the outside. Baker dragged Martinez to the floor as well as Blue got in the ring and hit Rose with Code Blue for the win.

WINNER: Skye Blue in 9:00

(Moynahan’s Take: A nice surprise finish here. The match itself was fine, but hampered by a long commercial break and a tired crowd.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Well, after one of if not the best in-ring episodes of Rampage to-date last week, I guess it’s back to reality. This week was just another show that is easily “can-miss.” If anything, go out of your way to catch the opening Trios match (just close your eyes for the tired finish.) One random call out are the highlights of Dynamite that aired, which is a nice simple touch to reference back to the core storylines from this week. If AEW cared about Rampage, they’d show some highlights from these Friday shows on Wednesday nights.

CATCH-UP: 6/2 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Action Andretti, Shibata vs. Moriarty, more