SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JUNE 16, 2023
RECORDED AT THE CAPITAL ONE ARENA IN WASHINGTON, DC=
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, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone.
(1) THE UNITED EMPIRE (Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher) vs. BEST FRIENDS (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) & ROCKY ROMERO
Fletcher and Beretta started things off until Rocky tagged in. Fletcher made his way to the corner and tagged in Ospreay who received a strong crowd reaction. Ospreay nailed Rocky with a huge chop to the chest. Rocky took Ospreay down with a headscissors but Cobb hit the ring and took it to Rocky. Cbb was taken down by Best Friends as Rocky took down Fletcher. Trent held the ropes apart so Rocky and Chuck could fly to the outside. Trent followed up with his own moonsault to the outside. Back inside the ring, Chaos made quick tags in and out as they cut off the ring from Ospreay. Ospreay finally fought back as United Empire took control. [c]
Cobb missed a charge into the corner as Chuck took control and tagged in Trent. Fletcher tagged in as well as the two went back and forth. Trent reversed a suplex attempt and countered with a few suplexes. Trent tried for a spinning DDT but Fletcher put on the breaks and hit a brainbuster. Trent and Rocky hit a double knee strike to take down Fletcher. Rocky then flew off the top onto Fletcher as Cobb came in to break up a pin attempt. Cobb tagged in and was hit by a few double knee strikes, then a slam to the mat. Cobb was triple teamed by Chaos who hugged in the center of the ring. Cobb took the opportunity to slam all the men.
Cobb caught Rocky from the top and hit an overhead throw to the mat. Ospreay tagged in and hit Rocky with a running boot in the corner. He came off the top with a diving elbow strike, then went for Hidden Blade but Rocky countered for two. The match broke down from here. Rocky hit Ospreay with a huge clothesline but Fletcher caught him with a tombstone which set up Ospreay for Hidden Blade for the win.
WINNERS: The United Empire in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A great opener that gave Ospreay and United Empire the shine going into the Forbidden Door PPV.)
(2) TAYA VALKYRIE vs. TRISH ADORA
Valkyrie took it to Adora right from the bell. She layed in a heavy hand before throwing Adora into the corner. Valkyrie nailed Adora with a huge clothesline, then hit running knees into the corner for a close count. Adora fought back before getting cut off by Valkyrie. Adora hit Valkyrie with an elbow in the corner but was again cut off quickly. Valkyrie hit a running German suplex as she played up a heel persona to the crowd. Adora hit a pump kick and a series of forearm shots to take Valkyrie down.
Valkyrie hit a big boot then a spear on Adora to once again cut her off. Valkyrie hit Adora with a curb stomp for the win.
WINNER: Taya Valkyrie in 2:30
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR kind of RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)
– Lexy Nair was backstage with The Hardys, Ethan Page, and Isiah Kassidy. Matt said he and Jeff would face The Gunns on this week’s Dynamite. Matt said they beat their daddy’s ass years ago and now they’ll beat their ass. Jeff said they’d make The Gunns famous.
(3) MARK BRISCOE & PAPA BRISCOE & AUBREY EDWARDS vs. JAY LETHAL & JEFF JARRETT & KAREN JARRETT
Mark started things off with his friend, Lethal. The crowd admittedly seemed into this at the start. Mark took Lethal down with a shoulder tackle. Jarrett tagged in as Mark took it to him. Jarrett turned around and tagged in Karen as Aubrey also made the tag. It didn’t last long as Lethal and Mark tagged back in. Papa Briscoe tagged in and went for a quick pin attempt on lethal for two. Mark tagged back in and hit Lethal with a suplex. Mark was swarmed on the outside as we went to break. [c]
Mark took down Jarrett and Lethal with a clothesline as he went for the tag. Papa Briscoe was tagged in as Jarrett and Lethal each refused to fight him. Papa Briscoe choked out Lethal in the corner before nailing with a huge clothesline. He then took out Sonjay Dutt and hit Jarrett with a spear. Aubrey tagged in as she and Karen fought on the mat. Aubrey whipped Karen to the mat a few times as the crowd cheered her on. Karen raked her eyes and went for a guitar before Aubrey kicked her and picked it up. Aubrey was about to hit Karen with the guitar before Lethal broke it up. He begged Aubrey to hit him with it as Satnam Singh got on the apron. The ref turned his back as Aubrey nailed Lethal with the guitar.
Karen tried for the Stroke on Aubrey but she reversed it into a figure four for the win.
WINNERS: Mark Briscoe & Papa Briscoe & Aubrey Edwards in 8:30
(Moynahan’s Take: This ended up being harmless and while the crowd seemed to get into it, I’m hopeful this is the end of whatever this feud was.)
– Taya Valkyrie was interviewed backstage. She said the crowd seemed to not get enough of her as she continued to play up her heel persona. She began to talk negatively about Kris Statlander as Statlander appeared. Taya was upset Statlander took the attention away from her at Double or Nothing. Statlander threw out a challenge for Taya next week. [c]
– Mark Henry was backstage with Takeshita and Don Callis. Callus said Takeshita was better than Kenny Omega. Callis called Takeshita El Hijo Del Don Callis and the new God of pro wrestling. Henry said it was time for the main event.
– Excalibur ran down the card for tomorrow’s Collision debut as well as the current card for Forbidden Door.
(4) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis) vs. BANDIDO
Bandido extended a hand as Takeshita turned his back. The two battled in the center of the ring as the crowd chanted for Bandido. Callis joined commentary as Takeshita nailed Bandido with a high boot. Bandido tried for the 21 Plex but Takeshita countered as the two went outside. Takeshita whipped Bandido into the guardrail then took him into the crowd. Takeshita threw Bandido back inside the ring as Bandido countered into a suplex. The crowd chanted for a second suplex as Bandido obliged. Bandido came off the top onto Takeshita with a hurricanrana off the apron. Callus left the announce table and made his way to the ring. Bandido hit a springboard into the ring but was caught by a knee to the face by Takeshita. [c]
Takeshita and Bandido battled in the center of the ring until Takeshita took Bandido down with a huge clothesline. Bandido came off the top to take down Takeshita, then followed up with a spinning DDT. Takeshita bailed to the outside as Bandido came off the top with a moonsault. Takeshita nailed Bandido with Blue Thunder Bomb for a close count. Bandido flew off the top with a frog splash for a close count. Bandido tried for a move off the top but Takeshita cut him off by biting him. Takeshita hit a huge clothesline off the top that leveled Bandido, who barely kicked out of the follow up pin attempt. Takeshita. went for a move but Bandido caught him with a knee to the face, then hit 21 Plex that Takeshita countered.
Takeshita went for a German suplex but Bandido landed on his feet. They traded shots until Bandido reversed a move into a pin attempt for two. Bandido spiked Takeshita to the mat for a very close two count. Takeshita hit Bandido with a blindside shot, then a driving knee to the face for the win.
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita in 16:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Wow, what a great match. I’d love to see this turn into a feud at some point down the road because I certainly think there’s more to be done between these two.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: A very strong rebound episode of Rampage, which begs the question why these shows can’t always be as solid. Give me this main event every week and I’ll tune in each and every time (whether I’m reporting on the show or not.) Aside from the main event, go out of your way to watch the opener as well and leave the rest aside. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.