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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JUNE 30, 2023
RECORDED AT THE FIRST ONTARIO CENTRE IN HAMILTON, ON
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 Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone.
(1) CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. KOMANDER – ROH World Championship
The show kicked right off with this title match. Komander took some early offense by Claudio, including a huge boot to the face that rocked him to the mat. Komander hopped on Claudio’s shoulders and tried to take him down but he was spiked to the mat and covered for two. Claudio flung Komander around with the giant swing then signaled that it was time to finish him off. Claudio went for his finish but Komander fought him off and took him to the outside. Komander took flight but was caught in mid air. Komander escaped and vaulted over the ropes with a dropkick onto Claudio. Komander flew off the turnbuckle with an armdrag on the floor. Claudio quickly fired back and took Komander to the crowd, then quickly threw him back toward the ramp.
Claudio picked Komander up and tried throwing him back inside the ring but Komander got caught in the ropes. Inside the ring, Claudio hit a DDT and covered for two. [c]
Claudio set Komander up on the ropes and attempted a powerbomb but Komander reversed it and flung Claudio to the mat. Komander hit a dropkick then took Claudio down after a whirlwind attempt. Komander hit a swan dive onto Claudio on the outside. Claudio was too powerful for Komander and threw him hard into the barrier. Komander somehow fought his way back, walked the top of the barricade, and hit a shooting star press across Claudio’s back. Komander went back to the top and hit Claudio with a hurricanrana, then covered for a close count. Claudio fired back with an uppercut, then nailed Komander with a clothesline for two.
Claudio missed an uppercut in the corner which allowed Komander to to fly off the ropes with a DDT. Komander covered for yet another close count. Komander went for another pin but Claudio was able to kick out. Claudio missed another charge and Komander took him down again. Komander went back to the ropes and hit a double jump splash for two. Komander went up top again, walked the ropes, but missed when Claudio moved. Claudio hit Komander with a huge uppercut as he came off the top again. The ref called for the end of the match.
WINNER: Claudio in 13:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A nice opening match with a somewhat rare ending via referee stoppage. I’m curious if this leads anywhere or is simply a way to emphasize Claudio as a dominant ROH champ.)
(2) SHAWN SPEARS vs. THE BLADE (w/The Butcher)
Spears took Blade to the mat and immediately showboated for the local crowd. Both men went to the outside where Spears was met with a few stiff chops to the chest. Spears returned the favor by laying in a few chops of his own. Spears dropped Bladed down hard across the ring apron, which is the hardest part of the ring as many are well aware. Butcher attacked Spears from behind as Blade distracted the ref.
Back inside the ring, Blade took control after the assistance from his tag partner. Spears had enough with the chest chops and fired back on Blade. Spears hit a body press and nailed Blade with a series of right hands. Spears followed up with a kick to Blade’s face. Butcher pulled Blade to the outside to take a breather but he quickly found himself back inside the ring as Spears hit C4 for the win.
WINNER: Shawn Spears in 4:00
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR kind of RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)
– A preview of tomorrow’s Collision was shown, highlighting the first round of the men’s Owen Hart Tournament matches set to take place.
(3) QT MARSHALL & JOHNNY TV (w/Harley Cameron) vs. MATT HARDY & BROTHER ZAY
Hardy and Johnny TV started things off. Hardy worked over Johnny TV’s arm before tagging in Zay. QT tagged in but Zay quickly took him down, then hit a hanging neck breaker as a follow up. Hardy and Zay double teamed QT before QT rammed Hardy into his corner. Johnny TV tagged in and took it to Hardy but missed a standing moonsault. Zay tagged in and hit a diving crossbody off the ropes, then a hurricanrana on Johnny TV before hitting QT with a cutter by the ropes. Zay slid to the outside to distract Harley Cameron but Johnny TV flew through the ropes to wipe him out. [c]
QT went for a suplex but Zay reversed it before tagging in Hardy. Hardy took down both QT and Johnny TV before hitting Side Effect on QT. Hardy hit a powerbomb on Johnny TV for a two count. Hardy climbed the ropes and nailed Johnny TV with an elbow across the back of the head. The crowd chanted “Delete” as Hardy hit a DDT. QT broke up the pin attempt and the match broke down from here. QT hit an elbow strike on Hardy, and Johnny TV followed up with a pin for two.
Johnny TV came off the top but missed a corkscrew. Zay kicked Johnny TV as Hardy dumped out QT. Zay tagged in and he and Hardy sent Johnny TV to the outside. Zay took flight over the ropes onto both opponents. Back inside the ring, Hardy hit Side Effect on Johnny TV as Zay was about to come off the top. Cameron distracted Zay which allowed QT to knock him down. Johnny TV hit his finish off the ropes for the win.
WINNERS: QT Marshall & Johnny TV in 12:00
– After the match, Ethan Page went into the ring to check on Hardy. QT and Johnny TV provoked him as Page nailed QT with a right hand. Johnny TV hit him with a superkick as The Acclaimed hit the ring to even the odds. [c]
(Moynahan’s Take: OK, I’m already over this Johnny TV name since the commentators wouldn’t stop saying it. I’m really not sure what he brings to the table at this stage but I will give it a little bit of time before passing final judgement. That said, I prefer less of both QT and Matt Hardy at this point. Also, why is The Acclaimed being used like this? I don’t understand.)
– Mark Henry was backstage within a video package hyping tonight’s main event. Henry said it was “time for the main event.”
– Excalibur hyped tomorrow’s Collision as well as next week’s Dynamite. MJF and Adam Cole will have their first round match in the Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament.
(4) HIKARU SHIDA vs. TAYA VALKYRIE
Both women battled for control early on as Shida nailed Valkyrie in the corner. Shida took Valkyrie to the mat with a hurricanrana as Valkyrie rolled to the outside. Shida followed and nailed her with an elbow strike. Shida took out a chair and used it to launch herself at Valkyrie who moved in time. Both women went back inside the ring as Valkyrie mocked Shida to the crowd. Valkyrie chopped Shida across the chest, then yanked her to the mat and wrapped her knee across the post. [c]
Valkyrie still had control as we came back from commercial break. Shida started to fight back but Valkyrie cut her off. Shida came right back with a number of elbow strikes. Shida followed up with a jumping knee for a two count. Shida climbed onto the ropes but Valkyrie knocked her off and out to the floor. Valkyrie followed but Shida hit her with a snap suplex to the floor. Shida came off the apron with running double knees to Valkyrie. Back inside the ring, Shida hit a running elbow strike and covered for a close count.
Valkyrie rammed Shida knee-first into the turnbuckle, then followed up with a double knee strike. Valkyrie dragged Shida to the center of the ring and covered for two. Valkyrie attempted a submission but Shida kept fighting her off. Valkyrie tried for her finish but Shida rolled her up for the win.
WINNER: Hikaru Shida in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A so-so main event. Good to see Shida back in action after what feels like a long break. Aside from going heel, I’m not sure what the plans are for Valkyrie who has cooled off significantly since her debut.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Rampage continues its ups and downs as of late. Can you guess which bucket this episode falls into? That’s correct, a downer. While it wasn’t anything offensive, it just felt like a chore to get through this week, and seemed almost like an afterthought from a booking perspective. If you’re looking for something to watch, check out the opener. Let’s hope next week has more of an upside.
CATCH-UP: 6/23 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament begins, United Empire in action, more
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