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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
AUGUST 4, 2023
RECORDED AT THE YUENGLING CENTER IN TAMPA, FLA.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, and Taz
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired, and Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Chris Jericho and Taz.
(1) THE HARDYS & KEITH LEE vs. THE BUTCHER & THE BLADE & KIP SABIAN (w/Penelope Ford)
Sabian and Jeff started things off, with Jeff getting thrown to the outside in the early going. Jeff came back in and took Sabian down before going for an early pun attempt. Matt was tagged in as he and Jeff double teamed Sabian. Matt came off the middle rope and nailed Sabian across the back. Sabian drove Matt into the corner and tagged in Blade. Blade was met with a Side Effect for two. Butcher tagged in and quickly took it to Matt. Butcher threw Matt into the corner but missed a follow up clothesline. Matt rammed Butcher’s face into the turnbuckles, then tagged in Jeff.
Jeff took it to Butcher, then took out Blade and Sabian in the corner. Butcher nailed Jeff from behind to send him to the outside. Sabian and Blade took it to Jeff on the floor before they threw him back into the ring. [c]
Jeff continued to get beat down by all three opponents. Butcher hit Jeff with a huge backbreaker before knocking Matt off the apron. Lee finally tagged in and took it to all three opponents. Sabian jumped on Lee’s back but Lee shrugged him off. Lee threw Sabian into Butcher and Blade. Sabian slipped out of a powerbomb by Lee but was then caught in a powerslam before Butcher broke up the pin. Matt came in and took out Butcher and Blade.
Sabian came off the top but Lee swatted him out of the air, then dropped him to the mat. Jeff was tagged in and went to the top and hit a swanton for the win.
WINNERS: The Hardys & Keith Lee in 9:30
(Moynahan’s Take: A fine opener. Nothing to write home about but it satisfied the live crowd if nothing else.)
– A video package aired on the Adam Cole and MJF main event announcement for All In. The Kingdom were shown discussing their history with Adam Cole. They questioned where Cole has been for their friendship as of late. [c]
– The Young Bucks were shown backstage. They said it was time to get back into the tag team division before asking The Hardy’s over. Both teams said they were ready to face one another before saying they’d see one another on this week’s Dynamite.
(2) ANNA JAY (w/Matt Menard & Angelo Parker) vs. SKYE BLUE
Both women traded moves in the early going. Jay bailed to the outside as Skye followed. Both women entered the ring as Skye hit a shoulder tackle then a thrust kick. Jay hit an elbow striker then a running back kick to take Skye to the floor. [c]
Skye hit a knee strike, then a spinning kick to Jay’s face. Skye covered for two. Skye covered but Jay kicked out and hit a flatliner for two. Jay went for her finish but Skye countered. Parker got on the apron as Skye nailed him with a stiff right hand. Jay came up from behind and won via Queen Slayer.
WINNER: Anna Jay in 8:00
(Moynahan’s Take: This was mainly affected by a long commercial break mid-match, and was otherwise nothing special.)
– Kris Statlander was interviewed backstage by Renee. The kicker here was Statlander pressing Renee as she gave her interview.
(Moynahan’s Take: Okay, this was a clever way to give an interview.)
– Tony Schiavone and Paul Wight were shown at the Parking Lot Brawl site. They announced that Pac was injured and would not be able to compete for some time. They then announced that the Lucha Bros. would face the winner of tonight’s main event.
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(3) SWERVE STRICKLAND & AR FOX (w/Prince Nana) vs. LOGAN CRUZ & TYSHAUN PEREZ
Fox was wearing the blood-stained shirt of Nick Wayne. Fox hit a dropkick on both opponents that drove them to the outside. Fox followed up with a senton over the top rope. Cruz was back inside and was hit with a driving uppercut by Swerve. Cruz tried his best against Swerve and Fox but they were too much. Fix hit a cutter as Swerve hit a suplex. Fox came off the top with a 450 splash for the win.
WINNERS: Swerve Strickland & AR Fox in 2:00
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)
– The latest edition of QTV aired. They debated who to feud with next. Johnny TV issued an open challenge to ”whoever’s been on television.”
– Prince Nana, Brian Cage, and Big Bill were backstage hyping tomorrow night’s tag team title match against FTR on Collision.
– Mark Henry was backstage within a video package hyping tonight’s main event. Henry said it was “time for the main event.”
(4) BLACKPOOL COMBAT CLUB (Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli) vs. BEST FRIENDS (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) – Parking Lot Fight
Tony Schiavone welcomed us to the match as BCC was introduced. Claudio was shown checking the trunk of a car to make sure no one popped out. Best Friends were introduced next. Both teams battled it out as the bell sounded. Chuck threw Claudio into a car as Moxley was shown jamming a form into the forehead of Trent. Claudio threw Chuck across the hood of a car. Trent jumped off another car onto Moxley. Claudio used a spoiler to hit both Trent and Chuck. Trent and Moxley were both busted open. Best Friends launched Claudio into a van.
Chuck took the spoiler and nailed Moxley. Best Friends slammed the hood of a car onto Claudio as Moxley came to his aid. BCC jammed Trent under the hood of a car then threw Chuck on top of it. BCC went for a pin for two. Claudio hit the big swing on Trent, then swung him into a trash can. BCC singled out Trent until Chuck came to his aid with a steel street sign. Chuck used a form across Moxley’s forehead. Chuck laid a metal barrier across a car but Moxley cut him off and suplexed Chuck into it. [c]
Claudio and Trent were on top of a car. Chuck passed Trent a street sign, and he used it to smack Claudio across the face. Chuck climbed on top of a car but was cut off by Moxley who hit his finish. Trent missed a charge and hit the side of a car hard. Claudio pressed Trent onto the roof of another car, then climbed up onto the roof as well. Claudio went for a powerbomb but Trent countered and hit a Dudebuster on the roof.
Moxley came up from behind and locked in a choke on Trent. Moxley and Trent traded reversals on the roof of the car. They traded blows until Trent fired up and nailed Moxley down. Moxley bounced back up and rocked Trent off the car. Both men battled once again on the hood of the car. Moxley hit Death Rider into the windshield. Chuck was shown syphoning gasoline out of a car. Chuck then lit a barbed wire board on fire before Wheeler Yuta came out. Moxley took the board away from Chuck and Wheeler attacked Chuck with a screwdriver.
Sue appeared in the minivan with Orange Cassidy on the top. Cassidy had a chain wrapped around his hand but was cut off by Claudio. Cassidy was triple teamed. Cassidy was set up across the hood of the minivan as Yuta hit a DDT. Claudio opened the door and told Sue to leave. She did as Trent attacked Claudio from behind. Trent, however, was quickly overpowered.
BCC destroyed the minivan with crowbars. Trent was placed on the hood of a car as Moxley stomped his face across the windshield. Claudio covered for the win.
WINNERS: BCC in 18:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A great brawl. It’s not for everyone, but I do suggest you determine that for yourself. Go out of your way to see this mayhem.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: A solid hour of pro wrestling, with the main event worth the price of admission alone. If nothing else, go out of your way to see it. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: AEW RAMPAGE RESULTS (7/28): Tag Team Rampage Royal including The Hardys and Butcher & Blade, Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose, Komander vs. Sabian
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: WWE shakes up the Raw and Smackdown broadcast teams
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