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AEW DYNAMITE & RAMPAGE ON-SITE REPORT
TAPED AUGUST 30, 2023 (AIRDATE 9/1)
HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL
TO AIR ON TNT
REPORT BY ERIC KROL, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT
DARK MATCH BEFORE DYNAMITE
(A) Stu Grayson beat Robert Anthony
DYNAMITE NOTES
-That was the flattest episode of AEW television I’ve ever attended, and I’ve been to all but one in Chicago. I was willing to give them a bit of a pass since Tony Khan said before the show that they had a lot of challenges with wrestlers being sick or unavailable for other reasons, but they’d put on a good show for the fans.
-There was some decent action on the show. There weren’t a lot of people there, fewer than 4,000. They drew over 6,000 last year for Dynamite. When the show started, there was no one on the hard camera side and it was nothing like the big, enthusiastic Chicago crowds we’ve been used to.
-AEW is not a hot ticket in Chicago this weekend. I was able to get two club level 200 row seats second row tickets for Collision for $30 each on StubTub. Those would normally go for $100.
-When he appeared in front of the audience, he got a mix of cheers and boos, which was the first time I recall him ever getting booed. He only came out once this time. In the past, he’s come out three times.
2 years ago TK was given a God like reaction in this building. It's a mixed reaction at best tonight and someone 7 seats down just yelled "f**k you Tony"
— Zack Heydorn (@Zack_Heydorn) August 31, 2023
-The crowd didn’t chant “C.M. Punk” during the event.
-WrestleTix reported ticket sales around 3,600 earlier in the day and it wasn’t much above that at showtime.
–Penta was super over in Chicago as always. Dueling crowd chants for Orange and Penta in their match.
-The merchandise stand was weak. They had only one stand and didn’t put forth much of an effort. There was a lot AEW-brand merch, plus The Acclaimed and Better Than You Bay Bay t-shirts. They probably could have sold more merch.
RAMPAGE TAPING
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Before Dynamite started, there was a dark match between Stu Grayson and Robert Anthony. Stu was accompanied by Dutch and Vincent. Grayson attacked before the bell. Anthony was over as a local guy. Stu was on offense the first five minutes but missed a flipping senton off the top and Anthony got in some hope spots before Stu finished him off with a standing back breaker into a back breaker in 6:45.
(1) Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) won a tag team battle royal and will face Adam Cole & MJF for the ROH tag team titles at All Out on Sunday.
The teams: Aussie Open, The Hardys, Dark Order, Butcher and Blade, The Embassy, Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon, The Righteous, The Outrunners, Best Friends, and Action Andretti & Darius Martin.
Teams will be in the ring when Rampage starts. Hardys got biggest pop, as you’d expect.
Too tough to track all the eliminations, and Justin wasn’t announcing them. Hardys did a “delete” vs Best Friends hug standoff. The Hardys and Darius tried but failed to get the large Dutch over the top. Hardys got Mark Davis over the top rope but he held onto the apron. Dutch and Davis went at it in the corner. Butcher took on both Dutch and Vincent, but Dutch dumped Butcher in the end. Jeff eliminated Vincent, and Dutch eliminated Matt. Action and Darius teamed up to eliminate Dutch. Aussie Open knocked Action to the floor with a nice-looking double team move.
Down to Best Friends, Aussie Open, Dark Order in the end. Aussie dumped Chuck. Aussie, Trent, Silver final four. Silver stood by as Trent took on Aussie. Trent lowbridged Kyle out. Trent eliminated Davis and Silver, who was caught on the outside and not eliminated, snuck back in to dump Trent and claim the win.
This was nothing special and went about 12 minutes.
Crowd did a Bray Wyatt tribute with the cell phone lights and chanted “Terry Funk” during the break.
Aussie Open attacked Jericho at the announce table and Sammy made the save. I assume Aussie Open will be the first opponents for Sammy and Jericho next week.
(2) Nick Wayne & El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Gringo Loco & Kip Sabina (w/Penelope Ford)
A random tag match with four guys who can go. Penelope jumped up on the apron and heels got the advantage on Wayne. Sabian a moonsault off the apron on Wayne. Gringo hit a top rope Spanish fly on Wayne that looked great. Wayne got his knees up as Gringo came off the top and Vikingo got the hot tag. Vikingo rope jumped and hit a drop kick all the way across the ring. Crowd into Vikingo, who hit a top rope poison rana on Gringo. Wayne a Fosbury flop on Sabian. Vikingo hit the 630 senton off the top on Gringo for the win in 7:30.
(3) “Hangman” Adam Page defeated Bryan Keith
A physical battle between Page and Keith, the local Freelance Wrestling Heritage champ who can brawl. Page dawdled on the apron and Keith head kicked him, but he went to the well once too often and Paige hit the buckshot lariat in 3:20.
(4) Willow Nightengale & Skye Blue defeated Anna Jay & Taya Valkyrie
Your Rampage main event. Skye decked out in light blue and red and white, the colors of the Chicago flag. Crowd was into this. Willow and Taya started off. Anna distracted Willow and Taya took over. Anna worked over Willow non the ropes. Taya’s hair is a shade of yellow I’m not sure exists in nature. Willow went for the tag but Anna yanked Skye off the apron. Skye finally got the hot tag and Anna fed her, or tried to, at least. Later, Taya hit a spear on Willow, and Willow hit a pounce on Taya. Anna hit Taya when Skye moved and Skye hit code blue for the win in about 8:30. About what you’d expect.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Dynamite results (8/30): Barnett’s live review of Cassidy vs. Penta for the AEW International Championship, Cole speaks for the first time since AEW All In, the show’s final push for All Out
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