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AEW RAMPAGE BEACH BREAK TV REPORT
JULY 5, 2024
RECORDED AT WINTRUST ARENA IN CHICAGO, IL
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Don Callis
Ring announcer: Arkady Aura
– The opening of Rampage aired as Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone and Don Callis.
(1) RUSH vs. KOMANDER (w/Alex Abrahantes)
Komander attempted a hand shake but Rush was having none of it. Komander went on the attack and took Rish down and out to the floor. Rush yanked Komander off the apron and to the ramp. Rush followed up with a stiff chop across Komander’s chest before throwing him into the ringside barriers multiple times. Rush continued his onslaught before grabbing a chair then a long cable. Rush whipped Komander with the cable before wrapping it around his throat. Alex Abrahantes checked on Komander as Rush got back inside the ring. Rush came back to grab Komander and brought him into the ring.
Rush hit a double stomp on Komander before stomping away at him. Komander hit a swinging DDT on Rush which sent him to the floor. Komander flew off the apron but Rush caught him and whipped him into the barricade. [c]
Rush continued his offensive onslaught on Komander as he kicked him across the face in the corner. Rush perched Komander on the top rope before trying to rip his mask off. Rush then kicked Komander across the ribs as he hung upside down. Rush missed a running dropkick as Komander moved out of the way. Komander hit a tornillo off the ropes, then dropkicked Rush to the knees. Komander followed up with a moonsault to the floor onto Rush. Rush was rolled back into the ring as Komander went to the top. Komander hit a shooting star press for two.
Komander hit a crucifix bomb for two. Rush ducked a kick before nailing Komander with a headbutt. Rush hit a suplex onto Komander for a close count. Both men fought on the apron as Komander hit a jawbreaker. Rush quickly countered and threw Komander off the apron to the floor. Rush grabbed Komander by the mask to drag him into the ring. Rush set Komander in the corner then hit his running dropkick for the win.
WINNER: Rush in 12:00
(Moynahan’s Take: As Excalibur phrased it, this was primarily a lopsided victory for Rush. Komander has his moments, although fleeting. As you can imagine, Don Callis hyped up Rush throughout the match. let’s hope they don’t let this storyline linger too much and pull the trigger sooner than later.)
– Renee was backstage with the Undisputed Kingdom. They were offended by The Conglomeration. Matt Taven went off against each member, and said they have their friend Kyle O’Reilly bamboozled. Roderick Strong was angry about Tomohiro Ishii bating him got the ROH TV Title a long time ago before saying O’Reilly was better being aligned with him.
(2) PRIVATE PARTY (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. KYLE FLETCHER & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
Fletcher and Takeshita attacked Private Party before the bell. Fletcher and Kassidy started things off as Kassidy took Fletcher to the mat with an arm drag off the ropes. Kassidy flipped Fletcher into Quen who tagged in and hit a springboard dropkick off the ropes. Takeshiat tagged in and immediately went on the attack. Quen hit a moonsault off the ropes and covered for a quick count. Fletcher and Takeshita double teamed Quen and Kassidy. Takeshita hit a senton off the middle ropes onto both opponents. [c]
Quen made the hot tag to Kassidy who hit a crossbody onto Fletcher. Kassidy followed up with a takedown of Fletcher, then a drop kick to Takeshita who was sent to the floor. Kassidy followed up with a tornillo over the top onto both opponents. Back inside the ring, Kassidy hit a senton, as Quen tried for a follow up splash. Fletcher got his knees up in time. Takeshita and Fletcher hit a stereo brainbuster on Private Party who both kicked out of a pin attempt.
Private Party hit Gin and Juice, then nailed Fletcher with a DDT. Quen hit a 450 splash on Fletcher for a two count. Private Party double teamed Takeshita who was able to tag in Fletcher. Fletcher was rolled up for a two count but then fired back with an elbow strike on Quen. Fletcher hit a German suplex as Takeshita hit a Blue Thn=under Bomb, Fletcher hit a tombstone on Quen for the win.
WINNERS: Kyle Fletcher & Konosuke Takeshita in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Solid match with the outcome never really in doubt. Will Private Party win a match anytime soon? Both Fletcher and Takeshita need more TV time, not to mention pushes.)
– Footage aired of Don Callis and Rush. Callis asked Rush why the two aren’t doing business together. He said people are afraid to think of the two of them together. Both men shook hands.
– Footage aired of MJF’s beatdown of Daniel Garcia on this week’s Dynamite.
– Roderick Strong joined commentary for the next match.
(3) KYLE O’REILLY vs. GPA
O’Reilly immediately hit a running kick to the face of GPA. He followed up with a knee to GPA’s stomach before focusing on his arm. O’Reilly hit a sliding knee strike to GPA’s arm before GPA fired back with a few strikes to O’Reilly’s neck. O’Reilly fought back with a series of strikes. O’Reilly locked in an armbar for the quick win.
WINNER: Kyle O’Reilly in 1:00
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK!)
– Samoa Joe was backstage addressing Chris Jericho. Joe said that next week in Calgary, he would take Jericho all over the building and torture him. He asked Jericho who would stop Joe from doing the things he was about to do to him next week.
– Video clips of the Women’s Owen Hart tournament aired. [c]
– A Toni Storm vignette aired.
(4) MARIAH MAY vs. HIKARU SHIDA – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament
Dueling chants for both women rang through the crowd as the two locked up. The two traded forearm shots until Shida hit a knee strike in the corner. May fired back with a quick dropkick to take Shida down. May struck Shida across the chest as the two continued to trade shots. May hit a running kick as she covered for two. May kicked Shida across the face then tried to powerbomb her off the apron. Shida countered into a takeover. Shida draped May across the apron, then hit a running knee lift. Shida faced off with Storm as we went to commercial break. [c]
May nailed Shida with a clothesline then a knee strike. May perched Shida on the top rope then flipped her to the mat with a headscissors takedown. May went to the top rope and nailed Shida with a dropkick for a two count. May whipped Shida in the corner but Shida flipped May to the apron before kicking May across the back of the head. Shida hit a suplex off the apron and into the ring for two. Shida hit May with a series of elbow strikes as Storm paced on the outside. May countered Shida with a side slam.
May signaled for the Hop Attack but Shida caught her and hit a suplex. Shida hit another elbow striker, then a Falcon Arrow for a quick count. May hit a back suplex then Hip Attack in the corner. The two traded pin attempts as May quickly rolled up Shida for the win.
WINNER: Mariah May in 11:30
(Moynahan’s Take: Shida seemed to take most of this match until May rolled her up into a nice pin attempt for the win. Maa moves on to face Willow on this week’s Dynamite.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: An okay night of action with a meaningful main event. From a storyline perspective, we now know the final of the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament, and it seems like Rush is one step closer to aligning with Don Callis. Other than that, not much to write home about here. If you want to check out anything, take a look at the main event. Other than that, we shall meet again next week. Stay safe everyone!
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