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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
AUGUST 2, 2024
RECORDED 7/31 IN GREENVILLE, S.C.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired as Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard.
(1) WHEELER YUTA (w/Bryan Danielson) vs. THE BUTCHER
Danielson joined commentary for this match. Yuta got Butcher in a front facelock as he worked him to the mat and went for a pin attempt. The two traded chops, then forearm shots as the two went back-and-forth. Yuta locked Butcher in an octopus submission hold before rolling him into a pin for two. Butcher lowered his shoulder and took Yuta to the mat. Butcher charged into the corner with a huge clothesline.
Butcher whipped Yuta across the ring and dropped him to the mat after a back body drop. Yuta lured in Butcher before he sent him through the ropes. Yuta followed up with a tope through the ropes. Yuta sent Butcher back into the ring, then whipped him into the corner. He flew off the middle turnbuckle but Butcher sidestepped and sent Yuta to the mat. Butcher followed up with a backbreaker, then a pin attempt for two. [c]
Butcher had Yuta on the top rope but Yuta fought him off and hit a crossbody. On commentary, Danielson discussed his reason for challenging Jeff Jarrett on this coming Dynamite. Yuta hit a flying clothesline before nailing Butcher across the back of the head. Yuta hit an elbow strike in the corner, then came off the top with a flying forearm. Yuta nailed a German suplex for two.
Yuta dropped Butcher to the mat, then stomped across his tricep. Yuta locked in an arm submission but Butcher fought his way to his feet and hit a backbreaker. Butcher hit a powerbomb for two. Yuta slapped Butcher across the face which seemed to rile Butcher up. Butcher misses a back suplex as Yuta hooked Butcher by the arms. Yuta bit Butcher on the ear then nailed him with hammer and elbows. Yuta locked in Cattle Mutilation for the tap out win.
WINNER: Wheeler Yuta in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A fine opener, with a nice touch having Danielson on commentary. Butcher is a good heel foil, and could be used in that role a bit more. Yuta looked good in the win.)
– MxM Collection cut a promo backstage.
(Moynahan’s Take: Already ready for these two to go far far away.)
(2) BRIAN CAGE vs. MANNY LO
Cage immediately took Lo to the mat. He followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex. Cage hit a cutter, then dropped Lo with Weapon X for the win. [c]
WINNER: Brian Cage in 1:00
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK!)
– Highlights were shown from this week’s Dynamite from Kyle Fletcher coming to the aid of Will Ospreay. Fletcher and Don Callis were then interviewed backstage. Callus said there was no reason for them to get into Ospreay’s business as Brian Cage interrupted. Cage said he was the one who should be interviewed after having just won his. Fletcher then challenged Cage to a match on tomorrow’s Collision. Cage accepted as Callis acted annoyed.
(3) NYLA ROSE vs. HARLEY CAMERON
Cameron made her way to the ring with a mic in hand. She told the audience that Saraya would not be wrestling due to protest for the way she has been treated by AEW and the fans. Cameron said Rose was in a lot of trouble. Excalibur said the only way Saraya could overcome her concerns for not wrestling at All In would be to actually wrestle and win matches.
Rose took Cameron to the mat with a shoulder block. Cameron ducked a charge in the corner then hit Rose with an ax kick across the back of the head. Rose threw Cameron to the outside, then nailed her across the face with a sliding dropkick. Rose faked a tope through the ropes and instead went to the outside. Cameron evaded being thrown into the post and turned the tables on Rose. Both women made their way back into the ring as Cameron continued her offensive momentum. Cameron threw Rose face-first into the turnbuckle. [c]
Cameron still had the momentum as we came back from the break. Rose caught Cameron and countered with a backbreaker before hitting a leg drop. Rose hit an elbow drop for a close count. Cameron hit a jawbreaker but Rose caught her in the corner and slammed her to the mat. Rose missed a running cannonball which allowed Cameron to hit a running knee strike for two. Cameron hit Rose with a headscissors, then splashed her in the corner. Cameron hit Rose with a bronco buster but Rose powered out of the corner and dropped Cameron with a running Beast Bomb for the win.
WINNER: Nyla Rose in 9:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Harley got a great deal of offense throughout this match, which certainly surprised me as well as the commentary team. No clue what any of this gets us but it happened.)
– Private Party was backstage. They talked about their main event match tonight, and said they liked MxM, but told them they wouldn’t let them take their spot. They ended by inviting MxM to tonight’s dance party, but instead, Private Party would be dancing on their faces.
(4) BRYAN KEITH (w/Chris Jericho, Big Bill) vs. JACKSON DRAKE
Keith slapped Drake across the face before gouging out his eyes. Keith dropped Drake with a kick across the chest before sending him face-first into the turnbuckle. Keith once again raked at the eyes of Drake, then raked him across the top rope. Keith hooked Drake upside down in the ropes then kicked away as Big Bill cheered him on.
Keith kicked at Drake’s face as he continued to toy with him. With the ref’s back turned, Big Bill got in on the action as well. Drake kicked Keith with a boot to the face but Keith fired right back with a kick of his own. Keith bit Drake across the forehead before hitting Diamond Dust for the win.
WINNER: Bryan Keith in 3:00
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR KINDA SECOND RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK! Keith looked good with little to no effort from Drake. A fine tune-up match before he meets Shibata on Dynamite.)
– Renee was backstage with Shibata, who asked whether he was concerned with the odds being against him when he faces Bryan Keith. Shibata responded with his usual phone translator, and said he would injure Keith on Dynamite before saying he has family in Winston-Salem, the host city of this week’s Dynamite. [c]
– A video package aired showing Undisputed Kingdom who addressed FTR, Mark Brisco, and Darby Allin, who they will face on Collision, alongside The Beast Mortos.
(5) MXM COLLECTION (Mace Madden & Mansoor) vs. PRIVATE PARTY (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
Mansoor started things off with Kassidy, and quickly got the upper hand before posing for the crowd. Mansoor dropped Kassidy to the mat with a shoulder tackle before he and Kassidy traded poses. Madden tagged in and faced off with Kassidy. Madden tossed Kassidy to the corner, then slapped him across the chest. Quen made the blind tag and hit Madden with a dropkick. Private Party double teamed Madden, then Mansoor as they played to the crowd. [c]
Mansoor stopped Kassidy from tagging Quen until Kassidy leapfrogged him. Quen came in hot and hit Mansoor with a shoulder tackle and standing moonsault. Madden came in but missed a charge into the corner. Quen took out both opponents by himself before Kassidy was tagged back in. Mansoor was double teamed and nearly pinned before Madden broke up the pin. Private Party double teamed Madden next but couldn’t hit a double suplex as Madden countered.
Madden and Mansoor hit a leg lariat powerbomb combo on Kassidy who was saved by Quen as he was getting pinned. All four men were down as the crowd cheered both teams on. Mansoor nailed Kassidy with a few elbow strikes but was met with a DDT off the ropes as Kassidy countered. Kassidy then hit Madden with a shotgun dropkick which sent him outside with Mansoor. Kassidy flew through the ropes but Madden caught him with a slam to the floor. Quen came out of nowhere and flew right onto Madden with a senton.
Madden caught Quen on the top rope and chokeslammed him to the mat. MxM Collection then double teamed Quen and hit their finish for the win.
WINNERS: MxM Collection in 11:30
(Moynahan’s Take: I’m already over ever seeing MxM Collection work again. I wonder if I can boycott covering their matches…hmm. That said, the match wasn’t as bad as I’m making it out to be, and the crowd seemed to get into it toward the end.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Another Rampage happened tonight. That’s as much as I can tell you. While it wasn’t as much of a waste of time as last week’s episode, aside from Royal Rampage, it just felt like content for content’s sake. And please don’t get me started on MxM Collection. I really don’t want another company’s leftovers, and this team exudes so much of that for me. If you need to watch something from this show, check out Yuta vs. Butcher; some good action and Danielson on commentary which at least felt newsworthy. Until next week – stay safe everyone!
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW DYNAMITE HITS & MISSES (7/31): Danielson-Swerve exchange, MJF-Ospreay exchange, Toni Storm, Mercedes Mone, Hangman vs. Darby build
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Britt Baker fined and suspended by AEW following an incident involving MJF and Alicia Atout
Continued thanks to everyone listening to The All Elite Conversation Club on the PWTorch Dailycast podcast lineup. Joel Dehnel and I have a great time breaking down all things AEW! Subscribe free by searching “pwtorch” and subscribing to the PWTorch Dailycast. Send questions and comments for the show to allelitecc@gmail.com.
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