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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JUNE 23, 2023
RECORDED AT THE WINTRUST ARENA IN CHICAGO, IL
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 Chris Jericho and Tony Schiavone.
(1) UNITED EMPIRE (Will Ospreay & Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb) & SWERVE STRICKLAND vs. CHAOS (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor & Rocky Romero & YOH)
The match kicked off right from the start of the show. Ospreay took it to Yoh inside the ring. Yoh took Ospreay to the mat, then tagged in Taylor. Swerve made the tag in as well and quickly cut Taylor off to take control. Swerve missed a back elbow which allowed Taylor to hit one of his own. Fletcher tagged in as he and Trent went toe-to-toe. Fletcher dropped Trent but was caught in a snap suplex by Trent. Fletcher came right back with a stiff body slam to the mat.
Rocky and Trent double teamed Fletcher after Rocky made the legal tag. Best Friends and Rocky went to hug Yoh in the middle of the ring by United Empire pulled them to the outside. Fletcher then cut off the ring for Yoh as he tagged in Ospreay to take control. Ospreay went for a cover for two before tagging in Cobb. Rocky and Cobb went at it with Cobb nailing him with a clothesline moonsault combo. [c]
Swerve had Rocky in a headlock but Rocky tried fighting his way out before getting cut off. Swerve nailed him with a diving back elbow off the middle ropes but Rocky kicked him off and made the tag to Yoh. Ospreay tagged in as well and nailed Yoh across the face with a back kick, then a corkscrew kick. Ospreay missed a springboard move as Yoh hit a bridging suplex for a pin attempt. Chaos singled out Ospreay as they took turns taking him down before hugging in the middle of the ring. You planted Ospreay but Swerve broke up the follow up pin attempt.
Swerve hit Rocky hard on the outside as Fletcher and Cobb took out Yoh inside the ring. Ospreay went for a pin but Yoh kicked out. Ospreay hit Hidden Blade for the win.
WINNERS: United Empire & Swerve Strickland in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Good opener which showcased Ospreay nicely in advance of his huge match on the PPV. Shame we didn’t get more of Cobb, however.)
– A video package aired previewing the AEW Women’s Championship match between Toni Storm and Willow Nightingale at Forbidden Door.
– Adam Cole made his way to the ring for a promo. Before he could even speak, MJF’s music hit as he made his way out to the ramp. MJF thanked Cole for giving him the confidence to face Tanahashi this Sunday. He said he figured he’d return the favor and got him a PPV match as well vs. Filthy Tom Lawlor. Lawlor and Royce Isaacs immediately hit the ring and attacked Cole from behind as MJF pretended to make his way to the ring and help him out. MJF finally made it into the ring as Team Filthy pretended to act scared and run away. [c]
(Moynahan’s Take: This felt a bit rushed, especially for MJF’s first appearance on Rampage, but I’ll take it if it means I see Tom Lawlor on the PPV this Sunday.)
(2) THE ACCLAIMED (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & DADDY ASS vs. UNNAMED OPPONENTS
The Acclaimed attacked their opponents before the bell, then celebrated with a three-way scissor in the center of the ring. Bowens hit Scissor Me Timbers, then tagged in Caster who hit the Mic Drop for the win.
WINNERS: The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass in 0:30
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)
– After the match, Harley Cameron from QTV came down the ramp. She called herself an amazing musician and was there to help The Acclaimed. She told them she would write a hit with The Acclaimed that’d go to number one, then started to sing before Billy Gunn cut her off. Gunn said they already had the greatest rapper in the world. Cameron said she already knew that and told them she wrote a rap of her own. Cameron called two masked associates into the ring as the rap began. Cameron actually rapped before getting cozy with Bowens. Bowens cut her off and told Cameron she must have gotten kicked in the head as a child because he’s gay, which got a great reaction from the crowd.
QT Marshall came out and called the rap “incredible.” QT slammed Billy Gunn, which drew The Acclaimed from the ring. One of the masked men took his mask off to reveal Johnny TV (Johnny Mundo/Nitro/etc.) who attacked Gunn from behind.
(Moynahan’s Take: This went on too long but seemed to get over with the crowd. Not sure I care much to see Johnny TV at this stage but I’ll see where they take it.)
– A video package aired hyping tomorrow’s match between Swerve Strickland and Tanahashi on Collision.
(3) SKYE BLUE VS. ANNA JAY A.S. – OWEN HART FOUNDATION TOURNAMENT
Blue ran Jay to the outside then nearly got taken out by Daddy Magic. Inside the ring, Blue hit a dropkick but was quickly kicked outside of the ring to the floor. Jay followed up with a DDT to the floor. Back inside the ring, Jay slammed Blue’s face across the mat a number of times as Daddy Magic cheered his approval from the outside. [c]
Jay hit a DDT for a close count. Blue battered Jay with a series of rights and lefts until hitting a running knee strike. Blue connected with a kick to the side of Jay’s face, then nailed her with an elbow strike. Ang got on the apron and Blue quickly pushed him off. Blue kicked Jay again, then came off the top with a crossbody for two. Blue kicked out of a handful of pin attempts by Jay who was visibly angry. Jay locked in Queen Slayer as Blue fought her way out of it. Blue kicked Jay, then hit Code Blue for the win.
WINNER: Skye Blue in 9:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A fine match and a very strong win for Blue, who continues to shine in more recent weeks.)
– A video package aired hyping the main event for tomorrow’s Collision between FTR/Ricky Starks/C.M. Punk vs. The Gunns/Bullet Club Gold. [c]
– Mark Henry was backstage within a video package hyping tonight’s main event. Henry said it was “time for the main event.”
(4) “JUNGLE BOY” JACK PERRY vs. DOUKI
The two men tied up to kick things off as Jungle Boy quickly took Douki to the mat. Douki hit an arm drag but Jungle Boy fired back with a chop to the chest and an arm drag dropkick combo of his own. Douki ducked a charge in, which sent Jungle Boy to the outside. Douki followed up with a tope to the outside which took out Jungle Boy on the ramp. They battled on the outside as Jungle Boy whipped Douki hard into the barricade. [c]
Douki nailed Jungle Boy with a kick to the back of the head as Douki fired right back to take him down. Douki hit a double stomp across Jungle Boy’s chest, then hit a combo move into a pin for a close count. Jungle Boy hit a double underhook into a tiger driver for a close count as Jungle Boy looked irked with the ref. Jungle Boy went to the outside and cleared off the ring announcer’s table. Jungle Boy attempted a powerbomb but Douki got out of it and hit an enziguri. Douki went to the top and hit a diving senton through the table.
Back inside the ring, Jungle Boy hit a huge lariat but Douki came right back with a brainbuster for another close count. Douki hit a springboard DDT, then covered for two as the crowd cheered Douki on. Douki went for a move but Jungle Boy rolled him up for two. Jungle Boy connected with a superkick, then a poison rana and an elbow strike from behind, The crowd was clearly booing Jungle Boy before he locked in Skull End, Sanada’s finisher, for the win.
WINNER: Jungle Boy in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Wow, what a fun main event. As someone who actively watches NJPW, I admit I’ve often passed on Douki. That will no longer be the case. A great build for Jungle Boy’s title match against Sanada as well.)
– After the match, Sanada’s music hit as he made his way to the ring. Jungle Boy walked right up to him for a face off as the show went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Another very good episode of Rampage tonight, which makes a solid three out of the last four weeks. It doesn’t hurt when you can tap an extra roster of wrestlers like NJPW as we head into Forbidden Door weekend. There seems to be momentum in the air for AEW as of late, especially when you’re delivering strong Rampage shows on a consistent basis. I’m very much looking forward to Collision tomorrow, and of course, Forbidden Door on Sunday.
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