Posted on 9/16/123 by Bob Magee
AEW Rampage is underway with Excalibur, Tony Schiavone &
Chris Jericho on the call as the participants for the
opening contest are already in the ring.
The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy w/Isiah Kassidy) and The Lucha
Bros (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero Miedo w/Alex Abrahantes)
defeated The Butcher, The Blade, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal
(w/Karen Jarrett, Satnam Singh, Sonjay Dutt, Kip Sabian, The
Bunny & Penelope Ford)
(Did you catch all those names? This was practically a
Lumberjack Match, as there were as many people outside the
ring as there were in the actual match. A usual party match
with a whole lot of spots leading to the most logical man
getting the pin, that being Fenix, who is next in line for
Jon Moxley, so he stood tall. Interesting events post match,
as it looks like The Righteous & Hardys might be starting a
program.)
We had quite the contrast of styles to begin, as Jarrett
drove Penta into the ropes before doing a Fargo Strut. Fast
tags made, as Fenix unleashed corner chops to Butcher before
the Hardys took turns dishing out their offense. Blade was
dropped with a double suplex, while Lethal suffered a
springing corner splash. As Matt wanted a Twist of Fate,
Jarrett attacked from behind to allow Butcher to take over.
Lethal mocked the Penta strut, which allowed Dutt & Sabian
to get in cheap shots ringside, as Matt was isolated during
commercial.
The heels tried attacking the faces to cut off Matt’s hot
tag, but Fenix dodged the Butcher attack and made the tag,
running wild. With Jarrett & Lethal placed over the top
rope, Fenix did his rope walk kick to both until Penta hit a
somersault dive onto a pile outside. Fenix went to follow,
but Blade pulled him to the floor. Alex Abrahantes was
seemingly about to do a dive, but was cut off by Dutt, who
ate a punch. Sabian did the same, but Abrahantes poked him
in the eyes and leapt to the floor, right into the clutches
of Singh, who rag-dolled him. Fenix hit a thrust kick and
twisting dive onto a pile of bodies before dropping Blade
with a sit out driver to get the pin. The Hardys were
brawling with Jarrett & Lethal up the ramp before Singh laid
them both out, unbeknownst to the Lucha Bros. The Righteous,
Dutch & Vincent walked out on the stage and stood over the
bodies of The Hardys.
-Renee Paquette is backstage to ask what is next for Dr.
Britt Baker after losing the four way on Dynamite. Baker
said things haven’t gone as planned, as she should be a two
time Women’s champion by now. She’s going to do what she
does best, make history, this time becoming the first woman
to hold the Women’s & TBS Title. It's criminal she's never
had a TBS Title match. Therefore, Baker issues a challenge
for the winner of Statlander vs. Cargill later tonight to
face her in the main event of Collision tomorrow.
**********
-There’s a QTV segment with Johnny TV taking the place of QT
Marshall, who is off wrestling in Mexico. Aaron Solo asks if
Marshall is coming back and Johnny said of course, then did
a ridiculous handshake. There was a masked luchador standing
by named El Hijo del Harvey, someone Johnny brought in to
show solidarity while Marshall was gone. Johnny laid him
out, as he & Solo had to restrain Harley Cameron from
stabbing the poor guy with scissors.
Matt Taven & Mike Bennett defeated Christopher Daniels &
Matt Sydal
(While Daniels & Sydal got in some offense, this was a solid
win for The Kingdom, who are after the ROH Tag Titles going
forward. It certainly makes sense from a storyline
perspective for them to presumably win the titles; I just
wonder if they’ll have that match on TV or at Wrestle Dream.
I’m hoping it happens on Dynamite to be perfectly honest.)
Bennett got the first takedown on Daniels with a shoulder
tackle, but Daniels fired off the arm drag, hip toss and
drop toe hold before tagging Sydal, who crashed down with a
mariposa. Taven made the tag, but was lit up with a series
of strikes, while Bennett ate a spin kick to the outside.
Daniels was knocked to the floor, as Bennett met him with a
bounced back forearm strike that led to commercial.
Taven tried for a springing moonsault, which Daniels dodged,
as Sydal & Daniels hit a sort of awkward assisted back
suplex. Bennett avoided a Sydal high kick and flattened him
with a running Death Valley Driver, while Taven hit a corner
splash on Daniels. The Proton Pack connected and Taven got
the win.
Post match, Taven said they didn’t have a lot of time, as
they need to rush to the hospital to check on Roderick
Strong. Taven doesn’t blame Samoa Joe for what happened, he
blames Adam Cole. The Kingdom wants to take back what is
rightfully theirs, the ROH Tag Team Titles. Bennett said its
Neck Health Awareness Month and shows their red bracelets.
For those who don’t believe in such a thing, you ball up for
fist, punch them in the weiner and lay them out with a
piledriver. Neck Health Awareness matters, as the Kingdom
are coming home to Roddy. This was hilariously delivered by
Bennett & Taven.
-Renee Paquette is backstage with Mogul Embassy, as Brian
Cage said The Young Bucks were lucky Cage was exhausted
after his match with Hangman Page, otherwise he would’ve
laid them out on Dynamite. Swerve Strickland said The Bucks
were friendly when they were on his podcasts, but now
they’re back to putting on their EVP hats. Strickland issued
a challenge for Grand Slam for Cage & The Gates of Agony vs.
Page & The Bucks.
The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass defeated Peter Avalon & The
Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
(A quick win for the Trios Champions, as I’m just
disappointed we were robbed of hearing Avalon’s saxophone
entrance theme. As for tomorrow night, it looks like the
next contender for the Trios Titles are about to be set.)
Floyd was able to chop down Gunn with boots to the hamstring
early, as Avalon chop blocked the leg, but opted to pose,
allowing Gunn to hit a massive upper cut. Bowens made the
tag, but Avalon hit a dropkick flush, with Bowens responding
with a thrust kick. The match broke down, as Magnum & Floyd
were sent packing, as Avalon was hit with Scissor Me
Timbers. Gunn hit the Fame-Asser, while Caster connected
with the Mic Drop for the easy win.
Post match, Dark Order interrupted the celebration, as John
Silver said they’re the good guys and want a shot at the
Trios Titles. Bowens asks why they deserve a title shot,
which Evil Uno said the last four years of grinding to get
to where they are is why. Uno is tired of good things
happening to bad people and issues a challenge for tomorrow
night, a singles match to show them they deserve a title
show. Gunn said they’ll decide it with Rock, Paper,
Scissors, but it was scissors every time. Bowens finally
just accepted and said whoever it is, they’ll spank their
ass purple.
**********
Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) defeated Damian
Chambers & Lord Crewe
Davis & Fletcher wasted no time attacking right at the bell
and violently drove Chambers & Crewe into one another. The
sandwich double lariat led to both Chambers & Crewe being
dropped with the Coriolis for the easy win.
Kris Statlander defeated Jade Cargill (w/Mark Sterling) to
retain the TBS Title
(Chris Jericho said on commentary this was Cargill’s best
match of her career and I would have to agree. I was
initially worried we would be robbed of a lot of action with
the commercial break in the middle, but this was an
excellent battle. The amount of counters throughout showed
how each woman was evenly matched and while the rumors are
out there about Cargill’s future, if this was indeed her
last match in AEW, it was a great one to go out on. I do
hope she sticks around though.)
Both ladies showed off their power with collar elbow tie ups
before trading lariats, with neither women budging. Both
traded catching the other with a cross body attempt, as
Statlander missed a pump kick, but Cargill was sent outside.
Statlander tried a cross body off the apron, but Cargill
caught and slammed her on the apron. During commercial,
Cargill continued to show off her strength, doing pushups in
between her onslaught of offense.
After going back and forth with attempts, it was Cargill who
hit a stalling vertical suplex. Cargill held on for another,
but Statlander countered into a spinning sit out fisherman’s
buster. Both ladies kipped up at the same time and started
slugging it out. Statlander won the battle, delivering a
charging corner knee and Blue Thunder Bomb for two.
Statlander was distracted by Sterling, who Cargill nearly
ran into, but he shoved her out of the way and took the
bullet eating a Statlander forearm. Cargill hit the pump
kick and nearly hit Jaded, which Statlander got a roll up
for two. Cargill popped up and hit a nice choke slam for a
near fall of her own. Statlander avoided Jaded again,
hitting a discus lariat, scissors kick and Friday Night
Fever for the victory. Post match, Cargill shook
Statlander’s hand, hugged her and gave her the ring as
Statlander stood tall to end the show.
AEW Collision 9/16/23
· Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ricky Starks &
Big Bill
· FTR defend the AEW Tag Team Titles against The Iron
Savages (Bronson & Boulder)
· Kris Statlander defends the TBS Title against Dr. Britt
Baker
· Evil Uno vs. Anthony Bowens
· The Hardys vs. The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
· Andrade El Idolo vs. Scorpio Sky
AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 9/20/23
· MJF defends the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe
· Jon Moxley defends the AEW International Title against Rey
Fenix
· Chris Jericho vs. Sammy Guevara
· ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli vs. NJPW Strong
Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston in a Title vs. Title
Match
· Saraya defends the AEW Women’s Title against Toni Storm
AEW Rampage: Grand Slam 9/22/23
· Darby Allin & Sting vs. Christian Cage & Luchasaurus