By Jon
VENUE: Curtis Culwell Center (Garland, TX)
COMMENTATORS: Excalibur, Taz, & “Absolute” Ricky Starks
Championship Week continues on this week’s Rampage, featuring:
- “Hangman” Adam Page defending the AEW World Championship against Adam Cole in a Texas Death Match
- The Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Yuta) in trios action against The Gunn Club
- Ruby Soho taking on Robyn Renegade for a spot in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament
CHAMPIONS
- AEW WORLD CHAMPION: “Hangman” Adam Page
- AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Thunder Rosa
- AEW TBS CHAMPION: Jade Cargill
- AEW TNT CHAMPION: Scorpio Sky
- AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus)
LINEUP
- The Blackpool Combat Club vs. The Gunn Club (***) [RECAP]
- The Butcher vs. Unnamed Opponent (SQUASH) [RECAP]
- OWEN HART FOUNDATION WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER: Ruby Soho vs. Robyn Renegade (**3/4) [RECAP]
- TEXAS DEATH MATCH: Adam Page [c] vs. Adam Cole for the AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (***) [RECAP]
MATCH RESULTS
SHOW RECAP
FINAL THOUGHTS
*****
-Pyro, ballyhoo, and The Gunn Club are already in the ring for the opening match. Like lambs to the slaughter.
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The Blackpool Combat Club (“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Gunn Club (Billy, Austin, & Colton Gunn)
William Regal, as usual, joins the commentary team and immediately complains about his bad hair day in a jovial tone. People seem to be enjoying the hell out of themselves in AEW, I dig that. Yuta starts for his team, crowd immediately starts chanting his name as he manipulates the joints of Austin Gunn. Austin gets to the ropes and escapes with a back elbow, Colton tags in but Yuta blocks the dropkick and ties up the legs, bridging for extra torque. Danielson tags in and applies a Romero Special, burying forearms to the side of the head. Papa Gunn enters the fray. Danielson dodges a corner splash, Danielson connects with a series of kicks and chops, Billy charges after Danielson and wipes him out with a back elbow, then jaws at Moxley as the show moves to picture-in-picture. Gunn Club continue working Danielson over, Billy picking him up with one arm into a backbreaker for a two-count.
Colton tags in and connects with a snap suplex, transitioning into a rear-chinlock as Rampage returns to full screen. Danielson escapes, Colton connects with a dropkick for the 1…2…not yet. Austin tags in and tosses Danielson into the corner then does the Roman Reigns taunt at Mox. Austin gets sent into the buckles who sells it hilariously and Mox gets the hot tag. Mox wrecks all three Gunns and sits Colton on the top buckle, connecting with heavy forearms to the spine followed by a middle buckle superplex. Mox grabs Austin & Colton and connects with a double DDT. Colton surprises Mox with a kick, Billy tags in and gets turned inside out with a rebound lariat. Yuta gets the tag and connects with a HUGE top rope crossbody for the 1…2…Austin makes the save, Danielson wipes him out with a Busaiku Knee, Colton tries to interfere and eats a stunner from Mox, Danielson & Mox go to take flight but Billy takes them out with a double clothesline. Yuta goes after Billy with forearms, Billy connects with a Cobra Clutch Slam for the 1…2…Yuta kicks out and Billy can’t believe it. Yuta dodges the Fameasser and rolls Billy up with a bridging O’Connor Roll for the 1…2…3! The Gunn Club’s undefeated streak is OVER.
The Blackpool Combat Club defeated The Gunn Club via pinfall (9:06)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Great first showing from the BCC as a trios team, with Yuta getting the real chance to shine with the hot tags and the pin over Billy Gunn. Side note how hilarious is it that Billy Gunn is so much bigger than the AEW roster? Dude looks like f*cking El Gigante out there. (***)
–
The Butcher vs. Unnamed Opponent
“The Chairman” Shawn Spears joins commentary for the next match, a warm-up for The Butcher heading into his battle with Wardlow next week on Dynamite.
Butcher’s opponent comes off the top with a missile dropkick but Butcher brushes it off and wrecks this dude’s day, finishing things off with a Powerbomb, stacking him up for the 1…2…3. Oooo shots fired.
The Butcher defeated Jobber Guy via pinfall (0:55)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: I did not catch Butcher’s opponent’s name but he was very entertaining and made a good tackling dummy for The Butcher. Loved Butcher winning with a powerbomb to throw some shade at Wardlow. Might be my most anticipated match on next week’s Dynamite. (SQUASH)
–
-”The Natural” Dustin Rhodes says his war with Lance Archer is not over, then throws out a challenge to someone on his bucket list: CM Punk. Best in the World vs. The Natural next week! OH F*CK YEAH LET’S GO.
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OWEN HART FOUNDATION WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT: QUALIFYING MATCH
Ruby Soho vs. Robyn Renegade
Oh yeah Ruby Soho is in AEW, huh? I’m assuming she’s been stuck on those YouTube shows for the past few months. No idea who Renegade is but she’s 0-3 this year in AEW so I don’t like her chances. They do look like they shop at the same Hot Topic though, maybe they can be friends after this.
Renegade grabs the wrist, Soho flips out and counters, Renegade shoves her to the canvas. Soho ducks a clothesline and connects with rapid-fire headbutts, Renegade charges but Soho sweeps the leg and sends her to the canvas. Soho goes for a headscissors, Renegade puts her in a headstand position and connects with a superkick for the 1…2…not yet. Renegade fish-hooks Soho as the match moves to picture-in-picture. Renegade bounces Soho’s head off the top buckle and goes for a chop but Soho dodges and responds with rapid-fire chops of her own. Soho rolls Renegade up with a sunset flip for the 1…2…Renegade kicks out and ducks a clothesline, regaining offensive control with a lung blower. After a nearfall Renegade slaps on a chinlock, hoping to wear Soho down. They get to their feet, Soho counters into an inside cradle for the 1…2…Renegade kicks out and connects with a clothesline…and now it moves to full commercials so I guess we’ll pick it up in a sec. Can’t let Febreeze slum it in the picture-in-picture, not in this economy.
Back to the match as Soho connects with a killer belly-to-back suplex. Soho continues the offensive string, connecting with a series of slaps and a kick that drops her to the canvas. Soho grabs Renegade in a headscissors and drives her skull into the middle buckle. Ref tries to separate the two, Renegade rakes the eyes and hides under the ring as HER IDENTICAL TWIN CHARLOTTE RENEGADE TAKES OVER, WHAT. Charlotte counters a senton with a pair of knees but takes too long talking trash, eating a No Future. Charlotte falls to the floor and back under the ring, Robyn returns and rolls Soho up for the 1…2…Soho kicks out. Soho catches a kick and hits a knee followed by Sister Abigail (yeah I used the WWE name, what of it) for the 1…2…3!
Ruby Soho defeated Robyn Renegade via pinfall (7:23 shown)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: I had no idea there were two Renegades so the twin magic thing caught me completely by surprise. That was cool. Ruby Soho still handled her business though, too bad she wasn’t around in 1993 to help Crush. Good match, glad to see Ruby Soho on an AEW show I watch consistently. (**3/4)
The Renegade Twins leave in disgrace, Ruby and Bryce both confused at what they’re seeing. Twins. You’re seeing twins.
–
–Mark Henry interviews Hangman Page & Adam Cole ahead of the next match. Henry asks Page if he thinks the Texas Death Match will be the end of their war. Page says tonight he will end Cole’s obsession with him and his championship, and might even end his career. Cole vows to become the AEW World Champion and end Page, saying he will end the Hangman.
–
TEXAS DEATH MATCH
“Hangman” Adam Page [c] vs. Adam Cole for the AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The only way to win the match is by knockout or submission. Cole knows what type of match he’s in and comes out in street fight gear (jeans & boots), as is Page. Glad they know the unspoken rules and didn’t come out in ring gear. TIME TO WATCH FOLKS BLEED.
Page wastes no time, throwing chairs into the ring during his entrance. Bell rings and both men pick up a chair, Page hits Cole and sends him to the floor. Page follows him out and Cole catches him with a kick; he grabs a chair and Page kicks it right into his face, following up with some ground & pound. Page tosses Cole into the steps and clears off the timekeeper’s table (save for the World Title belt). Cole escapes Page’s grasp and creates some distance from his opponent and the table. Cole kicks Page, Page’s response strike sends him over the railing and the brawl heads into the stands. Page grabs a beer from a fan, hits Cole with it, then takes a swig. Bold of him to do that in the age of Covid. Cole & Page make it back to the ring, Page fakes him out and connects with a moonsault chair shot into the skull. Ref starts the count as Page wedges the chair in between the buckles and throws Cole into it. Cole rolls to the floor and Page takes a seat for the ref to make his count. Cole, now busted open, beats the count and gets thrown into the apron as the match moves to picture-in-picture. Page sets a table up, Cole counters a suplex with a knee strike and reverses, sending Hangman crashing onto the floor. Cole tosses Page into the steps and rolls him into the ring, introducing another chair into the match. Page sits on the chair previously set up and Cole drills him with a Shining Wizard.
Cole wraps a chain around the top rope and Page fights back with rights as the match returns to full screen. Page charges, Cole CLOTHESLINES Page with the chain. Real Wile E. Coyote of Page to fall for that. Do you think he’d run into a wall if Cole painted a tunnel on it? Cole sets up two chairs back to back, Page blocks a superkick and BOUNCES HIM OFF THE EDGES OF THE CHAIRS WITH A DEATH VALLEY DRIVER. Oooo f*ck that. F*****ck that. Page makes a chair pile in the center of the ring, Page counters the Panama Sunrise with a Deadeye! Taz screams at him to make a cover but it’s KO or submission only which he remembers halfway through. It’s cool dude I kinda forgot to. Both men beat the count, Cole rolling to the floor to land on his feet and break it. Page comes off the top with a moonsault, Cole counters him with a superkick on the way down and rolls back into the ring, making the ref start the count. 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…Page is up and back in the ring. Cole immediately drills Page with a Panama Sunrise, landing stomach-first on the chairs. Ref counts, a bloodied (on the chin) Page beats the count right at 9, surprising and angering Cole. Cole brings Page onto the buckles, Page stuns him with a headbutt and connects with a SUPER FALLAWAY SLAM, Cole landing on the pile of chairs.
1…2…3…4…5…6…Page is up…7…8…9…Cole gets to his feet as the crowd chants “THIS IS AWESOME”. Page sits Cole in a chair, Cole pulls him back and Page drills him with a back elbow. Cole grabs him again, Page hits another elbow then sits right across from him, telling Cole to hit him. They trade rights, turning it into a hockey fight as they get back to their feet. Cole hits an enzuigiri, Page connects with a kick, Cole counters a Buckshot attempt with a superkick. Cole calls Page a joke of a champion and grabs a chair, Page belts him with a Buckshot Lariat and ties him to the top rope with his belt. Page grabs a BARBED WIRE-COVERED CHAIR from under the ring. Page hesitates at using it, throwing it away instead and untying Cole…WHO HITS HIM WITH A LOW BLOW. That’s on Hangman, Hangman is a dummy. Cole connects with a pair of kicks and charges, Page drills him with a lariat and pulls off a piece of the barbed wire from the chair. He makes himself a lil’ barbed wire sleeve, Cole sends him to the apron with a superkick and goes for a Panama Sunrise, Page dodges and clubs him in the back with the barbed wire arm. Page puts the barbed wire on Cole’s head like a crown and connects with a DEAD EYE OFF THE APRON AND THROUGH THE TABLE. Well sheeeeee-it. Ref starts the count. 1…2…3….4…5…6…7…8…9…Page gets to his feet but Cole can’t…10!
Adam Page [c] defeated Adam Cole via KO to retain the AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (20:07)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: This would’ve fit right in as an NXT TakeOver main event, which is either a good thing or bad thing depending on your tastes. Me personally I didn’t hate it; it was a little on the tame side given how much I’ve already seen Page bleed this year alone but Cole took some gnarly bumps and I thought they set up the Dead Eye through the table very well. Could’ve done without the Cole monologue and the “nah I simply CANNOT” thing about the barbed wire chair but it is what it is. More of an annoyance than anything. (***)
Page celebrates the win as Cole writhes on the floor, the Hangman ready to put this chapter behind him and move on to someone else. May I suggest a certain Chick Magnet Punk?
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS
Easy watch, three good matches and a fun squash, AEW Rampage being only an hour long keeps it from getting too bloated which I appreciate. My favorite match has to be BCC/Gunn Club, just a great piece of business that further made Wheeler Yuta into an even bigger deal. Love watching that dude ascend. Page/Cole ended up being kinda tame for a DEATH MATCH but there were enough cool bumps to keep me interested, plus the finish popped me. Their Revolution match was admittedly a lot better. If you’re pressed for time you can skip this week but you also won’t regret it if you decide to check it out anyway.
- FAVORITE MATCH: Blackpool Combat Club vs. Gunn Club
- FAVORITE MOMENT: The Renegade Twins trying twin magic…and failing miserably. Hope AEW wasn’t planning on making that a thing in the future because they killed it dead BUT I thought it was pretty funny so I wanted to shout it out.
MATCH RESULTS
- Blackpool Combat Club defeated The Gunn Club via pinfall (9:06) [RECAP]
- The Butcher beat Unnamed Opponent via pinfall (0:55) [RECAP]
- OWEN HART FOUNDATION WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER: Ruby Soho defeated Robyn Renegade via pinfall (7:23 shown) [RECAP]
- TEXAS DEATH MATCH: Adam Page [c] defeated Adam Cole via KO to retain the AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (20:07) [RECAP]
