AEW Rampage Review – July 21, 2023
TNT Title #1 Contenders 20 Man Royal Rampage Match
Jay Lethal vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Big Bill vs. Toa Liona vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Kaun vs. Brian Cage vs. Matt Menard vs. Jake Hager vs. Angelo Parker vs. Ethan Page vs. Matt Sydal vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin vs. Nick Wayne vs. Minoru Suzuki vs. The Butcher vs. The Blade vs. Komander
#1 Darby Allin & #3 Jay Lethal started in ring #1 #2 Swerve Strickland & #4 Nick Wayne fought in the 2nd ring. #5 is Minoru Suzuki & he enters the ring with Lethal & Allin. Lethal talks Suzuki into doubling up on Allin.
#6 is Brian Cage & he enters the ring with Wayne & Strickland & Cage works over Wayne and hugs Strickland meanwhile Lethal & Suzuki’s alliance fell apart. #7 is Ethan Page & he went right after Lethal and ended up trading blows with Suzuki.
#8 is Komander & he went to the 2nd ring and jumps off of Cage’s shoulders and then DDT’s Strickland on the way down. Komander also work over Cage. #9 is The Butcher & he enters the 1st ring and clotheslines Page.
#10 is Big Bill as he joins the action in the 2nd ring and attacks Wayne & Komander before Bill puts Wayne down with a big boot and then hits a Blackhole Slam on Komander.
In the 1st ring Page eliminated Lethal then he grabs the hand of Page. Suzuki helps push Page over the top rope while Lethal pulled him to the floor to eliminate him. Moments later, The Butcher counters Suzuki’s Gotch Style Piledriver attempt and eliminates him from the match.
#11 is The Blade & he joins the Butcher in double teaming Allin at ringside as the show cut to a picture in picture break.
After the break #12 is Isiah Kassidy & he enters the 2nd ring with a springboard crossbody block on Strickland. #13 is Toa Liona & he was in ring 1 as Allin was being roughed up by The Butcher & The Blade. Liona grabs Allin’s arms and then The Butcher grabs his feet and they swung him into a corner of the ring.
#14 is Matt Sydal & Sydal & Kassidy teamed up for Gin & Juice on Strickland. #15 is Kaun & he went right after The Butcher & The Blade because they had already turn on Liona.
In ring 2 Kassidy took a powerbomb/clothesline combo move from Cage & Bill then Cage tosses Kassidy over the top rope to eliminate him then in ring 1 Gates Of Agony boots The Butcher & The Blade from the apron to eliminate them.
#16 is Matt Hardy & he went after Strickland in the 2nd ring. Hardy follows up with a neckbreaker on Cage and follows up with a DDT on Bill.
#17 is Matt Menard & he was cautious about entering the 1st ring where Gates Of Agony had Allin down. Cage eliminated Sydal from the 2nd ring. Menard enters the ring and teases going after the Gates Of Agony but turns and put the boots to Allin.
#18 is Jeff Jarrett & he went right after Hardy & #19 was Angelo Parker & Parker went after Gates Of Agony but he was quickly cut off.
#20 & final entry is Jake Hager & he shot Jericho a look before heading to the ring as the show cut to a PIP break.
During the break Hager took a suplex from Cage then Bill shoves Hager against the ropes and then Komander helps shoves Hager over the top to eliminate him. Bill eliminated Komander moments later.
After the break Strickland, Cage, Bill & Hager set up for a move on Allin in the 1st ring but he slips away. Gates Of Agony & JAS started fighting near the ropes and Allin crashes into them but none were eliminated initially. Gates Of Agony finally eliminated Parker & Menard.
In the 2nd ring Hardy eliminated Jarrett. Cage & Strickland performed a double team move on Hardy and then Bill clotheslines Hardy over the top rope to eliminate him. Bill tried to chokeslam Wayne but Wayne stays on the apron. Strickland ran over and pushes Bill over the top rope to eliminate him.
Wayne climbs to the top rope of the 1st ring and hits a split legged dropkick on Gates Of Agony. Wayne follows up with Wayne’s World on Kaun. Allin & Wayne clotheslined Kaun over the top rope to eliminate him.
Wayne returns to the 2nd ring. Wayne was backdrop onto the apron by Cage & he went for a clothesline and tumbled over the top to the apron when Wayne ducks it. Strickland went for a big boot that Wayne ducks and Cage caught. Wayne tried to shove Strickland & Cage to the floor but Strickland held on while Cage was eliminated.
Strickland caught Wayne leaping from the ropes and dumps him face first onto the turnbuckle so that he lands on the apron. Strickland wrenched Wayne’s arm over the top rope and then Wayne fell off the apron and was eliminated. Liona charges at Allin but ducks and held the top rope down causing Liona to go over the top rope to the floor.
The final 2 were Allin & Strickland & with Allin down Strickland enters the first ring and delivered a kick to the back of Allin’s head. Strickland jaws at Allin and then ran the ropes but Allin sent him over the top rope but Strickland skins the cat. Allin tried to pry his fingers from the ropes.
Prince Nana enters the ring and hit Allin with his skateboard so Allin went after Nana but Strickland returns to the ring and attacks Allin from behind. Nana set the skateboard so that its wheels were facing upward and then Strickland powerbombs Allin on it.
Strickland tosses Allin over the top rope but Allin held on to the top rope. Strickland went up top and jumps toward Allin but he put his boots up only for Strickland to stop short of his feet. Strickland went for a brainbuster but Allin slips away and wrenches Strickland’s neck over the top rope.
Allin ran the ropes and performed a suicide dive that drove Strickland off the apron and caused both men to the ring floor at ringside.
Winner & #1 Contender To The TNT Title: Darby Allin
A replay showed that Strickland’s feet hits the ground before Allin landed on the floor.
Trios Match
QTV (QT Marshall, Aaron Solo & Johnny TV) vs. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & Billy Gunn
After the break QTV took out The Acclaimed on the floor then in the ring Johnny TV hit a springboard kick on Billy Gunn and then Marshall drops him with a Diamond Cutter. Aaron Solo hits a top rope double stomp on Gunn. TV covered Gunn for a near fall.
They set up for the Scissor Me Timbers spot on Gunn but The Acclaimed returned to break it up before Gunn caught Solo leaping from the ropes and gave him a Cobra Clutch slam then Bowens hits Solo with The Arrival and then Caster lands Mic Drop to get the win.
Winners: The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn
After the match Caster took the mic and said they would rise to the top of the trios division after Collision on Saturday.
TBS Title Match
Kris Statlander (c) vs. Marina Shafir
Marina Shafir took offensive control and hits a side suplex for a 1 count then Shafir pressed her barefoot on the face of Statlander. Statlander took a series of kicks and then fired up and caught the leg of Shafir before firing back with punches.
Statlander powers up Shafir in electric chair position and drops her face first to the mat then Statlander powers up Shafir and suplex her and then covered her for a two count.
Statlander sets up Shafir for a move but Shafir slips out and applied a standing Figure 4. Statlander kicked her way free and then avoids a big kick. Statlander put Shafir down with a discus lariat and then hits Friday Night Fever to score the win.
Winner & Still TBS Champion: Kris Statlander (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!!)
