Samantha L. Sayre
AEW Rampage returned to its usual 10:00 pm Eastern time slot on June 7th with five matches announced for the card. While I don’t like the Friday night slot, I’m still not sure about adding it to AEW Dynamite or AEW Collision. I think I’m a big fan of it being a separate one-hour program. Maybe they just need to use it to spotlight different wrestlers.
The AEW Rampage opened up with “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, Excaliber, and Tony Schiavone at the announcer’s desk. The Butcher was already in the ring when the show started.
Penta El Zero Miedo versus The Butcher
As Penta El Zero Miedo came down the ramp, fans were chanting, “Zero Miedo.” The Butcher and Penta immediately got into a shoving match then The Butcher took Penta down. Penta countered with a thrust kick. The Butcher quickly regained the advantage. Penta quickly evaded a Butcher attack in the corner and hit a running stalling dropkick on him. He got a near fall.
The Butcher rolled to the outside and avoided a dive attempt by Penta. Alex Abrahantes stood in the way of The Butcher. This allowed him to take over in the match. The Butcher hit Penta with a clothesline in the corner. The attack continued all through the 90-second commercial picture-in-picture break. As AEW Rampage came back, The Butcher was stomping Penta’s arm. Penta recovered and hit two slingblades on The Butcher for a two-count.
Penta climbed up to the top rope looking for a splash. The Butcher dodged it and hit a diving crossbody. After Penta avoided a running attack from The Butcher, Penta connected with a backstabber in the corner. Both men were trying to get back up and Butcher landed the half-nelson backbreaker. Penta fought back and got The Butcher up for a Fear Factor for the win.
Penta El Zero Miedo defeated The Butcher
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this opener and think that The Butcher doesn’t get enough credit for how good of a wrestler he is. Penta is always exciting. I felt that some of the transitions didn’t flow as well as they normally do in a Penta match. I’m going to be watching closely to see if Tony Khan puts Penta in the TNT Championship Ladder Match in order to keep him from leaving AEW.
Chris Jericho
Next up we have Chris Jericho with Bryan Keith and Big Bill. As Jericho passed Matt Menard, he gave him pointers on his commentary like for him to keep his head up while calling the action. From the look that Menard gave him, I don’t think he was happy with the advice.
My Thoughts
I still think it’s extremely weird for Bryan Keith to be in black and obviously trying to still be menacing beside a goofy babyface Chris Jericho.
The Acclaimed versus Hunter Grey and Parviz
Max Caster’s pre-match rap ripped on their opponents. He called them “John Nord wannabees.” The fight quickly started as Anthony Bowens and Hunter Grey were the legal men in the ring. Bowens slammed Grey on the mat as Caster went up to the top rope for the Mic Drop elbow and the easy win.
My Thoughts
This was a short squash match and another win on their record. It’s expected that they will take on the EVPs, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson for AEW Tag Team Championships.
Shane Taylor Promotions
Backstage on AEW Rampage, Shane Taylor Promotions (Anthony Ogogo, Shane Taylor, and Lee Moriarty) talked about taking on Top Flight and Action Andretti.
The Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) versus Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy)
Bishop Kaun and Isiah Kassidy started off as the legal men in the ring. As Toa Liona stood on the apron, Kassidy hit Liona with a guillotine. Quen tagged in trying to get an early advantage. Kassidy with a dive to the outside, but Liona ran through him. AEW Rampage went to picture-in-picture then. As the show returns, the fans see Kassidy leap off the top rope with a crossbody that takes out both Kaun and Liona on the outside.
Kassidy shoved Kaun back into the ring then Kassidy hit a senton for a two-count. Quen was tagged in and they attempted a double-team move, but Kaun overpowered them by himself. Gates of Agony sandwiches Quen with a dual lariat. However Kassidy dove in and broke up the count. Then Liona tried a corner splash, but Quen step aside and tagged in Kassidy. Then fans saw the 450 by Quen and the shooting star by Kassidy on Liona. However, that didn’t help. Kaun and Liona used their strength to take over and end the match with a double-team powerbomb by Kassidy.
The Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) defeated Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy)
My Thoughts
I’m not a big fan of The Gates of Agony, but I found that they are finally getting some wins by using their strength. Private Party’s quick, high-flying offense is something more my style. They are looking like they are finally finding their groove.
“Picture of a Champion”
AEW Rampage showed a vignette to set the stage for Timeless Toni Storm’s match against Lady Frost on AEW Collison’s June 8th show.
Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson, Austin, and Colton Gunn) versus Caleb Crush, Chris Wilde, and Tyler Payne
The Gunn brothers tagged each other into the match before Juice Robinson got a tag. Running wild, Robinson hit a corner cannonball on the enhancement talent. Then Juice is Loose by Robinson gained the victory for the Bang Bang Gang.
After the match, Jay White took the mic and bragged about how the Bang Bang Gang was now back at full strength. White talked about Juice Robinson’s return had given him an idea. He officially named Robinson as “one corner” of the unified AEW Trios Champions. White and the Gunns placed all their belts on Robinson. Then they all said if the fans weren’t down with that, they had two words for them: “Guns Up.”
Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn) defeated Caleb Crush, Chris Wilde, and Tyler Payne
My Thoughts
I can only think of wild and crazy when I hear the name, Juice Robinson. It was exciting to see him back and going at full speed. Juice has a way of pumping the fans up and making them want to get involved in his matches.
Mina Shirakawa versus Serena Deeb
Mina Shirakawa got the fans to start chanting for her to start off the match. I’m not sure if many in the crowd really knew a lot about her, but for some reason, it seems like crowds aren’t liking Serena Deeb anymore. Mina locked up with Deeb in the middle of the ring. Deeb got the drop on Shirakawa in that lockup before she applied the Paradise Lock on her. Then Deeb followed up with a dropkick to the back of the prone figure of Shirakawa.
However, Shirakawa fought back and began to work on Deeb’s leg with consecutive elbow drops. Deeb caught her with a kick in the corner. Deeb dropped Mina across the second rope to gain control of the match as AEW Rampage headed to a commercial picture-in-picture break.
After the Break Main Event Continues
As the AEW Rampage main event continued, Shirakawa hit a kick to the head of Deeb. In the middle of the ring, Deeb and Shirakawa exchanged blow after blow. Then Shirakawa hit a hard elbow strike to stun Deeb. She immediately followed up with an enzuigiri and a falling neckbreaker. From the top rope, Mina drove her knee right into Deeb’s head and shoulders for a two-count. Deeb floored Shirakawa with a German suplex and a vicious haymaker. However, she only got a two-count also.
Serena Deeb attempted a Deeb-tox on Shirakawa, but she countered it into a rollup pin. Shirakawa followed that up with a figure-four in the middle of the ring. Both women were striking each other with blows as Deeb managed to roll out of the ring. Deeb nailed a dragon screw on Shirakawa’s hurt leg then followed up by a powerbomb. As Mina kicked out, Deeb trapped her into a stretch muffler. Shirakawa countered it into a near fall. Deeb tried again for the Deeb-tox, but Shirakawa reversed it into her own finisher for the win.
Mina Shirakawa defeated Serena Deeb
Toni Storm Arrives
Mariah May came down the ramp after the match to celebrate with Mina Shirakawa. Immediately, the fans saw “Timeless” Toni Storm march down to the ring. It seemed like Mariah May was trying to broker a truce between Shirakawa and Storm. They shook hands and both of them parted the ropes for Mariah to leave. AEW Rampage went off the air with Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa both trying to escort Mariah up the ramp together.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this main event, but I don’t know much about Stardom or Mina Shirakawa. She looked good against Serena Deeb, especially with her counters. I was a little surprised they rushed the Toni Storm/Mariah May/Mina Shirakawa for AEW Forbidden Door. Plus I was shocked that Serena Deeb was asked to put her over this quickly after her match with Toni Storm.
So what’s going to happen with the triangle that AEW is showing us? I think AEW Forbidden Door will move it along for the next chapter. Maybe to the Owen Hart Tournament. Can you imagine if Mariah May wins the Tournament and takes on Toni Storm at Wembley Stadium for AEW All-In?
AEW Collision Card for June 8th
- Toni Storm versus Lady Frost
- Kyle O’Reilly versus Orange Cassidy
- FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) versus Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta
