AEW Rampage 6/28/2024

Taped in Allentown, PA.

Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGunniess, and hometown son Ian Riccaboni were on commentary. 

Orange Cassidy defeated The Outrunners in a 2-on-1 Match (6:01)

Negative ***

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This match was nothing but comedy. The Outrunners did a lot of posing. Cassidy avoided a half dozen elbow drops from the Outrunners, then him them both with a dropkick. The Outrunners dropped Cassidy with a double back suplex for a near fall. Cassidy avoided a splash in the corner from Turbo Floyd, then took out Truth Magnum with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Cassidy hit both his opponents with the Orange Punch and got the pinfall. 

Renee Paquette interviewed the Learning Tree. Jericho announced that he had a new partner for the trios match at Forbidden Door. He will announce the identity of the new partner  tomorrow night at Collision.

Gabe Kidd & Roderick Strong (w/ Mike Bennett and Matt Taven) defeated The Infantry (w/ Trish Adora) (6:24)

***

Thumbs In The Middle Pointing Up

I’m a pretty regular AEW watcher and I have no idea why I’m supposed to care about the Infantry. Shawn Dean took a beating for most of the match. He got the tag to Carlie Bravo. Bravo hit Kidd with an outside-in cutter for a near fall. Bravo hit Kidd with a scissor kick, and Shawn Dean followed up with a frog splash for the near fall. Strong tripped of Bravo, allowing Kidd to hit Dean with a backdrop driver. Kidd finished off Bravo with a piledriver. 

El Phantasmo defeated  AR Fox in the last Qualifier Match for the  TNT Championship Ladder Match (5:23)

***

Thumbs In The Middle Poiniting Up

Fox hit a senton bomb for a near fall. Phantasmo came back with a flying forearm and a pair of atomic drops. Phantasmo dropped a Bret Hart style elbow off the middle rope. Phantasmo hit a Lionsault for a near fall. Fox came back with an enziguri and a twisting brainbuster. Fox hit the 450 splash for a near fall. Fox set Phantasmo up for something on the middle rope, but walked into a Panama Sunrise from Phantasmo. Phantasmo hit a straight jacket face-first piledriver to get the pinfall. Felt like a collection of spots. The commentators tried  to build up Fox as a threat, but Fox didn’t even get a real entrance. Also how valuable is the TNT Title if two guys who haven’t been in the company for like a year are fighting for a title shot? 

Lexi Nair interviewed Deonna Purrazzo ahead of her Owen Hart quarter final match tomorrow night. 

Shingo Takagi pinned Dalton Castle (w/ the Boys) (6:48) 

**3/4

Thumbs Up

Takagi cracked Castle’s back against the ring apron, but Castle caught Takagi with a rana on the floor. Takagi suplexed Castle on the floor. This all happened during the split-screen break. After the break, Takagi dropped Castle with a backdrop diver, then followed up with a senton. Castle came back with a throw. Castle and Takagi exchanged strikes, with Castle getting the better of the exchange. Castle with a bulldog for a near fall. Castle went for the Bangarang, but Takagi escaped and dropped Castle with a Gory Bomb. Takagi with some strikes and a DTT.  Castle caught Takagi with a jacknife cover, but Takagi came back with a Pumping Bomber. Made in Japan finished off Castle. 

Saraya and Harley Cameron cut a promo ahead of Saraya’s match with Mariah May at Zero Hour on Sunday.

Queen Aminata defeated Skye Blue (9:37) 

Aminata hit a pair of snap suplexes. She went for a third, but Blue countered with a small package for a near fall. Blue caught Aminata with a superkick for one. Blue hit Aminata with a knee, then booted her through the ropes to the floor. Blue dove onto Aminata with a crossbody off the top on the floor. 

After a long split screen break, Aminata hit a sliding PK for a near fall. Aminata suplexed Blue on the ring apron. Aminata went for a hip attack on Blue against the steel steps, but Blue got out of the way. Blue then suplexed Aminata off the steel steps to the floor. Back in the ring. Blue planted Aminiata face first for a near fall. Blue went for the Code Blue, but Aminata escaped, hit Blue with a headbutt and got the pinfall. 

After the match, Aminata helped Blue to her feet. Blue responded with a superkick. Blue locked Aminata in a dragon sleeper, but Red Velvet ran in to make the save. 

Overall: Thumbs In The Middle Pointing Down