Source: All Elite Wrestling
A new era began tonight with AEW RAMPAGE: The First Dance, which aired live from the sold-out United Center in Chicago, IL!
It’s Friday and you know what that means!
Your RAMPAGE broadcast team is Excalibur, “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz, Jim Ross, and “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry!
DYNAMITE kicked off with the blaring sounds of “Cult of Personality” and C.M.Punk walking out onto the ramp!!! The roof blew off the United Center!
“C.M.Punk has arrived in All Elite Wrestling!” said Excalibur.
“My goosebumps won’t go down. This is wild,” added Taz.
C.M.Punk jumped into the crowd and they embraced him with open arms!
The chants for C.M.Punk were thunderous!
“You guys really know how to make a kid feel like Britt Baker in Pittsburgh. I’m winging this. We’re winging this. We—that’s a very important distinction. I didn’t plan on what I’m going to say because I knew I needed to feel it. And I feel you Chicago. And I hear you Chicago. For seven years, I’ve heard you. There’s a lot to cover. The good news is I’ve got the time Wednesdays, Fridays, four Saturdays or Sundays a year. I got the time and I ain’t going anywhere,” said C.M.Punk.
“Possibly for me the most important thing I’m going to say…if at all during my journey, if any of my choices or personal decisions made you feel disappointed, let me just say, I was never going to get healthy by staying in the same place that got me sick in the first place.
“Can I tell you guys a story? I felt before like I had to leave. I didn’t want to, but I had to. I left Ring of Honor and I came out that last night with tears in my eyes. And now I know why. I had made a place where people could work, get paid, learn their craft, and love professional wrestling. I cried because I knew I was leaving a place I loved, and it was a home, and I knew where I was going wasn’t going to be easy for a guy like me. Because I’m one of you.
“So I look at it like this: August 13th, 2005, I left professional wrestling. August 20th, 2021, I’m back. And I’m back for you! I’m not gonna lie. I’m back for me too. But I’m back because there’s a hell of a lot of young talent that I wish I was surrounded by ten years ago. I’m back because I want to work with that young talent. I’m back because there’s a couple of scores to settle in that locker room.”
C.M.Punk shouted into the microphone “Darby Allin!”
Darby Allin and Sting were watching from high up in the rafters!
“I see you. You’re good. I’ve seen you jump out of airplanes. I’ve seen you get kicked down a flight of stairs and you always come back. You’re tough. But I’m here to help, Darby. And you’re first on the list. You’re a daredevil and Darby, there’s nothing more dangerous that you can do than wrestle C.M.Punk, except wrestle C.M.Punk in Chicago!
“I’ll see you September 5th at ALL OUT live on pay-per-view. I’m back! Oh, and I appreciate everyone who waited seven long years for me. So everyone, on your way out, grab yourself a free ice cream bar,” concluded Punk.
World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament Semi-Final!
#1 Ranked Jurassic Express—Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (with Marko Stunt) vs. Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen (accompanied by Matt Hardy)!
The AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks—Matt and Nick Jackson—scouted this match from the stage. They sat on chairs that were set up by Brandon Cutler.
Isiah Kassidy and Jungle Boy had a standoff. Marq Quen tagged in but Jungle Boy dropped him with an arm drag. He connected with a pin point accurate dropkick to Kassidy. Marq Quen grabbed Jungle Boy by the hair and pulled him down to the mat.
“Luchasaurus needs to get into this match,” said Taz.
Jungle Boy got the hot tag to the big masked dinosaur! Luchasaurus double clotheslined Private Party inside out!
“A lot of power. A lot of impact,” said Jim Ross.
Luchasaurus propped Kassidy onto the top turnbuckle and tagged in Jungle Boy. But the momentum shifted again as Kassidy hit a massive Canadian destroyer onto Jungle Boy from off Luchasaurus’ back for a near fall!
“We could be seeing another upset in the making for Private Party,” said Excalibur.
Marq Quen launched himself into orbit with a shooting star press to the outside onto Luchasaurus! Private Party was looking for the Silly String finisher but Jurassic Express countered. Matt Hardy jumped on the apron and Marko followed him up there. Hardy shoved Marko off the apron! Jungle Boy went after Matt Hardy. Private Party grabbed a handful of Jungle Boy’s tights and tried to roll him up for a pin.
Jurassic Express rallied back for the pin on Private Party for a tremendous comeback victory!
Jade Cargill (with “Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. Kiera Hogan!
“Jade is 9-0,” said Mark Henry.
They locked up with Jade outpowering Kiera.
“Great leverage advantage for Jade,” said Jim Ross.
Kiera followed up with a roundhouse kick. Jade answered with a thrust kick of her own. Jade finished off Kiera Hogan with her Jaded finisher! She quickly and defiantly beat Kiera Hogan!
Jim Ross announced that C.M.Punk would be making his first DYNAMITE appearance this Wednesday!
Main Event Time!
Jon Moxley (with “Mad King” Eddie Kingston) vs. “Red Death” Daniel Garcia (with 2point0—Jeff Parker & Matt Lee)!
“Moxley is in a really pissed off mood. I feel bad for Daniel Garcia,” said Taz.
Moxley shoved Garcia into the corner and stomped a mud hole into him. Mox hurled Garcia overhead with a suplex! Mox followed up with swift kicks to Garcia’s chest.
Garcia caught Moxley’s leg and began to attack it, picking right up where he left on last Wednesday on DYNAMITE.
Moxley applied an armbar but Garcia shifted with hammer punches to Mox.
“The young man is fighting for his life. You’ve gotta respect that,” said Taz.
Garcia was planted on the back of his head with two German suplexes from Moxley. Garcia came back with a leg lock to Moxley. Luckily, Mox grabbed the bottom rope and the ref broke the hold.
They traded forearms. Moxley rammed Garcia repeatedly with headbutts! Moxley looked for Paradigm Shift but Garcia countered with leg scissors and then transitioned into a leg lock on Mox again. Mox rolled back and locked on a bulldog chokehold, forcing Garcia to tap out!
Garcia and 2point0 attacked Moxley and Kingston after the match! Sting and Darby Allin came out to even up the odds! Mox spiked Garcia with the Paradigm Shift! Sting hit a double Stinger splash on 2point0! Darby Allin put the final nail in the coffin with his Coffin Drop onto 2point0!
“We’ll never forget this night of AEW RAMPAGE,” said Jim Ross.
