AEW Rampage 6/30/2023

AEW Rampage 6/30/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/aew-rampage-6232023.html 

Ring of Honor Title - Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs Komander

If you want to know how Komander earned this shot, I have nothing for you. And if you want to know why Alex is with Komander, I also have nothing for you. Komander headflips out of an armlock then is forearmed. Koamnder handstands on the top buckle then spinning headscissors him. CC hits a facekick. Komander gets on his back then takes a stiff uranage style move. CC hits a giant swing then Komander armdrags him out of the ricola bomb attempt. Komander topes him but is caught. Komander then tilt-a-whirl armdrags him from the 2nd buckle onto the floor.

Komander is sent into the rails then facekicked. Komander is hip thrown over the rail and splats on the floor. CC gorilla presses him into the 2nd rope, missing the throw over the top. CC ddt's him and we go to PiP break. We return and CC legdrops him. CC goes for a 2nd rope powerbomb but is hurricanrana'd. Komander does a satellite headscissors then 180 corkscrew dives him outside.

Komander is sent into the rails again. He then walks the rail and ssp's CC as he hangs over the rail. Komander corkscrews off the top into a hurricanrana. CC misses a running euro in the corner. Komander is popped-up onto CC's shoulders then comes off the top with a tornado ddt. Komander slingshots over the top and pulls his throat down over the top then double jump phoenix splashes him for 2. Komander hits strikes and comes off the top then is euro'd. The match then ends via KO as Komander is legit knocked out.

It wasn't that good and the finish was not planned. They botched a lot of spots and Komander still brings nothing to the table but various spots.

The Blade vs Shawn Spears

This one is random. Shawn headlock takeovers him, does a 10 taunt and flexes his butt at him. I did not need to see that. They trade chops on the floor and Blade has his head banged off the steps. Blade is backdropped on the apron and Butcher is sent into the rails. Butcher then lariats Spears outside.

Blade gordbusters Shawn and tries chops but Spears hulks up. Spears makes his comeback and Thesz presses him with punches. Spears death valley drivers Blade and wins it.

This was short and a total nothing match. It was a total waste of time that did nothing for anyone and was total filler. 

Johnny TV and QT Marshall vs Isaiah Kassidy and Matt Hardy

Harley Cameron comes out and sings on the ramp and they roll out the red carpet. Ethan Page is out there with the faces. Johnny and Matt do taunts and Matt works his arm. Kassidy top rope double stomps Johnny's arm. Kass spinning headscissors QT and jumping neckbreakers him. QT takes a double back elbow and a rolling senton + a legdrop combo.

Johnny does his odd samoan drop move on Matt then Kass springboard crossbodies him. Kass does a blind hurricanrana and stunners QT off the bottom rope. Harley is playing with her phone and Kass goes out and poses with her. He gets hit by QT then Johnny tornillo topes him. QTV then take pics together.

QT goes to suplex Kassidy but is hurricanrana'd. Matt comes in and hits slams then bangs Johnny's head off the buckles. Matt hits a side effect on QT and pulls Johnny from the bottom rope into a sit out powerbomb. Matt ddt's Johnny for 2. Matt is popped up into a QT forearm then Johnny springboard kicks him for 2.

Johnny misses a top rope flip and he is pushed into a Kassidy high kick. Matt back body drops QT over the top then Johnny is double clotheslined over the top. Kassidy then jumps off of Matt's back to the outside. Matt hits a side effect then Harley gets on the apron. Kassidy is crotched up top then Matt is banged into the steps. Johnny hits starship pain on Kassidy and wins it.

It was okay but a rather average match. It's still unclear what exactly QTV is accomplishing or why they need featured so much over others.

Ethan Page gets in the ring after, seemingly to prevent Matt from being abused. QT and Johnny pieface him then Page hits QT. Johnny superkicks Page then The Acclaimed minus Max come out to help.

Wheeler Yuta says the war between the Elite and the BCC isn't over. Yuta said they need to break him physically and mentally and says he will end him on Dynamite.

Shida said she waited to face Taya since she came to AEW. Taya says beating her will take her back to the top.

Hikaru Shida vs Taya Valkyrie

This is the main event and this one is also out of nowhere. Taya takes her down then Shida armdrags her. Shida hits corner punches and hurricanrana's her. Shida hits her outside and sets up a chair. Shida step up enzugiri's her in the ring then is forearmed. Taya crotches her on the post then bangs her knee off the post.

We go to break and return. They each hit forearms and Shida hits a flurry of forearms. Shida trips on a jumping knee then is knocked off the ropes onto the floor. Shida suplexes her on the floor the meteoras her off the apron. Shida then running elbows her for 2. Taya throws her knee into the top buckle then meteora's her in the corner. Taya goes for her double chickenwing drop but Shida rolls her up and wins it.

There was some knee work here and selling here. I didn't think the apron and floor moves were necessary. It was a cold match without any meaning or build and it was hard to get invested in this. Taya again lost here and I don't really understand why they are having her do so many jobs.

Overall thoughts: This was the first real Rampage show after Collision's creation. The general consensus was that Rampage would have weaker cards and this indeed had a weaker card. None of the matches had any build to them and what we were given was far from AEW's best work. It was pretty much a C-Show level card and a waste of time.