AEW Rampage - The First Dance Live Coverage - August 20th, 2021

[Kemo]

AEW Rampage

This week, for the second episode of RAMPAGE, AEW is heading to the Windy City to present The First Dance LIVE from The United Center! The anticipation for this event has been off the charts since the moment it was announced, and speculation has run rampant about just what will go down on this Friday night!

– The sophomore edition of AEW Rampage on TNT kicks off in front of the largest crowd in All Elite Wrestling history inside the United Center in Chicago, Ill. after the regular opening video plays to get this week's show started.

– From there fireworks explode as Excalibur welcomes us to the show and the camera pans around the venue. We settle down at the broadcast position where Excalibur welcomes his commentary partners Mark Henry, Taz and replacing Chris Jericho this week, Jim Ross.

– CM Punk makes his return to wrestling. Punk comes out to a massive pop. He gets down on his knees on the stage and takes in the “CM Punk” cheers. As the music plays on Punk gets to his feet very fired up and asks for more for more from the crowd. He slowly takes it in as he makes his way to the ring. He ends up hugging fans and ends up jumping into the crowd for a moment. “You guys really know how to make a kid feel like Britt Baker in Pittsburgh.” Punk said he didn’t know what he wanted to say, he was going to say what he felt. Punk says he’s got the time, Wednesdays, Fridays, PPVs, he’s not going anywhere. Crowd chanting “CM Punk!” a lot. Punk says if what he did years ago, if he let anyone down, he wants them to know he wasn’t going to get healthy mentality or physically if he stayed in the place that got him six in the first place. Punk says it’s hot in here and he takes off his jacket to show off his new AEW shirt. Punk sits cross legged in the ring to tell a story.

He says he was in a place and had to leave, it was ROH (crowd chuckles). Punk says he honed his craft there, and cried when he left, but knew he had to. Punk said that’s when he actually left pro wrestling, but today he’s back. Punk says he’s back because he wants to face the young talent who has the passion he did as a younger wrestler. He has a few scores to settle as well. Punk ends up calling out Darby Allin.

We see Allin and Sting up in the rafters to listen. Punk says he’s seen Allin get beaten up and tossed all over the place, but he’s tough. Punk says he wants to help Allin, and there’s nothing more dangerous he can do than wrestle CM Punk, except wrestle CM Punk on All Out! I’m back. Punk says a lot of people waited for him for a long time, so when people make their way out, get an ice cream bar on him.

AEW World Tag Title Eliminator Tournament Match: Jurassic Express vs. Private Party

Before the match gets going, The Young Bucks (and Brandon Cutler) heads out to the stage to watch. Winner of this tournament faces the champions at All Out. Lucha Bros and Varsity Blonds in the crowd to watch the match. JB and Quen gets thing going, JB using his agility to take down both opponents. Quen with a hair pull and things break down a bit as Hardy even gets in a cheap shot.

JB getting worked over by Quen, but he finally lands a big shot to give him a window to tag in Luchasaurus. He throws big strikes on both opponents, double clothesline, does some celebrating in the corner. “Luchasaurus!” chant breaks out. Kassidy is put up on the top rope. JB jumps up, and tries for a suplex off Luchasaurs, but it gets broken up. He gets caught on Luchasaurus’ shoulders, Kassidy hits a super canadian destroyer, cover, two. Quen with a springboard missile dropkick.

Luchasaurus knocked out to the floor, Quen up to the top rope and goes for a shooting star press on him. Back in the ring, double team move on Kassidy as he tries for silly string. Quen knocked to the floor, cover, two. Hardy on the apron. Stunt jumps up to stop him, but gets launched down to the floor. JB sends Hardy flying, Kassidy with the roll-up and pulls the tights, but only two. Gin and juice reversed into a spinning DDT by JB. Luchasaurus with a big kick, finisher hits on Quen, cover, 1-2-3.

Winners: Jurassic Express

– Backstage, AEW World Champion Kenny Omega with Don Callis and Nakazawa. Callis says another fluke win by Jurassic Express. They switched to All Out, Omega says he’s going to retire Christian Cage for another seven years and will wish he never came back to wrestling!

– Video package hypes Kiera Hogan and Jade Cargill match.

Jade Cargill with Smart Mark Sterling vs. Kiera Hogan

Hogan already in the ring as Cargill makes her entrance. The two jaw a bit before they lock up and Cargill tosses her opponent. Hogan lands a few strikes. Cargill works Hogan over some more. She hits her finisher, Jaded, and we’re already done here.

Winner: Jade Cargill

– Video highlights shown from earlier tonight of Punk’s return. CM Punk returning on Wednesday’s Dynamite.

– Mark Henry talks with Daniel Garcia and Jon Moxley before their match. Henry asks Garcia about the attack on Dynamite. Garcia says for him to be a big name, he’s gotta take down Moxley. 2point0 trash talk Moxley some more. Lee says Garcia is going to give Moxley a taste of what’s to come for him. Moxley had his back to the camera the whole time. He finally tours around and says he’s going to hurt Garcia. He says Garcia has a better chance of getting him pregnant than submitting him. Moxley is ready to go, takes off his ear piece and heads to the ring.

Jon Moxley with Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia with 2point0

Garcia gets dropped and eats a few kicks. He fights back and works over Moxley’s banged up leg from the earlier attack. Garcia twisting the knee and driving his knee into it. Garcia applies an ankle lock, Moxley twists out of it, but Garcia keeps working the knee. Moxley nearly gets an arm submission of his own, but Garcia slips out and throws down some elbows.

Moxley with two german suplexes, third one Garcia slips under and applies a kneelock. Moxley gets to the ropes for a break. He gets up and lands a big lariat. They trade shots in the center of the ring. Headbutts by Moxley, tries for paradigm shift, nope. Garcia slips under and keeps working the knee, he leans back, Moxley is able to grab his neck and lock in the bulldog choke for the tap out.

Winner: Jon Moxley

– Post-match, 2point0 jump in the ring and swing away. Kingston tries to help, but gets dropped. Sting and Allin head to the ring and help even the odds. Paradigm shift on Garcia. 2point0 sent to the corner, Sting Splash lands. Sting hits scorpion deathdrop on Parker. Allin with a coffin drop on both Lee and Parker. Kingston, Sting, Allin, and Moxley do some celebrating as the show comes to a close.

[TKO]

Biggest wrestling debut in 30 years

[LionDen]

Biggest wrestling debut in 30 years

lol MOX. More debuts to come.

Thank you Kemo for LC.