AEW Rampage: “The First Dance” Results
August 20, 2021
Chicago, Illinois (United Center)
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
We go live into the SOLD-OUT United Center in Chicago. They’re going to kick off the show with Tony Khan’s announcement. A LOUD “CM PUNK” chant fires up. Jim Ross is on commentary for tonight’s show.
Another loud “CM Punk” chant picks up. “CULT OF PERSONALITY” PLAYS!! CM PUNK IS HERE!! CM Punk walks out to a THUNDEROUS ovation!
Jim Ross compares this to the noise Michael Jordan would get in the very same arena. Punk looks visibly moved by the reaction as he kneels on the stage and soaks it all in. Punk embraces one of the fans. Another fan is seen crying. Punk dives into the crowd and headbangs with some fans. People are legitimately going crazy.
CM Punk makes his way to the ring. The entire “Cult of Personality” concludes, and Punk embraces what appears to be family members or friends at ringside. He stands on the second turnbuckle. We will hear from him momentarily.
-Commercial Break-
CM Punk is standing in the center of the ring. Punk says he is winging this, then says “we” are winging this. Punk didn’t plan what he was going to say since he didn’t know how he would feel. Punk says he needed to feel it. Punk feels Chicago. Another incredibly LOUD “CM Punk” chant picks up. Punk says that’s what he’s heard for 7 years. Punk has heard them. We’ve got a lot to cover. There’s good news and bad news to cover. We won’t get into the bad news now, but the good news is he has the time on Wednesdays, Fridays, 4 Sundays a year… he’s got the time and isn’t going anywhere!
Punk says the most important thing he’ll say right now is to the people at home, those that bought tickets, and for any of the people in the back. If any of the personal decisions he’s made in his life made them feel disappointed or let down, Punk understands. Suppose everyone tries to understand that he was never going to get healthy physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally staying in the same place that got him sick in the first place. The crowd loudly applauds him.
Punk asks if he can tell a story. Punk says it’s hot and removes his jacket to reveal his classic “CM Punk” t-shirt. Punk then sits in the ring cross-legged like his classic “Pipe Bomb” promo. Punk felt like he had to leave. That happened at Ring of Honor. August 13, 2005, was his last night at ROH. Punk had tears in his eyes. Punk now knows why he had tears. Punk had made a home in a place that loved professional wrestling. Punk cried because he knew he was leaving a place he loved. It was a home. Punk knew where he was going. It wasn’t going to be easy for a guy like him because he’s like the fans. Punk says on August 13, 2005, he left professional wrestling. August 20, 2021… “I’m back!” The crowd roars in approval.
Punk says he’s back for the fans and himself. There’s a hell of a lot of young talent that he wishes he was surrounded by 10 years ago. Punk figured they’re here; why not him? Now he’s here. Punk is back because he wants to work with that young talent with the same passion he did. He’s back because there are a few scores to settle in the locker room. Punk is back for the young guys like Darby Allin!
Darby Allin is seen in the rafters standing alongside “The Icon” Sting. Punk says Allin is good. He’s seen him jump out of airplanes, dumped off the top rope, thrown downstairs, but he keeps coming back. Allin is tough like Chicago. Punk is here to help Allin. Allin is a daredevil. There’s nothing more dangerous than wrestling CM Punk, especially in Chicago. Punk will see Allin, Sting, and the rest of the people on September 5 at All Out LIVE on PPV! Punk is back! A “CM Punk” chant fires up!
Punk says he has one more thing. For 7 years, people have waited a long time. On the way out of the United Center tonight, the crowd can grab an ice cream bar on him!
IMPACT World Champion Christian Cage is with the Jungle Express backstage. Christian says the Young Bucks can use their EVP privileges to hire all their cronies and keep their titles, but they can’t beat Jungle Express. As for Kenny Omega, Christian has his number. Christian will beat him at All Out and take the AEW Championship.
Private Party battles Jungle Express, next.
-Commercial Break-
AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks come out to watch this match. They’ll face the AEW Tag Team Eliminator Tournament winners in a Steel Cage Match with the titles on the line at All Out on September 5.
AEW Tag Team Eliminator Semi-Final Match
Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy) w/ Matt Hardy vs. Jungle Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) w/ Marko Stunt
Jungle Boy starts against Isiah Kassidy. Jungle Boy shoulder blocks him down and hits a headlock takeover. They do some dropdowns before Kassidy punches away at him. Marq Quen tags in. Jungle Boy fights off Private Party. Jungle Boy scales the ropes, jumps over an attack from Kassidy, and hits an arm drag on Quen. Jungle Boy then dropkicks Kassidy. Jungle Boy wrenches Quen’s arm. Kassidy distracts the referee, so Quen pulls Jungle Boy down by the hair.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Luchasaurus tag in. Luchasaurus takes it to Private Party, taking them down and hitting a big back body drop and flapjack. Luchasaurus then turns them inside out with a double clothesline. The crowd chants his name Jungle Boy tags in. Kassidy is put on the top rope. Jungle Boy leaps to the top rope, but Kassidy fights him. Luchasaurus gets Jungle Boy on his shoulders, but Quen stuns him with a punch. Kassidy hits Jungle Boy with a WILD Canadian Destroyer off the shoulders of Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus breaks up the pin.
Quen attacks Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus grabs him by the throat, but Kassidy guillotines him on the top rope. Quen then hits Luchasaurus with a springboard shooting star press to the floor that nearly misses! Kassidy talks trash to Luchasaurus. Private Party goes for Silly String, but Luchasaurus switches it for a near fall. Matt Hardy gets on the apron. Marko Stunt gets on the apron, but Hardy flips him off to the floor. Kassidy rolls Jungle Boy up with a handful of tights for a near fall.
Private Party goes for Gin and Juice, but Jungle Boy counters with a tornado DDT. Jungle Express hits an alley-oop into a powerbomb for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Jungle Express
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega is backstage with Don Callis. Callis says another fluke win just happened. Omega says last week on Rampage was made for him. At All Out, Christian will wish he never came back.
Jade Cargill faces Kiera Hogan next.
-Commercial Break-
Jade Cargill says she normally doesn’t play with her food, but tonight she’ll feast. Period!
Jade Cargill w/ “Smart” Mark Sterling vs. Kiera Hogan
They lock up, and Cargill powers her down. Hogan fights back and knocks her to the corner with a roundhouse kick. Hogan avalanches her in the corner and backs up. Hogan goes for another avalanche, but Cargill big boots her down. Cargill hits a double chickenwing slam for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Jade Cargill
CM Punk will make his first appearance on AEW Dynamite this Wednesday. The Varsity Blonds take on the Lucha Brothers in another Semi-Final match. Red Velvet takes on Jamie Hayter, and we’ll also see Orange Cassidy take on Matt Hardy. Malakai Black will also battle Brock Anderson.
Next week on Rampage, we’ll have the Finals of the AEW Tag Team Eliminator Tournament. The winners will face The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a Steel Cage match at All Out.
Mark Henry is backstage and asks 2.0 why they attacked Jon Moxley. Daniel Garcia says he has to beat Moxley in the United Center to rise to the top. 2.0 says people have waited 20 years for a main event like this. Henry asks Moxley about the attack. Moxley says Garcia has a better chance of getting him pregnant than submitting him. Moxley says it’s fitting that this is in the United Center since he’ll bounce Garcia’s head off the floor like a basketball.
Jon Moxley battles Daniel Garcia next.
-Commercial Break-
Jon Moxley comes out to the song, “Wild Thing.”
Daniel Garcia w/ 2.0 vs. Jon Moxley w/ Eddie Kingston
Moxley ambushes him at the sound of the bell and stomps him down in the corner before choking him with his boot. Moxley hits a wild German Suplex. Moxley slams him and kicks him in the chest a few times. Those are super stiff shots. Garcia quickly clips the leg and hits a leg stretcher. Moxley’s leg was injured in the attack by Garcia and 2.0 on AEW Dynamite. Garcia twists and strikes the leg joint. Garcia applies an ankle lock, but Moxley rolls through. Garcia drops an elbow on the inner thigh, but Moxley grabs the arm and tries for a cross-arm breaker. Garcia breaks out and hammers down strikes on Moxley. Garcia chops Moxley in the corner and charges, but Moxley boots him back. Moxley hits a pair of German Suplexes. Moxley goes for a third, but Garcia takes him down and applies an ankle lock while grapevining the leg. Moxley gets to the bottom rope to break the hold.
The referee holds Garcia back to keep him from attacking Moxley against the ropes. Moxley clotheslines Garcia down. They trade vicious forearms before Moxley head-butts away at him. Moxley hits a wild release suplex and gets the crowd going. Moxley goes for the Paradigm Shift, but Garcia rolls through and applies a deathlock. Moxley grabs the head and rolls him over to apply the bulldog choke for the submission!
Winner by Submission: Jon Moxley
2.0 attacks Moxley and Eddie Kingston. Darby Allin and Sting run down for the save. Moxley hits Garcia with a Paradigm Shift. Sting hits 2.0 with a Stinger Splash before hitting Parker with a Scorpian Deathdrop. Allin then hits 2.0 with a big Coffin Drop!
Moxley, Kingston, Sting, and Allin stand tall in the ring as the show comes to an end!