Good Friday everybody! Lee Sanders here with you all again for what should be a monumental episode of AEW RAMPAGE! This week it’s coming to us from my old stomping grounds in Chicago, IL at the UNITED CENTER. Matches include Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan, Private Party Matt Hardy vs. Jurassic Express (AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament), and Jon Moxley with Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia with 2point0, and a special surprise! On a side note, thank you to everyone who welcomed me to the 411mania family last week. I hosted a panel at this years AWESOME-CON over the weekend. It covered the pandemics’ impact on the entertainment industry as well as wrestling industry. I’ll have the show be available Sunday, August 22nd at 2pm ET on at this link. Do check it out! For now…IT’S CLOBBERING TIME!

Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz, and Mark Henry are on commentary tonight as the crowd is extremely WHITE HOT!!! Chants of CM Punk and loads of fantastic energy as the chants of Punk intensifies. CULT OF PERSONALITY hits as the crowd erupts but can it be…Is it…Is it him? And yes…It is! The man in the flesh CM Punk arrives wearing all black as he gets on his knees at the top of the stage area soaking it all in. It took CM Punk a while but as he finally makes his way down the ramp he’s nothing but smiles as he embraces the fans with hugs before making his way into the ring. What an awesome moment folks! Sadly we have to wait 90 seconds to hear from CM Punk as we unfortunately we get a commercial. Come on man!

Back from break as Punk tells the crowd they know how to make him feel as welcomed as Britt Baker in PA. He tells them he’s winging it as they are winging it. He’s not sure what to say cause he wasn’t sure how he was going to feel but he needed to feel it. CM Punk tells them he feels them, he feels Chicago and hears them big time. For seven years he’s heard them as there’s a lot to cover. Tonight they aren’t going to cover everything but the good news is he’s got time! Wednesday, Friday, Saturdays, and a Sunday as he’s not going anywhere! Punk follows up telling the crowd if at any time and through his journey in life he made fans feel disappointed or let down, he understands but to understand where he’s coming from. He was never going to get physically, spiritually, and mentally better, let alone from a place that got him sick in the first place! Ouch! Punk tells the crowd it’s hot as he wants to take his jacket off and tell them a story as he sits Indian style for a pipe bomb!! He talks about his time in Ring of Honor as he had tears in his eyes when he walked away from them. He made a place where people could get paid, perfect their craft and learn professional wrestling. Punk says he knew where he was going (WWE) was going to be tough for a guy like him. As far as CM Punk is concerned he left wrestling in August 13, 2005. August 20, 2021 he is back in professional wrestling! He’s back for the fans and back for himself but back because there’s a lot of young talent in the back. He wants to work with that talent because of their passion and because there’s a few scores he has to settle as he calls out Darby Allin! High above in the rafters we see Darby with Sting! CM Punk gives him made props for being tough, just like the residents in Chicago as Punk wants to help Darby. Punk tells Darby there’s nothing more dangerous than wrestling CM Punk in Chicago as he tells the crowd he’ll see them all live September 5th at ALL OUT on PPV! Chants of CM Punk erupt yet again! Punk tells the crowd one more time how he appreciates them and as they exit the United Center tonight to grab a free ice cream bar courtesy of him! What a moment! What a segment!

RATING: 10/10

THOUGHTS: I’ve been watching prowrestling since the 1980s and I’ve witnessed so many amazing moments. This moment seeing CM Punk is one that I’ll remember five years from now, ten years from now, even twenty years from now. Very seldom do I get super excited as a fan but this moment was all that and then some. This moment is going to be looked at as one of the best moments in wrestling for 2021 and rightfully so. It really was a magical moment.

Backstage segment Christian is with Jurassic Express as he has words for Kenny Omega about how he’s going to beat him at ALL OUT and take away his AEW World championship. Cage encourages Jurassic Express to go out there next and handle their business against Private Party.

Private Party Matt Hardy vs. Jurassic Express (AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament)

The Young Bucks crash the scene as they sit at the top of the stage ramp with chairs to watch the in-ring action. Jungle Boy and Isaiah Kassidy lock up and exchange a series of nice holds to end in a standoff. Jungle Boy gets the best of them as Mark Quinn tries to come in and help but Jungle Boy gets the best of him as well. Eventually Jungle Boy is double teamed by Private Party as we head into our next commercial break. Back from commercial as Kassidy is on the offense getting the best of Jungle Boy. Jungle Boy manages to get the hot tag to Luchasaurus who cleans house. Luchasarus has Jungle Boy on his shoulders as Isaiah tries to climb the top turnbuckle. Jungle Boy is looking for a superplex but Kassidy connects with a massive Canadian Driver for a two count! Great team work by Private Party as Mark Quinn connects with a shooting star press to the outside but it doesn’t get all of Luchasaurus. Kassidy is in the ring slapping Jungle Boy as Luchasaurus gets back in to derail Private Party’s attempt of a double team. Matt Hardy gets on the apron to argue with the ref as Marko Stunt gets in his face. Hardy knocks him out as Jungle Boy sends Hardy crashing off the apron. Kassidy comes in with a rollup and a nice handful of tights but it’s a near fall! Private Party tried to look for Gin & Juice but miss as Jungle Boy connects with a DDT to Kassidy! Jungle Boy gets Mark Quinn for the pinfall with help from Luchasaurus to pickup the victory! Young Bucks look on not impressed.

RATING: 8/10

THOUGHTS: Excellent tag match and I love they AEW is continuing to build up the Jurassic Express as a legit threat to the Young Bucks tag titlesBackstage Kenny Omega is with Don Callis with strong words for Christian Cage as he promises Christian he’s going to wish he didn’t get back into wrestling.
Commercial break time.

Match 2: Kiera Hogan vs Jade Cargill

Jade Cargill is no match strength wise for Hogan as Kiera tries to go in with a few kicks and chops but it’s no match as Jade Cargill finishes her with a kick boot to the face! Ugly! It’s followed up with Cargill’s JADED maneuver as the match is over. Okay…

RATING:2/10

THOUGHTS: Fan of Kiera Hogan as I’ve been following her work not only in IMPACT WRESTLING but also for WOW-Women of Wrestling. She’s come a long away as an athlete and as an on-air character. Was expecting this match to be more competitive and sadly it wasn’t as I get continuing to build up Jade Cargill who I really am loving but couldn’t this match been laid out differently?

Jim Ross and crew give us a CM Punk update as the man will make his AEW DYNAMITE debut this coming Wednesday! Oh yes! Also on DYNAMITE, Varsity Blondes vs Lucha Bros in the Tag Team Championship Eliminator Tournament Semifinal. Red Velvet goes head to head with Jamie Hayter. Orange Cassidy faces Matt Hardy. Meanwhile, Malakai Black will face Brock Anderson. And next week on AEW RAMPAGE, Jurassic Express will face the winner of the semifinal tournament.
Backstage segment Mark Henry interviews Jon Moxley and 2point0 with Daniel Garcia. Moxley tells Garcia he’s got a better chance getting him pregnant than submitting him in the ring as he’s going to choke him out, make his eyes pop out like a basketball! Moxley is pissed as he ends the interview abruptly and I love it!

Match 3: Jon Moxley vs Daniel Garcia

Bell rings…And Moxley is stomping a mudhole in Garcia! Nice back suplex followed by a kick to the back and a couple of kicks to the chest. Moxley tries to bounce off the ropes but Garcia counters successfully as he’s homing in on Moxley’s leg. Garcia goes in with forearm strikes to Moxley before the action goes into the corner where Moxley connects with a series of German suplexes. Garcia comes right back focusing on Moxley’s leg again as the young man has excellent mat game. Moxley clotheslines Moxley as the two trade off on forearm strikes to the face. Garcia comes back with great transitioning as Moxley counters with a bulldog choke submission hold to make Garcia tap out. Moxley picks up the win!

RATING: 7/10

THOUGHTS: Was expecting another squash match here but Daniel Garcia really impressed me with his grappling game. He came off looking like a legit threat to Moxley. The young man for sure has a bright career ahead of him. Some of what he did in the ring reminded me of a young Kurt Angle.

Post match 2point0 jump Eddie Kingston and Moxley as Sting and Darby Allin come in to help. Moxley connects with the Paradigm shift on Garcia as Sting does the Stinger splash on the 2point0 guys. Darby Allin connects with a Coffin Drop to end it all! The good guys stand strong as AEW RAMPAGE goes off the air.
End of Show

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

VERY GOOD

AEW RAMPAGE for this week was one of the strongest, most well produced AEW shows I’ve seen since the company launched. Hands down this was my absolute favorite. To start with CM Punk, ride that train going into excellent tag team action, then to end it with Moxley, Sting, and Darby Allin? That’s the way to build up not only your stars and intriguing storylines as we’re soon going to be getting CM Punk vs Darby Allin. AEW really laid down the right blueprint to build for all their shows and lure in more fans. Top to bottom a really great card, excellent structure and the right amount of CM Punk for television.