Multiple titles on the line in Philadelphia!

Finally, Absolute Ricky Starks and The Machine, Brian Cage, get to battle! Who survives when it’s a Philly Street Fight for the FTW Championship?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• CM Punk VS Daniel Garcia w/ 2point0; Punk wins.
• AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Lucha Brothers w/ Alex Abrahantes VS The Acclaimed; The Lucha Brothers win and retain the titles.
• Skye Blue VS Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling; Cargill wins.
• FTW Championship Philly Street Fight: Ricky Starks w/ Team Taz VS Brian Cage; Starks wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Mark Henry interviews CM Punk, Daniel Garcia & 2point0.

Henry says Garcia & 2.0 attacked Punk in Chicago! Why!? Matt Lee says it’s because Punk is a phony! “Voice of the Voiceless my ass! He’s a little soy boy.” Jeff Parker says it’s time to cut the crap. Seven years ago, Punk took his ball and went home. He can paint whatever reason he wants and fool everyone else, but not them! They know Punk quit because the world stopped revolving around him! And Garcia says Punk is happy that it’s all about him again. But what would Punk have done at 23 like Garcia? This reunion tour love fest has been fun, but Garcia puts an end to it tonight!

Henry says Punk came back to pro-wrestling and most importantly, he came to AEW. The world has been buzzing, but what is Punk’s approach to the match tonight? Punk corrects Henry here: He didn’t come back to the world of wrestling, the world of wrestling came back to him. And a 23-year-old Punk wouldn’t be hanging out the the Nasty Boys’ little brothers. But Punk won’t judge Garcia based on that, he’ll judge him based on his wrestling. That is why Punk is getting in the ring with him tonight and beating him tonight so that Garcia can feel what it’s like to be on the other end of that beating. What started in Chicago ends in Philadelphia. Then enough talk. Time to get in the ring!

CM Punk VS Daniel Garcia w/ 2point0!

The Best of the World just laid it out for the world to see! But will Red Death see just why it’s clobbering time?

The bell rings, fans fire up for “CM PUNK! CM PUNK!” as he stares down Garcia. They circle, feel out the grapple, then knuckle lock for a test of strength. Punk starts bending Garcia back and he bridges, but then he drops to a cover. TWO as Garcia gets an arm up. Punk powers it back down, TWO as Garcia gets the other arm up. Punk turns Garcia to put on a straitjacket stretch and then shifts to a sleeper. Garcia pulls at an ear then at hair but the ref reprimands. Garcia wrenches out to an arm and a chinbar for a modified crossface. Punk fights up, wrenches out and headlocks but Garcia powers out, only for Punk to run him over! Fans cheer and Garcia scrambles away to a corner.

Punk waits as Garcia cools off. He gets coaching from 2.0 and circles with Punk again. They tie up, Punk gets a leg for a takedown then a toehold. Punk drops back to a HEEL HOOK! Garcia scrambles and gets a ropebreak! Garcia kicks at Punk but Punk lets go. Garcia backs off to another corner and the ref reprimands both men as Punk backs off. Fans rally, Punk and Garcia tie up again. Garcia powers Punk to a corner, the ref counts as Garcia gets all over Punk, but Garcia does stop at 4. Garcia CHOPS then shouts in Punk’s face. Punk SLAPS Garcia off his feet! Punk drags Garcia up to scoop and SLAM him down! Fans fire up as Punk stands over Garcia.

Punk scoops and SLAMS Garcia again, and fans want that ‘ONE MORE TIME!” Punk scoops again, Garcia slips out and forearms Punk in the back! Punk ends up in a corner, Garcia stomps a mudhole into him! The ref counts, Garcia backs off and goes corner to corner, into an elbow! Punk fireman’s carries but Lee gets up on the apron! The ref sees Lee but not Parker saving Garcia from the GTS! Garcia then drags Punk down to SLAM the leg on the apron! Fans boo, the ref reprimands Garcia but he misses seeing Parker SLAM Punk’s leg into the post! Then Parker distracts the ref so Lee can do the same! Fans boo and the ref is trying to keep things organized as AEW goes picture in picture.

Garcia mocks the “night night” while Punk clutches his leg. Garcia goes out to SLAM the leg into the post! Punk is wrapped around the steel, Garcia ties up the legs for a HANGING FIGURE FOUR! The ref reprimands and counts, Garcia lets go and Punk flops to the floor. The ref has 2.0 back off and Garcia drags Punk up to EuroUpper! Garcia drags Punk up, puts him in the ring, Lee talks trash and Garcia runs in to dropkick the leg out! Cover, TWO! Garcia is annoyed but he drags Punk by the leg to drop an elbow on the knee. And then another! Punk fights back but Garcia wrenches the leg to a DDT! AEW returns to single picture as Garcia pie faces Punk down.

Punk sits up defiantly, so Garcia pie faces him back down. Punk sits up again, to HEADBUTT Garcia in return! Garcia gets the leg for a deep toehold, then an inverted deathlock! Punk CLUBS Garcia away, fans fire up and Punk underhooks arms. Garcia blocks the suplex, trips Garcia and drops a leg on the leg! Garcia CHOPS Punk, gets a cover, TWO! Fans rally up but Garcia tunes it out. The two stand, Punk ROCKS Garcia with a forearm! Garcia forearms back, Punk forearms then kicks but Garcia blocks to drag Punk down, STANDING LEG TWIST! Garcia puts pressure on the knee as he DROPS back! Punk clutches the knee while fans boo Garcia’s technical savagery.

Garcia talks trash, fans rally up, but Punk throws uppercuts! Punk fires off in the corner, RAMS his shoulder in again and again, then brings Garcia around as he hobbles. Punk suplexes but Garcia slips out to CHOP BLOCK the bad leg! Garcia watches Punk go to the corner, brings him up and throws EuroUppers. Garcia stomps the bad leg, lets off as the ref counts, and he gets on the corner to say HE is the Best in the World! Fans boo and Garcia runs corner to corner, but Punk dodges! The dropkick hits buckles and Garcia lands hard! Fans rally up, a standing count begins and 2.0 coaches Garcia up. Punk stands at 4, Garcia runs in but into a KNEE!

Garcia staggers, but he still CHOPS Punk in return. Punk ROCKS Garcia with a haymaker, Garcia throws a forearm! Punk gives it back, Garcia throat chops! Punk flips, flops and flies for a BIONIC ELBOW! Garcia breaks out MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Punk snarls to MONGOLIAN CHOP back! And then fires off forearms, blocks Garcia’s kick to ROUNDHOUSE! Garcia flops down, Punk hurries to cover him, TWO!! Garcia survives but fans are thunderous! Punk and Garcia rise, Punk ducks Garcia’s clothesline to CALF KICK! Punk spins Garcia for a NECKBREAKER! Garcia gets to a corner, Punk runs in to SHINING WIZARD! But Garcia gets around, OLYMPIC SLAM! Cover, TWO!

Garcia is furious and he drags Punk by his legs. Fans rally as Garcia tries to tie Punk’s legs up but Punk throws hands and elbows! Garcia staggers away, Punk reels him in for a LARIAT! Then the PEPSI TWIST! Cover, TWO!! Garcia survives, and tries for a headscissors but Punk shrugs that off. Fans are fired up, 2.0 is pacing nervously, and Punk says it’s time to go night night! Fireman’s carry but Garcia drops and rolls to a SHARPSHOOTER! A unique grip on the hold as he sits deep on it! Punk endures, reaches, and gets the ROPEBREAK! But not for long as Garcia drags him away! Punk boots Garcia away and Garcia runs into Lee!

Garcia runs at Punk but Punk sends him into Parker! The three of them regroup and Punk goes up top! SUPER CROSSBODY!! Direct hit on all three and Philly is going nuts! Punk gets up as the ring count is 5 of 10, and he puts Garcia in the ring. Punk springboards for the FLYING LARIAT! Fans are thunderous as Punk drags Garcia up, for a PILEDRIVER!!! But no cover, ANACONDA VICE!! Garcia fights but can’t, he taps! Punk wins!!

Winner: CM Punk, by submission

Punk has a wild look on his face as he holds on a little longer. Punk taught Garcia a thing or two here tonight, will the Best of the World keep going until no one in AEW can deny him?

Tony Schiavone interviews Lio Rush, Dante Martin & Matt Sydal.

Schiavone notes how we all saw Malakai Black accept the challenge of Angel Dorado, but now he and Sydal stand with #LBOLio. Schiavone asks what this is about, and Sydal speaks first, saying Lio has said plenty already. Lio is clearly giving a sales pitch to Dante, but he’s nothing but a junk bond salesman. Lio sighs and can’t believe Sydal is saying that. What Lio and Dante have is real. What Lio is “selling” is real. And it seems like Sydal is the only one here that needs to prove their value. How about Lio gets Sydal a match with The Best in the World, CM Punk, next week on Rampage?

Sydal says if Lio can do that, then he’ll prove he’s the kind of investment that transcends money. Sydal makes moments and will have his with Punk. Lio says it’s happening, so Sydal better get ready. Big money moves are happening, can Sydal’s third eye see the strategy to defeat the Best in the World?

AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Lucha Brothers w/ Alex Abrahantes VS The Acclaimed!

While El Idolo promises a top tier set of challengers to the AAA Tag Team Championships, Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M are still waiting. So in the meantime, they’re more than happy to make Platinum Max & the Five Tool Player back up their words. Speaking of words, Caster has another rap! “Everybody loves The Acclaimed in Philly. We put the Lucha Bros on ice like Gritty! We killin’ every city that we ladin’ in. Packin’ that heat like my name’s Arn Anderson! Yo, and it’s a given. We send the boys packin’ quicker than Ben Simmons. Lucha Bros don’t stand a chance. Like Rocky Balboa, their fakeass champs!” The Acclaimed have arrived, but will be dropped just like those bars?

The introductions are made, but The Acclaimed knock the Lucha Bros right off the apron! Bowns fires off on Penta, Caster goes after Fenix! Caster POSTS Fenix and he goes flying! Fans boo but Caster puts Fenix in the ring. The bell rings and this match begins! Caster brings Fenix up but Fenix JAWBREAKERS! Penta tags in, GAMANGIRI, then UNO! DOS! TRES! Ripcord DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Bowens jumps in but Fenix puts him in the corner. Penta GAMANGIRIS, Fenix somersaults for a FLYING FOREARM! The Acclaimed end up side by side, UNO! DOS! TRES! DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Philly fires up and Penta runs, wheelbarrow VICTORY ROLL SPLASH!

Bowens bails out one way, Caster the other and fans fire up more. CERO! MIEDO! But Caster anchors Penta, and Bowens CLOBBERS Fenix with the boombox! Penta breaks free to SUPERKICK Caster, but Bowens is lurking. Penta gets in the ring, runs at Caster but he gets around to shove Penta at a corner. Penta goes up and over but Caster holds ropes to deny the backstabber! Caster elbows Penta away, Penta comes back, somersault but into an EXPLODER! Cover, TWO! Caster drags Penta, tags in Bowens, and the Acclaimed get Penta up to double wrench and double RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Caster sits Penta up for Bowens’ RUNNING KNEE! Caster adds a SENTON! Bowens covers, TWO!

Fans rally up, “This is Awesome!” as Bowens shoves Penta to a corner. Tag to Caster, and he throws hands. Tag to Bowens, the Acclaimed double whip but things are a bit discombobulated. They try again but Penta goes up and over to SUPERKICK Caster! Penta wheelbarrows Bowens, somersault and DDT to Caster! Fenix slowly returns to his corner, hot tag to the Firebird! Fenix fires off on Bowens, kick to boot, but Bowens blocks on only to get another! SCREW HIGH KICK! Fans fire up with Fenix but Cater gets in! Fenix sends him into Bowens, then springboard SOBATS! Somersault CUTTER for Bowens! Cover, TWO!!

Fenix builds speed to handspring but Bowens catches him to fire off elbows, CHOPS and a SUPERKICK! Penta SUPERKICKS Bowens! Caster SUPERKICKS Penta! The Acclaimed double clothesline but Fenix ducks under to handspring and DOUBLE CUTTER! All four men are down and Philly is all fired up! Penta and Caster bail out, Bowens and Fenix throw forearms. Bowens rakes the eyes, ROLLING ELBOWS, then drags Fenix up. Caster gets in position, Bowens hits the FIVE TOOL SIDE EFFECT! But Penta shoves Caster off the corner and he hits the floor! Fenix sets Bowens up, QUE PASO?! Dropkick to the groin, then tag to Penta! ASSISTED PACKAGE DRIVER! Cover, the Lucha Brothers win!

Winners: The Lucha Brothers, by pinfall (still AEW World Tag Team Champions)

The brothers stay double champions and undefeated in 2021! El Idolo better pick the very best team from AAA, he’s going to need them to dethrone these two!

Skye Blue VS Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling!

The youngest and the hungriest takes on the biggest and the baddest as a prelude to the AEW TBS Championship tournament! Will Skye Blue feel nothing but doom and gloom with the storm that’s coming?

The bell rings and Jade says Skye should just save them all the trouble and lie down. Skye refuses, and ROCKS Jade with a forearm! Skye runs, but leaps into Jade’s arms for a FALL AWAY SLAM! Jade kips up, tosses her hair back, and runs in, into a BOOT! Skye goes up, leaps but Jade dodges to then BOOT Skye down! Jade drags Skye up, “I’m! That! Bitch!” But Skye fires off forearms! Then she runs, wheelbarrows, but into the chicken wings! Jade even carries Skye around before the JADED! Cover, Jade wins!

Winner: Jade Cargill, by pinfall

Jade isn’t done, either, as she stomps and kicks Skye Blue around. Then she rains down rights! But here comes THUNDER ROSA, and a chair! Rosa gets in the ring and runs Cargill off! Rosa wants payback for the Triple Threat just last week, will she have to wait until she and Jade meet in the TBS title tournament?

Next week will be a DYNAMITE weekend in Miami!

First, Rampage will be up first as CM Punk takes on Matt Sydal, Ruby Soho takes on The Bunny in another TBS Championship tournament appetizer, and The Inner Circle throws down with The Men of the Year AND Junior Dos Santos in a trios match! Then a special Saturday Night Dynamite has Dante Martin VS Malakai Black, the Lucha Brothers defending their AAA Tag Team Championships against Andrade’s chosen masked luchadors and “close friends,” and Bryan Danielson VS Bobby Fish!

Plus, the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament returns, with the finals happening at Full Gear! The bracket will be announced as part of Saturday Night Dynamite, get ready to see who is in and who doesn’t make the cut!

Mark Henry interviews Brian Cage & Team Taz.

Henry brings up how Ricky Starks said there is a huge gap between him and Brian Cage. Starks says, “Yeah, and I’ve said it since day one since I’ve been here, and I’ve proven it day in and day out.” Starks wants Cage to know he is going to whoop his ass and prove why he is the Absolute TRUTH. Henry says this could be Cage’s night to stick it to Team Taz. “Stick it to Team Taz indeed, Mark. And it’s been a long, long, long time coming.” Cage says Starks hasn’t proven a damn thing! Other than that he can steal away the title, sneak out the back door and avoid Cage week after week after week.

The Absolute Truth sees tonight, firsthand, that the answer to, “Who betta than Brian Cage?” Nobody! Especially not Ricky Starks. Enough talk! Time for the main event!

FTW Championship Philly Street Fight: Ricky Starks w/ Team Taz VS Brian Cage!

The title Taz himself gave to The Machine has been at the center of the dysfunction that caused the team to turn on Brian Cage. Cage is finally able to get his revenge on Ricky Starks, but will he be able to take it and the title? Or will Starks prove that he can absolutely go extreme in Philadelphia?

The introductions are made, Starks goes and grabs a chair before he gets in the ring, but Cage stomps the chair down! Cage drags Starks up and TOSSES him to a corner! The bell rings, Cage fires off point blank clotheslines, then whips Starks corner to corner! Then back the other way! Then hits an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly! Fans fire up with Cage as he gest the chair. Cage aims and SMACKS Starks on the back! Starks writhes but Cage comes back to SMACK him again! Starks bails out of the ring, Cage drops chair to pursue Starks and TOSS him over railing! The front row gets a bit closer to the action that way, but Cage brings Starks around to CHOP him!

Cage brings Starks up, whips him into more railing, and Starks writhes. Fans rally up as Cage stalks Starks to the ramp. Cage brings Starks back to the ring for an APRON BACK SUPLEX! Cage goes looking under the ring and brings out a trash can! It’s full of all sorts of things, but he tosses the whole thing into the ring! Cage makes sure to pick up the pipe and pool cue into the ring, too. Starks runs but Cage blocks the spear! Cage suplexes, Starks slips out and ducks the clothesline to get the cue! SMACK to Cage’s stomach! Starks BOPS Cage in the side of the head like hitting a cue ball, except Cage ain’t bald.

Starks brings Cage up, whips but Cage blocks by holding ropes. Cage whips Starks, Starks reverses to kick and use ropes for a TORNADO DDT! Both men are down having landed on a chain! Starks throws that chain aside in anger as AEW goes picture in picture.

Starks hurries to cover, TWO! Starks is frustrated but he is also sore as he gets back up. Starks grabs the trash can’s lid and fans cheer as he considers his options. Cage sits up and Starks SMACKS him in the head with the lid! Cage sits up again, Starks gets a running start into the SMACK! Fans want “ONE MORE TIME!” and Stark spaces about. Cage slowly sits up again, Starks SMACKS him across the face! Starks throws the lid down and pushes Cage to a cover, TWO! Starks seethes but he kicks Cage to the ropes. Starks springboard stomps, then kicks Cage again. Another springboard stomp, and then Starks isolates an arm. Starks gets a pipe and SMACKS the arm!!

Cage writhes, clutching his bicep and triceps, but Starks gets in and takes aim. Starks JAMS Cage in the ribs with the pipe! Then CHOKES him with it in the corner! The ref wants Starks to be careful, this may be No Disqualification but he can’t go choking the life out of someone. Starks lets off so Cage can breathe, and Starks plays the pipe like a guitar. Starks then runs to BOOT Cage down in the corner. Starks talks trash, tosses the pipe aside and then wedges the chair into the corner. Starks goes back to Cage, whips him corner to corner but Cage reverses! Starks slides to avoid the chair, but he runs into Cage’s arms! FALL AWAY SLAM!

Cage drags Starks back up, ROCKS him with a forearm, and AEW is single picture. Cage wrenches and forearms, Starks CHOPS but Cage knees low! Cage reels Starks in, Starks wrenches out to ROCK Cage with a forearm! Starks gets that chain from earlier, wraps it on his fist and runs to DECK Cage! Then he has the trash can, FULL METAL LEG DROP, brother! Cover, TWO!! Cage survives but Starks thinks of what else to do. Starks gets the trash can itself and watches Cage get to a corner. Starks sits the can in front of Cage, goes corner to corner but Cage SUPERKICKS Starks first! Cage then takes the trash can for his own, and SMACKS Starks in the head with it!

Cage fires up and so do the fans! Cage drags Starks around, brings him up and pump handles, PUMP HANDLE DRIVER onto the can! Cover, TWO!! Starks survives but Cage vows to end this! But here comes Hook! Cage pushes Starks away, ducks Hooks’ belt shot then CLOBBERS him! Hobbs gets in, Cage dodges and SUPERKICKS! Starks gets the belt to CLOBBER Cage!! And SPEAR!! Cover, TWO!??! Cage survives and all of Team Taz is furious, including Taz on commentary! Starks has the pipe, smacks Cage a couple times in the hips, then snarls as he gets back up. Taz panics as Cage slowly rises. Starks aims again, runs in, but Cage sends the Spear into the CHAIR!!

Cage gets fans rallying with Terminator Drums, then he runs corner to corner at Starks to DISCUS LARIAT!! Cover, But Hobbs breaks it! Fans boo but Cage GAMANGIRIS Hobbs! Cage climbs up the corner but Hook gets in to LOW BLOW! Starks hurries to bring Cage into a crucifix! ROSHAMBEAUX!! Starks covers, Starks wins!!

Winner: Ricky Starks, by pinfall (still FTW Champion)

Battered and bloody, Absolute is still champion! But that’s because he had Team Taz backing him all the way! Is this the end between their grudge with Cage? And if so, then who’s next on the list?

My Thoughts:

A really good episode for Rampage, especially with going four matches deep and not just three. At the same time, I knew Jade VS Skye wasn’t going to last long. Jade is still undefeated, and could go all the way to the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament. Thunder Rosa running her off was also a good move, Rosa is probably the other finalist. Either one of them would make a great inaugural TBS Champion, and then the loser could easily be Britt Baker’s next challenger. Mark Henry got to do two interviews this time, interviewing the opening match given it has the star power. CM Punk VS Daniel Garcia and basically also fighting 2.0 was really good, but of course Punk wins.

Max Caster has another great (non-offensive) rap, and the AEW World Tag Team Championship match was great stuff, though a bit clunky in the middle. Naturally the Lucha Brothers retain, and it’s going to be great to see who Andrade gets from AAA to face them next week. I feel like that match could go either way. These are non AEW titles but it’s an AEW show… I’m leaning towards that, with Andrade helping them cheat, the AAA team wins the titles and brings them back to AAA while Lucha Brothers are so focused on AEW. Then it’s all the more reason the Lucha Brothers will want after Andrade.

The FTW Championship match was great stuff, but of course Team Taz helps Starks win. At the same time, the thinking there is very similar to the AAA title thinking. Cage can’t win the title because then that prolongs the feud with Team Taz. In order for this to finish, Starks had to win and move on to someone else. No idea who, but maybe it’s CM Punk given the beef from just a few weeks ago. Punk VS Sydal next week is going to be pretty good but I would think Punk wins. Lio essentially replacing Sydal as Dante’s mentor is also a nice way of doing the story, and I bet Lio includes Darius Martin in the deal when he’s ready to return to wrestling. That’s a pretty high flying group right there, and they could give some of these other factions a run for their money.

My Score: 8.5/10