AEW Rampage: The First Dance - 8/20/21

[John from Cincinnati]

• Jon Moxley vs Daniel Garcia
• Jade Cargill vs Kiera Hogan
• World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Semifinal: Jurassic Express vs Private Party

[Dolfan in NYC]

I'll also post this, for no reason in particular.  

 

[Jiji]

I know you gotta go with that song but I would really dig 44 year old Punk coming out to bitch ass AFI (I love that song!). Worse yet, a generic AEW original lol. 

You gotta open with whatever it is they're doing with him, right? If they try to run any of those matches before it, they're going to get the obvious treatment. 

Double edit: I like the idea of them using Sirius. First Dance, Chicago sports guy, and Steamboat history in wrestling. Dad rock vibes too.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Jiji

[The Natural]

 

[Curt McGirt]

 

[A_K]

Miseria Cantare was always a great theme. RE: Friday - start it with cheap heel heat, then go into Punk. Punk verbally unloading on douchy bourgeoisie Bucks (which by the way is the best Bucks) would be a nice way to kick off and nice segue with his 'brand' -- depends how they want to program him.

Edited August 19, 2021 by A_K

[Shartnado]

As far as Punk's themes go, I'm very partial to This Fire Burns myself. I even tried to get into Killswitch Engage because of it, but that didn't really take.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

5 minutes ago, Shartnado said:

As far as Punk's themes go, I'm very partial to This Fire Burns myself. I even tried to get into Killswitch Engage because of it, but that didn't really take.

I used to be big into KSE as a yute, but for me, they fall into that Slayer thing where they're very good at making one kind of record. 

[Beech27]

11 hours ago, Jiji said:

I know you gotta go with that song but I would really dig 44 year old Punk coming out to bitch ass AFI (I love that song!).

The ironic contrast of lyrics stating that he's no one from nowhere, while the crowd melts down over him, and then "from Chiiiiiiiiiicago, Illinois" would be hilarious, if nothing else. 

[Chaos]

2 minutes ago, Beech27 said:

The ironic contrast of lyrics stating that he's no one from nowhere, while the crowd melts down over him, and then "from Chiiiiiiiiiicago, Illinois" would be hilarious, if nothing else. 

We also would need metal AEW logo boards for the front row to pound in unison beat with the into to that song. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

Miseria Cantare is kind of a short song. I'd in no way be surprised if it's lights out --> AFI --> lights on/pyro --> Living Colour

[Bryan]

11 hours ago, Jiji said:

I know you gotta go with that song but I would really dig 44 year old Punk coming out to bitch ass AFI (I love that song!). Worse yet, a generic AEW original lol. 

You gotta open with whatever it is they're doing with him, right? If they try to run any of those matches before it, they're going to get the obvious treatment. 

Double edit: I like the idea of them using Sirius. First Dance, Chicago sports guy, and Steamboat history in wrestling. Dad rock vibes too.

I was just thinking about this too. You’d think they’d want to build some anticipation before the big return everyone is expecting, especially since it’s unlikely that anything done in the ring tops CM Punk’s return. Will the crowd even be up for the matches after Punk returns?

But you can also envision matches being drowned out with CM punk chats if you don’t start with him.

Kind of an interesting conundrum.

 

[EVA]

100% you save him for last. This is the one time in history you’re probably okay with fans chanting for Punk all night (because you can actually deliver him in the end). That’s just gonna build buzz on the socials through the end of the show.

[Zimbra]

Gotta say I was hoping for Kingston vs Garcia out of last night but I'm guessing that Moxley vs Garcia will fail to suck.

Also everybody's gonna feel real silly when the big surprise is Steve Boz jumping Omega and opening the forbidden door to Windy City Pro Wrestling.

[Jiji]

 

37 minutes ago, EVA said:

100% you save him for last. This is the one time in history you’re probably okay with fans chanting for Punk all night (because you can actually deliver him in the end). That’s just gonna build buzz on the socials through the end of the show.

Fair enough. I imagine half the audience tunes out once he's done anyway, so keep em around. They smartly didn't book anything important for the show either.

[Niners Fan in CT]

looking forward to Jade Cargill vs. kiera hogan.   kiera was cool on impact and has put in some work on dark recently.  Jade has a great presence about her.  

[NoFistsJustFlips]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

I was just thinking about this too. You’d think they’d want to build some anticipation before the big return everyone is expecting, especially since it’s unlikely that anything done in the ring tops CM Punk’s return. Will the crowd even be up for the matches after Punk returns?

 

1 hour ago, EVA said:

100% you save him for last. This is the one time in history you’re probably okay with fans chanting for Punk all night (because you can actually deliver him in the end). That’s just gonna build buzz on the socials through the end of the show.

It'll definitely be interesting to see how they handle it. Because there are schools of thought to go either way. Last week they put the biggest thing on first like a Saturday's Night Main Event. So I'm just gonna guess they start the show off with whatever Punk's deal is. But because Moxley's on last against someone he will beat fairly quickly (not a shot at Garcia, he's the man), I got a feeling they got a second surprise coming. Whatever NJPW guy he is working at All Out surely shows up to confront him, no? It's the biggest crowd they've had yet. Tons of people are already watching for Punk's return. Hit them with a live Tanhashi and it'll blow their minds.

[Gorman]

13 hours ago, Jiji said:

I know you gotta go with that song but I would really dig 44 year old Punk coming out to bitch ass AFI (I love that song!). Worse yet, a generic AEW original lol. 

You gotta open with whatever it is they're doing with him, right? If they try to run any of those matches before it, they're going to get the obvious treatment. 

Double edit: I like the idea of them using Sirius. First Dance, Chicago sports guy, and Steamboat history in wrestling. Dad rock vibes too.

And Steamboat won the title in Chicago. (I was there)

[EVA]

Tanahashi is going back to Japan. He’s booked for the Grand Slam shows happening around All Out. If Tana at All Out was even an option at some point, it looks like NJPW made the call to go all hands on deck in the midst of their COVID issues.

Edited August 19, 2021 by EVA

[Beech27]

Jay White is doing a Warrior Wreslting show in Chicago, on Saturday. So. 

[Krone]

To be fair, I feel like Jay White would be more up the Elite/Omegas alley instead of Moxley's if that were the case.

I say you save Punk for last. People are tuning in for him, have them wait the entire hour. Showcase your product (PP vs. JE will be a good young tag showcase as will Jade vs. Hogan) and then during the Moxley vs. Garcia match, you parlay that into the Punk debut somehow. Cliffhangers are the best, but if you got Punk - that's the ultimate cliff hanger in 2021.

[LoneWolf&Subs]

If Darby doesn’t repel from the top of the building, I’m going to be upset. You book that thing for Punk, but you book a building with a huge ceiling for both Sting, and Darby to enter from.

I am the only person predicting this stunt.

Edited August 19, 2021 by LoneWolf&Subs

[MoeCristyV.1.6]

I don't think Martha Hart would be a big fan of that. 

[John from Cincinnati]

"The balance of power in wrestling will shift tonight tomorrow. For realzies this time. Promise."

 

[Curt McGirt]

Just came up with this in the Discord: Cabana comes out to "Cult of Personality" and turns heel.