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Tonight, All Elite Wrestling aired their one-hour Friday night show, AEW Rampage, from the United Center in Chicago, IL. It was following up an episode of WWE SmackDown on Fox that's leading into tomorrow night's SummerSlam pay-per-view.
So what did AEW have up their sleeve for tonight's show? Well, have you ever heard of this guy called CM Punk?
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That's right, the rumors, innuendo and pro wrestling's worst kept secret were all true, and Phil "CM Punk" Brooks made his triumphant return to professional wrestling (a term he made sure to emphasize significantly tonight) - a move we're sure nobody saw coming.
We're joking, of course - it was great to see Punk back in the ring and not just as part of a panel show on a secondary Fox Sports cable channel. The real question is - with everybody and their pet ferret expecting CM Punk to show up tonight, what was AEW going to fill the rest of the show with?
Well, we watched the show and we can say with certainty that AEW did a pretty good job with the rest of the 45 minutes after Punk made his grand entrance. And we're gonna list some of those things, as the headline suggests.
These are the 5 things AEW did right on tonight's episode of Rampage.
#5. Opening with CM Punk's AEW debut
This is was what everybody was chomping at the bit to see. Not just to see the former WWE Champion return, but to finally - finally - see if he was going to.
The crowd in Chicago wasn't going to sit through anything until that question was answered. So, AEW not only got it out of the way, but they did it in spectacular fashion.
Say what you want about Tony Khan, but one thing you can't call him is a tightwad. He not only opened the checkbook and wrote down enough zeroes to get Punk to come out of retirement, but he wrote another one to get the rights to Living Color's "Cult of Personality" to, once again, act as Punk's entrance theme.
As CM Punk came to the ring, he was clearly overwhelmed - in a good way - with emotion. Embracing the folks in his hometown crowd, he went on to cut one of his best ever (and that's saying something) promos. Punk made his presence known, as well and let the roster know he wasn't just coming back for a few events... he was back.
Wrapping things up by addressing both Sting and Darby Allin, who were watching all this unfold from the rafters (this is Sting, after all), Punk moved the narrative forward by challenging the former TNT Champion to a match at All Out.
So, what did AEW do to follow that up with?
#4. Having Kenny Omega respond to CM Punk's debut on AEW Rampage: The First Dance
AEW has more than a handful of stars that are more than capable of representing the brand. Cody Rhodes, Hangman Adam Page, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Britt Baker, and Darby Allin, as we mentioned before.
But, the guy - outside of Jericho - who drew the most eyeballs to the promotion before their debut pay-per-view, All Out, in 2019 was none other than Kenny Omega.
The current AEW World Champion - who will be facing Impact Wrestling Champion Christian Cage at the same event that Punk will be facing Allin - isn't just a Best Bout Machine - he's a Dream Match Machine, as well.
Think of any great pro wrestler of the last fifteen years, and that person vs Kenny Omega is on the wishlist of about every hardcore wrestling fan in the world. Trust me, I write about wrestling on the Internet, so I can verify this.
What was great about Omega's segment on Rampage following Punk's debut was that it merely planted the seeds for a match between the two. AEW isn't just rushing right into it. Much like they've done with some of their best stories, they are clearly letting this inevitable narrative breathe.
But not everything can revolve around CM Punk for the whole show. Right? I mean, I suppose it could, but it didn't. AEW had some other cool stuff planned for us.
#3. Jurassic Express defeats Private Party in the tag team championship contender tournament on AEW Rampage: The First Dance
Speaking of slow-burning, long-term storytelling, the narrative AEW is showcasing with Jurassic Express - Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy - is a prime example of the patience they're showing. The company is setting up a fan-favorite team for some major success, but they're not rushing into it.
This first round tournament match between the Express and Private Party was a treat to watch. AEW Tag Team Champions the Young Bucks sat themselves on the front stage to watch the proceedings, keeping an eye on the different teams who could very soon challenge them for their title belts.
It's still up in the air if Jurassic Express is going to win the tournament - much less win the championships at All Out. But tonight's win against Private Party was the right call to make for a team that AEW is clearly building its future on.
Just as a side note - how awesome is Luchasaurus? The concept of a "wrestling dinosaur" should be the dumbest thing in the world, but Luchasaurus pulls it off like a legend. I love that guy and I hope he wins the AEW World Championship eventually.
#2. Jade Cargill squashes the heck out of Kiera Hogan on AEW Rampage: The First Dance
Jade Cargill. Is. Frickin'. Unreal. In AEW.
Not only is she both physically fit and attractive, but she also has a general presence about her that you simply can't teach. That didn't end when she started working the microphone, either.
Criticism of AEW's Women's Division, as it currently stands, may actually be valid. I don't doubt that the company will rectify that eventually, especially with such an amazingly special talent like Britt Baker as their champion.
Jade Cargill, however, feels like a performer who can transcend the Women's division, much like Chyna, Beth Phoenix, and Becky Lynch did in WWE. Having Jade dominate on a show where so many eyes are watching was a smart, smart move.
She went on to absolutely squash former IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Champion Kiera Hogan to continue her undefeated streak in AEW. It doesn't look like she is going to stop any time soon, either.
With all of her exceptional qualities showcased in such a dominant manner, it is only a matter of time before AEW decides to strap a rocket on this woman's back and push her to the moon.
#1. Closing the show with Sting and Darby Allin standing tall on AEW Rampage: The First Dance
It says a lot about Sting that he's a major player in AEW, and it doesn't feel like desperation on the company's part. Sting's performances have been way more impressive than anyone had any right to expect, and it's been really fun to watch.
However, at no point has it felt like AEW is building their narrative around him. Instead, they're clearly using his clout and experience to build someone who really is the future of the company - Darby Allin.
Now, look. Darby Allin is the exact same height as me and weighs exactly 15 pounds more than I do. Yet, the things he does in the ring, the risks he takes, and the stories he tells make him the guy AEW needs to build the company around over the next 5-10 years. He's that good.
Having him stand tall with an icon like Sting, a former AEW Champion in Jon Moxley and the most underrated performer of his generation in Eddie Kingston is something else.
That too, at the end of what will probably go down as the company's most watched hour of television up to this point, is such a smart long-term business move that I'm angry that I didn't think of it.
What was your favorite part of the show tonight? Are you excited ahead of CM Punk vs Darby Allin at All Out? Head down to the comments and share your thoughts with the world.
Check out the following video in which the legend Dutch Mantell and the manager of stars Kenny Bolin break down all the action from the Summerslam go-home edition of WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage - The First Dance w/the debut of CM Punk:
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