AEW Rampage: Championship Friday Results (06/02) - Four Titles On The Line And More
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "AEW Rampage: Championship Friday" on June 2, 2023, coming to you from the Viejas Arena in San Diego, California!
AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo will be defending against Komander and La Faccion Ingobernable's Dralistico in a Triple Threat match. Vikingo has held the championship for 546 days and counting, beating Samuray Del Sol, Bandido, Jay Lethal, and Bobby Fish in a Five-Way match at AAA TripleMania Regia 2021 to become titleholder.
Willow Nightingale will be putting her NJPW Strong Women's Championship on the line for the first time against veteran Emi Sakura. Nightingale defeated Mercedes Moné in the finals of the NJPW Strong Women's Championship Tournament at the Resurgence event on May 21 to become the inaugural champion.
Action Andretti will be returning to an AEW ring tonight as he squares off with Zack Sabre Jr. for the NJPW World Television Championship. Andretti's last match came on the May 13 episode of "Rampage", during which he came up short against Aussie Open's Kyle Fletcher.
Katsuyori Shibata will be making his 2023 AEW debut as he puts his Ring of Honor Pure Championship on the line against Lee Moriarty. Shibata dethroned Wheeler Yuta at Supercard of Honor back in May to become titleholder, and last competed in an AEW ring on the November 4, 2022 episode of "Rampage" in an All-Atlantic Championship match against Orange Cassidy.
We are live! Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone greet audiences at home as El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, and Dralistico are already waiting in the ring.
El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Komander vs. Dralistico (w/ Jose The Assistant) for the AAA Mega Championship
The bell rings and the three men waste no time. Dralistico sends Komander and Vikingo to the outside, then goes flying and levels them both. He sends Komander into the ring steps and Vikingo into the barricade, then tosses Komander back in the ring and ascends to the top before going flying. He then lands a vicious chop and sends Komander onto the apron, but Komander hits a chop. Dralistico ascends to the top and delivers a double stomp to Komander, before Vikingo levels Dralistico with a springboard moonsault and tosses him back in the ring. He follows it up with a 450 Splash-Hurricanrana combination off the top, then ascends to the middle rope and hits a Phoenix Splash. He goes for a pin, but Komander breaks the fall.
Dralistico dumps Komander to the outside, then exchanges chops with Vikingo in the center of the ring. He fires off a pair of knees, but Vikingo connects with a running corkscrew kick. He goes for a pin, but Dralistico kicks out.
Back from the break, Dralistico delivers a superkick to Komander in the corner. A table has been set up by himself and Jose on the outside. Komander responds with a hurricanrana off the top rope, then delivers a dropkick to Vikingo. Komander then goes flying off the top on the outside, then tosses Dralistico back in the ring and climbs up to the top before landing a 450 Splash. He goes for a pin, but Vikingo breaks the fall with a double stomp off the top. He delivers a corkscrew hurricanrana off the top, and Komander lands on the table. Vikingo then delivers a 630 Senton to Komander on the outside, but Dralistico is waiting in the ring for a powerbomb for Vikingo. Vikingo counters it into a hurricanrana for the win.
Winner (and still): El Hijo del Vikingo
Back from the break, Action Andretti heads down to the ring. Zack Sabre Jr. follows.
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Action Andretti for the NJPW World Television Championship
The bell rings and the two go back and forth with submission holds. Andretti gains the upper hand and hits a chop, then delivers an arm drag off the top and follows it up with a dropkick. He then lands a diving hurricanrana, forcing Sabre Jr. to roll to the outside. Andretti goes flying and levels him, then tosses him back in the ring. Sabre Jr. locks in a body scissors, but the referee forces him to release the hold. Sabre Jr. then sends Andretti's arm crashing into the mat before continuing to wear down his shoulder with submissions. Andretti plants Sabre Jr. and follows it up with a hurricanrana off the top. He goes for a pin, but Sabre Jr. kicks out. Sabre Jr. gets Andretti up on his shoulders, but Sabre Jr. locks in a version of a chinlock on Andretti. Andretti loses his grip and Sabre Jr. escapes before Andretti lands a reverse hurricanrana and a shotgun dropkick into the corner. He ascends to the top and hits a split legged moonsault, but Sabre Jr. locks in an arm submission on Andretti. Andretti taps.
Winner (and still): Zack Sabre Jr.
Emi Sakura then heads down to the ring. Willow Nightingale follows.
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Emi Sakura for the NJPW Strong Women's Championship
The bell rings and Sakura looks for a series of shoulder tackles on Nightingale. Nightingale blocks them, then delivers one of her own to Sakura. She follows it up with a suplex and a series of chops, but Sakura delivers a crossbody that sends Nightingale crashing to the outside. She then hits a second crossbody, sandwiching Nightingale between herself and the barricade.
Back from the break, Nightingale hits a shotgun dropkick and gets Sakura up on her shoulders. Sakura escapes and hits a twisting neckbreaker, then delivers a crossbody and follows it up with a Twisting Vader Bomb. Nightingale fires back with a low crossbody, but Sakura delivers an underhook facebuster and a chop. Nightingale fires back with a pounce and a cannonball, then goes for a pin but Sakura kicks out. Nightingale sets up for the Doctor Bomb, but Sakura escapes and slaps Nightingale. A fired up Nightingale lands a lariat and the Doctor Bomb for the win.
Winner (and still): Willow Nightingale
Lee Moriarty then heads down to the ring. Katsuyori Shibata follows.
Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Lee Moriarty for the ROH Pure Championship
The two men observe the Code of Honor and shake hands. The bell rings and the two go back and forth with submission holds and pinfalls. Moriarty uses one of his rope breaks to escape Shibata's grasp before firing off several stomps.
Back from the break, Moriarty uses his second rope break to break a hold locked in by Shibata. Moriarty lands a Northern Lights suplex, then rains down elbow strikes. Shibata lands a dropkick on Moriarty in the corner, then hits a suplex. Moriarty uses his final rope break to break a waistlock, then locks in a crossface on Shibata. Shibata escapes and delivers a knee for the win.
Winner (and still): Katsuyori Shibata
After the match, Daniel Garcia's music hits and stares down Shibata. Shibata holds up his title as the show goes off the air.