Claudio has his first title defense in almost two months on Rampage:

ROH World Championship Match
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander
AEW Rampage #99 – Hamilton, ONT – 6.30.2023

Castagnoli has been champion since 12.10.2022 and this is his eighth defense. Alex Abrahantes is in Komander’s corner. Komander escaped a Ricola Bomb and sent Claudio to the floor. He then cartwheeled his way off of the middle turnbuckle into an armdrag on the floor. Claudio shuts Komander down by big booting him over the barricade and into the crowd, and then Beele tossing him back over to the mats outside of the ring. Komander converts mid-air to turn a super fallaway slam into a crossbody. This does not dissuade Claudio from trying a super Ricola Bomb, which Komander is also able to counter with a super Frankensteiner. Komander doubles up the Deja vu headscissors, sending Claudio to the floor and following with a springboard soaring plancha. Komander shooting star presses Claudio’s back as he drapes on the barricades, and then lands a springboard twisting Frankensteiner back in the ring for two. Claudio shuts down Komander with an uppercut, but is clearly winded as he goes for a pin. Claudio pulls him into a short-arm lariat for another two count. Claudio attempts Swiss Death, but Komander lands on the top turnbuckle out of the pop-up and tornado DDT’s Claudio for two. Komander comes off the top again, but Claudio catches him mid-air with an uppercut. The referee checks on Komander, who is knocked out from the blow, and stops the match at 13:43. This had a similar vibe to Claudio’s match with Fenix from May, but also a different cadence. Fenix is higher up the food chain than Fenix, so he had to work harder to be a worthy contender to Claudio’s title, and in that regard he delivered. I had grown tired of seeing Komander because I felt as if all his matches were identical, but all of those matches had similar opponents. With someone of Claudio’s size, who is such a tremendous base for luchadores, he got to show off much more than usual, and Claudio helped make him look like a million bucks. I also adored the knockout finish. Claudio’s strong enough to make that completely believable, and you so rarely get to see something like that. This was great. If only it had any build up – literally any at all – going into it. ***½

Hamilton, ONT – 7.6.2023

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Christopher Daniels vs. Daniel Garcia

Garcia has been racking up Pure Rules wins en route to a title match with Katsuyori Shibata, so I am not sure why this was under traditional rules. Garcia’s dancing was answered by Daniels doing some dancing of his own, similar to moves his pal Curry Man would bust out now and again. Garcia stomps Daniels knee into the mat after being forced to release an STF. Daniels surprises him with a Blue Thunder Bomb and gets two with an Iconoclasm. Garcia bites Daniels during a strike exchange, but Daniels is still able to take him down with an STO. Garcia inside armdrags his way out of a uranage, but succumbs to the Angel’s Wings. Garcia wisely rolls to the floor before Daniels can go for a pin. Daniels rolls Garcia back in the ring, and Garcia kicks the middle rope into Daniels’ nose. Garcia pulls Daniels back into the ring for a front facelock Code Breaker and the pin at 7:39. Garcia worked over Daniels mid-section and it paid off in the finish, so I’m pleased with how this played out. Even if it wasn’t a Pure Rules match, Garcia defeating a Grand Champion is a feather in his cap en route to facing Shibata. **½

Later in the evening, we are shown highlights of Eddie Kingston winning the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship from KENTA at NJPW’s Independence Day Night 2 event. Kingston then says because of the title, he has been entered in the G1 Climax tournament and will miss the Death Before Dishonor PPV. However, he says Claudio Castagnoli isn’t off the hook, and he challenges Mark Briscoe to challenge Claudio for the World title. Kingston notes that he wore Jay Briscoe’s shirt to Korakuen Hall to respect his brother’s legacy, and he says it’s Mark’s time to do the same. A quick note: Eddie Kingston entered the G1 Climax on June 4th, an entire month before he won the STRONG title, so him being in the tournament because he is a champion is a fabrication. I think this is important to note, as it means ROH was well aware that Kingston would be missing the show multiple months ahead, and the presumed rematch between him and Claudio would be off the books. They had plenty of advance notice to establish on ROH and perhaps even on AEW shows, to build up a competent challenger for Claudio’s World Title.

Renee Paquette is then in the ROH interview area with Mark. She says Tony Khan says he has the opportunity if he wants it. Mark says all he’s talked about is winning the Television title, but now is his time to reach for the sky and follow in his brother’s footsteps. Claudio Castagnoli approaches Mark, and offers him a piece of advice: do not listen to Eddie Kingston. He had to show Eddie his limits, and he will show Mark his limits as well. Claudio says the Mark Briscoe he knew stood side-by-side by his brother rather than walking in his footsteps, and this shows him that time has made Mark weak. If he has to pull Mark down to Earth as he reaches for the sky, he will do just that. He asks Mark to shake his hand if he really wants the challenge, and Mark shakes it right away. Claudio tells Mark not to get his hopes up, because he isn’t ready.

I want to tread lightly because I like Mark Briscoe and because there is an emotional component to him challenging for the title. He is even a worthy challenger – since Supercard of Honor, he is 6-0 in ROH. This detail, however, was missing as part of this pivot, and, and everything to this point has been him wanting to get the TV title and to defeat Samoa Joe. The pivot to Claudio may be logical, but it is weak. Why they waited until Eddie won the STRONG title two weeks before the PPV, rather than approaching Mark five to six weeks before the PPV to put the idea in his ear AND when he and Claudio were about to mix it up on AEW television, is beyond me. It makes two PPVs in a row where we are hoping the weight of Jay Briscoe’s death is enough to establish Mark as a title challenger. If Mark wins – and boy do I hope he does, because having him lose twice in the name of his brother sure is a choice – they have an out to spare Claudio by stating he was beaten down two days prior in Blood and Guts and Mark was in the right place at the right time. This is an issue with having people at the top of the AEW food chain holding ROH titles – they need some sort of out. I say rip the bandaid off here, have Mark win the title, and have Claudio remain exclusively in AEW.

ROH Women’s World Championship Proving Ground Match
Athena vs. Seleziya Sparx

If Sparx is victorious, or lasts 10 minutes, she will earn a future ROH Women’s World title match. Sparx was associated with Truth Martini and the House of Truth back in 2013/2014, and even wrestled a thirty second TV title match against Jay Lethal in June of 2014. She shows off her strength by catching a crossbody from Athena and taking her down with a bodyslam. She follows up with a kick to the back of the head and a basement clothesline for a one count. Athena ducks a big boot and spikes Sparx with a belly-to-belly suplex while Sparx’s leg is laid across Athena’s shoulder. Sparx is mounting a comeback when Athena decks her with a forearm smash as she comes running towards her to get the pin at 2:08. Like Claudio and Komander, I like a knockout blow ending a match now and again to condition the fans of their possibility. Sparx had a solid showing, and as a long time ROH/AIW fan I was happy to see her.

The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) & Trish Adora vs. The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) & Leyla Hirsch

Maria Kanellis-Bennett was originally the Kingdom’s partner, but she claims she is not medically cleared. She introduces Hirsch as her replacement. This is Hirsch’s first match back from a knee injury, last competing in AEW in April of 2022. She was the difference maker in this match, because the Infantry had the Kingdom’s number any time they were legal, but Hirsch turned the match in their favor by taking down Adora. The Kingdom did wipe out Infantry on the floor thanks to a dive from Taven, who caught Bravo attempting an Asai moonsault, knocking him down to the floor with Dean and Bennett with the Kick of the King. Adora had Hirsch in a Fujiwara armbar. Maria distracted Adora and Bennett distracted the referee. Maria pulled Adora throat-first into the top rope, and Hirsch Judo threw her into a cross armbreaker to get the submission at 7:33. Hirsch then quickly exited, leaving the Kingdom and Maria to celebrate. This match was all about the re-introduction of Hirsch. That is smart, and exactly the right call when somebody comes back, but the only issue I have is that this rivalry seems to be finished for now, and with the way the match played out it does leave some unreleased catharsis. The match itself was solid, about the same quality and energy as the other Kingdom and Infantry bouts. **¾

Some solid featured bouts this week, but as always, nothing worth going out of your way to see. Next week’s episode looks incredibly grim.