Friday night’s Fyter Fest week two episode of AEW Rampage averaged 428,000 viewers on TNT, down 1.6 percent from the previous week. It tied the episode from two weeks ago as the least viewed Rampage since June 24.
In the 18-49 demo, Rampage finished sixth on cable with a 0.17 rating. That’s up 21.4 percent from the previous week and is Rampage’s highest rating in the demo since April 22.
The show was up across every single age group with the exception of people over 50, which were down 15 percent. That’s the reason for the overall viewership decline. The biggest increase was with males 12-34, which were up 60 percent.
Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and individual ratings demos for Rampage, as well as the 10-week averages in all categories. This week’s show was up 2.3 percent in viewers and up 21.4 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.
Wednesday’s Fyter Fest week two episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 910,000 viewers on TBS, down 3.4 percent from week one. It’s the lowest audience total for Dynamite since June 22.
Dynamite, which was headlined by a barbed wire everywhere match between Eddie Kingston and Chris Jericho, topped the cable charts with a 0.32 rating in the 18-49 demo on Wednesday night, matching last week’s total in that category.
The show had a minor increase of 5.3 percent with people in the 25-54 demo, but that was offset by larger declines in the 12-34 age group. Males 12-34 were down 17.3 percent from last week, while females 12-34 were down 17.7 percent.
As compared to the same week in 2021, Dynamite was down 20.7 percent in overall viewers and down 27.3 percent in 18-49. It’s the second consecutive week the show has had a year-over-year decline of more than 20 percent in the key demo.
Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and individual demo ratings for Dynamite, along with the 10-week averages in all categories. This week’s show was down 0.9 percent in viewers and down 5.9 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.
AEW returns to Duluth, Georgia tonight for week two of Fyter Fest on Dynamite.
Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston in a “barbed wire everywhere death match” with the Jericho Appreciation Society suspended in a shark cage above the ring is the headline bout this week.
New AEW World Tag Team Champions Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland) will hold a championship celebration tonight after winning the Tag titles from The Young Bucks in last week’s main event.
FTR will speak before they defend the ROH World Tag Team titles against The Briscoes at Saturday’s Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view in a two out of three falls match.
The feud between Darby Allin and Brody King will continue, as the two meet in a singles match.
TBS Champion Jade Cargill, Kiera Hogan, and Leila Grey will face off against Athena, Kris Statlander, and Willow Nightingale in a trios bout.
Luchasaurus and Christian Cage will team against Varsity Blonds (Brian Pillman Jr. & Griff Garrison).
Ricky Starks will defend the FTW title against Cole Karter, the former Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan in WWE NXT.
Interim AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta will team against Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) on the show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Show Report —
Brody King defeated Darby Allin
Darby dropkicked King to the floor and tried to follow it up with a tope suicida, but King caught him and pressed him against the ring post. Back inside, King leveled Darby with lariats and chops. He just tossed Darby all over the place and completely shrugged off any comeback attempt, including some brutal throws into the barricade.
After a break, Darby used his belt to take down King and pull him to the floor before taking him out with his signature wild dive. Back inside, he went for Coffin Splashes, but King caught him in a sleeper and tied him up in the tree of woe. Darby avoided the cannonball splash and hit a Code Red for a near fall.
Darby locked on an inverted nelson before transitioning to a sleeper, which King broke out of by cannonballing into the corner. They fought on the apron, where King locked on the sleeper and dropped him to the floor, just as in the battle royale. Darby made it back into the ring at the nine count.
King immediately grabbed Darby and hit the Gonzo Bomb for the win.
– After the match, King baited out Sting by attacking Darby. Sting came out, rushed the ring, and had King in position for the Scorpio Death Drop, but then the lights went out and Sting was face to face with Malakai Black. King grabbed him from behind and Black shot black mist in Sting’s face as Sting passed out.
This brought out Miro, who stopped short of the ring and stared down Black and King.
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Cole Karter, the former Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan in WWE NXT, was backstage. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs walked up. Starks referenced Karter’s “death” on NXT, but Karter said he’d win the FTW Championship tonight.
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William Regal and Orange Cassidy both joined commentary. Regal was baffled at Orange.
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley & Wheeler YUTA) defeated Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor)
Trent and Moxley started off by immediately trading chops. YUTA tagged in and wanted to fight Trent, but Trent tagged out to Chuck. Chuck tried to big-league him, but after an exchange, Trent tagged back in, where YUTA laid in repeated strikes. Trent fought out of a German and reversed it into a back suplex. He continued the beatdown and distracted the official while Chuck attacked YUTA on the floor.
The Best Friends continued to isolate YUTA through a commercial, but Moxley got the hot tag upon return. He laid in hammer-and-anvil elbows on Trent before tossing Chuck over the timekeeper’s table. Back inside, he countered a dive into a cutter for two.
Moxley kicked Trent’s head in and tagged in YUTA for a double team, but Chuck broke it up and hit the Awful Waffle on Moxley, then a second one on YUTA. Beretta hit one of his own on YUTA for a good near fall. The Best Friends wanted the Strong Zero, but YUTA fought out and hit a German. Trent came back with a Crunchy, but Moxley broke it up with a Regal knee at the last second.
Trent prevented YUTA from tagging in Moxley. Chuck tagged in but ran right into a jumping guillotine from YUTA. Moxley took out Trent, but Chuck fought out of the guillotine with a suplex. YUTA surprised Chuck with the Seatbelt pinning predicament for the win.
– After the match, Daniel Garcia was shown looking on backstage.
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A video package hyped Jonathan Gresham vs. Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Championship.
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“Chompy,” the Shark Week mascot, showed up at the commentary desk, where Excalibur announced the Fight For The Fallen partner this year would be one that focuses on ocean health and marine life.
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Swerve in our Glory AEW World Tag Team Championship Celebration
Tony Schiavone was in the ring, and he introduced Swerve and Lee. Swerve pointed out rapper Kevin Gates in the audience. Lee thanked the fans for helping them reach the point they’re at. He said that anyone who wants to challenge them will have to reach high, and he called for a toast.
Mark Sterling and Tony Nese interrupted. Sterling said they got lucky and that they’ve got their petition trying to get Swerve fired. Sterling offered the petition to Gates in the front row (saying he looks like Young M.A.), but Gates refused. Sterling said Gates’ music sucks, so Gates got in his face, but Nese got between them. Gates starched Nese with a punch, and Swerve slapped a cake in Sterling’s face to end things.
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John Silver & Alex Reynolds as well as The Butcher & The Blade were backstage. Silver presented Butcher with a “BUTCH” T-shirt, which B&B didn’t think was very funny, so they attacked. Hangman Page ran up with a chair to chase Butcher & Blade off.
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Christian Cage & Luchasaurus defeated Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr.)
Christian “started off” but immediately tagged himself out to Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus leveled Pillman and wanted to fight Garrison, who hit a couple rolling elbows. Pillman landed a thrust kick, but Luchasaurus downed both Blonds with a double clothesline. He slammed Garrison into Pillman, then Christian tagged in and just covered to get the squash win.
– After the match, Christian posed on Luchasaurus’ shoulders, leading to “Tarzan Boy” playing as Jungle Boy made his return — with a chair in hand. Jungle Boy faced off with Luchasaurus and picked up the chair, but then Luchasaurus changed positions to be on Jungle Boy’s side. Jungle Boy chased Christian up the arena steps all the way out to the concourse.
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The Gunn Club were backstage after declining The Acclaimed’s match challenge last week. Austin said he wants Max Caster one-on-one in a rap battle, with the winner getting to pick the stipulations for their eventual match.
Starks dominated at the start. Notably, the crowd pretty much hated Karter right away, as he got loud boos when he took control. After commercial, a rising knee from Karter got two. He avoided a spear and hit a TKO before climbing the ropes, where Starks avoided a 450 splash. Starks then hit the Spear for the win.
– After the match, Starks said he had more in the tank, so he welcomed another challenge.
Danhausen came out and accepted. Starks said it wouldn’t happen tonight, but it would next week.
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Kris Statlander, Athena, and Willow Nightingale were backstage. Statlander is out of the tag match tonight, and they said it was at Stokely Hathaway’s request. Athena teased going after the TBS Championship, and eventually Willow got everyone on the same page.
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FTR promo
Tony Schiavone introduced them, and they got a great reaction. Cash talked about how FTR went to war with the Briscoes at Supercard of Honor. He respects the Briscoes, but they’re not going to take what they’ve worked for away from them.
Dax told a story of how a little girl was found to have a hole in her heart, three years later, the hole was closed. He said that girl worked her ass off to get better — and that little girl is Dax’s daughter. If she can work that hard, Dax needs to bring home the championships and legacy that she can be proud of.
On Saturday, Dax will fight like an eight-year-old girl. “Top guys, out.”
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Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh were backstage. Lethal complained about Samoa Joe not coming to work and defending the ROH Television Championship, so Christopher Daniels walked up and said he’d show up and fight on Rampage. Lethal accepted.
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Rapper and producer Jermaine Dupri accompanied Jade and crew.
Before the match, Stokely said Leila Gray couldn’t compete, and Jade said she and Kiera would take care of business.
Hogan and Athena had a nice exchange to start. Willow tagged in and hit a low crossbody for two. A knee from Jade on the outside distracted Athena, but she and Willow recovered, allowing Willow to hit a double blockbuster out on the floor. Athena took out her opponents with a crossbody to the outside ahead of a break.
During commercial, Jade and Hogan took control and beat down Athena. Once back, Willow got the hot tag and hit a spinebuster on Hogan, but Jade came in and broke up the pin. Jade faced off with Athena and they traded forearms until Jade got the better of the exchange with a kick. She caught a dive and hit a fallaway slam. Jade kipped up as usual, but Athena did the same to surprise her.
Athena crushed Jade with double knees and powerbombed Hogan on the apron. Stokely got in Athena’s face, and the distraction was enough for Jade to boot Athena into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Jade tagged in, and Willow cradled her for two. Jade hit a Blue Thunder bomb for two and then Jaded for the win.
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ThunderStorm (Thunder Rosa & Toni Storm) were backstage. Rosa defends her title against Miyu Yamashita next week, and she knows Yamashita’s the best, but Rosa will win.
Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter walked up. Baker was tired of Rosa promos, and she said they’d be on Rampage.
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AEW Rampage (7/22) lineup —
Hangman Page & John Silver vs. The Butcher & The Blade
Lee Moriarty vs. Dante Martin
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. & Jamie Hayter in action
RAP BATTLE: Max Caster vs. Austin Gunn
Jay Lethal vs. Christopher Daniels
ROH Death Before Dishonor (7/23) lineup —
ROH Pure Championshp: Wheeler YUTA (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
ROH Women’s Championship: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Serena Deeb
ROH World Tag Team Championships, 2 out of 3 Falls: FTR (c) vs. The Briscoes
Willow Nightingale vs. Allysin Kay
ROH Television Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Jay Lethal
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championships: The Righteous (VINCENT, BATEMAN, & DUTCH) (c) vs. Dalton Castle & The Boys
ROH World Championship: Jonathan Gresham (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen (7/27) lineup —
AEW Women’s World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Miyu Yamashita
FTW Championship: Ricky Starks (c) vs. Danhausen
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Jericho was in full Painmaker makeup and gear. Jericho Appreciation Society were suspended in a “shark cage” above the ring. There was barbed wire strung around the ropes in addition to barbed wire tables, and even a barbed wire mic for Justin Roberts.
Ruby Soho is supposed to have control over the shark cage.
Barbed Wire Everywhere match: Chris Jericho defeated Eddie Kingston
This was a wild, entertaining hardcore match.
Kingston got the barbed wire mic and immediately smashed Jericho with it, busting him open. Jericho got the ring bell (wrapped in barbed wire) and attacked Kingston with it. Back inside, Kingston tossed Jericho into the barbed wire-wrapped ropes and whacked him with a barbed wire chair. Jericho established the upper hand by throwing Kingston onto a barbed wire table.
During commercial, Jericho locked Kingston in the Walls of Jericho on the barbed wire. Back from break, Kingston whipped Jericho into the barbed wire and crotched him over the ropes. He then suplexed Jericho through a barbed wire table at ringside.
Tay Conti ran out and attacked Ruby Soho at ringside, then Anna Jay ran out and pulled Tay off of her — before turning on Soho and sending her into the ring post. Jay grabbed the controls and lowered the shark cage, allowing the Jericho Appreciation Society to run out and beat down Kingston.
Jon Moxley, Ortiz and Claudio Castagnoli ran out to fight off the Jericho Appreciation Society. Kingston hit an exploder suplex through a barbed wire table for a near fall. Jericho hit a desperation Codebreaker for two but took a barbed wire chair to the face in the process. He whacked Kingston repeatedly with the chair and went for a Lionsault, but Jericho tossed the chair into his face.
Kingston hit the Uraken backfist for a good near fall. He pulled out barbed wire from under the ring and locked on a wire-assisted Stretch Plum. The crowd thought that was it, but Sammy Guevara came out and superkicked Kingston. Jericho then hit the Judas Effect with his arm wrapped in barbed wire for the win.
– After the match, Jericho and Guevara wanted more of an attack, but Kingston fought back and threw Jericho into a barbed wire spider web before the end of the show.
A six-woman tag match is set to take place on this week’s AEW Dynamite.
AEW has announced that TBS Champion Jade Cargill, Kiera Hogan & Leila Grey will take on Athena, Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale on Dynamite this Wednesday. It’s the Fyter Fest week two edition of the show.
“[Athena] & [Statlander] have been at war with TBS Champ #JadeCargill & The Baddies; now they have a trios partner up for the fight,” AEW tweeted. “[Nightingale] teams with Stat + Athena vs. Jade/Kiera Hogan/Leila Grey LIVE on #AEWDynamite #FyterFest! TOMORROW 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS!”
Wednesday’s Dynamite is being held at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia. Here’s the updated lineup for the episode:
Barbed wire death match: Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho (the Jericho Appreciation Society will be suspended above the ring in a shark cage)
Luchasaurus & Christian Cage vs. The Varsity Blonds
Dante Martin vs. Lee Moriarty has been announced for AEW Rampage Fyter Fest week two.
The bout was announced during this week’s Fyter Fest edition of Rampage in a backstage segment.
Moriarty was unsuccessful in challenging Jonathan Gresham for the ROH World title earlier in the show, and was part of a backstage interview segment with Lexy Nair. Stokely Hathaway interrupted and offered to hire Moriarty as a member of The Baddies, but Matt Sydal interrupted Hathaway and proposed the match with Martin for next week. Martin then entered, shook hands with Moriarty, and the match was officially set.
AEW announced during this week’s Rampage that more match announcements for next week’s Fyter Fest edition of the show will be made on social media in the upcoming days.
Here is the lineup for next week to this point:
AEW Rampage Fyter Fest week two, Friday, July 22 —
Fyter Fest will continue into a second week with two new matches that were announced for next Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
Brody King will take on Darby Allin, born out of the recent Royal Rampage match where King put Allin to sleep and dropped him on the outside of the ring to win and earn an AEW interim World title shot.
At an autograph session this past Saturday in Seattle, King attacked Allin and power bombed him through a table before the event began.
In a tag team match, Christian Cage & Luchasaurus will face the Varsity Blonds. Luchasaurus defeated Griff Garrison in singles action Wednesday and, at Cage’s order, attacked Brian Pillman Jr. and power bombed Garrison twice while Pillman was laid out on a ringside table.
The two new matches join the previously announced main event which will see Chris Jericho re-adopt his Painmaker persona to take on rival Eddie Kingston in a barbed wire death match.
Here’s the current lineup from Duluth, Georgia:
Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho barbed wire death match
Warner Bros. Discovery asked AEW to help promote this year’s Shark Week.
It was announced on AEW Rampage that Eddie Kingston will face Chris Jericho in a barbed wire death match on the July 20 edition of Dynamite. During the match, members of the Jericho Appreciation Society will be locked inside a shark cage suspended above the ring.
Our own Dave Meltzer addressed the gimmick match on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.
“The shark thing I guess is the gimmick having to do with Shark Week. Discovery asked them to do a tie-in so they came up with a match to do a tie-in in,” Meltzer said on the show.
The barbed wire death match between Kingston and Jericho will be the second time they’ve met in singles competition. Kingston defeated Jericho in their first meeting at AEW Revolution in March.
Shark Week begins July 24 on Discovery+ and will feature numerous shark-related documentaries. The annual programming block first premiered in 1988.
A barbed wire death match is set for the second week of AEW Fyter Fest.
It was announced tonight on AEW Rampage that Eddie Kingston will take on Chris Jericho in a barbed wire death match. Members of the Jericho Appreciation Society will be locked inside a shark cage suspended above the ring.
Jericho and Kingston have continued to feud following their Blood and Guts match last month. Kingston had Jericho submitting to the plum stretch in that match, but Claudio Castagnoli scored the win after submitting Matt Menard.
On this week’s Dynamite, footage was shown of Jericho orchestrating an attack on Kingston’s friend, Ruby Soho, with Tay Conti slamming a car door on Soho’s hand. On this week’s Rampage, Kingston said that after defeating a young star like Konosuke Takeshita, he wanted another shot at Chris Jericho.
The first week of Fyter Fest begins on Dynamite this coming Wednesday. Matches announced include Claudio Castangnoli vs. Jake Hager, The Young Bucks vs. Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee and Powerhouse Hobbs & Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team titles, Anna Jay vs. Serena Deeb, and Christian Cage & Luchasaurus will appear.
