AEW Rampage (also known as Friday Night Rampage or simply Rampage) is an American professional wrestlingtelevision program produced by the American promotionAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) that premiered on August 13, 2021. It airs every Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on TNT in the United States; although major sporting events occasionally move it to an earlier or later time slot the same day or the next day (as a special Saturday Night Rampage).
Rampage was AEW's second weekly television show, following the premiere of Dynamite, and the second professional wrestling program to air on TNT since the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro on March 26, 2001. With the premiere of Collision in June 2023 (which subsequently became the company's secondary flagship program), and the cancellation AEW's YouTube shows (Dark and Elevation), Rampage would essentially succeed the YouTube shows by focusing on younger and mid-to-low card talent.
Episodes of Rampage are typically taped after the live broadcast of the preceding episode of Dynamite. On occasion, some episodes are also taped after Collision, while other episodes air live.
The American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) was officially announced and launched on January 1, 2019, and their weekly flagship television program, Dynamite, began airing on TNT that October.[1] On January 15, 2020, TNT's parent company WarnerMedia and AEW announced a US$175 million contract extension for Dynamite through 2023. As part of the new deal, it was also announced that AEW would be launching a second weekly television show.[2][3]
In May 2021, AEW revealed their second weekly television show, and fourth program overall, as AEW Rampage, which would begin airing on TNT on August 13 as a one-hour show on Fridays at 10pm Eastern Time (ET). During AEW's marquee event Double or Nothing on May 30, former WWE wrestler Mark Henry was announced to be a part of the Rampage commentary team as an analyst.[4][5] On August 4, Dynamite and Dark's commentators Excalibur and Taz and wrestler Chris Jericho, who had served as a guest commentator several times on Dynamite, were announced to join Henry as Rampage's four-man commentary team.[6] AEW President and Chief Executive OfficerTony Khan said that the commentary team would not always be all four men, as Henry would also have other roles on the show, such as doing interviews.[7] In September, AEW wrestler Ricky Starks replaced Henry on the commentary team, with Henry now just doing interviews on the show.[8]
In an interview with PWInsider, Khan stated that while Rampage would air live for most episodes, some episodes they would pre-tape, depending on the city that the preceding episode of Dynamite was held in (although this would later shift to most episodes being taped in conjunction with Dynamite with only a few airing live). He also said that Rampage would serve as the go-home show for AEW's pay-per-views (PPV), due to the show airing two days before those events. Rampage in turn replaced that role forDark; as although Dark normally aired on Tuesdays, it would instead air on Fridays during the week of a PPV to serve as the go-home show.[9] Khan also said that WarnerMedia had asked him if he would rather expand Wednesday's Dynamite to three hours, but he rejected the notion, stating that he did not want to run Dynamite for that length as he highly preferred that third hour as a separate show on a different night. He also claimed that Rampage would not be a secondary show to Dynamite, and that it would be its partner or its equivalent. He further said that Dynamite and Rampage would be AEW's core properties, while their YouTube shows, Dark and Dark: Elevation, would be their peripheral properties, essentially their developmental programs.[10]
Rampage airs immediately following WWE's own Friday television program, SmackDown, which airs on Fox. Although Dynamite had run against WWE's NXT from October 2019 to April 2021, there was expectation that there would be no overlap between Rampage and SmackDown in nearly the entire country[a] unless the latter were to run over its scheduled time, which ends at 10pm ET, when Rampage begins broadcasting.[11] To date, this has occurred only once, which was on October 15, 2021. That night, SmackDown aired a special episode titled "Supersized SmackDown", which extended its runtime to 10:30pm with the additional 30 minutes airing commercial free, therefore directly competing with Rampage for its first 30 minutes. SmackDown had also aired on Fox's sister channel FS1 due to the MLB playoffs airing on Fox, which also decreased SmackDown's normal average viewership.[12] During the 30 minutes that the shows went head-to-head, Rampage beat SmackDown in the key demographic of viewers aged 18 to 49, drawing 328,000 views to SmackDown's 285,000 views.[13]
It was initially announced that both Dynamite and Rampage would be moving to TNT's sister channel TBS, also owned by WarnerMedia, in January 2022. However, on September 23, 2021, it was revealed that Rampage would remain on TNT while only Dynamite would move to TBS.[14][15]
As a result of an amended broadcasting deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (formerly WarnerMedia), AEW added a third weekly program on Saturday nights called Collision, which premiered in June 2023 on TNT. The YouTube shows, Dark and Elevation, were canceled to make way for Collision, which was positioned as AEW's second main program, while Rampage shifted to focusing on younger wrestlers, essentially becoming what the YouTube shows were for the company.[17][18]
Due to the NCAA March Madness coverage occurring on March 22, 2024, Rampage instead aired live on March 20 immediately after Dynamite. Additionally, and for the first time for the program, Rampage aired on TBS that night.[19]
Part 2 of the first annual Grand Slam event that aired as a special two-hour episode of Rampagetaped immediately after Dynamite concluded on September 22, 2021; Rampage's first stadium show.
Part 2 of Christmas-themed AEW Dynamite on December 22, 2021. Taped immediately after Dynamite conclusion: Holiday Bash concluded on December 22, 2021. Saturday airing of Rampage because of TNT's continuous airing of A Christmas Story starting on Christmas Eve.
Part 2 of the second annual Grand Slam event that aired as a special two-hour episode of Rampagetaped immediately after Dynamite concluded on September 21, 2022.
Part 2 of the third annual Grand Slam event that aired as a special two-hour episode of Rampagetaped immediately after Dynamite concluded on September 20, 2023.
September 17, 2021 (2021-09-17) – May 6, 2022 (2022-05-06)
Excalibur, Taz, and Ricky Starks
September 24, 2021 (2021-09-24) – October 1, 2021 (2021-10-01) October 15, 2021 (2021-10-15) November 5, 2021 (2021-11-05) December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) December 17, 2021 (2021-12-17) – December 25, 2021 (2021-12-25) March 11, 2022 (2022-03-11) April 8, 2022 (2022-04-08) – April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) May 27, 2022 (2022-05-27)
Excalibur, Taz, and Chris Jericho
October 8, 2021 (2021-10-08) February 4, 2022 (2022-02-04) March 25, 2022 (2022-03-25) April 29, 2022 (2022-04-29) May 13, 2022 (2022-05-13) – May 20, 2022 (2022-05-20) June 3, 2022 (2022-06-03) June 17, 2022 (2022-06-17) – June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24) August 4, 2023 (2023-08-04)
Excalibur and Taz
December 10, 2021 (2021-12-10) June 10, 2022 (2022-06-10) September 29, 2023 (2023-09-29)
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Ricky Starks
December 31, 2021 (2021-12-31)
Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone
July 1, 2022 (2022-07-01) – July 8, 2022 (2022-07-08) July 22, 2022 (2022-07-22) August 5, 2022 (2022-08-05) – August 12, 2022 (2022-08-12) October 14, 2022 (2022-10-14) – December 23, 2022 (2022-12-23) April 7, 2023 (2023-04-07) – June 9, 2023 (2023-06-09) January 12, 2024 (2024-01-12)
Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho
July 15, 2022 (2022-07-15) – October 7, 2022 (2022-10-07) November 18, 2022 (2022-11-18) January 6, 2023 (2023-01-06) – March 10, 2023 (2023-03-10) March 25, 2023 (2023-03-25) – March 31, 2023 (2023-03-31) April 22, 2023 (2023-04-22) May 19, 2023 (2023-05-19) – May 26, 2023 (2023-05-26) June 16, 2023 (2023-06-16)
December 30, 2022 (2022-12-30) March 17, 2023 (2023-03-17) October 13, 2023 (2023-10-13) November 3, 2023 (2023-11-03)
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho
June 23, 2023 (2023-06-23) July 7, 2023 (2023-07-07) – July 21, 2023 (2023-07-21) August 4, 2023 (2023-08-04) – August 11, 2023 (2023-08-11) September 1, 2023 (2023-09-01) – September 15, 2023 (2023-09-15) December 15, 2023 (2023-12-15) – December 22, 2023 (2023-12-22) March 8, 2024 (2024-03-08) – March 15, 2024 (2024-03-15) April 12, 2024 (2024-04-12)
Excalibur and Tony Schiavone
June 30, 2023 (2023-06-30) July 28, 2023 (2023-07-28) August 18, 2023 (2023-08-18) – August 25, 2023 (2023-08-25) October 6, 2023 (2023-10-06) October 20, 2023 (2023-10-20) December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01) December 29, 2023 (2023-12-29) February 2, 2024 (2024-02-02)
Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Don Callis, and Matt Menard
January 19, 2024 (2024-01-19)
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Matt Menard
January 26, 2024 (2024-01-26) February 9, 2024 (2024-02-09) – February 23, 2024 (2024-02-23) March 20, 2024 (2024-03-20) May 1, 2024 (2024-05-01) – present
Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, and Matt Menard
March 1, 2024 (2024-03-01) April 27, 2024 (2024-04-27) May 11, 2024 (2024-05-11) – May 18, 2024 (2024-05-18)
Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccaboni, and Nigel McGuinness
April 5, 2024 (2024-04-05) June 28, 2024 (2024-06-28)
August 13, 2021 (2021-08-13) December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) – December 10, 2021 (2021-12-10) June 17, 2022 (2022-06-17) – June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24) October 7, 2022 (2022-10-07) October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21) – November 4, 2022 (2022-11-04) December 30, 2022 (2022-12-30) – January 6, 2023 (2023-01-06) March 3, 2023 (2023-03-03) April 7, 2023 (2023-04-07) April 22, 2023 (2023-04-22) July 7, 2023 (2023-07-07) August 25, 2023 (2023-08-25) November 10, 2023 (2023-11-10) – November 25, 2023 (2023-11-25) March 1, 2024 (2024-03-01)
February 2, 2024 (2024-02-02) March 15, 2024 (2024-03-15) April 5, 2024 (2024-04-05) April 20, 2024 (2024-04-20) – April 27, 2024 (2024-04-27) May 11, 2024 (2024-05-11) – May 18, 2024 (2024-05-18) June 28, 2024 (2024-06-28)
Arkady Aura
June 21, 2024 (2024-06-21) July 5, 2024 (2024-07-05)
Broadcasting
In the United States, Rampage currently airs live on Fridays on TNT at 10pm ET. The program was to move to TBS in January 2022,[34] but in September, AEW announced that while Dynamite would move to TBS, Rampage would remain on TNT.[35]
On September 25, 2019, AEW announced an international streaming deal with FITE TV primarily for regions outside of the United States and Canada via the "AEW Plus" package, which includes live streaming and replay access of Dynamite in simulcast with its U.S. airing. This was expanded to include Rampage.[36]
Canada
On August 9, 2021, PWInsider reported that TSN, which airs Dynamite in Canada, would stream Rampage online in simulcast with the U.S. through its website and TSN Direct service.[37]
Europe
On July 3, 2021, WarnerTV Serie (known as TNT Serie until 24 September 2021) announced a deal to air Rampage on Monday nights in Germany.[38][39]
On July 6, 2021, Toonami (another WarnerMedia channel) announced a deal to air Rampage in France.[40]
On August 27, 2021, Sky Sport (owned by Comcast, which holds rights to a rival wrestling promotion, WWE in the United States) and AEW announced that Rampage would air on Mondays nights in Italy.[41]
On January 1, 2022, AEW announced that Rampage would be broadcast every Tuesday night on ITV4 with repeats every Thursday night on ITV1 in the United Kingdom,[42] it is also available to view on their streaming service ITVX.
On February 10, 2022, Warner TV announced that they would air Rampage in Poland.[43]
In Spain, AEW announced that was going to air Rampage on TNT starting on June 19, 2022.[44]
Latin America
On October 22, 2020, AEW reached an agreement with the digital platform Pluto TV, broadcasting its repeat events (including past pay-per-view) with commentators in Spanish from Latin America.[45]
On October 1, 2021, Rampage began airing on Space, a WarnerMedia International channel in Brazil and on Space's Spanish feed, available throughout Latin America on Saturdays.[46] On September 30, 2022, it was announced that AEW would stop airing on Space in Latin America on October 1, with Brazil following on December 30.[47][48]
Africa
Rampage began airing on TNT Africa on October 2, 2021, in Sub-Saharan Africa.[49] The show airs every Saturday morning at 10 AM CAT, one week after the U.S. broadcast.[50]
Asia
In India, Rampage airs on Eurosport starting on August 15, 2021, and later at the same time as the American airing from August 21, 2021, every Saturday 7:30 AM IST.[51] Eurosport is owned by Discovery Communications, which is set to acquire WarnerMedia later in 2021. Rampage began airing on Premier Sports in the Philippines in October 2021[52] On April 8, 2022, it was announced that as part of the AEW and NJPW working relationship that Rampage would air in Japan on NJPW World.[53][54]
Oceania
Rampage airs on ESPN2 starting February 18, 2023, in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Niue, Nauru, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Northern Marianas, Tokelau, Tahiti, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Wallis and Futuna.
^Honolulu Fox affiliate KHON-TV airs Smackdown at 7–9pm Hawaii time. TNT and TBS's West Coast feeds air Rampage at 8pm in Hawaii during Pacific Standard Time and 7pm in Hawaii during Pacific Daylight Time.