1/28 AEW RAMPAGE REPORT: Moxley vs. Bowens, Jade Cargill vs. Julia Hart, FTR vs. Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson, Jurassic Express vs. Private Party

AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JANUARY 28, 2021
CLEVELAND, OH AT THE WOLSTEIN CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho, Ricky Starks

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

– The opening of Rampage aired. Excalibur welcomed us with, “It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!” Excalibur was joined by Taz, Chris Jericho, and Ricky Starks.

(1) JON MOXLEY vs. ANTHONY BOWENS (w/Max Caster)

Moxley attacked Bowens and Caster right before the bell. Moxley had Bowens in the corner and hit him with a series of right hands. The two went to the outside, and Moxley threw Bowens into the metal barricade. Moxley and Bowens went over the barricade into the crowd. The two battled through the crowd until they made their way back toward the ring.

Moxley was pulled into the post by Bowens who was able to gain the upper hand. Back in the ring, Bowens regained the advantage and focused on Moxley’s left arm. Moxley fought back and tried regaining the advantage until Caster distracted from the outside which allowed Bowens to regain the advantage. [c]

Moxley was perched on the top rope and had Bowens in a headlock. Bowens got out of it and hit Moxley with a dropkick, then followed up with a superplex. Bowens came off the middle rope but Moxley caught him with a boot, then threw him over the top rope onto Caster. Inside the ring, Bowens hit a DDT on Moxley for a two count.

The two faced off in the middle of the ring. Moxley won the battle with a palm strike across the face, then hit a piledriver for a two count. Bowens countered a sunset flip for a close two, then followed up with the Acclaim to Fame for another close count.

Bowens nailed Moxley with a superkick, then went to the corner for the boombox. The ref, Aubrey Edwards, took it away, but Bowens picked up a chain from Caster instead. Moxley cut off Bowens and rolled up Bowens for two. Moxley hit the Paradigm Shift for the win.

WINNER: Jon Moxley in 12:00

(Moynahan’s Take: Good opener. Moxely gave up a bit more than I would have liked here, but the more I see of Bowens, especially in singles action, the more I enjoy his work.)

– After the match, Bryan Danielson was shown backstage watching the outcome of this match. He turned toward the camera and smiled as he walked away.

– It was announced that Ruby Soho and Nyla Rose would face off on Dynamite this week.

– Andrade was shown backstage looking for Darby, and finally found him in the locker room. Darby was laughing at Andrade, who was shocked he thought he worked for Sting. Darby said there was a lot he could buy in the world but Darby’s dignity was not one of them. He said they could get the “hell of out here:’ and pulled out a bat as Andrade walked away.

(2) FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler w/Tully Blanchard) vs. LEE JOHNSON & BROCK ANDERSON (w/Arn Anderson)

Wheeler and Johnson kicked things off, but Harwood soon tagged in to face off against Anderson. The two traded moves and reversals until they ended in a stalemate. Anderson took Harwood down with a stiff clothesline, then tagged in Johnson who clotheslined Harwood over the top rope. Johnson then took out Wheeler on the apron. Johnson flew off the top rope onto Harwood inside the ring for a close two count. [c]

Johnson hit a neckbreaker on Harwood, but was unable to tag in Anderson as Wheeler cut him off. Anderson finally tagged in and took out each member of FTR by himself. Anderson hit a gutwrench on Wheeler, then tried for a DDT. Wheeler reversed the DDT, but Anderson was able to get a close pin attempt on Wheeler. Johnson made the tag, then flew off the top with a splash for a close two count.

Anderson was outside the ring staring down Blachard who backed up into Arn Anderson. Arn knocked Blanchard out with a punch. Inside the ring, Johnson went for a German suplex on Wheeler, but Wheeler blocked it and tagged in Harwood. FTR hit a spike piledriver for the win.

WINNERS: FTR in 11:00

(Moynahan’s Take: The obvious team won here but this was another good match, and it helped showcase the young Anderson and Johnson team. Plus, any time we see Arn and Tully share screen time, it’s a win-win.)

Another vignette aired for the Thunder Rosa and Mercedes Martinez feud. Martinez said that next Friday on Rampage the two would finally face off.

– A vignette aired for Serena Deeb.

(3) JADE CARGILL (w/Mark Sterling) vs. JULIA HART (w/Griff Garrison) — TBS Championship

Hart was still wearing the black eye patch. Cargill knocked Hart down early with a shoulder breaker, then hit her with a backbreaker. Cargill went for an early cover, then did a few push ups and sit ups to play to the crowd. Hart fought back with a thrust kick and handspring elbow in the corner. Hart followed up with a hurricanrana for a close two count.

Cargill fought right back with a boot to Hart’s face, then hit her with Jaded for the win.

WINNER: Jade Cargill in 2:30

(Moynahan’s Take: Another obvious outcome, with Hart getting little offense in an otherwise squash match win for Cargill.)

– Mark Henry was backstage with members of tonight’s main event on split screen. Matt Hardy and Christian Cage fired back and forth at one another in defense of their respective teams. Private Party chimed in, saying they would win the tag team titles tonight. Jungle Boy said comparing Private Party and Jurassic Express was like comparing apples and Oranges. Henry said it was “time for the main event.”

(4) JURRASIC EXPRESS (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus w/Christian Cage) vs. PRIVATE PARTY (w/Matt Hardy) — Tag Team Championship

The Gunn Club was shown at ringside, who distracted Jungle Boy. Private Party attacked Jungle Boy from behind, then threw him into the ring and hit Gin and Juice for a close two count. Kassidy and Quen tried and missed a double team off the top rope on Jungle Boy, who moved out of the way. Luchasaurus took out each member of Private Party until Hardy hit him from behind with a chair. [c]

Andrade was shown viewing the match from a suite. Luchasaurus was outside battling against Private Party until he finally made his way back into the ring to try and tag in Jungle Boy. Luchasaurus finally tagged in Jungle Boy who took out Kassidy, then Quen. Jungle Boy hit two topes, then went over the top rope into both members of Private Party. Back inside the ring, Kassidy hit Jungle Boy with an enziguri for a close two count.

Jurassic Express had Quen alone on the ring until Kassidy came in and wiped out Jungle Boy. Kassidy hit Luchasaurus with a DDT. Jungle Boy came up from behind on Kassidy and locked in the Snare Trap. Quen jumped off the top rope with a shooting star press on Jungle Boy. Quen and Jungle Boy were the legal men. Private Party went for Gin and Juice but Jungle Boy countered into a Destroyer. Jurassic Express then hit their finish for the win.

WINNERS: Jurassic Express in 11:00

After the match, the Gunn Club hit the ring and attacked Jurassic Express. The Gunn Club stood over the fallen Jurassic Express as the show closed.

(Moynahan’s Take: Solid main event match with the outcome never really in question. The aftermath was fine but it honestly does not get me excited for a Jurassic Express showdown with the Gunn Club.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Another solid, yet unspectacular, episode of Rampage. While there was nothing great about this show, there was nothing clearly lacking at the same time either. If you’re looking for a solid hour of good to great wrestling action, this is clearly the show for you. That being said, Rampage has easily become a show you can watch at a later day and time rather than something to catch live (unless it’s actually a live show that week.) Until next week, stay safe everyone!