SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
APRIL 7, 2023
RECORDED AT THE RYAN CENTER IN KINGSTON, RI
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone
Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
– The opening of Rampage aired, and JR welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.
(1) HOOK vs. ETHAN PAGE – FTW Championship
Page attacked Hook before the bell. The two battled on the outside as Hook threw Page into the barricade. Hook pulled out a table from under the ring as the crowd cheered him on. Page cut Hook off but Hook reversed things and continued the offensive attack. Both men fought into the crowd and up the stairs. The two made their way through the crowd as Matt Hardy and Isaiah Kassidy watched on from the back. Page played to the crowd as he got a bit of the upper hand. Hook nailed him with a few right hands as the two slowly made their way down the stairs. Hook nailed Page with a series of cross faces as the crowd counted along. [c]
Page nailed Hook with a running boot to send him back over the barricade and closer to the ring. Hook caught Page with a suplex on the floor. Hook again went under the ring and brought out a few chairs and sent them into the ring. Page cut Hook off and tried power bombing him through the timekeeper’s table. Hook evaded and tried suplexing Page through the table. Page cut him off this time and threw Hook into the post, then power slammed him through the table.
Page covered for two on the outside. Both men finally made their way inside the ring as Page set up the table in the corner. Page missed a chair shot then tried again and hit himself after it bounced against the ropes. Hook hit Twist of Fate for two. Hook attempted a suplex through the table but Page cut him off. then nailed Hook with a huge kick. Page tried for a powerbomb but Hook locked in RedRum for the win.
WINNER: Hook in 9:30
– After the match, Hook hit a T-bone suplex on Page through the table.
(Moynahan’s Take: A fun match that got the crowd into it from the start. A much more entertaining matchup than their first one on Dynamite.)
– The latest edition of QTV aired. They talked about the Lucha Bros to hype up tonight’s match on Battle of the Belts. [c]
(2) THE ACCLAIMED (w/Billy Gunn) & MATT MENARD & ANGELO PARKER (w/Jake Hager) vs. LSG, BOBBY ORLAND, & THE INFANTRY
LSG kicked things off with Bowens, who quickly knocked him down with a thrust kick. Menard and Parker came in and double teamed until Acclaimed made the tag and hit Scissor Me Timbers. All eight men hit the ring and The Acclaimed went for the scissor me. Bowens hit The Arrival as Caster came off the top with the Mic Drop for the win.
WINNERS: The Acclaimed & Matt Menard & Angelo Parker in 2:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Your Rampage Squash of the Week.)
– After the match, Menard, Parker, and Hager attacked The Acclaimed and Gunn. Bowens was hit with a double DDT as the crowd booed the J.A.S. members.
– Swerve Strickland was shown backstage. Swerve said he lost some soldiers but didn’t lose the war. He talked about a merger and announced he has joined forces with someone we’d find out about later tonight.
(3) DARBY ALLIN vs. LEE MORIARTY (w/Big Bill)
The announcers mentioned that Darby was in a skateboarding accident while in NY this week. There were noticeable bruises on the side of his body. Both men started off by working the mat as Jack Perry was shown looking on from the back, as was Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo. Darby went for an early pin attempt for two. Moriarty took Darby to the mat, then stomped him across the chest. Moriarty worked across Darby’s bruised back, then kicked him to the outside. Moriarty drove Darby into the barricade but missed a follow up running kick. Darby locked in a sleeper, then threw Moriarty into the ring. Big Bill ran across the floor with a huge boot to Darby’s face. [c]
Darby hit a shotgun dropkick then went to the top but was stopped by Moriarty. Darby fought Moriarty off but Big Bill distracted Darby and the ref, which allowed Moriarty to drag Darby off the top rope. Moriarty locked in a full nelson, then hit a German suplex or a two count. Darby blocked a few suplex attempts but was draped across the top rope by Moriarty. Moriarty perched Darby on the top rope and hit a superplex but Darby countered into a pin attempt. Darby and Moriarty went back and forth as Moriarty got a pin attempt for a close two count. Darby hit Code Red, then took out Big Bill with a running senton through the ropes. Darby hit Coffin Drop on Moriarty for the win.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 11:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Great match, with a lot of offense by Moriarty but a flurry of energy by Darby at the end to pick up the win.)
– After the match, Swerve’s music hit as he made his way to the ramp. He extended his hand to Darby but Brian Cage quickly attacked Darby from behind and took him out. Prince Nana came out and shook hands with Swerve as it looked like Mogul Affiliates and The Embassy joined forces.
– RJ City sat down with Taya Valkyrie and Jade Cargill. Taya talked about the move Jade claims she stole. Taya said the move has been used for decades and Jade had no right to it. Things broke down from there as Mark Sterling got in Taya’s face and Jade walked off.
– Mark Henry previewed the main event via a video package. Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”
– Swerve Strickland vs. Darby Allin was announced for this week’s Dynamite.
(4) ANNA JAY vs. JULIA HART
Jay attacked Hart from behind as the match kicked off. The two fought on the outside in the early going, with Hart ramming Jay into the barricade multiple times. Hart rolled Jay back into the ring and rammed her face into the mat. Jay fired back with an elbow strike then kicked away at Hart’s midsection. Jay draped Hart’s throat across the top rope then brought her back to the outside. Jay swung Hart against the barricade. [c]
Hart rammed Jay into each of the four corners of the ring, then kicked away at Jay’s knees. Hart went for a pin for two. Hart hit a standing moonsault for another close count. Hart tried for a handspring but Jay caught her and drove her to the mat for two. Jay locked in Queen’s Slayer but Hart drove Jay into the corner to break it up. Hart hit the handspring and a back elbow, then perched Jay on the top rope. Hart pulled Jay off the top, then hit a moonsault for a very close count. Hart locked in a submission but Jay reversed. Jay locked in Queen’s Slayer again but Hart rolled to the outside as both women crashed to the floor.
Jay got back in the ring as Hart took her time on the outside. Hart threw a chair inside the ring to distract the ref, which allowed her to spray black mist into Jay’s eyes, then cover for the win.
WINNER: Julia Hart in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A good, not great main event, with Hart looking strong with the win over Jay.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: A much improved episode of Rampage this week, which I have to give a lot of credit to for the live environment. Nothing felt rushed or forced, and most things stayed in the ring instead of unnecessary backstage silliness, aside from QTV of course. Now onto Battle of the Belts VI!
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