AEW RAMPAGE RESULTS (1/26): Moxley vs. Moriarty, Takeshita vs. Daniels, Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho, Four-way for shot at International Title

AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
JANUARY 26, 2024
RECORDED AT THE ENMARKET ARENA IN SAVANNAH, GA.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Matt Menard

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

– The opening of Rampage aired as Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard.

(1) JON MOXLEY vs. LEE MORIARTY (w/Shane Taylor)

Moriarty was already in the ring as the show kicked off with Moxley’s entrance through the crowd. Both men traded holds in the early going before Moriarty hit a snap mare to take Moxley to the mat. Moxley chopped Moriarty in the corner as Moriarty bailed to the outside. Back inside the ring, Moriarty and Moxley continued to trade holds as Moriarty brought Moxley back to the mat with a headlock. Moxley fired up and nailed Moriarty with an elbow to the face as Moriarty once again popped to the outside.

Moriarty ducked a lariat attempt and rolled Moxley up for two. Moriarty locked in his Border City submission but Moxley reached the ropes for the break. Both men traded shots as Moriarty stood in there with Moxley. Moxley knocked Moriarty with a huge shit to the face, then whipped him across the ring and finished with a clothesline. Moxley followed up with a series of right hands before biting Moriarty on the ear. Moriarty regained some momentum and fired a few of his own right hands on Moxley in the corner before throwing him to the outside. [c]

Both men battled on the apron as Moriarty dropped Moxley across the apron right onto his shoulder. Moriarty went for a springboard but Moxley cut him off. Moriarty came right back with a belly-to-belly suplex into submission hold. Moxley rolled through but Moriarty hit a suplex right into another submission. Moriarty hit a suplex for a close count. Moriarty ran right into a huge lariat by Moxley who quickly locked in his bulldog choke.

Moriarty hit a running boot to the face of Moxley in the corner, then followed up with another. Moriarty dropped Moxley to the may and covered for a close count. Moriarty focused on the injured arm before going to the top. Moxley caught Moriarty with a right to the face as he came off the top, then hit a piledriver for two. Moxley hit a few hammer and elbow blows then took him out with a running knee for yet another close count. Moxley immediately wailed away at Moriarty, then locked in a choke for the tap out.

WINNER: Jon Moxley in 13:00

– After the match, Moriarty was about to shake Moxley’s hand until Taylor attacked Moxley. Both men double teamed Moxley and left him laying.

(Moynahan’s Take: Slow to start but picked up nicely. The lack of crowd here is very noticeable tonight. That all said, Moriarity looked good here and is one of many examples of young talent that should get deeper looks, more TV time, and actual character builds in AEW.)

– Renee was backstage with Angelo Parker and Anna Jay. Renee asked Anna how she was feeling before Parker interrupted and said he couldn’t join her ringside tonight against Ruby Soho. He asked Anna if she had anything to do with Harley Cameron kissing him last week. Anna didn’t take too well to this and got offended for being asked. She said she was defending Parker until now. She said tonight and moving forward will be about having her own back instead of everyone else’s. [c]

– Excalibur announced some stars of CMLL will be coming soon to AEW, and a few will be highlighted on tomorrow’s Collision.

(2) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/The Don Callis Family) vs. CHRISTOPHER DANIELS

Callis joined commentary during this match. Daniels attacked Takeshita right from the bell but was quickly met with a huge forearm shot across the face. Takeshita hit a flying clothesline then followed up with a running elbow in the corner. Takeshita came off the middle ropes with a senton and was in total control. He propped Daniels on the top rope as Daniels tried fighting back.

Daniels hit a few headbutts to finally knock Takeshita off the ropes. Daniels followed up by driving Takeshita face-first to the mat, then hit a German suplex. Daniels went for Angel’s Wings but Takeshita blocked it. Takeshita slammed Daniels to the mat before hitting him with a running knee for the win.

WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita in 2:30

– After the match, Callis took the mic and addressed Chris Jericho. He said they took out both Kenny Omega and Sammy Guevara but Jericho keeps coming back. He challenged Jericho to face Takeshita on Dynamite in two weeks. Kyle Fletcher took the mic and said it was his turn to take out Jericho. Callis loved the idea and challenged Jericho to face Fletcher next week on Dynamite, while Takeshita awaits him the following week.

(Moynahan’s Take: An easy win for Takeshita who shouldn’t be on Rampage, and thankfully will at least be featured on Dynamite in two weeks. I like the Fletcher/Jericho addition to next week’s Dynamite but I’m otherwise over this feud.)

– Renee was backstage with Top Flight and Action Andretti. They were also joined by Private Party. Renee said they were going to have their rematch next week in New Orleans, but added that Private Party won the first meeting with some questionable means. Private Party said a win’s a win. Andretti said he would be in Top Flight’s corner to make sure things were clean.

(3) ANNA JAY vs. RUBY SOHO (w/Saraya & Harley Cameron)

Soho attacked Jay before the match officially started. Both women battled on the outside as Menard said it’d be hard for him to remain impartial. Excalibur announced that Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty will face Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli on tomorrow’s Collision.

Back inside the ring, Jay got some momentum on her side as she took Soho to the corner. Jay nailed Soho across the face with an elbow strike. Cameron and Saraya pulled at Jay’s leg to distract her enough for Soho to regain the advantage. [c]

Jay hit a DDT on Soho and slowly made the cover for two. Jay locked in Queen Slayer as Cameron grabbed her leg. Jay rolled to the outside and laid out Cameron as Saraya attacked Jay. The ref caught Saraya and Cameron in the act and threw them both out. Soho watched them leave as Jay came from behind and attempted a backslide. Soho reversed things and hit Destination Unknown for a two count. Jay fought back and locked in Queen Slayer for the win.

WINNER: Anna Jay in 5:00

(Moynahan’s Take: Jay yelled at Soho that she “didn’t do it” referring to the Cameron/Parker kiss. A fine match but the storyline needs to end quickly.)

– Eddie Kingston was backstage with Renee who asked him about his dealings with Bryan Danielson. Kingston told him they don’t respect one another but said he had someone else in mind that does get Kingston’s respect, and that was Willie Mack. Kingston said he would give Mack a non-title match on tomorrow’s Collision, then wished Danielson luck with Yuji Nagata. [c]

– A Serena Deeb video aired promoting her return on tomorrow’s Collision.

(4) KIP SABIAN vs. THE BUTCHER (w/The Blade) vs. EL HIJO DEL VIKINGO vs. KOMANDER (w/Alex Abrahantes) – “Freshly Squeezed” Four-way AEW International Championship Number One Contender’s Match

Butcher and Vikingo battled one another in the corner as Sabian and Komander fought on the outside. Butcher and Vikingo quickly followed suit until Butcher and Sabian went back inside the ring to pair off. Sabian tried to get Butcher to work with him then quickly turned on him and rolled him up for two. Sabian evaded Butcher, then sent him to the outside. Vikingo swept out Sabian’s legs, then he and Komander each ran across the ring and took out Butcher and Sabian on the outside.

Komander and Vikingo were alone in the ring to showcase their flashy moves which ended in a stalemate. Butcher hit the ring and took out both men with a clothesline. Butcher laid out Vikingo in the corner as Komander flew off the ropes but was caught in a Cloverleaf submission. Vikingo broke things up as Sabian slipped off the ropes and barely hit Vikingo. [c]

Butcher and Sabian were working together to double team Komander. Sabian hit a running cannonball on Komander as Butcher came over the top with a splash. Sabian went for a pin on Komander which Butcher quickly broke up. Butcher hit Sabian with a nasty looking backbreaker, then covered for a count that was broken up by Vikingo who flew off the ropes. Vikingo was tripped by Sabian who slammed his leg across the ringpost. Sabian picked up Vikingo but was caught by Komander off the ropes. Komander hit a Spanish Fly on Sabian for two.

Vikingo knocked Komander off the ropes and went for a suplex. Butcher got under Vikingo as Sabian tripped Butcher’s legs and all three opponents took a nasty fall. Sabian went for a pin on Vikingo with his feet on the ropes as Alex Abrahantes knocked them off Komander jumped off Abrahantes and hit Sabian with a destroyer on the floor. Vikingo came off the top and took out both Sabian and Komander.

Vikingo threw Komander back inside the ring and went for a moonsault but Komander got his feet up in time. Komander went at Butcher next but was caught in a powerbomb. Vikingo hit a corkscrew kick on Butcher then hit him with running knees in the corner. Vikingo and Komander battled next as Komander hit posionrana on Vikingo. Sabian hit the ring and tried to pin Komander who reversed things into a pin of his own.

WINNER: Komander in 13:30

– Orange Cassidy made his way to the ring to face off with Komander, who he will defend the International Championship against tomorrow on Collision.

(Moynahan’s Take: A fun four-way which was also very sloppy at times. I’m not a fan of random multi-man number one contender matches in general, and this was no different. That said, at least it sets up a match on Collision the next night rather than a big PPV match.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Well the TV production team made their money tonight trying to shoot around the lack of fans left in the arena. From the downward camera angle on the ring, to even less lighting on the stands, to the overall lack of crowd noise, this not was a pretty sight. From an in-ring perspective, the opener and the main event were fun but nothing here is must-watch. I’m hopeful people like Moriarty and Komander can build off tonight’s showings and turn things around for themselves. AEW needs to give fans reasons to invest in guys (and gals) like this. Until next week, stay safe everyone!