AEW Rampage 2/17/2023

AEW Rampage 2/17/2023

AEW Trios Titles - The Elite vs Top Flight and AR Fox

This got stupid from the start as they passed around a basketball and had a jump ball. Then one of Top Flight had a ball thrown at them and the ref did not care. AR Fox then did flips with the ball and the Bucks called for "time out". They did more nonsense with the ball and that was enough for me. Kenny beat AR Fox with an OWA. I saw about 2 minutes of this and I regret every second of it. This is supposed to be a title match with belts, prestige and money on the line and they were treating it like a joke.

The House of Black darkened the lights and appeared, then left without doing anything.

The Gunns were interviewed. They said The Acclaimed never want to do any work and they said they weren't worried about who their challengers would be at Revolution since they are at the top of the division.

Mark Henry interviewed Orange Cassidy, who has won 18 matches in a row. Wheeler Yuta then walked in and said leaving him was the best thing he ever did. He said the BCC can teach him more than OC could. Yuta said OC replaced him with a literal clown and said it offended him that OC didn't even seem to care about his title. OC said he didn't teach him anything, he was there to be his best friend. OC then said clearly they aren't anymore and told him to come take it. I actually thought this wasn't too bad at all and they did a nice job of explaining their history.

 

Daniel Garcia vs Ricky Starks

They face shoved each other and Starks stomped on him. Starks back body dropped him and hit mounted punches. Starks walked the top rope and hit him on the landing then took a dragon screw through the ropes. Garcia then knocked him off the apron.

We went to PiP break and returned. Starks' legs gave out on a spear attempt, then he lariated Garcia. Garcia hit an overhead belly to belly then Starks did a blue thunder for 2. Garcia went for another dragon screw but Starks held on and stomped him, then took a rock bottom for 2.

Garcia put him in the figure four. Sammy Guevara tried to help out then Action Andretti came down and fought with him. They fought on the ramp then Starks speared him and hit a roshambo to win it.

It was short and there wasn't a lot to it aside from the interference before the finish.

Sammy Guevara got on the mic after calling for Tony Khan. He said he wanted a match with Action Andretti.  

Evil Uno talked about Jon Moxley and said he wants to bring back respect to Dark Order and it starts with Mox. He said Mox will respect him.

Jade Cargill vs Vertvixen

Jade hits shots in the corner then beal throws her. Jade starts doing pushups then pump kicks and Jade ends her to win and go 53-0. This was a short squash.

We had a split screen interview with Swerve, Parker and Dustin. Swerve said the Rhodes family aren't as innocent as they look and said this is about a lack of respect that Dustin has been showing. Swerve said men die for respect and said he may have to die for it tonight. Swerve then said Dustin had something to do with Trench's disappearance. Dustin said nobody cares about Trench and said hell is coming for him. Dustin said he is coming with it.

Dustin Rhodes vs Swerve Stickland

Parker attacked Dustin on the ramp during his entrance and Dustin hit him with a wrench. Dustin and Swerve traded shots then Swerve was lariated over the top. They fought outside then Dustin hit corner punches. Dustin hit a release german on him and Swerve bit his fingers. Swerve pump kicks him from the apron then dropkicked him against the rails. Dustin starts bleeding and Swerve pounds on the cut to go to break.

We return from break and Swerve rolls into a flatliner. Swever hits a flying kick for 1 then Dustin powerslams him. Dustin hits lariats then Swerve rolled into a kick. Dustin then hit a code red for 2. Both guys collide in mid-air with a crossbody then Dustin took a death valley driver on the apron for 2. Swerve got crotched on the top then took a superplex into a piledriver for 2. Dustin hit a stiff cross rhodes and a twisting suplex, but Parker pulled Dustin out of the ring. Parker then threw Dustin into the steps and Swerve was DQ'd.

Parker and Swerve beat up Dustin and security after. Dustin's head was put on a cinderblock then Keith Lee came out. Keith didn't bother dyeing his hair and he looked more like the grandfather of Keith Lee than Keith Lee. Keith was also fatter than ever here and fought off Swerve and Parker.

They did too much as usual during the match. Dustin didn't need to bleed and Keith looked terrible out there.

Overall thoughts: I hadn't been watching Rampage lately and I think I should have stuck with that. This was not good at all.