AEW Rampage 4/14/2023

AEW Rampage 4/14/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/aew-rampage-472023.html

IWGP Tag Titles - Aussie Open (c) vs Best Friends

Mark shoulders over Trent early then Trent hits a tornado ddt before Chuck hits a tope con hilo. Chuck belly to belly suplexes Kyle into Mark then Trent top rope crossbodies Kyle. Trent gets on the 2nd rope and has his legs swept then AO grab Best Friends outside and drop them both on the apron. They then pick them up and ram their backs together outside.

AO double chop Chuck then Mark sentons Trent for 2. Mark hands Trent over to Kyle for a suplex while Trent is in the suplex position. We then go to PiP break and return. Trent crossbodies Mark off the 2nd rope, is caught then thrown into a Kyle kick. Trent is then lifted up and Kyle 2nd rope cutters him. Trent throws Mark into the steps.

Kyle is stuck up top then Chuck puts Trent on his shoulders for a superplex. Mark takes a double chokeslam and Best Friends hug. Kyle is then put on Chuck's shoulders and takes a knee from the top by Trent. Chuck takes an enzugiri into a spinning tombstone then Trent is superkicked by Kyle. Trent is pulled up into a Mark piledriver then Chuck takes a sandwich lariat. Chuck then takes the coriolis double team driver and is pinned.

It was pretty much the usual Aussie Open match. They really only do one match and do the same 6 spots or so each time.. I thought they did a little too much here but it wasn't super offensive.

Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal's crew were all in the back. Mark claimed he was tricked into this. Sonjay tries to make the pitch. He said Jeff is a country boy like him, Satnam grew up on a farm and Jay has been friends with him 20 years. They then give Mark their shirt and put Mark's face on it. Dutt then puts the shirt on Mark. Mark throws the shirt and isn't happy.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out FTR. FTR said it took them 2 years and 5 months to get the AEW titles between reigns. Cash said they signed with AEW for another 4 years. Cash said it was hard to get the titles back but the fans didn't give up on them. Cash said they will retire after 4 years and will give them everything they have until the wheels fall off. They said they won't stop until they are the greatest tag team of all time. Dax said the fans aren't supposed to like them and said this is their redemption story. Dax said they will do one last ride and repay the fans for the next four years for AEW.

The Hardy's, Hook and Isaiah Kassidy are interviewed. Jeff said he was convicted and had eye surgery. Matt said it feels good for the Hardy's to be back. Matt said he will be free of The Firm's contract and said there will be a tag match at the Hardy Cmpound vs The Firm. Matt then starts yelling, "Delete!".

They tried to interview Wardlow on Wednesday. He said he does his talking out there and says he will write a book of his own when he gets the TNT title back. Hobbs said he made the worst mistake of his life and when he destroyed his car, he destroyed his chances of being TNT champion.

Mark Briscoe, Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett and Satnam Singh vs The Spanish Announce Project and Jake Manning

The SAP's get knocked off the apron to start. Jake goes 1v1 with Mark but Jeff hits Jake from behind. Jeff trips Jake  then MArk is step kicked by Luther. Jay superkicks Luther, Angelico up kicks Jay then Jeff hits the stroke on Angelico. Angelico flatliners Jeff then runs at Satnam. Mark hits a top rope elbow on Jake and wins it.

This was a real short squash here. Not real sure why Jake Manning was used for this when I don't even think he's an AEW guy.

Taya Valkyrie vs Emi Sakura

They chop/chest slap each other then slap each other in the face. Taya shoulders her over then meteora's her in the corner. Taya lariats her for 2. Jade and Leila Gray are on the ramp and Taya talks trash to them. Emi grabs Taya by the hair then hits a twisting neckbreaker.

We go to PiP break and return. Taya hits a sliding german and goes out to argue with Jade. Emi then blindsides her and crossbodies her again the steps.  Taya hits knees and a kick then does a blue thunder bomb variation for 2. Emi slaps her and double chops her then gets speared. Taya then double chickenwing bombs her and wins it.

It wasn't too bad at all all things considered and the 2nd half was better than the first.

Leila Gray gets in the ring and takes a jade end from Taya then Jade goes face to face with her. They trade forearms and Taya goes for the double chickenwing bomb but Leila makes the save. Jade then hits Taya with a jade end and does a virtual pin.

Jose does a promo. He said Dralistico is challenging El Hijo del Vikingo for the AAA Mega Championship this week.

The JAS of Hager, Parker and Menard are in the ring. They do a purposely bad rap saying The Acclaimed are adopted. Hager then raps about his hat. The Acclaimed come out and say, "forget it" instead of rapping. They beat up the JAS and Hager is set over the barricade. Billy Gunn threatens to cut off Menard's nipples but the JAS make the save. Bowens sets up 2.0 and Hager vs The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.

We get a Shawn Spears vs Jungle Boy split screen promo. JB says he is here to get one step closer to challenging MJF. Spears said he was gone for a while as he had a kid. Shawn said he is back to throw his hat in the championship hat.

Jungle Boy vs Shawn Spears

Shawn is back to doing Perfect 10 stuff and had a 10 cue card with him.

They trade armlocks and get up then Shawn does the "10" taunt. JB uses the ropes to armdrag him then dropkicks him. JB then does his own "10" taunt. JB goes outside to chase Spears then is kicked in the knee. Shawn chases JB outside then is kicked and sent into the rail. JB is then sent over the rail.

We go to PiP break. They fght in the crowd some, JB is slammed on the apron and JB suplexes Shawn on the floor. They go up top and Shawn superplexes him. JB top rope crossbodies him and Shawn rolls through it. Shawn step kicks him. Both hit superkicks and JB lariats him. Both men are down.

Shawn hits a bridging ddt for 2 then JB jumping flatliners him. Shawn hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and goes for la magistral, but JB reverses it to win.

I didn't get the logic in bringing back Spears here or having him lose in his return. I didn't even know Spears was gone since he and a million others are used so sparingly anyway. It was an average match.

They shake hands after. 

Overall thoughts: Nothing must see here. The matches were fine I guess, but definitely nothing I would go check out.