AEW Rampage 4/7/2023

AEW Rampage 4/7/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/aew-rampage-412023.html

FTW Title - Hook (c) vs Ethan Page

They said this was under FTW rules, which is no rules, which hasn't really been mentioned before IIRC. Hook throws him into the rail and throws him into the post. Hook hits punches and a headbutt against the rails and they go into the crowd. They trade punches and fight in the seats. Page chokes him up there then Hook hits come clubs to the chest.

We go to PiP break. During it, Hook hits him with a trash can and Page misses a pipe shot. Hook is thrown over the rail back into ringside then Hook exploders Page on the floor. Hook lariats him then Page pulls him into a powerslam through a table. Page hits him with a chair in the gut. Page chairs the top rope on accidentand hits himself with it then takes a twist of fate on the chair for 2.

Page step kicks him then Hook wins with a redrum out of nowhere.

This wasn't anything too special. The match wasn't built up enough to be some serious hardcore brawl and it wasn't. They did some very basic brawling here.

Hook exploder suplexed Page through a table after.

We got a QTV segment. QT bought Hobbs a car then talked about the Lucha Bros. QT's secretary said they are going down and Solow pretended not to know what lucha libre was. QT said he hated flippy crap and then the secretary said QT and Solow could be the next ROH tag champs if they win tonight. The secretary told him to break a leg and QT said, "What am I, Dante Martin?". That part was funny.

2.0 and The Acclaimed vs The Infantry, Bobby Orlando and LSG

2.0 got on the mic after. Parker said The Acclaimed officially join the JAS tonight. Max said he didn't even know why they were teaming up in his rap.

Bowens hits chops on LSG to start then LSG goes up and over and rolls. Bowens superkicks him  then Orlando is beat up by 2.0 as he takes a trip into an elbow drop. Orlando is slammed into a Bowens 2nd rope legdrop to the crotch. The Acclaimed do a scissor and don't let the JAS join in. Orlando takes The Arrival then Max hits the mic drop to win it.

This was nothing but a squash with The Infantry not even getting in the ring.

The JAS and The Acclaimed posed after then Hager spinebusters Billy and 2.0 beat up on The Acclaimed. The announcers wondered if the JAS just wanted to lower the Acclaimed's guard. Bowens took a double implant ddt after.

Swerve Strickland did a promo. He said they lost soldiers, but they recruit and mergers happen. He said he has joined forces with someone and said we will have to wait until later to find out who.

Darby Allin vs Lee Moriarty

They said Darby got hit by a car while on a skateboard and has some road rash. Hey it's Darby, that's like a papercut compared to the bumps he usually takes.

Darby gets out a headscissors and we see Sammy and Jungle Boy watching. Darby strangleholds him then does a la magistral for 2. Darby is held down in a greco roman knucklelock then Lee stomps on his chest while he is bridged. Lee spinkicks Darby in the gut then drives his back into the rail. Lee tries to flying kick Darby against the rail but ends up just getting the rail. Big Bill running big boots Darby outside while the ref isn't looking.

We go to PiP break and return. Darby is back in the ring and shotgun dropkicks Lee. Darby is up top and Bill gets on the apron. Lee sweeps Darby's legs and he takes a nasty looking back bump on the top rope. Darby tries to break a full nelson but takes a dragon suplex out of it. Darby is dropped gut first onto the ropes then Lee running facekicks him. Lee superplexes him but Darby tries a pin after the landing. Lee goes for a pin for 2 then puts him in an octopus stretch. Darby backslides him for 2 then hits a code red. Darby topes Bill on the outside then coffin drops him off the top for the win.

I didn't think Darby had the best selling here. This wasn't anything particularly good or bad and didn't have a lot of build to it.

Darby goes up the ramp to leave and Swerve's music hits. They exchange words and Swerve offers his hand. Brian Cage then nails Darby out of nowhere and takes a wild F-5 on the ramp. Prince Nana comes out and it appears that The Embassy and Mogul Affiliates have now merged.

They had RJ City mediating a sit down discussion between Taya Valkyrie and Jade Cargill. Jade said she didn't have time for this. Taya said Jade needs to show respect and hasn't been in the business long enough. They get up in each others faces and Jade leaves.

Anna Jay said the HoB doesn't know pain and Julia Hart said nobody touches her hat. Julia says Anna needs a lesson and says the House always wins.

Anna Jay vs Julia Hart

Julia gets knocked out of the ring during her entrance then Anna is thrown into the post and rails. Julia bangs Anna's head off the mat then Anna hits her and runs. Anna stomps her as Julia gets back in the ring after chasing her. Anna does a poor job of putting her throat into the top rope then puts Julia into the rails. Anna then picks her up like a powerbomb and swings her head into the rails.

We go to PiP break and return. Anna gets her head banged off the buckles then Julia hits some superkicks and a bad sliding lariat to the shoulder. Julia hits a superkick and a standing moonsault. Anna hits a gori special drop for 2. Julia forward cartwheels into a lariat then back elbows her. They go up top, Julia hangs from the top then belly to bellies Anna off the top. Julia then top rope moonsaults onto her for 2.

Both women roll out to the floor. Julia throws a chair in, mists Anna then rolls her up for the win.

The finish was very lame, basically hitting Anna in the mouth with the mist and Julia wasn't too good here with some sloppy offense.

Overall thoughts: I've seen better and worse. The show was in the middle quality wise and the two big matches here of Hook/Page and Anna/Julia weren't that good.