AEW Rampage 4/12/2024

AEW Rampage 4/12/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/04/aew-rampage-452024.html

Orange Cassidy vs Alex Reynolds

OC has his glasses on as the match starts. He doesn't seem real interested in this one. John Silver and Alex hug outside, doing a Best Friends taunt. OC gets mad and hits Silver off the apron. OC ddt's Alex. Alex goes out then OC topes Alex and Silver.

Alex is sent into the steps by OC then Silver is sent into the rails. Alex drops OC with a spinning forearm for 2. Silver suplexes OC on the floor while the ref isn't looking. Alex back elbows OC then OC is sent hard into the buckles. OC is thrown out and slingshot sunset flips Alex. Alex back elbows him. Alex neckbreakers OC over the middle rope.

We go to PiP break and return. Alex bullies him and OC starts to hulk up. OC forearms him then puts his hands in his pockets and dropkicks him. OC hits corner stomps then top rope crossbodies him.

OC topes Silver then Alex cradles him for 2. Alex pop-up knees him then piledrivers him for 2. OC headbutts him while they are both on top and Silver crotches OC. Alex face kicks OC while he's up top then Alex hits a top rope stunner for 2. OC stunners Silver out of the suplex outside then Alex topes Silver when OC moves. OC hits a orange punch on Alex then Silver. OC orange punches Alex and gets the win.

I thought it went longer than it needed to and I felt like OC suvived a little too much here before picking up the win.

Renee interviews OC in the ring after. OC just says "hi" then Trent Beretta gets on the ramp. Chuck Taylor gets behind OC then walks near Trent. Trent asks Chuck if he's his best friend or not. Chuck then walks out without choosing a side.

Alex Marvez interviews Anna Jay. Anna asks what is going on here. She said everyone is kissing and drinking champagne and now she is over it. She said it's not about wrestling anymore. AZM walks in. She said Mina and Mariah are stupid but #1 stupid is Toni Storm. She then says "Saturday, Toni Storm, Collision". 

TBS Title - Julia Hart (c) vs Leyla Hirsch

LH backs her up in the corner and is swept down. LH throws her down then Julia slides out. LH goes for a tope then Hart forearms her. Hart neckbreakers her over the 2nd rope. Hart headscissors her under the top rope and pulls back into the ring.

Hart hits forearms on LH then bangs her head off the 2nd buckle. Hart stands on her gut, forward cartwheels a bit later and is caught. LH throws her to the side then LH topes her. LH gets hit in the nose off of it and Hart holds her arm after it. The ref checks on Hart as she holds her shoulder then Hart cradles her and wins it.

It was short and ended prematurely due to injury. What we got wasn't that good, but I won't be rating this due to the injury.

Don Callis, Kyle Fletcher and Powerhouse Hobbs do a promo. He says Hobbs and Kyle take on Claudio and Danielson. He says he wants punishment and doesn't care if they win because Ospreay is the golden goose. He says you protect the golden goose. Don says he wants this old school and wants to see his eye popped. He says kick him in the knee. He says he wants Danielson in the dirt and says the golden goose will continue to deliver golden matches.

Angelo Parker vs Zak Knight

Parker runs at him and hits forearms. Harley and Saraya get in the way and Parker is popped-up into the post. Zack jumps up to the rail and forearms Parker on the way down. Parker's head is banged off the commentary table then Zak hits punches. Zak bites him and throws him into the rail head first. Parker is bleeding the match officially starts. Zak rips at the cut and elbows him in the head.

We go to PiP break, then full break and return. Parker bulldogs him then hits a headhunter. Parker implant ddt's him. Saraya and Harley both try to get in and the ref ejects them from ringside. Zak kicks Parker in the nuts then pop-up powerbombs him for 2.

Zak headbutts him then hits a running face kick. Zak says he'll take good care of Ruby. Parker fires up and boots him. Zak hits a big lariat for 2. Zak hits a running forearm and wins it.

I'm not a big fan of the fighting starting before the match. It's just bad logic and once it is allowed the first time, you might as well do it very time. I like that they gave Zak a win here in one of first big tv matches and I thought he did a good job here. It didn't help Parker but I do think there's more to this story with him.  

Zak then wipes Parker's blood on him after.

Kyle O'Reilly requested time to speak with Rocky Romero. He said he becomes a better wrestler when they fight and he wants to fight him again. Rocky said he's a great wrestler. He said he is facing Strong in an eliminator tomorrow night. He said he wants to beat him for the International Title. Kyle say if he becomes champ, he'd like to challenge him. Rocky says not if, when.

Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Wardlow and Mike Bennett walk in. He said it seemed like he implied Rocky has a shot at Strong. Strong said it also seems like Kyle wants a shot at the title. Kyle said he would never directly challenge him out of respect but said it would be cool to be champ. Strong said he respects him and he wants him to be a champ, but he can't be International champ. He said he respects that he wants to do it alone, as long as it doesn't involve him.

Excalibur does video and talks about the upcoming matches with the BCC and The Don Callis Family.

Jay White vs Matt Sydal

Jay misses a chop and hides behind the ropes. Matt hits leg kicks then basement dropkicks him in the knee. Jay pops him up and Matt hurricanrana's him. Matt then spin kicks him. Matt leg slices him then does a standing corkscrew moonsault.

Matt does a nice headscissors out of a backdrop and baseball slides him out. Matt meteora's him off the apron. Jay TKO's Matt over the top rope then chops him outside. Jay gordbusters him on the apron.

We go to PiP break then return. Jay chinlocks Matt. Matt jumping knees him and spin kicks him. Matt hits leg kicks then brazilian kicks him for 2. Matt hits a ddt out of a powerbomb attempt for 2. Matt ducks a chop. Jay eye rakes him then Jay hits a uranage for 2. Matt flips out of a suplex and poisonrana's him. Matt goes for a top rope meteora and is caught with a blade runner. Jay then wins it.

This was just like the Billy Gunn/Jay White match. Jay got his butt whooped for the most of the match then basically snuck out the win. They made Jay look like a nobody here and I just don't get why. It can't be accidental at this point and I can't believe Jay is going along with it.

Overall thoughts: I really wasn't a fan of this. OC/Reynolds wasn't that good. Julia Hart got hurt in her match, which caused it to end early. I was fine with the wrestling part of Knight/Parker, but they did that stupid thing where the fighting started before the bell ran. The dumb ref actually let the match begin with Parker bleeding in a real stupid moment. The main was just as bizarre as Billy Gunn/Jay White was as Matt Sydal got all the offense in before being put away. I don't recommend this.