Rampage
Date: January 6, 2023
Location: Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho
We are in for the first of two hours of AEW TV this week. That could mean quite a few things, but we do have a TNT Title match as new champion Darby Allin defends against Matt Taven. It’s a little weird to have a title match on the show right before a title made of nothing but title matches, but it should be good. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Top Flight vs. Jon Moxley/Bryan Danielson
The Club gets jumped from behind to start and it’s Darius dropkicking Moxley for a quick one. A standing moonsault gives Dante two but it’s off to Danielson to fire off the kicks in the corner. Moxley comes back in to hammer away before it’s a four way standoff. The double fights go to the floor, with Moxley and Danielson hitting running kicks against the barricade.
Back in and Danielson puts Dante in a surfboard, allowing him to rip at the face a bit. Moxley’s superplex into a cross armbreaker keeps Dante down as we take a break. Back with the Club kicking away at Dante but he manages to send them into each other. The hot tag brings in Darius to start cleaning house, including blocking Danielson’s kick to the chest. Danielson backflips over Darius but gets caught in the Spanish Fly for another double knockdown.
It’s back to Dante with a springboard flip dive for two more but Moxley pulls Dante into a keylock. Well at least the attempt of one as Dante slips out, earning himself some elbows to the face. A victory roll gives Dante two so Moxley King Kong lariats him for two of his own. Danielson comes back in with the running knee to Darius for two, followed by a discus forearm. The big kick to the head drops Darius again and Moxley dives off the top with an ax handle on Dante. Danielson stomps Darius in the head and the Regal Stretch finishes at 13:32.
Result: Bryan Danielson/Jon Moxley b. Top Flight – Regal Stretch to Darius (13:32)
Hangman Page is ready to hut Jon Moxley so badly that he’ll burn a copy of the fight onto a VHS so Moxley can watch it again. In his hand is a paper: his medical clearance to face Moxley next week.
Jamie Hayter/Britt Baker vs. Renegades
Baker and Hayter (with Rebel in their corner) jump the Renegades from behind to start and the beating is on fast. We settle down to Robyn dropkicking Hayter for two and handing it off to Charlotte. That’s fine with Hayter, who suplexes them both down and brings in Baker. Robyn gets forearmed against the ropes and Baker drops her again as we take a break.
Back with Robyn down in the corner but she enziguris her way to freedom. Charlotte comes in and gets taken down by Baker, meaning Robyn has to make a diving save. That earns Robyn a Hatebreaker and Charlotte gets an AA onto the knee. The sliding lariat into the Stomp from Baker is good for the pin at 8:48.
Result: Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter b. Renegades – Stomp to Charlotte (8:48)
The House Of Black talks about dealing with a man who never played by the rules. Now that man is asking why Malakai Black never played by the rules. The man is Eddie Kingston, and this isn’t the one that Black used to know. They’re here to help him.
Sonico vs. Preston Vance
Full nelson and a discus lariat finishes Sonico at 40 seconds.
Result: Preston Vance b. Sonico – Discus lariat (0:40)
Post match Vance rips off Sonico’s mask.
After Darby Allin won the TNT Title on Dynamite, Mike Bennett and the Kingdom came up to him with Bennett ranting about his own greatness. The challenge was issued for Rampage and the match is on.
Darby Allin and Mike Bennett are ready for the TNT Title match.
Here’s what’s coming on various shows.
TNT Title: Mike Bennett vs. Darby Allin
Bennett, with the rest of the Kingdom, is challenging. Allin sits in the corner to start before Bennett cranks on his arm. They head outside with Bennett sending him into the barricade but missing a charge, allowing Allin to run him over. We take a break and come back with Bennett hitting a Death Valley Driver for two and going for a Kimura. Allin can’t flip out of it but he can get a boot on the rope for the break instead.
They head outside with Allin taking over and putting him in a chair, setting up a top rope missile dropkick to knock him right back out. Back in and Maria gets on Bennett to protect him from the Coffin Drop. The distraction lets Matt Taven get in a kick to the head, meaning Bennett can hit a piledriver for two. A super piledriver is broken up and Allin hits a super Code Red, setting up the Coffin Drop to retain the title at 12:05.
Result: Darby Allin b. Mike Bennett – Coffin Drop (12:05)
Results
Bryan Danielson/Jon Moxley b. Top Flight – Regal Stretch to Darius
Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter b. Renegades – Stomp to Charlotte
Preston Vance b. Sonico – Discus lariat
Darby Allin b. Mike Bennett – Coffin Drop
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You can find more from Thomas Hall at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.
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