**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE emanated from the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL!
It’s Friday and you know what that means!
Excalibur, “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz, and “Le Champion” Chris Jericho were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Adam Cole #BayBay vs. Dark Order’s Evil Uno!
“Adam Cole now has to beat Evil Uno tonight to get his momentum back,” said Jericho.
Cole landed a high boot and then stomped a mud hole in Uno. He followed up with a backstabber to Evil Uno.
Evil Uno landed a hanging neck breaker on Cole. Uno hit a back elbow and then a clothesline to Adam Cole. Evil Uno attempted a senton but Adam Cole lifted his knees into Uno’s spine! Cole blasted Evil Uno with a thrust kick, and then another kick!
Adam Cole lowered the boom and pinned Evil Uno with the running knee strike!
Cole grabbed a microphone after the match.
Cole: “Frankie Kazarian. Jungle Boy. Anthony Greene. John Silver. Wheeler Yuta. Orange Cassidy. Jake Atlas. Trent. And now Evil Uno. What do all these men have in common? They’re involved in Adam Cole’s undefeated singles run here in AEW.
“I am undefeated and I don’t care what my record says. As far as I’m concerned, last week doesn’t exist. There’s a new, ruthless Adam Cole. What I want is some respect. People seem to forget who the hell I am. I am one of the best damn pro wrestlers on the planet and I have bene for years.
“I have traveled the globe for years. I have won world championship after world championship for years. And at the end of the day, Adam Cole always ends up becoming the guy. No matter the company, the promotion, the brand, Adam Cole #BayBay always ends up running the show.
“There is something else I want and I don’t care who has it. Everyone at the end of the day craves certainty. And there is one thing that is certain: I will become the AEW World Champion.”
TNT Title Match!
TNT Champ “Spanish God” Sammy Guevara vs. Private Party’s Isiah Kassidy (with A.H.F.O.’s Matt Hardy & Marq Quen)!
Sammy and Isiah locked up. Sammy still had his ribs tapped up from the ladder match with Cody. Kassidy chopped at Sammy’s chest. Sammy and Isiah began slapping at each other but then Isiah went after Sammy’s ribs.
Sammy hit a corkscrew dropkick on Kassidy. Isiah Kassidy rolled to the outside of the ring to collect his thoughts but Sammy wasted no time and jumped over the top rope, crashing into Kassidy!
Matt Hardy nailed Sammy with a Side Effect on the edge of the ring as the ref was distracted! Kassidy hurled Sammy into the barricade and then continued to work over Sammy’s ribs.
Sammy fought through the pain with a clothesline and then a knee strike to Kassidy! Sammy tried to lift up Kassidy on his shoulders for the GTH but Sammy collapsed from the pain. Kassidy charged at Sammy but Sammy booted Kassidy in the face.
Andrade El Idolo and Jose the Assistant walked onto the ramp! Sammy was distracted by this and Kassidy came around the corner with a back breaker on Sammy for a near fall!
Sammy went for a springboard but Kassidy countered with a tope suicida. Kassidy crashed down with a senton to Sammy’s spine for a near fall!
“We’re witnessing the fortitude of Guevara,” said Taz.
Sammy and Isiah traded corkscrew kicks! Sammy hit a double springboard cutter onto Kassidy for a near fall. Sammy knocked out Kassidy with the GTH and then pinned Kassidy!
“That was not an easy task but he retained his championship,” said Taz.
Andrade El Idolo got into the ring and he and Hardy surrounded Sammy. Darby Allin’s music hit and Darby sprinted to the ring! Darby stood next to Sammy and the A.H.F.O. headed for higher ground! Darby looked at Sammy’s TNT belt and then patted him.
“Is that a vote of approval or is that a warning?” asked Chris Jericho.
QT Marshall was backstage and said he was tired of hearing about HOOK. QT said next week he’s sending one of his prized students to take down HOOK! “HOOK, as fast as your star has risen, it goes down.”
Tony Schiavone interviewed Kris Statlander backstage! Leyla Hirsch blindsided Statlander with a steel chair!
Thunder Rosa vs. Mercedes Martinez!
Thunder Rosa blasted Mercedes with a shotgun dropkick! Rosa dropped elbows on Mercedes Martinez. Thunder Rosa whipped Martinez into the guardrail. Rosa followed up with a snap suplex on the arena floor!
Mercedes came back with a spinebuster on Thunder Rosa! Mercedes hammered Thunder Rosa with forearms. Mercedes pancaked Thunder Rosa with a delayed vertical suplex!
Mercedes nailed Thunder Rosa with an avalanche Death Valley Driver for a near fall! Mercedes was looking for a BT Bomb but Thunder Rosa escaped. Thunder Rosa spiked Mercedes on her head! Mercedes crawled outside the ring, pulled out a lead pipe from under the ring and clocked Thunder Rosa with it!
Mercedes Martinez was disqualified and the match was awarded to Thunder Rosa!
Tony Schiavone interviewed Mercedes backstage. AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, along with Jamie Hayter and Rebel, interrupted the interview. Baker said she signed a check ahead of time for Mercedes to take out Thunder Rosa. But Baker said she didn’t pay for a DQ finish from a lead pipe, and next time Baker wanted Mercedes to finish off Rosa for good.
Main Event Time!
FTW Title Match!
FTW Champ “Absolute” Ricky Starks (with “Powerhouse” Hobbs) vs. Jay Lethal!
Lethal and Starks locked up with a strong elbow and collar tie-up. Lethal shoulder blocked Ricky.
Ricky slapped Starks in the mouth. Lethal used a double leg takedown and grounded and pounded Starks. “Absolute” got back to his feet and he and Lethal traded chops with one another.
“Lethal is a physical son of a gun, that’s for sure,” said Taz.
Lethal rammed Starks into the steel barricade with two tope suicidas! Hobbs stood up and tried to intimidate Lethal. Starks used the opening to grab Lethal and whip him into the barricade.
Lethal blocked a boot from Starks and then nearly decapitated Starks with a lariat! Starks charged at Lethal for a splash in the corner but Lethal dodged it. Ricky Starks Liger Bombed Lethal out of nowhere for a near fall on Jay!
Ricky used a combination assault on Lethal but Lethal stopped it with a kick! Powerhouse Hobbs jumped up on the apron but Lethal knocked him down. He tried for a tope suicida on Hobbs but Hobbs plastered him. Dante Martin ran out to even up the odds for Lethal!
Lethal attempted the Lethal Injection but Starks countered with the Roshambo! Starks pinned Lethal after the awesome counter!
“Ricky Starks is still the FTW Champion after a great victory over a very game Jay Lethal here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!