**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial in Rochester, NY!
It’s Friday and you know what that means!
Tonight’s announce team was Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and Jim Ross.
“Mad King” Eddie Kingston vs. Konosuke Takeshita!
“We are kicking things off with a dream fight,” said Excalibur.
Kingston used a side headlock takeover on Takeshita, but Takeshita scissored Eddie’s head. Both men got to their feet in a stalemate.
Kingston grabbed Takeshita by the wrists but Takeshita reversed it, and then Kingston countered. Takeshita backed Eddie into the ropes and took advantage of the moment. Eddie followed up with a gut wrench suplex.
Both men traded chops until Kingston thumbed Takeshita in the eyes. Takeshita fired elbow strikes in the corner but Eddie answered with a headbutt. Takeshita used his speed to wallop Eddie with a lariat and followed with a blue thunder bomb for a near fall.
Takeshita rocked Eddie with a German Suplex on the ring apron! On the floor Eddie sent Takeshita for a ride with an exploder suplex! Back in the ring, Kingston and Takeshita collided with clotheslines. Eddie hit a Liger Bomb on Takeshita for a two-count!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Takeshita nailed Kingston with a sheer drop brainbuster for a near fall on Kingston! Takeshita changed levels and blasted Kingston with forearms. Eddie retaliated with a half and half suplex but Takeshita came back with a lariat. Kingston used a spinning backfist, fell on top of Takeshita, and scored the pin!
Athena and Kris Statlander were backstage!
They called TBS Champion Jade Cargill a coward, and they said they weren’t going anywhere until they got an opportunity at the TBS Championship.
Lee Moriarty & ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham
vs.
Gates of Agony—Toa Liona & Kaun (with Tully Blanchard)!
Caprice Coleman joined the commentary team for this match.
Gates of Agony attacked the opposition before the bell rang. Gates of Agony used tandem offense to work over Lee Moriarty.
“Tully Blanchard has put together quite a team,” said Tony Schiavone.
Lee tried to make the tag to Gresham but Gresham walked away to confront Tully. Jim Ross questioned why Gresham would allow himself to be distracted while his teammate desperately needed a tag.
“They’re absolutely torturing Lee Moriarty,” said Excalibur.
Moriarty used a low bridge and sent Gates of Agony spilling outside the ring. Lee went to make the tag but Jonathan Gresham turned his back and walked out on Lee Moriarty. Gresham hugged Tully!
Left alone, Lee tried to fend off Gates of Agony by himself! Kaun hoisted up Lee and dropped him across his knees. Liona grabbed the pin.
Eddie Kingston was backstage and said he was turning his full attention to Chris Jericho.
“I’m going to make you bleed because you made me a liar. And for what you did to my Ruby. I want Jericho in the barb wire. Every drop of blood is a sin that you’ve committed, Chris.”
ROH Women’s World Champion Mercedes Martinez & Serena Deeb
vs.
Kayla Sparks & Christina Marie!
Deeb suplexed Christina Maria and then swept out her legs. Deeb picked Christina apart piece by piece. Mercedes grabbed the tag and used a sliding knee strike on Christina Marie.
Mercedes dropped Christina across the top rope, knocking the wind out of her. Deeb grabbed a blind tag and applied the Serenity Lock, forcing Christina Marie to tap out!
Mercedes pushed Deeb off Christina Maria, as Deeb wouldn’t let go of the hold. Deeb rocked Mercedes with a clothesline and then put Mercedes in the Serenity Lock!
“It is clear that Serena Deeb has her eyes on Mercedes Martinez,” said Excalibur.
Tony Schiavone was backstage to interview ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham and Tully Blanchard. Schiavone said Tony Khan announced that Lee Moriarty would get his title shot next week on RAMPAGE!
“I don’t know if you saw the same match we saw tonight, but Tully Blanchard Enterprises is alive and well,” said Tully Blanchard as he shook hands with Gresham.
Main Event Time!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (with Best Friends and Danhausen) vs. “Premier Athlete” Tony Nese (with “Smart” Mark Sterling)!
If Orange Cassidy loses, he has to sign Sterling’s petition to get Swerve Strickland removed from the AEW roster.
Nese charged in but Orange Cassidy avoided contact. Nese grabbed Orange in a side headlock takeover. Nese hit the ropes with tremendous speed and then knocked down Orange with a shoulder tackle. Orange rolled out of the way of the leg drop from Nese.
Cassidy dropkicked Nese, taking Nese off his feet. Nese charged back and back elbowed Orange Cassidy.
Nese used a hammer uppercut and then kicked Cassidy. Nese followed up with a gut buster for a near fall.
“I love this back-and-forth action. These guys are pro wrestlers,” said Jim Ross.
Outside the ring, Sterling began to kick Orange Cassidy until Danhausen walked over, sending Sterling scurrying. Back in the ring, Nese grounded and pounded Cassidy. Next Nese applied the body scissors.
Orange escaped, but Nese followed up with a left strike to Orange. Nese blocked a DDT from Orange and countered with a Northern Lights Suplex.
“That takes a lot of strength. That man checks so many boxes,” said Jim Ross of Tony Nese.
Tony Nese applied pressure to Orange with multiple strikes in the corner. Nese elevated Orange to the top rope. Nese climbed up for a superplex attempt but Orange hit Nese with a haymaker!
Sterling jumped onto the ring apron but Danhausen confronted Sterling. Before Danhausen could curse Sterling, Nese hit a sliding dropkick. Back in the ring, Orange shocked Nese with the Stun Dog Millionaire for a near fall!
Nese ducked the Orange Punch and countered with a German Suplex. Nese blasted Cassidy with a thrust kick to the side of the head for another near fall! Nese was looking for a pump handle slam but Orange planted Nese with two DDTs! Orange hit a third DDT, this time off the top turnbuckle!
“Three DDTs in a row,” said Tony Schiavone.
Sterling jumped back on the apron. Nese grabbed Orange from behind and dropped him with a pump handle slam for a near fall. Nese tried for the running knee but Orange avoided it. While ref Aubrey Edwards was distracted, Sterling jumped into the ring. Danhausen wiped out Sterling. Orange hit the Orange Punch on Nese, knocking him for a flip, and then pinned Nese!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Fyter Fest Night 1 on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!