**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Road Rager was broadcast from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!
It’s Friday and you know what that means!
Tonight’s announce team was Excalibur, “The Wizard” Chris Jericho and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz! William Regal sat in for the opening match.
Dante Martin vs. The Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley!
Dante offered to shake Mox’s hand but Mox slapped it away. They locked up in a test of strength and Moxley transitioned into a wrist lock on Dante. Moxley used a side headlock takedown to get Dante to the mat.
“Dante needs to go to the air,” said Taz.
Dante ducked a lariat from Moxley and fired back with a shotgun dropkick. Moxley invited Dante to chop his chest and Dante accepted the offer. Moxley retaliated with a chop of his own, and then another, and another. Moxley whipped Dante into the corner turnbuckles.
Moxley smashed Dante with a Regal knee. Dante Martin flipped forward into a hurracanrana on Jon Moxley. Dante went back to the top but Moxley met him and took him back to the mat hard with a butterfly suplex. Moxley followed up with hammer and anvil elbows.
Dante dodged a sliding lariat from Moxley. Dante took to the skies and spring boarded from the top rope with a double hammer to Moxley’s shoulders.
Back in the ring, Moxley rocked Dante with a rolling elbow strike. Dante landed on his feet after trying for the nose dive. Moxley locked in a choke but Dante walked up the ropes. Moxley followed him, climbing up the ropes, thinking half and half. Dante countered with an avalanche sliced bread!
“Can you imagine if Moxley loses to Dante tonight?” wondered Chris Jericho.
“Every time I see Dante he impresses me,” replied Regal.
Moxley grabbed a cutter on Dante and then waffled him with a King Kong lariat for a near fall. Moxley submitted Dante with the body lock into a hammer lock.
“Dante Martin, every time he steps into the ring with Jon Moxley, he gets one step closer to getting the victory. And now Moxley’s full attention is on Tanahashi at Forbidden Door,” said Excalibur.
Tony Khan interviewed Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee!
Keith Lee wanted nothing to do with Swerve and his excuses for why Swerve eliminated Keith Lee in the battle royale. They were interrupted by Powerhouse Hobbs and “Absolute” Ricky Starks, who reminded them that Swerve and Lee haven’t beaten them yet.
Trios Match!
“Platinum” Max Caster & Austin & Colten Gunn (with Billy Gunn and Anthony Bowens) vs. Ruffin It (Bear Country & Leon Ruffin)!
Austin Gunn was all over Leon, sending him hard into the turnbuckle. Austin stomped a mudhole into Leon and then tagged in Colten. Austin hit the quick draw and then Max used the mic drop elbow and finished Leon!
“That’s making short work of their opponents,” said Jericho.
Lexy Nair was backstage with HOOK.
Lexy informed HOOK he’d be facing off with a top NJPW dojo member next week on Rampage. Danhausen walked onto the scene but HOOK said, “I got this.”
TBS Championship Match!
TBS Champ Jade Cargill (with Stokely Hathaway & Kiera Hogan) vs. Willow Nightingale!
Stokely joined the commentary team for this match.
“Jade is the Chris Jericho Sports Entertainer of the Week,” said Jericho.
“I love it!” replied Hathaway.
Jade clubbed Willow will forearms. Willow cracked Jade with a kick across the jaw. Willow grabbed a cradle for a pin attempt on Jade.
Jade walloped Willow with a massive pump kick, sending her crashing to the arena floor. Kiera Hogan was waiting for Willow and Kiera stomped Willow Nightingale.
Willow came out of nowhere with a cannonball senton in the corner on Jade for a two-count! Willow was looking for a gut wrench but Jade hit a double underhook face buster and then smashed her with Jaded for the victory!
After the match, Kiera Hogan and Jade continued the beatdown on Willow. “The Fallen Goddess” Athena ambushed Kiera from behind, coming to the aid of Willow. Jade grabbed Athena but then Kris Statlander sprinted down to help her friends Willow and Athena.
Main Event Time!
Darby Allin vs. Bobby Fish (with Kyle O’Reilly)!
Bobby Fish peppered Darby with knees and kicks. He sent Darby across the ring with a dragon screw leg whip. Outside the ring, Fish charged at Darby but Darby jumped over him. Fish’s momentum sent him into the guardrail. Darby wasted no time with a pescado on Fish!
Darby rocketed outside with a tope suicida! Fish mustered enough strength to kick out the legs of Darby. Fish began to pound Darby with strikes. Bobby Fish took Darby down onto the concrete with a dragon screw, and then another one.
Darby used the coffin splash in the corner and then a code red on Fish for a near fall! Darby, off the top, nailed Fish with the coffin drop on the arena floor!
“Wow. Perfectly placed,” said Taz.
Back in the ring, Bobby charged at Darby, knocking Darby outside the ring. Bobby Fish whipped Darby into the steel ring steps. Bobby Fish attacked Darby’s left leg and then stomped on Darby’s spine.
Darby tried to defend himself from Bobby’s strikes on the ring apron. Bobby applied a standing ankle lock and then sent Darby flying with a German suplex onto the edge of the ring!
“You heard that thud,” said Jericho.
Bobby propped Darby up to the top turnbuckle. Bobby dropped Darby with an avalanche falcon arrow! Darby managed to transition into the last supper and pinned Bobby!
“That was the counter of counters,” said Taz.
Fish was embarrassed and began to ground and pound Darby Allin. Fish called for Kyle to come out. Kyle walked down the ramp carrying a steel chair.
The lights in the arena went out. It was Sting! Sting popped up out of nowhere and hit Kyle with his baseball bat below the belt! Sting handed Darby the steel chair. Darby wrapped Fish’s ankle inside the chair and then crashed down with all his weigh using the coffin drop! Sting wrenched at Bobby’s leg with his baseball bat.
“Sting appeared just like a magician,” said Chris Jericho.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, WI! We kick off the road to the Forbidden Door!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!