**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE emanated from the Hertz Arena in Estero, FL!
It’s Friday and you know what that means!
Excalibur, “Absolute” Ricky Starks, and Taz were the announce team for tonight’s event.
Darby Allin (with Sting) vs. Private Party’s Marq Quen (with Isiah Kassidy)!
Darby had control of Marq’s wrist and rolled through to a headlock. Quen tried to get to his feet but Darby put the headlock right back on. Darby fought out of a hammerlock and used Quen’s momentum against him, sending Quen to the arena floor.
Quen met Darby outside the ring and sent Darby crashing into the ring steps. Quen realized the opening was there and he dropped Darby’s midsection across the top rope.
“I think Quen is wearing Prada boots here,” said Ricky Starks.
Marq Quen rammed his shoulder into the midsection of Darby Allin.
“Darby does not know the word ‘quit,’” continued Starks.
Marq Quen applied an abdominal stretch onto Darby but Darby countered with a hip toss. Quen came back and grabbed a front face lock. Darby pulled down hard on Quen’s arm, trying to yank it out of its socket.
Darby and Quen fought on the top rope but Darby was able to superplex Quen for a near fall! Quen hit a backflip knee drop on Darby for a near fall as the momentum shifted again. Quen nailed Darby with a backflipping flatliner! Quen attempted a delayed vertical suplex but Darby pulled off Quen’s grip and landed with a Scorpion Death Drop on Quen!
“Right there shades of his man Sting on the outside,” said Taz.
Darby climbed to the top rope and Kassidy tried to distract him. Sting yanked Kassidy down and hurled him at the time keeper’s table. Marq Quen seized the momentum and landed a 450 splash off the turnbuckle to the floor on Darby Allin!
“What a gamble Quen just did there,” said Starks.
Quen tried for a shooting star press but Darby dodged it and applied the Fujiwara armbar, forcing Marq Quen to tap out!
The A.F.O. stormed onto the ramp and were walking down to the ring when Matt and Jeff Hardy came out to even up the odds!
“One of the greatest tag teams of all time coming to the aid of Sting and Darby,” said Excalibur.
American Top Team’s Dan Lambert was backstage with TNT Champion Scorpio Sky and “All Ego” Ethan Page!
Lambert: “We are here to make history. Next week on DYNAMITE when Scorpio Sky beats Wardlow, Wardlow will go down in history as nothing but another footnote in the greatest unbeaten streak that AEW has ever seen.”
Ethan Page: “And don’t let the one belt fool you, guys. On Wednesday night, Sky is defending two titles: the TNT Title and his streak.”
Sky: “War dog, nothing changes in San Antonio. You’re just a different opponent who’s gonna see the same result. I am the face of TNT. Get used to it.”
Jamie Hayter (with AEW Women’s Champion Dr. Britt Baker & Rebel) vs. Mercedes Martinez!
Hayter and Martinez locked up and then grappled on the mat. They locked up again but Mercedes delivered big shots and then whipped Hayter into the corner.
Hayter ran into a boot and then Martinez followed up with a lariat. Hayter ate a series of elbows from Martinez.
“Mercedes has had a very long and decorated career,” said Excalibur.
Martinez hit three butterfly suplexes for a near fall on Hayter. Jamie Hayter spiked Martinez with a back breaker! Hayter blasted Martinez with a strike to the jaw!
Martinez threw Hayter overhead into the corner!
“Hayter is hurting,” said Taz.
Martinez dumped Hayter with a spider suplex! Rebel distracted the referee while Britt Baker blindsided Martinez! Hayter scored the pin after a huge lariat to Martinez!
After the match, Britt Baker was looking to add insult to injury, but Thunder Rosa sprinted to the ring with a steel chair and chased out Baker and her squad!
“Thunder Rosa doesn’t want to wait until the steel cage match this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE,” said Excalibur.
“Limitless” Keith Lee vs. QT Marshall (with The Factory’s Aaron Solo and Nick Commorato)!
Keith Lee cracked QT with a head butt! QT gouged Lee in the eyes. Keith Lee whacked QT with a double overhand chop!
Keith Lee bieled QT corner to corner! QT connected with a missile dropkick off the top rope. Keith Lee nearly knocked QT out of his boots with a clothesline! Keith Lee lifted up QT but Nick grabbed Lee’s boot from outside. QT used the distracted to hit a thrust kick on Keith Lee.
Keith Lee shoulder tackled QT! Lee hoisted up QT and then planted him hard for the pin!
Aaron jumped in the ring and got on Keith’s back but Keith shrugged him off! Nick jumped in the ring and ate a back elbow from Keith Lee. Nick was flattened with a pop-up powerbomb from “Limitless” Keith Lee. Keith Lee sent Aaron over the top rope!
“Absolute” Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs charged to the ring to ambush Keith Lee!
Hobbs planted Keith Lee with a spinebuster!
“Wow, such power by this man! What a display from Hobbs,” said Excalibur.
Main Event Time!
Shane “Swerve” Strickland (in his AEW debut match) vs. “The Premier Athlete” Tony Nese!
Swerve side stepped Nese. Swerve shot a nice low single and took control of Nese’s head. Swerve took down Nese with an arm drag. Swerve tripped Nese with a misdirect and then dropkicked Nese in the side of the face.
Nese baited Swerve in with the skirt of the ring apron and blindsided him with a dropkick. Nese hurled Swerve into the steel ring steps.
“Nese doesn’t want Swerve to come into AEW and make a name for himself at the expense of Nese,” said Excalibur.
Nese connected with a diving foot stomp on Swerve. Nese applied body scissors, trying to tax the cardio of Strickland.
“Swerve is trying to draw on the energy of the crowd here,” noted Excalibur, as the fans chanted “Swerve’s house!”
Nese connected with an uppercut to Swerve’s throat. Nese tried for a moonsault but Swerve rolled out of the way. Swerve fired some big, heavy-handed shots at Nese. Swerve followed up with a big, diving uppercut to the side of Nese’s head. Swerve deadlifted Nese into a brainbuster for a near fall!
Nese rolled through and caught Swerve on the top rope with an uppercut. Tony Nese almost upset Swerve with a fireman’s carry drop into Nese’s knees! Nese kicked Swerve in the face. Nese dropped a 450 splash onto Swerve for a near fall!
“Tremendous rotation by Tony Nese,” said Excalibur.
“If you’re Nese you’re thinking ‘what the hell else do I have to do?’” said Taz.
Swerve swept out the legs of Nese and caught him with a thrust kick to the jaw. Swerve foot stomped Nese from the edge of the ring, knocking Nese down to the arena floor!
Swerve rolled through and planted Nese center of the ring for a near fall. Swerve kicked Nese in the head. Swerve climbed to the top rope and stomped Nese for the pin fall victory!
“Well it wasn’t easy but Swerve captured his first victory here in AEW,” said Taz.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: St. Patrick’s Day Slam on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, TX featuring—
-AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Thunder Rosa in a Steel Cage Match!
-TNT Champion Scorpio Sky vs. “Mr. Mayhem” Wardlow!
-Adam Cole #BayBay and ReDRagon—Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly vs. AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page, and AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express—Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!