AEW Rampage Results
Special Saturday Night Show – April 22, 2023
Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Results by: Jerome Wilen of Wrestleview.com
We go to the arena with a wild crowd. Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur are on commentary.
Jon Moxley vs. Christopher Daniels
Both men lock up. Moxley takes down Daniels and has him a head lock. Daniels rolls Moxley over for a few pin attempts, but only gets a one count as Moxley holds on. Daniels gets out of the hold as he takes down Daniels with shoulder blocks as the fans boo. Daniels comes back with a side headlock on Moxley and drops Moxley down and still has the hold on Moxley. Moxley gets up and breaks the hold and has Daniels in the corner and hits him with a serious of chops. Daniels drop Moxley over the top rope and then nails him with an elbow on the floor with a big elbow. Moxley recovers and then hits Daniels and takes him down. Moxley picks up Daniels and drops him on the steel steps.
Picture-In-Picture: Moxley is on the second rope taunting the crowd as the ref counts. Daniels rolls back in the ring but it taken out by Moxley as Daniels rolls to the outside. Moxley works on Daniels arm. Moxley is back in the ring walking around as the ref makes the ten count. Daniels tries to get up and then finally makes his way back into the ring.
Back from the break, Moxley picks up Daniels and has him on the second rope turnbuckle as scratches Daniels back. Daniels fights back and knocks Moxley off and then hits him with a diving cross body. Daniels goes for the cover and only gets a two count. Moxley comes back with blows to the face. Daniels gets Moxley in a backslide for a pin attempt but only gets a two. Moxley hits a king kong lariat on Daniels and then drops him with a piledriver. Moxley makes the cover, but kicks out at two! Daniels gets up and drops Moxley and then climbs to the second rope and delivers an elbow on Moxley and then hits him with an angels wings, but struggled to make the cover. Moxley has a sleeper on Daniels and goes down. Daniels hits a series of elbows on Daniels and Moxley has him in choke like hold as Daniels drops to the mat and Daniels is out. The ref calls for the bell.
WINNER BY SUBMISSION: JON MOXLEY
After thee match, Moxley puts out his hand to Daniels as both men shake hands. Moxley leaves through the crowd.
Backstage interview with Lexy Nair talking to Jade Cargill and Mark Sterling.He says that they are finally going to get rid of Taya Valkayrie on Wednesday. In the TBS Title match this Wednesday, Taya can’t use the Jaded and if she does, she will be disqualified.
Hook comes out to the ring. The Hardys are out next to a huge ovation. Isaiah Kassidy is with them. All four men are in the ring as the fans cheer. Kassidy on the mic asks the crowd if they are ready to hear from Jeff to a huge ovation. Jeff says it is great back to be in the Elite world and he has worked hard to reach this moment as the fans chant welcome back. Jeff says he trying to love himself again and then he says the smartest thing he needs to do is retire as the fans boo. He then says retire from screwing up and says he will finish his career in AEW on a high note. We go the big screen with Stokley Hathaway says he has emailed Jeff and called him about the stupid deletion match, but there has been no return calls and says he is working to be a better man as The Firm comes from behind and attacks The Hardys, Kassidy and Hook. Ethan Page drops Kassidy with an egos edge in the ring. Kassidy rolls out and The Firm drag Kassidy as the Hardys and Hook go after him.
We go to a video package reviewing last week’s Dynamite on TBS.
-COMMERCIAL BREAK-
Back from the break we hear from Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes. Lee says he has no respect for Chris Jericho. Rhodes says next week it will be Rhodes and Lee in action.
Kiera Hogan vs. Julia Hart
Hart ducks Hogan and then slaps her. Hogan comes back with big elbow strikes, but Hart nails her with knee strikes. Hogan comes back and drops her and then hits her with a huge leg drop and covers her for only a two count. Hart recovers with an evil look on face and then picks up Hogan puts a thumb to her throat. Hogan then cracks Hart across the jaw with a huge kick. Hogan then nails Hart in the corner with a huge drop kick. She covers Hart, but only gets a two as Hart continues to have an evil like look on her face. Hart comes back and hits Hogan with standing moonsault and covers her for only a two count. Hart then gets Hogan in the hart-less as Hogan taps out.
WINNER BY SUBMISSION: JULIA HART
After the match, Anna Jay runs to the ring and attacks Hart as both women brawl. The officials come into the ring to separate both women as we have a pull apart.
We go to a backstage segment with Lexy Nair interviewing Christopher Daniels who says he is here for victories as Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta come in. Moxley comes in as says Daniels is cool as stops Claudio and Wheeler form going after him. Daniels then says Moxley might be different. Moxley turns away and then attacks Daniels with a series of elbows and smashes his head against the lockers and tells Daniels the BCC has never changed.
FTR, Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal vs. Slim J and The Varsity Athletes
Dax Harwood and Slim J start things off as Slim has Harwood in the corner and drills Harwood. Harwood then slaps Slim J and then hits him with a leg drop and attempts a pin, but Slim J kicks out. Harwood tags in Cash Wheeler. Slim J takes down Wheeler, but Wheeler is up and fights back with elbows, but Slim J comes back with elbows. Wheeler drops Slim J with a huge slam. Lethal blind tags himself him and drops Slim J. Jarrett and Lethal strut across the ring as FTR comes in and jaws at Lethal and Jarrett.
Picture-In-Picture: Lethal and Slim J are the legal men in the ring. Lethal kicks Slim and covers him for only a two count. Wheeler is tagged in as Slim J hits him with a back elbow strike. Wheeler goes to the outside. Daivari is tagged in and is working on Wheeler. Ariya Daivari is in and has Wheeler in the corner and nails him with headbutts to the mid section. Tony Nese is now in as they have Wheeler in the corner. Slim J nails Wheeler with big boots to the chest.
-FULL COMMERCIAL BREAK-
Back from the break. Woods has Wheeler in a headlock as the ref is checking on Wheeler. Mark Briscoe is looking on backstage on a monitor. Wheeler drops Woods. Harwood comes in and drops Nese and Slim J. All the men are in the ring. Jarrett sends Slim J to the outside as Mark Sterling is in the ring. Harwood is holding Sterling as Jarrett then nails Harwood as Sterling ducks out. Jarrett drops Slim J with a stroke and Harwood covers him for the win. Jarrett and Lethal and FTR begin to brawl as Briscoe comes down to break it up.
-COMMERCIAL BREAK-
Back from the break we Mark Henry hyping up the main event AAA Mega Title Match.
AAA Mega Championship Match: El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Dralistico
As Vikingo comes to the ring Dralistico attacks him on the outside before the bell. The bell rings and here we go! Vikingo goes for a huge dive on Dralistico who moves as Vikingo hits the floor on his back! Vikingo is back in the ring as Dralistico covers him but only gets a two count. Both men exchange blows to the face. Dralistico comes back and hammers Vikingo with huge rights hand. Vikingo then comes back with a corkscrew kick on Dralistico! Dralistico then comes back with a huge destroyer off the ropes!
Picture-In-Picture: Dralistico covers Vikingo, but only gets the two count. Vikingo rolls to the outside as Ruse walks around. Dralistico works on Vikingo on the outside with kicks to the chest agains the guardrail. Rush looks on nearby. Dralistico rolls Vikingo into the ring. Dralistico continues the offense with kicks to Vikingo. He then taunts the fans as he mocks them from the second rope. Dralistico picks up Vikingo and then nails him with an elbow, kicks him and then mocks him. Dralistico continues to work on Vikingo and tosses him to the outside.
Back from break, Dralistico climbs to the top rope and drops onto him on the outside. Dralistico comes off the ropes with a big code breaker on Vikingo. The fans begin to chant for Vikingo who comes back with an overhand chop onto Dralistico. Both men are now on the ropes as they exchange blows. Vikingo sends Dralistico on the apron with a huge headbutt and drops him with a big destroyer on the ring apron as the fans chant this is awesome. Vikingo tosses Dralistico back in the ring. Rush then grabs Vikingo and drops him down. The ref catches it and tosses out Preston Vance, Rush and Jose.. Dralistico then attempts a roll up on Vikingo, but he kicks out. Vikingo then kicks Dralistico with a corkscrew kick, followed by a big stomp to the mid section from the top rope. Vikingo covers Dralistico, but he kicks out at two! Dralistico then comes back with a submission hold as Vikingo gets his boot on the rope. Vikingo then kicks Dralistico and then climbs to the top rope and hits Dralistico with a 360 dive to get the win to retain.
WINNER AND STILL AAA MEGA CHAMPION: EL HIJO DEL VIKINGO
After the match, LFI comes down to the ring and takes out Vikingo with a huge lariat and continues the beatdown. They pick up Dralistico and celebrate as the show goes off the air.
Jerome’s thoughts: This wasn’t a bad show. It was action packed. Storylines on this episode really weren’t furthered a whole lot, but there will probably be some matches on Wednesday night’s Dynamite as a result of FTR, Lethal and Jarrett clashing post match. I have not idea why the AAA Mega Champion was made to look so weak. All champions are supposed to look vulnerable, but this was ridiculous.