Post by sethisthegoat on Feb 3, 2023 11:27:20 GMT -5
AEW Rampage
Feb. 3, 2023
Feb. 3, 2023
Rampage begins in the middle of a backstage fight between Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston of the New Day and all three members of Natural Selection. The trio has the upper hand, and Brian Cage hits Woods with the Drill Claw as Shelton Benjamin hits a T-Bone Suplex on Kingston. Big E comes running up to fight them off, but Cesar Duran calls off the fight, saying they’ve done what they came to do.
Coach and Taz welcome us to the first episode of AEW Rampage, which started hot. Tonight, we’ll see Dean Malenko try to get revenge for the months of backstabbing by Peter Avalon. Abadon will wrestle for the first time in AEW. And Natural Selection will defend their tag team titles for the first time, against New Day — provided that New Day is healthy enough for the fight. Coach also asks Taz about his challenge to Raven from Dynamite, and Taz says he hopes Raven will accept.
Match 1 - Dean Malenko (3-11) w/ RVD & Sabu vs. Peter Avalon (1-10)
Malenko and Avalon get nose-to-nose, then Avalon slaps Malenko. He responds with a stiff punch to Avalon, which knocks him down. Malenko quickly locks in the Texas Cloverleaf, and Avalon taps at a match time of 30 seconds! After the match, Avalon pleads for forgiveness. Malenko thinks for a moment about attacking, but walks off and says Avalon isn’t worth it.
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Pre-taped promo with Malakai Black and the remaining members of the House of Black from a graveyard. Black says he didn’t lose at the Battle of the Belts. Hook still has to prove that he can hang with the Prince of Darkness.
He mentions the lights flickering and “failure” flashing on the big screen after the match, and after The Blade’s match last week. Black says, “You need to mind your own business. We don’t need you here. The House is strong enough without you.”
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Match 2 - Abadon (0-0) w/ Alexa Bliss vs. Katie Lea Burchill (0-0)
Abadon looks appropriately freaky tonight, and the debuting Burchill looks unsettled. The match lasts about 2 minutes, with Abadon winning with the Twist of Hate.
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Gable Steveson comes out to the ring. He says that he lost his way a little bit after Jake Hager took the All-Atlantic Championship from him. But he got some of that fire back when he got the chance to face Samoa Joe at Beach Break. He lasted 30 minutes with a former UWA World Champion, and then Joe had to throw a fit and keep choking him after the bell rang. Steveson deserves another match. This time with no limits; no disqualifications; no rematches; at Revolution, with everything on the line.
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Main Event - AEW Tag Titles: Natural Selection (5-0) © w/ Cesar Duran vs. New Day (7-3)
Woods and Kingston come out with taped up ribs, but they are game for the match. The two teams have a banger of a match with a variety of reversals. Woods got a nearfall on Benjamin after hitting the Lost in the Woods, but it was broken up by Alexander. Alexander gets the pinfall after hitting a Lumbar Check (suplex into a backbreaker) on Kingston in 19:56.
As Natural Selection is going up the ramp with the belts, The Steiner Bros. come out from backstage with a mic. Scott says they didn’t need to sneak attack the New Day to defeat them, but the new champs have to win cheaply? It’s time that the belts return to some real champions.
Duran steps in front of his team and says the Steiners are old and yesterday’s news. Natural Selection has the belts for a reason. Scott and Rick need to back off and mind their own business. Brian Cage, who wasn’t at ringside, emerges from the back with a chair and hits it across Rick’s back as the remaining members attack and beat down the Steiners. The New Day recovers and rushes up the ramp to help, while Big E also comes. There’s a big brawl between the three teams as the show goes off the air.
Next week on Dynamite:
Beer Money vs. The Young Bucks
Serena Deeb vs. Alexa Bliss
Raven responds to Taz
MVP vs. Billy Kidman
Next PPV: Revolution, on Feb. 19, 2023
AEW World Championship: Cody Rhodes © vs. Bill Goldberg
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match - winner gets a shot at All-Atlantic Championship