5/24/24 AEW Rampage Recap
By Jeremy Thomas
* We’re going right to our first match as PAC battles Rocky Romero!
PAC VS. ROCKY ROMERO
Circle and test of strength, Rocky goes behind and hits a snapmare, PAC up into a headlock. Takedown by PAC, Rocky shoots him into the ropes and gets run over. PAC into the ropes again, some acrobatics and Rocky hits a rana but PAC lands on his feet. Counters by moth men, Rocky nails the rana this time.
Chop by Rocky sends PAC into the corner, and another chop but PAC fires back with his own. Rocky sent into the corner, PAC charges and is put on the apron. Rocky off the ropes but PAC pulls the ropes down and Rocky to the outside, PAC with an Asai moonsault as we go to PIP break.
Back from break and PAC has Rocky grounded in a headlock, but Rocky to his feet and elbows out. They trade kicks and strikes, PAC takes over and comes off the ropes, Rocky follows and hits a back heel kick. Off the ropes for the Sliced Bread, a cover gets two.
Romero with a chop to PAC and a back heel kick, PAC with a suplex but Rocky lands on his feet for a backslide for two. Romero with a Tornado DDT, and PAC escapes to the outside. Romero off the ropes to dive through onto the Bastard! He rolls PAC in, cover gets a nearfall.
Rocky is hyped up, he goes for the Sliced Bread but PAC escapes and kicks him in the face, charging pump kick and he sends Rocky into the corner, out into a German Suplex. Brutalizer and that’s it!
Winner: PAC (7:16)
PAC meets with the Lucha Bros on the apron after the match and PAC gets a mic. He says that whatever hoops the Gunn Club wants them to jump through, no problem. Lucha Boys are the best tag team in the world and they’ll see them at Collision, then at DoN for the Trios Championships.
* Chris Jericho has a mic at commentary and says that at Double or Nothing, he’ll have a three-way match for the FTW Championship and will be under For the World Rules which is mayhem. It’s a hard match but he’s ready for it because the Learning Tree fights adversity at all times. He says Shibata and HOOK have learned so much by being in the Jericho Vortex but he’ll team them more at DoN. He beat Shibata and HOOK both, as tough as they were–
And HERE’S SHIBATA! Big Bill goes to meet him and they brawl up the ramp, fighting their way to the back. And HOOK grabs Jericho from the crowd with Redrum! He pulls him in and beats him down as security gets involved. HOOK chases atfer Jericho and beats him toward the back.
* We come back with the Young Bucks’ Rebook Pump shoe commercial.
* Renee Paquette is with HOOK and Shibata and asks them about the FTW Championship match. HOOK says he’s only on his own page and doesn’t matter who’s standing in front of him; he’s getting his title back. Samoa Joe walks in and says that this is sad and HOOK asks if he shouldn’t be getting his own title back.
Joe says he is and is stacking bodies, but he’s here because he knows what HOOK and Shibata can do. He says they’re potential allies but instead are bumping chests. He says they’ve been under the Learning Tree but haven’t been learned a damn thing.
Joe leaves, HOOK storms off and Shibata says through Siri, “After I win the FTW Title in Las Vegas, I’m going to see Carrot Top. He is funny.”
SAMOA JOE VS. DOM KUBRICK
Joe takes a moment and then circles with Dom. Dom attacks with a punch and dropkick, Joe no sells them so Dom comes off the ropes and gets run over by Joe. Joe lays in the jabs to the jaw and body, battering Dom and then sending him across the ring, running in for an avalanche. Muscle Buster, that’s it.
Winner: Samoa Joe (1:19)
* Renee is backstage with Deonna Purrazzo and asks her about Thunder Rosa saying she’s avoiding her. Deonna says Rosa says she expects more from a Jersey Girl, as if Rosa hasn’t tried to attack her twice now and jump the line for a title shot. Deonna says they’re doing it when the odds are even and the lights are shining brightest. She suggests it for Double or Nothing’s Buy In so she can start the show by ending Rosa.
RUSH VS. ISIAH KASSIDY
RUSH with a dropkick to start the match and then charges in with a diving dropkick in the corner. RUSH puts a foot on Isiah but removes it after one. He shoves Kassidy to the outside and follows, hitting a chop and then running him around the ring to toss him into the guardrails on all four sides. Kassidy back up and takes a body shot, then gets his head slammed into the guardrail. RUSH pounds on Kassidy on the outside until the ref comes out to break it up.
RUSH tosses a chair in the ring and as the ref retrieves it, he grabs the camera cables and whips Zay with him, then chokes him. He pulls Kassidy up and rolls him in, setting him in the corner and then charging! Kassidy covers up but RUSH stops shot and then nails Kassidy before showboating. We’re on PIP break.
It was all PAC during the PIP break, including an assault in the crowd. But when we come back from full break, Kassidy dives onto RUSH and then rolls him into the ring. Kassidy off the ropes and hits a modified back suplex! Kassidy off the top with a tope atomico for a nearfall.
RUSH nails a big shot to the head to stop Kassidy’s momentum, then brings him to the apron for chops. Isiah takes off his shirt and they go forehead to forehead — Zay takes over with chops, but when he charges at RUSH he gets caught with a belly to belly suplex TO THE FLOOR.
Back in the ring, RUSH with a big shot in the corner and he backs up — charging diving dropkick to the head, he pulls Kassidy to the center of the ring for three.
Winner: RUSH (9:03)
* Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony are backstage and Cage is asked about his last match pushing him to the limits. Toa Liona says that the bigger story is that the Mogul Embassy is dead. Cage says he main evented Rampage and beat Bowens, and he could have beat any of The Acclaimed and it doesn’t matter if it’s one on one, one on two or one on three. He says who’s better than the Cage of Agony?
* Excalibur runs down the Double or Nothing card.
NIGHTINGALE & KRIS STATLANDER VS. ANNA JAY & ALEX WINDSOR
Statlander starts off against Anna, and they lock up. Jay takes over with a rake to the eyes, and she puts Kris in the corner for some shots but Kris quickly escapes and flings Anna across the ring. Windsor tags in and is caught with an armdrag and bodyslam, Willow tags in and hits a crossbody off the ropes for two.
Three Amigos suplex by Nightingale, but Windsor escapes the third. Off the ropes and Willow DECKS Windsor. Alex with a shot, they come off the ropes and Willow pounces her! Anna tags in but gets knocked down, Statlander tagged in and hits a standing moonsault for two.
Anna sent into the corner and Statlander runs her over. She knocks Jay down and then charges in, but gets put on the apron. Windsor distracts her enough for Jay to hit a neckbreaker through the ropes to send Kris to the floor. Anna out and tosses Kris into the steps as we go to PIP break.
We’re back with Windsor in control of of Statlander, but Kris fights back and gets the hot tag to Willow. Anna in and gets run over by Willow, then clotheslined in the corner. Big kick to Anna a spinebuster off the ropes for two.
Nightingale gets Anna on her shoulders but Anna slips down for a sunset flip for two. Willow with a two-count of her own, Anna with a jawbreaker but Willow hits a dropkick off the second rope. Willow goes for the cannoball in the corner, Anna moves and hits a kick before tagging in Windsor. Shining Wizard gets two before Statlander breaks it up.
Windsor sent to the outside and Anna & Kris trade shots, Statlander takes over. Windsor knocks Kris down but Willow obliterates Windsor and hits the gutwrench powerbomb for three.
Winner: Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander (9:23)
Post-match, MERCEDES MONE IS HERE! She comes to the ring and starts brawling with Willow, but Kris grabs her for Friday Night Fever. Mone counters out, Mone goes for the Mone Maker but Willow saves her. They end up brawling on the mat as the officials try to break it up! Mone gets free and dives on Willow, but Statlander pulls Willow out of the ring and Mone poses with the TBS Championship.
