SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
AEW RAMPAGE TAPING RESULTS (SPOILERS)
FEBRUARY 2, 2022 (Feb. 4, 2022 airdate)
TAPED AT WINTRUST ARENA IN CHICAGO, IL
REPORT BY ERIC KROL, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Excalibur, Taz and Chris Jericho are your announce team. They played “Judas.”
(1) Adam Cole vs. Evil Uno
All of the Dark Order (except Colt Cabana) posed on the stage but Uno went to the ring solo. Uno will be in the ring as the opening credits roll. Not many have left yet. Cole with a big pop for his entrance. Cole attacked at the bell. Uno did the ref, hold his leg spot and hit a reverse cutter and a clothesline and punches in the corner. Uno to the top but Cole got his knees up. Cole a super kick on a kneeling Uno. A second. Cole dropped the kneepad and hit the knee to the back of the head for the win. Cole did a roll call of his singles wins in AEW, including Jungle Boy and Frankie Kazarian and Wheeler Yuta. Cole claimed he remains undefeated despite the Orange loss in the unsanctioned match. There’s a new Adam Cole in AEW. He wants respect. People seem to forget who the hell I am: one of the best pro wrestlers on the planet for years. At the end of the day, Adam Cole ends up becoming the guy, ends up running the show. Everyone craves certainty, and one thing is certain: I will become AEW champion.
WINNER: Cole in 2:25.
(2) TNT Title match: Sammy Guevara vs. Isaiah Kassidy (w/Mark Quen and Matt Hardy)
Sammy’s ribs were taped after the ladder match against Cody Rhodes. His new tights were aqua and sparkly. Sammy with a flip tope over the top. Hardy slammed Sammy on the apron. Sammy into the barricade. Crowd kinda bored, small Aubrey Edwards chant. Sammy ducked a charge and hit a clothesline and a kick. He went for GTH but couldn’t get him up and sold the ribs. Sammy super kick. Sammy up top but Andrade’s music plays and he comes doesn’t to ringside with Jose. Kassidy a cutter on the top rope as Sammy is outside and dive to the outside and a top rope flip senton. A double down and Sammy gets up top and hits an amazing moonsault on Quen. The height was incredible. Straight up and down. Tight. Then a cutter and GTH to win. Darby Allin comes out after to even the odds as Andrade tries to hire Darby again. Darby pats both TNT titles over Sammy’s shoulders and the two stand tall. This match was very good.
WINNER: Guevara in 9:15.
(3) Mercedes Martinez vs. Thunder Rosa
Rosa got a nice pop on the way out. Rosa with a shotgun drop kick at the bell, befitting the grudge nature of the match. Martinez into the ring barrier and then snap suplexed outside. Tired crowd trying to stay up with clapping and chanting for Rosa. Mercedes with a spine buster. They might use some crowd sweetening here like they have been on Rampage. We are 3 hours 45 minutes into the taping. Martinez holds a ling vertical suplex but only gets two. Rosa gets off of Mercedes’ shoulders and hits a cutter and drop kick in the corner and nice suplex with a bridge for two. Mercedes tried for a top rope suplex but Rosa avoided and came off the top with a drop kick. Mercedes with a top rope DVD-type move for two. Thunder Rosa chants. Rosa with a side slam but Mercedes rolls outside. Mercedes slugs Rosa with a pipe at ringside and the ref calls for the DQ. A rare DQ finish in AEW.
WINNER: Rosa by DQ in 8:30.
(4) Ricky Starks (w/Powerhouse Hobbs) vs. Jay Lethal
This is for the FTW belt. Not much of a pop for Lethal. Or Starks. Crowd tired at this point, four hours in. They did get up for a dueling “Let’s go Lethal/Ricky Starks” chant at the start. Hobbs wore his fur coat from last week by Lake Erie in Cleveland. They circle each other for the first minute. Starks teased the front row like he was gonna throw Lethal but swerved them. Lethal missed a crossbody. Starks posed on the second turnbuckle. Match is just kinda there at this point. Not a lot of heat. Starks an overhead throw for two. Lethal fought out of a submission hold and hit a clothesline. Starks took a nice spin bump. Backslide for two. Roll up for two. Starks with a sit down power bomb. Striking battle. Hobbs on the apron. Lethal hits him and he falls. Dante Martin runs in and gets massive height jumping off onto top rope and over. Lethal hits a move and goes for Lethal Injection but Starks avoids it. Two count for Lethal on a roll up. Starks hits a move I had lent seen before. Like a reverse slingshot suplex. For the win.
WINNER: Starks in 13:00.
Tony Khan came out afterward and thanked the crowd. He sent Hook, who had a hoodie and backpack on, eating chips. He offered some to Tony, who declined. And he left. Khan said AEW will be coming back for All Out but said he has a feeling he’ll see us before then.Click Here: melbourne storm shirt