Good Friday y’all! Lee Sanders here! Happy to be back with you all as I missed you all greatly. How bout that NBA All-Star Weekend? Anyway it’s AEW RAMPAGE time! Let’s go baby!

Commentators: Excalibur. Taz, Chris Jericho, and Ricky Starks
Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut

MATCH 1: TNT CHAMPIONSHIP-SAMMY GUVERRA VS ANDRADE

Both men size each other up as Andrade pushes Guverra, Guverra comes back with a underhook takedown. Both men come to their feet exchanging forearm strikes. Nice opening as they exchange blows on each other before showboating on the ropes. Andrade wants to shake Sammy’s hand but Sammy gives him the middle finger. Andrade with a shoulder tackle to plant Sammy down. Into the ropes now goes Andrade as Sammy leap frogs over him but Andrade plants him down with a chop to the chest. Corkscrew dropkick by Sammy to send Andrade out the ring. Sammy soon connects with a Spanish fly once Andrade gets back in the ring. Beautiful spot as now Sammy climbs to the top turnbuckle. Andrade stops him as both men are exchanging punches on the top rope. Sammy tried looking for a springboard attack but Andrade pushes him off the top-side rope to send him crashing outside on the canvas. Back from commercial break now as Sammy nearly pulled one over on Andrade with a rollup but Andrade kicked out. Andrade is being nasty with slaps to Sammy as Sammy comes right back with two clotheslines, followed by a great rising knee strike! Sammy tries looking for the GTH but Andrade fights out of it and sends him crashing into the corner. Andrade charges with his knee as Sammy moves out the way to send Andrade crashing outside the ring. Sammy crashes into Andrade with a high risk maneuver from over the top rope. Sammy tries looking for a 450 splash on Andrade but Andrade moves out the way and connects with a running boot, followed by a DDT! Andrade now calling his shot as he goes to the top rope but Sammy stops him. Sammy connects with a Avalanche Spanish Fly as he struggles getting to the cover for the pinfall…Andrade kicks out! Both men now teeing off on each other. Neither man comes out on top as they are laid out exhausted.

Andrade exposed the turnbuckle a little bit as the ref gets in his face. While the ref is distracted, Matt Hardy takes it completely off. Sammy charges at Andrade as he hip tosses Sammy into that exposed turnbuckle. Andrade tries charging at Sammy but crashes chin first into the exposed turnbuckle. Sammy grabs Andrade looking for the GTH but Andrade gets out of it and counters with a rollup as Andrade tries to put his foot on the rope for the 1-2- and there’s a kick out that happens right as Matt Hardy pushes Andrade’s foot off the rope. What the Hell??? Andrade with chops to Sammy, Sammy floats over Andrade and rocks him with a thrust kick. Sammy climbs to the top yet again as Andrade fights him and is looking for a hammerlock ddt. Sammy fights out of it to send Andrade crashing into the exposed turnbuckle face first. Sammy connects with a big cutter for the 1-2-3 to retain the championship. What a match!

Winner:Sammy (14:00)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: Sammy continues to be an absolute joy to watch in singles competition and I must say this was also one of the best singles matches for Andrade since he’s been in AEW so far. Here’s to 2022 seeing more of Andrade wrestling on TNT and TBS. These men brought out the best in one another. Matt Hardy’s spot definitely raises eyebrows as one wonders is Matt tired of his current arrangements with Andrade. Otherwise, why interfere the way he did and how long will it take for Andrade to realize something fishy went down there in those final few minutes?

Post-match Matt Hardy attacks Sammy as Darby Allin comes out for the save. Isiah Kassidy gets clobbered by Sting as Darby follows up on Isiah with a Coffin Drop.

QT Marshall comes out…Oh yawn. QT is mad at Taz for what’s been going on with HOOK. All the success HOOK has been having as of late is because of him as he wants to be thanked. Far as QT is concerned he had a hand in training him and wonders if HOOK has the balls to come out and face him like a man. SEND HOOK! HOOK comes out as it was a setup by QT as he tries to have some of his students attack the young man and it backfires as he does judo throws on a few guys and REDRUMS another one. HOOK looks at QT and walks off. Hahaha smooth!

Dan Lambert is with Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky as they’ve been given a chance to qualify in the Face of the Revolution match. Dan promises that he’ll get them a championship match including the TNT title.

MATCH 2: WARDLOW VS NICK COMOROTO

Beef…Lots of it as we begin with a lockup. Nick connects with a planted gutwrench. Wardlow comes back with a belly to belly suplex, throwing him around with such ease! Nick tries charging at Wardlow but Wardlow catches him and semi-suplexes him out the ring. Back from break as Wardlow delivers a one-handed chokeslam on Nick after he failed to connected with a one-handed press. Wardlow connects with a devastating powerbomb as Wardlow connects with three Powerbombs of Destruction to end this bad boy. Thanks for coming!

Winner:Young Bucks (4:00)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Nice to see Nick get some tv time as he has a great look and presence. Hopefully he’ll get even more tv time but as far as this match goes I love that it was more challenging for Wardlow all things considered in recent weeks, far as opponents Wardlow has faced.

Post-match Aaron Solow tries to bodysplash Wardlow but it backfires as Wardlow catches him right as Spears takes a steel chair to Solow’s back! Spears tells Wardlow that the powerbombs aren’t going over, it’s just not popular as Spears warned him about this months ago. Just go for the win and that’s it as he wants no more powerbombs. Spears tells him how proud he and MJF are of him and gives him a hug as Wardlow looks on disgusted!

MATCH 3: KAYLA SPARKS VS PROFESSOR SERENA DEEB-FIVE MINUTE CHALLENGE

Deeb uses her ring jacket to put around the neck of Kayla before the bell rings. That’s all she wrote as it’s been nothing but an assault since as Deeb delivers uppercuts and a shot to Kayla’s kidneys. Deeb plants Kayla tied up in the corner for a weird Tree of Woe submission hold followed by wrenching down on her neck.
Deeb at this point is playing with her food as luckily it is over with the Serenity Lock.

Winner:Young Bucks (3:00)
Rating: NR
Thoughts: Been a fan of Serena Deeb for years but this right here, meh! I’m ready to see this wrap up with maybe Red Velvet or Shida putting the lid on this already.

Contract signing now with Thunder Rosa and Britt Baker. Thunder tells Britt that we need to give the people what they want which is a better champion with a few expletives. Thunder signs it as Britt counters right back and tells Thunder that she made Thunder a household name thanks to the match they had months back. She made the t-shirts, action figures and all as she feels Thunder has become jealous of Britt’s success. Thunder will never be her, never one of the pillars of AEW. Thunder was wrestling on YouTube for peanuts while Britt was laying down the foundation as an AEW original. She knows Thunder doesn’t hate her but actually loves her and what she has. Thunder hates herself as she will never be Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. Britt signs it as Thunder comes over the table and attacks Britt as Jaime Hayter pounces on her. Mercedes Martinez comes in to grab Hayter by the hair and plants her through the table as Thunder and Martinez stand united.

MATCH 4: FACE OF THE REVOLUTION MATCH-ORANGE CASSIDY VS ANTHONY BOWENS

Word to your mother as Orange Cassidy does a suicide dive in-between the ropes to crash into Bowens. This all came after a little bit of showboating antics from Cassidy as he interrupted Acclaimed and their usual mic checking the crowd. Cassidy tries to look for a hurricarana as Bowens isn’t budging as Bowens sends Cassidy crashing face first into the ring apron. Back from our last commercial break as Bowens focused his attacks on the neck of Cassidy. Bowens sends Cassidy crashing into the corner after saying everyone loves the Acclaimed. He charges at Cassidy but Cassidy counters sending Bowens face first post into post. Bowens back with great combination strikes on Cassidy until he’s planted with the stun dog millionaire. Cassidy connects with a running boot on Bowens. Cassidy gets caught up in a spinning whirlwind slam followed by a running knee strike for a near fall. Bowens tries picking up Cassidy as Cassidy maneuvers out of the hold, pushes him into the ropes and plants him with a michinoku driver. Bowens kicks out as Cassidy is distracted by Max Caster to setup Bowens looking for the Arrival as Cassidy fights out of it as both men are trading body shots now. Cassidy dumps Bowens over the top rope and crashes into both Acclaimed members. Cassidy goes to the top rope and plants Bowens with a DDT followed by another DDT and only gets a near fall. Caster throws his boom box in the ring. Referee sees this and gets rid of it as this sets up Bowens getting Cassidy in a rollup for a near fall. Bowens plants Cassidy with a clothesline for another near fall as Max Caster tries to attack Cassidy but is denied by Danhausen who delivers an Orange Punch to Caster. Cassidy back in the ring as he quickly delivers an Orange Punch to Bowens for the victory to advance.

Winner: Orange Cassidy (9:00)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Great seeing Danhausen back on TNT / TBS as Tony Khan and crew gotta capitalize on that signing. That man has a great social media following. This match for me wasn’t about Cassidy advancing but more so about how well Bowens performed. He’s really come a long way since first coming through AEW as he continues to build up more confidence, better mic skills and overall a better in-ring performer. Of the Acclaimed I truly feel he is that next singles breakout star we should be watching closely. I don’t know if 2022 will be his year but for sure 2023 or 2024. Khan and crew got themselves a bonafide star in the making.

End of Show

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

VERY GOOD

Great contract signing between two of my all-time favorites in Thunder Rosa and Mercede Martinez. That match alone should be fire on the PPV. Excellent singles matches for this weeks’ episode all things considered as we near the finish line for AEW REVOLUTION. I’m really enjoying these plug and play moments of RAMPAGE we’ve been getting the past couple of weeks where we see some great continuations with key wrestlers but also see folks get opportunities they normally wouldn’t get on television like with Nick Commoroto and Kayla Sparks. Return of Danhausen too should make folks happy so long as he’s getting deeper into storylines on television and I feel tonight definitely will get him in that direction regularly. Not too shabby of an episode this week. Have a great weekend you all and be sure be sure to check out my podcast /webcast via YouTube.com/thercwrshow and be sure to subscribe so you never miss out on all the great talk of wrestling and beyond. Audio version available wherever you get your podcasts. Follow me on Twitter @TheRCWRshow