Happy Friday everyone! Lee Sanders back with you all as tonight we’re getting two hours of AEW programming! I’m with you all for this first hour covering AEW RAMPAGE. The second hour sees the return of AEW BATTLE of the BELTS 6 covered by Jeremy Thomas. Grab a nice tall cool one, and your favorite snacks and enjoy! On a side note, thoughts and condolences to Wrestling Hall of Famer Bushwhacker Butch Robert Miller who passed away this week. Anyone that would like to help the family with funeral costs, can visit a GoFundMe that’s been setup by clicking here.

Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Jim Ross

MATCH 1: FTW CHAMPIONSHIP-HOOK VS ETHAN PAGE

Ethan goes right for HOOK with a cheap shot before the bell rings for this match. HOOK manages to grab a table from under the ring as Page is sent head first into a steel post. The boys take the action towards the fans as they get closer and closer to the nosebleed seats as this match is being contested under FTW Rules so pinfall or submission can happen anywhere. Schiavone asked if the bell even sounded as Excalibur tells him it did right when Ethan sucker-punched HOOK. Page and HOOK are slugging it out as HOOK lays in shots to the neck and chest of Page repeatedly as we head into our first set of and breaks. We’re back as HOOK delivers a t-bone suplex to Page outside the ring. HOOK tries introducing some chairs as Page rebounds with an attack but it’s a brief one. HOOK tries for another suplex but Page fights it off and delivers a powerslam through the table! Huge pop from the crowd as Page goes for a cover and the champion kicks out! Action back inside the ring as Page wedges a table in the corner. Page tries swinging at HOOK with a steel chair and misses as it bounces off the ropes and hits Page in the head! HOOK delivers a twist of fate and goes for the cover as Ethan Page kicks out! HOOK attempts another t-bone but Page counters with a boot to the face. Page tries for the Ego’s Edge as HOOK slithers over his back to apply REDRUM for the win.

Winner:HOOK (9:00)
Rating: **
HOOK came off a little more versatile here in this matchup. For what was honestly a straight up hardcore match, HOOK did a good job. Ethan did a decent job making HOOK look good. Never a doubt the FTW title was staying with HOOK. Nice opener for what it was worth.

MATCH 2: MATT MERNARD, ANGELO PARKER, MAX CASTER, ANTHONY BOWENS VS LSG, THE INFANTRY, BOBBY ORLANDO

Bowens chops the chest of LSG, and delivers a superkick as Mernard is tagged in now. Parker gets in as they perform double team action on LSG and one of the members of the Infantry as they all are laid out. Bowens delivers the arrival as Caster finishes it off with the mic drop to end this brief encounter.

Winner:Acclaimed, Parker and Mernard (2:00)
Rating: NR
SQUASH! SQUASH! SQUASH!

Post-match Swagger, Mernard and Parker cheap shot Billy Gunn and Acclaimed as they follow up with a double ddt on Bowens to leave them all laid out.

Swerve Strickland spoofs off the UFC and WWE news as he claims Mongul Affiliates have merged. As far as who they’ve merged with will be seen later tonight.

MATCH 3: DARBY ALLIN VS LEE MORARITY

Nice lockup as Darby delivers a side lock takedown as Jungle Boy Jack Perry is watching the match on his monitor backstage. Turns out Sammy Guvera and Tay Melo are watching on their respected monitor as well. Darby with a rollup as Lee quickly kicks out. Test of strength now as Lee takes down Darby to the canvas before stomping Allin on his chest. Lee delivers a double-handed chop to the neck of Darby, followed by raking the back. Darby is sent out of the ring as Lee drives Darby back first, into the barricades. Lee misses a big boot as he lands groin first on the barricades. Big Bill delivers a big boot (while the referee isn’t looking) to Darby as we head into our next set of ad breaks. We are back as Darby delivers a shotgun dropkick into the chest of Lee. Darby tries climbing the top turnbuckle as Lee stops him briefly and is shaken off. Big Bill tries to distract as it helps Lee sweep the ankles of Darby. Lee with a cover attempt and there’s a kickout as our match continues! Lee with a full nelson as he trie for another cover that is another quick kickout. Right hands to the ribs followed by a kick to th side of the head after Darby is tangled on the top rope by Lee. Lee going to the top ropes thinking superplex as he connects! Both men exchanging reversal rollup and holds now. Darby connects with code red on Lee and delivers a running battering ram to Big Bill from between the ropes. Darby quickly goes to the top rope to deliver a coffin drop onto Lee for the victory.

Winner:Darby Allin (10:00)
Rating: ***
Mad respect for Darby wrestling this match a day after getting hit by a car. I’d imagine he’s pretty banged up. I know from personal experience the feeling of getting hit by a car and you’re pretty sore for a few days. All you want to do is rest depending on how hard the car hit you. This was a fun match but I gotta say I’m a bit disappointed more hasn’t been done with Lee Morarity. Tony Khan and crew have been slipping on this man as of late. He’s a phenomenal wrestler that needs to be given more tv time and a decent storyline. Maybe while Don Callis is making his pitch to Takeshita, we could see him try to recruit Lee as well. Sound off and let me know your pitches!

Darby not able to celebrate that long as Swerve Strickland comes out looking for a handshake. Brian Cage comes from out of nowhere as he lays out Darby as Prince Nana comes out as well as The Embassy and Mogul Affiliates have merged!

RJ is trying to moderate Taya Valkyrie and Jade Cargill over the Jaded/Road to Valhalla as all Hell breaks loose! Tempers are at an all time high as a fight is about to break out as Jade makes her exit to go prepare for Battle of the Belts.

MATCH 4: ANNA J A.S.S. VS JULIA HART

Well…Anna Jay is right about one thing…it is PHAT!

Anna attacks Julia from behind as the match is undeeway. Julia sends Anna head first into the barricades not once but twice! A toss back inside the ring as Julia rams Anna’s head into the canvas repeatedly. Julia now sent into the barricades as Anna seemed to almost go for a styles clash of some type but it wasn’t as she rams Julia’s head (in this position) into the barricades again as we head into our last set of commercials. We’re back Julia rams Anna’s head into all four corners while planting a kick to the head, and a sledge hammer across the shoulder blades. Julia with a cover as it’s a quick kick-out. Julia with a standing moonsault press now and that is a kick-out as well. Anna tries looking for the queenslayer but Julia breaks free and delivers a clothesline and and back elbow combo. Anna raised up to the top rope now. Julia is looking for a superplex but settles for a monkey flip again as Julia connects with a blind moonsault for another kickout. Series of rollup and counters as Anna tries looking for the queenslayer again. Julia uses her momentum to send them both in-between the ropes to break free. Julia sprays black mist into the eyes of Anna while the referee is distracted as she settles for a cradle rollup for the victory. What a mess!

Winner:Julia Hart (9:00)
Rating: **
WOOF! This wasn’t pretty folks! Spotty, timing off in a lot of areas, and sloppy. Both girls have made great strides in upping their in-ring abilities and it showed…Ever so slightly. This was not worthy of the main event slot for RAMPAGE however but I appreciate the effort to switch things up. I never want to see this again with these participants unless they are 10x better than what we got here tonight.

End of Show
For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

GOOD

So the way this episode was designed, all eyes was really set on the BATTLE OF THE BELTS. RAMPAGE usually has a good two-match structure but this week was really about watching one match. I’m as big a fan of Ethan Page and HOOK as anyone but half the match was outside the ring fighting amongst the crowd. There wasn’t anything really special or memorable when the action spilled to the nosebleed seats. Add into account the match only went for a few more minutes after commercial breaks, and overall it was meh. It was a disservice to both men as they should’ve been allowed to wrestle 15 minutes. Darby Allin and Lee Morarity was your admission this week for watching RAMPAGE if not anything else. Please don’t get me started on the main event match again. I thought the footage from that AEW house show with the girls was bad! This main event match was almost at that level. Only thing good in that match was the eye candy that is Anna Jay. At least we got some developments with Acclaimed and Swerve Strickland. That’s gotta count for something right? For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!