It's Friday! And you know what that means!
In response to WWE having Smackdown go a half-hour longer tonight on FS1, Tony Khan gives us a one hour Buy In before Rampage, live on YouTube! Wrestling is better when there is competition.
Tay Conti vs. Santana Garrett
Some basic wrestling to start as both seem even. Crowd VERY quiet for this. Conti gets a leg submission in but Garrett is able to get a headlock on her to break it up. We get some more quick exchanges and back and forth wrestling. Double hair grab takedown. Conti hits multiple pump kicks and fires up. DDTay ends it. Rather basic match. Both women are still kinda green and need some more experience but they both show potential.
**
We get a promo package for American Top Team vs. Inner Circle. Lots of promos from commentary putting over Men of the Year, Lambert and American Top Team.
Lee Moriarty vs. Bobby Fish
Moriarty tries to wrestle Fish down to start but Fish keeps him at bay with strikes. Moriarty eventually takes him down by the leg. Fish wrestles out into a hold of his own but Moriarty counters right back out. Fish breaks it up with strikes again. Moriarty trips up Fish and kicks the arm to set a target. Moriarty tries to work the arm but Fish drives him into the corner.
Dragon Screw by Fish and a sliding lariat for 2. More strikes by Fish and a senton over the top into the ring for a two count. Fish works Moriarty over and kicks the leg when Moriarty starts to try and come back. Moriarty eventually catches Fish with a big boot on a corner charge and kicks at the arm of Fish. Raising kick in the corner by Moriarty and a jumping stomp on a sitting Fish for 2.
They trade strikes but Fish hits a roundhouse and a back suplex for a near-fall. Moriarty kicks the arm to try and take back over. Hits a nice arm capture suplex for 2. Fish escapes a suplex and locks in a sleeper but Moriarty backs him into the corner. Moriarty charges and runs into a leaping knee strike. Exploder Suplex into the ropes by Fish. Roundhouse kick on a kneeling Moriarty ends it! Very fun match to watch. Nice story of the striker vs. the wrestler battling it out. Moriarty looked great and is a future talent for sure, but Fish was more experienced tonight and got the win. Rematch down the road, please!
***
We get a Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki video package. Good stuff. Danielson is the greatest pro wrestler in the world. Suzuki is one of the biggest badasses in wrestling. This is going to be awesome!
Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki
KAZE NI NARE!!! Let's Fucking Go! Crowd is ready for this! Knuckle lock to start as Danielson is able to get the advantage and try to wrestle Suzuki down. Suzuki is able to counter out and slap on an abdominal stretch. These two trade holds back forth as they wrestle into the ropes.
Danielson tries to Dragon screw Suzuki who rolls into it to counter. Danielson kicks the leg and Suzuki smiles. The sick bastard. They trade strikes: Suzuki with chops and Danielson with kicks. Suzuki gives Danielson a forearm and DROPS HIM! Sweet Jebus! Danielson lights up Suzuki with kicks. He gets him down and uses some MMA elbows before going for the Cattle Mutilation. Suzuki gets the ropes before it is locked in and gets an arm bar in the ropes. Both men to the floor as Suzuki starts to pick Danielson apart and targets his arm.
Both men back in and Danielson tries to fire back up but Suzuki grounds him and works the arm more. Danielson makes it to the ropes to break it up. Back to the floor, Danielson counters an Irish whip and Suzuki goes into the post. Running knee off the apron to Suzuki's face.
Danielson rolls him back and Suzuki asks for some kicks. Danielson kicks away at Suzuki. He grabs his arms and kicks Suzuki's fucking head in! Cattle Mutilation in again but Suzuki rolls to counter it. Danielson rolls into a pin for 2. WRESTLING! Chops and kicks in the corner by Danielson. Corner dropkick kick follows but Suzuki just looks more pissed! Suzuki counters a whip and gives Danielson a boot and a PK. But Danielson sits up! A second one and Danielson is back up again. A third lays him out for a near-fall.
Mocking stomps to Danielson's head but Suzuki. They trade strikes again. Suzuki gets an armbar in but Danielson makes it to the ropes. Suzuki gets in the referee's face and walks into a LeBell Lock but Suzuki fights out. Danielson switches it up but Suzuki rolls into the ropes again. Fight Forever chant and I agree!
They trade blows again. Suzuki puts his hands behind his back and challenges Danielson. Danielson lights him up. Suzuki answers with a forearm that nearly drops Danielson again but he gets up! More strikes! Double slap by both and they are down! They get their feet and start trading blows again! My God!
Danielson hits the ropes but Suzuki counters into the sleeper. Danielson fights out! They trade counters back and forth! They run the ropes and Danielson with the running knee! 3 count!!! WHAT A FUCKING MATCH!!! THIS was wrestling! Brutal strikes. Awesome mat wrestling and counter wrestling. The crowd was into it the whole time. This was special!
****1/2
We get a video package for CM Punk vs. Sydal. They really sell how big Punk coming to AEW was. They also give Sydal some respect which I appreciate.
Buy In is over! Let's get to the main show!
Rampage opening video package
Matt Sydal is already in the ring and Cult of Personality hits! It's Clobbering Time!
CM Punk vs. Matt Sydal
We get a hand shake to start. Code of Honor. Both wrestle the other down at one point before Punk hits a shoulder block. Sydal wrestles Punk down and tries for a pin. Punk double legs Sydal and ties him up to slow him down. Sydal tries to escape but Punk gets a nice near-fall.
Punk tries to use his strength but Sydal's quickness to get a bow and arrow on. Punk escapes and gets a scoop slam. And another. Crowd asks for one more but Sydal counters out and hits a sliding kick to Punk's face. Sydal wrestles Punk down again and tries a slick roll-up.
Sydal starts to kick at Punk's legs and work holds on them as well. Punk tries for the GTS but Sydal counters and tries to hit the Lightning Spiral. Punk with a dropkick and takes over. Sydal slides out of a neckbreaker and hits a spinning kick. Sliding knee into the corner by Sydal. Both men on the apron. Punk hits the 3rd scoop slam on the apron! Ouch!
Slingshot Senton by Punk back into the ring. Tree of Woe for Sydal. Punk goes for a baseball slide but Sydal sits up. Punk climbs to the top to try and get his hands on Sydal. They battle at the top and both fall off the floor. Count-out tease but both beat the count. They trade strikes. Sydal wiggles out of a suplex and hits a jumping knee for 2. Lighting Spiral countered again into a neckbreaker by Punk.
Raising knee strike in the corner by Punk and a clothesline for 2. Punk goes to 2nd rope but Sydal counters with a hurricanrana! Sydal locks in a leg submission. Punk is able to counter out and lock in the Anaconda Vice but Sydal gets the ropes. They trade counters and Sydal catches Punk with a head kick. Lightning Spiral by Sydal gets a 2. Sydal to the top. Punk goes after him and Sydal jumps out of the way. Sydal tries a crucifix pin but Punk catches him and hits the GTS! That's all it takes! Very good match. Shame that Sydal had to be the heel but it is Punk. Lot of great wrestling all match. Sydal showed how great he still is and Punk keeps his wins coming.
***1/2
Post-match handshake and hug by the two. Code of Honor upheld.
Dark Order have a backstage promo. Silver challenges The Elite to a match.
Ruby Soho vs. The Bunny
Taz singing Ruby's theme is amazing. They lock up and Bunny shoves Ruby. Arm drags by Ruby. Nice knee strike by Ruby. Bunny answers with a knee lift of her own. Bunny hits a dropkick to Ruby's back and drives her neck into the turnbuckle. Nice spot. Ruby counters and hits a leg trip. But Bunny catches her on the top and pulls her off and Ruby's neck hits the turnbuckle. Sliding D to Ruby in the corner as we go to break.
We return with both women on the floor after a flatliner by Ruby. Ruby lights Bunny up with strikes back in the ring. Ruby does her double knee drive into the turnbuckle. Multiple running kicks by Ruby. Back suplex and forearm for 2. Ruby to the 2nd rope and Bunny takes out the knee. Traps the head of Ruby and superkick. German off the 2nd rope for a near-fall. Bunny goes for her finisher but Ruby gets a roll-up for 3! Not a bad match. Ruby looked good and Bunny looked better than normal. Still pretty forgettable.
**
Penelope Ford jumps Ruby after the match and the heels double team Ruby. Penelope hits Ruby with the brass knuckles. I do NOT want this feud.
Commentary runs down the cards for Dynamite and next week's Rampage.
Mark Henry with American Top Team and Inner Circle. Dan Lambert does his normal promos which are still great. Jericho swears a lot. Not bad.
Jericho's theme gets a big pop as the Inner Circle enters. Dan Lambert instructs Justin Robert's introduction and demands the fans sing them to the ring. Nice touch.
Chris Jericho, Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara vs. Men of the Year and Junior dos Santos
Sammy and Scorpio start off. Sky lights up Sammy with elbows right away. Sammy uses his quickness to land some strikes and a perfect dropkick. Jericho tagged in. Clothesline by Sky and Junior is tagged in. Jericho and Junior start throwing shots. Big boot knocks Jericho down and he ground and pounds Jericho. Jericho gets the ropes and tags in Hager.
Junior and Hager do a pretty nice work shoot. Knee rocks Hager as Sky tags in. Hager clotheslines Sky and tags in Jericho. Jericho goes right after Jorge outside the ring but Ethan blind sides him. We go to break with the heels attacking Jericho.
We come back with Junior hitting a powerslam on Jericho. Ethan tagged in. Ethan misses a shot and Jericho hits an enzigiri. Tag to Sammy. Sammy runs wild! Crowd loves Sammy as well. Jericho tags back in and hits a Lionsault on Sky for a near-fall. Match breaks down as everyone brawls. Hager slams Junior through a table at ringside. Sammy and Ethan took each other out off camera.
Jericho and Sky trade blows in the ring. Codebreaker caught into a TKO but Jericho escapes a puts on the Wall of Jericho. Paige on the apron. Jorge hits a knee on Jericho! Sky gets the pin! This was a fun match. Crowd was very into it. Junior dos Santos held his own well for a first time worker. Sammy got an amazing hot tag and ran wild but in the end the heels cheat to win to keep this feud going. Pretty good stuff.
***
American Top Team immediately jumped Jericho after the bell. Paige takes a selfie as they beat down Jericho. Nice touch. Santana and Ortiz run out to help clear the ring. Inner Circle regroup as the show comes to an end.
A great 2 hours of AEW. Danielson vs. Suzuki is one of the best matches you can see anywhere this year! And AEW gave it away for free. Thank you Uncle Tony. Rest of the show was good. Moriarty and Fish had a great showing as did Punk and Sydal. The women continue to be good but can't deliver unless Baker or the other top women are in the match. 6 man tag match was very fun and gave us a nice angle to keep this feud going. Now we wait for Dynamite on Saturday
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