AEW Rampage live results: Guevara vs. Nese TNT title match

Friday’s AEW Rampage will feature TNT Champion Sammy Guevara defending the gold against Tony Nese.

Since debuting in AEW in November, Nese has been undefeated and got the shot via Guevara’s open challenge policy. Nese laid out Guevara in a backstage segment nearly two weeks ago, saying the only reason he had the belt was because guys like him weren’t available yet.

In a bit of a change, Penta El Zero Miedo and PAC will take on FTR. This was originally set to be a 2-out-of-3 falls AEW Tag Team title match between the Lucha Bros and FTR but Rey Fenix couldn’t make the show due to visa issues, hence PAC’s inclusion.

Jade Cargill will look to remain undefeated as she goes one-on-one with Janai Kai, a student of Thunder Rosa. Rosa will also be on commentary and is Cargill’s opponent in the next round of the TBS title tournament.

This week’s matches were taped Wednesday in Duluth, Georgia.

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Your hosts are Excalibur, Taz and Ricky Starks. Chris Jericho was out with an injury, suffered on Wednesday in an attck from 2point0. I heard he had to seek treatment in Europe.

Sammy Guevara defeated Tony Nese in a match for the TNT Championship (12:53)

Guevara still had his DDP tribute rib injury. 

Guevara nailed a perfect twisting tope suicida through the ropes on Nese, and threw him about the ring steps and barricade around ringside. Even though he was on offense, Guevara was selling injured ribs. Nese caught Guevara with an elevated stomach buster for a near fall. Nese snapped Guevara’s neck across the top rope, then followed up with a springboard moonsault from the middle rope for a near fall. Nese worked over Guevara with a body scissors and the show went to its first picture-in-picture break. 

Back from the break, Nese grabbed a single-leg boston crab and drove a knee into Guevara’s ribs while applying the hold. Guevara came back with a series of clotheslines and a double jump springboard cutter for a near fall. Nese countered a GTH attempt into another single crab, but Guevara maneuvered that into a small package for a near fall. Another series of counters ended with Guevara hitting a Spanish Fly for a near fall.  

Guevara hit a top rope springboard moonsault on Nese to the floor. Nese came back with his own twisting tope suicida on the floor and a 450 splash in the ring for a near fall. Nese powerbomed Guevara into the corner, but Guevara came back with a leaping pump kick and the GTH to get the pin. 

– Christian Cage cut a promo for Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. They are scouting the tag champions tonight. Cage’s promo was practically screaming “heel turn on Jungle Boy” and I can’t wait. 

Jade Cargill (w/ “Smart” Mark Sterling) defeated “The Kick Demon” Janai Kai (0:31)

Thunder Rosa joined the commentary team for this match. Cargill gave Rosa the old side-eye on the way to the ring. 

Cargill offered Kai a free attempt at a side headlock, and then immediately threw her off. Pump kick and Jaded Slam finished off Kai. 

After the match, Cargill jumped Kai, and Rosa ran in from commentary to make the save. A bunch of referees broke up the fight, and Rosa looked to be getting the better of Cargill. 

– Adam Cole and The Young Bucks cut a promo on Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends. Notable was Don Callis randomly walking through the background of the promo. The Young Bucks will come back on Wednesday to face two members of the Best Friends. 

– Recap of the Chris Jericho/Eddie Kingston/2point0 angle from last week. Kingston in a backstage segment promised he didn’t care about Jericho, but still wanted to get his hands on 2point0. 

– Preview of Bryan Danielson vs. John Silver. Danielson got an awesome low-key dig on Silver: “You become the five people you spend the most time with. Does John Silver spend his time with elite people?” 

– Newly announced for Dynamite: Young Bucks v. Chuck Taylor & Rocky Romero. 

Main Event Promo: Mark Henry asked PAC how he can wrestle with one eye. This quickly devolved into a shouting match, and Henry had to shut them up with, “It’s time for the main event!” Is that a t-shirt for him yet? If it’s not, it should be. 

FTR (w/ Tully Blanchard) defeated Penta El Zero Miedo and PAC (w/ Alex Abrahantes) (18:19)

Rey Fenix is “injured,” diagnosed with “travel difficulticulitis.” PAC is wearing an eye patch after being “blinded” by Malakai Black’s mist from last week on Dynamite. 

Penta and Cash Wheeler started out with some pretty good mat work. PAC and Penta combined to nail a double basement dropkick on Wheeler. Harwood got the tag and PAC hip tossed and body slammed Harwood. PAC with a high back body drop. Penta came in with the double stomp off  the top to Harwood tailbone for a near fall. Wheeler broke up the pin attempt and FTR double teamed Penta to get the advantage.

Penta was in trouble for a bit in the FTR corner, but got the tag and PAC devastated Harwood with kicks. Everything PAC did was so crisp and intense… until he went for a springboard and tripped over his feet, into a forearm from Harwood. FTR took the advantage and the show went to its final picture-in-picture break.

Back from the break, Wheeler has PAC locked in a Cobra Clutch. PAC fought out of it and sent Wheeler to the floor, but Harwood threw his partner back in the ring so he could get the tag. PAC got Harwood with an enziguri and went to tag Penta, but Wheeler pulled Penta to the floor. FTP hit the Demolition Decapitation elbow for a near fall, but referee Rick Knox stopped the count because the illegal member of FTR was making the pin! Harwood took PAC to the top for a superplex, but PAC fought out of it, shoved Harwood to the mat and hit a shotgun dropkick. 

Wheeler tried to cut off PAC from getting the tag, but PAC backdropped him and got the tag to Penta. Slingblade and chops for both members of FTR. Penta hit a cazadora on Wheeler into a DDT on Harwood. Penta was flying all over the places, taking out both members of FTR with ease. Penta hit the backstabber on Wheeler for another near fall. 

Wheeler countered Penta’s attempt at a package piledriver.  Wheeler held up Penta in a wheelbarrow and Harwood flew off the top with a legdrop (a Midnight Express tribute) for another near fall. Penta hit a corkscrew code red on Harwood for another near fall. PAC got the tag and went for a crossbody, but Harwood rolled through and got a near fall. Hardwood with a picture-perfect tiger driver for another near fall. Blanchard got on the apron to argue the last near fall, and PAC and Blanchard collided. In the confusion, PAC got a near fall with a roll up and bridge. 

On the floor, Wheeler hit a DDT on Penta. PAC clotheslined Harwood to the floor, and PAC came off the top with a moonsault to the floor. PAC is about to finish off Harwood on the apron, but Malakai Black came out of nowhere to spit mist in PAC’s good eye. Harwood rolled up a now completely blind PAC for the pinfall. Excellent match. 

After the match, FTR tore the mask off of Penta. And Black attacked PAC, gouging his eye out. Black held up his hand with PAC’s blood on it to close the show. 

Final Thoughts: 

That was a very heel-heat heavy ending, with PAC now completely blind and Penta unmasked. But it’s setting up PAC vs. Black and another  FTR v. Lucha Bros match. 

Pretty good show this week.