AEW Rampage live results: Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta

Friday’s AEW Rampage features both members of the Blackpool Combat Club in singles action.

In the night’s main event, Jon Moxley takes on ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta in a non-title match while in the opener, Bryan Danielson will face Trent Beretta.

Yuta has been pushing to gain acceptance into the BCC for several weeks, but has yet to work his way in with team leader William Regal. He faced Danielson last week and fell in defeat.

On Dynamite, Best Friends teammate Beretta told Yuta he would show him he could teach him the same things the BCC could by challenging Danielson.

The third Owen Hart Women’s Tournament qualifier match will take place as Red Velvet will face Willow Nightingale in her AEW TV debut.

Swerve Strickland will return to Rampage as he faces QT Marshall in singles action while TNT Champion Scorpio Sky will deliver an in-ring promo with Ethan Page and Dan Lambert.

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Excalibur, Taz and Ricky Starks were on commentary. 

Bryan Danielson defeated Trent Beretta (13:37)

William Regal joined the commentary team for the opener. Beretta took Danielson over the ropes and down to the floor with a victory roll, but when he followed up with a slingshot plancha, Danielson kicked him in the chest. Danielson tried a tope suicida, but Beretta caught Danielson with a back suplex on the floor. Danielson sent Beretta into the steel stairs at ringside and the show went to a split-screen break.

Back from break, Danielson worked over Beretta with a chinlock. Danielson hit a snap suplex while Regal disparaged Beretta for hanging out with the rest of the Best Friends. Danielson got caught at the top by Beretta and superplexed. Danielson and Beretta got back to their feet and exchanged chops. Beretta ducked an enziguri and took Danieslon down with a German suplex. Beretta went for a DDT, but Danielson countered with a rolling elbow. A head and arm capture suplex got a two count. Danielson locked in an inverted Dragon Sleeper, but Beretta got to the ropes for a rope break.

Danielson locked in a cravat and drove knees into Beretta’s head. Danielson went for a piledriver, but Beretta countered with a backdrop. Baretta hit the tornado DDT for two. Beretta set up Danielson for a top rope hurricanrana, but Danielson slipped through and crotched Beretta. Danielson went for a top rope backdrop suplex, but Beretta shifted his weight and turned it into a modified bulldog for a near fall. Danielson came back with kicks, but Beretta countered with forearms. Beretta caught Danielson with a half and half suplex and a stiff lariat for two. Danielson hit Beretta with the busaiku knee. After Danielson hit a Gotch style piledriver, Beretta was done. Danielson kicked in Beretta’s head, then locked on an inverted LeBelle lock (which was Danielson basically trying to twist off Beretta’s head), and Danielson got the win.

– Lexi Nair tried to interview Hook in the locker room, who ate chips, then left. When Hook went to throw out the chips, Danhausen sprung up from the trash can! Danhausen tried to curse Hook again, who threw out the chips and left. This pairing is either insane or brilliant, I’m not sure which. Obviously, Hook said nothing here. 

– Scorpio Sky started to cut a promo in the ring, but was quickly interrupted by Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti. Dan Lambert and Ethan Page ran down Guevara and Conti and got cheered for it. Page doesn’t want his daughter (who’s asleep right now because Page is a good dad) to turn out like Conti. Scorpio was an afterthought again. 

– Chris Jericho’s Sport Entertainer of the Week is QT Marshall. 

Swerve Strickland defeated QT Marshall (5:04 aired)

This match went about a minute before they took a commercial, but before they went to break Strickland had a neat spot where he was thrown over the top but did a handspring on the apron and landed on his feet.

After the commercial, Strickland was in control, landing an elbow to the back of Marshall’s head. Marshall hit a pop-up uppercut and went for the Diamond Cutter, but Strickland countered. A flatliner and a kick to the back of the head got Strickland the win. If Tony Khan wants to make Rampage feel more important, maybe leave the Dark matches off the show? 

After the match, Ricky Starks challenged Strickland to a tag match for Dynamite week Strickland and Keith Lee v. Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. So at least the squash here set up something bigger for Dynamite. 

– Marina Shariff pomo to build her up for the challenge to Jade Cargill. 

Red Velvet defeated Willow Nightingale (5:19) in a Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Qualifying Match. 

Crowd was solidly behind Nightingale. She got a near fall after a shoulder block and slammed Velvet, but missed a senton.  Nightingale missed a moonsault and Velvet hit a pair of sling blades, then hit a hook kick for two. Nightingale hit a spinebuster for two. Nightingale hit a pounce (that Velvet sold like a champ) and a cannonball in the corner for two. Nightingale went for a suplex, but Velvet rolled out of it and into a modified back stabber, then hit another corkscrew kick for the victory. The crowd was not happy. Velvet did a good job egging on the crowd and soaking in their boos after the match. 

Red Velvet qualified for the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament with this victory. 

– During the match, Excalibur ran down the matches for the next few shows, all of which had already been announced, except for Samoa Joe v. Minoru Suzuki for the ROH TV title on Dynamite Wednesday. 

– Lexi Nair interviewed Tony Nese, but this was interrupted by “Smart” Mark Sterling, who offered Nese representation. Sterling doing the talking for Nese isn’t a bad idea at all.

– Main Event Promo Time: Wheeler Yuta had the ROH Pure Championship over his shoulder, and thinks the third time against Moxley is going to be the charm. But, Moxley isn’t there to show Yuta respect, he’s there to spill Yuta’s guts all over the mat. “It’s TIME for the Main Event!” 

Jon Moxley defeated Wheeler Yuta (12:25 aired)

Yuta hit a tope suicida as Moxley was making his entrance and brawled with Moxley through the crowd. Yuta had the advantage with the brawl on the floor. When they finally got to the ring, Moxley hit a release German suplex and a vertical suplex to take control. Moxley chopped Yuta in the corner, but Yuta fought back with chops of his own. Moxley came back with a boot and clawed away at Yuta’s face. Yuta fired back with more chops and Moxley responded with a headbutt. Moxley backdropped Yuta to the floor. On the floor, Moxley curb stomped Yuta into the ring steps. This busted Yuta open, and the show took it’s last split-screen break.

Back from break, Yuta is sporting the crimson mask. Yuta sent Moxley to the floor, then came off the top rope with a crossbody that sent Moxley through the time keeper’s table. The crowd chanted “Fight Forever!” while the doctor checked on Yuta at ringside.

Yuta and Moxley made it back to the ring, and Yuta hit a pair of rolling German suplexes. Yuta blocked the lariat and countered with a modified Angle slam, then kicked in Moxley’s head. The crowd was feverishly behind Yuta now. Yuta hit the frog splash for two, then locked in a crossface. Moxley countered the crossface with a cradle for two, then hit the King Kong lariat for another two count.

Moxley tried to pound on the cut, but this only enraged Yuta. Yuta came off the top, but Moxley caught him with a kick and Paradigm Shift. But, this only got two. Moxley’s shocked kickout face was actually appropriate here. Moxley then locked in the bulldog choke. Moxley spun around and kneed Yuta in the head. Moxley charged at Yuta, who cradled him for a quick near fall. Then, Yuta slipped behind Mox and locked in a bulldog choke of his own! Yuta transitioned into a rear naked choke, but Moxley rolled through and battered Yuta with elbows. Moxley then hit the Death Rider (high angle Paradigm Shift), and that only got two! Moxley locked in another bulldog choke and that, finally, that got Moxley the win. This was absolutely fantastic.

After the match, William Regal and Bryan Danielson came down. A bloodied Yuta made it to his feet, and Regal extended his hand to Yuta. Yuta accepted the handshake, and it seems everyone in the Blackpool Combat Club has accepted Yuta. Yuta painted the initials “BCC” on his chest in his own blood, and Moxley told him “Now the real work begins!” 

Final Thoughts: 

An hour long show with matches as fantastic as the opener and main event of this one can only be a thumbs up. Go watch all this!