AEW Rampage live results: Toni Storm vs. Emi Sakura

Tonight’s AEW Rampage airs live from the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, following a live edition of Collision — the final stop before Saturday’s Full Gear in the same venue.

“Timeless” Toni Storm, the number one contender to the AEW Women’s World Championship, will be in action against Emi Sakura. Storm asked for a tune-up match ahead of her challenge for current champion Hikaru Shida at Full Gear. Tonight will be the third time Storm has squared off with Sakura in AEW (2-0 Storm).

AEW World Champion and ROH Tag Team Champion MJF will have a sit-down interview with Renee Paquette. He and a mystery partner will defend the tag titles on Saturday’s Zero Hour pre-show in addition to MJF defending the World title against Jay White.

Paquette will also conduct a sit-down interview with White who left MJF laying in the final segment of Wednesday’s Dynamite in addition to carrying around MJF’s AEW World title belt. 

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Live from Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California.

Chris Jericho joined Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuinness on commentary.

Christian Cage (w/ Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne defeated Trent Beretta to retain the TNT Championship (10:17)

Beretta won a #1 contender’s match earlier in the night on Collision to get this title match.

After two minutes of stalling and posturing, Beretta got things going when he floored Cage with a meteora, then caught Cage on the floor with a plancha. Back in the ring, Cage send Beretta shoulder-first into the ringpost to take control. .

After a split-screen break, Christian wore down Beretta with a chinlock. Beretta caught Cage with a spear through the middle ropes. Beretta dropped Christian with an half-and-half. Christian countered the spinning DDT, and Beretta blocked Christian when he tried for his own spinning DDT. Beretta got a near fall after a top rope rana.

Christian dodged a top rope crossbody from Beretta. Christian went for a spear, but Beretta caught him with a knee and the spinning DDT for a near fall. Beretta hit another high knee for a near fall. Christian went for a Killswitch, but Beretta countered with a Strong Zero for a close near fall.

Luchasaurus distracted Beretta, which allowed Christian to snap Beretta’s neck against the top rope. Christian stomped on Beretta’s injured neck, sent him headfirst in the middle turnbuckle, and hit the Killswitch to get the pinfall. 

This was fine. 

– Chris Jericho cut a promo on the Young Bucks. He kept saying the Bucks are mad because he “stole their friend Kenny,” even though a few weeks ago on Dynamite the Bucks made it clear they were still mad at Jericho for attacking their dad. Nonetheless, Jericho is gonna beat the Bucks tomorrow night and take their title shot.

“Timeless” Toni Storm (w/ Luther) v. Emi Sakura (8:17)

Storm tried to give Sakura the “script” for the match, which she tore in half. Well, scripts have never worked in wrestling, anyway. Storm and Sakura brawled to the floor. Storm suplexed Sakura on the floor. Sakura came back with a spear through the ropes, then a cannonball on the floor.

Sakura and Storm exchanged chops, with Storm getting the advantage. Storm hit a bulldog, then wound up and delivered a big right hand. The crowd came alive for Storm. She went for the hip attack, but Sakura caught Storm with a tiger driver for a near fall. A double underhook into a back breaker also got Sakura a near fall. Storm dodged a moonsault from Sakura, hit a DDT, and then hit the hip attack in the corner (complete with black and white treatment). After a stuff piledriver, Storm got the victory.

It would be a mistake not to put the belt on Storm tomorrow night.

– Rene Paquette is in the back with Eddie Kingston and Jay Lethal’s crew. Lethal announced that he’s getting his Ring of Honor World title match at Zero Hour tomorrow night. Kingston called Lethal a coward, and Karen Jarrett led Lethal crew away before things got violent. As Kingston turned to leave, Ortiz met up with him, and the faded out before they could say anything. It’s way too early to take the ROH title off Kingston.  

Roderick Strong (w/ Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) defeated Action Andretti (9:35)

Stong’s entrance is just perfect.

Lots of hard chops form Strong, and a solid side backbreaker. Andretti caught Strong with a spinning neckbreaker for two. On the floor, Bennett and Taven freaked out after the neckbreaker. Strong tried a sunset flip, but Andretti countered that and deadlift Strong into a falcon arrow for a near fall. The fight went to the floor, where Taven and Bennett distracted Andretti, which allowed Strong to hit Andretti with a dropkick.

After a break, Andretti hit a jawbreaker and a back elbow, then pitched Strong to the floor. Andretti took out the Kingdom with a dropkick, then caught Strong with an Arabian Press. Back in the ring, Andretti went for a Spanish Fly and Strong landed right on his head. The match immediateky stopped and the referee checked on Strong. The commentators realized something had gone wrong and started talking about the dangers of the match. The camera panned to a wide shot while the doctors checked on Strong. 

Strong was able to continue the match, and after another minute of action, Strong hit his finisher for the pinfall.

They replayed the scary spot of Strong landing straight on his head. I can’t believe Strong was moving, let alone finished the match. 

– Rene Paquette had a sit down interview with Jay White. White predicted that MJF won’t even make it to the main event when the Gunns dismantle him in Zero Hour. White will show the gap between he and MJF was wide, and he prove it Saturday. MJF ran in and attacked White. They fought into a hallway, where Juice Robinson jumped MJF from behind. Juice and MJF brawled into a room and Juice slammed the door.

When White got into the room, MJF stood over Robinson with a broken LCD TV in his hands. Juice was bleeding and covered in glass. MJF chased White, and they made it into the arena and eventually the ring. The Gunns followed, but MJF quickly disposed of them. MJF laid out White, and MJF finally got the belt back… until the Gunns recovered and jumped MJF from behind. After a struggle, White got the belt back. The Gunns held MJF open for a belt shot, but Samoa Joe ran in and chased off Bullet Club. Joe extended his hand to MJF, and after thinking it over, MJF shook it. Thus, Max accepted Joe’s help for Zero Hour, and will give him an AEW World title shot.

– The commentators ran down the card for Full Gear to end the show.  MJF and Bullet Club Gold exchanged trash talk to end the show.

Final Thoughts:  

Full Gear looks stacked. Hopefully Roderick Strong is okay after that scary bump he took in his match. The show-closing angle was a great hard sell for the ppv.