Will the Relentless One be the one?

The race to be #1 contender to MJF’s AEW World Championship is still on, so Darby Allin has to keep up with Sammy Guevara and Jungle Boy!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• FTW Championship FTW Rules: Hook VS Ethan Page; Hook wins and retains the title.
• 8 Man Tag: The Acclaimed & Jericho Appreciation Society VS Leon St. Giovanni, Bobby Orlando & The Infantry; The Acclaimed & JAS win.
• Darby Allin VS Lee Moriarty w/ “Big Bill” Morrissey; Darby wins.
• Anna Jay VS Julia Hart; Julia wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

FTW Championship FTW Rules: Hook VS Ethan Page!

The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil pulled one over on All Ego with the help of Matt Hardy, but now he’ll do this on his own. Will the undefeated streak continue past 25-0? Or will the fact that this is now Falls Count Anywhere and Anything Goes help Ethan #SendHook home empty handed?

The introductions are made, but Ethan BOOTS Hook off the apron! The bell rings and the fight is on! Ethan soaks up the heat, storms out after Hook, and he ROCKS Hook with a haymaker! Hook hits back, they brawl ringside, and Hook RAMS Ethan into the railing! Hook goes looking under the ring, and he brings out a TABLE! Fans fire up and Hook puts that in the ring. Ethan runs up to kick low! Ethan ROCKS Hook, but Hook blocks the post bump to POST Ethan! Hook fires off in the corner of the railing and fans fire up! Hook HEADBUTTS and Ethan flops over the railing. Hook goes out after him and the brawl continues!

Hook pursues Ethan up the steps, they brawl in front of the bleachers! Fans rally, Ethan ROCKS Hook but Hook hits back! Hook DECKS Ethan, rains down fists, and fans are loving it! But Ethan pokes Hook in the eyes! Ethan pushes his way through the crowd but Hook pursues! Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy are watching backstage, cheering Hook on! If Hook wins this, they’re finally free of the Firm! Hook ROCKS Ethan, Ethan ROCKS Hook, repeat! Fans fire up as this continues on, and Hook SPLASHES Ethan with a drink! Hook rains down fists, then fires the fans up again. Hook keeps throwing hands on Ethan but Ethan hits low!

Ethan throws hands, fans rally for Hook, but Ethan CHOKES Hook! Fans boo but Ethan tells them to kiss this! Ethan turns around, and Hook ROCKS him! And again! Hook pushes Ethan down the next steps, sits him down and CLUBS away on him! Fans count and Hook goes all the way to TEN! Hook lets off to soak up the cheers, and Rampage goes picture in picture.

Hook stalks Ethan down the steps and to the clearing. Ethan JAMS Hook with a steel pipe! Did Ethan have that waiting or did he just rip it out of something? Ethan swings again but Hook dodges! Hook then SMASHES Ethan with a trash can! Ethan staggers away but Hook pursues, and he SMASHES Ethan again! Ethan falls over, Hook covers, TWO!! Ethan survives but Hook drags him up. Hook CLUBS Ethan, ROCKS him, ROCKS him again! Hook brings Ethan around but Ethan RAMS him into railing! Ethan throws hands, beats Hook down to the floor, then lets off to soak up the heat.

Rampage returns to single picture, Ethan runs back in and BOOTS Hook over the railing! Hook tumbles back to ringside, Ethan talks trash on fans, but he runs into a clinch! EXPLODER to the floor! Hook looks under the ring, and he brings out a chair! And another chair! Hook puts those in the ring, but Ethan kicks low! Ethan SMACKS Hook off the timekeeper’s area! Ethan tells them to move, then he Canadian Racks! Hook slips free to LARIAT! Hook clears the timekeeper’s table now, to clinch Ethan! Ethan fights free, POSTS Hook, then YANKS Hook right up! POWERSLAM through the table!!

Fans lose their minds while both men are down in the wreckage. Ethan drags Hook to a cover, TWO!! Hook is still in this and Ethan grows frustrated. Ethan hauls Hook up, puts him in, and goes to the table. Fans fire up as the table is set up in the corner. Ethan then gets the chairs, takes aim, but Hook dodges! Ethan JAMS Hook on the return, but Hook dodges again! The chair rebounds off ropes to SMACK Ethan in the face! Hook hits a TWIST OF FATE onto the other chair! Hook covers, TWO!!! Ethan survives and Hardy can’t believe it! But Hook sees the table. Hook drags Ethan up, reels him in, but Ethan fights the lift!

Ethan CLUBS away on Hook, then runs in to BOOT Hook down! Fans boo but Ethan drags Hook back up. Ethan says Hook’s down, and he Canadian Racks, but Hook slips around! REDRUM!! Ethan TAPS, Hook wins!

Winner: Hook, by submission (still FTW Champion)

The undefeated streak continues, but then Hook looks at the table. Fans fire up as he points to it! The mean streak shows itself, T-BONE through the table!! And with this, it’s finished! Hardy & Kassidy are free, but will The Firm look to make them pay?

It’s another episode of QTV.

QT Marshall talks with his team about the huge sale this past weekend. He got Hobbs a new car! Yeah! The Monstar Mobile is born, but how’d they afford it? Wardlow didn’t freeze his credit cards! HAH! But in all seriousness, they want more gold. What can the team tell QT about the Lucha Brothers? Harley Cameron says that last Friday, they won the ROH World Tag Team Championships in the Reach for the Sky ladder match. So safe to say that they’re going down now! HAH! Aaron Solo says they still have that manager, Alan Alvarante or something. Also, they use a wrestling stall called, “Lucha Library?”

QT hates Alex. And “that flippy crap.” He won’t be caught dead doing any of that. But if QT & Hobbs win tonight at Battle of the Belts, they will be the NEW ROH World Tag Team Champions! Did QT ever wrestle in ROH? QT likes to compartmentalize that Era of Honor. Okay, sorry. Well, break a leg. Who is he? Dante Martin? HEYO~! QT and team are all laughing now, but will Penta y Fenix have the last laugh tonight?

8 Man Tag: The Acclaimed & Jericho Appreciation Society VS Leon St. Giovanni, Bobby Orland & The Infantry!

Apparently Matthew Menard & Angelo Parker aren’t taking “no” for an answer, because they still got this match made even after Max Caster & Anthony Bowens said they weren’t joining up. But will minds be changed after they work together? Or will this be a free night on the town just like before?

Menard has a mic to ask, “Do you wanna know… what makes Daddy Magic’s nipples hard?” Parker says it isn’t just that Cool Hand Ange is having one hell of a hair day. It is the fact that The Acclaimed will officially join the JAS! The epitome of sports… enner-tay-ners! But here come The Acclaimed, and Caster has a rap ready! “Rhode Island, tell me how you feelin’. It’s a Good Friday, Acclaimed’s in the buildin’! I don’t even know why we’re a team. These dudes are more annoying than Marjorie Taylor-Greene! But we runnin’ through these dudes like who’s next? Buncha no names, probably paying for their blue checks.

“Max, Anthony and Billy never change. On Rhode Island, everybody loves The Acclaimed.” Bowens then gets the mic to say, “KINGSTON, RHODE ISLAAAND~! The Acclaimed have arrived! SCISSOR ME, DADDY ASS~!” And he DOES! The teams then sort out, and Bowens starts against LSG. The circle, feel things out, tie up, and Bowens powers LSG to a corner. Bowens lets off to CHOP! Bowens whips corner to corner, LSG goes up and over and handsprings. Bowens ELBOWS, JABS, CHOPS and SUPERKICKS! LSG falls over and Bowens says, “EVERYONE LOVES THE ACCLAIMED!”

Bowens drags LSG up, fans sing “OH~ Scissor Me Daddy!” but Menard snipes the tag! He tags Parker, LSG gets away to tag Bobby, but Menard & Parker run Bobby over. They BLAST the Infantry, then bring Bobby up. They double whip Bobby hard into the corner, then Menard whips Parker in to SMASH Bobby. Parker feeds Bobby to the drop toehold, and then Menard sets up so Parker can BOOYAH ELBOW! Caster tags in, he tags Bowens, and Caster scoop SLAMS Bobby! Bowens goes up, Caster prepares the legs, SCISSOR ME TIMBERS! Bobby flounders away and The Acclaimed set up. The Infantry run in but the JAS intercept!

Fans fire up and all four- No, wait, Caster tells Menard & Parker they’ll get next time. Caster & Bowens SCISSOR FINGER~! Bowens then stalks Bobby, brings him up and hits the ARRIVAL! Tag to Caster and he goes up top, to MIC DROP! Cover, The Acclaimed & JAS win!

Winners: The Acclaimed & Jericho Appreciation Society, by pinfall

The team-up worked out, but then Hager SPINEBUSTERS Daddy Ass! Menard & Parker beat up The Acclaimed, they don’t like being rejected! The JAS stomp away on The Acclaimed, then Hager feeds Bowens to the DOUBLE IMPALER! Fans boo but the JAS says this is what the Acclaimed for the disrespect of saying NO to Jericho! Will the sports enner-tay-ners break The Acclaimed all because The Acclaimed broke their hearts?

Swerve Strickland speaks.

“Public Service Announcement brought to you by Chief CEO of Mogul Affiliates, Swerve Strickland himself. And just because we lost soldiers in this game doesn’t mean we lost the war. No, we keep going on. We recruit. And just like all great moguls, like myself… Mergers happen. Moguls, of course, Swerve, Mogul Affiliates gaining 51% of ownership of this said merger. It’s time for me to make the announcement y’all’ve been waiting for all week. So Swerve has joined voices with… You’ll have to wait until later tonight to find out. It’s gonna be a good one.” Swerve teases a big move, but who has he joined forces with?

Darby Allin VS Lee Moriarty w/ “Big Bill” Morrissey!

The Relentless One wants after MJF, but so do Jungle Boy and Sammy Guevara. Will Darby keep pace with his fellow Pillars in the title chase? Or will #TAIGASTYLE ruin things for Darby?

The bell rings, Darby and Moriarty circle then tie up. Fans rally for Darby as he waistlocks, spins Moriarty, hammerlocks then headlocks and hits the takeover. Moriarty pushes back with forearms, gets the headscissor, and pushes up to put on the pressure. Darby rolls and turns Moriarty over, then rolls back to get the Cloverleaf! We see Jack Perry watching backstage, same as he was on Wednesday with Sammy and as Darby was for Jack’s matches. Same goes for Sammy, lounging with wife, Tay Melo. Moriarty tucks and rolls out of the Cloverleaf and knuckle locks to kip up and hook a leg.

Moriarty wraps Darby up with his own arms for a straitjacket stretch! Darby fights up, fans rally, and Darby slips the jacket down and onto Moriarty! Moriarty bridges back, rolls and then puts the straitjacket back on Darby. Darby shimmies free, WRINGS Moriarty and rolls to La Magistrol, TWO! The two stand off and fans applaud. Fans rally up, Darby revels in it, but Morrissey coaches Moriarty. Moriarty and Darby go again, knuckle lock, and they go shoulder to shoulder. Darby hooks al eg but Moriarty powers him back! Darby falls to the mat, it’s a cover, ONE as Darby gets his right arm up!

Moriarty pushes the arm down, ONE as Darby gets the left arm up. Moriarty pushes that back down, ONE as Darby bridges up! Moriarty STOMPS Darby down! Darby goes to the corner, but Moriarty MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Moriarty then throat chops! Fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Moriarty whips corner to corner. Darby reverses, runs in, but Moriarty puts him on the apron. Moriarty SOBATS Darby to the floor! Moriarty goes out to RAM Darby into railing! And then he UPPERCUTS Darby against them! Darby staggers up, Moriarty runs in, but Darby dodges! Moriarty’s boot gets stuck on the railing!

Darby CLUBS Moriarty, drags him back into the ring, but Moriarty distracts the ref so Morrissey can BOOT Darby down! Fans boo, but Morrissey puts Darby in the ring. Moriarty covers, TWO, and Rampage goes picture in picture.

Moriarty is annoyed but Darby is toughing it out. Moriarty drags Darby up, knees low, then CLUBS him on the back. Darby goes to a corner, Moriarty UPPERCUTS! Moriarty wrenches, hits an ELBOW BREAKER, then hooks Darby up in a floating surfboard! Darby endures as Moriarty bends him, then swings him out to SLAM! And DOUBLE STOMP! Moriarty brings Darby up to ROCK him with a forearm! Darby falls against ropes then sits on the mat. Moriarty runs in but Darby kicks his legs out! Moriarty ends up on the ropes, and Darby skins the cat to the apron! Darby CHOKES Moriarty on the ropes!

The ref counts, Darby lets off at 4, and Darby gets back in the ring. Darby ROCKS Moriarty with forearms against the rope, then gives short headbutts! Darby runs, but Morrissey pulls down the ramp! That disrupts Darby’s run, and he swipes at Morrissey for it! Morrissey SLAPS Darby down! Darby falls to the floor and the ref suspects Morrissey. Morrissey argues with the ref, and Moriarty JAMS Darby with his own skateboard! Moriarty puts Darby in the ring, covers, TWO!! The ref had to hustle back in, Morrissey’s distraction may have backfired! Moriarty argues with the ref but the count is the count. Moriarty air guitars as Rampage goes to break.

Rampage returns and Moriarty runs in at the corner, into BOOTS! Darby jumps over and comes back to SHOTGUN Moriarty into buckles! Fans fire up and Darby roars! Darby climbs the corner, Morrissey distracts, and Moriarty springs up! Moriarty waistlocks but Darby resists the suplex! Darby throws elbows and Moriarty falls! Darby finishes climbing but now Morrissey is on the apron! That distracts Darby again, and Moriarty trips him up! Darby tumbles off ropes to the mat, and Moriarty covers, TWO!! Darby survives and Moriarty grows frustrated. Moriarty clamps onto Darby with a half nelson, then full nelson!

Darby endures as Moriarty thrashes him. Darby uses his leg to pry the hold open, but Moriarty just snapmares Darby down. Moriarty full nelsons again, but Darby tries the leg trick again. Moriarty DRAGON SUPLEXES Darby away! Cover, TWO! Moriarty HAMMERS away on Darby! Moriarty drags Darby up, fans rally, and Moriarty suplexes. Darby blocks! Moriarty throws hands, tries again, and he hangs Darby out to dry! Moriarty runs to BOOT Darby back down! Morrissey cheers but fans boo while Darby flounders. Moriarty drags Darby up, hoists him to the top rope, and he climbs up after Darby.

Moriarty SUPERPLEXES Darby! But he holds on, rolls back, but Darby catches the legs! TWO!! Moriarty runs in, Darby sweeps the legs to cover, TWO! DRAGON SLEEPER! Moriarty arm-drags free, EURO CLUTCH! TWO!! Darby escapes, wheelbarrows, but Moriarty pops him into a COBRA TWIST! Moriarty punches away on Darby’s ribs! Darby gets free to hip toss, but Moriarty counters that to a hip toss, that Darby counters to a backslide! TWO!!! Darby hops on, CODE RED!! Darby DIVES to take out Morrissey!! Fans are thunderous as Darby hurries up top! COFFIN DROP!! Cover, Darby wins!!

Winner: Darby Allin, by pinfall

The Firm tried but could not stop the Relentless One! But there is still a lot of race to be run, will Darby find himself in pole position to face MJF?

But wait! Here comes Swerve! He’s a rival of Darby’s, and he offers a handshake? NOPE! Brian Cage attacks from behind! Cage gets Darby up for an F10 to the stage!! Mogul Affiliates has acquired The Embassy!? Prince Nana appears and shakes Swerve’s hand to make it official! With powerful machines like Cage, Kaun & Liona behind him, will anything be able to stop Swerve?

RJ City sits down with Jade Cargill and Taya Valkyrie.

RJ says some might be surprised but he is a professional mediator. And he is here tonight with the undefeated TBS Championship, her lawyer, Mark Sterling, and La Wera Loca to… Well, RJ would like to explain. Jade’s finisher, Jaded, and Taya’s finisher, Road to Valhalla, are basically the same move. Jade got upset, told Taya to stop using that move, but Taya said no, she’s gonna keep using it, then Sterling served papers, but no one wants to see this go to court, so hence this mediation. Jade has no time for this, she has to prepare for her match on Battle of the Belts against Billie something. Sterling says, “Billie Starkz.” Right, whatever.

Okay, RJ will speed this up. How does Taya feel about being labeled a criminal? Taya says what’s criminal is the lack of education and respect coming from Jade. But Taya will enlighten her on something. “This move has been used for decades by literal living legends, and by myself, for years. You haven’t been in this busines long enough to have a cup of coffee. You don’t get to decide who gets to do what, when, or if anybody owns anything, that’s not how it works. Show a little respect, Jade.” Jade scoffs, and says, “B*tch, this is my show, this is my belt, and you are not gonna come up in here-” Uh oh, things are getting heated!

RJ and Sterling stand up to keep Jade from getting at Taya. Jade says she has no time for this and takes her leave. Sterling says see you in court! Taya says she’ll be watching tonight’s match. And lucky for Sterling court isn’t the ring. RJ does his best to wrap this up, and Taya says he did a good job. But will Jade learn about respect soon enough? Or is Taya underestimating #ThatBitch?

Mark Henry welcomes us back.

“Tonight, the JAS’s Anna Jay takes on the House of Black’s Julia Hart.” Julia says people fear what they don’t understand, so luckily she is here to educate us on the rules. The Queenslayer says the House of Black seems to like pain, but they don’t know pain like she does. Julia’s rule number one: No one EVER touches her hat. Anna has shown she is willing to do whatever it takes to beat someone. “Why? Because I’ve got a fat ass and a bad attitude!” Julia’s rule number two: The House’s biggest teaching is in agony, and it seems Miss Jay needs a lesson. And her favorite rule: The House always wins. But Jay vows to choke that spooky b*tch out!

Well, it’s TIME for the main event! Will the Star of the Show show Julia that rules are meant to be broken?

Anna Jay VS Julia Hart!

Julia enters the ring, and Anna attacks from behind! The bell rings as Julia tumbles to the floor! Anna goes out after her, but Julia POSTS Anna! Julia takes off her coat and storms up on Anna, to RAM her into railing! Anna sits up, shakes out her arm, but Julia RAMS her into more railing! Julia hoots a la Brody King, fans bark and hoot along, and Julia puts Anna in the ring. Julia then dribbles Anna’s face off the mat! Fans rally, Julia brings Anna up, but Anna ROCKS Julia! Well, okay, not really, as Julia just glares at Anna. Anna runs away, Julia pursues, they go around the way but Anna stomps Julia on the return!

The ref counts, Anna lets off but fans boo. Anna brings Julia to the corner but Julia blocks the buckle bump. Julia bumps Anna, fires off forearms, then whips corner to corner. Julia runs in but Anna dodges to SWING KICK! Julia staggers, into a HOTSHOT! Fans boo but Anna drags Julia out to RAM her into railing! Anna brings Julia around, reels her in, and picks her up to SWING her into railing! Anna mocks the fans booing while the ref checks Julia, and Rampage goes picture in picture.

Julia crawls, Anna brings her up and puts her back in the ring. Anna soaks up the heat, pushes Julia down and pie faces her. Anna eggs Julia on, Julia goes to a corner, so Anna digs her boot in. The ref counts, Anna lets off at 4, then stalks Julia to ropes. Anna CHOKES Julia, but lets off as the ref counts. Julia sputters and coughs but Anna soaks up more heat. Anna grabs at Julia but Julia hits back. Anna ROCKS Julia, CLUBs her, then stalks her to a corner. Anna bumps Julia off buckles, whips her corner to corner, then runs in to LEG LARIAT! Julia staggers about while Anna soaks up more heat.

Anna bumps Julia off buckles, CHOKES her in the corner, but lets off as the ref counts. Anna shrugs, brings Julia up and ELBOWS her! Julia sputters, but she comes back with forearms! Anna ROCKS Julia, bumps her off more buckles, then digs her boot in! The ref counts, Anna pushes Julia down, but she still lets off before 4. Anna kicks Julia to the corner, goes outside, and bends her against the post! The ref counts, Anna lets off and pushes Julia back in. Anna stalks Julia, talks trash, and pie faces her. Anna pushes Julia around but fans rally up. Anna SMACKS Julia’s face off the mat!

Anna brings Julia up again, talks more trash, then HIP ATTACKS! Anna soaks up heat and brings Julia up. Rampage returns to single picture as Julia throws hands! Anna knees low, runs, but into a forearm! Julia bumps Anna off buckles, then off more buckles! Then off more buckles! Then Julia finishes the lap by hitting all four corners! Julia says the House always wins! Julia runs, ducks the haymaker to mule kick, SUPERKICK and SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Fans rally while Julia seethes. Julia lifts Anna up a la Malakai, to ROUNDHOUSE! Anna flops over, Julia STANDING MOONSAULTS! Cover, TWO!

Julia snarls and stares at the camera. Perhaps into our souls… Anna crawls to a corner, Julia runs in, handsprings, but Anna gets around to Gory Especial, GORY BOMB! A move borrowed from best friend Tay Melo! Cover, TWO!! Julia survives and Anna is about to lose her cool. Anna drags Julia up, fans rally, and QUEENSLAYER SLEEPER! But Julia RAMS Anna into a corner! Julia fires forearms, whips corner to corner, then handspring LARIATS! Julia goes side to side now, to ELBOW! Julia hoists Anna up top, throws forearms, and CHOPS! Julia climbs up after Anna, but Anna throws body shots!

Julia sits on the ropes, and ends up in a Tree of Woe! Anna adjusts, but Julia SPIDER SUPLEXES! Julia sits up, adjusts, and QUEBRADAS!! Cover, TWO!! Anna survives and Julia is shrieking! Julia drags Anna up, into HARTLESS! But Anna pushes to a cradle, TWO!! QUEENSLAYER! Julia rolls back, TWO!! Anna wraps it on again!! Julia gasps, goes to ropes, and they tumble out to the floor! Fans rally up, Anna hurries back in, and the count climbs to 5 of 10. Julia rises, with a chair! Julia tosses the chair in, the ref gets that out of the way, and Anna storms up, into BLACK MIST!! Julia blinds Anna! Anna staggers around, into the cradle! Julia wins!

Winner: Julia Hart, by pinfall

Julia puts the “mist” in “mistress of darkness!” Will the House always win in AEW?

But wait, here comes Orange Cassidy! The International Champion is ready to kick off Battle of the Belts NOW! Julia scowls at Best Friends, is there still going to be more between them and the House of Black?

My Thoughts:

A really good Rampage here, and pretty jampacked with story progress on top of action. The FTW Championship under FTW Rules was a great opener, and without Hardy or Kassidy, Ethan losing was inevitable. Hook keeps his undefeated streak going, Hardy & Kassidy no longer have to be part of The Firm, and maybe we see them and Hook team together in some kind of Six Man Tag to truly put the story away. Speaking of The Firm, great match from Darby VS Moriarty, even with Morrissey getting involved. Darby of course wins, he has to keep pace with Sammy and Jungle Boy.

Swerve of course references the Endeavor WWE deal, but I almost thought he was going to take over The Firm. Instead, he gets The Embassy, which seems like a disappointing choice in a few ways. For one, The Embassy are ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champions, meaning they’re mostly ROH guys. But I suppose they’re still more serious personalities than we have in The Firm, and Swerve does like having giant muscle around, since that was exactly what Trench and Parker Boudreaux were. I guess we’ll have to wait and see how the Mogul Embassy works together in going after Keith Lee.

QTV happened again, and this wasn’t any better than the previous ones. They can’t joke around like they don’t understand who the Lucha Brothers are after Hobbs took care of each one in turn. But QT mocking lucha libre and brushing aside his time in ROH were good details. I still say he takes the loss in Battle of the Belts up next. And good mediation segment with RJ City getting involved. I am glad Taya brought up that Jade is still the rookie in comparison, and that in all of pro-wrestling, no one determines legality of this move, that move, etc. Jade will of course win against Billie Starkz tonight, but it’d be fitting if Taya went out their to “applaud” Jade and finally make her challenge for the TBS title official.

Really fun 8 Man Tag match for Acclaimed & JAS, and great twist that the JAS attacks The Acclaimed here. The JAS has a lot of simultaneous feuds going on, who knows if they’ll blend or stay isolated, i.e. Jericho, Menard & Parker VS The Acclaimed & Adam Cole for the hell of it. Mark Henry continues to have limited involvement in the main event hype-up segment he got over, and then the team did a bad job cuing up the audio. But we still got a pretty good main event out of Anna VS Julia, and good win for Julia. Also, great way to bridge from Rampage to BOTB with Cassidy making an early entrance to just annoy the crap out of Julia. Needless to say, the House will not be done with Best Friends.

My Score: 8.6/10