By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Rampage (Episode 143)
Winnipeg, Manitoba at Canada Life Centre
Aired live May 1, 2024 on TBS
Rampage opened where Dynamite left off with Kenny Omega being tended to by a trainer and FTR while “The Elite” Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry watched from the entrance ramp. The Elite headed to the back and then Omega was stretchered out.
The broadcast team of Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone spoke about the angle until the cameras caught up with Omega once he was stretchered into the backstage area while being accompanied by “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler.
The Elite members showed up and attacked Harwood and Wheeler. The Elite surrounded Omega, who was on the stretcher. Matthew leaned in and told Omega he loved him and said they would change the world. Omega put his hand on Matthew’s face. Matthew shoved it away and then joined Nicholas, Okada, and Perry on one side of Omega and tipped over the stretcher…
Back at ringside, Matt Menard replaced Taz on commentary… Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the opening match. Jay White came out with Austin Gunn Colten Gunn. Dante Martin was accompanied by Darius Martin and Action Andretti, who stopped on the ramp. Jay told the Gunns he could handle it on his own…
1. Jay White vs. Dante Martin. Dante went for an early springboard move, but White shoved him off so that he landed face first on the top rope. Dante got the referee’s attention by pointing at his face heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Late in the match, Martin performed a double jump moonsault onto a standing White for a near fall. White stuffed a suplex attempt and performed a suplex followed by the Bladerunner for the win…
Jay White defeated Dante Martin in 9:30.
After the match, White helped Dante to his feet and raised his arm, then grabbed him and performed a brainbuster. Darius Martin and Action Andretti ran out to chase off White, who was joined on the stage by the Gunns…
Powell’s POV: Martin looked fine and was not injured going into the break. Is it strategy tonight to tease injuries heading into PIP breaks? They did the same thing with Buddy Matthews bleeding from the mouth heading into the first PIP break on Dynamite. The match was solid and it was good to see White go over strong
New backstage interviewer Arkady Aura interviewed Deonna Purrazzo on the interview set and asked her why she attacked Thunder Rosa. Purrazzo said she’s a former five-time world champion. She said if Rosa wanted to make it personal, they could do that. She asked Aura if she knows what happens when you make things personal with a Jersey Girl. When Aura said no, Purrazzo said she hopes she never finds out… [C]
A Rush vignette aired. He said his family has dominated lucha libre for decades and he became the first Mexican to win the ROH World Championship. Rush said he is known as the most hated man in Mexico. He demanded respect to his name…
Renee Paquette interviewed Big Bill and asked him why he wants to be under Chris Jericho’s learning tree at this stage of his career. Bill said he’s always believed he had the tools to make it to the top of the industry, but he’s been missing the proper guidance. Bill said Jericho can take him to the promised land.
Chris Jericho showed up and his chest was ridiculously red from his match with Katsuyori Shibata. Jericho smiled and said Shibata is a great pro wrestler. He said his hometown fans cheered him and it’s getting louder each week. Jericho said Bill made him realize that he’s right, so he said he would like to take him into the Jericho vortex. Bill said it would be one of the best decisions that Jericho has ever made. Jericho said that with Bill by his side, he would hold the “For The World” Title for years to come. Jericho flashed a cheesy smile while looking into the camera and then he waved and said, “Thanks, guys”…
Footage aired of Christian Cage and his crew attacking Swerve Strickland on Dynamite…
Backstage, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland said Christian Cage chose to team with him at Wembley Stadium because he knows what kind of man he is. Swerve said he would remind him next week on Dynamite and said he would not be alone…
2. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rocky Romero. Both entrances were televised. Romero hit O’Reilly with an early suicide dive. Romero tried a second time, but O’Reilly caught him and slammed him. O’Reilly applied a crossarm breaker and then released it heading into a PIP break. [C]
Schiavone said O’Reilly’s neck injury kept him out of the ring for 647 days. Late in the match, Romero caught O’Reilly in a double wrist lock that caused O’Reilly to drop to the mat. O’Reilly countered into a rollup and scored the pin…
Kyle O’Reilly defeated Rocky Romero in 10:00.
Powell’s POV: Good ring work, quiet crowd, which sums O’Reilly’s matches since his return. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that he was able to return from such a serious neck injury, but it doesn’t seem like the fans have taken to his nice guy persona.
Backstage, Aura interviewed Saraya and Harley Cameron and said they demanded to speak. Saraya said Mariah May’s performance on Dynamite was disastrous. Cameron challenged May to face her on Dynamite. Saraya told Toni Storm not to bother telling them “tits out” because they already had that covered… [C]
Aura interviewed Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett on the backstage set. Taven complained that Tony Khan had been trending for a week due to his injury even though Roderick Strong wore a neck brace for a long time. Strong said Will Ospreay retired the Tiger Driver and will need every bullet in his chamber. Strong asked where AEW goes from here and said they will decide. Strong said Ospreay will fall to the Messiah of the Backbreaker…
Skye Blue made her entrance for what was billed as the Manitoba Massacre. TBS Champion Willow Nightingale was accompanied onto the stage by Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway, who handed Willow a trashcan lid and then went to the back while Excalibur recalled the Young Bucks banning them from ringside.
3. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue in a Manitoba Massacre for the TBS Title. Blue met Willow on the floor and was struck by the trashcan lid. Willow dumped Blue over the barricade and followed. Willow returned to ringside. Blue pulled Willow’s head onto the barricade.
Blue jumped from the barricade and was struck by a chair. Willow covered Blue on the floor for a two count. Willow sat Blue on a chair. Willow went to the apron and went for a cannonball dive, but Blue moved and Willow crashed on the chair (ouch) heading into a PIP break. [C]
Blue was bleeding from a hard way cut coming out of the break. The ring was filled with several chairs. Willow put one of the chairs in front of a seated Blue and then set up for a move, but Blue stood up and threw the chair at her.
Blue went to ringside and brought a bag back with her. Willow poured thumbtacks in the ring. Willow fought back, but Blue avoided being superplexed. Blue threw a chair at Willow, who came back moments later by slamming Blue onto the tacks with a fisherman’s suplex, which led to a two count.
A short time later, Willow went for a top rope moonsault, but Blue moved and Willow’s knees slammed onto a chair. Blue pulled out a board covered with barbwire and set it on a table at ringside. Blue was unable to hoist up Willow on the apron. Willow performed a sit-out powerbomb through the barbwire board and the table and got the three count.
Willow Nightingale defeated Skye Blue in 10:40 in a Manitoba Massacre for the TBS Title.
Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway came out to celebrate with Willow to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Hard work from both wrestlers. I really cringed when Willow took that insane bump from the apron onto the chair. Did I just watch a Monster’s Ball on AEW television? I appreciate the work ethic, but I have to question whether the crazy spots are worth the risk for a Rampage main event. It looks like they cut the Konosuke Takeshita vs. London Lightning match that was advertised for this episode. Nevertheless, this was a solid show by Rampage standards. I will be back later tonight with my weekly same night audio review of AEW Dynamite (and Rampage) for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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