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This week's AEW Rampage featured several promising matches, with Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter squaring off against Toni Storm and Ruby Soho being the most anticipated bout.
Apart from that, Riho made her in-ring return, while DDT star Konosuke Takeshita debuted on Rampage against Jay Lethal.
Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm and Ruby Soho on AEW Rampage
Hayter and Storm started things on AEW Rampage, with both sharing some quick back-and-forth reversals. Soho and Baker were soon tagged in, with the former AEW Women's Champion hitting a Sling Blade for a close count.
Moments later, The Doctor sent Storm face-first into the turnbuckle. Hayter and Baker isolated Toni Storm during the commercial break.
Back on the live broadcast, the former NXT UK Women's Champion finally found an opening when she laid down Jamie Hayter with a German suplex. Britt Baker attempted a Pittsburgh Sunrise, but Soho took her down with a superkick. The action soon turned chaotic with all the performers inside the ring.
Baker and Storm were now exchanging back-and-forth blows, followed by which The Doctor attempted to lock in the Lockjaw. Toni Storm countered it into a suplex. Just as the former SmackDown Superstar attempted a superplex, Rebel interfered, allowing Hayter to hit a Sliding Lariat on Toni Storm, followed by Britt Baker hitting a Stomp for a close count.
Ruby Soho quickly entered the ring and took out Jamie Hayter, after which Storm rolled up Britt Baker for the win.
Storm and Soho defeated Baker and Hayter on AEW Rampage
Grade: A -
Post-match, Chris Jericho, present in the commentary box, received a phone call from Eddie Kingston, whom the Le Champion took out with a Fireball attack on last week's Dynamite.
The Mad King revealed that his wife cried seeing him after he came home after the attack and vowed to make Jericho pay.
Backstage, Tony Nese, accompanied by Mark Sterling, challenged Danhausen to a match on the upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite.
Hook vs. JD Drake on AEW Rampage
Drake hit a brutal chop on Hook, with the latter retaliating with a headbutt and a picture-perfect suplex. The 23-year-old then applied the Redrum for the win in a short bout.
Hook defeated JD Drake on AEW Rampage
Grade: C
Post-match, Danhausen came out and spoke about Nese's challenge. He entered the ring and asked Hook if he wanted to be in his corner during the match on AEW Dynamite.
Though Hook didn't answer, Danhausen left after gifting a packet of chips to the former as his birthday present. However, The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil walked away, leaving the pack of chips inside the ring.
Backstage, FTR addressed Dax Harwood's upcoming match against Adam Cole on AEW Dynamite. Harwood made it clear that though he respected Cole as a wrestler, he had little respect for the person he was.
Riho vs. Yuka Sakazaki on AEW Rampage
Riho and Sakazaki had some quick-fire reversals in the opening seconds of the match on AEW Rampage. The former women's champion hit a dropkick, followed by which she executed a dive from the top rope for a close count.
Moments later, Yuka Sakazaki retaliated back with a dropkick of her own and then hit a Cannonball Senton on the outside. Back from the commercial break, Sakazaki attempted a Splash, but the former women's champion got her knees up to counter. Both performers now traded some quick pinfall attempts, with Riho coming inches close to winning.
Riho and Sakazaki were now on the top rope, from where the latter sent Riho face-first onto the mat for a two count. Both were now trading some brutal elbow strikes, with Riho quickly turning it into an Inside Cradle for the win.
Riho defeated Yuka Sakazaki on AEW Rampage
Grade: A
Backstage, Shawn Spears called out Wardlow, saying he was nothing without the guidance and assistance he provided during their days together in The Pinnacle.
Dan Lambert was inside the ring, alongside TNT Champion Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page. The American Top Team leader took potshots at Baltimore and said AEW had ruined professional wrestling.
Page then took the mic and blasted Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti, adding the mixed tag team match, pitting him or Sky with Paige VanZant against Conti and Guevara, was scrapped.
Kazarian came out at this point and slammed Ethan Page, saying he cared about neither Page nor Lambert. The veteran performer said he had immense respect for Sky and asked for a shot at the TNT title.
Scorpio Sky then accepted his former SCU stablemate's challenge for a match at next week's AEW Rampage.
Ricky Starks and Jungle Boy came to blows near the commentary box ahead of their FTW Championship match on next Wednesday night's AEW Dynamite.
Jay Lethal vs. Konosuke Takeshita on AEW Rampage
Takeshita and Lethal started things on AEW Rampage with some old-school chain wrestling, with the crowd cheering for both performers.
Jay Lethal imitated Ric Flair's walking style inside the ring, allowing Takeshita to take advantage of a distracted Lethal and take him down with a brutal chop. The DDT star then came face-to-face with Satnam Singh on the outside. The former ROH World Champion then hit a Top Rope Suicida on Takeshita to further assert his dominance in the match.
Back from the commercial break, both performers were on the top rope, from where Takeshita took down Lethal with a massive Lariat. Konosuke Takeshita then hit a Brainbuster for another close count.
Moments later, Jay Lethal hit a backbreaker and then attempted a Lethal Injection, but Takeshita countered it up just in time.
The DDT star next hit a Jumping Knee on Lethal, but Sonjay Dutt made timely interference to save the match for his ally. Soon, Jay Lethal connected the Lethal Injection for the win on AEW Rampage.
Jay Lethal defeated Konosuke Takeshita on AEW Rampage
Grade: B +
Post-match, Best Friends came to blows with Lethal, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt. Singh choked out Chuck Taylor, after which he had a face-off with Orange Cassidy, but the latter quickly stepped back.
Samoa Joe also made his way out, but security stopped him before he could lay his hands on Lethal or Singh.
This week's AEW Rampage was a great show with both women's matches and the main event worth checking out. Apart from that, Hook and Danhausen's interaction was easily one of the most entertaining parts of the episode.
Episode Rating: A -
