Arena: Wintrust Arena

City: Chicago, Il

Last Week’s Rating: 445,000 overall; 0.14 in 18-49 demo

It’s Friday Night, and you know what that means…  it’s time for our Rampage Review!

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FTR vs Top Flight, ROH Tag Titles

Backstory: Amid mutual respect, the youngsters made the challenge Wednesday

JR welcomed us, Excalibur, Schiavone & Riccaboni with him, the guys already in the ring.

A cagey start as Dax and Darius circled one-another: lockup, armdrag, Dax to the mat looking none too pleased.  Which is why he next ran through the youngster with a shoulder block.

A bodyslam followed, Darius kicked him away, hit another armdrag, Dax tried a headscissors, Darius kipped up out of it, the youngster too fast for the vet so far.

Irish whip – Darius returned the favor with a shoulder block of his own, Dax quickly shoved him off as he went for a cover only for Martin to hit another.  Harwood quickly got up and blasted him with an elbow strike.

Cash in, chops and uppercuts, Darius elevated via back body drop but landed on his feet to tag his brother.

Greeted by more chops and strikes, Dante too was dropped via shoulder block, whipped into the ropes where his brother bagged a blind tag, hit a gamengiri from the apron, double leapfrog inside culminating in double-team kicks to the legs and a Darius ddt.

Count of one.

Backed into the vets’ corner, Darius ate a stiff chop from Dax, tried to fight back but was dropped by a hard right.  Tag to Cash, Darius attempted a sunset flip, Dax held his partner up until Dante came in via springboard to blast him in the face with his knees.

All four in, double hurracanrana with the legs hooked, two counts of two.

A boot to the face despatched Dax, leaving Cash to be doubled.  Darius grabbed a tag mid-way through a tornado ddt, Wheeler headed outside for a breather as the ads arrived.

Back from the break and right into a springboard Dante dropkick to both Dax & Cash, the youngsters then hit another dropkick each, sent FTR outside as both took to the air, then brought Dax back in for Dante to strike off the top via cross body for two.

Dax fought back, stiff strikes to both; a Dante enziguri left all four down.  Tag to Cash: slingshot powerbomb/big splash off the top combo for two.  Stiff kick by Darius, short arm clothesline in response by Dax, Big Rig set up but interrupted.

Dax alone again vs both: Darius ddt, Dante splash off the top, another two.

After a big uppercut by Cash, Darius hit a Spanish Fly in reply, taken out via brainbuster by Dax, who looked for the same on Dante but the youngster slipped out into a victory roll for yet another two.  Then another.  And another.

Tag to Cash, Dante missed with a Nose Dive – which he seems to do a lot, not a fan of that move – right into the Big Rig.  1, 2, 3.

Gunns came out with popcorn.  Y nada mas.

Good opener – FTR gave the youngsters a bit more structure than their match last week.  Making this a series would greatly benefit the Martin bro’s.

WINNER: FTR

Will Hobbs video showing where he grew up.  Just like everything was taken from him, ‘I’m taking everything that means something to you.’  Don’t really get that closing line, it was addressed universally.

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Ad for the Fight Forever game – which still doesn’t even appear on the PS Store.

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JAS came out so that Jericho could talk about how great he is and bait Claudio.  Who came out to challenge for the ROH title at the ROH ppv, being What’d at every turn.  Jericho told him to forget it until Matt Menard came up with a stip. – if Claudio loses, he has to join the JAS.

The fumes of this feud have fumes.

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Toni Storm sat down with Renee.  They ‘tore the house down’ at Full Gear but Jamie didn’t beat her one on one, she needed help.  (Might be true but Hayter was destroying Toni even before Britt & Rebel interfered.  Also, who cares if they ‘tore the house down’, this is supposed to be a contest, you lost).

‘I broke my face losing that title and I’ll break it again getting it back’ (she had two black eyes).  Good closing line at least.

Anthony Henry vs Darby Allin

Backstory: None

Excalibur noted that the tag vs Jarrett & Lethal at the ppv was ‘incredible’.  Yes it was, just not in the way he meant.

A couple stiff kicks to the spine from Henry early.  The crowd were amusing themselves with ‘Wooooo!’ chants at this point.  Darby blasted JD Drake with his killer tope, allowing Henry to drop him across the apron.  Ads.

Somehow and for some reason, Henry was till on top when we returned with kicks and a neckbreaker out of the corner.  After Henry missed a knee drop, a Code Red bought Darby two as the woos continued.  JD Drake attacked from the outside, Henry got two, Sting took out Drake: first thing the crowd had enjoyed in a while.

To the top, Anthony hit a superplex, holding on and transitioning into a plain ol’ suplex; Darby slipped behind, Scorpion Deathdrop, Coffin Drop, victory.

Henry dominated this.  If Darby decided to give him that much, it needs to be explained to him why he can’t do that.  If an agent was aware of it, then they need to be talked to.

WINNER: Darby Allin

Hikaru Shida vs Queen Aminata

Backstory: None

Penelope Ford & the Bunny came out before the match began, enabling Aminata to strike from behind – nasty boot to the head.

Setting up an air raid crash, Shida turned it into a jackknife pin for two.  Stiff elbow strike, Falcon Arrow, Katana for the quick W.

WINNER: Hikaru Shida

Athena backstage with Lexi, the real-life unprofessional continued to play the role onscreen, shoving Lexi aside and saying she was ready for Mercedes.

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FTR backstage after their victory.  Dax challenged Bryan Danielson for Wed.

Butcher, Blade & Rush vs Dark Order (10, Silver & Reynolds)

Backstory: Rush has been trying to recruit 10 & implied Silver cost the latter a title shot

Ten was nowhere to be seen during the pre-match promo and didn’t show for the match, which immediately spilled to ringside, Reynolds getting the better of Blade in the ring as Silver was doubled at ringside and left laying.

A triple team ensued until Reynolds bagged a tag, Silver in to buckle Blade then drop him with an Olympic Slam but was caught mid-dive by Butcher.  Break time.

Still in trouble as we came back, Silver blasted Butcher with a superkick, took out Blade but Rush knocked Reynolds off the apron before stomping away at Silver.  Uno & Negative 1 then beckoned Ten to the ramp.  The latter charged to the ring, went face to face with Rush then blasted Silver with a clothesline.  Setting up the Bull’s Horns for the victory.

Ten then hit a discus lariat to Reynolds as Negative 1 was shown looking upset.  Discus Lariat to Uno.  Reynolds was then chokeslammed off the apron through a table.

Ten then threw his mask at Negative 1.

Who could possibly care?

WINNER: Rush, Butcher & Blade

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Next Dynamite:

• MJF Interview
• The Elite vs Death Triangle, Match 3 of 7
• TBS Title celebration
• Dax vs Bryan Danielson
• Willow Nightingale vs Anna Jay

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Overall impressions

So after watching that England/USA match, almost anything would’ve seemed entertaining.  Almost anything.

Check Out

• FTR vs Top Flight

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend!