The TBS Championship is on the line in an Open House match on this week’s AEW Rampage.
Julia Hart defends her TBS title against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in an Open House match, where rope breaks are not enforced, the countouts are 20 seconds, DQs will be enforced, and the challenger gets to choose a stipulation. Hirsch made the challenge to Hart on last week’s Rampage.
Three more matches have also been announced for tonight’s episode.
Orange Cassidy is also in action on tonight’s episode against Alex Reynolds of The Dark Order.
The Bang Bang Gang’s Jay White — an ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champion — goes one-on-one with Matt Sydal.
“Cool Hand Ang” Angelo Parker will take on Zak Knight in a bout that was originally advertised for Collision on March 16, but pulled from the show. Parker is aligned with former Outcast Ruby Soho, while Knight is aligned with Harley Cameron and his sister Saraya.
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Taped in Charleston, West Virginia.
Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Tony Schivone were on commentary.
Orange Cassidy defeated Alex Reynolds (w/ John Silver) (10:33)
Silver and Reynolds mock Cassidy with a pre-match hug. Cassidy caught Silver with a spinning DDT. Silver ducked to the floor to avoid the Orange Punch, but Cassidy followed Silver with a tope. Cassidy abused Silver on the floor by whipping him into the ring barricade.
Back in the ring, Reynolds caught Cassidy with a forearm. While Reynolds distracted the referee, Silver pulled Cassidy out of the ring and gave him a brainbuster on the floor. Back in the ring, Cassidy caught Reynolds with a sunset flip for a near fall. Reynolds came back with a back elbow, then a hangman’s neckbreaker for a near fall.
Reynolds dominated Cassidy through the commercial break. After the break, Cassidy made his comeback with a shotgun dropkick and stomps in the corner. Cassidy came off the top with a crossbody, then took out Silver with a tope. Reynolds caught Cassidy with a pop-up knee strike and a stuff piledriver for a near fall.
Cassidy went to the top, but Silver crotched him. Reynolds took Cassidy down with an avalanche stunner for a near fall. Silver tried to give Cassidy a brainbuster on the floor again, but Cassidy countered with a slumdog millionaire. Reynolds caught Silver with a crossbody, Cassidy took out Silver with a Orange Punch. Cassidy finished off Reynolds with the Orange Punch for the win.
After the match, Renee Paquette tried to interview Cassidy, but Trent Beretta came down to ringside. Chuck Taylor came up from behind Cassidy to stop Beretta. Beretta left, then Taylor left. And Cassidy never said anything.
– Alex Marvez interviewed Anna Jay, who doesn’t think anyone is taking the women’s division seriously. AZM from Stardom interrupted, called Toni Storm’s crew stupid, and challenged her to a singles match on Collision. Later in the show, it was announced Storm and AZM will face off in an Eliminator Match on Collision.
Julia Hart defeated Leyla Hirsch to retain the TBS Championship (3:13)
This match was set up by Hirsch challenging Hart on Rampage last week, and Hart accepting that challenge. The House Rules stipulation has Brody King barred from ringside.
Hart has a teddy bear tattooed on her arm now, and I don’t know if that’s too cute or it ups the creep factor. Hart tripped up Hirsch and gave her a neckbreaker in the ropes. Hart wrapped up Hirsch in a head scissors in the ropes (kind of like Tajiri’s tarantula move) while mugging to the crowd. Hart did a cartwheel into a near bodyvice from Hirsch, who dumped her to the mat. Hirsch followed her out with a tope. Back in the ring, Hart reversed a small package and got the three out. Hart was selling her shoulder (which was taped up) after the match.
– Don Callis coaches up Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher in advance of their tag match tomorrow night with Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli. Callis ordered them take them out like they used to in the old Portland territory (“Take his eye out!”) to protect the “golden goose” of the Callis family, Will Ospreay.
Zak Knight defeated Angelo Parker (w/ Saraya & Harley Cameron) (6:38 aired)
This is Knight’s AEW debut (on TV anyway) in a match built up exclusively on Rampage. Parker and Knight brawled around ringside before the match started. Knight sent Parker into the ring barricade and the time keeper’s area. Parker was busted open in the brawl on the floor.
When the match officially started in the ring, Knight worked over the cut on Parker’s head.
After a split screen break, Parker hit Knight with an implant DDT. Saraya and Cameron both got up on the apron to distract the referee Rick Knox, and Knox ejected them. Knight kicked Parker low and hit a pop-up powerbomb for two. Knight told Parker “I’ll take good care of Ruby!” and that sparked a brief comeback from Parker. Knight floored Parker with a lariat for two, then finished off Parker with a running forearm. Parker has now lost his mentor (Jericho), the girl (Soho) and the match. So what’s left for him?
– Alex Marvez interviewed Kyle O’Reilly & Rocky Romero. O’Reilly wants a match with Romero, which Romero will give him a match after he beats Roderick Strong for the International Title. Romero left and Strong arrived, offended that O’Reilly wants a shot at the International Title. Strong wants O’Reilly to be a champion, just not the International Champion.
– Excalibur ran down all two of the upcoming Blackpool Combat Club v. Don Callis Family matches ahead of the Bryan Danielson/Will Opsreay match at Dynasty.
Also announced for Collision, The House of Black will take on Action Andretti, Dante Martin and Matt Sydal.
Jay White (w/ The Gunn Club) defeated Matt Sydal (11:21)
Sydal was going for his 50th win in this match.
Sydal countered a pop-up powerbomb with a rana, then caught White with a steup up rana. Sydal hit a standing mariposa. White went to the floor, and Sydal followed him out with a meteora. Back in the ring, White caught Sydal with a stunner in the ropes. White suplexed Sydal face first into the ring apron.
After a split-screen break, White worked over Sydal with a chinlock. Sydal came back with a knee strike and a leg lariat. Sydal hit a series of kicks on White for a near fall. Sydal missed a move off the top, but countered a powerbomb attempt with a DDT for a near fall.
Sydal caught White with a roll up for a near fall. White hit a uranage for a near fall. White went for a sleeper suplex, but Sydal flipped through it and landed on his feet. Sydal took White down with a poisoned rana. Sydal came off the top looking for a metetora, but White stepped back and took out Sydal with the Blade Runner and got the pinfall. White really needed a squash here after getting dominated by Billy Gunn last week.
This was a pretty uninspired episode of Rampage, and Battle of the Belts X doesn’t look any better.
