AEW Rampage: Ricky Starks retains the FTW Championship

Tonight’s Rampage came to us from Houston, Texas with a jam-packed hour.

Dustin Rhodes vs. Lance Archer w/Dan Lambert

Archer was carrying one of Rhodes’ students down the ramp when Rhodes attacked him from behind. Rhodes went after Lambert, but Archer stopped him. Once inside the ring, Archer took Rhodes down and then removed the top turnbuckle, a flashback to their last match. Archer hit Rhodes with a right hand over the second rope. Rhodes clotheslined Archer over the top rope.

He went for a cannonball senton, but Archer moved just in time. Archer continued to beat Rhodes up on the outside. Inside the ring, the two exchanged blows, with Archer sending his opponent to the mat. Rhodes had a bloody ear. Archer splashed Rhodes from the corner. He then raked his eyes.

In picture-in-picture, Rhodes started to get in some offense.

Rhodes had the upperhand, but Archer hit him with a big boot before biting “The Natural’s” fingers. Rhodes strikes back with right hands and tried to clothesline him twice. Rhodes followed with a boot to the mid-section. Archer hit Rhodes with a power slam. Rhodes got in some chops and right hands, followed by an elbow to the top of the head. Rhodes then hit a front bulldog. Rhodes hit the CrossRhodes, but Archer kicked out.

Archer slammed Rhodes from a Full Nelson. Then, he chokeslammed his oppoenent. Archer set Rhodes up for the Blackout, but Rhodes collapsed. Rhodes shoved Archer into the exposed turnbuckle. Rhodes pinned Archer.

Afterwards, Archer slammed Rhodes’s face into the steel steps several times. Rhodes stumbled while trying to stand and Archer slammed him into the barricade with a knee and stomped him. Rhodes’s students try to save him, but Archer beat them all up. Archer chokeslammed Rhodes through a table.

Dustin Rhodes wins via pinfall

After the break, we got a promo from Fuego, before he got beat down again.

That segment was followed by a promo from the TNT Champion, Scorpio Sky.

Alan “V” Angels and 10 vs. reDRagon

No entrances for anyone. O’Reilly and Angels start off with a lockup. Fish quickly tagged in and Angels was isolated in the corner. reDRagon worked in tandem, but Angels got to 10. 10 had wrist control and showed off his strength. He shoulder-tackled Fish while maintaining wrist control.

In picture-in-picture, 10 kept control and fought off both members off reDRagon on the outside. Once in the ring, Fish and O’Reilly took turns working on 10. They spent most of the break in control, while Angels looked on from his corner.

After the break, reDRagon continued their momentum. Angels tagged in and hit reDRagon with a diving crossbody. Angels hit a leg lariat on O’Reilly. Angels followed with German Suplex. Guillotine by O’Reilly. Angels hit a spinebuster on Fish. reDRagon hit Chasing the Dragon for the win.

Jurassic Express chased off reDRagon. While they were distracted, Adam Cole took the tag titles and gave them his buddies.

reDRagon wins via pinfall

Nyla Rose vs. Madi Wrenkowski

Nyla immediately slammed Wrenkowski. She continued her assault and hit her with a Beast Bomb. This match lasted 36 seconds.

Nyla Rose wins via pinfall

QT Certificate of Accomplishment Ceremony for HOOK

QT Marshall is joined by Aaron Solo in the ring. HOOK is sent. Solo shot off a confetti stick before Marshall held up the frame. HOOK sent Solo headfirst into the frame.

As HOOK swaggered up the ramp, Danhausen appeared. He tried to curse HOOK, but the “Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil” was unfazed.

Ricky Starks (c) w/Hobbs vs. Swerve Strickland

The two stare each other down from across the ring before locking up. Starks uses amateur wrestling skills to take Swerve down. He transitioned to the front chancery and an arm drag. The pair locked up again before Swerve got him to the ropes. They leapfrogged one another. Swerve took him down with a dropkick and posed like Starks. The pair are evenly matched. They exchanged chops, but Starks shoved Swerve into the middle turnbuckle.

During picture-in-picture, Starks slammed Swerve and then ran the ropes before doing a backdrop. The two lock up and Swerve tossed Starks into the corner. Swerve took him down with knee strikes. Starks escaped to the outside, but Swerve brought him up to the apron where they exchanged kicks. Starks hit a Russian Leg Sweep. They each take turns trying to maintain the upper hand.

After the break, Starks hit a DDT. Starks locked Swerve into an abdominal stretch. Swerve gets out of it and rammed Starks into the corner. Swerve picked up the offense with a knee strike and clothesline. Swerve hit him with an uppercut to the back of the head from the middle rope. Swerve with a leaping flatliner. Starks and Swerve exchange reversals.

Swerve fights out of the Roshambo. Swerve pump kick from the apron and then did a running shooting star press. Swerve flattened Starks with a double stomp. Swerve put Starks in a Half Nelson, but he rolled through. Starks went for a tope, but Swerve hit him in the face. Hobbs hit Swerve. Starks hits the Roshambo for the win.

Starks had friends on commentary with a large banner sign who came down the ramp. Keith Lee ran through it and his friends. On last week’s Rampage, Starks and Hobbs tried to rain on Lee’s parade, so he returned the favor. He went to the ring and head-butted Starks. Hobbs and Starks and Swerve and Starks threw down. Multiple referees had to break them up.

Starks wins via pinfall.