AEW Rampage Results – Mar. 25, 2022 – Ricky Starks vs. Swerve Strickland

AEW

TPWW

Mar 25, 2022

Results by Matt Boone of Rajah.com

March 25, 2022
Cedar Park, TX – HEB Center
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho & Ricky Starks

Quick Match Results

Dustin Rhodes defeated Lance Archer via jackknife pin
reDRagon defeated Alan “5” Angels & 10 via Chasing the Dragon on Angels
Nyla Rose defeated Madi Wrenkowski via Beast Bomb (squash match)
FTW Championship: Ricky Starks (c) defeated Swerve Strickland via Roshambo after Powerhouse Hobbs attacked Swerve on the outside

Dustin Rhodes vs. Lance Archer

The theme for “The Murderhawk Monster” hits and out comes Lance Archer with someone draped over his shoulder, as it appears in trademark fashion he is already warmed up and pre-game fighting before his scheduled match.

The commentary team of Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Taz inform us that Archer has a student of Dustin Rhodes’ from The Rhodes Wrestling Academy. Out comes Dustin Rhodes behind Archer and this one gets started with a bang.

From there, things finally get going as the two make it to the ring where the bell sounds to formally get this match underway.

We see Archer jump off to a dominant offensive start inside the squared circle, and we head to a mid-match commercial break after a couple minutes. We see Dustin Rhodes miss a big flip splash from the ring apron to the floor after Archer moved and Rhodes bounced off the mat with a sickening thud.

When we return from the break, we see Archer still in control of things, but this doesn’t last for long. Dustin is bleeding from his ear, which the commentators point out — likely as a result of the top turnbuckle padding being torn off, which the commentary team points out was also the case when these two met two years ago in the TNT Championship tournament.

Archer goes to hit Dustin with the Blackout into the exposed turnbuckle, but Dustin shoves him into the turnbuckle, then later gets a jackknife pin out of nowhere for the win.

Winner: Dustin Rhodes

Immediately after the match, however, Dustin finds himself unable to celebrate the big win, as he is instantly put on the defensive when Archer brings the onslaught to him as the match wrapped up. He also put another beating on Rhodes’ student from the Rhodes Wrestling Academy. Dustin is busted open. We see Dan Lambert watching on at ringside during this.

Backstage: Jay Lethal

After two heartbreaking losses against @AdamColePro & FTW Champ @starkmanjones, it’s back to the drawing board for @TheLethalJay.

Tune in NOW to #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/BQ1hrUv9DA

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 26, 2022

Once the violent post-match scene with Archer and Rhodes wraps up, we shoot backstage for an interview with Jay Lethal.

Lethal is asked about his recent matches in AEW, and he talks about coming up short in his bid to capture the FTW Championship from Ricky Starks, as well as losing his match against Adam Cole.

Lethal talks for a bit and seems unsure of what to do now, as he wasn’t planning on not coming out on top in his latest few ring appearances. He walks off discouraged, making it clear that he’s got some thinking to do.

In-Ring: Fuego Del Sol, House of Black, The Dark Order

When we return, we see Fuego Del Sol standing in the ring with a microphone, as Excalibur tells us we have an unexpected guest in the squared circle.

Del Sol, wearing a pink mask and ring gear, talks about being mocked as “the guy in pink” by Chris Jericho, who talks about remembering that while on commentary.

He goes on to talk about how “this guy in pink” gave Buddy Matthews all he could handle, as well as Brody King and Malakai Black — giving The House of Black all they could manage and then some.

Eventually he makes it clear that he’s ready to fight, and it looks like a fight he is going to get — as we see House of Black appear the ring with a look of all-business in their eyes.

They end up beating down Del Sol and leaving him laying and heading to the back, but are stopped when they notice members of The Dark Order on the ramp.

They stop and all just look at each other, but don’t appear to be wanting to fight, but instead maybe even work together.

Backstage: Dan Lambert, Men of the Year

TNT Champion @ScorpioSky isn’t going to make it easy for future challengers wanting a Title shot declaring the open door… is now closed.

Tune in NOW to #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/7G42dyztf5

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 26, 2022

Dan Lambert says that the TNT title open challenge is over and only people who deserve it will get a shot. Sky says to consider the open door closed.

reDRagon vs. Alan “5” Angels & 10

We see the team of Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly jump off to a commanding offensive lead and then head directly into a mid-match commercial break after a minute or so of action.

As we settle back in from the break, we see Angels tag in and connect with an impressive splash off the top-rope. He starts to put a run of offense together, however a minute or so later we see Fish and O’Reilly take right back over.

Fish and O’Reilly hit a double team leg sweep / roundhouse kick spot before connecting with their double-team finisher, Chasing the Dragon, on Angels for the pin fall victory.

Winners: reDRagon

After the match, reDRagon wasn’t satisfied and decided to continue the onslaught on The Dark Order duo until Jurassic Express run down to the ring to make the save.

We see once again how Adam Cole is good at stealing championships, as in the midst of the chaos he takes the tag belts and heads to the back with them.

Video Promos: Nyla Rose, Thunder Rosa

.@NylaRoseBeast has the #AEW Women’s World Championship in her sights and is on a path of destruction to reclaim it from new Champ @thunderrosa22.

Tune in NOW to #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/AaQXq4tuJk

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 26, 2022

We shoot to a segment with Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero. Rose gloats about her savage attack on the new AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa on this past week’s Dynamite. Rosa responds in her own video promo.

Nyla Rose vs. Madi Wrenkowski

Nyla Rose’s theme hits and out comes the Native Beast for her scheduled singles showdown. Already in the ring is her opponent, Madi Wrenkowski.

This match lasts all of a minute — tops, as Rose easily dominates and does away with her relatively unknown opponent in squash match fashion, winning with a Beast Bomb.

Winner: Nyla Rose

In-Ring: QT Marshall Presents Hook With the Certificate of Accomplishment

We return from the break to QT Marshall standing in the ring with fellow members of The Factory.

Marshall sets the stage for the advertised Certificate of Accomplishment segment for “The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil” Hook.

Taz notes that he and Hook have been mulling this over all week wondering what to expect here. Needless to say, they have their doubts about the sincerity of this presentation.

Marshall calls Hook to come out so he can present him with the certificate and with that said, Action Bronson’s song blares through the house speakers inside the HEB Center.

Hook makes his way to the ring and looks like he just woke up from a nap or something, as he couldn’t be less interested in any of this and it shows.

Marshall shows Hook the QT Marshall Certificate of Accomplishment, but Hook grabs Aaron Solo and smashes his face into the glass frame of the certificate before exiting the ring like nothing happened.

As he heads to the back, we see Danhausen making his way out. Danhausen tries to put a curse on Hook, but again, Hook damn near yawns and barely makes eye contact before simply walking past Danhausen, who looks confused and perplexed at the lack of reaction he got from Hook just now.

FTW Championship
Ricky Starks (c) vs. Swerve Strickland

We head backstage where Mark Henry sets the stage for tonight’s main event and then introduces both competitors scheduled in the match, which will feature the FTW Championship on-the-line. Ricky Starks, the current title-holder begins, talking some trash and reminding Shane “Swerve” Strickland that he came out on top the last time they duked it out. Starks also points out that while Strickland is constantly asking everyone who’s house it is, that he got evicted from his last home — referencing his WWE release. Strickland goes on to say that he learned something from said-eviction, and then notes that he’s not going to make the same mistake in AEW. He admits to being entitled, claiming he said it from the jump when he signed his AEW contract at Revolution 2022. He claims he will be taking what he wants regardless of anyone’s plans or ideas. Mark Henry cuts the two off as they keep cutting each other off and try to get in a few final extra insults, insisting that there’s been enough talk — and that, you guessed it, it’s time for tonight’s main event!

On that note, we head to the ring where both guys make their respective ring walks for our final match of the evening. The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running with this one. We see some early back-and-forth offense and then as Starks starts to pull ahead, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.

As we return from the break, we see Starks handling “Swerve” with relative ease, however it doesn’t take long before that is not the case at all.

Strickland fires up for a big offensive comeback, and after blasting the FTW Champion with a huge kick to the dome, we see the title-holder on shakey ground. The commentators talk about the look in his eyes indicating he is completely out on his feet.

We see Strickland land an even bigger follow-up spot and goes for the cover, and while it looked to be all over, somehow Starks hangs in there.

Moments later, Powerhouse Hobbs gets involved at ringside, turning Strickland inside-out and shifting the momentum in Starks’ favor. Starks quickly follows up with his finisher, the Roshambo, and scores the pin fall victory, retaining his title in the process.

Winner and STILL FTW Champion: Ricky Starks

As the match wraps up, Ricky Starks’ entourage walk down the ramp with a big “Austin, TX Loves Ricky” banner. Keith Lee suddenly tosses one of the entourage members through the banner, takes out the other two and enters the ring.

Starks and Strickland are duking it out on one side of the ring while Lee and Hobbs are going at it tooth-and-nail on the other side.

The crowd is chanting and going nuts, as are the commentary team. Refs try to break it up, but they’re not having much luck, and this chaotic scene is how this week’s AEW on TNT program goes off the air.