AEW Rampage Preview - Two Titles on the line, Jon Moxley reignites an old feud, Canceled match reinstated (January 26, 2022)
AEW Rampage will once again offer fans four matches for the evening. The Wolstein Center in Cleveland once again housed the All Elite roster for an action-packed night of matches
Jon Moxley's triumphant return will continue with another singles bout. Plus, even after Sammy Guevara and Cody Rhodes fought for the TNT Championship on Dynamite, two championships will be on the line on Friday. Rampage will also feature FTR's previously scheduled clash with two rising stars.
Could AEW Rampage see two championship changes? Will Jon Moxley's momentum be halted? Keep reading as the Rampage match card is laid out below.
AEW Rampage Show Opener: Jon Moxley vs. Anthony Bowens (of The Acclaimed)
This is what happened the last time #TheAcclaimed's @bowens_official and @JonMoxley met in the ring... How will it play out tonight?! #AEWRampage TONIGHT @ 10pm ET/9pm CT on @tntdrama, Championship Friday with 2 title fights Tonight! https://t.co/GKVlwpnXNg
Jon Moxley has some history with The Acclaimed; in the past, he teamed up with Eddie Kingston to defeat Max Caster and Anthony Bowens. Just two weeks after Mox's return, The Acclaimed have targeted him in an effort to avenge their previous loss.
Moxley will seemingly be outnumbered on Friday; Bowens will have Caster in his corner, whereas Mox is set to compete by himself. This bout will determine whether or not The Acclaimed can pull off a major upset and defeat the former champion. But Moxley is riding a lot of momentum, so it's unlikely that the star will be defeated in his second match back.
Second Match: FTR vs. Lee Johnson and Brock Anderson
It's official: #FTR (@DaxFTR/@CashWheelerFTR with @TullyBFTR) will face the team of @BigShottyLee and @BAndersonAEW, with @TheArnShow at Championship Friday THIS FRIDAY at #AEWRampage: #BeachBreak 10/9c on @TNTDrama! https://t.co/1jIG6QCDPB
The match between FTR and Johnson and Anderson was unfortunately canceled last week. Originally, the two teams were set to face off on January 19th episode of AEW Dynamite, but one or more stars involved were not medically cleared to compete. Given this setback, it's safe to say that the four wrestlers will be eager to perform on Friday night.
The feud itself goes beyond the current generation, as the mentors to the teams, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard have plenty of history. The two once formed the legendary Four Horsemen stable, and their relationship has been referenced several times on AEW TV. Dax Harwood has also claimed that he's targeting Anderson's legacy; he hopes to become the "true Anderson of wrestling."
Facing Arn's son on Friday will be Harwood's latest attempt to cement his claim to the Anderson name, and given FTR's remarkable résumé, the duo is heavily favored in this bout.
Third Match: Jade Cargil (c) vs. Julia Hart for the TBS Women's Championship
Has @TheJuliaHart bitten off more than she can chew against @Jade_Cargill? We'll find out on #AEWRampage, Friday at 10/9c on @tntdrama https://t.co/CSL0ULrSSm
Since Malakai Black blinded Julia Hart in one eye, the Varsity Blondes member has been acting strangely. Still, the young star recently signed a contract to challenge TBS Women's Champion Jade Cargill in what will be the biggest match of Hart's career.
The 20-year-old Hart has only had 20 matches in AEW, so she's a heavy underdog in this bout. Cargill has dominated her opponents so far, and she'll likely remain undefeated in singles action on Rampage.
Main Event: Jurrassic Express (c) vs. Private Party for the AEW World Tag Team Championship
Nothing 2 lose & Everything 2 gain 💯
I’m ready to die in that ring tonight, just to get those straps. I hope they are too.
LFG!
#AEWRampage https://t.co/LQUsbpTi0x
Ever since Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus beat the Lucha Brothers for the titles, Jurrassic Express have had targets on their backs. AEW has a stacked tag team division, so the new champions have been dealing with several prospective contenders.
On this week's episode of AEW Dynamite, Private Party, accompanied by Matt Hardy, challenged the champions to a match. The two teams have faced off several times in the past, but Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen have never won when the stakes were high.
This pattern could change in just three seconds on Friday, and Private Party might be the champions' toughest test yet. For these reasons, this title bout will be a must-see contest.