AEW Rampage live results: Women’s Owen Hart tournament semifinal

Ring of Honor Women's Champion Athena will look to continue her winning ways on Friday's AEW Rampage as she faces former NJPW Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale.

This time, there's a wrinkle as the winner will advance to Saturday's Owen Hart Foundation women's tournament final against Ruby Soho on Collision.

Athena's winning streak extends back to last fall as she has been dominant in both AEW and ROH.

Ahead of this Wednesday's Blood & Guts match, Konosuke Takeshita will be in action against Mentallo.

Lance Archer will make his return to AEW TV for the first time since February when he takes on Trent Beretta.

Naturally Limitless (Dustin Rhodes & Keith Lee) will return to teaming up as they face Matt Menard & Angelo Parker of the Jericho Appreciation Society.

AEW Women's Champion Toni Storm and Dark Order's Alex Reynolds, John Silver & Evil Uno will appear in separate promo segments.

**********

Taped in Saskatoon, Saskatewan, Canada.

Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and Chris Jericho were on commentary.

Naturally Limitless (Dustin Rhodes & Keith Lee) defeated Matt Menard & Angelo Parker (9:49)

This lacks a lot of the star power of last week’s opener. Lee dominated Parter early, and Rhodes worked over Menard’s arm. Parler pulled the ropes open on Rhodes when he tried running the ropes, and Rhodes fell to the floor, allowing the heels to take control. Menard’s biggest offensive move on Rhodes was a hard Irish whip into the turnbuckles. Menard then took Rhodes down with a drop toe hold, and Parker used his partner’s back as a springboard to drop an elbow.

After a split-screen break, Menard caught Lee with a dropkick while he was waiting for the tag from Rhodes. Rhodes hit Menard with a spinning powerslam, and got the tag to Lee. Lee avalanche clotheslined both Parker and Menard in opposite corners, then tossed Parker into Menard. Lee then tossed Rhodes into Menard and Parker. Menard saved his partner from the Supernova, and both Parker and Menard gave Lee a double DDT for a near fall.

Menard and Parker tried the springboard elbow move a second time, but Lee caught Mendard and powerbombed him down. Lee then hit the Supernova on Parker and got the pinfall. Perfectly fine tag match. 

Taya Valkyrie defeated Izzy McQueen (0:24)

Spear and Curb stomp ended it in short order for Valkyrie against the Saskatoon native McQueen, who may or may not be named after Mongoose McQueen.

After the match, Tori Storm and Saraya came out and called Valkyrie a Canadian loser. A very bad back and forth between Storm and Valkyrie led to a match between the two at Battle of the Belts VII for the AEW Women’s Championship. 

– Hook accepted Jungle Boy’s challenge for the FTW Title from wherever he was eating lunch today. The match will be Wednesday's  Dynamite from Boston.

Lance Archer (w/ Jake “The Snake” Roberts) defeated Trent Beretta (w/ Chuck Taylor) (8:04 aired)

Archer went for a powerbomb, but Beretta tried to counter with a sunset flip. Beretta was able to leverage Archer to the floor, where he hit a middle rope moonsault on Archer. Then, he and Taylor got to give the people what they want! Jake Roberts then gave Beretta something he did not want, a short=arm clothesline behind the referee’s back. Archer dominated Beretta on the floor, whipping him into the ring barricade during the split-screen break.

Click Here: Borussia Dortmund Jersey Sale

After the break, Beretta hit a half-and-half suplex, a running knee and a piledriver for a near fall. Beretta hit a series of forearms and an enziguri, then ran into a bodyblock from Archer. Beretta escaped a chokeslam attempt and went to the top, but Archer popped-up and hit him with a knee, crotching Beretta on the ropes. Archer hit the Blackout slam out of the corner, then followed up with a lariat to get the pinfall.

After the match, Archer beat up Taylor and Beretta, than grabbed a mic and called out Orange Cassidy, demanding an International Title match. Cassidy came out and through Excalibur, Tony Khan made Cassidy v. Archer for Battle of the Belts VII. Archer choked out Cassidy and Roberts took the bag with the International Title belt. Cassidy can try and get it back from Archer tomorrow night. 

– Dueling pre-taped promos from the Jeff Jarrett/Sonjay Dutt crew and Matt Hardy/Ethan Page crew established that the “Royal Rampage” two-ring royal rumble will return on Rampage next week and both of those groups will be in it. 

Konosuke Takeshita (w/ Don Callis) defeated Mentallo (4:07)

After the bell rang to start the match, Don Callis cut an in-ring promo explaining that Mentallo is a training partner and childhood friend of Kenny Omega. Taskeshita hit a running boot and a lariat in-between ineffective flurries of offense from Mentallo. Mentallo blocked a running knee with a dragon-screw legwhip and got a bridging german suplex for a near fall. The crowd chanted for Mentallo, and Takeshita cut him off as he went up the ropes, and hit a delayed superplex. A tombstone and senton bomb ended Mentallo’s night.

– Renee Paquette interviewed The Dark Order. Silver and Reynolds took credit for Hangman Page’s career flourishing the last two years. Evil Uno announced it was time to rebuild the Dark Order. 

Willow Nightingale defeated Ring of Honor Women's Champion Athena to advance to the Finals Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament (10:36)

Athna took Nightingale down with a pounce (and mocking Willow by mimicking her celebration), so Willow countered with a charging forearm in the corner. Athena went after Nightingale’s leg, and got a near fall after a sliding dropkick.

Athena continued working over Nightingale’s leg during the split screen break. They battled over a bodyslam, and Nightingale hit the Pounce. Nightingale hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Athena blocked a doctor bomb attempt and rolled up Nightingale for a near fall. Athena hit a face-front suplex and a sliding elbow strike for a near fall.

Nightingale absorbed a series of chops from Athena and slammed her to the mat. Athena moved out of the way of a swanton bomb and hit a standing moonsault, then locked in a crossface. Nightingale countered into a cradle for a nearfall, then hit a death valley driver for another near fall. Athena went for her finisher, an overhead vice into a code breaker (kind of like the Stormbreaker). But, Nightingale landed on her feet and when Athena dropped to her back, Nightingale quickly cradled her and got the pinfall. Willow Nightingale advanced to the final round to face Ruby Soho tomorrow night. Pretty clelver finish. 

Final Thoughts: 

This show felt twice as long as it was, and most of it was just a hard sell for Collision and Battle of the Belts VII. If you missed this, you didn't miss much.