The third match of AEW Rampage’s big TNT premiere was one of the most anticipated as well, as AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker took on challenger Red Velvet for the title, and before the match started they verbally sparred a bit backstage with Mark Henry moderating. Then it was time for the actual match, and Baker got a Champion’s welcome in her hometown. She indeed got a great reaction, with terrible towels everywhere, Baker came out all smiles, and once in the ring the two locked up. Baker went for Velvet’s arm but she got out of it and went for a hold herself, but Baker escaped as well.
They locked up again, and Baker then tried to lock in another hold but Velvet countered again and went for the arm. Baker shoved Velvet and Velvet returned the favor, and after a pin attempt Baker kicked out. Velvet went for Baker’s hurt wrist but she opted not to stomp on Baker’s hurt wrist. Baker pounced and went for a pin but Velvet kicked out.
Baker then threw Velvet into the corner, but Velvet got the arm again and wrapped it around the rope, and then she went for the cast again but the referee told her to keep it clean. Baker then hit Velvet with a back elbow and then whipped Velvet into the ropes, but Velvet evaded and hit Baker with a Leg Lariat, and then she hit a moonsault on Baker but Baker got her shoulder up.
Velvet countered Baker’s next move, but Baker countered after, and then pulled Velvet’s arms before stomping her back. Baker picked up Velvet but Velvet responded with punches, though Baker got the better of her and went for a pin. Velvet got out of it but Baker then locked in a hold as the crowd celebrated. She went for a pin but Velvet kicked out.
Baker hit a big suplex that sent Velvet into the ropes, and then she pulled her arms back and stomped her back again, sending her neck first into the bottom rope. Then Velvet got attacked from the outside while the referee wasn’t looking, and then Baker pounced again, sending Velvet into the corner. She tried to fight back, but Baker kept her down with stomps and kicks. She then had a crutch put around her neck in the corner while the referee wasn’t looking.
Velvet got thrown in the corner again, but Velvet kept fighting back and managed to reverse a move and slam Baker to the mat. She then hit several punches and then hit the hurt arm of Baker, sending her down to the ground. She went for a pin but Baker kicked out. Baker hit a swinging neckbreaker on Velvet and then went for the lockjaw, but her arm was hurt so she couldn’t lock it all the way in, letting Velvet escape and go for the pin. Velvet then went to take off the glove protecting Baker’s wrist, and after Rebel chimed in Velvet threw the glove at her and sent her away. Baker almost got the pin from that distraction but Velvet kicked out.
Then the referee threw Rebel out, and when Baker turned around Velvet hit a huge kick on Baker, sending her hard to the ground. A moonsault followed, but Baker kicked out of the ensuing pin. Then Baker reversed a move and hit a nasty backbreaker, but Velvet kicked. out of the pin. Then Baker hit a curb stomp and went for a pin, but Velvet kicked out again.
Velvet went for the lockjaw next, but Baker kept trying to avoid her hand. Baker reversed it and then went to lock in the move herself, but Velvet slammed Baker’s wrist onto the mat several times. Then Baker went the other way with the lockjaw, and she was able to get the lockjaw locked in and the win with it after Velvet tapped.
She then attacked Velvet after the match, putting her title underneath Velvet to curb stomp her, but Kris Statlander interfered and defended Velvet. Then Jamie Hayter came in and helped Baker. Baker then curb-stomped Velvet onto the title and then walked over Velvet.
AEW Rampage airs every Friday night on TNT at 9 PM CST, and you can check out all of our coverage of the premiere right here on ComicBook.com. Let us know what match you’re excited for in the comments, and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
