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AEW RAMPAGE BLACK FRIDAY TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 26, 2021
RECORDED AT THE WINTRUST ARENA, CHICAGO, IL
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho, and Ricky Starks.
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired. Excalibur welcomed us with, “It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!” Excalibur was joined by Taz, Chris Jericho, and Ricky Starks.
(1) ADAM COLE & BOBBY FISH vs. ORANGE CASSIDY & WHEELER YUTA (Kris Statlander & Chuck Taylor)
Fish and Yuta started things off for their respective teams. Yuta took Fish down to the mat early, but Fish used his grappling experience to even the odds. Fish whipped Yuta into the corner, then nailed him in the stomach. Yuta shot right back with a dropkick to the face, then tagged in Cassidy. Cassidy and Yuta hit a double-team move on Fish, who was able to roll over to his corner and tag in Cole.
Cassidy tried to put his hands into his pockets, but Cole blocked him and did the “Adam Cole Bay Bay” to the delight of the crowd. Cole blocked Cassidy once again from hitting his pockets, but Cassidy reversed Cole. The two then traded a few standing witches. Cassidy kept trying to put his hands into his pockets as Cole continued to block him. Cassidy took Cole over with a headlock, then posed to the camera with a thumbs up. Yuta grabbed Cole from the outside, then nailed him with a right hand. Yuta tagged in and hit a back elbow in the corner as Cassidy whipped Cole into Yuta. Yuta hit a senton and covered for a two count.
Yuta went to the middle rope, but Cole yanked him down to the mat, then tagged Fish back in. Fish kept Yuta in his and Cole’s corner in order to cut off the ring to their advantage. Cole tagged back in. As Yuta tried firing back on Cole, Cole picked Yuta up into a neck breaker. [c]
Yuta and Fish were both down on the mat. Fish made the tag to Vole, who was then thrown to the outside by Yuta. Yuta then nailed Fish and as he was crawling his way to tag Cassidy, Cole yanked Cassidy off the apron. Cole and Fish continued to work on Yuta in their own corner. Yuta back-flipped Cole, then fought off both opponents with a double dropkick from the second rope. Yuta finally made the hot tag to Cassidy, who took his time getting in the ring, then placed his hands in his pockets (finally!).
Cassidy kicked Cole and Fish in the back, then took them both down with a double hurricanrana. Cassidy hit the winging DDT on Fish. Yuta flew from the top rope to the outside as Cassidy hit a tope at the same time. Cassidy hit another tope as Yuta came off the top to the inside right onto Cole for a two count.
Cole was hit with a Stundog Millionaire, then was caught in a near-fall finish. Fish came in and hit Cassidy with an exploder right onto Yuta. Fish made the legal tag then went to work on Cassidy in the corner. Fish locked Cassidy in a knee bar as Cole tried to block Yuta. Yuta was able to break up the submission, and Cassidy hit Cole with a Beach Break. Fish speared Cassidy into the corner, then hit him with another exploder into the corner. Yuta tagged in and hit Fish with a back suplex for a two count. Yuta got another close count after a northern lights bomb. Yuta went to the top, but Cole knocked him down. Cassidy came back in, but Cole pulled him to the outside and threw him into the steps twice.
In the ring, Fish hit Yuta with an avalanche falcon arrow off the top for the win.
WINNERS: Adam Cole & Bobby Fish in 13:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A great match to kick off tonight’s Rampage. There were times I admittedly felt too much was going on here, but these four men worked very well together.)
– Tony Schiavone was backstage with Tony Nese. Nese said there was no mystery to what he has been doing, scouting the best in AEW. Nese said that if others have done their work, Sammy Guevara wouldn’t be the TNT Champion. Sammy then appeared as Nese challenged him to a match next week, which Sammy accepted. Nese then nailed Sammy, who was knocked to the ground. Nese told Sammy that the only reason he had the TNT title was because “guys like me weren’t available yet.” [c]
– Highlights from FTR’s Dynamite match aired. FTR said there was no team as good as they are. They challenged Lucha Bros. next week to a best two out of three falls match.
– Excalibur announced Sammy Guevara vs. Tony Nese for the TNT Championship on next week’s Rampage.
(2) BRITT BAKER (w/Rebel & Jamie Hayter) vs. RIHO – If Riho Wins, She Earns a Women’s World Title Match
The two traded holds early on, with Baker ending the stalemate by slapping Riho in the face. Riho used her agility to escape a pin attempt by Baker. Baker distracted the ref as Hayter and Rebel attacked Riho. Riho cartwheeled out of Baker’s way, then drop kicked her to the outside. Riho flew off the top rope to take out both Baker and Rebel on the outside. Riho threw Baker back inside. As Riho attempted a charge in the corner, Baker caught her and threw her face-first into the turnbuckle, then stomped away at her as we went to commercial. [c]
Baker went for a suplex, but Riho fought out of it. Baker came back with a sling blade. Riho was whipped into the corner as the crowd chanted for both women. Baker put the boots to Riho as she seemed to be toying with her. Riho started firing back with stiff right hands. Riho hit a head scissors on Baker, then nailed her with a running knee strike in the corner.
Baker caught Riho and hit a suplex into the corner. Baker went for a move, but Riho reversed and hit a dragon suplex. Riho covered for a two count. Riho climbed to the top but Baker moved. Riho rolled out of the way, but Baker caught her with a right hand, then hit the Air Raid Crash for a two count. Riho hit a northern lights suplex after Baker missed a curb stomp. Riho went back to the top and hit a double foot stomp for a very close two count.
Baker moved out of the way from a double knee to the face, but Riho reversed Baker into a pin attempt and got the three count.
WINNER: Riho in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Great second half to this one, which was victim to a long commercial break in the middle)
– Matches for next week’s Dynamite were announced, which include Cody vs. Andrade el Idolo in an Atlanta Street Fight, Ruby Soho vs. Kris Statlander in a TBS Title Tournament match, Alan Angels vs. Bryan Danielson, and the Gunn Club vs. Sting and Darby Allin.
– Next week’s Rampage will include Tony Nese vs. Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship and FTR vs. Lucha Brothers in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls for the Tag Team Championship.
– Mark Henry was on split screen with 2.0 and Daniel Garcia on one side, and Eddie Kingston on the other. Kingston laughed at 2.0 and Garcia, and said Garcia was “too light in the ass to mess with me.” Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”
(3) EDDIE KINGSTON vs. DANIEL GARCIA (w/2.0)
Kingston and Garcia went right at it, with Kingston getting Garcia to the mat early on. Kingston moved Garcia into the corner as the two continued to grapple all over the ring. Garcia rolled to the outside to confer with 2.0. Garcia got back in the ring and was quickly struck down by Kingston. Kingston again had Garcia in the corner and proceeded to stomp away at him until Garcia rolled outside again. Kingston followed and took out each member of 2.0. as Kingston got back into the ring, Garcia was able to take the advantage.
Garcia tried to whip Kingston across the ring to no avail. Garcia tried again and failed again. Kingston chopped away at Garcia. Garcia tried firing back but Kingston poked him in the eyes. Kingston came off the middle rope with a knee to the back of Garcia’s head. Kingston looked to be favoring his knee as he took a few moments to regain his composure. Garcia retook the offensive advantage for a bit until Kingston bit Garcia in retaliation. Kingston hit Garcia with a face-front suplex. Kingston again looked to be favoring his knee. [c]
Garcia, who maintained the advantage throughout the break, had Kingston on the mat, with a focus on his arm. Kingston jumped up and hit Garcia with an exploder. Kingston got up first and was still hobbling in pain. Kingston went for a suplex, but Garcia fought him off and rolled through into a knee bar. Kingston was close enough to the ropes to make the break. Garcia kept his focus on Kingston’s injured knee. Kingston rolled Garcia into a powerbomb but fell to the mat in pain from his injured leg/knee.
Kingston used the ropes to get to his feet and slapped Garcia across the back. Kingston went for another suplex, but Garcia again rolled into a leg lock. Garcia hammered away at Kingston with a series of strikes. Garcia picked up Kingston to his feet, then went for a charge but Kingston caught him in a back suplex. Both men were down on the mat as the crowd chanted for Kingston.
Garcia and Kingston met in the middle of the ring and traded blows. Garcia looked to get the upper hand until Kingston hit an enziguri. Garcia came right back with a big clothesline as both men were down again. Garcia tried to pick up Kingston, but Kingston reversed it into another suplex. Kingston went for the spinning back fist, but Garcia ducked. Kingston tried again and hit it the second time, then covered for the win.
WINNER: Eddie Kingston in 15:00
– After the match, 2.0 attacked Kingston. Chris Jericho jumped up from commentary and ran down to the ring to help Kingston. Jericho cleared the ring as the crowd chanted his name.
(Moynahan’s Take: A great main event, and one I plan to go back and watch again. Kingston told a great story throughout with his injured knee, and Garcia looked strong in defeat. I’m also intrigued by the post-match story of Jericho coming down to help Kingston.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: After last week’s dud of an episode, tonight’s show turned things back around for me. From the solid tag team opener, the very good women’s match that told a story around Riho’s eventual title shot, to the great main event, this is not a run-of-the-mill holiday show. And speaking of, next week’s Rampage already looks stacked with two title matches announced. Until then, stay safe everyone!
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