12/10 AEW RAMPAGE REPORT: Lucha Bros. vs. FTR for the AEW Tag Team Titles, Hook’s in-ring debut against Fuego del Sol, Cole vs. Yuta, Six-Woman Tag

AEW RAMPAGE BLACK FRIDAY TV REPORT
DECEMBER 10, 2021
RECORDED 12/8 AT THE UBS ARENA IN ELMONT, N.Y.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur and Taz

Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez

– The opening of Rampage aired. Excalibur welcomed us with, “It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!” Excalibur was joined by Taz.

(1) LUCHA BROTHERS (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood w/Tully Blanchard) — AEW World Tag Team Championship Match

Fenix and Dax kicked things off for their respective teams, and the two traded holds and reversals in the early going. Fenix took down Dax as Cash hit the ring to help his partner. Fenix double teamed both opponents with a springboard takeover. Penta tagged in and he and Fenix doubled teamed Dax. FTR bailed to the outside to collect themselves.

Penta and Cash faced off as Penta slowly removed his glove. Cash attacked Penta but was met with a superkick to the face. Penta laid in a few chops to Cash’s chest as Fenix tagged in and hit a cross body onto Cash. Fenix went to the outside to attack Dax, but Dax tossed him hard, back-first, against the apron. FTR cut the ring off from Fenix as they made a series of quick tags and kept him worn down. Dax went to the top but Fenix met him and cut him down. Fenix propped up and hit Dax with a hurricanrana off the top. [c]

Fenix was double-teamed by FTR but was able to fight them off and make the tag to Penta. Penta hit FTR with dual sling blades, then a back stabber on Dax. Cash went for a quick rollup on Penta, hooking the tights in the process, but only got a two. Penta hit Cash with Made in Japan for a two count. Fenix tagged back in but was distracted by Blanchard from the apron. Fenix nailed Blanchard with a right hand to knock him down. Fenix finally made it into the ring and took out each member of FTR by himself until he was caught by Dax who hit him with a slingshot Liger Bomb.

The crowd chanted for each team as Fenix and Dax continued to go at it. Cash and Fenix got into a tussle over one of the AAA tag titles until Fenix pulled it away and nailed Dax with the belt. Fenix then walked the tightrope and nailed Cash in the face. Dax was able to grab the belt and nail Fenix for a cover and a very close two count. The crowd was completely into this by now.

FTR double teamed Fenix but Fenix caught each with a boot to the face. FTR came right back and hit the Big Rig, but Penta broke it up by coming off the top and breaking the pin. Penta dragged Fenix to the corner to make the tag. All four men faced off in the middle of the ring. They traded blows back and forth until Fenix hit Dax with a cutter. Cash caught Fenix in a Gory Bomb. Penta picked Cash up for the Fear Factor, but Cash kicked out. Penta caught him a second time and the Lucha Bros. were able to hit Fear Factor for the win.

WINNERS: Lucha Brothers in 14:00

(Moynahan’s Take: An incredible tag team title match as these two teams continue their hot feud. I can only hope this series continues.)

(2) RUBY SOHO & TAY CONTI & ANNA JAY VS. NYLA ROSE & THE BUNNY & PENELOPE FORD

Conti and Rose faced off to start things off. Rose took early control, then tagged in Bunny who got in Conti’s face but was quickly taken down for the disrespect. Conti hit Bunny with a knee to the face, then whipped her into her corner to tag in Jay. Jay nailed Bunny with a running back elbow. Conti tagged back in and hit Bunny with a running pump kick in the corner. Conti locked Bunny in a front headlock, but Bunny managed to get out of it and nail Conti with right hand after she was distracted by Vickie from the outside.

Ford tagged in and hit Conti with a pump kick. She covered for a two count. Rose tagged back in as the three heels kept Conti in their corner. Bunny tagged in next. Conti caught her with a stiff right hand, but Bunny shot back with a face plant to the mat. Both women were down, then crawled to their corners for a tag. Soho and Ford came in and Soho made quick work of Ford but couldn’t get the pin. [c]

As we came back from the commercial, Jay had just made the hot tag and was taking it to Rose. Jay hit Rose with an elbow strike, then evaded a sit down across the chest attempt by Rose. Bunny came in and hit Jay with a superkick. Conti hit the ring and hit Bunny with the Tay-KO. It broke down from here as each woman hit the ring and took out the next. All six women were down until Vickie slipped the brass knuckles to Bunny who nailed Jay with them. Rose hit Jay with the Beast Bomb for the win.

WINNERS: Ford & Bunny & Rose in 10:00

(Moynahan’s Take: For the time they were given that was not taken away by the long commercial break, this was good. The right team won here as well.)

– Tony Schiavone was backstage with Darby Allin and Sting. As Schiavone was asking a question, FTR attacked them from behind. FTR held Sting for Blanchard, but Allin made the save and all five men went at it. Allin was thrown into the metal roll-up wall, then FTR held Sting for Blanchard again, who kicked him in the groin. [c]

(Moynahan’s Take: I enjoyed this quick segment, which put heat right back on FTR after tonight’s loss. That said, can we PLEASE STOP INTERRUPTING INTERVIEW SEGMENTS!?)

(3) HOOK vs. FUEGO DEL SOL

Hook made his entrance to a strong reaction from the crowd. Hook waited in the corner with his face away from Del Sol as he was introduced to the crowd. Hook quickly took Del Sol to the mat, then took him over and locked in a choke until Del Sol broke by getting to the ropes. The crowd was chanting for Hook as Del Sol attacked from behind. Hook immediately took Del Sol back to the mat, then locked in a submission hold. Del Sol broke it, but Hook remained aggressive and attacked Del Sol with a series of rights and lefts.

Hook locked Del Sol in a side waist takeover, which Taz called the El Camino. Del Sol hit a dropkick, then nailed Hook in the corner. Del Sol went for the tornado DDT, but Hook had it scouted and hit Del Sol with a clothesline. Hook hit a high-collar suplex, then hit Del Sol with a series of cross-face forearms. Hook locked in the Katahajime, which Taz called Red Rum, for the submission.

WINNER: Hook in 4:30

(Moynahan’s Take: This was a great debut. Between the crowd, Taz on commentary, and Hook’s ring work. Having Hook make quick work of Del Sol was the only way to go here. And as hyped as the internet was for this match, Hook certainly delivered.)

– A preview of this week’s Dynamite Winter is Coming was shown.

– Mark Henry was on split-screen with participants for tonight’s main event. Cole and The Bucks made fun of Trent’s return as well as the other Best Friends members. Trent questioned why this promo wasn’t about his return, but Orange Cassidy cut him off and used the “Bay Bay” phrase which ticked off Cole and the Bucks. Henry interrupted and said it was “time for the main event.” [c]

(4) ADAM COLE (w/The Young Bucks & Bobby Fish) vs. WHEELER YUTA (w/Orange Cassidy & Best Friends)

The two locked up right at the bell, with Cole getting the early upper hand. Cole went for an early pin, which was reversed by Yuta for a close count. Cole connected with a huge superkick, then whipped Yuta hard into the corner. Yuta tried fighting back but was met with another kick to the face.

Cole picked Yuta up and hit him with a neck breaker as the Bucks and Bobby Fish cheered him on. Yuta was dumped to the outside as Cole stared Cassidy down, but Cassidy stared right back. Inside the ring, Cole set up for the Panama Sunrise, but Yuta reversed and got a close pin attempt. Yuta then came off the top with a cross body but couldn’t capitalize for the cover. Yuta hit Cole with a dropkick, then an elbow strike in the corner. Yuta came off the top with a diving elbow strike for a near pin.

Cole reversed a German suplex attempt but was met with another soon after. Yuta went back to the top but Cole met him this time. Cole went up and tried hitting Yuta with a super plex. Yuta fought Cole off, then hit Cole with a modified Olympic Slam. Yuta went back to the top for a frog splash but Cole got his knees up. Cole kicked Yuta on the side of the head, then removed his knee pad in order to hit Yuta with a running knee to the back of the head.

WINNER: Adam Cole in 8:00

– After the match, both teams entered the ring and faced off with one another. Best Friends checked on Yuta until Fish pulled Trent out of the ring. A fight broke out as Cole, the Bucks, and Fish got the upper hand. The Bucks held Cassidy for the Panama Sunrise, but Cole faked it and kicked Cassidy with a low blow. Trent was rolled back into the ring, and the Bucks and Cole hit a triple BTE Trigger on him.

(Moynahan’s Take: A good match, but while it may have been in the main event slot, it was clearly not the match of the night. This was also clearly a way to further the feud between the SuperKliq and Best Friends, and even more specifically, between Cassidy and Cole. While I like both wrestlers, I’m not sure how much I care to see that match.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: What a great night of wrestling. Seriously, AEW stayed close to the in-ring action tonight, with not much being shown outside the ring, aside from the FTR/Sting/Darby segment. That’s a good thing, as the action tonight was top notch. And boy how about that Hook debut!? Not only did he surprise me in the ring, but he also really had a good presence about him that will make him a huge star in this business. The hype is real (at least for now)! Until next week, stay safe everyone!