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KELLER’S AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
DECEMBER 25, 2021
GREENSBORO, N.C. (TAPED 12/22)
AIRED ON TNT
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Ricky Starks
(1) JUNGLE BOY (w/Luchasaurus, Christian Cage) vs. ISIAH KASSIDY (w/Marq Quen)
Jungle Boy had tape around his abdomen and his left thigh. Excalibur said JB told him his injuries were from overtraining. Starks said he was wrapped like a Christmas gift. Taz laughed and said that’s a great line to start off the show with.
JB got in early offense, but Kassidy took over and landed a leaping tornado dive onto JB at ringside. Excalibur hyped the scheduled matches. He framed Sammy Guevara vs. Cody as “a generational battle” between the stars who AEW was built around at the beginning against a rising breakout star. They cut to a split-screen break at 5:00. [c/ss]
Kassidy controlled the action during the break. Back from the break, JB caught a charging Kassidy with a back elbow and then a running clothesline. He scored a two count after a fisherman’s falcon arrow. Kassidy came back with a poison rana for a near fall. Starks said, “I’d never want to be poisoned.” Taz added, “Or rana’d!” When JB made a comeback, Quen grabbed his leg. Christian went after Quen. JB then landed a sunset flip, but Kassidy slipped out of it. JB went for an ankle lock, then shifted into a snare trap for the tapout win.
WINNER: Jungle Boy in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good action to start the show.)
-They went to the announcers on camera. They commented a clip of Starks putting MJF’s leg over the bottom rope to stop the count as Dante Martin had him covered last week. Starks said Dante screwed him over, so he got revenge. As Excalibur plugged Hook vs. Bear Bronson next, a “We Want Hook!” chant broke out. [c]
-A Miro vignette aired where he said he has begun to heal himself. “You dared to stand between The Redeemer and his hot, flexible wife. That is unacceptable. I will return with no flaws and I will return become champion to show you have power over me. I haven flaws. Everyone is going to find out the redemption doesn’t come with a smile, it comes with a price. I will look them all in the eye and ask what have they done. You will either feel the joy of cruelties or the shame in yours.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Miro’s character is just tremendous. I’m curious what the crowd reaction is to him, and a lot of that will be based on his opponent.)
(2) HOOK vs. BEAR BRONSON
A man held up a sign that said “All I want for Christmas is Hook!” Another sign said “Send Hook!” Excalibur called him “Something a phenomenon.” Hook entered the ring and leaned in the corner within back to his opponent. They showed Tony Nese watching at ringside. Hook took down Bronson a few seconds into the ring. When he went for a single-leg Boston crab, Bronson grabbed the bottom rope. Taz called Hook a “submission bully.” Taz noted thes is just Hook’s second match. Hook swept Bronson’s leg and then applied an elbow block. Bronson raked Hook’s eyes. Fans booed.
Bronson gave Hook a sit-out piledriver on his head. Hook no-sold it and popped up. Hook then hit Bronson with a lariat and a Northern light suplex. He played to the crowd, who cheered. Next he gave him a side head and arm suplex. Hook hit Bronson with forearms across the side of his head and then slipped into a sleeper. Bronson tapped out. They showed Nese watching again. Hook rolled out of the ring without letting the ref raise his arm.
WINNER: Hook in 4:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Another spot-on performance. He looks and acts badass, and having him toss around Bronson was a good choice for his second win.) [c]
-A vignette aired with Eddie Kingston saying he isn’t mad about Danny Garcia pulling on his trunks to win with a rollup. He said he isn’t mad, and in fact he sort of respects it. He said he will team with Santana & Ortiz against Garcia & 2point0.
(3) “LEGIT” LEYLA HIRSCH vs. KRIS STATLANDER
Excalibur noted that the records reset at the start of the year, but the Top Five rankings don’t. Hirsch took Statlander down at the start. Taz talked about Hirsch’s leverage advantage because her hips are lower than other women on the roster. Hirsch landed a quick moonsault press off the second rope for a two count. She followed with a running knee for a two count. Then she slapped Statlander. Statlander made a comeback with a high kick and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Statlander hit a German suplex for a two count. Statlander caught her charging with an elbow, the a boot to the face followed by a reverse bodyslam. She then applied a Spider Crab for a tapout win.
WINNER: Statlander in 7:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice match.) [c]
-Mark Henry conducted a split-screen interview with Sammy Guevara and Cody Rhodes with Arn Anderson. Henry told Cody even his own coach says he’s wrestling with a “one foot out the door mentality” with his reality show, cameras following him around, and a game show in TBS. Arn interrupted and said with all due respect, he wants to address the champ. He told Sammy, “Usually guys your age and your size call me Mr. Anderson.” He said he shouldn’t ever jump a man who is already pissed off. Sammy said he’s glad Cody is pissed, but he said he’s pissed that everyone thinks this is a bigger man for him than Cody. He said two years ago that might have been true. He thanked him for starting the company, “but I’m going to be the man carrying it for years and years.” Henry said there’s ben enough talk, so it’s time for the main event.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good segment to set the table for the match. That’s as heelish as Arn has been, including the comment about not only Sammy’s age, but also his size. Cody didn’t say anything, but had what felt like an all-business borderline heel demeanor.) [c]
(4) SAMMY GUEVARA vs. CODY RHODES (w/Arn Anderson)
Cody walked out to a chorus of boos. Excalibur called him a cornerstone of AEW and one of the first signings along with The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and “Hangman” Adam Page. Cody came onto the stage with Arn, Brock Anderson, and Lee Johnson. Only Arn accompanied him to the ring. Guevara came out second. Ricky Starks said all this pillar talk is starting to piss him off. Justin Roberts did formal ring introductions. He introduced David Crockett a ringside, who would present the winner with the belt. He talked about his family’s history in Greensboro. He stood and received a nice round of applause. Sammy and Cody applauded. Taz said if it wasn’t for the Crockett family, Tony Khan might not be doing what he’s doing on TNT and TBS. “There’s a lot of connective tissue there.”
The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. Guevara hit Cody with a running dropkick at the bell. Cody ran the ropes, and Sammy leapfrogged him backflipped over him and then hit a dropkick. Cod popped up, but Sammy gave him a drop-down uppercut, then clotheslined him over the top rope to ringside. He spun around and struck a casual pose on his side. Cody paced into the crowd. Fans booed. Taz said there has been a lot of talk about whether Cody is all in or half-way out the door. A “Cody sucks!” Chant rang out.
Cody landed a cutter off the middle rope at 3:00 and took over. Guevara, though, threw Cody over the top rope and then rammed him into the ringside steps. Guevara chopped Cody’s chest and tossed him aside. He went for a shooting star press as Cody chatted with Arn, but Cody and Arn moved out of his path. Cody took over inside the ring. He locked on an arm submission. Starks picked Sammy to win, while Taz picked Cody to win. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Cody methodically controlled the action mid-ring during the break. Back from the break, Cody remained in control as Starks talked about Cody’s big match experience. Cody went for a top rope moonsault, but Guevara moved. Sammy made a spirited comeback and landed a double springboard cutter on Cody for a near fall. Sammy landed a Crossroads on Cody. Taz said there’s nothing more disrespectful than doing someone’s finisher to you. Cody rolled to ringside. Sammy double spring-boarded at Cody with a 450 dive. He then leaped off the ringside stairs, but Cody caught him and threw him into the front row of fans.
Back in the ring, Cody pounded the mat and then hit his Disaster Kick. Arn told him to finish him off. Sammy countered Cody with a leverage pin for a two count. Cody then gave Sammy a Crossroads for a near fall. Sammy could barely stand after that. Starks said Cody needs to show more urgency. Cody set up a Guevara on the top rope and went for a reverse suplex. Guevara slipped out and landed the GTH for a convincing near fall. A “This is awesome!” Chant rang out. Sammy sat up in disbelief. He signaled to the crowd and pulled Cody into the corner to set up the 630 senton. He gave Cody two middle fingers, but Cody lifted his knees on the 630. Cody gave Sammy two unreleased Crossroads followed by the Tiger Driver ’98. The crowd booed.
WINNER: Cody in 15:00 to capture the TNT Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match. A surprising finish. I’m curious what they’re up to with Cody, matching him against a babyface. Based on our in-person reports, the booing of Cody was muted quite a bit on the TV broadcast. It’s still not clear for sure whether they’re leaning into Cody being a heel or still trying to find a way for Cody to win back the fans.)
-Arn was joined by Brock, Lee, Dustin, Brandi Rhodes, and other Nightmare Family members. Crockett presented Cody with the belt. Cody was gracious in accepting the belt from him. Cody raised the belt and fans booed.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A good start-to-finish episode of Rampage. Every match, as presented, got the most out of the action in the ring and the ramifications of the outcome. Nothing was just thrown out there and treated like it didn’t matter and was just filling time.
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