12/30 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta, Jade Cargill in action, more

AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
DECEMBER 30, 2022
RECORDED AT THE FIRST BANK CENTER IN BROOMFIELD, CO
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho

Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez

– A Tribute to Don West was shown before the intro aired.

– The opening of Rampage aired, and Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone and Paul Wight.

(1) ORANGE CASSIDY (w/Danhausen) vs. TRENT BERETTA (w/Chuck Taylor) – AEW All-Atlantic Championship

Kip Sabian joined commentary for this match. Trent extended his hand and Cassidy shook it as the match started. They continued to shake for an extra long time. The traded arm drags until Cassidy paused and attempted to place his hands in his pockets. Trent cut him off and the two traded moves with one another. Cassidy was thrown to the outside. Chuck Taylor helped him up and Cassidy made his way back inside the ring. Trent and Cassidy faked a hug as Cassidy threw Trent to the outside.

Cassidy was thrown to the outside and Danhausen helped him up. Trent went for a tope but Taylor caught them and the two hugged. Cassidy went to the top and hit a cross body but Trent quickly knocked him back down to the mat with a shoulder block. Trent followed up with a dropkick through the ropes. Trent went for a spear and hit the metal barrier after Cassidy moved. Cassidy followed up with a running shotgun dropkick. [c]

Both men got to their feet as Trent nailed Cassidy with a chest chop. Cassidy fired back with light slaps then a big chop. They traded shots until Cassidy hit a thrust kick. Trent fired back with a huge clothesline. Trent hit a half-and-half suplex, but Cassidy came right back with a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Cassidy looked like he was going for the Orange Punch but paused and instead tried for the Beach Break. Trent countered into a pin for two. Trent hit a back elbow in the corner but Cassidy came right back with a tornado DDT.

Cassidy came off the top with a diving DDT for a very close count. Trent countered an Orange Punch but Cassidy turned it into a pin attempt. Trent hit a twisting tombstone for two. Trent pulled Cassidy up into a piledriver for another close count. Penelope Ford made her way to the ring as Kip acted surprised on commentary. She distracted Trent, which allowed Cassidy to hit Beach Break for another close count. Cassidy followed up with Orange Punch for the win.

WINNER: Orange Cassidy in 12:30

(Moynahan’s Take: Really good opener between two very good, some may say best, friends. I’m interested to see if this goes anywhere between Trent and Cassidy or just serves as a one-off.)

– Tony Schiavone spoke with Darby Allin and Sting after Dynamite. Tony announced that Darby would face Samoa Joe for the TNT title on next week’s Dynamite. Darby talked about telling people in high school how he wanted to become a wrestler and how everyone laughed at him. He said he proved them wrong by becoming the TNT champion. He questioned whether his hometown, and even Sting, believed in him. Darby asked Sting if he believed in him. Sting said he won’t say so Darby didn’t lose the chip on his shoulder. Sting said it didn’t matter what anyone thought, only Darby. He told Darby to shut his mouth and just do it.

(2) KIP SABIAN (w/Penelope Ford) vs. LOCAL TALENT

Sabian mocked Orange Cassidy throughout the match. Sabian hit a cannonball strike in the corner, then went to the top and hit a diving foot stomp. Sabian hit an Orange Punch for the win.

WINNER: Kip Sabian in 1:00

(Moynahan’s Take: Typical squash that served its purpose to help build for an upcoming Cassidy and Sabian match.)

– Lexy Nair interviewed Perro Peligroso (Preston Vance) and Jose the Assistant. Vance talked about his recent interview with JR and said people are raving about it and yet he has been forced to wear a mask for the last three years. Vance asked if he looked like a man who had any remorse, then talked about belittle -1 on TV. Jose cut the interview off from there. [c]

– Tony Schiavone was in the ring with Jon Moxley. He brought up Hangman Page and noted how the Doctors have yet to clear him for in-ring action. Moxley said it has been a helluva three years, and said how two men, he and Page, stood above the rest since day one. He said it was inevitable there’d be a showdown one day. Moxley said he proved there would be one last man standing and it would be him. Moxley said he knocked Page so hard that he woke up in the hospital while Moxley slept like a baby. He said BCC works so hard they deserve to sleep like babies. Moxley challenged Page to a match on the January 11 Dynamite in LA as long as he gets cleared.

– Excalibur announced The Acclaimed would defend the Tag Team Championship against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarret this week on Dynamite. Lethal and Jarret then cut a promo backstage.

(3) JADE CARGILL (w/The Baddies) vs. KIERA HOGAN – TBS Championship

Cargill took the early advantage until Hogan reversed a suplex attempt into a pin for two. Cargill charged right back with a huge chokeslam that Paul Wight appreciated. [c]

Hogan was placed on the top rope as Cargill got in the face of Aubrey Edwards. Cargill caught Hogan as she jumped off the ropes. Cargill hit a pump kick but Hogan somehow kicked out before rolling to the outside. Leyla Grey picked up Hogan and as Cargill went to slap her, Red Velvet caught Cargill’s hand and stopped her. Hogan threw Cargill back inside the ring but Cargill caught her with a thrust kick. Cargill went for her finish but Hogan turned the tables and hit a hip attack on the ropes.

Hogan hit a thrust kick, then another. Hogan hit a sliding dropkick and Cargill was dazed. Hogan went to the top and hit a cross body for two. Cargill quickly hit Jaded for the win.

WINNER: Jade Cargill in 7:30

(Moynahan’s Take: The second half of this match picked up as Cargill moved to 46-0.)

– Jamie Hayter was shown reacting to her recent title defense against Shida, and talked about her upcoming tag match with Britt Baker against Saraya and a mystery partner. [c]

– Mark Sterling was backstage with Tony Nese and Josh Woods. Sterling said he was tired of Bryan Danielson messing with his friend and client. Sterling and Nese said that Nese would face Bryan Danielson on this week’s Dynamite.

– Mark Henry was backstage with participants from tonight’s main event. Moxely told Henry there would be no fear going through Yuta’s mind tonight. Swerve cut him off and said hello to the BCC. Swerve said he got rid of his team members, while BCC lost theirs. Yuta said Claudio and Moxley would remain in the back for their match. Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”

– Orange Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian was announced for next week’s Battle of the Belts V for the All-Atlantic Championship. Battle of the Belts will air live after next week’s live Rampage.

(3) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Mogul Affiliates) vs. WHEELER YUTA

The two worked the mat in the early going. Swerve went for a single leg crab but Yuta fought him off and hit a scoop slam and senton combo. Swerve went for a suplex but Yuta countered with a knee to the face. Yuta successfully locked in a single leg crab then turned it into a bow and arrow stretch. Yuta countered an attempt by Swerve with a dropkick to the outside. Mogul Affiliates faced off with Yuta after he threw Swerve back inside the ring. Swerve used the misdirect to hit Yuta with a thrust kick. [c]

Yuta hit a back body drop on Swerve, then another as he worked through a leg injury. Yuta covered for two then hit an elbow strike off the ropes. Yuta followed with a German suplex for two. Swerve kicked Yuta in the kneecap to take him down, then hit a brainbuster for a two count. Yuta and Swerve traded pin attempts. Yuta hit a back suplex for another close count. Swerve put Yuta in the corner and hit a dropkick to his injured knee, then went to the top. Swerve was cut off by Yuta who kicked him in the face. Yuta hit a superplex off the top.

Yuta hit the hammer elbows, then tried for his seatbelt pin but Swerve countered into a sidekick to the face for two. The ref was accidentally hit, which allowed Swerve to hit a low blow on Yuta, then hit his finish for the win.

WINNER: Swerve Strickland in 12:00

(Moynahan’s Take: As Paul Wight put it, this was a heck of a contest, and a nice way to end AEW in 2022. I have become a big fan of both of these guys, and it was cool to see them showcased here in the main event.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: As noted above, a solid way to end AEW’s 2022 with a very good pro wrestling match. While there wasn’t anything big to write home about tonight, AEW delivered another solid hour for those that tuned in. With Dynamite getting a facelift this coming week, I’m curious what that means for Rampage, if anything. Until next week, stay safe everyone, and Happy New Year!

CATCH-UP: 12/23 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Christmas Trios Battle Royal, Lethal & Jarrett vs. Bowens & Gunn, more