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AEW RAMPAGE NEW YEAR’S SMASH TV REPORT
DECEMBER 29, 2023
RECORDED AT THE ADDITION FINANCIAL ARENA IN ORLANDO, FLA.
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur and Tony Schiavone
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired as Excalibur welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Tony Schiavone
– Chris Jericho’s music blared through the arena as he made his way to the ring. Clips aired from this past Wednesday showing the recap of Sammy Guevara reuniting with Jericho as well and Sting and Darby coming to their aid. Jericho started by getting the crowd riled up, then recapping how the 8-man tag at Worlds End came together. He mentioned it being the first time he teamed with Sting. Before the PPV, Jericho said he needed to clear up a few things with Sammy, who he then asked to come out.
Jericho talked about how Sammy turned on him months ago, then asked him why. Sammy said it was difficult being in Jericho’s shadow and he started blaming Jericho for not being at the level Sammy wanted to be. Sammy said it was time to stop blaming others and become the man he knows he is. Sammy offered Jericho an apology and Jericho accepted.
Jericho hyped their 8-man tag team match for Worlds End, then offered Sammy a spot in his guaranteed tag title match in the future, which Sammy accepted by hugging it out with Jericho. Jericho announced that “Le Sex Gods are back.”
– Clips from last week’s Collision aired showing House of Black attacking Daniel Garcia. Renee was backstage with Garcia and Matt Menard. Menard called last week’s win for Garcia the biggest of his career. Garcia said he was sick of House of Black running over people like then and then promised they would get them back.
(1) RUBY SOHO (w/Saraya & Harley Cameron) vs. MARINA SHAFIR (w/Nyla Rose)
Shafir quickly threw Soho to the mat as the two jockeyed for position. Both women missed a few shots in the corner as Soho bailed to the outside but met face to face with Rose. Cameron distracted Shafir which allowed Soho to go on the attack. [c]
Shafir hit Soho with a backbreaker, then threw her down before locking in a submission hold. Shafir went for a cover but Soho kicked out as Rose and Saraya fought on the outside. Cameron jumped on the back of Rose who flung her to the floor. Rose chased Saraya through the crowd. Inside the ring, Soho hit No Future for a close count. Soho went to the top rope and missed a double stomp. Shafir drove Soho to the mat as Cameron distracted Shafir. Shafir knocked her out as Soho came from behind to roll up Shafir for the win.
WINNER: Ruby Soho in 6:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Sloppy at times and generally not very good.)
– The Don Callis Family, Big Bill, and Ricky Starks were backstage and spoke about tomorrow night’s 8-man match against Jericho, Sammy, Sting, and Darby. Callis said tomorrow they would get rid of Jericho for good. [c]
– Renee was backstage with Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale. Willow told Statlander she cherished her friendship and called her an amazing wrestler. Willow then said she’d love to share the ring at Worlds End with Statlander as Stokely Hathaway interrupted. Stokely suggested the two face off at Worlds End instead of being a tag team. The two agreed.
(2) WHEELER YUTA vs. MATT SYDAL – ROH Pure Championship
Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, and Sarah Stock were the judges for this Pure title match. Both men traded holds in the early going as Sydal went for a quick pin attempt. Yuta went for one of his own as the two ended in a stalemate. Sydal leveled Yuta with a kick, then rolled up Yuta again for two. Sydal hit a roundhouse kick then a standing moonsault for two. Yuta used the top rope against Sydal’s throat to gain the upper hand. [c]
Yuta still had the upper hand as both men still had each of their three rope breaks available. Sydal hit a spinning back kick to take Yuta down. Sydal followed up by kicking away at Yuta then dropped him to the mat for another close count. Sydal went to the top but Yuta got up in time and nailed Sydal with a kick to the face. The two traded shots as Yuta hit a German suplex for two.
Yuta dropped Sydal to the mat before synching in a submission hold. Sydal was able to make it to the ropes for his first rope break. Sydal hit a rising knee, then rolled Yuta up for a very close two count. Yuta hit a back elbow, then came off the ropes and took Sydal down. Yuta hit Sydal with a series of elbow shots, then locked in his seatbelt pin for the win.
WINNER: Wheeler Yuta in 9:00
– After the match, Danhausen appeared and called himself the fourth judge of the match. He mentioned Yuta’s match tomorrow against Hook at Worlds End. Danhausen told Yuta that he cheated by using a closed fist, then said he lost. Yuta attacked Danhausen until Hook appeared to help out his partner.
(Moynahan’s Take: This was fine but nowhere near the level of some more recent Yuta matches. A nice post-match build for tomorrow’s FTW title match at least.)
– Highlights from Dynamite aired recapping the MJF/Devil/Samoa Joe storyline.
(3) ORANGE CASSIDY & TRENT BERETTA & ROCKY ROMERO vs. TOP FLIGHT (Darius Martin & Dante Martin) & ACTION ANDRETTI
Andretti and Cassidy kicked things off. Cassidy went for a quick pin attempt as Andretti kicked out then returned the favor. Cassidy placed his hands in his pockets and quickly hit Andretti with a dropkick. Trent tagged in and helped Cassidy double team Andretti. Darius made the tag but Trent quickly took the advantage. The two traded chops in the corner until Trent won the battle and leveled Darius. Darius fired back with a dropkick then tagged in his brother Dante. Dante quickly hit a running clothesline, then hit a senton over the ropes onto Trent. Rocky tagged in and Top Flight double teamed him. Andretti took out Cassidy on the apron as Topy Flight and Andretti hit stereo topes to the outside. [c]
Andretti and Rocky battled it out in the center of the ring. Andretti came off the ropes with a springboard clothesline. Both men made tags as Trent and Dante came in. Dante took Trent down with a number of elbows, then flipped off the ropes with a crossbody for two. Darius tagged in and hit Trent with a flatliner. He covered but Cassidy broke up the pin. Cassidy hit Darius with Stundog Millionaire. Things broke down from her as everyone hit the ring. Dante planted Rocky as Trent was singled out and triple teamed.
Andretti hit a 450 off the ropes and went for a pin as Cassidy and Rocky broke things up in time. Trent tagged Cassidy as Dante was the other legal man. Danet hit a thrust kick as Rocky hit the ring and took Dante down. Darius kicked Rocky across the back of the head, but was caught by Trent in a suplex. Andretti was in next and hit a springboard moonsault on Trent on the outside. Andretti took Rocky off the ropes, then went for a move until Trent broke it up.
Trent hit a release German suplex off the top on Andretti. Trent had Andretti in his finish but Dante broke things up. Cassidy hit an Orange Punch until Dante rolled him up for two. Cassidy went for another Orange Punch but Dante countered. Rocky came off the top rope but Dante caught him and planted him for the win.
WINNERS: Top Flight & Action Andretti in 11:30
(Moynahan’s Take: A very nice main event with tons of action. Not surprisingly, this was a challenge to cover in the moment but was worth the effort.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: With no Collision tomorrow night, tonight’s episode served as a respectable go-home episode of Rampage. Heck, a new match was even announced for Worlds End; Statlander vs. Willow. That said, aside from the main event, there wasn’t much in the way of in-ring action. A good portion of this show focused on Jericho and Sammy, which I appreciate. As with most AEW PPVs, I’m looking forward to Worlds End tomorrow, and hope you are as well. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW’s Sammy Guevara on the concussion he suffered, his infamous Matt Hardy, Stadium Stampede
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