wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s AEW Rampage Review 12.22.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hello AEW viewers! It’s Friday night and you know what that means: it’s time to Rampage! I’m Jeremy Thomas and thanks to the holidays, I’m here taking over for the ever-fantastic Lee Sanders for the night. I apologize for having to settle. Tonight’s show will see Orange Cassidy defend the AEW International Championship against Rocky Romero, while El Hijo del Vikingo will defend the AAA Mega Championship in a match my fingers will surely regret. We’ll also see The Hardys take on The Kingdom and Skye Blue face Queen Aminata, in addition to hearing from TBS Champion Kris Statlander. Sounds like a lot for an hour, so let’s jump right in.
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
* We’re kicking off tonight’s show with the International Title on the line!
AEW International Championship Match
Orange Cassidy vs. Rocky Romero
Cassidy and Romero circle and lock up, Orange backed into the ropes. Rocky teases hitting Orange but rolls back and mocks him. Lockup again, Orange with a judo toss and they go into the ropes, Rocky lands in the ropes and Orange mocks him but gets chopped. Orange winds up… for the pockets! He goes into the ropes for a front dropkick but Rocky with a rana that sends Orange to the outside. Rocky dives on top of him through the ropes!
Rocky rolls Cassidy back in and jaws to the camera before going onto the apron. Orange rolls across the ring to the outside, but Rocky around the ring for a rana off the ring steps. Rocky slams him back into the apron and then rolls him in, following after.
Orange in the corner, Rocky charges in for a series of clotheslines, but Orange comes out on a third attempt and rolls him up for two. Rocky with a backbreaker immediately after. Rocky with an uppercut in the corner, whip across the ring and Orange comes out into a sidewalk slam for two.
Romero sends Orange into the corner and then into the other corner, back and forth. Orange comes out into a tilt-a-whirl DDT, Rocky to the outside and Orange dives onto him. He rolls Rocky in and goes up top, high crossbody! He comes off the ropes and goes for the DDT, but Rocky counters with a suplex and then hangs him over the top rope. Rocky up for the diving kneedrop but Orange moves. Rocky with a shoulder to the gut, he goes to suplex Orange in but the champ blocks it and pulls Rocky to the outside. Rocky with a snap suplex onto the apron! They’re both on the floor as we go to PIP break.
We’re back and Rocky is in control, but Orange fights back with a shot to the face. They trade blows, Orange takes over but Rocky ducks a shot and hits a blow to the back — Cassidy with a superkick! Rocky with a heel kick — but Cassidy with the Orange Punch!
Both men slow to rise but Orange is up first. He does the Orange Kicks to Rocky’s shoulder, but they pick up in intensity until he’s stomping a mudhole — and a running punt! Cassidy preps for the Orange Punch, but Rocky with a knee and standing Sliced Bread for two.
Rocky grabs Cassidy but Orange rolls him up for two. Rocky tries the same but Orange sits down for a two-count. Orange with a kick to the face, he goes up top but Rocky counters the diving DDT with a knee. Rocky with a DDT of his own, and then hits Strong Zero for a nearfall.
Rocky up now and goes for Sliced Bread, but Cassidy counters and hits the Orange Punch! Beach Break finishes it.
Winner: Orange Cassidy (10:51)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: A good Cassidy match here to set the tone for the show. Cassidy and Romero worked fine here together, it got the show off to a fun start.
Cassidy calls Trent and Rocky into the ring after the match and they hug.
* We get a video showing off the AEW stars doing the Toys For Tots donation of $1 million and distributing them to kids in Dallas.
* Tony Schivone is with Kris Statlander and talks about her win from Collision. Kris says they were off the rails first but got on track and nothing can come between them. Stokely walks in and says Willow’s been telling everyone that she carried them in the match. Stokely complains that everyone in AEW feels like they need to be in a group, and he knows that doesn’t work long-term. He tells her to look in the mirror tomorrow and see that she could be everything, but if she wants to hang with the losers that’s up to her. He leaves and she says “Did he call me Kristin? That’s not even my name.”
* Nana walks up to Brian Cage and says he’s facing Keith Lee on Saturday. He’s hyped and says it’s Christmas Time and he must have been an extra good machine because he got a prize in Lee. His gift for Lee will be a giant-sized ass kicking. Nana promises shrimp cocktails for everybody.
* Roddy Strong interrupts Justin Roberts during The Kingdom’s ring entrance and says if OK City doesn’t think Max is The Devil, then they’re stupid. He tells a guy named Kevin that he’s stupid, as well as a guy named Floyd.
The Hardy Boyz vs. The Kingdom
Matt Hardy and Taven starting off tonight, and Matt decks Taven before laying into him with shoulder drives in the corner. He batters Taven and sends him into the ropes for a back bodydrop, then hits a forearm strike and tags in Jeff. Taven slingshotted into the bottom rope and Jeff drops a leg on him on the apron, then covers for two. Matt tags back in, whip into the ropes for a double shot and senton, cover gets two.
Taven sent into the corner but puts the breaks on, enzuigiri and Bennett tags in for a series of strikes to Matt’s head. He goes for a Twist of Fate but Matt blocks it and tags in Jeff, Whisper in the Wind onto Bennett and a slap. Russian legsweep and Jeff’s shirt comes off, he goes to the top but Taven comes over. Jeff knocks Taven off the apron but Mike trips him up as we go to PIP break.
We’re back with Jeff in trouble, but he knocks Bennett to the apron where Matt gives him a Side Effect. Jeff escapes Taven and tags in Matt, who lays in the fists to Taven and slams him into the turnbuckles in the corner several times. He yanks Taven into a powerbomb for two. Taven back up and gets caught with a Side Effect for a nearfall.
Matt preps for the Twist of Fate, Bennett in but Matt hits the move on him. Taven goes to the outside and Matt follows, beating him around the ringside area. Jeff has his boot off and is beating Mike Bennett with it! Matt sends Mike into the steps and slams him headfirst into them. He grabs a chair but the ref pulls it away.
Matt and Taven into the ring, Taven rolls Matt up for three!
Winner: The Kingdom (9:27)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Perfectly acceptable match. Nice to see The Kingdom get a win. Nothing spectacular here, but it was fun.
* Renee Paquette asks Ruby about what’s going in with The Outcasts. She says she hasn’t spoke with Saraya yet and Cool Hand Ang walks up and says he’s feeling a certain kind of way right now for the holidays, and asks Renee to ask him what he wants. He wants to take Ruby out for a drink. Saraya interrupts and says Ruby is right and she needs her. She says she has some gifts for Ruby and Renee and they walk off. Saraya tells Ang that he’s a piece of shit and Ruby’s her friend, and he can’t have her. He says she’s hers — for now.
Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata
Aminata and Skye go face to face, and it quickly turns to trading strikes. They lay them in hard, Sky takes over and knocks Aminata down, then comes off the ropes into a shot. Aminata goes for an Air Raid Crash but Skye counters into a roll-up. Aminata gets one of her own, and then lays Skye out. Aminata off the ropes but Skye catches her in the ropes, they end up on the apron and Skye drives Aminata face-first into the apron!
Skye sends Aminata into the guardrail, then tosses her back in the ring. Blue in and covers for two. Skye shoves Aminata, who fights back to her feet. Blue charges into a boot and a German suplex. She backs up and charges in for the hip attack! Off the ropes for a running boot to the downed Skye! She pulls Blue out of the corner for two.
Stomp to the gut of Skye, then Aminata goes for a jump moonsault but Skye avoids it and nails a couple of kicks. Aminata on Skye’s shoulder, TKO into a Dragon Sleeper and Aminata taps.
Winner: Skye Blue (3:44)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: It was solid for a squash match. They didn’t get much time but made the most of it.
AAA Mega Championship Match
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus
Lockup to start but Vikingo ducks under for a waistlock. Taurus catches him and goes for a powerbomb but Viking rolls through for a sunset flip that gets two. Back up, waistlock by Vikingo reversed, Vikingo turns it into a headlock and gets shot into the ropes, and Taurus knocks him down. Quick armdrag and rana, Taurus counters with a rana and they go faster than I can fucking type but it ends with a pin attempt for two from Taurus.
They’re back up, Taurus charges into a shot, into the ropes, Taurus rolls over Vikingo and hits a series of strikes, then snaps the necks and sends him into the ropes for a pop up Samoan drop, cover gets a nearfall as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Vikingo hits a springboard dropkick, Taurus shrugs it off. Vikingo does for a poison rana but Taurus catches him and pushes him off. Taurus charges for a high knee in the corner, the champ moves and Taurus goes to the outside! Vikingo dives to the outside but Taurus dodges and goes into the ring for a spinning dive through the ropes!
Vikingo is able to send Taurus into the ringpost and hits a spinning kick to Taurus from the apron, he goes to dive out of the ring and Taurus catches him — but Vikingo manages to go over and pick Taurus up for a slam on the outside! Vikingo up on the top rope, he hits a Sky Twister Press on Taurus on the floor!
Vikingo rolls Taurus in and goes up top, but the challenger rolls out of the way. Vikingo lies in wait, Taurus charges right into a boot and Vikingo back up top — he leaps and hits the poison rana! Crucifix Bomb, but Taurus comes back with a gore!
Both men down in the ring, Taurus is up first and lies in wait. Vikingo up in the corner, Taurus charges but is sent up and over. Taurus nails Vikingo and pulls him up to the top — he picks Viking up for a GORILLA PRESS SLAM off the top! Cover gets a nearfall.
Taurus frustrated now and sends Vikingo into the ropes, he picks him up onto his shoulders for a backbreaker, then a shoulderbreaker and lariat for thr–NO! Vikingo kicks out! Taurus up now and grabs Vikingo, but Vikingo falls down. Taurus picks him up, Vikingo with a jawbreaker and a superkick! Off the ropes, he counters a powerbomb with a sunset flip powerbomb! Double knees strike sends both men to the outside!
Vikingo rolls Taurus in, he lies in wait — he charges but is caught for an Alabama Slam, but Vikingo counters! The kneepads are down, charging double knee strike, Vikingo up top for a 630 for three!
Winner: El Hijo del Vikingo (14:71)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: Good Lord. This was top-notch work and a major improvement over their Final Battle match. Fantastic main event to end the show.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
