By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 127)
Taped January 10, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place
Aired January 12, 2024 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired and pyro shot off from the stage… Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Jim Ross were on commentary. Eddie Kingston and Wheeler Yuta were already in the ring for the opening match…
1. Eddie Kingston vs. Wheeler Yuta for the Continental Crown Championship. Yuta ducked out of the ring to start. Both men engaged in some basic chain wrestling with Kingston working on Yuta’s arm. Yuta reversed it into a leg lock but Kingston got to the ropes. Yuta continued with a headlock and arm bar on the mat but Kingston got the ropes once again. Yuta rolled up Kingston for a one-count, grabbed the headlock but Kingston got to the ropes again.
Yuta slapped Kingston, who responded with a slap and a kick of his own. Yuta threw Kingston onto the floor and dove onto him before yanking his right arm over the top rope. Yuta hit a flying cross body for a two count. Yuta missed a splash in the corner and Kingston responded with rapid chops. Kingston charged the corner and was met with a back elbow. Yuta continued to work on Kingston’s right arm as Kingston rolled to the outside. Yuta rammed Kingston’s arm into the ringside barrier and continued the attack on the floor.
Back in the ring, Yuta stayed on the offense and covered for a two count. Yuta put Kingston in a surfboard which Kingston escaped but was met with a dropkick. The show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Yuta stayed on the arm attack for several minutes. Yuta kicked Kingston in the back and slapped him. Kingston responded with a comeback on punches, chops and kicks. Kingston hit a double arm suplex. Kingston missed a charge in the corner but caught Yuta coming off the top rope and hit and exploder suplex. Kingston caught Yuta running in with a knee and a DDT for a two count.
Yuta kicked Kingston out of the corner and Kingston chopped Yuta while he was perched on the second rope. Yuta hit a DDT from the second rope and scored a two count when Kingston grabbed the bottom rope. Yuta hit a series of elbow strikes and went back to the arm but Kingston again escaped to the ropes. Kingston responded with a couple of chops while Yuta ducked the back hand and hit a German suplex for a near fall.
Kingston hit an enzuigiri and Yuta came right back with an Angle Slam. Yuta hit a top rope splash for a near fall. Yuta worked on the arm again. Kingston fired up and hit a side suplex, followed by a back fist, a half and half suplex and a Northern Lights Bomb for the win… [C]
Eddie Kingston defeated Wheeler Yuta in 17:50 to retain the Continental Crown Championship.
Don’s Take: A good win for Kingston and I loved the strategy of Yuta working on Kingston’s arm in an attempt to neutralize the chops sand back fist. I also liked the announcers referring to Yuta as “Mr. Rampage” on Dynamite and, as I said, I wouldn’t mind seeing Rampage having signature talent that gives the fans some reason to watch. Whether it’s ROH Pure Title matches or Continental Crown Championship matches, it gives the show some form of identity and routine rather than just presenting four random matches each week. That said, Eddie Kingston is the modern day Tommy Dreamer. This match was a perfect example of a talent who is rough around the edges but over with the audience. He can be a regular on Rampage but should be showcased on the other shows as well.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and Mark Briscoe. Paquette noted that they had teamed last week and that the fans were into them. She asked if we would see more to which Briscoe confirmed. Jeff said they not only got over with the live crowd but also spiked the ratings. In the line of the night, Jeff said they beat the live Collision in viewership and key demographics. Matt gave Mark a Hardy Boys necklace and said that while they wanted the tag team championship, he could also see trios gold in their future…
2. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) vs. Matt Sydal. Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony accompanied Strickland onto the stage. The two exchanged moves to start with Sydal getting a fast two count. Strickland responded with a near fall of his own. Sydal repeated the move and got caught in a back breaker.
Strickland continued with the offense for several minutes working on Sydal’s back. Sydal attempted a comeback but received another back breaker. Strickland missed a kick and Sydal met him with a round house kick. Sydal hit a Air Raid Crash for a near fall. Sydal missed a kick and was hit with a rolling flatliner and vertical suplex. Strickland missed the stomp from the top rope but hit the JML driver for the win.
Swerve Strickland defeated Matt Sydal in about 4:00.
Don’s Take: As Strickland is in line for a shot at Samoa Joe and the AEW Championship, this was a good showcase win with a couple of brief hope spots from Sydal. It’s still unclear whether the company wants him to be a heel or a face, but it looks like the fans are making that decision for them.
Renee Paquette interviewed Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti backstage. She asked Dante about their recent success as a trios team. Before he could answer, Private Party entered and challenged two of them to a tag team match. Andretti accepted and did his spot with the water bottle…
3. Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata. The two locked up to start. Shida eventually got the better of the exchange, mounted Aminata and hit ten punches in the corner. Aminata rebounded and hit a hip attack in the corner (not as a good as Toni Storm’s, but a nice try). Aminata followed up with a boot to the side of the head as the show went to a picture-in picture break. [C]
After the break, both competitors were down. Eventually, they both got up and Shida hit a series of forearms while Aminata responded with a kick to the back. Shida responded with kicks of her own. The two then took turns inviting the other to kick her. Eventually, Shida blocked a kick and hit a dragon screw leg whip. Shida hit a vertical suplex for a near fall. The two exchanged forearms while Aminata hit a head butt and a German suplex for a near fall.
Shida hit a short-arm lariat while Aminata responded with a running knee strike for a near fall. Aminata missed a dive from the top rope which looked a bit botched. Shida hit a running knee strike and a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Shida followed up with the Katana kick for the win.
Hikaru Shida defeated Queen Aminata in about 9:00.
After the match, the two shook hands and embraced…
Don’s Take: This was a competitive match and the expected outcome. As I said last week, it looks like they are having Shida as a regular on Rampage to build up some wins to either go after Julia Hart and the TBS title or to have her face Deonna Purrazzo so that Purrazzo can earn an AEW Championship match against Toni Storm. In a women’s division in need of better direction, Shida is one of the bright spots who can serve multiple roles.
A video recapped the end of the FTR vs. House of Black match on Collision. Excalibur announced that on the upcoming Collision, FTR would team with Daniel Garcia to face the “House of Black” Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews, and Brody King… [C]
Renee Paquette interviewed Saraya and Ruby Soho. Paquette wished Soho a belated Happy Birthday. Saraya said she had something to show Soho something that would break her heart and played a video without audio of Angelo Parker talking with Harley Cameron and Cameron pulled him in and kissed him. Soho looked stunned and Parker came in with a cake. Soho jammed the cake in his face and told him to “go to hell.” Paquette said something that was bleeped out and Saraya said, “I always win.” Parker screamed after Soho that it’s “not what it looks like”…
4. Jake Hager, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker vs. Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds (w/Negative One). Parker still had the cake on his face and started off with Silver. Excalibur ran down the rest of the Collision lineup including the FTR and Garcia vs. House of Black match, Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony against Lance Archer and the Righteous, promos by Adam Copeland and Adam Page, and Red Velvet against the debuting Deonna Purrazzo.
Excalibur also mentioned the Battle of the Belts IX special after Collision, with Ricky Starks and Big Bill defending the AEW Tag Team Titles against Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara, Anna Jay vs. Julia Hart for the TBS Title, and Orange Cassidy vs. Preston Vance for the AEW International Title. He then mentioned Hook vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship for next week’s Dynamite.
The heels worked over Silver but Reynolds eventually made the hot tag and worked over Menard and Parker. Uno hit a German suplex on Parker. The trio took turns hitting moves on Menard as the show went to its final picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, the broadcast team recapped the heels working over Reynolds during the commercial. Uno tagged in and hit moved on all three heels. Uno hit a top rope sentan splash on Parker for a near fall. Uno went for a discus lariat but Parker hit him with a straight punch.
Silver tagged in and hit a series of forearms and kicks on Parker who then attacked all three heels. The Dark Order hit the pendulum bomb on Parker for a near fall that was broken up by Menard. They went for another triple team move on Parker but Menard interrupted. Hager came in and the heels triple teamed Reynolds. Hager hit the Hager bomb for a near fall.
Negative One climbed on the apron and had Hager’s hat. Menard and Parker chased him and were clotheslined by Uno. Back in the ring, Hager argued with Negative One, allowing Reynolds and Silver to hit Hager with several moves, ending with a jack knife German suplex for the win.
Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds defeated Jake Hager, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker in about 10:00.
The babyfaces celebrated as the show went off the air…
Don’s Take: Given that Dynamite had two Brodie Lee tribute matches, it was only logical to have this match on Rampage and it’s always good to see Negative One. They do seem to be doing a bit more with Matt Menard as part of Daniel Garcia’s act, so I’m wondering if he’ll be breaking away from this team before too long.
This was a good episode. If they continue to find ways to make certain talents regular show features, it may help the show gain some small traction. I’m not saying it will ever rise to the level of Dynamite or Collision, but consistency and familiarity is never a bad thing. Thanks for reading and I will be back next week. Until then!
I’m surprised they brought to attention the fact rampage beat collsion in the ratings. That’s not a good thing
I also thought that was a strange call.