By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 128)
Taped January 17, 2024 in North Charleston, South Carolina at North Charleston Coliseum
Aired January 19, 2024 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired and pyro shot off from the stage… Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni and Don Callis were on commentary… Chris Jericho made his way to the ring as a video recapped the events from the AEW Tag Team Title Match at Battle of the Belts IX…
1. Chris Jericho vs. Matt Sydal. The two locked up to start. Jericho grabbed a side headlock and shoulder blocked Sydal coming off the ropes. Sydal rebounded with a huracanrana followed by a clothesline over the top rope. Sydal slid through the middle ropes and dropkicked Jericho who was on the floor. Sydal clotheslined hit Jericho with a high knee from the apron. Back in the ring, Sydal hit Jericho with a Meteora from the top rope for a near fall.
Sydal ran off the ropes but was met with a clothesline. Jericho followed up with a back suplex and a series of chops in the corner. Sydal responded with a series of kicks out of the corner. Jericho reversed a roll up into the Walls of Jericho. Sydal escaped to the ropes. Jericho hit a springboard dropkick which knocked Sydal to the floor, as the show went to its first picture-in picture break. [C]
After the commercial, the two exchanged chops. Sydal ducked a clothesline and caught Jericho with a series of kicks. Jericho blocked a back body drop and shoulder blocked Sydal. Sydal attempted to throw Jericho over the top rope, but Jericho landed on the apron. Jericho jumped off the top rope and was met with a kick and a standing Mariposa by Sydal for a near fall.
Jericho caught Sydal while climbing the ropes. Sydal power bombed Jericho off of the second rope for a near fall. Sydal jumped off the second rope and was met by a code breaker from Jericho for another near fall. Jericho followed up with a series of chops but Sydal rolled him up for a near fall. Sydal followed up with a kick but Jericho caught him in a slam. Jericho went for the lion sault and Sydal brought the knees up. Sydal hit the Air Raid Crash for a two count.
Sydal continued the attack with chops and punches in the corner. Jericho reversed this and hit a hurricanrana from the second rope. While dazed, Jericho hit the Judas Effect on Sydal for the win.
Chris Jericho defeated Matt Sydal in about 10:35.
After the match, while Jericho was walking up the ramp, he was attacked by Konosuke Takeshita. The two brawled and were broken up by the referees and officials, including Christopher Daniels who took a strong shot from Takeshita.
Don’s Take: A good match with the expected outcome. It looks they are likely building to a showdown between Jericho and Takeshita at Revolution or possible a tag match with Jericho and Sammy Guevara against Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs, which should be fun. I didn’t read too much about the live crowd reaction to Jericho during this match, but my thought is that they went with the taped match option in case the negative sentiment was overwhelming, giving them the flexibility to adjust the crowd noise accordingly. What other creative ways can they come up with?
A video recapped the last meeting between Darby Allin and Jeff Hardy during the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament from May 2022. [C]
2. Penta El Zero Meido (w/Alex Abrhantes) vs. Anthony Henry. Matt Menard took over Don Callis’ spot on commentary. Penta caught Henry with a kick to the mid-section to start but missed a dive in the corner allowing Henry to hit double knees to the back and once again while Penta was in the corner. Henry hit a German suplex and a side kick to the face for a near fall.
Henry hit a series of knees and knocked Penta back into the corner. Henry charged in and was met with a super kick. Penta backdropped Henry into a handstand position and hit another kick to the head followed by a spinning Spicolli driver for a near fall. Penta continued the attack but Henry reversed it into a double stomp to the chest and a kick to the face for a near fall.
The two exchanged chops and kicks. Penta hit a series of forearms but was caught in a Spicolli driver by Henry for a near fall. Henry missed a dive from the top rope and Penta caught him with a belly to belly suplex into the corner. Penta followed up with the Feat Factor package piledriver for the win.
Penta El Zero Meido defeated Anthony Henry in about 4:00.
Don’s Take: I am sure you guys can come up with a variety of names, but I watch Penta in these matches and he’s one of the most underutilized talents in AEW, if not all of wrestling. He’s highly talented, but here’s just no point to any of his matches other than to showcase his high spots. If they’re ever going to be serious about making the tag team division relevant again, Meido and Fenix should be their top priority. As a singles competitor, they have enough titles that he could challenge for that could potentially help elevate those titles. And – Anthony Henry – what can I say? I keep hearing about the potential of the Workhorsemen. It’s not clicking for me. Again – he has talent, but his act brings little to the table.
Renee Paquette was backstage when Saraya, Ruby Soho and Harley Cameron entered the area arguing. Soho grabbed Cameron by the throat and asked her why she kissed Angelo Parker last week. Cameron, at the urging of Saraya, said that she was only trying to help her and blamed Anna Jay. Saraya reiterated the claim as the trio walked off. Paquette looked at Saraya distrustfully, while Saraya told her not to look at her that way.
3. Kris Statlander vs. Queen Aminata. Stokely Hathaway accompanied Statlander to the ring while it appeared that Statlander asked him to leave. The two exchanged arm bars to start. Hathaway remained at ringside. The two exchanged arm drags, but Statlander followed hers up with a takedown for a one count.
Statlander motioned for Hathaway to leave and Aminata rolled her up for a near fall. Statlander hit s snap mare and a shoulder block. Aminata responded with a snap mare of her own and a kick to the back. Statlander rolled Aminata up for a near fall and followed up with a take down and a senton. Statlander missed a dive and fell through the ropes to the floor. Aminata hit a diving cross body onto Statlander on the floor as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Aminata was still on offense. Aminata hit a vicious looking hip attack onto Statlander’s head in the corner. She then followed up with a kick to the head for near fall. Aminata grabbed an STF submission hold but Statlander attempted to reverse it into a tombstone piledriver. Aminata blocked the attempt and rolled Statlander up for a near fall. Statlander rebounded with a discus lariat for another two count.
Statlander hit a back elbow in the corner but missed a running knee which caused her to drive her own knee into the turnbuckle. Aminata hit a running knee and attempted to follow up but Statlander hit her with a snap power slam followed by a Fisherman’s Driver for the win.
Kris Statlander defeated Queen Aminata in about 9:00.
Don’s Take: This is Queen Aminata’s second straight appearance on Rampage and I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. She was obviously used to advance whatever story they are telling with Statlander and Stokely Hathaway, but eventually, with some more reps, she could evolve into a solid performer in a division that sorely needs it.
Jay Lethal was backstage with Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh. They were waiting on Jeff and Karen Jarrett, but Jay said he was happy they weren’t there so that he could speak openly. He said he wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take and thought maybe it would be best if he went on his own. Dutt suggested they kick Karen out of the group. Singh disagreed and said they should kick Jeff out. Jay said that this is what he was talking about and that he was here for gold and it may just be singles gold. He ended by repeating that he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. [C]
Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway. Renee asked Statlander about their relationship. Before she could answer, Willow Nightingale ran in. She apologized for missing Statlander’s match and said that someone cancelled her flight. Statlander looked suspiciously at Hathaway as he argued with Willow. Statlander told them both to shut up snd said that they would figure this out. Willow looked concerned with Hathaway gloated.
4. Jeff Hardy vs. Darby Allin. Allin went for a double fist bump and Hardy slapped him. Allin followed up with a dropkick that knocked Hardy to the floor. Allin dove onto Hardy and quickly rolled him back in the ring for a near fall. Hardy rolled to the floor. Allin followed him and was met with a clothesline. Hardy threw Allin over the announce table and into the ringside barricade. The announce team spoke of Hardy’s mean streak.
Hardy dove onto Allin from the ring apron. He then tried to dive onto Allin against the ringside barricade but missed. Allin seated Hardy on a chair and hit a series of slaps and chops. Allin then attempted to dive onto Hardy but Hardy moved and Allin crashed into the chair. The show went to its final picture-in picture break. [C]
After the break, Hardy was still on offense, hitting Allin with a series of neckbreakers and a face buster for a near fall. On the ropes, Hardy punched Allin but Allin responded with punches of his own into a Canadian Destroyer from the second rope for a near fall.
Excalibur ran down the Collison lineup. In addition to the matches announced on Dynamite, we learned that Jon Moxley will meet Shane Taylor, we’ll see another Adam Copeland Open Challenge match, and Thunder Rosa returns to action.
Hardy caught Allin on the top rope and hit a neck breaker from the top rope onto the ring apron. Hardy pulled out a table and placed Allin on it. After a series of punches, Hardy went for the swanton bomb but missed and crashed through the table. Allin threw Hardy back in the ring and went for the coffin drop but Hardy got the knees up. Hardy went for the Twist of Fate, but Allin reversed it into a roll up for the win.
Darby Allin defeated Jeff Hardy in about 14:00.
After the match, Allin attempted the double fist bump again. Hardy teased doing it but rolled out of the ring as the show went off the air.
Don’s Take: I’m intrigued by the evolving Hardy heel turn. As I’ve said, the Hardys have been spinning their wheels and Jeff expressed the sentiment on social media. They have a long way to go, but this is a step in the right direction and may lead to a Hardys vs. Sting and Darby showdown as one of Sting’s last matches before Revolution, which would be interesting.
The star power of Chris Jericho and Darby Allin gave this show a bit of a boost in terms of feeling relevant. As usual, it’s solid from a match standpoint, but still needs an identity and consistency separate from Dynamite and Collision to make fans care. They were on the right track with having Wheeler Yuta defend the ROH Pure Title regularly and dub himself Mr. Rampage, but they abandoned that this week. The Hardy heel turn has been mildly intriguing so perhaps that becomes the main Rampage storyline going further. Of course, whatever AEW’s upcoming TV deal ends up being may play a factor as well.
That’s all from me for now, but fear not, you get a double shot of me this week and next week, as I’ll be handling Collision coverage duties. I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you all. Until then!
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