By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 132)
Taped February 14, 2024 in Cedar Park, Texas at HEB Center
Aired February 16, 2024 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired and pyro shot off on the stage. Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Matt Menard checked in on commentary. Jeff Hardy and Sammy Guevara were already in the ring for the opening match…
1. Jeff Hardy (w/Matt Hardy) vs. Sammy Guevara in a No DQ match. The two slapped each other to start before exchanging blows. Excalibur noted that Guevara’s wife Tay Melo and their baby daughter were in attendance. Hardy slammed Guevara and then grabbed a ladder from under the ring. Guevara dropkicked the ladder into Hardy. Guevara attacked Hardy on the outside of the ring. Hardy whipped Guevara into the ringside barricade before clotheslining him from the apron.
Back in the ring, Hardy stomped on Guevara on the apron and stood on his throat. Guevara responded with a knee strike and went for a piledriver which was blocked. Guevara hit a superkick and a double stomp on the apron. Guevara covered Hardy in the ring for a near fall. Hardy rolled to the outside where Guevara choked him with a fan’s neck brace.
Hardy rammed Guevara into the barricade and followed up with a dropkick. Hardy ran and jumped off the ring steps, crushing Guevara into the barricade. Back in the ring, Hardy threw a chair at Guevara’s face. Both climbed the ladder and exchanged blows. Hardy hit a Twist of Fate off the top of the ladder for a near fall. The show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Hardy placed Guevara on a table at ringside. Hardy climbed an outside ladder but Guevara intercepted him. Guevara threw Hardy back in the ring. Guevara knocked Hardy off the top rope. Guevara wrapped a chair around Hardy’s neck and hit a cutter from the top rope. Guevara rolled Hardy onto the table at ringside. Guevara climbed the ladder and hit a Swanton Bomb on Hardy through the table.
Back in the ring, Guevara went for a shooting star press off the top rope but Hardy got the knees up. Guevara’s knee struck Hardy in the face and nose on the move. Hardy recovered and went for the Twist of Fate but Guevara reversed it into his GTH finisher for the win.
Sammy Guevara defeated Jeff Hardy in a No DQ match in about 12:30.
After the match, Powerhouse Hobbs attacked Guevara with a spine buster. He followed up with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam.
Don’s Take: For all the crazy bumps Hardy takes, it was an errant knee to the face that made for a scary moment during the match. Reports are that it’s a broken nose so he should be back in action in a couple of weeks or so. That aside, I’m not sure what warranted a No DQ stipulation, but that’s neither here nor there. In terms of Hobbs’ post-match attack, it was fine but Guevara isn’t clicking as a babyface to the point where an attack by Hobbs really doesn’t have the impact it could.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Brian Cage and Prince Nana. Paquette noted that next week on Dynamite, Cage will team with Swerve Strickland and AEW Champion Samoa Joe to face Hangman Adam Page, Rob Van Dam and FTW Champion Hook. Cage said it doesn’t matter who his partners are, Hook doesn’t belong here and likely doesn’t want to be here. He added it pisses him off when people cheer for Hook and boo him as he’s what a real wrestler should look like. He reiterated it doesn’t matter who his partners are – Hook is getting his ass beat.
Don’s Take: It’s weird that they’re clearly trying to make Strickland the babyface and Page the heel, yet Strickland is with the heels and Page is with the babyface. The addition of RVD also seems random.
Private Party and their bouncer were backstage. They talked about being in the top five in the tag team division and promised to shoot to the top in 2024. They said three things are certain. First, they talk the talk. Second, they walk the walk. And third, wherever they go, it’s “litty in the city.” Whatever that means… [C]
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli were backstage. Moxley said he was in a pissy move and that they were going to ruin their reputations as gentlemen because of their attack on FTR on Dynamite. He said no one in history steps up to the Blackpool Combat Club. Moxley said “you can’t fix stupid, but you can choke it.” He said that FTR are the standard bearers of tag team wrestling and what all the young teams aspire to be. He said he and Castagnoli were as good of a tag team as FTR is. He said they each know what the other is thinking and asked Castagnoli what he was thinking. Castagnoli replied “your wife’s glutes.” He added that when you’re good, you tell people but when you’re great, people tell you. They don’t need to proclaim themselves “Top Guys.” They don’t need to play because they are. Moxley said that was exactly what he was thinking…
FTR vs. Moxley and Castagnoli was hyped for Wednesday’s Dynamite…
Renee Paquette was backstage with Ruby Soho. She said that Soho had a lot of things going on and mentioned last week’s tag team match along with the fact that Angelo Parker wanted to see her. Saraya and Harley Cameron entered. Soho said she knew that Saraya was behind every bad thing that has happened but hoped it was because Saraya just wanted what was best for her. She said she was a grown-ass woman and knows what’s best for her and what’s best for her right now is space from Saraya. Soho walked off and Saraya said it’s really time to end things. Cameron said she’ll take out her knife and took out a spoon…
2. Dustin Rhodes, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich vs. Hitt, Romero Cruz, and Shimbashi. Rhodes and the Von Erichs started out with some offense on Hitt. Excalibur noted that Dusty Rhodes teamed with Kevin Von Erich in 1978 in Fort Worth, Texas. The Von Erichs and Rhodes then took turns on Shimbashi. The heels worked over Rhodes in the corner. Rhodes hit CrossRhodes on Cruz but the other heels broke up the pin. Everyone was the ring as the Von Erichs put the Iron Claw on Hitt and Shimbasi while Rhodes hits the Final Reckoning on Cruz for the win.
Dustin Rhodes, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich defeated Hitt, Romero Cruz, and Shimbashi in about 1:40.
Don’s Take: This was a match for the local fans, but I’m still surprised they didn’t hype a Von Erichs television appearance even a little bit. I know they’re not under AEW contracts, but The Iron Claw is still in some theaters and is starting to be available for purchase on streamers and cable systems, so they might have been able to get a couple more eyeballs on the show with a bit more promotion.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Toni Storm, Luther and Mariah May. Paquette asked Storm to respond to Purrazzo’s comments on Dynamite. Storm laughed and then attacked May with an arm lock and a leg lock. She yelled maniacally but said that this is what is going to happen at Revolution as no one likes a pissed off drama queen.
A video recapped Nicholas Jackson and Matthew Jackson’s attack on Darby Allin, Sting, and Sting’s sons.
Don’s Take: I received some reader criticism last week for stating that this is the first time the Young Bucks are doing some character work. To clarify, I’m complimenting them. I’m into this storyline. It’s on a national stage. If they did the same act in front of a few hundred people on the indies, that’s great, but AEW can’t expect fans beyond the real diehards to know the difference. And no, this was certainly not their act in NJPW. My stance stands.
An ad hyped Renee Paquette’s “Close Up” show on YouTube with guest Queen Aminata…
Don’s Take: AEW did quite a few little ads for this. It’s more shoulder content, but hopefully it will do a good job in establishing characters and back stories.
3. Queen Aminata vs. Anna Jay. Chain wrestling to start. Aminata grabbed a headlock but Jay responded with an attack in the corner. Jay hit a backstabber for a near fall as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the commercial, Jay had the advantage but the two exchanged chops which Aminata got the better of. Aminata took over on offense. Each missed an attempted hip check in the corner. Aminata eventually hit a big boot in the corner for a near fall. Jay hit a flatline for a near fall. Jay went for the choke hold but Aminata rolled it into a near fall. Aminata followed up with a head butt for the win.
Queen Aminata defeated Anna Jay in about 8:00.
Aminata and Jay hugged after the match…
Don’s Take: If you’ve read my reports over the last several weeks, you’ll know that I’m high on Aminata, so I’m happy to see her pick up a win. Unfortunately, it comes at the expense of Anna Jay, who I think could be presented better than she is. She’s broken off from whatever is left of the Jericho Appreciation Society. It’s time for her to find a persona that works so that she can work her way up the card.
Renee Paquette is earning her paycheck this week as she is once again backstage, this time with Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Stokely Hathaway. Paquette asked Nightingale if she was happy with her victory on Dynamite which saw Hathaway have the assist. Nightingale wasn’t pleased and Statlander said they should have had a meeting. She said there would be no more cheating and had Nightingale shake hands with Hathaway. Both glared at each other while doing so. [C]
This may be a record. Renee Paquette is backstage AGAIN – this time with Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker. Paquette gave the floor to Parker. He wished Soho a Happy Valentine’s Day and said he felt things about her he never felt before. He talked about what’s happened in the past and she cut him off and asked if he’d like to have a drink with her on Wednesday, as she has a red eye to catch.
Don’s Take: If she was really into you, she’d miss the flight. Run Angelo, run! Kidding aside, this is campy silliness that I’m looking forward to ending.
4. “The Bang Bang Scissor Gang” Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Billy Gunn, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens vs. Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds (w/Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt) in a 12-Man Tag Team Match. No entrances for either team. White started out with Lethal. Both traded moves and chain wrestling. Jarrett distracted White allowing the heels to get the advantage. Colten then squared off with Uno and hit a good looking dropkick.
The babyfaces took turns hitting offensive moves on Uno before they cleared the heels from the ring. The show went to its final picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, the heels were in control of Austen Gunn. Tony Schiavone reminded us that Collision will not be on tonight but would return next week. Singh tagged in and performed some basic power moves. Eventually, Austen escaped and tagged Billy. Billy cleaned house for a bit.
Down the stretch, everyone took turns hitting different moves and finishers on each other. At one point, Reynolds shoved Billy into White knocking White off the apron. In the ring, Colten and Billy hit the 3:10 to Yuma for the win.
“The Bang Bang Scissor Gang” Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Billy Gunn, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens defeated Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds in about 11:00.
The babyfaces celebrated in the ring. In the background, you could see White and Billy talking about the knock off the apron as the show went off the air.
Don’s Take: I know many of you get a kick out of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. Would you say Jay White today is as relevant than the Jay White who held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship? Compare Colten and Austin’s relevance on the card to where they were a year ago. Do the same with the Acclaimed and think back to where they were in 2021. If you can honestly say that they’re all in a good or better place than they were, more power to you because I just don’t see it. Too much talent, especially in the case of Jay White to be wasted in a low-level comedy faction.
Another decent episode and, as we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, the ratings have been creeping up ever so slightly. I’ll be curious to see how the show does as the lead in to the NBA All-Star festivities. I’ll never complain about the show starting at 7 p.m. ET vs. 10 p.m.. If it does well in this slot, moving the show may be something to consider. Of course, the TV wrestling landscape is changing in 2025 anyway, so who knows what Rampage will look like or if it will even exist. In any event, that’s a conversation for another day. Until next week!
It’s not exactly the same, but I’d say the obnoxious, gaijin, Devitt-led Bullet Club that disrespected Japanese wrestling by cheating and refusing to embrace the culture etc is similar to what the Bucks are doing.
Anna Jay’s in a tough spot, unless she and Jack Perry are no longer together. That will be interesting to follow.