By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
AEW Rampage (Episode 72)
Taped December 21, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas at Freeman Coliseum
Aired December 23, 2022 on TNT
Jim Ross checked in and welcomed everyone to Rampage. Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho and Excalibur were also on commentary.
1. Three Kings Christmas Casino Trios Battle Royale. Yepper, I have no idea what this is. There is $300,000 on the line (I guess?). Orange Cassidy was on the outside and Rush punched him. Rush then choked Cassidy with a chord. In the ring, Chuck Taylor was eliminated by Preston Vance. The Blackpool Combat Club made their entrance. Everyone in the ring fought each other and that’s pretty much all we got for a while until the Dark Order made their entrance. Dark Order and Vance fought each other. Casey did the pockets spot and we went to break [PIP].
Back from break Cassidy hit Blade with the Orange Punch and from there Kip Sabin and Cassidy fought up the ramp until the SAP had their music hit. Serpentico and his people made their way to the ring. Luther posed in the middle of it and Angelico was eliminated. Rush eliminated John Silver. Evil Uno then worked on Rush. Moxley hit a cutter on Uno and due to their best efforts, Uno was eliminated. Claudio eliminated Luther.
The Trusttbusters made their entrance and made misogynistic comments about cows. Wheeler Yuta was eliminated but Serpentico was then rocked by Vance via a clothesline and thrown out. Top Flight made their entrance as the final team. Daivari was soon eliminated. Claudio and Moxley eliminated Vance. Josh Woods was eliminated and it wasn’t long before Nese was eliminated by Top Flight. Trent and Butcher were eliminated.
Claudio and Rush squared off. They exchanged chops and uppercuts. The two made their way to the apron and exchanged blows. Claudio eliminated Rush. Moxley then eliminated AR Fox. The final four were Darius and Dante Martin and Moxley and Claudio. Hangman Page then ran in to beat up Moxley, but security stepped in. Darius ultimately eliminated Moxley and Moxley brawled with Hangman outside. Moxley went back into the ring to hit a splash from the top onto security and Hangman. Inside the ring, Claudio picked up both Martins, but they got out of it and put Top Flight on the apron.
Darius hit a Flatliner on Claudio. Top Flight lifted Claudio, but Claudio worked his way out of it. Back in the ring, Top Flight hit some double-team moves, but they couldn’t initially couldn’t eliminate Claudio. It took some work, but before long, Top Flight actually eliminated Claudio.
Top Flight and AR Fox won the Three Kings Christmas Casino Trios Battle Royale in 22:01.
McGuire’s Musings: That was a lot of a lot of a lot of a lot. I appreciate how they protected Claudio in that it took all of the best spots Top Flight ever knew on top of all the best spots Top Flight ever knew. All told, the format was confusing and I wasn’t even quite sure how this was going to work until about halfway through the thing. I guess this was supposed to launch a few more programs, and that, it did, but taken as a whole … well, it’s the holiday season, so I won’t say much. Instead, I’ll just note that I’m happy to see Top Flight get a win and some shine.
Back from break, Eddie Kingston and Ortiz made their way to the ring. Kingston barked. Kingston aid House of Black didn’t sign the contract. Kingston said he wants to fight them now. Kingston said hit the lights with the “creepy crap,” and the lights went out. Black appeared on the screen and talked about enemies and it was confusing…
McGuire’s Musings: I guess the story is that Ortiz was never attacked, but Kingston was.
Renee interviewed Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara. Garcia said he doesn’t like anything about Sammy. Sammy said Garcia is a professional tight ass. Sammy tried to hug Garcia and Garcia kind of resisted it…
2. Jade Cargill vs. Vertvixen for the TBS Championship. Cargill face-planted Vertvixen. Cargill slammed Vertvixen. Then we got the big-ass PIP, so to break, we go. [c] Back from break, Cargill hit a pump-kick for the win…
Jade Cargill defeated Vertvixen via pinfall in 4:57 to retain the TBS Championship.
After the match, Ruby Soho called out Tay Melo. Before long, Willow came into the promo and the two were pumped. We then got the rundown of Dynamite on Wednesday. Wardlow cut a promo from the back saying that Joe isn’t a king. We got a tease for the main event and to commercial, we went.
McGuire’s Musings: That Jade match was some of the dumbest placement of a match I’ve ever seen on Rampage and I’ve been covering Rampage since Episode 1. Vertvixen never had a chance and we knew that, but somehow, in some way, they were able to stretch that out for nearly five minutes. It’s Christmas week, so again, no meanness from me. But that was … not the best. Meanwhile, hey I’m all for a Ruby/Willow tag-team, but let’s talk again once AEW has women’s tag titles. Until then … why? And what?
Back from break, Hobbs was choking someone out. From there, we got the Mark Henry segment. Sanjay Dutt said they were going to take The Acclaimed out. Lethal said they are better wrestlers. Billy Gunn told everyone to shut up. Bowens said they would beat Jericho’s Kid Rock-lookin ass all over everywhere. Henry then used his catchphrase and we went to the ring.
3. Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn (w/Max Caster) vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal (w/Satnam Singh, Sonjay Dutt). Caster rapped their way to the ring and referenced the Impact Zone and it was incredible. Bowens and Lethal began the match and exchanged strikes. Jarrett then tagged in and locked up with Gunn, who tagged in. Jarrett strutted, but Gunn came back with a tough clothesline. Gunn hit a suplex but then Lethal tagged in. Gunn tagged in Bowens, who slammed Lethal and then Bowens and Gunn scissored it out. Bowens wound up on the outside and Jarrett clotheslined him for our final PIP [c].
Back from break, Lethal and Jarrett had control. Lethal worked over Bowens. Lethal landed a snap-duplex for a two-count. Lethal went for a suplex, but Bowens blocked it. Jarrett tagged in and tried to work over Bowens, but Gunn got the hot tag and took everyone out. Satnam Singh tried to interfere, but Gunn wasn’t having it. After a second oe two, Jarrett took a punch from Caster but then Dutt hit a low blow on Gunn and Lethal hit the Lethal Injection for the win.
Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal defeated Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn via pinfall in 11:46.
Jarrett kind of posed to end the show…
McGuire’s Musings: The match was fine, I guess. For a Christmas week match. On a show that was pre-taped. Or whatever. Tony Khan can push Jarrett and Dutt as much as he wants down our throats, but it doesn’t seem to do anything for anyone, and if this was designed to make the Jarrett/Lethal team to have credibility because they beat some form of the AEW tag champs, I’m not so sure that it worked. But everyone worked hard and everyone should be celebrated for doing what they could under the circumstances. I just don’t really think this was the best use of either team.
I’ll have more to say in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). It will be available on Saturday morning as opposed to tonight this time around. I do apologize for that, but I will add that I hope all of you have a very merry and great and fabulous Christmas.
For not trying to be mean, you sure sounded like Scrooge!