Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 12.23.22
Hello again friends! Lee Sanders here and Holiday Bash week for AEW concludes with tonight’s RAMPAGE! Solid card tonight as we get the 300,000 Three Kings Christmas Casino Trios Royale. TBS Champion Jade Cargill is in action against Vertvixen in a title eliminator match. Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal team up to face Billy Gunn & Anthony Bowens. Also tonight, Eddie Kingston & Ortiz, and Wardlow are scheduled to appear. Hey from all of us here at 411MANIA, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and holidays!
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Chris Jericho
MATCH 1: 300,000 THREE KINGS CHRISTMAS CASINO TRIOS ROYALE
Participants are Jon Moxley, Claudio Castanogli, Wheeler Yuta vs Kip Sabian, Butcher, Blade vs Trent Barretta, Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor vs RUSH, Preston Vance F.K.A 10, Kalistico vs Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, John Silver vs Darius & Dante Martin, and AR FOX, SAP (Spanish Announce Project’s Luther, Serpentico, Angelico) vs Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, Josh Woods
Rules are simple. All three members of a respected faction aka team have to be eliminated. Last team standing wins. Hangman Adam Page appears towards the end of this eliminator to get in a few punches on Jon Moxley. Tony Khan and crew booked this part of the match smart as they made sure to have Moxley eliminated by one of the members of Top Flight as they, Moxley and Claudio remained. After Moxley is dropped kicked outside the ring, Hangman is right there to continue his assault on Moxley when security steps in to break it up. Moxley breaks free and climbs to the top turnbuckle to dive onto Page and all of the security detail. Somehow all these men disappear as the action is focused on Claudio going toe to toe with the Martin brothers.
Winner:Top Flight and AR FOX (23:00)
Rating: NR
I’ve never been a fan of rumble or Battle Royal matches that start off a show. I just look at it as being lazy tv honestly. So for me to make up for that I look for making sense out of whoever wins these types of matches. I think Tony Khan and crew dropped the ball here cause it wasn’t that long ago Preston Vance joined RUSH. Vance should have won this without a doubt so RUSH could essentially say to him how much it pays to listen to him. What happened winning this match tonight is a taste of things to come. I love Top Flight but I’m concerned this win isn’t going anywhere unless they maybe step up to RUSH and crew to buy the contracts of Matt Hardy and Private Party. But why would they do that you ask? You fill in the blanks…
We are back! Eddie Kingston and Ortiz call out House of Black. Malakai, King and Matthews appear on the screen to ask a riddle. If the enemy of my enemy is my friend…then if the enemy of my friend is influenced by him…then would he be an enemy too? A cryptic message as maybe this is setting up the return of Santana possibly? To be continued…
Rene Paquette is interviewing Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara. Daniel talks about being a professional and working with Sammy if Chris Jericho thinks it’ll work out. Sammy called him a tight ass and tells him to loosen up, and to come in for a hug. Sammy promises they are going to do big things in the new year to come.
MATCH 2: TBS CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATOR-JADE CARGILL(C) VS VERTVIXEN
Jade picks up Vertvixen for a scoopslam and man was it a hard one. During the Picture-in-Picture break, Jade continues her offense on Vertvixen. Side bar, Vertvixen is also known as Glitch the Gamer and can be seen on the current new season of WOW WOMEN OF WRESTLING. Vixen now with a boot to the midsection. Vertvixen tries to build up some momentum as she bounces off the ropes and is dropped with a thrust kick by Jade. Nice axe kick follows up by Jade, and a giant pump kick to end this one.
Winner:Jade Cargill (5:00)
Rating: NR
Wasn’t a bad match but it wasn’t a good one either. I’ve seen enough of Vertvixen in WOW and know what she’s capable of so for me she played down to Jade’s level. It seems that Tony Khan and crew are running out of good ideas for Jade’s title reign. They really need to try working with other promotions like NWA, IMPACT, SHINE, SPARKLE even to see about freshening it up cause it’s starting to become boring. Jade is awesome, great look and she is getting better. She sadly can only do but so much with what is being given to her. Tony Khan and crew please do better by this woman already!
Ruby Soho is shown in a video package now as she talks about beating Tay Melo. Her win should’ve been the end of it but Anna Jay got involved post-match. Ruby now realizes she’s going to have to get a partner. That partner is…My girl Willow Nightingale! Oh yes!
Wardlow appears in a video package still fuming at the recent actions of Samoa Joe. This is a continuation of building up their match that’ll be taking place on the January 4th live edition of AEW DYNAMITE.
Backstage in an alley, Powerhouse Hobbs is attacking some random fellow saying he will take everything from them.
MATCH 3: THE ACCLAIMED’S ANTHONY BOWENS AND BILLY GUNN VS JEFF JARRETT AND JAY LETHAL
Max Caster is “injured” as Daddy Ass aka Billy Gunn is filling in for him in this tag match. Bowens and Lethal kick things off with a lockup. Soon both men are exchanging chops and punches. Lethal tries for a figure-four that gets turned into an inside cradle. Quick kick out as more chops and right hands are exchanged. Bowens off the ropes and connects with a fammasser for a two count. Billy Gunn and Jarrett get tagged in at the same time. Thumb to the eye of Gunn as Jarrett takes advantage with a back elbow. Gunn delivers a hard clothesline as he sends Jarrett face first into the top turnbuckle, followed by a modified suplex for a near fall. Jarrett makes the tag to Lethal as Lethal is denied a double sledge from the top turnbuckle! Bowens and Gunn double team with a stereo elbow drop on Lethal. Bowens is sent outside the ring where Jarrett clotheslines him into next Friday as we head into our last commercial break. We are back as Bowens is sent into the ropes as Lethal is tagged in and catches Bowens in a swinging neckbreaker. Cover attempt made by Lethal as Bowens is still showing some life. Lethal now with a snapped suplex for another near fall. Headlock applied to a Bowens, followed by a couple of punches to the midsection. Swing and miss by Lethal as Bowens gets a rollup for a near fall. Lethal comes right back with a Lethal combination but delays himself in going right for the cover. Jarrett is tagged back in as the Texas crowd is chanting JARRETT SUCKS! Bowens let’s off a flurry of strikes as he finally makes the hot tag to Billy Gunn! Clothesline to Lethal who’s tagged in now! Jarrett gets a clothesline as well as wait a minute! Satnam gets a clothesline too! Bowens gets The Stroke by Jarrett to send him out the ring. Max Caster gets up on the apron as the referee tries to stop him. Meanwhile Billy tosses Gunn over the rope while Sunjay Dutt delivers a low blow to Billy. Lethal capitalizes with the lethal injection to end this match to a choir of boos to end this episode.
Winner:Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal (9:00)
Rating: ***
I can hear the anti-Jeff Jarrett fans right now after seeing him and Lethal pick up a non-title victory on Acclaimed. I know some people are very concerned for Acclaimed as they feel Jarrett may politic his way to getting the tag titles. For me I’m just not seeing it as I’m still looking at this as establishing Acclaimed even further as one of the current best tag teams in AEW. This non-title match is just going to add more fuel to the fire to strengthen Jarrett and Lethal’s argument of getting a title shot. Gotta say of all the story arcs currently, this one has been one of my personal favorites. Solid effort by all men in this tag match
End of Show
For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!
THE FINAL SCORE: REVIEW
NOT SO GOOD
The weekend before Christmas, gotta be honest I wasn’t expecting that much to happen on this episode. Honestly for me this episode wasn’t needed as I’m sure most people that saw this will agree with me when I say they could’ve taken the week off. We would’ve been just fine until a new RAMPAGE returns. This was honestly a one match episode which may be okay for some people. For me I care about quality rather than quantity. The quality of the trios Battle Royal match was decent, I appreciate Tony Khan and them trying to jazz it up, doing something new. Still it was an average match. And the Jade Cargill match? Forget about it! The main event match is where the meat and potatoes was at this week. What did you think about the show overall and should Vance won the $300,000 or did you have someone else in mind? Sound off! Happy Holiday weekend! For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!