AEW Rampage

Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 12.30.22

Hello my friends! Lee Sanders back with you all for the final 2022 edition of AEW RAMPAGE as NEW YEAR’S SMASH week concludes. Tonight’s card includes an AEW All-Atlantic Championship match as Orange Cassidy defends against Trent Beretta. Meanwhile, TBS Champion Jade Cargill defends her title against Kiera Hogan. Swerve Strickland faces Wheeler Yuta and loads more.

Earlier today we lost legendary TNA alumni and wrestling sports broadcaster Don West at age 59. Mr. West had been battling lymphoma since being diagnosed in 2021. He leaves behind his wife Teri of 30 years. For myself and all of us here at 411MANIA, we want to extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. West’s friends, family and colleagues as this is a huge lost for the wrestling community.

Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and BIG SHOW Paul Wight

MATCH 1: AEW ALL-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP- ORANGE CASSIDY(C) VS TRENT BERETTA

This match begins with a handshake between these two friends as we head into the action. We soon find the men fighting outside the ring as Beretta sends Cassidy crashing into the barricades. Beretta looks on very conflicted as Cassidy comes to his feet and gestures for him to bring it. Beretta charges and misses as Cassidy moves out the way to have Beretta crash into the barricades. Cassidy follows up with a dropkick while his hands are in his pocket as we head into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as both men are back inside the ring now as Cassidy delivers a hard chop to the chest of Trent. Soon both men are trading chops as Cassidy gets in a thrust kick! Trent comes back with a lariat and a half & half as Cassidy rebounds with a Michinoku Drive for a near fall! Beretta comes flying in with a elbow as Cassidy responds with a spinning ddt, followed by a flying ddt from the top rope. Trent kicks out as the fans are enjoying this one as we watch Cassidy take off his elbow pad. Orange punch is denied by Trent as he tried looking for a twisted tombstone as Cassidy counters with a crucifix rollup. Trent gets out of the hold and applies the twisted tombstone for a kick out. THIS IS AWESOME chants coming from the fans as Trent plants Cassidy with a piledriver for another near fall as Penelope Ford comes out to jump on the apron to distract Trent. Cassidy comes from behind Trent to apply beach break for a kickout! Cassidy delivers the orange punch to finish this match!

Winner:Orange Cassidy (12:19)
Rating: ***
Solid opener and the right formula to go with as the best matches involve those who are legit friends in real life. Just makes great drama, chemistry, and excellent entertainment. The boys checked off all the marks here in this encounter!

Post-match, commentators wonder as they ask Kip Sabian who joined them for commentary during this opening match, if Kip is happy because of Cassidy retaining or because of the interference by Penelope. Kip wouldn’t answer as he makes his exit from the booth.

Footage of Tony Schiavone speaking to Sting and Darby Allin is shown. Schiavone reveals that Darby will be facing Samoa Joe for the TNT Championship and wants his thoughts. Darby talks about how he’s defied the odds and how a lot of people don’t believe in him. Darby asks Sting if he believes Darby can beat Joe. Sting feels Joe is a killer and that Darby is going to have to dig down deep and stop the madness. Darby needs to stop feeding into what people think and go do the job already, go get his title back.

MATCH 2: KIP SABIAN VS CREATED WRESTLING #41

Top dive onto the stomach from the top rope as Penelope Ford tosses Orange Cassidy’s elbow pad from earlier into the ring. Kip puts it on and delivers his own version of an orange crush to end this match

Winner:Kip Sabian (1:19)
Rating: NR
Totally not needed considering what we just saw before as this was overkill. Great, you beat a jobber…And?

Perrero Pelegroso aka 10 aka Preston Vance is interviewed by Lexi as he talks about being behind a mask and throwing up stupid hand gestures. He takes jabs at Lexi for being a blonde but she’s actually more like a brunette. Vance wants to know who he’s wrestling as Lexi informs him she doesn’t know. He doesn’t have any remorse for his recent actions including disrespecting the late Brodie Lee’s son. Had Preston known that crap was gonna get him over big time, he would’ve done it three years ago. The interview ends as we head into commercial breaks. Side note, Preston Vance needs to stick with a name and stay with it already. Shesh! Learn from Big Will aka Big Cass aka CasXL aka W. Morrissey, etc, etc, etc.

Jon Moxley joins us inside the ring now as he talks about how he knew a showdown would happen eventually between himself and Hangman Page. He talks about hitting Hangman so hard that the man ended up in the hospital while he slept like a baby. The Combat Club works hard, they don’t care about the safety of the athletes. Page can’t get the doctors to clear him while Moxley admits that he’s been hurt for a majority of his career. It all comes with the territory when you strive to be the best. Moxley encourages Hangman to ask his doctors about January 11th at The Forum as meantime he wants for his “bitch ass” to keep his hands up. Moxley hopes to see him 1 on 1 at that respected DYNAMITE.

Backstage, Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett chew into The Acclaimed as they seek to end their careers while taking away the AEW TAG TITLES next week on DYNAMITE.

MATCH 3: AEW WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP-JADE CARGILL(C) VS KIERA HOGAN

And we begin with a lockup as it’s a stalemate that sees both women break. Jade with a kick to the midsection, followed by a delayed-staling suplex as Kiera reverses it into a pinning predicament. Jade gets out of it quickly as she looks for a pump kick but misses. She redeems herself with a chokeslam of Kiera as we head into another set of ad breaks. We are back now as during the commercial break Jade dominated Kiera while arguing with referee Aubrey Edwards. One mean pump handle kick sends Kiera to the canvas. Cover attempt made as Kiera kicks out and tries rolling outside the ring. Leila Grey holds onto to Kiera from behind as Jade is about to smack her silly when Red Velvet grabs Jade’s hand and tells her no. Kiera delivers a boot to the midsection and tosses Jade into the ring. Kiera charges and is planted with a thrust kick by Jade! Kiera manages to pull off a reversal bulldog, followed by a hip attack, and two thrust kicks to Jade’s face after Jade tried looking for jaded. Nice dropkick to Jade from the corner as Kiera climbs up to the top rope. Fantastic diving crossbody connects but it only gets Kiera a near fall. Kiera tries picking up Jade but Jade turns her around quickly and plants her with jaded for the victory.

Winner:Jade Cargill (7:00)
Rating: ***
Gotta say this was one of the best matches I’ve seen Jade involved in this year. I actually believed many times that maybe Kiera was going to get the title as I questioned how much more help would come from Red Velvet. For me and what I’ve seen of Jade since her arrival is she’s only as good as her opponent and Kiera made her look like a megastar. Kiera did all the right things while also making herself look good in the process as well. Really proud of both women in this match tonight.

Hype video for Jaime Hayter teaming with Britt Baker to face Saraya and whoever Saraya’s mystery tag partner will be is shown as we head into another set of and breaks.

We are back as Smart Mark Sterling, Tony Nese, and Josh Woods as Sterling reveals how he doesn’t like Bryan Danielson messing with his best friend in MJF. Sterling spoke with Tony Khan to setup Tony Nese versus Danielson on next weeks DYNAMITE.

MATCH 4: WHEELER YUTA VS SWERVE STRICKLAND

Both men jockeying for position here in the early beginning. There is a lot of hand grabbing here as both men are fighting for a vertical advantage. More lockups and reversals, followed up by counters as it’s coming off a bit theatrical. Nice scoop slam by Yuta followed up with a senton! Yuta goes for the cover as Swerve kicks out at the count of one. Yuta with a single leg crab as the hold turns into a bow and arrow stretch. Swerve counters with a lateral press for a quick kickout by Yuta. Yuta drops Swerve with a dropkick as Yuta delivers a dive over the ropes to crash into Swerve. We head into a commercial break as Parker Boudreaux and Granden Goetzman get in Yuma’s face. This causes enough of a distraction for Swerve to come in with a cheap attack as we head into our final set of commercial breaks. We are back as Yuta delivers a back body drop on Swerve! Inside cradle by Swerve as Yuta barely kicks out! Yuta now to the top rope as he delivers an elbow strike, followed by a kip-up as he delivers a suplex! Swerve kicks Yuma’s kneecap as it buys him time to plant Yuta in a brain buster! Cover attempt made as Yuta kicks out! Punches to Yuta’s midsection now as we see a series of rollup pin attempts. Lot of kick outs from these pin attempt exchanges as fans are chanting for Yuta. Swerve with a thrust kick to Yuta’s face as he follows up with a dropkick to the injured kneecap from earlier. Swerve climbs to the top rope as Yuta derails him with an enziguri. Yuta climbs up to rake the back of Swerve as he delivers a superplex! Yuta delivering an elbow to the back of the head and neck as Swerve gets out to deliver a side kick to the neck. Swerve tried looking for the JML driver as Yuta senses it coming and tries to counter. Somehow in the process the referee almost gets caught up and it was enough of a distraction for Swerve to deliver a low blow while planting Yuta in the JML driver for the victory.

Winner:Swerve Strickland (12:00)
Rating: ****
BANGER! BANGER! BANGER! I can watch these guys go at it for hours. Talk about high energy and great entertainment. Swerve needed this win because this stable of his is very fresh and it’s all about establishing it right now. No problem with the way this panned out as I don’t see this stable feuding with the Combat Club just yet. Brings about an interesting question though which is does Keith Lee maybe join Wheeler and Claudio in feuding with Swerve and his stable? Do we eventually see Claudio versus Swerve for the ROH World title? Kinda like the idea but let me hear from you all.

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

VERY GOOD

A very strong final RAMPAGE and greet way to close out 2022. A welcomed rebound from last week which was honestly a one match edition. Some nice developing stories playing out here as you have Jade Cargill now wondering what is Red Velvet’s issue with her exactly? Also, the seed planted of Trent Beretta being frustrated after his match with Cassidy ending in controversy. Kip Sabian has obviously planted some good mischief here but how far will it develop? Are see potentially seeing the end of Best Friends? All this and the continued buildup for Preston Vance, Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett versus The Acclaimed, you couldn’t ask for anything more. What did you guys think about this weeks RAMPAGE? Sound off 411MANIACS! Meantime, please be safe this New Year’s weekend and have loads fun as I look forward to interacting with you all in 2023! 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!

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