AEW Rampage
Episode 18
#AEWRampage
Original Air Date: December 10, 2021
Event Date: December 1, 2021
(aired on TNT)
City: Elmont, NY (announced as Long Island, NY)
Venue: UBS Arena
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
Intro Video
Match 1
AEW World Tag Team Title Match
FTR (AAA Tag Champs) w/ Tully Blanchard vs The Lucha Brothers (AEW Tag Champs) w/ Alex Abrahantes
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Penta El Zero Miedo pins Cash Wheeler after Fear Factor, The Lucha Brothers retain the titles in their fourth defense
Time: 13:59
Match Thoughts
Great match! Both teams started doing what they do best, but after a while the Lucha Bros. managed to make it their style of match. Rey Fenix had an extended segment towards the middle of the bout where he took on both members of FTR by himself. That led to FTR trying to get tricky and find ways to cheat, but their efforts mostly didn’t succeed. The Lucha Bros. looked fantastic tonight. This was exciting.
Match 2
Tay Conti & Anna Jay & Ruby Soho vs The Bunny & Penelope Ford & “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose w/ Vickie Guerrero
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Nyla Rose pins Anna Jay after the Beast Bomb (and a punch with brass knuckles from The Bunny)
Time: 10:21
Match Thoughts
Good match. This was really a glorified preview for Nyla Rose versus Ruby Soho, and the two of them had a nice, though short, sequence in the middle of the match. Otherwise, this was a fine tag match with some fun chaos towards the end.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone welcomes Sting and Darby Allin. Tony wants to ask Sting about returning to Greensboro Coliseum in a few weeks, but FTR (with Tully Blanchard) attack Sting and Allin instead. The attack ends with FTR holding Sting so Tully can kick Sting in the groin.
Match 3
Hook vs Fuego Del Sol
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Hook wins via submission with Redrum (Kata Ha Jime)
Time: 3:20
Match Thoughts
This was a great debut for Hook. Hook was extremely aggressive with holds and suplexes, and his had an arrogant demeanor that showed great confidence. Also, the crowd was super into seeing him wrestle for the first time. Fuego Del Sol got a few moves in, but this match was all about Hook. He definitely seems like a new incarnation of his father Taz. I can only imagine how proud Taz was to be able to call this match.
Backstage
Via split-screen, Mark Henry interviews the competitors in tonight’s main event. Adam Cole isn’t impressed that Trent Barreta is back. Trent wonders if this interview should be all about him, but Orange Cassidy says tonight is all about Wheeler Yuta.
Match 4
Adam Cole w/ Young Bucks, Bobby Fish, Brandon Cutler vs Wheeler Yuta w/ Chuck Taylor, Trent Barreta, Rocky Romero, Orange Cassidy
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Adam Cole wins via pinfall after The Boom
Time: 7:13
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Adam Cole was more concerned with making an example out of Yuta as a way to get at Orange Cassidy, and that allowed Yuta to get some brief advantages. Yuta had some great technical moves, but Cole was easily more dominant tonight.
Ring Area
After the match, The Elite attack Chaos/Best Friends. The attacks ends with Adam Cole hitting Orange Cassidy with a low blow, and the SuperKliq hitting Trent with a triple BTE Trigger.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. With the exception of the Tag Title match, it did feel like a buildup show rather than a payoff. The matches were fun though.
Match of the Night
Lucha Brothers vs FTR
Great Tag Title match. It really felt like anything could happen, and the action was fantastic.