AEW Rampage
Episode 22
#AEWRampage
Original Air Date: January 7, 2022
Event Date: January 5, 2022
(aired on TNT)
City: Newark, NJ
Venue: Prudential Center
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz, Ricky Starks, Chris Jericho
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Match 1
Adam Cole vs Jake Atlas
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Adam Cole wins via submission with a leg lock
Time: 9:41
Match Thoughts
Good match. Jake Atlas was impressive in his Dynamite debut. He’s big and agile, and he stood up well against Adam Cole. Unfortunately, a jump from the top rope ended up hurting Atlas’s left knee towards the end of the match. Atlas bent his leg a bit sideways, and Cole had to improvise and just put Atlas in a leg lock with no real pressure for the submission victory.
Ring Area
After the match, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly join Adam Cole in the ring. Cole prepares to beat up Jake Atlas more, but Orange Cassidy walks to the ring with a chain as Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta run out to join him.
Video
Dustin Rhodes explains that, due to medical protocol, Cody Rhodes will not be defending the TNT Title against Sammy Guevara. Instead, Dustin will face Guevara for an interim TNT Championship. Sammy doesn’t care who he faces, he just wants the title back.
Video
We see clips from the debut episode of AEW Dynamite on TBS a couple of days ago.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone asks Andrade El Idolo why he distracted Darby Allin and Sting last week. Andrade has a question of his own: why does “this little kid” work for Sting? Schiavone explains that Darby Allin doesn’t work for Sting, they’re actually friends. Andrade says “okay,” but he also wants to know how much Sting wants for Allin because he and Jose need an assistant.
Match 2
Hook vs Aaron Solo w/ QT Marshall
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Hook wins via submission with Redrum
Time: 3:11
Match Thoughts
Good match. Hook was cold and calculating as usual, and he looked good (as usual). Solo got the most offense on Hook that we’ve seen so far in AEW, but that was mostly because QT Marsall distracted Hook by grabbing his foot from ringside. Hook managed his time on defense well, and his finish to the match was emphatic.
Ring Area
After the match QT Marshall confronts Hook in the ring. Hook is fine with walking away, but Marshall takes a swing. Then, Marshall takes a suplex.
Ring Area
At the commentary table, Ricky Starks says that he will be defending his title against Matt Sydal at Battle of the Belts. The reason Starks demanded the match is to prove a point. It took Dante Martin three tries to beat Sydal, but Starks will do it in one.
Video
Penelope Ford and The Bunny talk about their tag team street fight last week. They say they did what they set out to do: make sure nobody forgets them. Anna Jay and Tay Conti also talk about the match, saying they did whatever it took to get the win.
Match 3
Ruby Soho & Riho vs Jamie Hayter & Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. (AEW Women’s Champ) w/ Rebel
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Riho pins Jamie Hayter with a prawn hold (after Hayter accidentally hits Britt Baker with an elbow smash)
Time: 7:12
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Soho and Riho set a good pace with quick tags early in the match, but Soho got isolated by Baker and Hayter after a while. Soho struggled to get back to her corner for a tag, and Hayter and Baker dominated the middle portion of the match. Riho’s hot tag was explosive though, leading to a fun finish. However, the story coming out of this match is that Hayter and Baker may have done more damage to Riho and any damage that was done to Baker, giving Baker an advantage in their Battle of the Belts title match. Also, Baker has still never beaten Riho.
Backstage
Dan Lambert (with the Men of the Year) continues to be frustrated with Tony Khan. So now Dustin Rhodes gets to challenge for an interim TNT Title since Cody can’t compete? Ethan Page says Scorpio Sky should be in the Battle of the Belts title match anyway. Sky says he should already be TNT Champion.
Backstage
Via split-screen, Mark Henry is interrupted by 2point0. Matt Lee and Jeff Parker start yelling, so Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz walk away from their side of the screen. Daniel Garcia speaks, but by the time he gets into is, Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz have arrived to begin the main event early (by attacking 2point0 and Garcia in the backstage area).
Match 4
No DQ, No Rules, No Holds Barred
Daniel Garcia & 2point0 vs Eddie Kingston & Santana & Ortiz
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Santana pins Jeff Parker after a kick (Santana), an enzuigiri (Ortiz), and a discus lariat (Santana)
Time: 12:25 (match begins during the commercial break)
Match Thoughts
Great match. The last trios match between these two teams made Eddie Kingston almost a non-factor because of his single-minded fury towards Garcia. This time, Kingston was able to take the fight to Garcia without any rules holding him back (or for 2point0 to take advantage of). The match started during the pre-match interview segment, and most of it was fought with Kingston versus Garcia on the floor, and 2point0 versus Santana & Oritz on the floor and in the ring. Kingston dominated Garcia at first, but eventually Garcia started to focus on Kingston’s legs. That led to Kingston being taken out of the match towards the end, but Matt Lee was also having a difficult time getting back into the ring. Towards the end of the match, Santana and Ortiz began dominating with their tag team cohesion, something Jeff Parker and Daniel Garcia couldn’t really compete with.
Ring Area
After the match, 2point0 and Daniel Garcia take out Santana and Ortiz. They tape Eddie Kingston to the top rope and give Kingston a triple-team beating. Chris Jericho leaves the commentary table and runs to the ring. 2point0 and Garcia leave and head up the ramp, avoiding Jericho entirely.
Show Impressions
This was a fun show. All the matches were good in different ways, and the hour went by quickly.
Match of the Night
Daniel Garcia & 2point0 vs Eddie Kingston & Santana & Ortiz
A great brawl.