1/7/22 AEW Rampage Recap

Jan 7, 2022 - by Michael Riba

Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Ricky Starks, and Taz are on commentary from Newark, New Jersey.

Match #1 – Singles Match: Adam Cole vs. Jake Atlas
They lock up and Cole drops Atlas to the mat. Cole applies a head-scissors, but Atlas gets free. Cole comes back and takes Atlas down, and goes for the Boom, but Atlas dodges it. They exchange each other’s moves for a bit and stand at a stalemate. Cole delivers a shot, but Atlas comes back with a dropkick. Atlas delivers a few chops and slams Cole into the corner. Atlas delivers a few elbows, and follows with a kick to the face. Cole whips Atlas into the corner, but Atlas counters with a kick to the face. Cole comes back and sends Atlas to the outside, and then slams him into the ring post. Cole rolls Atlas back into the ring and delivers a series of right hands. Atlas tries to fight back, but Cole kicks him in the head. Cole delivers another right hand that sends Atlas to the corner. Cole chokes Atlas with his boot, but Atlas comes back with a rolling elbow strike. Atlas comes off the ropes with a springboard, but Cole counters with a Backstabber. Cole drives his knee into Atlas’ back as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Atlas fights back with a few forearms, but Cole shuts him down. Atlas comes back with a hurricanrana, and then delivers a basement dropkick. Atlas dives to the outside and sends Cole into the barricade. Atlas sends Cole back into the ring and delivers a springboard shotgun dropkick. Atlas goes for the cover, but Cole kicks out. Cole comes back with a pump kick and a neck-breaker over his knee. Cole goes for the cover, but Atlas kicks out. Cole goes for a superkick, but Atlas blocks it and delivers an enzuigiri. Atlas delivers a thrust kick, but Cole comes back with a Brain Buster over his knee. Cole goes for the cover, but Atlas kicks out. Cole charges across the ring, but Atlas counters with a running boot. Atlas slams Cole to the mat and goes for the cover, but Cole kicks out. Atlas comes back with a springboard, but Cole counters with a thrust kick. Cole goes for the Panama Sunrise, but Atlas crumbles on his knee. Cole locks in a knee-bar and Atlas taps out.
Winner: Adam Cole
-After the match, reDRagon come to the ring to celebrate with Cole. Cole says Atlas has earned another ass whipping, but Orange Cassidy comes out with a chain. Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta runs out, as well, and they get into the ring. Cole and reDRagon leave the ring as Cassidy, Taylor, and Yuta stare them down.

It is announced that Cody Rhodes has not been medically cleared to compete tomorrow night on Battle of the Belts. Dustin Rhodes will step in for him tomorrow, and will face Sammy Guevara to crown an interim AEW TNT Champion.

Footage of the three championship matches from this past Wednesday’s Dynamite is shown.

Tony Schiavone interviews Andrade El Idolo. Idolo says he doesn’t have a problem with Sting, but asks why Darby Allin works for Sting. Schiavone says Allin doesn’t work for Sting, but Idolo says he needs a new assistant. Idolo tells Sting to name his price for Allin.

Match #2 – Singles Match: Hook vs. Aaron Solo (w/QT Marshall)
They start with a knuckle-lock, and then Hook tosses Solo across the ring. Hook goes behind and drops Solo to the mat, and locks in a half-Nelson. Solo makes it to the ropes, but Hook delivers rights and lefts to the midsection in the corner. Hook tosses Solo away, but Marshall grabs his ankle. Solo attacks Hook in the corner and delivers clubbing shots across his back. Hook comes back with a side-Russian leg-sweep, and then locks in a grounded octopus hold. Solo counters with a roll-up, but Hook comes back with a chop to the head. Hook suplexes Solo to the mat, but Solo comes back with a jaw-breaker. Hook dodges a kick and suplexes Solo to the mat again. Hook delivers cross-face shots and locks in Redrum, and Solo taps out.
Winner: Hook
-After the match, Marshall shoves Hook and has a few words for him. Marshall goes for a cheap shot, but Hook catches him and suplexes him to the mat before leaving the ring.

Ricky Starks announces that he will defend the FTW Championship against Matt Sydal on Battle for the Belts tomorrow night. Starks says he chose Matt Sydal as his opponent to prove a point to Dante Martin. He says it took Martin three tries to beat Sydal, but it will only take him one.

Penelope Ford and The Bunny, and Anna Jay and Tay Conti, talk about their Tag Team Street Fight from last Friday night, which was won by Jay and Conti.

Match #3 – Tag Team Match: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Jamie Hayter (w/Rebel) vs. Riho and Ruby Soho
Rebel pulls Soho out of the ring before the bell, and Baker and Hayter double-team Riho in the ring. Soho comes back for the save, and then Soho and Hayter officially start the match. Soho beats Hayter in the corner and tags in Riho. Riho delivers a running knee and right hands, and then tags Soho back in. Soho connects with a corner clothesline and stomps Hayter down. Riho tags back in, and sends Soho into Hayter. Riho goes for the cover, but Hayter kicks out. Soho tags back in, but Hayter backs her into the corner and Baker tags in. Baker and Hayter stomp Soho in the corner, and then Baker goes for a fisherman’s neck-breaker. Soho counters and takes Baker down. Soho delivers a kick and tags in Riho. Soho back drops with Riho onto Baker and Riho goes for the cover, but Baker kicks out. Soho tags back in, but Baker gouges her eyes. Baker delivers shots against the ropes and delivers a back elbow. Rebel grabs Soho’s ankle, and Baker suplexes Soho. Hayter comes in with a cheap shot and Baker goes for the cover, but Soho kicks out. Baker delivers right hands and chokes Soho on the mat as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Hayter and Riho tag in. Riho drops Hayter with a hurricanrana, and then trips her into the ropes. Riho delivers the Tiger Feint Kick and goes for the cover, but Baker breaks it up. Hayter and Baker double-team Riho, but Riho comes back with a kick to Baker and DDT to Hayter. Riho goes for the cover, but Hayter kicks out. Riho goes up top, but Baker shoves her down. Baker delivers an elbow strike, and Hayter delivers a back-breaker. Baker delivers a superkick and Hayter slams Riho. Hayter goes for the cover, but Soho breaks it up. Baker waits in the corner as Hayter shoves Riho away. Hayter goes for a shot, but Riho ducks and Hayter hits Baker. Riho rolls up Hayter from behind and gets the pin fall.
Winners: Riho and Ruby Soho
-After the match, Baker and Hayter argue and Baker shoves Hayter away as Rebel gets between them. Baker leaves the ring and shakes her head up the ramp.

Dan Lambert and Men of the Year backstage. Lambert complains about Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara going for the interim TNT Championship. Scorpio Sky says the title should be handed to him, because he hasn’t lost in over 200 days. Ethan Page calms him down, and says they will be watching very closely tomorrow night.

Announced for tomorrow night’s Battle of the Belts:
-AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) vs. Riho
-Singles Match to crown the interim AEW TNT Champion: Dustin Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara
-FTW Championship Match: Ricky Starks (c) vs. Matt Sydal

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite:
-CM Punk vs. Wardlow
-Dante Martin vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
-Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

Mark Henry tries to interview the trios of 2point0 and Daniel Garcia, and Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Santana, but they all start brawling backstage as the show heads to a commercial.

Match #4 – No Holds Barred Trios Tag Team Match: 2point0 (Jeff Parker and Matt Lee) and Daniel Garcia vs. Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Santana
All six men brawl to the ringside area. Kingston grabs a trash can and gets into the ring with Garcia. Garcia cuts him off with elbow strikes, but Kingston delivers a quick shot and hits Garcia with the trash man. Kingston hits himself with the trash can, and then chokes Garcia with his shirt. Kingston puts the trash can between Garcia’s legs and stomps on it. Santana hits Parker with the matte ball on the outside, and Kingston puts the trash can over Garcia’s head. Kingston kicks the trash can and bites Garcia on the outside. Parker kicks Ortiz in the head, and then drops him throat-first on the barricade. Kingston and Garcia brawl on the floor as Lee sends Ortiz over the barricade. Lee follows him, and Parker and Santana come over to them. Santana chops Parker away as Kingston suplexes Garcia onto the trash can. Lee comes back with a shot to Santana, and then rolls him into the ring. Parker hits Ortiz with one of those Fathead cutouts and joins Lee in the ring as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Santana and Ortiz drop Parker and Lee and send them to the floor. Garcia comes back in, and Lee spears Ortiz to the floor. Santana drops Garcia with a back elbow and a leg lariat. Kingston takes Garcia down and Santana connects with a frog splash. Santana goes for the cover, but Parker breaks it up. Lee throws power in Santana’s face and slams him to the mat. Lee goes for the cover, but Ortiz breaks it up. Lee drops Ortiz with a DDT and Garcia grabs the ring bell. Parker and Lee grab Kingston, and Garcia lays him out with the bell. Garcia goes for the cover, but Kingston kicks out. Parker grabs duct tape as Lee and Garcia beat Kingston to the floor. They triple suplex Kingston through the timekeeper’s table, but Ortiz comes back with a trash can shot to Lee. Parker low-blows Ortiz and Garcia comes off the steps, but Santana hits him with a chair. Santana hits Parker with the chair, and then Lee as well. Garcia comes back with a kick to Santana’s face and gets in the ring with Ortiz. Garcia and Ortiz exchange shots and chops, and then Santana gets into the ring and they slam Garcia to the mat. Parker breaks it up, but Santana and Ortiz take him out as well. Santana drops Parker with a discus lariat and gets the pin fall.
Winners: Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Santana
-After the match, Garcia and 2point0 take out Santana, Ortiz, and Kingston. They tape Kingston to the ropes as Santana and Ortiz are still down. Jericho rushes the ring from the commentary booth, and Garcia and 2point0 escape. Kingston pulls himself free of the tape and looks at Jericho. Kingston stares down 2point0 and Garcia and Jericho fires up the crowd as the show comes to a close.

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