AEW Rampage: Black Friday
From the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, it’s a special holiday edition of Rampage! Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Ian Riccaboni are on the call, so let’s get to business!
Match #1. Ring of Honor World Tag Team Titles: FTR (c) vs. Top Flight
Dax and Darius to start. Dax with a big body slam but Darius uses his quickness to pop up and we’re back to even. Shoulder block by Darius but a back elbow by Dax and a leg drop shift the control to FTR. Cash in now but Darius grabs an arm drag and tags in Dante. Dante maintains wrist control but Cash delivers a few elbows. Blind tag to Dante as he delivers an enziguiri. Double leap frog, leg kick, into a DDT combination by Top Flight. Double hurricanranas by Top Flight and a tornado DDT by Darius. Dante heads up top but Dax pulls Cash outside to safety. Dax gets the tag and takes control of Dante with some heavy strikes. Enziguiri by Dante and a springboard dropkick takes out FTR. Top Flight sends FTR to the outside and follow up with a suicide dive and a double jump plancha by Dante. Dax now fights off both members of Top Flight himself inside the ring. Dante heads up to the top rope but Dax cashes him from behind in an electric chair, turns Dante around, slingshot powerbomb! Cash comes off the top with a big splash and that gets two. Dante comes in to make the save but Dax levels him with a short arm lariat. Big Rig attempt but Dante rolls through for a jackknife cover that gets two. Tornado DDT by Darius Martin and a splash off the top by Dante. Cash breaks up the pin attempt at two. Standing Spanish Fly by Darius to Cash but Dax plants him with a brainbuster. Victory roll by Dante gets two. Cradle gets two. Another pin gets two. Dante looks for the Nose Dive but Cash gets the blind tag… BIG RIG does it!
Winners and STILL Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions: FTR
Rating: ***. Paint by numbers, awesome as usual, FTR tag match. The best tag team in the world right now is FTR, and it may not be close. Fun little match here as it’s a perfect clash of styles.
A video package is shown for Will Hobbs.
Jericho and the entire Jericho Appreciation Society hit the ring. Jericho says he’s the GOAT Ring of Honor champion, and wants to know who’s going to unseat him for this title?
Here’s Claudio. Claudio says Jericho isn’t the GOAT, and he needs his title back. Jericho says Claudio should focus on the BCC, and Claudio says his only focus right now is that title. Jericho says no chance. Daddy Magic has an idea. If Claudio loses to Jericho, he’s got to join the JAS. Jericho loves that idea. Claudio is all in. The main event for Final Battle is set!
Renee is here with Toni Storm, sporting two black eyes from Full Gear. Toni says Hayter still had to cheat to win that title, and never viewed it as anything but the official AEW Women’s World title.
Match #2. Darby Allin vs. Anthony Henry
Anthony Henry and Darby Allin tore the house down in Evolve in 2019, so I hope they get some time here. Both men trade lateral drops as Henry lays some kicks into the back of Darby. Sunset flip by Darby but Henry counters and bails from the ring. Darby gets a head of steam and takes out JD Drake with a suicide dive on the outside. TKO over the top rope by Henry. Darby meets Henry on the apron and Henry drops him with an STO. Henry sends Darby into the guard rail a few times before rolling him back in the ring and attempting to twist his neck off. Darby flips out of a German suplex and hits the ropes for the Coffin Drop but Henry catches him with a German suplex as we go in to break. Back from break and Henry hits an inverted Tower of London! One, two, no! Double knees by Henry off the top but Darby moves! Running Code Red by Darby gets two. Henry rolls outside the ring and Darby follows. Henry distracts the ref as JD Drake bounce him off the bottom rope and clubs him! Sting takes out JD Drake and Darby is able to kick out at two! Superplex off the top by Henry as he holds on, but Darby counters into the Scorpion Death Drop. Darby up top… Coffin Drop! That’s it.
Winner: Darby Allin
Rating: **3/4. What a fun match this was. Glad to see Henry get so much offense. This was short and sweet… and it ruled. Needs more Work Horsemen.
Lexi Nair is backstage with the new and improved Athena. Athena had been suspended, docked a week’s pay, and finally offered an apology after striking Aubrey Edwards. Athena wants the Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion, Mercedes Martinez.
Match #3. Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata
Penelope Ford and the Bunny hit the ramp and distract Shida, so Aminata jumps her from behind. Broski boot in the corner. Shida finally gets to her feet and it’s Falcon Arrow and a Kitana that finish it.
Winner: Hikaru Shida
Rating: NR
Mark Henry interviews all of the of the main event match, but 10 seems to be missing. Hmm…
Match #4. Trios Match: The Dark Order vs. Rush, Butcher, and Blade
Still no 10, so this looks to be a handicapped match. All five men brawl to start as Silver gets double teamed by Rush and Butcher on the outside. Running back elbow by Reynolds inside the ring to Blade, who are the legal men. Silver gets the tag and takes out everyone. Angle slam by Silver to Blade. Suicide dive to Butcher but Silver gets caught and Rush drops him with an elbow. Rush now chokes the man with a camera cable before rolling him into the waiting Butcher. Quick tags now as Silver is isolated in the corner. Silver finally makes it to his corner but Butcher pulls Renolds off the apron and then charges him with a cross body block. Rush is in now, Bulls Horns is teased but Rush kicks Silver in the face instead. Blade in now with a snap mare and some kicks to the back of Silver. Silver fires back with a pair of round kicks but Blade catches him of the ropes with a lariat. Butcher in now Superkick to Butcher and a sliced bread to Blade! Silver gets to Reynolds for the hot tag but Reynolds cuts him off. -1 and Evil Uno are on the ramp and they found 10! 10 hits the ring and faces off with Rush…. BEFORE DROPPING JOHNNY HUNGIIEZ WITH A LARIAT! BULLS HORNS TO SILVER FINISHES IT!
Winners: Rush, Butcher, and Blade
Rating: **1/4. More storyline than it was match, and that’s just fine. While both of these factions have felt kind of stale as of late, this angle felt important, and the crowd reacted well to it. It will be interesting to see how Preston Vance (that’s his name now, right?) interacts with the rest of the LFI, but at least
Evil Uno charges the ring but Butcher & Blade attack on the outside. Rush holds Reynolds… discus lariat by 10! Evil Uno is in the ring now and he gets taken out with another lariat. Rush and 10 rip the mask off Evil Uno off! Butcher and Blade set up a table on the outside as Rush and 10 chokeslam Reynolds from the apron through the table on the outside. -1 is on the ramp as 10 walks up to him and throws his mask at his feet! -1 is left crying as all of LFI pose around him as we go off the air.
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