The John Report: AEW Rampage 12/16/22 Review

This week’s AEW Rampage featured Jon Moxley facing Sammy Guevara and an eight-man tag team match main event.

This is AEW Rampage from the Curtis Culwell Center in Dallas, Texas. Check out the AEW PPV listing archive only on TJRWrestling as well. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. This was taped after AEW Dynamite.

It’s Friday night and you know what that means. The commentary team was Excalibur, Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone. JR said this was the “most powerful edition of Rampage ever.” That’s not saying much considering what this show has been for much of 2022. At least the opening match should be very good.

Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara (w/Tay Melo)

It seems like AEW is keen on having Jon Moxley wrestle on Rampage more often after facing Konosuke Takeshita last week in the opener and Sammy Guevara this week. That’s fine. Moxley always is going to try hard and put on a good match. I’ll go play-by-play for this match.

Sammy hit a leaping knee strike right away. Moxley with a lariat and he dumped Sammy out of the ring while Daniel Garcia was shown watching the match from the backstage area. Sammy hit another knee while on the floor followed by a chop. Moxley crotched Sammy on the top of the barricade. Back in the ring, Sammy struggled to get back in, so Moxley hit a Cutter. Moxley hit a superplex off the middle rope. They exchanged strikes, Moxley ran the ropes, Sammy hit a dropkick and Moxley rolled out of the ring. They battled on the turnbuckle with some back raking as well as head biting. Moxley was on the apron and Sammy hit a double foot stomp driving Moxley into the apron.

(Commercial)

During the picture-in-picture break, Sammy tore the earring off of Moxley’s left earlobe. Moxley was a bloody mess while Sammy bit the ear. Sammy kicked the back of Moxley’s leg followed by some disgusting ear-biting. Tay mocked Moxley, wiped some blood on her hand and slapped Moxley because he told her too. Sammy and his wife Tay started making out on the floor while Sammy had Mox’s blood on his mouth. So you put another man’s blood in your mouth and then kiss your wife with it? That is gross. Moxley took out Sammy with a suicide dive on the floor. Back in the ring, Moxley wanted a German Suplex, Sammy landed on his feet, Sammy with a kick to the head and Sammy jumped off the top with a top rope Cutter for two. Moxley avoided the GTH attempt from Sammy, then Sammy applied a Boston Crab that they called a Walls of Jericho since Sammy is Jericho’s ally, but Moxley got out of it and kicked himself free. Moxley with a forearm that rocked Sammy followed by The Stomp for a two. There’s Moxley using the finisher of his former Shield buddy Seth Rollins. They were out on the floor with Moxley setting up the ringside table. Sammy hit a high knee to the face, then a superkick and Moxley was on the table. It has been more than ten seconds out of the ring, but no count from the referee. Sammy went up top and hit a Swanton Bomb onto Moxley through a table. Is that a DQ? No. Of course not. Great spot, but using a weapon in a match isn’t normally legal in a regular match. At least try to explain it. I’m not saying it to complain because it makes me mad. I just want logic in wrestling. Back in the ring, Moxley wasn’t selling much because he caught Sammy doing a cross body block followed by Moxley stomping on the head. Some of the stomps looked very safe. Moxley hit a piledriver followed by a Bulldog Choke, but Sammy countered out of it. Moxley decked Sammy with a lariat. Sammy hit a kick to the knee followed by the Death Rider lifting DDT. No pin attempt. Sammy went up top and hit a Swanton Bomb off the top for a two count. Sammy set up Moxley on the top rope, Moxley powered out of it, Sammy with a kick to the head. Sammy hit a Spanish Fly off the top, but Moxley basically no sold that as well and turned it into a Bulldog Choke. Sammy passed out in the hold, so Moxley won by submission.

Winner by submission: Jon Moxley

Analysis: **** A great match that turned into a bloodbath after Sammy took Moxley’s ear off. It’s the usual from Moxley, who always seems to get around 15 minutes and has an exciting match every time. Sammy is also terrific in the ring as well, but sometimes I wish people in AEW could sell big spots more. Moxley was put through a table with a Swanton Bomb and ten seconds later was countering a cross body block and hitting a piledriver as if nothing happened. Since Moxley wins nearly every match he has, the result is always the same, so at some point, one of these guys needs to beat Moxley in a match like this. Anyway, it was an action-filled match that was fun for the hot crowd in Dallas.

Post match, Jon Moxley called for “Hangman” Adam Page, so Page ran out there with Evil Uno trying to stop him and Uno wasn’t much help. There were referees and security around ringside, so Page hit a Buckshot Lariat on a security guy (indy wrestler). Page clotheslined Moxley over the barricade and they were separated.

Analysis: They are doing a great job of building this match. I assume it will be a Street Fight or Lights Out style match whenever it happens.

A video aired about Saraya saying she was coming for Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter in their tag team match on January 11th. Saraya has a mystery partner.

(Commercial)

Let’s Hear From FTR

FTR was in the ring with the IWGP and AAA Tag Team Titles since they no longer have the ROH Tag Team Titles. Cash Wheeler talked about how it has been a rough week since they lost the ROH Tag Team Titles, then he mentioned Dax Harwood breaking his ass bone and Dax showed it, but it was digitized, so it was covered up, which is good. Wheeler said they felt bad because they feel like they let us down. Wheeler said that all year, the fans have lifted them up and thanks to the fans, this has been the best year of their careers and one of the best years of their lives. The fans chanted “you deserve it” which is always a weird chant. Wheeler talked about how there’s been a couple of kids with daddy issues trying to get their attention (Austin and Colten Gunn). Wheeler said if anybody is going to kill their legacy it won’t be a couple of Dumbass Boys. Harwood said he brought his family to Final Battle and his daughter came up to him after the match. Harwood said his daughter said that the people like him, she asked “why?” and he started thinking about it. Harwood said he knows that since he was eight years old, he wanted to make the people feel the love and passion he has for professional wrestling. Harwood said that they made us feel at Final Battle. Harwood said they’ll do the Gunns what Daddy Ass should have done a long time ago – whip their ass. It’s FTR vs. The Gunns this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.

Analysis: A good babyface promo from FTR. I thought there’d be an interruption leading to some back and forth or a brawl, but there was none of that. FTR should beat The Gunns on Dynamite next week.

Jade Cargill and The Baddies were backstage for a promo. Jade asked Red Velvet why she was so salty last week. Jade had some words for Bow Wow to end it. Yawn.

Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. (w/Jamie Hayter & Rebel) vs. Skye Blue

Baker was in control early. Blue got a rollup into a pin followed by a superkick. They went to a picture-in-picture break quickly.

(Commercial)

The match returned with Blue hitting a superkick. Baker hit the Slingblade neckbreaker after that and a sitout double underhook suplex. Blu hit a knee strike and a spinning kick. Baker hit a superkick and The Stomp for the pinfall win after six minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.

Analysis: *3/4 This was a dominant win for Baker that went longer than it needed to because they like to have picture-in-picture during matches. If you watched this on TV then you only saw about three minutes on full screen. Blue is good and she’s likable, but they don’t give her wins on TV yet.

Post match, Baker had her black glove on and applied the Lockjaw submission with her hand in the mouth. Hikaru Shida made the save with kendo stick shots to Rebel and Baker. Shida had a stared with Hayter, who was holding up the Women’s Title, since they have a title match on Dynamite.

Analysis: A quick way to build the Hayter/Shida match on Dynamite that should be a win for Hayter.

Preston Vance was interviewed by Jim Ross in the backstage area. Vance said they think he was the bad guy for turning on Dark Order. Vance said that Rush, Jose and their group see the potential in him that Brodie Lee saw. Vance said what happened to Negative One (Brodie Lee Jr.) is something no kid should ever go through in reference to his dad Brodie Lee dying two years ago. Vance said over two years, Brodie has turned into a snot-nosed little brat and he said it was time for the kid to grow up.

Analysis: It was effective in terms of having Vance explain why he turned heel. The reality is he barely did anything for the last two years in Dark Order and it was stupid that he was wearing a mask to begin with. Vance will hopefully be successful moving forward. I guess Brodie Jr. has a future opponent if he becomes a wrestler in about seven or eight years.

Wardlow vs. Exodus Prime

It was mentioned by JR that Wardlow is 20-1 in his last 21 matches. The loss was a triple threat match where he lost the TNT Title to Samoa Joe because Joe pinned Hobbs in the match, so Wardlow wasn’t pinned. Prime tried some strikes, Wardlow no sold them and hit a headbutt. Wardlow did a wind up lariat. Wardlow did the Powerbomb Symphony with four Powerbombs for the pinfall win after two minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Wardlow

Analysis: * A squash win by Wardlow. The Powerbomb spot is still popular.

Wardlow did a promo saying he has waited too damn long to get his hands on Samoa Joe again. Wardlow told Joe to bring his ass out there so Wardlow can whoop him all over Dallas. Samoa Joe was backstage with the TNT and ROH TV Title. Joe said he sets the conditions. Joe said that he hopes he never defends the championship in this godawful state. Joe said that on December 28th in Colorado, he’ll give him everything he wants. That means a TNT Title match is official for Dynamite on December 28th.

Analysis: It was nice to announce the match after Wardlow lost the title a month ago and had nothing to do since then.

(Commercial)

The main event interview took place with Mark Henry talking to the two eight-man teams. The heel team talked a lot while the face team barely said anything.

The Butcher, The Blade, Kip Sabian & Trent Seven (w/The Bunny & Penelope Ford) vs. Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor & Dustin Rhodes (w/Danhausen)

Orange beat Seven last week on Rampage, Sabian attacked Orange, Dustin made the save and we have this match. I’ll go play by for this match. Beretta and Seven exchanged strikes in a battle of the guys named Trent, which led to double clotheslines. Orange sent Sabian out of the ring, Butcher knocked down Orange from behind and Butcher hit Beretta with a back body drop even though Butcher wasn’t legal. Butcher tossed Beretta in the air leading to Blade kicking Beretta. They went to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

Dustin tagged in against Seven with clotheslines, an uppercut and three straight powerslams as guys kept running into the ring. Dustin with punches and the Dusty elbow on Seven for a two count. Butcher and Blade hit a double Powerbomb/neckbreaker on Orange. Beretta hit a missile dropkick off the top onto Butcher and Blade. Taylor hugged Beretta. Taylor and Beretta hit dives over the top onto three guys on the floor. Sabian hit a springboard moonsault onto Taylor and Beretta on the floor. Dustin hit a dive off the apron onto some guys on the floor. The Bunny went into the ring, so Orange bumped on the mat acting as if Bunny hit him. Danhausen did it to Ford too, so the fans laughed. The referee Bryce Remsburg ejected both women from ringside. Sabian punched Danhausen in the groin. Sabian with a knee on Orange and a punch. Taylor with a knee on Sabian. Seven sent Taylor out of the ring, Beretta with an elbow and Taylor took out Butcher/Blade on the floor. Seven hit a powerslam on Beretta off the ropes for two. They were legal? I don’t know. I guess. Dustin made the save. Dustin tagged in with an atomic drop and Canadian (Dallas) Destroyer on Sabian. Orange did his comedy kicks on Sabian against the turnbuckle, the referee was distracted and Dustin hit the Shattered Dreams kick. It’s really kicking the turnbuckle, so it’s important to film it from a distance to expose how silly it is. Dustin sent Seven into the Sabian. Orange hit an Orange Punch on Seven and Dustin hit a bulldog on Seven for the pinfall win after 11 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor & Dustin Rhodes

Analysis: *** It was an okay tag team match that was the usual spotfest full of dives to the floor and random moves throughout the match. I’d rather see a tag team match that tries to tell a story with a face in peril and maybe build to the dream of tags, but in AEW they let anybody in the ring at any time while making it tough to know who is legal in the match. Dustin is a Texan and he’s announced he will retire from wrestling in 2023, so it was a feel good moment to give him a win. The comedy spot by Cassidy/Danhausen worked well.

Dustin Rhodes and The Best Friends celebrated the win. That was the end of the show.

Three Stars of the Show

1. Jon Moxley
2. Sammy Guevara
3. Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor & Dustin Rhodes

The Scoreboard

This Week: 6.5 out of 10

Last Week: 6.75

Final Thoughts

It was a bit better than the usual Rampage, but it’s still not that interesting to me. The announcers on this show try so hard to put everything over as being great. JR even called it the “most powerful edition of Rampage ever.” Weird. The opener with Moxley-Sammy was a great match that turned into a bloody match because Sammy ripped off Moxley’s earring leading to a bloody ear. Most Moxley matches are going to be good because he always gets time and gives the other guy some offense before he beats them.

The main event eight-man tag was fine, but it was the usual chaotic tag team match in AEW where they just do random spots without telling much of a story. The other two matches were easy wins for Britt Baker and Wardlow. They talk about this show like it was some epic night of wrestling when it was just one match that mattered and a tag to put over Dustin Rhodes in his home state since he’s retiring in the next year.

====

Thanks for reading. You can contact me using any of the methods below.

John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter: @johnreport