Reviews

The John Report: AEW Rampage 12/03/21 Review

By John Canton • Published 4th December 2021
aew rampage dec 3

This week’s AEW Rampage featured Sammy Guevara putting the TNT Title on the line against Tony Nese, plus some tag team action and the undefeated Jade Cargill on the show as well.

This is AEW Rampage from Atlanta, Georgia. It was taped on Wednesday night. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. Let’s get to it.

It’s Friday night; you know what that means. Excalibur welcomed us to the show with Taz and the FTW Champion that barely wrestles Ricky Starks on commentary. No yeller Chris Jericho this week due to selling an injury angle even though if you follow him on social media then you know he’s in Europe doing Fozzy music shows.

Tony Nese made his entrance with a 4-0 record in AEW and Tony is very proud of how his abs look. This match was set up on Rampage last week. No reaction for Nese. The fans popped for TNT Champion Sammy Guevara, who is 9-1 in singles matches in 2021. That’s a light schedule when you only wrestle ten singles matches in eleven months.

TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara vs. Tony Nese

Sammy attacked with punches and then Nese hit a running back elbow. Sammy with a leapfrog followed by a dropkick that led to Nese regrouping on the floor. Sammy hit a corkscrew suicide dive on Nese on the floor. Sammy whipped Nese into the steel steps. Sammy whipped Nese into the barricade. Sammy had his ribs taped, so he was selling that injury. Sammy up top, Nese tripped him up, Nese kicked the ribs, caught Sammy on the shoulders and a gutbuster got a two count for Nese. Nese continued the offense with a springboard moonsault for two. Nese with a hard whip into the turnbuckle two times in a row. Sammy tried a sunset flip, but Nese hit a spin kick to the head for a two count. Nese applied a body scissors around the ribs leading to a 90-second picture in picture break.

(Commercial)

Sammy hit a belly to back suplex to get out of a headlock by Nese. Sammy with kicks to the body, but then Nese applied a single leg crab while placing his knee on Sammy’s back. Sammy with punches, then two clotheslines, a shoulder tackle to the ribs and a jumping kick to the head. Sammy hit a double jump springboard Cutter for a two count. Sammy went for the GTH, Nese blocked it and Nese applied the single leg crab submission again with the knee on the ribs. Sammy got an inside cradle on Nese, then Sammy sent Nese into the ropes and hit a Spanish Fly slam for a two count. Nese was out on the floor again, so Sammy hit an impressive moonsault off the top rope onto Nese on the floor. Sammy got a lot of height there. It looked great. Back in the ring, Sammy went for a springboard, but Nese knocked him down to the floor. Nese with a twisting dive over the top onto Sammy. Back in the ring, Nese hit a 450 Splash off the top for a two count. Sammy with forearms to the face, then a running forearm and Nese got a rollup for two. Nese with a Buckle Bomb into the turnbuckle, Sammy basically no-sold that and hit a running boot to the face. Sammy with the GTH that is similar to the GTS with a knee to the head, but not the exact same thing. That was it for Nese with Sammy getting the pinfall win after 13 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Sammy Guevara

Analysis: ***1/2 A very good match featuring talented athletes. They told the obvious story with Sammy dealing with a rib injury, so Nese worked over the ribs for most of the match. Sammy has really come into his own as a babyface wrestler that sells very well and hits a lot of cool moves that make him easy to like. Nese is very skilled too, so I’m not surprised they worked well together. The result of this match was obvious.

Christian Cage did a promo with Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus while Cage spoke about how Jurassic Express are the number one ranked tag team in AEW. Christian spoke about how momentum can be gone just like that. Cage said he’s confident in his guys and Christian said that if it’s the last thing he does in this business, it’s to make sure Jurassic Express are the AEW Tag Team Champions.

Analysis: It sounds like a Christian Cage heel turn is coming, but maybe not. I just think it’ll be something where he costs Jurassic Express the title match and then turns on them.

Thunder Rosa joined commentary for the next match.

Jade Cargill is that bitch (she literally says she is) and she is 19-0 in AEW with a #2 ranking. Jade faces Thunder in the semifinals of the TBS Title Tournament.

Jade Cargill (w/Smart Mark Sterling) vs. Janai Kai

It was mentioned Thunder Rosa trained Kai. When Kai grabbed a headlock, Cargill tossed her across the ring. Cargill with a jumping knee and Cargill hit the Jaded (Glam Slam) move for the pinfall win after about 30 seconds.

Winner by pinfall: Jade Cargill

Analysis: Another squash match win for Cargill, who has done that for most of her wins in AEW.

Post match, Cargill worked over Kai with a pump kick, so Rosa left the commentary table and went down to the ring where she shoved Sterling. Rosa took down Cargill and then they exchanged punches. Referees quickly broke up the fight. The women tried to keep fighting, but eventually were split up.

Analysis: I think Cargill might win the tournament, but if not then Rosa winning against Cargill is fine with me. I think Thunder Rosa will be the one to beat Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s Title at the next PPV.

The Young Bucks and Adam Cole were doing the promo with Brandon Cutler on commentary. Cole complained about Orange Cassidy messing with him. Don Callis was in the background talking on his phone. Young Bucks called out Best Friends and set up a match with them on Dynamite this Wednesday.

(Commercial)

They showed highlights from last week’s Rampage when Chris Jericho saved Eddie Kingston from an attack by Daniel Garcia and 2.0. On Dynamite this past Wednesday, Garcia and 2.0 beat up Jericho.

Eddie Kingston did a promo that he didn’t care about Jericho saying that Chris had no business to do with him. Kingston called out 2.0 saying that you reap what you sow.

Coming up in two weeks on AEW Dynamite “Winter is Coming” on December 15 it’s “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship. Bryan obviously noticed the font used was weird and it looks like “Wangman” instead of “Hangman” so Bryan tweeted this.

This Wednesday on Dynamite in Long Island, NY:

* Bryan Danielson vs. John Silver. They showed some highlights of Bryan’s feud with Adam Page leading to Bryan taking out Dark Order members.

* Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale

* Jamie Hayter vs. Riho

* Young Bucks vs. Rocky Romero & Chuck Taylor

Mark Henry conducted the split-screen interview. Pac had an eyepatch on saying he’ll get Malakai Black for what he did to his eye. Pac said they’ll get revenge for Fenix. FTR noted it was supposed to be a night of celebration for FTR, but Fenix didn’t show up. Henry spoke up saying there’s been enough talk, so it’s time for the main event.

Analysis: It was going to be Lucha Brothers vs. FTR in a Tag Team Title match, but no Fenix this week. The story is there’s an injury, but in reality there was a travel and work visa issue.

FTR made their entrance with Tully Blanchard by their side. FTR has a tag team record of 27-4 and they are the AAA Tag Team Champions.

(Commercial)

Pac and Penta El Zero Miedo of Death Triangle entered with Alex Abrahantes. Pac had an eye patch on because Malakai Black sprayed something in his eye, so Pac’s right eye was covered.

Pac & Penta El Zero Miedo (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. FTR – Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (w/Tully Blanchard)

Penta got a leg takedown on Wheeler early on and then teased the glove-throwing thing he does. Pac tagged in for a double dropkick on Wheeler, who bailed on the floor to regroup. Pac with a shoulder tackle on Harwood, then a hiptoss and a body slam. Harwood came back with a back elbow. Pac with a back body drop. Penta tagged in with a dropkick off the top rope with the dropkick hitting the lower body of Harwood. FTR managed to take control with Wheeler getting a double boot to the face. Harwood back in with a kick and a snap suplex. Wheeler in with an assisted leg drop on Penta for a two count. Penta broke free, Pac tagged in and Pac hit a spin kick to the ribs followed by a running kick on Harwood. Pac sent to the apron where Pac tripped going for a springboard attack, which was on purpose to sell the eye injury. Harwood with a punch leading to a break.

(Commercial)

There were about ten minutes left in the show with the heel FTR guys in control as Wheeler grounded Pac with a chinlock. Harwood tagged in, Wheeler missed an attack on Pac on the floor and Harwood tried to keep Pac from tagging out. Pac kicked Harwood down, then Wheeler took Penta off the apron to prevent a tag and FTR hit a double team elbow drop for a two count. The referee realized the wrong guy was in the ring for the pin, so made them switch out and Pac kicked out of Harwood’s pin attempt. Pac and Harwood battled by the apron, Pac knocked Harwood down and Pac hit a shotgun missile dropkick off the top. Penta got the tag against Wheeler with the Slingblade on both opponents. Penta with a boot on Wheeler and a DDT on Harwood. Penta launched Wheeler into the turnbuckle. Penta with kicks to both FTR guys, then Penta up top and he hit a cross body block on Wheeler for two. Penta with a Backstabber off the ropes for a two count. Wheeler countered a move leading to a powerslam. Harwood tagged in and hit a leg drop while Wheeler was holding Penta and that got a two count. Cool move. Wheeler in illegally, Penta with a sunset flip, Pac in illegally and he kicked Wheeler in the head. Penta with a corkscrew sunset flip attempt for two. Pac tagged in, Wheeler tripped Penta and Pac kicked Wheeler. Pac went up top focus on Harwood, Pac with a cross body block and Harwood rolled through for a two count. Harwood with a punch to the face and then a sitout Powerbomb for two. Blanchard was on the apron, Pac charged, Harwood moved and Pac hit Blanchard off the apron. Pac got a rollup on Harwood with a bridging pin for two. Wheeler hit a swinging DDT on Penta on the floor. Pac with a clothesline on Harwood to knock him over the top to the floor. Pac went up top and hit a moonsault on both guys on the floor. Harwood back in the ring, he distracted the referee by claiming his right knee was injured (heels lie, pal), so Malakai Black was on the apron and Black spit some DREADED BLACK MIST~! into the face of Pac and Harwood covered Pac for the pinfall win. This got about 18 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: FTR – Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler

Analysis: ***3/4 Great tag team match that got a lot of time. It’s not a surprise that Pac fit in well with these guys. Malakai Black costing Pac again sets them up for a big match soon. I say it all the time, but FTR is my favorite team in AEW due to their work in the ring. They also follow tag team rules better than most AEW teams, so that helps too. It’s a cheap ending that also advances that storyline, so I’m fine with it since it will lead to an awesome match between them. FTR getting the win should lead to their Tag Team Title match against Lucha Bros whenever Pac is back. That’s going to be another outstanding match.

Post match, FTR took the mask off Penta’s face. Alex Abrahantes used his jacket to cover Penta’s face, so we didn’t see Penta’s face.

Black went into the ring and gouged the eye of Pac. Black showed that his hand had blood on it, so we are supposed to think that he bloodied Pac’s eye. Black held up his hand to show the blood. That was the end of the show.

Analysis: I’m ready for the grudge matches between Black and Pac. They are two of my favorite guys in AEW.

Three Stars of the Show

  1. Sammy Guevera
  2. FTR
  3. Pac/Penta/Tony Nese

The Scoreboard

This Week: 7.5 out of 10

Last Week: 7

Final Thoughts

It was a show with two very good matches and a squash. I was entertained by it. I wouldn’t say there was anything that big that happened, but I like the Malakai Black/Pac feud, which was furthered a lot here, so that’s cool with me.

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

John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter: @johnreport