Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year’s, or whatever it is you may celebrate, to one and all this week! AEW is giving us the gift of the wrestles and some big matches on this week’s themed episode, so let’s see what’s cracking :
- Bryan Danielson vs. Ethan Page
- Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale vs. Anna JAS & Tay Melo
- Top Flight vs. Blackpool Combat Club
- AEW TNT Title: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Wardlow
- Falls Count Anywhere Best of Seven for the AEW World Trios Titles: Death Triangle (3) vs. The Elite (2)
Make sure to keep refreshing the page as the most recent results are below!
AEW Rampage: New Year’s Smash 2022
Taz, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur are on the call tonight LIVE from the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado!
Match #1. Bryan Danielson vs. Ethan Page
MJF is here and providing a distraction for Page from the upper deck, as Page attacks Danielson from behind. Page puts the boots to Danielson early but Danielson backflips over a charging Page and lands a running clothesline. Danielson lays into Page with chops and roundhouse kicks, but Page responds in kind. Kitchen sink by Danielson. Danielson now looking for the surfboard but Page fights out, until Danielson hooks Page’s nose and stomps on the back of Page’s knees. Danielson now with a vicious looking stomp to the Achilles. Page cuts Danielson off with a running elbow and a body slam. Page sets Danielson up on the top looking for a superplex, but Danielson throws him to the mat and comes off the top with a missile dropkick. Stokely (sporting a baseball cap after last week’s “bald” comment) gets on the ring apron, but Danielson isn’t buying it and sends Page to the floor. Suicide dive by Danielson. Page rolls in the ring and Stokely gets in Danielson’s face, which allows Page to connect with a bicycle kick on the apron. Page beats on Danielson on the outside before rolling in the ring and delivering some mounted punches in the corner. Danielson with a duck under and a German suplex. Both men trade European uppercuts now in the center of the ring. Danielson in charge now with some big chops and kicks in the corner and a hurricanrana off the top! YES kicks in the center of the ring but Page ducks a head kick. Danielson low bridges Page but misses a flying knee off the apron. Page sends Danielson into the steels steps before hitting an wrist clutch powerslam (think Devlinside) on the outside! Back in the ring now and Page hits a bottom rope assisted cutter for two! Page looks for the powerslam again but Danielson counters with a tornado DDT. Head kick by Danielson gets a long two! Labell Lock is in! Page fights for the ropes and barely makes it. Danielson goes up top but gets crotched. Page heads up top and looks for the avalanche powerslam but Danielson counters with some 12-6 elbows but Page fights through it… avalanche powerslam! One, two, no! Ego’s Edge attempt by Page but Danielson wriggles free… Psycho Knee! Wrist trap stomps to Page’s face… Regal Stretch! Page is out!
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Rating: ****. Fantastic pro wrestling match. The best singles match I have ever seen from Page and another strong performance from Danielson. Good story told here, everything these guys did made sense, and just overall super entertaining.
Preview for tonight’s Wardlow vs. Samoa Joe match. Wardlow says all Joe does is talk, which brings out Samoa Joe to Nancy Kerrigan an unsuspecting Wardlow.
Hangman is in the back with the Dark Order. Doctor says if Hangman keeps himself out of trouble, he might be medically cleared in two weeks.
Match #2. Blackpool Combat Club vs. Top Flight
Stereo dives by Top Flight early to the outside, but the men get caught and tosses into the guard rails. Darius is legal and in trouble early as Castagnoli and Moxley are tagging in and out, dishing out punishment. Gut wrench suplex by Castagnoli. Moxley in with boots to Darius in the corner. Hot tag to Darius who comes in with a diving cross body to Moxley and an enziguiri to Castanogli. Double jump moonsault gets a two on Moxley. Moxley responds with some strikes and a heavy Saito suplex. 12-6 elbows by Moxley and Dante is in trouble. Paradigm Shift attempt by Moxley but Dante chop blocks Moxley from behind. Double jump dropkick by Dante sends Moxley from the apron to the floor. Quick tags by Top Flight have Moxley in trouble. Northern Light’s by Darius. Half crab by Dante but Moxley fights out. Moxley looks for the tag but Darius attacks the leg from behind. Moxley finally makes the tag to Claudio who comes in with about a dozen European uppercuts to Dante Martin. Crowd is on their feet for this. Diving dropkick by Claudio gets two. Claudio looks for the swing but Darius pulls Dante out. Darius now being swung instead! Dante leapfrogs Dante, twice, mid-swing, to get to Claudio. Double team assisted swinging DDT by Top Flight gets a two count! Double suplex by Top Flight but Claudio reverses. Super kick, bottom rope Complete Shot combo by Top Flight but Moxley makes the save at two. Moxley walks into a double super kick. Claudio with a big boot to Darius but winds up eating a double super kick. Claudio tosses Dante to the outside who takes out Moxley. One-man Spanish Fly by Dnate! Neutralizer to Darius! One, two, no! Two count! Crowd is losing it here. Claudio traps Darius’ arms and brings down some hammer and anvil elbows. Dante tries to break it up but Claudio eats it. Moxley with a King Kong lariat that takes out Dante as Darius is unconscious from nearly 20 seconds of elbows. Paradigm Shift on the floor by Moxley to Dante! Darius can barely stand but manages to slap Castagnoli in the face! VICIOUS European uppercut by Castagnoli and this one is OVER.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club
Rating: ***3/4. Holy hell. What a match. A few too many super kicks from Top Flight here, but man oh man, did Moxley and Castagnoli give these guys everything they could handle. This might be *the match* that brings Top Flight to the next level, while Moxley and Castagnoli are untouchable right now.
Kip Sabian says he wants a title shot at Orange Cassidy’s All-Atlantic title, but Cassidy says Trent deserves it instead. How about Rampage? Sounds good.
Match #3. Hook vs. Baylum Lynx
Hip toss. Exploder. Cross face. Redrum. Finito.
Winner: Hook
Rating: NR
Big Stokely is here with Lee Moriarty and Bigger Bill. Stokely runs down Hook but here’s Jungle Boy! Jungle Boy takes out Lee Moriarty on the ramp but Bill is in the ring with Hook! Bill goozles Hook but Hook hits a drop step and has Bill in the exploder, but Bill counters. Choke slam attempt by Bill but Jungle Boy makes the save with a 2×4! Hook and Jungle Boy stand tall as The Firm retreat.
Swerve is here with the Mogul Affiliates. Swerve says he dumped someone that didn’t believe in his vision for two new killers. Wheeler Yuta interrupts and challenges Swerve for Rampage. Swerve accepts.
Match #4. Falls Count Anywhere in the Best of Seven Series for the AEW World Trios Titles: Death Triangle (3) vs. The Elite (2)
The brawl has started in a hallway no more than six feet across in the back! Penta has a garbage can and levels everyone. Brainbuster by Pac to Omega on some pallets! Pac climbs up some risers and moonsaults on to the Young Bucks. Matt back body drops Fenix through a table. Nick Jackson wheels Pac on a piece of luggage into a super kick from Matt. Penta looking for the Fear Factor on Matt but Nick comes off the risers with a senton. Omega and Fenix have disappeared, but the remaining four men are fighting on the stage. Double super kicks by the Bucks. Fenix is on top of the entrance…. tornillo off on to EVERYONE! Running V-Trigger to Fenix by Omega out of the tunnel! German suplex by Pac to Omega on the ramp! One, two, no! Northern Light’s suplex by Matt to Pac on the ramp! Matt’s going down the ramp! Two! Three! Fenix charges but gets caught… as Nick spring and dives over all three men to take out Pac! Double Northern Lights! Two count! Wow. All six men are fighting around the ring side area now as Penta and Matt make their way through the crowd. Penta chokes Matt with a fan’s crutch. Pac and Kenny are in the ring exchanging strikes. Fenix and Penta join Pac, with a garbage can. Triple dropkick to Omega, who’s head is stuck in a garbage can. Running knee in the corner to Pac by Nick. Slingblade to Nick! V-Trigger by Omega! Omega with a trash can to the head of Pac before putting it on his head and delivering a V-Trigger! Doctor Bomb by Omega to Pac ON the trash can for two! One Winged Angel attempt by Omega but Penta makes the save and pulls Omega to the outside. Assisted Fear Factor to Omega on the floor! Matt makes the save at two. Fenix clears the ring and ends with a dive to the outside on Omega. Penta looks for a Fear Factor on the apron but Nick back body drops him off. Running Meltzer Driver from the apron to the floor to Penta! One, two, NO! Pac makes the save with a running dropkick because Penta wasn’t moving. Yakuza kick in the corner to Matt by Pac in the ring. Pac looks for the Black Arrow but Nick throws the chair at his face! Now a chair shot for Penta! BTE Trigger to Penta but Pac makes the save AGAIN! Super kick to Pac. Meltzer Driver attempt but Pac gets free and Matt accidentally super kicks Nick! Pac locks in the Brutalizer! Split screen and Omega has Fenix up on the entrance way… One Winged Angel off the ramp through a table! Omega gets the three count JUST before Matt taps! The Elite win!
Winners: The Elite
Rating: ****. Completely different than anything else on this show. A complete car crash type of match and as I’ve heard people say before, “your mileage may vary.” I’m totally okay with this match as per it fits the storyline, and it’s there for a reason. This best of seven series has to be one of the best ever, and all six men should be commended because man, this can’t be easy. I’m here for ESCALRA DE LA MUERTE for Game 7.
Match #5. Tay Melo & Anna JAS vs. Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale
Willow and Tay trade waist locks to start. Mat return by Willow and an overhand double chop. Soho tags herself in and Willow doesn’t seem to love it, as Tay bails immediately and tags Anna. Body slam by Willow and an assisted cazadora bomb by Ruby & Willow. Splash in the corner by Willow and a lariat. Basement cross body block by Willow gets two. Willow looks to tag Ruby but Tay runs around from the outside and pulls Ruby off the apron. Anna with a chop block to Willow and the JAS are now in control. Quick tags now as Willow is in trouble in the corner as we head to a commercial. Back from break and Willow is on the receiving end of a spinning leg lariat in the corner from Anna. Willow traps an incoming strike from Anna and responds with a lariat. Ruby gets the tag as does Tay! Big forearms by Ruby drop Tay to her knees. Double knee facebuster into the corner by Ruby to Tay. STO to Anna and the No Future lands on Tay! Two count. Lariat by Willow to Anna. Pump kick by Tay to Willow! All four women are down now. Ripcord by Ruby into a high kick from Willow into a Saito by Ruby! Anna breaks up the pin. DDTay to Ruby but Willow pounces Anna on the pin to break it up. Northern Light’s suplex by Willow to Anna on the floor. Tay and Ruby exchange strikes in the center of the ring and a double headbutt drops both women. Anna has a chair on the outside but Aubrey won’t let her use it. Behind Aubrey’s back, Tay hits a pump kick into Ruby’s face with a chair. TayKO finishes this one.
Winners: Anna JAS & Tay Melo
Rating: ***. Crowd was in to this one from the start, and that made it even better. All four women work well together, and I think Ruby and Willow have a future as a tag team if that’s the route they’re going to go.
Lexi Nair is with the Gunns. The Gunns are leaving to go to a party, and they will address their win against FTR… next week.
Match #6. TNT World Title: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Wardlow
Wardlow’s music hits… and there’s no Wardlow. Seems like Wardlow is not cleared to compete tonight, but there might be a standby, according to Tony Schiavone. Wardlow is here! Wardlow is hobbling to the ring and the bell rings! Shoulder block by Wardlow. Spinebuster! Two count. Joe catches Wardlow running in with an over-the-shoulder knee breaker and Wardlow is hurt. Wardlow is being checked out by doctors on the outside for what seems like minutes, before doctors let him continue. Wardlow rolls in and gets caught by Joe, who continues the punishment on the injured leg. Joe sets Wardlow up on the top rope but Wardlow is able to shrug him off and connect with a picture perfect senton, hurting his knee in the process. Both men now exchange strikes and Wardlow plants Joe with a series of German suplexes. Wardlow hobbles to Joe in the corner and comes in with a running clothesline. WHISPER IN THE WIND BY WARDLOW! Wow. Two count. Wardlow misses the big lariat but connects with a headbutt and THEN lands the lariat. Two count. Wardlow calls for the powerbomb but Joe just throws his body at Wardlow’s knee and completely takes him out. Joe looks to mount Joe in the corner and delivers punches but Warlow slithers out and powerbombs Joe! Wardlow looks for the powerbomb symphony but the knee buckles. Chop block by Joe! Kokina Clutch and Wardlow is out!
Winner: Samoa Joe
Rating: ***1/2. Big. Meaty. Men. Two big dudes just beating the heck out of each other here, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The attack on Wardlow’s leg added to the story and Joe’s psychology was perfect. Really good win for Samoa Joe here and an even better performance. Wardlow also looked like an animal and seemed to gain back some of the momentum he’s lost lately.
Joe looks to shake Wardlow’s hand after the match but cracks him with the title belt instead. Joe then goes under the ring and gets a toolbox. Joe grabs a pair of scissors and… DON’T CUT THE MAN BUN! HE CUT THE MAN BUN! JOE HAS SCALPED WARDLOW!
Darby Allin’s music hits! Darby shows up through the crowd and cracks Joe with the skateboard in the back!
Final Thoughts. Without a doubt, the best episode of Dynamite in recent memory. Four VERY good wrestling matches, a hot crowd, and some very interesting storyline development made this one of the fastest 120 minutes of pro wrestling I’ve seen in a while. Samoa Joe has the heat the fans have been waiting for, Wardlow looked like a stud, Hook and Big Bill had the crowd on their feet, and those are all non-main event level storylines that have people invested. Great stuff. 9/10.