AEW Rampage: Black Friday- November 25, 2022
by Doc Allen
Taped from Chicago, Illinois. Our hosts are Jim Ross, Ian Riccaboni, Excalibur, and Taz.
ROH Tag Team Championship:
FTR © (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. Top Flight (Dante and Darius Martin)
Both teams like each other a lot, we'll see how long that lasts. Darius uses his speed to take Dax out of his comfort zone early, but Dax fires back with clubbing offense. Darius pulls Cash into Top Flight's corner, Darius gets a nearfall on a tornado DDT. FTR try a double submission, but Dante soars in for a rescue crossbody. Top Flight hit Cash with a Sliced Bread, but FTR take a timeout. Back from commercials, Dante hits FTR with a springboard dropkick.Top Flight clear the ring for a diving sequence, but Dante botches his springboard attempt. Dante recovers with a high crossbody on Dax for 2. FTR answers with a slingshot powerbomb/big splash combo, Darius saves the match. Dante twirls all over Dax but can't pin him. Dante hits a high splash, but Cash breaks the cover by tackling Darius onto him. Darius gives Cash a standing Spanish Fly, but Dax ambushes him. FTR finish with the Big Rig at 11:10. Match was pretty fun despite being generally sloppy, and having lukewarm crowd heat, **¾.Winners and still ROH Tag Team Champions: FTR
Video profile of Powerhouse Hobbs. He drives around his old neighborhood in Oakland and muses about how everything he ever had was taken from him, so he'll do the same to his opponents.
And now, a word with ROH World Champion Chris Jericho (with The JAS). Angelo Parker has finally replaced "Appreciate Us" with "All Honor the Ocho." That's much better, it was time to move away from mocking a WWE catchphrase that is actually over in a positive way. Jericho puts himself over for defeating Tomohiro Ishii on Dynamite, and vows that Claudio Castagnoli can't slow him down. Claudio comes out to an oddly mixed reaction and fumbles his way through a promo while the fans give him the "WHAT?" treatment. He wants another shot at the ROH title. Matt Menard remembers when Claudio was a sports entertainer, which makes Jericho's nipples hard. Jericho will grant Claudio his last title shot, but he's got to join the JAS when he loses. Claudio agrees and we have a Final Battle main event.
Renee Paquette sits down to chat with Toni Storm. Deep down, Toni is proud of Jamie Hayter for beating her, but she needed Britt Baker to do it. Renee mentions that Toni's interim title reign is being retroactively recognized as having been the official champion, but Toni brushes it off, because it was always real to her (dammit).
Darby Allin (with Sting) vs. Anthony Henry (with JD Drake)
They lock up, Darby gets taken down for a kick to the spine. Allin dodges a head of steam, then misses a tope to wipe out Drake by mistake. Henry capitalizes with a guillotine drop on the ropes and a back heel trip on the apron. I would have booked Darby to win in 2 minutes, but let's take a commercial break. They return with Henry kicking Darby trapped in a tree of woe. Henry follows with a draping neckbreaker for 2. Henry misses a meteora, and Darby takes advantage with Code Red for 2. Drake interferes by bouncing Darby off the ropes for a short lariat. Henry gets a great nearfall out of the interference, Sting takes out Drake in the barricade. Henry hits a superplex and holds on, but Darby reverses into a Scorpion Death Drop! The Coffin Drop finishes at 8:10! Strong showing for Henry, even if it's not what I would have booked, **©.Winner: Darby Allin
Lexi Nair chats with Athena, who is feeling belligerent about having been suspended after attacking referee Aubrey Edwards. She offers up a sarcastic apology and chases Lexi away. Athena wants to know when Mercedes Martinez will give her an ROH Women's title shot, and I'd guess with Final Battle sneaking up, they need some insta-feuds to fill out the card.
Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata
Penelope Ford and The Bunny show up to watch from the ramp. Aminata takes advantage of the distraction and hangs Shida in the buckles for a running boot to the head. Shida blocks an Air Raid Crash and gets 2 on a jackknife pin. Shida hits the Falcon Arrow and then a roundhouse knee to win at 1:16. Finally, a proper squash. Wonder what Ford and Bunny want from Shida.Winner: Hikaru Shida
Mark Henry hosts the split screen confrontation between the Dark Order and Rush/Butcher and Blade. Jon Silver and Alex Reynolds have no idea where 10 is, they've been looking for him all day. The Butcher and Blade don't care, they're hosting an Ass Kicking party for Silver and Reynolds. Rush needs to fight, so let's go!
Lexi Nair congratulates FTR for their great 2022. Dax respectfully dismisses Lexi so he can put over their great legacy together. This year wouldn't be complete with Dax didn't challenge Bryan Danielson to a singles match on Dynamite!
The Butcher and Blade (with The Bunny) and Rush (with Jose the Assistant) vs. The Dark Order (Jon Silver, Alex Reynolds, and 10)
10 is still MIA, so Silver and Reynolds are going it alone, and it doesn't go well for them early on as they fall to the numbers game. Reynolds hits Blade with a running back elbow and big boot. Butcher grabs Reynolds, allowing Blade to corner him. Quick tag to Silver, who tries to run wild at the 90 second mark. Silver gives Blade an Olympic Slam and then tries a tope on Butcher, but gets tossed into Rush' elbow strike. Back from commercials, Silver fights out of a 2 on 1 situation and gives Blade a back suplex. Rush prevents a hot tag and puts the boots to Silver. Meanwhile, Evil Uno and -1 bring 10 charging into the ring, but 10 TURNS ON SILVER! Butcher and Blade stop Uno from helping, Rush gives Silver the Bulls' Horns to win at 7:27! Lively match that nicely built up the swerve, **½.Winners: Rush and the Butcher and the Blade
-1 looks on in horror as his hero, 10, beats up the Dark Order. Rush and 10 rip apart Uno's mask and then chokeslam Silver through the timekeeper's table! 10 walks right up to -1 and throws his mask down at his feet. -1 crouches over the fallen mask while 10 (once again Preston Vance, I wager) stands tall with Rush and friends.
Final Thoughts: Easy, breezy show. The show closing angle played out very well, it would have been nice if we'd seen a bit more of The Dark Order in the past year and a half to justify such a swerve, but I digress. Hope you weren't too busy shopping to spend an hour with Rampage.
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