Who’s dreaming of a gold Christmas?

AEW gives us a gift on Christmas in the form of Rampage! But will Sammy Guevara still reign into the New Year? Or will we return to an American Nightmare?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Jungle Boy w/ Luchasaurus & Christian Cage VS Isiah Kassidy w/ Hardy Family Office; Jungle Boy wins.
• Hook VS Bear Bronson; Hook wins.
• Kris Statlander w/ Orange Cassidy VS Leyla Hirsch; Statlander wins.
• AEW TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara VS Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson; Cody wins and becomes the new AEW TNT Champion.

PLAY BY PLAY

Jungle Boy w/ Luchasaurus & Christian Cage VS Isiah Kassidy w/ Hardy Family Office!

Jurassic Express is headed for a AEW World Tag Team Championship match, if they can keep the momentum going! Will Captain Charisma keep Big Money Matt and the rest of the HFO from DELETING Jungle Boy?

Tensions are running high already as JB and Kassidy push each other. The fans sing “Jungle Life” for JB as he and Kassidy tie up. JB headlocks, Kassidy powers out but JB runs him over! Things keep moving, Marq Quen swipes at JB! Kassidy rolls JB up, ONE, but Kassidy CLOBBERS JB! JB gets to a corner, Kassidy gloats then runs in, and fires off forearm shot after shot, then a CHOP! Kassidy stomps JB down, the ref counts and fans boo, but Kassidy lets off at 4. JB gets up as Kassidy gloats again. Kassidy runs in but JB BOOTS him! JB knuckle locks, CHOPS, and CHOPS again! JB goes up and up and rebounds to arm-drag and then dropkick!

Fans fire up with JB as he kips up! JB tells Hardy and Quen to back off before he drags Kassidy up. JB CHOPS Kassidy to a corner, then whips him corner to corner. Kassidy reverses, runs in but JB slips out, slides under and goes around to shoulder in, only to miss and get a BOOT! Kassidy rebounds to STUNNER JB to the floor! Kassidy builds speed to TORNILLO! Direct hit and Kassidy even poses on the floor. Kassidy kips up, puts JB in the ring and he slingshots to senton! Cover, ONE! Kassidy talks trash to JB and JB ROCKS him with a haymaker! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! Kassidy DECKS JB and stalks him to ropes.

Kassidy grinds forearms into JB’s face! The ref backs him off, but Hardy gets a cheap shot in! Kassidy brings JB up, JB throws body shots, then JB runs and sunset flips. Kassidy rolls through to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Kassidy bumps JB off buckles as AEW goes picture in picture.

Kassidy chokes JB on the ropes and talks trash but the ref backs him off. But Hardy gets JB and bends him against the ropes! Hardy gets away with it but Christian and Luchasaurus get HFO to back off. JB kicks Kassidy from the corner and knock shim down! JB drags himself up but Kassidy clotheslines him in the corner! Snapmare and KICK to the back! Kassidy stomps JB around, then wraps on a rear bearhug. JB endures and gets the ROPEBREAK! But Kassidy  drags him away from the ropes! JB fights up, AEW returns to single picture and Kassidy shoves JB into a corner. Kassidy runs in but JB elbows him back! And forearms, and CHOPS, repeat!

JB whips, Kassidy reverses but JB slides under and trips Kassidy up. JB runs, Kassidy sidesteps but JB hits the COMEBACKER! JB gets Kassidy up, fisherman FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! JB grits his teeth and drags Kassidy up to reel him in. Kassidy escapes the suplex to waistlock but JB elbows out hard! JB whips, Kassidy reverses to SPIN KICK! And POISON-RANA! Cover, TWO!! Fans rally up, Kassidy watches JB go to a corner. Kassidy runs in, into an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly into buckles! GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! JB holds onto Kassidy with a waistlock, but Kassidy grabs the ropes to deny the suplex!

The ref counts the ropebreak, JB dumps Kassidy out instead! JB builds speed to DIVE! Direct hit at the ramp! Fans fire up and JB puts Kassidy back in! But Quen grabs at him! JB kicks Quen away, and Christian fires off on Quen! They go up the ramp, Luchasaurus gets Jora Johl for a CHOKE SLAM! But Hardy gets Luchasaurus, no Twist of Fate, SPEAR from Christian! JB shoulders in, slingshots up and over but Kassidy rolls through the sunset flip! JB ducks the Penalty Kick to get the leg! JB has the toehold, and then the crossface! SNARE TRAP! Kassidy taps, JB wins!

Winner: Jungle Boy, by submission

The Jurassic Express is rolling on! Will they be able to cash in that golden ticket for the AEW World Tag titles in the New Year?

Ricky Starks calls out Dante Martin on commentary.

“Dante Martin, hey, you pulled that little trick on me. Well guess what? I don’t forget, and I damn sure don’t forgive.” Starks made sure Dante didn’t win the Dynamite Diamond Ring, and Starks will be coming for Dante soon enough. Will Team Taz have revenge on Angel Dorado and Lio Rush for getting the better of them?

Miro speaks.

“It has begun. I have begun to heal myself. You didn’t cast me from your heaven. You kept me from my home. You dare to stand between The Redeemer and his hot, flexible wife. And that is unacceptable! I will return with no flaws, and I will become champion to show your lack of power over me. Because we both know that you can’t stop me. We both know that you don’t have the balls. You sit up there not because of your power, but because of your fear. Everyone is going to find out that redemption doesn’t come with a smile, it comes with a price.

“So unlike you, I will look them all in the eye, and ask what they have done. And I will unburden them all. And you will either feel the joy of my cruelty, or the shame in yours. This is the word of the Redeemer.”

Hook VS Bear Bronson!

They wanted him, so Team Taz sent him! Will Hook prove he’s THE Secret Weapon? Or will Bear Country’s best be too much beef for Hook to handle?

Tony Nese is watching from the crowd as the bell rings. Hook and Bronson circle, and fans are all fired up for Hook. They tie up, Bronson gets the arm and wrenches. Hook pries free to wrench back, but Bronson slips in to wrench and wristlock. Hook takes Bronson down and has a leg! Bronson scrambles to the ropebreak! Hook lets go at 4, but Bronson comes back to scoop! Hook slips out to bump Bronson off buckles! Hook fires off hands and a headbutt! Hook bumps Bronson, Bronson bumps Hook and fires off hands of his own! Bronson lets off to hear the fans booing, and he brings Hook out. Hook hits an STO! Then the hammerlock and cording hold!

Bronson gets around and gets a leg for the ropebreak. Hook lets off, Bronson CLOBBERS him with an elbow! Bronson rakes the eyes, the ref reprimands, and Bronson scoops to PILEDRIVER! Hook’s right back up!? Hook talks some smack and eggs Bronson on. Bronson runs, Hook CLOBBERS him! Hook wrenches, shoots in, NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!! Hook revels in the fans firing up, Hook waistlocks and then arm ‘n’ head for a TAZ PLEX!! Bronson flounders, Hook reels him in for crossface forearms! Then he rolls him, CLUBS him, and REDRUM CLUTCH! Bronson taps, Hook wins!

Winner: Hook, by submission

Hook holds on a little longer to teach Bronson who’s the apex predator here! Hook lets go, takes off, and doesn’t even look tired. Will Hook keep the win streak going all the way to a title opportunity?

Eddie Kingston and Daniel Garcia speak.

The Mad King says, “On Rampage, Garcia, you did what you had to do. I ain’t mad about it, man. I actually sort of respect it.” But Red Death says he’s been in the ring with Kingston week after week after week, “I’ve already collected the data on you, so what do you think’s gonna happen next time in the rematch?” Kingston will have Santana & Ortiz, it’ll be a Six Man Tag. 2point0’s Matt Lee wonders what’ll happen if they make Santana & Ortiz disappear like they did Chris Jericho. How about that, boys? A big battle is coming, will Proud ‘n’ Powerful help Kingston crush Garcia, Lee and Parker once and for all?

Kris Statlander w/ Orange Cassidy VS Leyla Hirsch!

The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien and #LegitLeyla have been teammates and rivals, but now they are opponents. Come New Year’s, records reset but rankings do not. Who comes out of this primed in the AEW Women’s Division Top Five?

The bell rings and the two tie up. They go around, Kris puts Leyla in the ring, then lets off to boop the nose! Leyla brushes that off, ties up with Kris, but Kris headlocks. Leyla pops out the back to get a headlock, but Kris powers up to lift her! Leyla turns that to a takeover, but Kris fights up to power out. Leyla rams shoulders, but Kris brushes that off. Leyla runs and Kris runs her over! Kris flexes and fans cheer. Leyla gets up, Kris dares her to try again, but Leyla shoots in to trip Kris up! Leyla rains down forearms but the ref has her back off when she uses those fists. Kris gets to a corner, Leyla runs in to forearm smash!

Leyla trips Kris, goes corner to corner and METEORAS! Then swinging dropkick! Cover, TWO! Leyla keeps cool, then waistlocks Kris to bring her up. Kris’ height helps her with the lift but makes it harder for her to hit Leyla with elbows. Kris goes to ropes and throws Leyla out. Fans fire up and Kris runs in, into a shoulder! Leyla steps up to slingshot up and over, then runs, into a POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Kris drags Leyla up, reels her in and suplexes, to hold Leyla up! Fans cheer as Kris keeps Leyla up for 10! And then a little longer, before the SLAM! Cover, TWO! Kris wraps on a chinlock and shifts it to a cobra clutch of sorts.

Leyla endures, fights up, and arm-drags free! Kris staggers up, runs in but Leyla trips her up and then runs to shotgun dropkick! Leyla whips, Kris reverses but Leyla duck san dodges to rolling takedown to a cradle, TWO! But then the ARMBAR!! Kris flails, reaches, clasps hands and gets to her feet as Cassidy and the fans rally up. Kris deadlifts and BUCKLE BOMBS Leyla! But Leyla stays on the buckles to climb up, Kris runs into a HANGING ARMBAR! The ref counts, Leyla lets go at 4. Kris runs in but into a GAMANGIRI! Leyla goes up and in and QUEBRADAS! Cover, TWO!! Leyla goes out of her usual moveset there, but she KNEES Kris down! Cover, TWO!!

Kris survives but Leyla keeps her focus. Fans rally up and Leyla pushes Kris around. Leyla SLAPS Kris, Kris shoves Leyla! Kris CLUBS away on Leyla, then ROUNDHOUSES! Kris reels Leyla in, BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Kris is frustrated but she fires up with the fans. Leyla gets to a corner, Kris storms over to Electric Chair Lift! Leyla fights it, slips back and GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Leyla runs corner to corner at Kris, into an elbow! Kris runs and BOOTS Leyla down! Kris drags Leyla back up, hooks her for the inverted SLAM, then rolls to get the legs! Kris gets the arms, SPIDER CRAB STRETCH!! LEYLA TAPS, KRIS WINS!!

Winner: Kris Statlander, by submission

Leyla is legit, but Kris is still the Greatest Alien! Kris offers a handshake, but Leyla slaps it away. Will Kris use this win to get closer to gold in 2022? And what will it take for Leyla to have her own breakthrough into the top of the rankings?

Mark Henry talks with our main eventers!

Cody Rhodes has a lot going on, from his reality show and all the cameras, and of course Arn Anderson says Cody has that “one foot out the door” mentality. How is Cody going to deal with that tonight? Arn speaks up to say that this isn’t about talking to Mark Henry, this is about talking to the TNT Champion. Arn tells Sammy Guevara that usually guys Sammy’s age and size call him, “Mr. Anderson.” But that’s neither here nor there, either. Here is a pearl of wisdom, though. “You never jump on a man and get into a fight with somebody that’s already pissed off. And if Cody is not pissed off at the months of me chewing his ass out, he never will be.”

Sammy says thanks, “Mr. Anderson,” glad to know Cody’s pissed. Sammy’s pissed that everyone thinks this is a bigger match for Sammy than it is for Cody. Two years ago, it would’ve been a big match for Sammy. But that’s two years ago. That’s then, this is now. Cody knows this is the bigger match for him. Sammy thanks Cody for starting AEW, but Sammy will be the one to carry AEW for years to come, just like he’ll carry Cody’s ass tonight! “Good luck, kid.” Then there’s been enough talk. It’s time for the main event! Will the Spanish God prove to the American Nightmare why he IS TNT Champion?

AEW TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara VS Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson!

AEW returns as Cody makes his elaborate entrance, and is accompanied by Coach Arn, Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson, but then has Brock and Lee go back to the back. Sammy makes his entrance, no one backing him up. The introductions are made, and David Crockett is introduced as well! The title is raised, and someone is taking gold home for Christmas!

Sammy surprises Cody with a dropkick! Torture rack, but Cody slips out to waistlock! Sammy switches, shoves, hurdles, flips and dropkicks Cody down! Then the smooth kip up! Sammy dodges Cody, kicks low, and copies the Rhodes Uppercut! Cody sputters, Sammy clotheslines him out of the ring! Fans fire up with Sammy as he hits the spin and pose! Cody hops the railing to walk through the crowd rather than at ringside, but fans still tell Cody how they feel. Cody hops back to ringside, Arn coaches him through this, and Sammy waits. Cody gets in before the ring count but fans chant, “Cody Sucks! Cody Sucks!”

Cody and Sammy circle, they tie up, go around, and Cody headlocks for a hard takeover. Sammy keeps his shoulders up, pushes back with a forearm, and fans are dueling as Sammy makes it a cover! ONE, Cody still has the headlock but Sammy puts Cody in a corner. Cody wrenches to whip but Sammy reverses. Cody goes up and out but Sammy hip tosses him back in! Sammy baits Cody in, then goes up and over in the corner, and hits the POWERSLAM! Another Rhodes staple! Cover, TWO! Sammy snarls, drags Cody up, and Sammy springboards, but no Disaster Kick! Cody springboards to CODY CUTTER! Fans boo as Cody fires up and gets to his feet.

Cody drags Sammy up, whips but Sammy reverses to throw Cody out. Sammy then follows to bump Cody off steps! Sammy stalks Cody to CLUB him down, then he CHOPS Cody against the apron! Sammy shoves Cody down, goes to the apron, and the ring count is climbing. Arn helps Cody up, Sammy runs in, Sammy SHOOTING STARS, but Cody and Arn get clear! Cody SLAMS Sammy’s arm on railing! Cody puts Sammy in the ring, stalks up behind him, and he drags Sammy up by the arm to whip and KNEE low. Fans boo but Cody whips Sammy to hip toss, then short arm scissors! Sammy endures, fans fire up and rally, and Sammy works to turn things over.

Cody keeps on the arm, Sammy keeps fighting, and fans boo Cody as AEW goes picture in picture.

Sammy keeps enduring as Cody pulls on the arm. Sammy rolls back to a cover, TWO! Sammy CHOPS, Cody pie faces. Sammy CHOPS again, but Cody boots the clothesline! Cody hooks Sammy up, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP, to the cording hold! Cody pushes Sammy’s head down, Sammy endures, Cody twists the arm to SLAM it! Cody soaks up the cheers and jeers, then stomps Sammy around. Cody isolates Sammy’s arm in a hammerlock to STOMP it! Cover, ONE!! Cody stalks Sammy, clamps onto the arm again for a wristlock, but Sammy throws body shots. Sammy fights up, but Cody bends the arm for a top wristlock.

Cody drags Sammy up to back suplex, but Sammy lands on his feet! Roll up, TWO! Cody LARIATS Sammy inside-out! Cover, TWO! Cody gets the arm again but Sammy fights with his feet to get free. Cody stomps Sammy down before he can reach the ropes! Cody drags Sammy out by the bad arm to SLAM the arm on the apron edge! Sammy writhes and crawls away but Cody stalks up behind him. Cody drags Sammy up by the arm, wrenches and knuckle locks to bend the fingers back. Sammy fights up but Cody hammerlocks and RAMS Sammy into buckles! Sammy writhes and clutches his arm, but Cody gets him back up as AEW returns to single picture.

Cody suplexes, stalks for about 10 before the GOURD BUSTER! Sammy flounders, Cody goes up a corner. Cody MOONSAULTS, but he FLOPS as Sammy moves! Sammy shakes out the bad arm, fans rally up and Sammy gets to his feet. Sammy runs in and CLOBBERS and rallies on Cody! Sammy whips, Cody reverses, but Sammy dodges to RAM into Cody! ENZIGURI from the apron, Sammy triangle jumps for a SUPER CUTTER!! Cover, TWO!! Cody survives but Sammy gets him up to dragon sleeper! Sammy steals CROSS RHODES!! But Cody flops out of the ring to save himself! So Sammy goes up and up and SPRINGBOARD 450 SPLASH ATTACKS!!

Fans fire up with Sammy and he high fives fans. Sammy runs in to leap off the steps and RAN- NO! Cody POWERBOMBS Sammy into the crowd!! Talk about an immersive experience! Fans are thunderous for “A E DUB! A E DUB!” Cody drags Sammy up and over the railing to get him in the ring at 4 of 10. Cody fires himself up as he pounds the mat but fans boo. Cody runs, springboards, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER KICK! Fans boo but Arn says to finish this! Cody stalks Sammy, dragon sleepers, but Sammy drops out to victory roll! TWO!! Sammy swings, Cody dragon sleepers, CROSS RHODES!! Cover, TWO!?! Sammy survives and Cody can’t believe it!

Fans are loving Sammy’s heart but Cody wants to finish this. Cody drags Sammy back up, but Sammy is dead weight. Cody still stands Sammy up, but only gets him to ropes. Cody CLUBS Sammy, drags him up and puts him on the top rope. Cody climbs up behind Sammy, and brings him into the dragon sleeper. INVERTED SUPERPLEX, but Sammy lands on his feet! Sammy catches Cody in the torture rack! GO TO HOSPITAL!! Cover, TWO!?!? Cody survives and now Sammy is shocked! Arn is shaking his head, even he’s rather surprised. “This is Awesome!” and far from over as Sammy fires himself back up. Sammy slashes the throat and drags Cody to a drop zone!

Sammy climbs, shakes out his arm, takes aim and flips Cody off! 630 SENTON onto knees!! Cody gets Sammy for a CROSS RHODES!! And then ANOTHER CROSS RHODES!! Cody isn’t stopping there, and fans are thunderous as Cody reels Sammy in! Double underhooks, TIGER DRIVER 98!! Cover, Cody wins!!

Winner: Cody Rhodes, by pinfall (NEW AEW TNT Champion)

The American Nightmare is back on top, and he sets a historic record! He is a THREE-TIME TNT Champion! The Nightmare Family, including Shawn Dean, Red Velvet, brother Dustin Rhodes and wife Brandi Rhodes, celebrate with Cody. David Crockett personally presents Cody with the title belt, and Cody graciously accepts. Sammy’s Christmas was ruined, but will it be a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for the Rhodes Family?

My Thoughts:

A pretty great Rampage for Christmas here. Yes, Cody won the TNT title again but at this point, fans being upset by it is exactly why it happened. Cody continues to built Heel Heat while defending he is Face, and it adds a lot of weird, paradoxical elements to his clearly coming feud with Men of the Year. They and Dan Lambert claim Cody is this and that, Cody denies it, yet it sure seems that way to fans. As I said for Dynamite, I’d love if the Men of the Year somehow brought out Cody’s Heel side. And even without all that, Sammy VS Cody was a great match, definitely worthy of a special episode like tonight.

JB had a very good match with Kassidy, and things got logically hectic and overbooked on the outside with HFO brawling with Christian and Luchasaurus. Jurassic Express should definitely get their title shot at Battle of the Belts. That’d be a great moment for them to win the titles, right as AEW transitions from TNT to TBS. Hook was again awesome, though him basically no-selling the scoop piledriver was a touch much for me. Beating Bear Bronson was still awesome stuff for this early in his career. I thought they were going to take their time building up to someone Bronson’s size, but why not just do it now, huh?

Kris VS Leyla was a great match, too. I’m a little surprised Leyla lost, but Kris does have a lot of momentum going for her being a member of the Best Friends faction. Leyla being in a bad mood after losing was a surprise, I hope they don’t turn her Heel, though, she’s actually been doing great as a Face and teaming with Faces like Ryo Mizunami. It’d be good depth of character if she was just in a bad mood, but something happens where she still sees Kris as a friend and helps her out. And while Miro does great with his promos, I still wish they’d gone in a different direction and let him do stuff in the ring. Even if it was just him “crashing” matches on Elevation, I want to see Miro be the destroyer he’s promising to be.

My Score: 8.5/10