Will Sammy Guevara still reign?

Tony Nese answers the open challenge for Sammy Guevara’s AEW TNT Championship, but is it too soon for the Premier Athlete to dethrone a Spanish God?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• AEW TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara VS Tony Nese; Guevara wins and retains the title.
• Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling VS Janai Kai; Cargill wins.
• Death Triangle w/ Alex Abrahantes VS FTR w/ Tully Blanchard; FTR wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

AEW TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara VS Tony Nese!

Rampage opens with gold! But after the Spanish God got sucker punched by the Premier Athlete, will Sammy do Nese the favor of ending that undefeated streak? Or will Nese shock the world by taking this title on his first try?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised and we see who stays golden in Hotlanta!

Nese and Sammy circle for only a moment before Sammy fires off! Sammy hammers Nese at the ropes, CHOPS him in the corner, then throws more hands. Nese body shots and CLUBS Sammy down, then whips him to ropes to CLOBBER him with an elbow! Nese gloats but fans boo. Sammy trips Nese to rain down fists! Nese shoves Sammy away, things speed up, Sammy hurdles and flips over to dropkick Nese down! Nese bails out while Sammy kips up so smooth! Fans fire up while Nese paces around the outside. Sammy builds speed to DIVE and twist! Direct hit with the corkscrew tope and fans are thunderous!

Sammy brings Nese up but Nese RAMS Sammy into the apron! Nese whips but Sammy reverses and Nese hits steel steps! Sammy drags Nese up, puts Nese against railing, and CHPOS him! Nese staggers away but Sammy CLUBS him from behind! Sammy then RAMS Nese into railing! Sammy puts Nese back in, takes a moment for his banged up ribs, and then he climbs up top. Nese trips Sammy up and Sammy gets stuck on the rope! Nese runs in to TOP SHELF KICK, fireman’s carry and GUT BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Nese stomps Sammy down as fans boo. Sammy crawls to ropes but fans rally up. Nese drags Sammy up but Sammy throws body shots.

Nese goes to ropes, but he throat chops back! Nese brings Sammy around to talk trash, throw body shots, then BULLDOG HOTSHOT! Nese hurries to PREMIER TRIANGLE MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Sammy clutches the leg where Nese landed, but Nese kicks him around. Nese brings Sammy up to whip corner to corner hard, and Sammy bounces off buckles. Nese flexes but fans boo, and Nese drags Sammy up. Nese whips Sammy into another corner and Sammy again bounces off buckles. Nese runs in, Sammy dodges! Sammy CHOPS Nese, sunset flips, but Nese rolls through to SOBAT! Cover, TWO!

Nese hurries to get Sammy in the body scissors! Sammy endures the squeeze but fans rally up as AEW goes picture in picture.

Sammy moves around, throws hands and gets free, but Nese gets a rear bearhug. Sammy throws elbows, Nese back suplexes him down! Nese kicks Sammy around, then mocks the fans chanting for him. Nese stalks Sammy, Sammy CHOPS back. Nese CHOPS Sammy, but Sammy CHOPS again. Nese CHOPS, Sammy CHOPS, repeat! It’s a CHOP fight, until Nese dropkicks Sammy down! Cover, TWO! Nese headlocks and grinds Sammy down as AEW returns to single picture. Sammy fights up, throws body shots, but Nese shifts his hold, only for Sammy to back suplex! Both men are down, but fans rally up. Sammy gets to ropes, he kicks but Nese blocks and trips to a HALF CRAB!

Nese digs a knee into Sammy’s bad ribs while pulling on the leg! Fans rally as Sammy endures, and Sammy turns over to kick and kick and get free! Sammy dodges Nese to CLOBBER him! Fans fire up, Sammy CLOBBERS Nese again! And again! Sammy whips, Nese reverses but Sammy dodges and rams in! ENZIGURI from the apron! Fans fire up as Sammy springboards, triangle jump, SUPER CUTTER! Sammy crawls to the cover, TWO!! Nese survives but Sammy fires up and slashes the throat! Torture rack, GO TO- NO! Nese blocks the knee to get the HALF CRAB again! Fans rally as Sammy endures the hold all over again! Sammy turns over, cradles, TWO!

Nese runs in but Sammy catches him, only for Nese to slide under and pump handle! Sammy slips out of the scoop, shoves Nese and SPANISH FLY! Cover, TWO!! Fans are thunderous for Sammy as he gets back up. Sammy kicks Nese around, pushes him, but Nese pushes back. Sammy clotheslines Nese out of the ring! Sammy goes to the apron, takes a moment, and TOP ROPE ASAI MOONSAULTS!! Direct hit and fans lose their minds! Sammy gets Nese up and into the ring, then drags himself up to the apron. Sammy springboards but Nese SHORYUKENS! Sammy falls, Nese builds speed, PREMIER FOSBURY FLOP!!

Nese puts Sammy in, gets up top fast, PREMIER 450!! Cover, TWO!?! Sammy survives and shocks Nese! Nese is frustrated but fans say “This is Awesome!” Nese drags Sammy up, pushes him around, slaps him around, taunts him, but Sammy fires off forearms! Nese shoves Sammy to ROCK him with that left! Nese runs, Sammy somersaults to ROCK Nese back! Sammy goes to run but Nese reels him in, school boy! TWO, Nese gets Sammy with a dead lift BUCKLE BOMB!! Nese runs but into Sammy’s BOOT! Sammy manages the torture rack, G T H!! Cover, Sammy wins!!

Winner: Sammy Guevara, by pinfall (still AEW TNT Champion)

The Premier Athlete gave Sammy one hell of a challenge, but the Premier winstreak is over! Will the Spanish God reign all the way through the holidays?

Jurassic Express & Christian Cage speak.

This is why they gotta trust Captain Charisma on this stuff. No secrets here, the fact that his guys, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus, are the #1 tag team contenders in AEW. But they haven’t forgotten that the Lucha Brothers beat them for that same spot months ago and then went on to beat the Young Bucks. But since then, they’ve beaten The Elite themselves, and now here we are. Momentum is so important, but it can be gone just like that. Opportunities don’t come around every day, and sometimes they never come around again. So they’re going to scout tonight’s main event, even if it doesn’t have Fenix. Everyone is a potential opponent and then they become the targets.

If it sounds like Christian is getting ahead of himself, he’s not. That’s just how confident he is in his guys. If it’s the last thing he does, he’ll make sure Jurassic Express are the next AEW Tag Team Champions! Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus are fired up, will they be ready to show Penta & Fenix who has #CeroMiedo?

Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling VS Janai Kai!

Thunder Rosa joins commentary as promised, because she wants to watch her student give #ThatBitch more than she bargained for. But will Cargill simply make her opponent an example of what’s coming for La Mera Mera in the TBS Championship Tournament?

The bell rings and Cargill doesn’t take “The Kick Demon” seriously. Cargill even dares her to take the headlock. Kai does, only for Cargill to TOSS her away, and then BOOT her right down! Cargill gets the arms, JADED! Cover, Cargill wins!

Winner: Jade Cargill, by pinfall

That might be the fastest win in AEW history! Rosa says all Cargill knows how to do is pose around. But Cargill gets Kai up to rough her up, whip her and BOOT her down! Rosa won’t stand for that, and she runs to the ring! But Mark Sterling gets in her way, so he gets knocked down! Rosa gets in to dodge the boot and tackle Cargill! They brawl, the refs rush in to stop this! Fans want to “Let Them Fight!” but these two will have to wait until their tournament match! Will Rosa end Cargill’s undefeated streak to then be a finalist for the TBS Championship? Wait, Rosa gets loose and rushes back at the ring! Cargill kicks her away, who will stand tall when they finally have their match?

The Super Kliq speaks.

Brandon, c’mon, moron. But Adam Cole calls out Orange Cassidy for coming out while Cole was on commentary. Cassidy tried to take Cole’s spotlight, Cole’s moment, but you saw what happens! Don Callis passes by and says hey, while Cole continues that Cassidy is the laughing stock of AEW. Nick tells the Best Friends, “You think you’re tough guys? We’re tough guys! And when you bring steel chairs into the equation, that’s not gonna end well!” Matt says, “Hey, guys, I have a brilliant idea. How about the Young Bucks return to tag team action Wednesday on Dynamite.” Best Friends can bring their two best guys and we’ll see what happens. CACAW! Brandon, cut. The red button, Brandon!!

Eddie Kingston speaks.

“2point0, congratulations, you beat up the great Chris Jericho. And I do not care. Chris has no business to do with me, you two do. You want to beat me up after my match with Danny Garcia, you want to keep this going, you guys are gonna learn something real plain and clear. You reap what you sew, partna!” Will the Mad King break Matt Lee & Jeff Parker all by himself? Or will he need some back-up to get it done?

AEW looks at Bryan Danielson’s grudge against the Dark Order.

John Silver thinks this is Bryan finally showing his true colors. He doesn’t think he can beat Hangman, he’s getting insecure and just taking it out on The Dark Order. Bryan says Silver is the strongest member of the Dark Order, but the thing is, “You become the five people you spend the most time around.” Silver doesn’t spend his time around elite people. But Long Island is Silver’s home. Bryan is known for being fast, good with strikes and submissions, but Silver can do all that, too. But Bryan sees Silver running around, making jokes, being “Johnny Hungy.”

Is that making him a better wrestler? Bryan wasn’t joking around at age 30, he was winning championships. Silver wants to get a big win in his hometown, but Bryan isn’t going to let that happen. Will the American Dragon slay another hometown hero this Wednesday?

BREAKING NEWS!

After the challenge was thrown out, Best Friends accepted! And they’re bringing ROCKY ROMERO with them! It’ll be Young Bucks VS CHAOS as Rocky and Chuckie T step up for Dynamite!

Mark Henry speaks to our main eventers!

PAC, FTR hurt Rey Fenix, and PAC has one eye. How can he fight like that? Does Pac look blind to him? He’s good to go. Malakai Black will pay for what he did, but this is about Fenix. Penta adds, “Because we have Cero! Miedo!” But Cash Wheeler questions how they’re gonna get revenge for Fenix. This was supposed to be FTR getting revenge for Full Gear! Full Gear was where FTR was supposed to make history, but they were robbed! Tonight, once again, Fenix doesn’t have the huevos to show up so they rob that from FTR, too! Dax Harwood adds that this was supposed to be the marker, the night of celebration as the first-ever two-time AEW Tag Team Champions, but Fenix didn’t show up!

Things get heated, but Henry interrupts. Let’s cool off a second. There’s been enough time, it’s time for the main event! Will the Bastard and Penta take down their archenemies once and for all? Or will FTR get some semblance of revenge for what they consider an injustice?

Death Triangle w/ Alex Abrahantes VS FTR w/ Tully Blanchard!

AEW returns as Death Triangle make their entrance. The teams sort out, fans chant for “CERO MIEDO!” as Penta starts against Cash. Cash and Penta pace, approach, but Penta is wary of Dax. Cash and Penta approach, Penta trips Cash but Cash scrambles away. Penta and Cash circle, tie up, Cash headlocks then wrenches an arm. Penta trips Cash to have a spinning toehold! Penta makes Cash spread the legs but Cash scrambles away again. Fans rally behind Penta and he eggs Cash on. Cash is flustered just hearing all the “CERO MIEDO” from the fans. Penta takes off the glove, then throws it to Alex. Cash tries but he can’t intercept it!

Cash gets Penta, whips, hurdles, but Penta KICKS his monkey flip down. Tag to Pac, Penta snapmares and Death Triangle double KICK and double DROPKICK! Cash bails out and Dax calls for a timeout. Pac waits, Cash comes back, tag to Dax. Dax and Pac tie up, Pac headlocks and hits a takeover. Dax fights up, pulls hair, powers out but Pac runs him over. Things keep moving, Pac slides under to then hip toss hard! Cash gets in but gets a hip toss! Pac scoops and SLAMS Dax! Pac drags Dax up, wrenches, but Dax pulls hair to whip then CLOBBER Pac! Cash says, “That’s how you do it!” Dax whips but Pac reverses to back drop!

Fans fire up and Pac tags Penta. Penta goes up, Pac sets Dax up, QUE PASO! Cover, Cash breaks it! Cash drags Penta but the ref reprimands. Cash bails out, Dax runs in to ROCK Penta! Tag to Cash, Dax bumps Penta off Cash’s boots! Cash stays between Penta and Pac, and doesn’t even mock Cero Miedo fully because he doesn’t care, Cash brings Penta up to headbutt him down then KICK him in the back. Tag to Dax, FTR stomp Penta’s legs. Dax snap suplexes Penta, tags in Cash, they work together for the assisted leg drop! Cover, TWO! Cash brings Penta up, Dax sticks out a leg, but Penta turns it around and feeds Cash to Dax’s knee! Hot tag to Pac!

Pac shoulders into Dax, slingshots up and over then ducks to sobat! Front kick! Sobat again! Pac runs to BOOT Dax down! Fans fire up as Pac runs corner to corner but Dax puts him on the apron! Pac ROCKS Dax, springboards but the depth perception throws him off! Pac tumbles, then Dax DECKS him! Dax drags Pac up as AEW goes picture in picture.

Dax puts Pac on ropes, tags Cash, and Cash chokes Pac! Cash lets off at 4, gets in and stares Penta down. Cash drags Pac up and EuroUppers! Pac flops against ropes, Cash taunts the fans cheering Pac on, then he kicks Pac. Tag to Dax, FTR get a leg each and DOUBLE ROPE GUILLOTINE! Tully high-tens Cash while Dax goes to the apron. Dax stomps Pac into the ring, drags him up and bumps him off buckles. Pac fires forearms and elbows to fight out of the corner! Dax kicks low, but Pac turns suplex into cradle! But Cash distracts the ref! Death Triangle would’ve won already!! The ref finally sees, TWO!! Dax CLOBBERS Pac!

Dax drops a leg, then drags Pac by an arm. Dax whips and then catches Pac for a cobra twist! Cash reaches out, FTR forms a chain! Alex points it out, the ref looks but FTR lets go. Pac endures all the same, and then FTR reform the chain! The ref sees it this time and CLUBS it apart! Pac HIP TOSSES Dax down! Cash tags in, CLUBS Pac down and keeps him from Penta! Cash drags Pac into a cobra clutch and grinds him down. Pac endures as Cash leans on the hold. AEW returns to single picture as fans rally up and Pac fights to his feet! Pac moves around and throws Cash out of the ring! Dax hurries to get Cash up and in, then tags in to stay between Pac and Penta!

Dax throws Pac out, fans boo, but the ref keeps Dax in. Cash LEAPS but only gets railing! Pac gets in, Dax anchors his legs, but Pac fights up to ENZIGURI! Pac is free, but Cash trips Penta! Penta storms after Cash, they go into the ring and the ref stops Penta! Dax gives Pac a BACKBREAKER, Cash adds a FLYING ELBOW DROP! Cover, but the ref sees Cash isn’t legal! Pac still kicks out, but now Dax gets in, TWO!! The Bastard survives, but Dax drags Pac up. Fans chant “We Want Penta!” but Dax flips them off. Dax hoists Pac up top, CHOPS him, then climbs up to the very top. Pac resists the superplex, throws body shots, then ROCKS Dax!

Dax hops down and crawls away, but he comes back, only for Pac to shove him back down! Pac adjusts, to SHOTGUN missile dropkick! Fans are thunderous for “A E DUB!” while both men are down. Cash gets in but Penta ducks the sucker punch, Pac back drops Cash! Hot tag to Penta! SLINGBLADE for Cash! SLINGBLADE for Dax! CHOP after CHOP after CHOP for FTR! Dax waistlocks, Penta switches but Dax switches back, only for Penta to BOOT Cash! Dax shoves, Penta wheelbarrows Cash to victory roll and jump, DDT to Dax! Fans fire up again as Penta pops Cash up for a snake eyes! Penta runs in, Cash puts him on the apron but Penta ROCKS Cash with a forearm!

Penta SUPERKICKS Dax away, then GAMANGIRIS Cash! Penta goes up top to CROSSBODY Cash! Cover, TWO! Cash escapes but Penta keeps his focus. Penta drags Cash up, whips him but Cash reverses. Penta goes up and over for the BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO! Penta has the fans rallying again, “CERO MIEDO!” Penta reels Cash in, tucks the arms, but Cash fights out, wrenches and whips. Penta reverses, but Cash POWERSLAMS! Tag to Dax, and Dax climbs as Chas gets Penta up. Wheelbarrow LEG DROP!! Cover, TWO!! Penta survives and FTR is furious! Cash gets back in, FTR double whip, but Penta sunset flips Dax! Cash helps Dax stay up but Pac SUPERKICKS!

Penta sobats Dax, then runs in to spin and SUNSET BOMB! Cover, TWO! Penta drags Dax up, tags Pac, and Pac goes up! “CERO!” Cash trips Penta up! Cash throws Penta into railing, Pac BOOTS Cash! Pac climbs up and aims at Dax, CROSSBODY! Dax rolls through to cover, TWO!! Pac BOOTS Dax then runs. Dax dodges to ROCK Pac with a right! Double underhooks, TIGER DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Fans are thunderous again as both men are down. Tully gets on the apron to coach Dax but the ref tells him to get down. They’re arguing, Dax suplex but Pac sips out and shoves Dax towards Tully! Dax stops himself, Pac runs in, Dax dodges and Pac CLOBBERS Tully!

Dax O’Conner Rolls but Pac turns it to a EUROCLUTCH! TWO!! Tully flounders, Cash goes over, Penta runs in! Cash avoids the slingblade to TORNADO DDT! Pac clotheslines Dax out hard! Fans fire up as Pac goes to the corner! Pac climbs up, ARIHARA MOONSAULT! Direct hit on FTR and fans are thunderous again! Pac puts Dax in, but Dax claims his leg hurts. Here comes MALAKAI BLACK! He spits more BLACK MIST into Pac’s eye!! Dax rolls Pac up, FTR wins!!

Winners: FTR, by pinfall

The Dark Father finishes what he started with The Bastard! Penta goes after FTR, but he gets mugged 2v1, and then they take his mask!! Alex covers Penta with his jacket while FTR laughs about it, playing around with the mask. Malakai gets in the ring to dig his fingers into Pac’s face!! Malakai wants to completely blind Pac!! Fans boo but the Dark Father stops only when he’s satisfied! Is that blood on his hands?! Has the House of Black helped break the Death Triangle completely?

My Thoughts:

What a wild episode for Rampage here. The TNT Championship match as the opener was surprising, but I didn’t see Nese winning anyway. He still gives Sammy a great match, but Sammy retains, and I’m thinking he’ll retain until Battle of the Belts on January 8th. Hopefully Miro’s gotten to have matches and has destroyed many, many men on Dynamite, and even Elevation, so that he has the momentum and the win-loss record to get a match against Sammy. Meanwhile, that was the squashiest squash match Jade Cargill or anyone has had, but we all knew she was winning anyway. Rosa VS Cargill is going to be hot stuff, but I feel like that’s going to be another Cargill win.

Good promos from Eddie Kingston, Christian Cage & Jurassic Express, the Super Kliq, John Silver and Bryan Danielson to hype up the upcoming matches. Christian calling Jurassic Express “his guys” is odd, but I guess he sees himself as a mentor to them when they were doing pretty good on their own. Though, I suppose maybe they wouldn’t have made it past the Super Kliq without him. Where’s Marko Stunt, for that matter? Bucks VS Chuck Taylor & Rocky Romero is going to be a good one, maybe we’ll get an 8 Man Tag of Super Kliq & Bobby Fish VS Cassidy, Yuta, Chuck & Rocky for the TBS premiere.

We got an awesome tag team main event, with Pac doing a great job with just one eye. The fall was still part of the match and not a shoot, I’m sure. Malakai being what screws Death Triangle over was a bit surprising, as was him going after Pac’s eye so aggressively. I feel like Malakai and Pac will have a No Disqualification style blow-off like Cody Rhodes and Andrade just had, but I wonder what kind of kayfabe damage Pac’s eyes will have at this point.

My Score: 8.6/10