It’s a New Year’s Smash edition of Rampage!

AEW closes out the year with a Rampage, and with some gold! Will Cody Rhodes hold onto the TNT Championship or lose it to All Ego in his first defense?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Darby Allin w/ Sting VS Anthony Bowens w/ Max Caster; Darby wins.
• Tag Team Street Fight: TayJay VS Penelope Ford & The Bunny; TayJay wins.
• AEW TNT Championship: Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson VS Ethan Page w/ Dan Lambert; Cody wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Darby Allin w/ Sting VS Anthony Bowens w/ Max Caster!

The Relentless One is still climbing back up the ranks, but he’s supposedly in here with one half of “the main event team.” Will the Five Tool Player find out he’ll need more than that against Darby?

But of course, Caster has his diss rap. “Acclaimed, we about to make this loser drop. Because he’s just a little prick like the booster shot. Darby got the wackest ink. You like to hang with Sting? You gotta a daddy kink! Ey yo, Sting, you just part-time. Your ring time’s way lower than your sex drive! Bowens will beat ya ass well. Puttin’ y’all away like Elaine Maxwell! Lock her up! Lock her up!” Bowens gets the mic to shout, “JACKSONVIIIIILLE! The Acclaimed has arrived!” The bell rings and the two stare down as Daily’s Place fires up. Darby has the fans on his side as he circles with Bowens, and the two approach, but Darby dodges.

Bowens and Darby circle, tie up, Darby waistlocks. Bowens switches, Darby switches back to get a headlock. Bowens powers up and throws Darby away, but Darby leaps over him to dodge the tackle! Fans fire up and the two circle again. Bowens wants a knuckle lock, Darby accepts the challenge, but then Bowens trips him right up. Knuckle lock cover, ONE! Bowens puts that arm down, ONE! Bowens puts the other arm down, ONE! Darby kips up and bridges and fans fire up as he wrenches and wristlocks Bowens. Bowens swings but Darby dodges to WRING him out, roll and La Magistrol! ONE, but Bowens has to bail out and regroup with Caster.

Darby just watches stoically, and Bowens takes his time returning. Fans are fired up for Darby and he eggs Bowens on. They circle, Bowens kicks low then CHOPS! Bowens has Darby in a corner to CHOP, then CHOP, then CHOP! Darby goes to another corner, Bowens stomps away on him! The ref counts, Bowens lets off and shouts, “EVERYONE loves The Acclaimed!” Bowens whips, Darby goes up and over and runs to ram shoulders! Then he gets around, O’Conner Rolls but Bowens bucks that. Things keep moving, Darby dropkicks Bowens out! Caster gets on the apron to shout at Darby, but Darby just flips him off!

Darby then dodges Bowens, but Bowens stops from running into Caster. Darby runs in, Bowens moves so Darby DECKS Caster! Darby turns around, Bowens hits a ROLLING ELBOW! Darby flops to the apron, Bowens drags him up, and whips him into the POST! Darby bounces off and flies to the floor! Sting checks on Darby while keeping The Acclaimed away, and AEW goes picture in picture.

Darby writhes and clutches his arm. Bowens goes out to fetch Darby, and he puts him in the ring while staring down Sting. Bowens stomps away on Darby, rains down fists, then storms around the ring and soaks up the heat. Bowens goes back to Darby, drags him up and whips him corner to corner hard! Darby ends up stuck between buckles before he flops down! Bowens covers, TWO! Bowens pulls on Darby’s ear and talks trash, then clamps on a cravat for a neck wrench. Darby endures, throws body shots, but Bowens cranks the hold! Rampage returns to single picture as Darby punches free. Darby gets up, blocks a punch and ROCKS Bowens with a right!

Darby wrenches, Bowens reverses and CHOPS! Bowens suplexes but Darby knees free! Darby is in a corner, he dodges Bowens and runs corner to corner to COFFIN- NO! Bowens waistlocks, but Darby elbows and trips, to running jackknife bridge! TWO, but Darby Oklahoma Rolls! TWO, and Bowens kicks low. Bowens wrenches but Darby slips out to fire off strikes! Darby runs into an ELBOW, JAB, CHOP and SUPERKICK! Both men are down and fans are fired up! Caster coaches Bowens but fans rally up for Darby. Bowens crawls to a cover, TWO! Bowens stands Darby up to CHOP him down!

Bowens puts Darby in a corner, hoists him up top, then ROCKS him with a right. Bowens climbs up, Darby throws body shots and shoves Bowens. Bowens holds on, Darby DECKS him! Darby adjusts up top, but Bowens gets up to trip him! Darby lands hard on his crotch, Bowens drags him out on the rope! TWISTING DDT!! Cover, but Bowens puts his legs on the ropes! The ref pushes those off and reprimands Bowens! Caster argues with the ref but Bowens stalks Darby as he crawls. Bowens puts Darby put on the apron then drags him to the top. Bowens is aiming for the outside! Darby fights, and YANKS Bowens into the crossbar!

Darby moves the camera out of the way so he can go up, and he puts Bowens’ hand inside the post! Darby stands on the hand to press it against the steel! The ref counts, Darby lets off at 4! Darby builds speed, but Caster is in the way! Sting trips Caster! Sting whips Caster into railing! Darby goes out but Bowens whips him into railing! Bowens Electric Chair SLAMS Darby on the apron! Fans boo as Bowens talks trash to Sting. Bowens puts Darby in, dares Sting to do something, then gets in, but Darby gets him with a CODE RED!! Cover, TWO!! Bowens bails back out, Caster hurries over, Darby DIVES into them both! Down go The Acclaimed!

Darby drags Bowens up and into the ring, climbs up the corner, COFFIN DROP!! Cover, Darby wins!

Winner: Darby Allin, by pinfall

And that’s why Darby is relentless! But he doesn’t get much time to enjoy the win as Andrade El Idolo walks out on stage! Andrade applauds Darby, but Bowens CLOBBERS Sting with the boombox! Caster and Bowens mug Darby! Caster gets his chain, wraps it around his hand, PLATINUM FIST to Darby’s head! Andrade leaves, what business does he have with Darby and Sting?

Rampage presents Technique By Taz.

Tonight, Taz will talk all about the former NCAA Division I athlete, “the handsome devil” Hook’s style. Hook invented the “El Camino” suplex, which is a drop step into a crotch lift and gut wrench, taking away his opponent’s base and ability to fight it. Then the side head ‘n’ arm suplex, Hook used leverage and technique to get one over on the bigger Bear Bronson. And of course, Hook’s finisher, the judo choke known as the Katahajime, or the Tazmission. It is now #REDRUM. The body scissors stop the legs, the clutch chokes the brain, and you better keep your eyes on Hook!

Tag Team Street Fight: TayJay VS Penelope Ford & The Bunny!

Too many times, Tay Conti & Anna Jay have been on the receiving ends of brass knuckle sucker punches. These four have gone back and forth, but this will put an end to it! Will the Blackbelt Beauty and Number 99 break the Superbad Girl and the wascally wabbit? Or will this being No Disqualifications only mean the brass knuckles show up sooner?

As they make their entrances, Ford & Bunny bring chairs, while TayJay have a trash can! Tay TOSSES the can right at Ford’s head! The bell rings, Ford gets up to brawl with Tay, but Bunny hurries to get those knuckle dusters! But Jay is ready, she uses the chair as a shield! Bunny flips out, shakes out her hand, but now JAY gets the knuckles! BRASS KNUCKLE PUNCH on Bunny! Bunny falls out of the ring, Tay DECKS Ford with a bare hand, and then TayJay go out to bring out a TABLE! Fans are loving that as they set up the table at ringside. Jay spots where Ford went, brings her up but Ford ROCKS her back! Ford POSTS Jay then BOOTS Tay!

Ford brings Tay over, puts her on the table, CLUBS her down, then goes up to the apron. Ford goes up the corner, fans are going nuts already for the MOONSAULT KNEE DROP! Ford lands on Tay but the table does not give! Ford puts Tay in the ring, and then looks under the ring. Is that a beer bottle!? Ford brings the bottle in and SMASHES it on Tay’s head!! She really IS Superbad! Ford finds Bunny, and freaks out seeing she’s busted open! The knuckles did more damage than they thought! But then Ford & Bunny bring out a table they painted themselves! Bunny ears, kiss mark and brass knuckles! Bunny is fired up from the crimson mask flowing down her face!

Oh, Tay is busted open, too! The knees and the bottle did that! Ford & Bunny prop their table up in a corner, Ford sets up a few chairs nearby, and Bunny helps out. Fans are loving “A E DUB!” for this extreme Street Fight! Ford goes out, scuffs Tay and throws Jay into the ring. Bunny brings Jay over but Jay ROCKS her! Then suplexes Bunny onto the chairs!! The chairs bend just as much as Bunny does, and AEW goes picture in picture!

TayJay regroup on the outside and they bring out another table! They flip number three over and bring it around to be flush with the ring. Tay hobbles but she finds Ford and fires off on her! Ford RAMS Tay into an apron, ROCKS her with a right, but Tay ROCKS Ford back! Meanwhile, Bunny and Jay brawl in the ring. Bunny RAMS Jay into a corner and CHOPS her! Bunny then SMACKS Jay off one of the chairs! Bunny stomps Jay, pulls her up by her hair, and dribbles her off the mat. Bunny SMACKS Jay off one of the bent chairs, then prances around like she isn’t bleeding still. Bunny drags Jay up but Jay throws body shots! Jay hits a JAWBREAKER, then a DDT to the chair!

Bunny is down, Jay is down, and Tay and Ford still scrap outside. Jay crawls to a cover, TWO!! Bunny survives but she looks like Two Face with the blood dripping down. Bunny throws a chair down on Jay as AEW goes to break.

Rampage returns, and Jay has Bunny in the QUEENSLAYER SLEEPER! Bunny endures, Jay hops on as a backpack, Bunny DROPS back through the table! They’re both down and fans say, “This is Awesome!” Bunny drags Jay to a cover, TWO!! Jay survives and Bunny’s shock and fury is clear through her bloodstained face! Tay gets a ladder out from under the ring, but Ford kicks her low and hits a CUTTER onto the ladder!! That’s double-edged for Ford but Bunny goes out to bring out a mystery bag! This can only mean… Bunny dumps the bag out in the ring, and YES, it’s THUMBTACKS!! Fans lose their minds just seeing those, but Jay RAMS Bunny into a corner!

Jay fires off, hoists Bunny up top and ROCKS her! Bunny hits back as Jay climbs and the two brawl! Jay ROCKS Bunny, climbs up but Bunny fights back! Jay throws more body shots, to then SUPERPLEX Bunny onto the tacks!! Fans lose their minds as Bunny writhes in the steel! Jay manages a cover, Ford breaks it!! But she lands in tacks for it! Tay has a chair, but Ford trips her up on the apron! Ford then slingshot STOMPS the chair into Tay’s chest! And again! Ford drags Tay up, reels her in, but Tay fights free to ROCK Ford with a right! Tay has a crimson mask of her own as she reels Ford in, Gotch lifts, PILEDRIVER through the table!!!

Fans lose their minds all over again as Ford and Tay are down in the wreckage! But Bunny has the knuckles back! But she slips in the tacks! Wait, does Jay have barbed wire wrapped around her arm?! BARBED WIRE QUEENSLAYER!!! ON THE TACKS!!! Bunny taps, TayJay wins!!

Winners: TayJay, by submission

DEAR LORD! This was like the second Venom movie, because there was CARNAGE all over the place! But after having truly shed blood, sweat and tears, are Tay Conti & Anna Jay finally moving on?

AEW takes a closer look back at Winter is Coming’s AEW World Championship match.

Bryan Danielson says, “You can watch that first match, and you can see there was a huge percentage of the match where I had the upper hand. Where I was in complete control.” Hangman Page’s response is that, “I cannot explain the frustration, the disappointment, that I felt when we ran out of time. Because I knew that if I had three or four more seconds, I would’ve pinned him and retained the world championship.” Knowing there will be judges and not a draw after even 60 minutes, that doesn’t change Bryan’s strategy at all. There is an amount of prestige that comes with being part of the first world title match that airs on TBS, but no pressure added.

Hangman says Bryan won’t get tired or get bored. So the only option is to beat Bryan’s ass as fast as possible. Bryan will do what he does best, and that is break people down. The rematch the world has been waiting for comes to us live, Wednesday night on TBS! Will there be a decision before the 60 minute time limit? Or will it come down to what three judges think?

Mark Henry speaks with our main eventers.

Henry says Dan Lambert is making this really personally between the Nightmare Family and American Top Team. Why? Lambert says he didn’t make this personal, the Rhodes family did by “cutting backstage deals with the owner of the company to steal opportunities from other wrestlers that actually earn them!” It’s all corporate conspiracy to plug reality shows and make the host a champ. News flash: the whole locker room is taking this personally, but The Men of the Year are the only ones with balls big enough to say something about it. And tonight, in the last match of the year, Ethan Page will do something about it!

Arn Anderson pretends to get chills listening to Lambert. But let him introduce you to himself. Arn is one of those guys who sees things the way they are, not how he wants them to be. Lambert may be a blackbelt in jiujitsu, and Scorpio & Ethan may be world class athletes, a real tight crew, but he’s Arn Anderson. He’s not out there cuz he’s photogenic. He puts a stop to things when they start. So just a warning: Lambert & the Men of the Year made things personal by going after Cody’s wife and Cody’s brother. Now Cody isn’t going to exercise that Champion’s Privilege of “You gotta beat him, he doesn’t have to beat you.” Cody will most certainly be on offense.

Well then, we’ve had enough talk. It’s time for the main event! Will the American Nightmare close out 2021 on top? Or will All Ego reign in the New Year?

AEW TNT Championship: Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson VS Ethan Page w/ Dan Lambert & Scorpio Sky!

Rampage returns with Ethan, Lambert & Scorpio already at ringside. Cody makes his entrance with Arn, and even Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson. Ethan mocks Cody’s entrance by curling up in the corner and yawning like he’s being put to sleep. Brock & Lee are sent to the back, Cody goes to the ring, and Justin Roberts gives us the introductions. The belt is raised, and one way or another, 2021 ends with gold!

Cody and Ethan rush each other right at the bell but Cody lands the body shot! Ethan shoves Cody to a corner, Cody goes up and over and hits a POWERSLAM! Cody headlocks, hits a big takeover, but Ethan fights up. Fans are torn but there are plenty who still rally for Cody. Ethan powers up, powers out, and Lambert swipes at Cody’s foot! Ethan CLOBBERS Cody then hits a BIG suplex! Cover, ONE! Ethan is annoyed, he drags Cody up to ROCK him with an uppercut. Cody staggers, Ethan CLUBS him down and drags him up. Ethan whips, Cody reverses but now Arn swipes at Ethan! Cody dropkicks Ethan down as turnabout is fair play!

Cody slingshots out to the apron to join Ethan, and he drags Ethan up to throw punches! Fans rally and duel, Cody has a dragon sleeper but Ethan drops down to PELE! Then Ethan FLYING SHOULDER TACKLES Cody down! Cody crashes down, but he gets help up from the fans in the front row. Ethan drags Cody up to POST him! Ethan drags Cody up, taunts Arn and ROCKS Cody! The ring count is climbing, Cody CHOPS but Ethan RAMS him into the apron! Ethan CHOPS Cody, gets in the ring to refresh the count and then puts Cody in. Ethan soaks up the heat as he looms over Cody, and he drags Cody up to suplex. Cody slips out to CHOP BLOCK a leg!

Cody holds onto the leg, stomps away on it, then stomps the ankle. Cody drops down, ties up the legs, for an INDIAN DEATHLOCK! Ethan endures, keeps his shoulders up, and fans are thunderously dueling as AEW goes picture in picture.

Ethan keeps fighting, throws hands on Cody, but Cody JABS Ethan as he lets the hold go. Cody looms over Ethan, but Ethan rolls him up! TWO, and Cody dropkicks the leg out! Cody glares at Lambert to back him off, then stomps Ethan more. Cody drags Ethan by the leg, pulls the kneepad down and throws it away to the crowd! Free souvenir! Cody gets the leg for a foot DDT! Ethan hobbles away to a corner but Cody CLUBS him down! Ethan hits Cody back with a shoulder to the gut, then throws a haymaker. Cody kicks the bad leg, gets at it, and hits a DRAGON SCREW! Cody then drops into a HEEL HOOK! Ethan scrambles and reaches, ROPEBREAK!

Cody holds on until the ref counts 4, then he does push ups just to show off! Cody glares at Lambert again, then goes back to Ethan. Cody drags Ethan up, suplexes, then hits a GOURD BUSTER! Ethan clutches the knee, Cody covers, TWO! Lambert is there and Cody lunges at him to get him to back off. Cody grabs Ethan’s leg for a STUMP PULLER! Ethan endures, throws haymakers, and Cody lets go. Cody stomps Ethan down, paces, then drags Ethan up. Cody suplexes as AEW returns to single picture, Ethan blocks to GOURD BUSTER in return! Ethan leans against ropes, Cody runs but Ethan CLOBBERS him with a shoulder! Fans fire up while both men are down!

Ethan gets up, gets his bad leg moving, and he throws counter punches on Cody! Ethan DECKS Cody, and again! Ethan whips, Cody reverses but Ethan hits a LEAPING LARIAT! Both men stagger up, Ethan runs in at the corner but Cody BOOTS him! Cody runs at Ethan but into a BACK DROP! Ethan hobbles over, drags Cody up, reels him in and flips off Arn as he hits a DDT! Cover, TWO! Cody rolls away to the apron and Ethan has the ref check his knee. This allows Scorpio to get his shots in on Cody! Arn storms over and pushes Scorpio away! Dustin Rhodes runs out to go after Scorpio! They brawl, Dustin throws Scorpio over railing, and they fight among the fans!

Cody gets in the ring while Ethan is shouting at Scorpio. Cody catches Ethan for a full nelson, spins him to a dragon sleeper, CROSS RHODES!! Cover, TWO!?! Ethan survives and Cody can’t believe it! Dustin chases Scorpio away, Arn coaches Cody on. Cody undoes Ethan’s knee brace! Fans boo, this isn’t what a hero does! Cody doesn’t care about that, he stomps the bare knee! Cody brings Ethan up, fireman’s carries and then puts Ethan on the top rope. Fans are dueling, Cody ROCKS Ethan, and then Cody goes to the outside. Cody has the ref give him space, so he can springboard, but no steiner!

Ethan throws elbows, gets Cody on his shoulder, and even with one good leg, SUPER POWERSLAM!! Cover, TWO!! Cody survives as the bad leg holds Ethan back! “This is Awesome!” and still going as Ethan and Cody slowly rise. Ethan hobbles over, Cody ROCKS him with a right. Ethan ROCKS Cody back, so Cody throws another hand! Ethan and Cody go back and forth, forearm for forearm, but Cody kicks low to Rhodes Uppercut! Ethan rebounds to BOOT! Cody ducks the roundhouse to give a ROUNDHOUSE, but Ethan ROUNDHOUSES back! Ethan gut wrenches but Cody slips off the Canadian rack to springboard and CODY CUTTER!

Fans duel again as Cody crawls to a cover, TWO!! Ethan is still in this and Lambert is relieved. Cody gets the leg, lets out a “WOO~” and has the FIGURE FOUR! Ethan endures, keeps his shoulders up, Lambert shouts to him, and Ethan turns the hold over! Cody endures now, Arn coaches Cody and Cody gets the ROPEBREAK! The hold is undone, Cody kicks Ethan and reels him in! Double underhooks but Ethan trips Cody to jackknife! TWO! Ethan runs into the corner but Cody ROCKS him with a right! Cody hops up, Ethan ROCKS Cody! Ethan crosses the arms, ICONOCLASM! Ethan drags Cody back up, slashes the throat, but Cody has the bad leg!

Cody spins Ethan to a dragon sleeper, CROSS RHODES!! Cody holds on, ANOTHER CROSS RHODES!! Cody still holds on, gets Ethan up again, kicks and double underhooks! TIGER DRIVER 98!! Cover, Cody wins!

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

Whether you love him or hate him, The American Nightmare ends the year on top! Dustin returns to celebrate with his brother, and Arn says “BOOM!” as he points the finger gun. Will Cody continue to win, no matter what anyone says?

My Thoughts:

A great Rampage, especially to close out 2021. Darby VS Bowens was a great match, and it was apparently to set up a feud of Darby & Sting VS Andrade. Darby VS Andrade is going to be a great match, maybe Andrade makes Jose into his tag partner so Jose can take the loss in a tag match with Sting & Darby. Kinda hoping Darby and Andrade get in on the Face of the Revolution Ladder match, too, they’ll really bring that match up a notch. Technique By Taz on Hook was good stuff, and that Tag Team Street Fight was BADASS! I didn’t expect blood but AEW loves using it so why not here? Britt might have competition in that area. The Faces winning makes all the sense, but damn if this doesn’t spark the AEW Women’s Tag Division back up.

And then of course, we got good promos from Mark Henry’s interview segment, and a great main event title match. I like that Dustin came out to overbook this and further the hopes of Rhodes Brothers VS Men of the Year at some point. Cody of course wins, I hope he also gives Scorpio a shot at Battle of the Belts. Then the Face of the Revolution ladder match happens, winner has a killer match with Cody, maybe they dethrone Cody or not. Given what they just set up with Wardlow and MJF, I would love if it was Wardlow who won so that he gets like two big Face pops: one for winning against Cody; the other for turning on MJF when MJF demands Wardlow turn over the title.

My Score: 8.7/10