Eddie Kingston is on a Rampage!

Proud ‘n’ Powerful and the Mad King are back at it again, as they’re going on a No Holds Barred Rampage against 2point0 and Daniel Garcia!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Adam Cole VS Jake Atlas; Cole wins.
• Hook VS Aaron Solo w/ QT Marshall; Hook wins.
• Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter w/ Rebel VS Riho & Ruby Soho; Riho & Soho win.
• No Holds Barred Six Man Tag: Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz VS Daniel Garcia & 2point0; Kingston, Santana & Ortiz win.

PLAY BY PLAY

Adam Cole VS Jake Atlas!

The Panama City Playboy heard the news, and he wants to “welcome” the Muscle of El Camino to AEW personally. But will the current #1 contender have more than he bargained for going against the newest signee? Or will it still be all about Adam Cole BAYBAY?

The bell rings and the two tie up. Cole gets the arm and wrenches through to a wristlock. Atlas rolls, wrenches back to get the wristlock, but Cole rolls and rolls and wrenches back. Atlas slips through, has the arms and spins Cole to a headlock and takeover! Cole scrambles around but Atlas keeps him down. Cole headscissors, Atlas moves around, headstands and pops free! Atlas mocks the BAYBAY and then eggs Cole on. Fans rally, the two circle, and they tie up, only for Cole to kick low! Cole ROCKS Atlas, whips him to ropes, but Atlas reverses. Cole holds ropes to avoid the dropkick! But Atlas avoids the shining wizard!

Cole avoids the Penalty Kick, and the standing moonsault, but Atlas avoids the boot! Cole ducks a roundhouse, Atlas blocks a superkick, both men then show superkick but hold back. Fans fire up as Atlas tells Cole to talk to the hand. Cole kicks low! Cole whips, Atlas stops short of the dropkick to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Atlas brings Cole up to CHOP, then has Cole in a corner for another CHOP! Cole staggers, Atlas brings him around and bumps him off buckles. Atlas fires forearms and then GAMANGIRIS! Atlas whips corner to corner, Cole reverses but Atlas BOOTS him! Atlas goes up, Cole SHOVES him down! Atlas crashes down while Cole dusts himself off.

Cole goes out after Atlas, POSTS him, then soaks up the cheers and jeers. Atlas staggers up, Cole puts him in the ring. Cole drags Atlas around, rains down fists, then drags Atlas up. Atlas throws body shots, Cole stomps him down! Fans rally, Cole brings Atlas up and DECKS him with a right! Atlas goes to the corner, Cole digs his foot in! The ref counts, Cole lets off at 4, but Cole drags Atlas up. Atlas throws forearms, then a ROLLING ELBOW! Cole staggers, Atlas runs, springboards, but into a BACKSTABBER! Atlas writhes but Cole snapmares him for a KNEE to the back!

AEW is picture in picture as Cole clamps on a chinlock. Cole grinds Atlas down, but Atlas endures. Atlas fights up as Cole shifts his position, and Atlas throws body shots. Atlas runs, Cole CLOBBERS him! Cole paces, Atlas goes to a corner but Cole drags Atlas up. Cole turns Atlas for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Cole flexes to keep his ego going, and he drags Atlas into another chinlock. Atlas endures again as Cole grinds him down. Atlas fights his way up, throws EuroUppers, but Cole kicks low. Cole whips, Atlas ducks and dodges to RANA! Cole bails out but Atlas keeps moving, only for Cole to go around the way. So Atlas just redirects to WRECK Cole with a dropkick!

Atlas keeps moving, Atlas DIVES and hits Cole into railing! Atlas puts Cole in, springboards, and missile dropkicks! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up, Atlas brings Cole up but Cole ducks a kick to shove and BOOT! Atlas rebounds into the fireman’s carry, USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO! Atlas survives and Cole is growing frustrated. Cole smirks as he goes to the corner, and he tunes up the band! Atlas blocks the superkick to spin him around! Cole breaks the waistlock to PELE! Atlas SUPERKICKS, spins and DISCUS LARIATS! Atlas brings Cole back up, but Cole suplexes first for a GHOSTBUSTER!! Cover, TWO!! Atlas survives and Cole is beside himself!

Cole gets up while Atlas crawls to a corner. Cole aims, runs in, but Atlas SHOTGUN BOOTS first! Atlas gets Cole up, suplexes, X-PLEX POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO!! Cole survives but Atlas slaps himself to fire back up! Atlas goes to the apron, aims and springboards, but into a SUPERKICK! Atlas clutches a knee while Cole climbs up. PANAMA-NO! Atlas blocks, but Cole CLUBS him down! HEEL HOOK! Atlas taps, Cole wins!

Winner: Adam Cole, by submission

Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish head out to celebrate with their guy, Cole, and Cole gets a mic. “Happy New Year, Jake Atlas! Because in about one minute, congratulations, you earned another ass whooping.” But as medics check on Atlas, here comes Orange Cassidy! And he wraps a fist with a chain! Best Friends hurry up to reinforce him, and they run off Cole and reDRagon! Will Freshly Squeezed have to wait a little longer for revenge?

AEW has breaking news!

Dustin Rhodes lets us know, “Due to medical protocol, my brother Cody Rhodes will not be in Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday night for Battle of the Belts to face Sammy Guevara for the TNT title. Opportunity has knocked for another member of the Rhodes Family: me, the Natural, Dustin Rhodes.” Sammy Guevara’s response is that he “doesn’t give a sh*t. It can be Dustin Rhodes, Cody Rhodes, it could be any Rhodes.” And he also doesn’t care if it’s interim or not, he vows to walk out with the gold at Battle of the Belts. Will this change of plans help the Spanish God reign again? Or will Dustin protect the honor of the Rhodes Family?

Backstage interview with Andrade El Idolo.

Tony Schiavone is with Andrade and his assistant, Jose, and asks why last week, Andrade distracted Sting & Darby Allin for The Acclaimed to attack from behind. Andrade says, “First, Tony, this problem is not with Mr. Sting. My question is, why this little kid works for Sting?” Schiavone points out that Darby doesn’t work for Sting, they’re friends. Oh, okay, how does Schiavone know that? Well, he knows them very well. Okay, okay. Andrade is so busy, he and Jose need new assistants. So Andrade offers Sting payment to get Darby Allin. Schiavone is pretty sure that isn’t going to work out. Is Andrade going to regret thinking of Darby as just a worker for hire?

Hook VS Aaron Solo w/ QT Marshall!

The Factory wanted him, so Team Taz sent him! Will the Handsome Devil show QT and Solo that he really is all that and a bag of chips?

The bell rings and Hook already stares Solo down. Fans are singing, “Hook is gonna kill~ you” but Solo tells them to shut up. Solo and Hook feel out the grapple, Solo is more messing with the hair than taking this seriously. They tie up with knuckle locks and go shoulder to shoulder in a test of strength, and then Hook lifts Solo to BACK DROP him! Solo scrambles to ropes, QT wants the ref to keep Hook back, and Hook gives Solo space. They circle, feel things out, and Solo shoots in to waistlock. Hook switches, leg trips and has a half nelson to a cravat. Solo endures as Hook as a deep neck wrench, but he gets the ropebreak. Hook lets go at 4 and fans rally up.

Solo goes to a corner, Hook goes after him with body shots! Fans fire up as Hook headbutts Solo down! But QT hooks Hook’s foot! Hook glares at him, but Solo CLOBBERS Hook! Solo stomps away, but Hook shoves Solo away. Solo comes back with a forearm, then he CLUBS Hook on the back. Solo whips, Hook reverses to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP, to a GROUND OCTOPUS! Solo endures, fights back to a cover, TWO! Hook CHOPS Solo on the ear! Waistlock, but Solo switches. Hook switches, gut wrenches and TOSSES Solo with the El Camino Suplex! Fans fire up, Hook gets Solo up, but Solo JAWBREAKERS!

Hook comes back, Solo ducks but Hook ducks the roundhouse! Hook catches Solo for the SHOULDER CAPTURE SUPLEX! Hook throws down crossface forearms, then wraps on the body scissors! Hook CLUBS Solo, and puts on the REDRUM! Solo taps, Hook wins!

Winner: Hook, by submission

Hook makes Solo suffer before he lets Solo go, and QT gets in to get in Hook’s face. Fans tell Hook to take the fight to him, and QT won’t let Hook walk away, either! Hook glares at QT, but QT tries a cheap shot! TAZ PLEX!! Hook is undefeated and doesn’t even look to be sweating! Will that ice in Hook’s veins keep him cool all the way to the top rankings?

Ricky Starks speaks from commentary.

He’s got some big news for Battle of the Belts! He thought it was a damn shame that the FTW Championship was NOT defended on that night. But he is Absolute Ricky Starks, he talked with Tony Khan, he is defending his title against Matt Sydal! the reason Starks wanted Sydal was for Dante Martin! Starks is gonna prove a point. Dante took three matches to beat Sydal, it’ll take Starks just one. And then Dante will have “Powerhouse” Will Hobbs to worry about on Wednesday, because Dante isn’t gonna survive!

AEW hears from both TayJay and Penelope Ford & The Bunny.

“Last week on Rampage, we left a bloodstain mark on AEW. Tay, Anna, we had to snuff the good out of you. Blood had to be spilled, because that’s how villains are made.” But Anna Jay & Tay Conti say that the best part was piledriving Ford through a table. Bunny & Ford still did what they set out to do, and that was to make sure no one ever forgets their names.

Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter w/ Rebel VS Riho & Ruby Soho!

The Dentist and her sidekick- er, assistant look to make sure momentum is on their side going into Battle of the Belts. But the Runaway had a point that Britt has never defeated Riho without help. Will this tag match ironically just prove that point? Or will Britt look to win two nights in a row?

The teams sort out, and Rebel drags Ruby out of the ring! Britt and Hayter mug Riho, really only proving Ruby’s point from Wednesday. Ruby gets back in and she goes after Britt! Britt bails out, then Ruby helps Riho against Hayter! Fans rally up, Hayter kicks but Ruby blocks to KNEE Hayter back! Ruby keeps on Hayter and the bell rings to officially start this. Ruby bumps Hayter off buckles, stomps away in the corner, then tags in Riho. Ruby whips Riho in to KNEE Hayter! Riho fires off, then tags Ruby. Riho whips Ruby in and Ruby forearms! Ruby stomps Hayter more, tags back to Riho, and they combine for a wheelbarrow victory SPEAR!

Riho covers Hayter, TWO! Tag to Ruby, she brings Hayter up but Hayter RAMS Ruby into the corner! Britt tags in, she and Hayter stomp away on Ruby, and Britt fires off forearms. Britt brings Ruby around to FISHERM- NO! Ruby slips out to snap suplex! Ruby PENATLY KICKS Britt down, tags in Riho, and Riho runs to step on Britt, backpack onto Ruby, and together they SENTON onto Britt! Cover, TWO! Riho hurries to tag Ruby in, and Ruby hurries to keep Britt from her corner. Britt rakes eyes, fires forearms at the ropes, then brings Ruby around to whip her to ropes. Ruby reverses but Britt reverses back, and Rebel swipes at Ruby!

Ruby glares, the ref reprimands, but Britt knees Ruby low! Britt underhooks for a BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Hayter gets in to BOOT Ruby down! Britt covers, TWO! Britt rains down hands on Ruby and then covers, TWO!

AEW goes picture in picture as Britt drags Ruby by her hair. Britt wraps on a chinlock then drags Ruby up to bump her off buckles. Britt chokes Ruby, Hayter helps out there, but the ref counts and they both let off at 4. Tag to Hayter, she snap suplexes Ruby out of the corner! Cover, TWO! Hayter drags Ruby back up, bumps her off buckles, then brings her around to RAM her into the second buckle, and then the bottom buckle! Hayter swings on Riho but Riho gets away. Hayter drags Ruby up to bump her off more buckles and then stomp her in the corner. Britt talks trash, then gets her cheap shots in as Hayter argues with the ref!

Hayter CLUBS Ruby down, stomps her, then drags Ruby up to scoop and SLAM! Cover, TWO! Hayter looms over Ruby, taunts her as she crawls, and then brings her away to CLUB her in the back! Ruby CHOPS back! And CHOPS, and CHOPS! Hayter CLUBS Ruby again, then drags her up to whip her into the corner. Hayter tags Britt, Britt wraps Ruby’s arm around the ropes and pulls off KT tape at the same time. The ref reprimands, Hayter gets her boots in on the arm, the ref counts but they both let off at 4. Britt fires off forearms, throws Ruby down, then CLUBS the arm while clamping on an armlock. Ruby endures as AEW goes to break.

Rampage returns and Britt waistlocks Ruby. Ruby fights with elbows, Britt ripcords and spins, but Ruby ducks to SAIDO! Fans are fired up for “Women’s Wrestling!” as these two crawl for their corners. Hot tags to Hayter and Riho! Fans fire up as Riho dropkicks Hayter, dodges her, then tilt-o-whirl headscissors! Riho dodges Hayter to put her on ropes, and then dials it up for a 619! Cover, Britt breaks it! Britt rains down rights on Riho, Hayter stomps Riho, and they double whip. Riho handsprings through the clotheslines to BOOT Britt and TORNADO DDT Hayter! Cover, TWO! Riho drags Hayter to the corner and heads up top!

But Britt is there to shove Riho down! Fans boo, Britt runs in and gets Riho, ripcord ROLLING ELBOW! Hayter hits the BACKBREAKER, sets Riho up for Britt’s SUPERKICK, then Hayter hits an STO! Cover, Ruby breaks it! Britt is after Ruby and throws her out while Hayter hammers Riho! Hayter drags Riho up, suplexes, but Riho fights free! Britt is there, but Riho dodges and Hayter DECKS Britt! Riho rolls Hayter up to a high stack, Riho & Soho win!!

Winners: Riho & Ruby Soho, by pinfall

And Britt’s still yet to defeat Riho! Britt is upset with Hayter, but will she take it all out on Riho in the AEW Women’s World Championship showdown?

Dan Lambert and The Men of the Year speak.

“Let me get this straight. Now it’s Dustin and Sammy for the interim TNT belt? Tony, are you booking championship matches or the next episode of Rhodes to the Top?” He doesn’t know who does more sucking up, Cody to Tony or Tony to the TNT reality show execs. Either way, there’s a lot of sucking going on right about now. No wonder Bambi Rhodes is the CBO. Not to break their hearts more, but Ethan Page says you can’t expect anyone to use logic in running this place. If so, then a top five wrestler like Scorpio Sky would be in the match! Scorpio says there doesn’t even need to be a match or interim title! Scorpio should just be crowned the champion immediately!

Scorpio hasn’t been pinned in 221 days, hasn’t lost a singles match in over 300 days, and he could beat both Dustin and Sammy on the same night! Ethan says Sammy knows there’s unsettled business here, but Dustin? Ethan could knock him on his ass any night of the week! So tomorrow, they’ll be watching very, very closely. Will the interim TNT Champion have to worry about these wolves hunting them down?

Mark Henry talks with the main eventers.

Henry wants to talk with Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz first, but “with all due respect,” Jeff Parker speaks up to take over. Kingston, just do them a favor and stand there with your mouth shut. How many times do they have to do this? Week after week, they embarrass Kingston, and yet- Oh, Kingston, Santana & Ortiz decide to just bounce. Matt Lee is done with the “pulled the tights” excuse. Where are they going? They want to go to the ring already? Daniel Garcia says that they got embarrassed last week, they’ll just get embarrassed again this week. Garcia has Kingston’s number, he is smarter in the ring than Kingston, he’ll prove it every time, especially with tonight being no rules.

Wait, Kingston, Santana & Ortiz found Garcia & 2point0 and attack! The fight is on already as Kingston fires off on Garcia, Santana has Parker, and Ortiz disappears down the hall with Lee! Henry says it’s time for the main event! Will these three keep brawling all through the commercial break?!

No Holds Barred Six Man Tag: Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz VS Daniel Garcia & 2point0!

Rampage returns and things spill out onto the stage! Parker sends Ortiz tumbling, but Kingston fish hooks Garcia’s mouth as he brings him to the ring. Ortiz and Lee were beating each other all during the break, who knows where Lee’s gone since. Kingston throws hands on Garcia, CLUBS him at ringside, and then RAMS him into railing! Kingston smacks Garcia off a chair in the corner, Santana punches back against Parker. Kingston grabs a trash can! Kingston and Garcia go to the ring, Garcia fires forearms but Kingston doesn’t even flinch! Kingston pokes Garcia in the eye, then SMACKS him with the trash can!

Kingston headbutts the can to fire himself up! Ortiz sends Lee into railing, Santana uses a chair on Parker. Kingston chose Garcia with his shirt! Kingston puts the trash can between the legs and STOMPS! And speaking of balls, Ortiz uses the mad ball sock on Lee! Kingston SMACKS Garcia with the banged up trash can! And again! And then he puts the can around Garcia’s head to stomp it! Kingston throws Garcia out, Parker BOOTS Santana against railing! Kingston chokes Garcia, Ortiz SMASH a water bottle on Lee’s head and the camera gets splashed! Kingston BITES Garcia! Ortiz snap suplexes Lee to the floor and then uses a beer can!

Garcia hits Kingston back, Parker gives Santana SNAKE EYES on the railing! Garcia RAMS Kingston into the apron, Ortiz uses a chair on Lee. Garcia and Kingston scrap on the floor, Lee TOSSES Ortiz over railing! Garcia rakes Kingston’s eyes! Ortiz fights Lee back in the front row, and Santana brings Parker around to CHOP him by the corner. Garcia has the trash can, Kingston kicks him down first! Proud ‘n’ Powerful double suplex Parker while Kingston suplexes Garcia onto the trash can! Lee returns to CLUB Santana then fire off on Ortiz! Fans rally up for Kingston but Lee puts Ortiz in the ring.

Lee takes one of the fan’s blown up Bert Kreischer head and SMACKS Santana with it! 2point0 regroups in the ring while Kingston makes Garcia take a seat. AEW goes picture in picture as Lee whips and drop toeholds Ortiz, and Garcia drop toeholds Kingston into the chair! Lee sets up, Parker has a chair, FULL METAL BOOYAH! Direct hit on Ortiz and he writhes from the chair drop. Cover, TWO! 2point0 stomp Ortiz, hit him with what’s left of the Kreischer head, but Santana DECKS Parker! And BOOTS him from the apron! And SMACKS him off the steps! Ortiz  kicks Lee back, but Lee stomps Ortiz down. Kingston CLOBBERS Garcia with the trash can!

Lee whips Ortiz hard into the corner! Ortiz bounces off buckles, Lee goes out after Kingston and kicks him down. Lee waits for Kingston to stand, to then CLOBBER him! Garcia returns and now he chokes Kingston with a shirt! Parker throws hands with Santana, Ortiz SMACKS Parker with a chair! Lee CLUBS Ortiz but Ortiz JAMS him! Parker and Garcia knock Ortiz down but Santana JAMS Garcia with the chair! SMACK to Garcia’s back and he hobbles away. Santana sets up a chair, brings Parker over and reels him in, PILDERIVER to the chair! A bit double-edged given how Santana set that up, but Kingston uses the mad ball on 2point0!

Ortiz gets the mad ball to smack Lee over and over and over! Garcia puts Kingston’s leg inside the trash can and STOMPS it! Garcia stomps Kingston more to then STOMP the leg again! Lee clobbers Ortiz and fires off hands! Parker is in the ring and he digs boots into Santana at a corner, while Garcia YANKS Kingston’s leg! Kingston kicks back, eggs Garcia on, even as he crawls! Parker CHOPS Santana, Garcia gets Kingston’s leg and bends it in a toehold. Parker runs corner to corner to RAM into Santana!

Rampage returns to single picture as Kingston scrapes Garcia away. Parker and Santana throw hands, but Parker whips Santana corner to corner. Ortiz saves Santana, and uses the schoolboy to propel Santana into a CUTTER on Parker! Lee gets in, PNP dodge him to DOUBLE FLAPJACK! Garcia gets in, Ortiz hits him first! PNP double back suplex but Garcia slips out, and Parker SPEARS Santana down! Garcia rolls Ortiz, holding the waistband! TWO!! Garcia whips Ortiz, Ortiz rolls and CLOBBERS Garcia! And again! CALF KICK! Kingston hobbles in to get an EXPLODER! Santana is up top, FROG SPLASH!! Cover, 2point0 break it!

Santana throws Parker out, Lee uses POCKET SAND!! DDT! Cover, Ortiz breaks it! Fans are loving “A E DUB!” for this, and Lee throws hands on Ortiz, DDT! Lee fires up, and Garcia gets the ring bell! Parker returns, Lee stomps Kingston, and they want to revisit their previous Six Man Tag! Ortiz grabs Garcia’s leg but Garcia stomps him away. Garcia runs in, BELL RINGER!! Cover, TWO?!?! HOW?!?! Fans are going nuts as Lee and Garcia keep Kingston down. Parker finds tape! They bring Kingston around to the timekeeper’s table, DOUBLE SUPLEX through the table!! But Ortiz uses the trash can to attack! LOW BLOW from Parker!

Garcia sees Santana, he jumps in but into a JAM from the chair! SMACK to the back! Santana storms over to SMACK Parker with the chair! Santana keeps Lee from running away, and he JAMS him to SMACK him with the chair! Fans are thunderous, Santana goes back to Parker but Garcia BOOTS him from the apron! Garcia gets in, Ortiz is there, Garcia KICKS Ortiz first! Garcia and Ortiz throw hands, Ortiz eggs Garcia on! Garcia forearms, Ortiz CHOPS and eggs Garcia on some more. Garcia ROCKS Ortiz, throws more hands, but Ortiz CHOPS back! Santana is in, he and Ortiz give Garcia the ASSISTED WHEELBARROW FACEBUSTER!

Parker attacks to stop the cover, but Ortiz whips and hurdles, Santana KICKS! Ortiz ENZIGURIS, Santana DISCUS LARIATS! Cover, Proud ‘n’ Powerful win it for the team!

Winners: Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz, by pinfall

But Lee still LOW BLOWS Kingston! Garcia dropkicks Santana! Lee LOW BLOWS Ortiz! And again! Garcia stomps away on Kingston, fans boo as they get the tape back! They tape Kingston to the ropes! They’re mugging Kingston, but Jericho jumps off commentary! Jericho gets in to run off 2point0 and Garcia! Le Champion dares them to do something, but they’ve done the damage. Kingston frees his arm, Jericho even has the mad ball. Will Jericho and Kingston put aside their differences to go after their common enemies?

My Thoughts:

What a wild episode of Rampage! Cole VS Atlas was a great match, but since this was all recorded on Wednesday, it was already reported out there that Atlas legit hurt his leg at the end there. There’s some irony to how it wasn’t as bad as Rey Fenix’s arm, yet Atlas is the one hurt. Cassidy and faction running Not Undisputed Era off was good stuff, there’s a lot more to do there as the story of Cole stuck between all his friends develops. Maybe there’s a clash of reDRagon and Young Bucks the very next time the Bucks try to help Cole win. Hook VS Solo was good stuff, and naturally Hook wins. I bet we’re getting Hook VS QT next after that.

I really like that Starks took the initiative and wants to defend his FTW Championship. He’ll have a great match against Sydal and naturally retain. I feel like Dante will find a way to win against Hobbs, and then I hope we get Starks VS Dante for the FTW title. Britt & Hayter VS Riho & Ruby was a pretty good tag match, and it was great that Riho got the win but over Hayter. I’m pretty sure the Battle of the Belts is where Britt finally defeats Riho to retain the title, and then Britt can move on to any number of other contenders. Cody not being cleared is a shame, Dustin being the replacement definitely plays into what Lambert’s been going on about, and I feel like this is how we circle back to Sammy feuding with Men of the Year.

Andrade had a good promo to explain what’s going on with him, Darby and Sting. I feel like it’s becoming Andrade’s running joke that he thinks factions/stables have a boss and everyone else works for that boss. And then we got an awesome main event, and I love that it started as a brawl backstage. I mean, what stops one side of that main event interview to go after the other if they’re all in the same building anyway? Great stuff all over, the Faces winning only for the Heels to go after them was a great way to bring Jericho into this again, and I would think we’re at least getting Jericho and Kingston as a team to go against 2point0 specifically, with Santana & Ortiz keeping Garcia away.

My Score: 8.6/10