12/25/21 AEW Rampage: Holiday Bash Recap
The opening credits roll. Excalibur, Ricky Starks, and Taz are on commentary from Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Match #1 – Singles Match: Isiah Kassidy (w/Jora Johl, Marq Quen, and Matt Hardy) vs. Jungle Boy (w/Christian Cage and Luchasaurus)
They lock up and Jungle Boy applies a side-headlock. Kassidy sends him off the ropes, but Jungle Boy drops him with a shoulder tackle. Jungle Boy runs the ropes, but Quen trips him up and Kassidy gets a two count on a roll-up. Kassidy takes Jungle Boy to the corner and delivers right hands, followed by a chop. Kassidy stomps Jungle Boy to the mat, but Jungle Boy comes back with a boot to the face. Jungle Boy drops Kassidy with an arm-drag, and follows with a dropkick. Kassidy comes back with a kick to the head, and drapes Jungle Boy over the top rope. Kassidy takes Jungle Boy out with a dive on the floor, and delivers a senton back into the ring. Kassidy goes for the cover, but Jungle Boy kicks out. Jungle Boy comes back with chops, but Kassidy keeps him grounded with a shot of his own. Kassidy grinds his forearm into Jungle Boy’s face, and Hardy delivers a cheap shot against the ropes. Jungle Boy fights back with a few rights hands, but Kassidy counters with a dropkick. Kassidy goes for the cover, but Jungle Boy kicks out as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Jungle Boy delivers a back elbow, followed by chops. Jungle Boy delivers a low dropkick, and then connects with a comeback lariat. Jungle Boy delivers a fisherman’s Falcon Arrow and goes for the cover, but Kassidy kicks out. Jungle Boy delivers a back elbow, but Kassidy comes back with an enzuigiri. Kassidy delivers a poison-rana and goes for the cover, but Jungle Boy kicks out. Jungle Boy comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex, followed by a German, and goes for the cover, but Kassidy kicks out. Jungle Boy sends Kassidy to the floor and takes him out with a dive. Jungle Boy rolls Kassidy back in, but Quen grabs Jungle Boy’s leg. Cage and Quen brawl up the ramp, and Cage gains the upper-hand. Luchasaurus choke slams Johl on the floor and shoves Hardy into a Spear by Cage. Jungle Boy dodges a kick from Kassidy and locks in the Snare Trap, and Kassidy taps out.
Winner: Jungle Boy
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A vignette for Miro airs. He says he has begun to heal himself and will return with no flaws. He says no one can stop and everyone will find out that redemption does not come with a smile, but it does come with a price.
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Match #2 – Singles Match: Bear Bronson vs. Hook
They lock up and Bronson applies a wrist-lock. Hook turns it into one of his own, but Bronson counters back. Hook takes Bronson down and goes for a single-leg Boston Crab, but Bronson makes it to the ropes. Bronson picks Hook up, but Hook sends him to the corner and delivers body shots. Hook follows with a headbutt and takes Bronson to the next corner, but Bronson counters and delivers shots of his own. Hook comes back and slams Bronson to the mat, and locks in a submission. Bronson makes it to the ropes, and comes back with a chop. Bronson gouges Hook’s eyes and slams him to the mat with a Rikishi Driver. Hook pops right back up and drops Bronson with a clothesline. Hook delivers a Northern Lights release suplex and delivers cross-face shots. Hook locks in Redrum and Bronson taps out.
Winner: Hook
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Match #3 – Singles Match: Kris Statlander (w/Orange Cassidy) vs. Leyla Hirsch
Statlander backs Hirsch into the corner, but they have a clean break. Statlander picks Hirsch up, but Hirsch counters with a side-headlock take down. Hirsch sends Statlander to the corner and connects with a corner clothesline. Hirsch follows with double knees and a dropkick. Hirsch goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out. Hirsch runs the ropes, but Statlander counters with a power slam. Statlander goes for the cover, but Hirsch kicks out. Statlander drops Hirsch with a delayed vertical suplex and goes for the cover, but Hirsch kicks out. Statlander applies a rear chin-lock and drops Hirsch to the mat. Statlander charges, but Hirsch trips her and delivers a dropkick. Hirsch slams Statlander to the mat and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out. Hirsch locks in a cross arm-breaker, but Statlander picks her up and slams her into the corner. Hirsch comes back and locks in the arm-bar in the ropes, and follows with an enzuigiri. Hirsch comes back in with a moonsault and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out. Hirsch delivers a running knee strike and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out.
Hirsch slaps Statlander, but Statlander comes back with a roundhouse kick. Statlander delivers a Blue Thunder Bomb and goes for the cover, but Hirsch kicks out. Hirsch comes back with a few shots and takes Statlander down. Hirsch goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out. Statlander comes back with a reverse body slam, and follows with the spider hold submission, and Hirsch taps out.
Winner: Kris Statlander
-After the match, Statlander extends her hand for a handshake, but Hirsch slaps it away and leaves the ring.
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Match #4 – AEW TNT Championship Match: Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (w/Arn Anderson)
Guevara delivers a few quick shots and goes for the GTH, but Rhodes gets free. Guevara sends Rhodes to the floor and invites him back into the ring. Rhodes comes back in and takes Guevara down with a side-headlock take down. Guevara gets to his feet and sends Rhodes to the apron. Guevara brings Rhodes back into the ring and drops him with a power slam. Guevara goes for the cover, but Rhodes kicks out. Rhodes comes back with the Cody Cutter, but Guevara sends him to the floor. Guevara slams Rhodes into the steps, and then the barricade. Guevara chops Rhodes against the apron and tosses him to the floor. Guevara comes off the apron with a Shooting Star Press, but Rhodes dodges it and slams Guevara into the barricade. Rhodes gets Guevara back into the ring and drops him with a hip-toss. Rhodes applies a short-arm scissor hold and keeps the hold applied into the commercial break.
Back from the break, Rhodes is in control and goes up top. Rhodes goes for a moonsault, but Guevara dodges it. Guevara drops Rhodes with a few shots and spears him in the corner. Guevara delivers an enzuigiri, and follows with a springboard cutter. Guevara goes for the cover, but Rhodes kicks out. Guevara delivers Cross Rhodes, but Rhodes rolls out of the ring. Guevara connects with a springboard 450 on the floor, but Rhodes comes back and sends Guevara over the barricade. Rhodes gets Guevara back into the ring and delivers the Disaster Kick. Rhodes goes for Cross Rhodes, but Guevara counters with a roll-up for two. Rhodes delivers Cross Rhodes and goes for the cover, but Guevara kicks out. Rhodes goes for an avalanche back suplex, but Guevara lands on his feet. Guevara delivers the GTH and goes for the cover, but Rhodes kicks out. Guevara goes for the 630 splash, but Rhodes gets his knees up. Rhodes hits two Cross Rhodes and a Tiger Driver 98 and gets the pin fall.
Winner and new AEW TNT Champion: Cody Rhodes
-After the match, the Nightmare Family get into the ring and celebrate with Rhodes as the show comes to a close.
