CONTAINS SPOILERS
This episode of AEW RAMPAGE: New Year’s Smash was broadcast on TNT from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY!
Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccaboni and “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Friday and you know what that means! The fastest hour in professional wrestling!
This…is…Rampage!
ROH World Champion “The King of New York” Chris Jericho (with “The Red Wood” Big Bill)
vs. The Acclaimed’s Anthony Bowens (with Max Caster)!
Bowens chopped at the Learning Tree with big right hands. Bowens went to town with a punch-elbow combo. Jericho poked Bowens in the eyes, followed up by a running lariat. Jericho hit a big back suplex on Bowens.
Jericho unleashed a flurry of chops on Bowens. Jericho went for a bulldog, but Bowens countered, launching Jericho into the turnbuckles. Bowens drilled Jericho with a knee to the face. Bowens blocked the lionsault and countered with a twisting hangman DDT for a near fall.
Jericho locked on the lion tamer! Bowens managed to reach the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Bowens hit the fameasser on Jericho. Bowens sent Jericho tumbling outside the ring. Bowens took flight with a cross body block to Jericho and Big Bill!
“The Bad Apple” Bryan Keith distracted the referee. Caster seized the opportunity to jump into the ring and body slam Jericho, setting Jericho up for the Scissor-Me-Timbers. Bowens covered Jericho but Jericho kicked out at the two-count!
Bowens ducked the Judas Effect. Big Bill jumped on the apron to distract the ref. Bryan Keith jumped in the ring with the ROH World Title. Caster tried prying it out of Keith’s hands. Caster pulled it away and inadvertently bashed Bowens in the head with the belt! Keith tackled Caster. Jericho covered Bowens and pinned him!
AEW Tag Team Champions Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen
vs.
Leo Sparrow & Alec Price!
Price kicked Zay but Zay fired back with a dropkick. Quen tagged in and Private Party nailed Price with tandem offense. Private Party finished off Price with the Gin & Juice for a quick and dominant victory!
After the match, Lio Rush and Action Andretti walked onto the ramp! Private Party charged them and both teams began to brawl!
Top Flight’s music hit, and Dante and Darius Martin flew down to the ring, slugging it out with Private Party and Rush and Andretti! Security had to separate the three teams!
Thunder Rosa vs. Leila Grey!
Thunder Rosa chopped Grey in the corner. Rosa followed up with two consecutive arm drags and then a basement clothesline. Grey countered a scoop slam with a cradle for a near fall. Grey blasted Thunder Rosa with a shotgun dropkick.
Thunder Rosa smoked Leila with a dropkick of her own. Leila fired back with a snap suplex. Thunder Rosa clobbered Grey with a pair of knees. Thunder Rosa charged at Leila with a dropkick in the face!
Leila smashed Thunder Rosa with a side effect! Thunder Rosa back dropped Leila and then double stomped her on the back. Thunder Rosa locked on the cobra clutch and forced Leila to tap out!
HOOK
vs.
Nick Wayne (with The Patriarchy’s Christian Cage, Mother Wayne & Kip Sabian)!
Nick Wayne ambushed Hook before the bell rang. Hook survived the sneak attack and punished Nick with body shots. Hook hit the T-bone suplex. Nick Wayne retaliated with a snap suplex. Nick Wayne nailed Hook with a quick leg drop.
Nick Wayne reversed an Irish Whip and sent Hook into the steel ring steps. Kip Sabian held Hook’s injured arm while Christian smashed the cast with the metal contract. The ref ejected the Patriarchy from ringside!
Nick Wayne ripped the cast off Hook’s injured hand. Nick stomped on Hook’s hand. Hook had enough and sent Nick Wayne hurling with a suplex. Hook charged at Nick with a lariat and followed up with another suplex. Hook nailed Nick with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall.
Hook countered the Wayne’s World with a suplex on the apron! Nick Wayne regained momentum with a beautiful frog splash for a near fall.
“Hook is amazing! That kid will just not stay down,” said Tony Schiavone.
Hook drilled Wayne with a desperate clothesline. Christian Cage and Kip Sabian walked back down the ramp. Katsuyori Shibata was nearby, though, chasing them with a board! Shibata ran after the Patriarchy with a 2x4!
Wayne went for the Wayne’s World but Hook countered with the Redrum! Hook was victorious via ref stoppage!
“What a victory for Hook fighting through the pain and challenge,” said Ian.
“What a showcase tonight for Hook,” added Daddy Magic.
Up next: AEW World Champion Jon Moxley came out on one of the balconies with Marina Shafir!
Moxley walked down to the ring with a steel chair.
Moxley: “If you’re showering me with hate right now, I forgive you and I would ask you to look inward. Maybe this isn’t about me. Maybe this is about you. I’ve had to make some tough decisions and difficult choices.
“There are a lot of people in AEW who don’t like me, who have a problem with me and the things we do. We do things that need to get done. I think right now is a good time, here at the end of the year, to say if there is anybody back there or in this building who has a problem with me or my people, then you come out here right now and tell me about the problems you have with me.”
Komander walked down to the ring, but Claudio Castagnoli tackled him. Top Flight sprinted to the ring, showing guts, but Wheeler Yuta and Pac neutralized them! Orange Cassidy came down next, joined by Willow Nightingale! Willow and Marina paired off and began to brawl! “Hangman” Adam Page and “Switchblade” Jay White jumped into the ring, along with Orange Cassidy, taking the fight to the Death Riders! The locker room began to empty with everyone brawling. Christian Cage was watching from a balcony, loving every minute of this.
“The Bastard” Pac grabbed a steel pipe and smashed the lighting board! Moxley shouted into the camera, “Take this off the air!”
Witness history tomorrow night! Order AEW World End 2024 live on pay-per-view on Saturday, December 28th from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Don’t miss the Mother of All Simulcasts! Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Fight for the Fallen on TBS and stream on MAX next Wednesday at 8/7ct from the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC!
Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com
And remember… We are AEW—Where The Best Wrestle!