AEW Rampage 1/19/2024

AEW Rampage 1/19/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/aew-rampage-1122024.html 

Chris Jericho vs Matt Sydal

Don Callis is on commentary. They lock up and Don says Matt is one of his favorite wrestlers. CJ shoulders Matt over. Matt leapfrogs him then hits a flying headscissors. Matt lariats him over the top just barely then botches a sliding dropkick through the ropes. Matt double knees him off the apron. Matt top rope meteora's CJ for 2.

CJ lariats Matt then backdrops him then hits chops. Matt hits kicks then CJ crabs him. CJ then triangle dropkicks him off the apron. We go to PiP break and return. They trade chops and Matt superkicks him. Matt hits another spin kick then is shouldered over. CJ comes off the top and takes a high kick + standing corkscrew moonsault.

Matt hits a top rope sunset bomb for 2. Matt comes off the 2nd rope and takes a codebreaker. CJ hits chops then Sydal rolls him up for 2. Matt high kicks him then CJ hits an attitude adjustment. Matt gets his knees up on CJ's lionsault then Matt hits an air raid crash for 2. CJ hurricanrana's him off the top then hits a spinning back shoulder and wins it.

I've seen almost every match Sydal has had in AEW and I'm pretty sure this was the longest one. Why this went so long and why Sydal got so much in is beyond me when he's been a total jobber. The two had a lot of messy spots here and it's hard to give this a great rating.

Konosuke Takeshita jumps Jericho as he goes to leave. They fight and refs and security break it up. Takeshita drops Christopher Daniels who was trying to break this up.

Penta El Zero Miedo vs Anthony Henry

Henry rolls backwards off a leap frog and is kicked. Henry back crackers him then germans him. Henry buzzsaw kicks him. Henry hits knees then a front kick. Penta superkicks him then superkicks him in the corner while he's upside down. Penta hits a spinning death valley driver for 2.

Henry rolls Penta into a double stomp then kicks him. Henry hits kicks and knees then they trade chops and kicks. Penta hits forearms then Henry pop-up death valley drivers him. Henry takes a belly to belly overhead suplex in the corner then Penta hits a package piledriver for the win.

It was quick, fast paced and aggressive. I liked it though they could have dropped a move or two.

Ruby and Saraya argue in the back. Harley Cameron then shows up from behind. Ruby grabs Harley and asks her why she did what she did to Parker. Harley says it was to help her and said Anna Jay told her to do it. Ruby said it makes perfect sense and says to go figure it out from Anna. Renee stares down Saraya and shakes her head. 

Kris Statlander vs Queen Aminata

Stokeley Hathaway comes out with Kris and Kris doesn' seem thrilled with it. Kris throws her jacket at him.

They trade wristlocks. Kris cartwheels out of one and puts her in one. Queen then uses the ropes to flip out of one and armdrags her. Kris armdrags her and they try to kick eac hother at the same time. Stokeley says something and both yell at him. Queen rolls up Kris for 2.

Kris shoulders her twice then Queen spinning headscissors her. Kris cartwheels out of it then Queen kicks her in the back. Kris rolls her up then flipping sentons her. Kris is pulled out and Queen tope crossbodies her on the floor.

We go to PiP break then full break and return. Queen hits a twisting neckbreaker then hip attacks her hard in the corner. Queen hits a stiff facewash kick for 2. Queen crossfaces her and rolls out of a package tombstone. Kris spinning lariats her for 2.

Kris misses a running knee then Queen running knees her on the ropes. Kris powerslams her then hits a spinning ki krusher to win it.

They had a couple of half-missed moves here but it was a good match. It was stiff and fast paced and the two really gelled together. They need to do this one again because it was the best match either of these two have ever had.

Sonjay Dutt, Lethal and Satnam Singh are waiting for Jeff Jarrett in the back. Jay says he's glad Jeff isn't here. Jay says he wants to get back to what this company was built up on - great in-ring action. Sonjay says they need to kick out Karen Jarrett. Singh says they need to kick out Jeff. Jay says this is ridiculous. He said he came here to win gold and doesn't know how much more of this he can take.

Kris and Stokeley are interviewed. Willow walks in. She said someone cancelled her trip for her on her plane. Stoke said if she was Kris' true best friend, she would have been here. Kris says we will figure this out as Stoke and Willow argue.

Jeff Hardy vs Darby Allin

Jeff slaps him, does his dance then is dropkicked out. Darby top rope swantons him outside. Jeff throws him over the table then throws the table top at him. Darby is thrown into the rails then Jeff diving lariats him off the apron. Jeff jumps off the steps onto Darby and gets the rail.

Darby tries to tope con hilo him as while he sits on a chair but Jeff moves and Darby goes into it. We go to PiP break and return. Jeff bangs Darby's head off the mat htne sitout gordbusters him. They go up top and Jeff's head is banged off the buckle. Darby rakes the back and hits a top rope code red.

Jeff bridging neckbreakers him on the apron then Jeff grabs a table. Jeff misses a top rope swanton and goes through the table outside. Darby top rope coffin drops him and Jeff gets his knees up. Jeff goes for a twist of fate and Darby rolls him up for the win.

It was a spotfest as expected. They did to omuch and none of it really meant anything. It was exciting sure, but obviously not a real smart match. It worked out well for Jeff though as he can't keep up like he used to and this one gave him a bunch of time to recover between spots.

Darby wants to fist bump after and Jeff walks off.

Overall thoughts: They gave us a better line-up here than they have been giving us. Jeff/Darby was a big match to give away on the show people watch the least. Jericho and Sydal got time when it shouldn't and the women showed up and had a good one. I wouldn't recommend it, but they did at least try here.