AEW airs the final episode of Rampage tonight, a special New Year’s Smash branded edition of the show.
Tonight’s episode is headlined by current Ring of Honor World champion Chris Jericho facing The Acclaimed’s Anthony Bowens in a non-title affair. Jericho served as a commentator for the first Rampage episode in 2021, and now he wrestles on the final episode in 2024.
AEW Tag Team Champions Private Party will also be in action on the show against Alec Price and Leo Sparrow in another non-title matchup.
Hook’s battles against The Patriarchy will continue on tonight’s New Year’s Smash episode as he faces Nick Wayne in singles competition.
Prior to her challenge for the AEW Women’s World Championship in a street fight at tomorrow’s Worlds End pay-per-view, Thunder Rosa will face Leila Grey on tonight’s go-home show.
After more than three years and 177 episodes, the final AEW Rampage airs tonight. Our live coverage begins at 10 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
Taped in New York City.
Ian Riccaboni, Matt Menard & Tony Schiavone were on commentary.
Chris Jericho (w/ Big Bill) defeated Anthony Bowens (w/ Max Caster) (9:38)
This match is non-title. Jericho is very New York proud for this match. Bownes and Caster are still doing the slow burn for the split. Jericho tried to scissor with Bowens, who opted for chops and strikes instead. Bowens pounded Jericho down, and Caster popped up on the apron to celebrate. This gave Jericho his opening to attack. Jericho backdrop suplexed Bowens and chopped him around the corners. Jericho went for a bulldog, but Bownes sent him crotch first into the turnbuckles. Bowens got a near fall off a shining wizard. Jericho tried for a Lionsault, but Bowens blocked it and drove him to the map with a twisting hanging DDT for a near fall. Jericho came back and locked in the Liontamer as the show went to a split-screen break.
Bowens spent the whole split-screen break in the Liontamer, and finally got to the ropes after the break ended. Jericho walked into a rolling forearm and a fameasser for a near fall. Bowens tried to go the top, but Jericho caught him. They fought on the top until Bowens sent Jericho to the floor. Bowens dove at (but not onto) Jericho and Big Bill.
Back in the ring, Bryan Keith ran in, and this distracted allowed Max Caster to come in and slam Jericho, then set him up for Bowens to drop the scissor legdrop. Jericho hit a Codebreaker on Bowens for a near fall while Keith skulked around ringside with the belt. Bowens ducked a Judas Effect and hit a superkick for a near fall. Behind the referee’s back, Bryan Keith tried to attack Bowens with the ROH belt, but Max Caster ran in to stop him. They engaged in a tug-of-war with the belt, which predictably ended up Caster wacking Bowens. The ref turned around and saw Jericho on top of Bowens to get the pinfall.
– Private Party was very publicly partying all around New York City, leading to…
Private Party defeated Leo Sparrow & Alex Price (1:03)
Both the job guys looked like they could use a hot meal. Private Party quickly ended their night with the Gin and Juice.
After the match, Leo Rusk and Action Andretti came out to get in a brawl with the champs. Top Flight came out and soon all three teams were going at it, and security came out to break things up.
– Powerhouse Hobbs threatened the Don Callis family and promised to take the belt from Takeshita.
Thunder Rosa defeated Leila Grey (7:05 aired)
It’s an absolute injustice that 25 minutes into this show we haven’t seen Harley Cameron once.
Rosa hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. Grey countered a bodyslam with a rollup for a near fall. Grey hit a shotgun dropkick.
After the usual long commercial break, Rosa came back and hit Grey with a diving dropkick against the ropes. Grey hit a side effect for a near fall. Rosa backdropped her way out of double-underhook suplex, then locked in a camel clutch after screaming “you can’t kill me!” and Grey quickly tapped out. Most of the match was during the split-screen break.
– Tony ran down the card for tomorrow night with no new matches added.
Hook defeated Nick Wayne (w/ The Patriarchy) (12:19)
Wayne jumped Hook from behind while he was standing in the corner with his back turned. Hook hit Wayne with an exploder suplex. Wayne came back with a suplex of his own. The fight soon went to the floor, where Wayne whipped Hook into the steel steps. While Wayne distracted the ref, Christian smacked Hook’s broken arm with his contract. The ref then ejected all of the Patriarchy from ringside.
Wayne spent the entirety of the split-screen break working over Hook’s arm. After the break, Wayne ripped off Hook’s cast and started stomping on his arm. Finally, Hook came back with an exploder. The crowd was behind Hook. Hook tossed Wayne across the ring with a judo throw. A northern lights suplex was followed up with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall.
Wayne bit Hook’s arm and snapped his neck against the top rope. Wayne hit a frog splash for a near fall. Wayne stood over Hook and crossed his arms like Taz (although the commentator’s said Wayne was imitating Shibata, I think it was Taz). Hook popped up and floored Wayne with a clothesline.
Kip Sabian and Christian tried to come back out and interfere again, but Shibata was behind them and chased them away with a 2×4. Back in the ring, Wayne countered several attempts at the Redrum. But, when he went for Wayne’s World, he dove right into Hook’s grip and he locked in the Redrum and choked Wayne out.
During the match, QT Marshall v. Jeff Jarrett, Toni Storm v. Leila Grey, The Outrunners & Top Flight v. Lio Rush, Action Andretti & The Murder Machines were all advertised in graphics for Zero Hour tomorrow night.
– In the back, The Death Riders are murdering Darby Allin. Claudio Pillmanized his neck, and Moxley pushed him down a metal staircase. Pac stood there in his wrestling gear because Pac is awesome. And then they headed into the Hammerstein Ballroom.
– Back from the break, Jon Moxley was in the ring and he called out anyone with a problem with how he’s been acting. First came Komander, and he was immediately jumped by Claudio. Top Flight followed, and they were no help. Orange Cassidy’s music hit, but Shafir blocked his way down the aisle. Willow Nightingale’s music hit and she jumped into a brawl with Shafir. While this was happening, Adam Page and Jay White surrounded the ring and with Cassidy, evened the odds. Lio Rush and Andretti jumped Top Flight, and pretty soon the locker room emptied and everyone was out brawling with everyone. While everyone brawled at ringside. While everyone was brawling, Pac and Wheeler Yuta snuck to the control area and smashed the light board, knocking out the lights for the show. The brawl continued in the dark, but the Death Riders snuck out the back.
Jon Moxley and the Death Riders then invaded the production truck, and Moxley “put an end to Rampage,” cutting the show off the air and sending it to black. Honestly I’m not sure if that move makes him a face or a heel.
Rampage started with an (Impact) World title change and the next week had the debut of CM Punk, but by the end it was the C show of all C shows.
