AEW Rampage wrestling matches at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas on December 7, 2022.
(Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
We hear the usual "This is Rampage, baby" theme and accompanying video and then we shoot inside the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas as Jim Ross welcomes us to the show.
Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita
From there, we head down to the ring where the two competitors in our first match of the evening are already in the ring and ready to go. On one side of the ring we have former AEW Champion Jon Moxley. On the other, Japanese wrestling veteran Konosuke Takeshita. The bell sounds and we're off-and-running with our opening contest. We see some good back-and-forth action early on and then things pick up and head to another level after Takeshita starts blasting Mox with chops.
Mox eats them and then serves up some of his own, before mixing in some elbows for good measure. He goes to work on the knee of Takeshita and then looks for a neck-breaker, which the Japanese veteran blocks. The former champ continues to build on his offensive lead, backing Takeshita in a corner and elbowing him repeatedly before leaning down and biting on his face. After the vicious display, Takeshita begins fighting back from underneath.
Takeshita ends up working his way into the offensive lead, and then pulls ahead after knocking Mox out to the floor and connecting with a big splash on him after diving over the ropes. After that, we see the camera shot switch to show Don Callis in a luxury box inside the H-E-B Center watching on. From there, we head to a mid-match commercial break as our first match of the evening continues.
As we settle back in from the break, we see Mox is now in control of the action. He has Takeshita set up for a pile-driver, which he hits as the fans in Cedar Park pop. We also see that Mox has been badly, badly busted open at some point in the action. His face is bleeding profusely and it isn't long before he is donning the 'crimson mask.' Takeshita continues to dominate the action, including hitting a big DDT on the hard part of the ring apron.
He slingshots himself over the ropes and connects with another well-executed DDT on the way down. He goes for the cover, but only gets a count of two. Takeshita looks for the Blue Thunder Bomb, but Mox avoids it. Now we see the former AEW Champion begin to try and fight for an offensive comeback, but Takeshita maintains control of things and ends up hitting an excellent brain buster for another close near fall.
We see both guys slow to get back to their feet after that. As they do, fans break out in a loud "This is Awesome!" chant. Mox starts to take over once the two return to a vertical base. He looks to set Takeshita up for a bulldog but Takeshita avoids it and this time connects with his Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Mox barely kicks out, but does so at the count of two-and-a-half.
Takeshita connects with a big German suplex, as Jim Ross and Excalibur talk about him doing a big paper on the history of the German suplex during his school years. He hits another big spot for another near fall but this time Mox kicks out and begins taking over. The leader of the paradigm shift in pro wrestling continues hitting Takeshita with many of the usual match-ending moves in his arsenal. but the Japanese veteran shows his fighting spirit.
Mox hits some elbows and then with Takeshita flattened on his stomach on the mat, he locks in his bulldog choke. Takeshita struggles and eventually fades and goes out. The referee calls for the bell and Mox gets the win in a great opener.
Winner: Jon Moxley
"Hangman" Adam Page, Jon Moxley Brawl Again
As soon as the bell sounds, we see Mox celebrating his hard-earned win with a bloody grill and a smirk. While this is going on, the familiar sounds of the theme song of "Hangman" Adam Page plays. The "Hangman" makes a B-Line to the ring as the fans erupt inside the H-E-B Center. He gets on the mic and says Dr. Sampson won't medically clear him due to his brain and concussion issues stemming from the scary moment he endured on AEW programming a few weeks ago.
He follows that up by saying that for that reason, he should be forgiven for what he's about to do. With that said, he starts brawling with Mox. The two go back-and-forth until it spills out to the ringside area where Page is rammed face-first into the steel ring post. The commentators get their serious voices on as he remains laid out and the post-match scene comes to an end.
Powerhouse Hobbs' Past Profiled Some More
After that, a quick Powerhouse Hobbs video package plays again highlighting the dangerous and trying upbringing he calls his home and his past is featured. He talks about scrubbing the blood of his brother off the porch he is seated in front of and talks about how no one wants that kind of life. After this wraps up, we head to another commercial break.
Stokely Hathaway Addresses Atrocities
We return from the break to a quick one-year anniversary message for former FTW Champion Hook. From there, we shoot to Stokely Hathaway who talks about atrocities being committed everyday. He then shows some footage, calling it the Zapruder film like the JFK conspiracy quotable. We see him arguing about someones foot being under the ropes during the time of a pin fall in a recent match and then hits on a girl and asks her out to eat.
Regina di Wave Championship, Hikaru Shida (C) vs. The Bunny
Now we head back inside the H-E-B Center where we see The Bunny making her way to the ring for our next showdown here on AEW Rampage, which will be contested in the women's division. She settles inside and her music fades down. The theme for her opponent, Hikaru Shida, begins playing and the Japanese veteran makes her way down to the ring for this title tilt.
The bell sounds and we're off-and-running with this one-on-one bout, which features Shida's Regina di Wave Championship on-the-line. After some decent back-and-forth action, we see The Bunny start to pull ahead. As she does, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see Shida start to take over on offense. As she does, Penelope Ford tries getting involved, throwing a kendo stick in the ring.
The distraction backfires on Ford and The Bunny, as Shida gets the kendo stick and heads out to the floor. She beats down Ford and then runs off the ring apron, connecting with a Meteora on The Bunny. When the action resumes inside the ring, we see Shida finish off The Bunny and score the pin fall victory to retain her Regina di Wave Championship.
Winner and still Regina di Wave Champion: Hikaru Shida
Bill Morrissey & Lee Moriarty vs. Clayton Bloodstone & Izzy James
Following a quick video package promoting the Mercedes Martinez vs. Athena match at ROH Final Battle 2022 for the ROH Women's Championship, we head back to the ring for our next match. Coming down to the ring are Bill Morrissey and Lee Moriarty, with Stokely Hathaway in their corner. They settle inside the ring where we see their opponents, which are very quickly announced (Clayton Bloodstone and Izzy James?).
The bell sounds and we're off-and-running with this one. We see Morrissey dominating both guys with ease, as the commentators talk about how Moriarty hasn't really need to get involved outside of a quick move or two in the opening moments. We see Moriarty hit a big spot and then it is followed up by Morrissey hitting a big chokeslam for the pin fall victory.
Winners: Bill Morrissey & Lee Moriarty
Top Guys Accept Double Dog Collar Match
Now we shoot to a quick word backstage from the AAA, ROH and IWGP Tag-Team Champions. They talk about getting challenged moments after coming up short in their attempt to capture a fourth title by beating The Acclaimed. After they failed to do so they are challenged by The Briscoes to a double dog collar match for ROH Final Battle 2022. They go on to talk about how they won't dodge challenges or make excuses and vow to prove they are the real animals of the equation. "Top Guys ...out!"
We see a quick vignette for Eddie Kingston before Excalibur runs down the lineup for Saturday's ROH Final Battle 2022 pay-per-view and then we head to another commercial break.
AEW All-Atlantic Championship, Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Seven
As we settle back in from the break, we see Mark Henry, The Best Friends and Orange Cassidy, and Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford in three different boxes on the screen. "The World's Strongest Man" introduces the competitors involved in the main event of the evening. Kip Sabian is questioned by the championship side as to why he didn't want to fight him by himself, opting instead to pick an opponent to represent him.
Sabian talks about not getting his hands dirty and then questions where the face-painted pal of Orange Cassidy and The Best Friends is. Danhausen then pops up in the camera shot shown in the box with Mark Henry featured. He starts the "Well, I guess it's been enough talk ..." catchphrase. Henry tells him not to do that. He begins to do it himself, and Danhausen says he can do "his" line.
Henry bickers with him briefly, does it and then wraps up the pre-main event segment with his catchphrase. From there, Excalibur runs down the updated lineup for Saturday's ROH Final Battle 2022 pay-per-view. From there, we shoot back inside the H-E-B Center where the catchy entrance tune for Orange Cassidy plays. The "Freshly Squeezed" one emerges accompanied by The Best Friends. The AEW All-Atlantic Champion makes his way to the ring ready for his title defense.
Cassidy settles inside the ring and then his music dies down. From there, some music begins playing and out comes Trent Seven. The fans in Cedar Park, TX. pop at the sight of the arrival of the man who has held multiple championships in many promotions. The former WWE NXT UK Superstar heads to the ring and his music dies down. It's time for tonight's main event of the evening as the bell sounds to get this one off-and-running.
We see the two close in on each other. Trent does the twirl to his mustache and then Cassidy does the big dramatic hands up and down in his pockets sequence. Now the two engage for real and we see Seven jump into the early offensive lead. As the action continues, we see Seven in a commanding lead. When Cassidy finally starts to fight back into competitive form, we hear the theme music of The Butcher, The Blade and The Bunny playing.
They emerge with other members of The Firm and are met on the entrance ramp by The Best Friends. As both crews brawl, we head to a mid-match commercial break as our headline title bout of the evening continues. When we return from the break, we see Cassidy flying all over the place for a big offensive comeback after spending a couple of minutes nearly getting finished off. Following his big comeback, he hits a big float-over DDT for a close near fall.
Cassidy heads to the top-rope with intentions of finishing this one off, but instead Seven catches him and plants him into the mat with authority. He hits another big spot for another close near fall. The fans break out in a loud "This is Awesome!" chant as both Cassidy and Seven are slow to get back to their feet. Seven looks for the Birminghammer but Cassidy counters out of it and ends up hitting his Orange Punch. He follows up with his Beach Break for the pin fall victory. With the win, Cassidy retains his AEW All-Atlantic Championship.
Winner and still AEW All-Atlantic Champion: Orange Cassidy
Kip Sabian & Trent Seven Attack, Dustin Rhodes Makes The Save
Once the match wraps up, as soon as the bell sounds we see Kip Sabian hit the ring for a post-match attack of Orange Cassidy. Trent Seven joins in and the two beat him down until Dustin Rhodes' sprints down to the ring. The hometown Texas-native hits the ring and makes the save for Orange Cassidy, beating down Sabian and Seven and sending them retreating. He and Cassidy stand tall in the ring as this week's show goes off the air on that note. Thanks for joining us!
About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 pm ET on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television. The fight-forward show “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 pm ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Dark” and “AEW Dark: Elevation,” two weekly professional wrestling YouTube series, “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series.
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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