The first AEW Rampage episode of 2022 will air tonight on TNT, taped earlier this week at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
Tonight’s Rampage will also feature an announcement on a match change for Battle of The Belts, due to a medical issue.
* Adam Cole vs. Jake Atlas
* Hook vs. Aaron Solow
* Riho and Ruby Soho vs. Jamie Hayter and AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker
* Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz vs. Daniel Garcia and 2point0 in a No DQ, No Rules, No Holds Barred match
AEW is scheduled to announce a change to the card for Saturday’s Battle of The Belts event.
AEW noted on Twitter last night that a change has been made to the Battle of The Belts card due to medical protocol. No other details were provided, but the match change will be announced during tonight’s taped Rampage episode on TNT.
AEW only has two matches announced for the one-hour Battle of The Belts event as of this writing – Riho vs. AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker, and Sammy Guevara vs. AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes.
Regarding the change, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that word from AEW says everyone is OK, but one match had to be changed due to a late medical issue, believed to be related to COVID-19, but not confirmed yet. Rhodes was reportedly not in Newark, NJ for Wednesday’s Dynamite TBS premiere, but there’s no word yet on if his Battle of The Belts match is being changed.
Rhodes did post a pro-vaccine message to his Instagram Stories on Thursday morning, writing, “Please get vaccinated – if not for yourself, for the young kids/babies who can’t defend themselves as easily from Covid”
AEW Battle of The Belts will air this Saturday on TNT at 8pm ET, live from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC. The local start time is 7pm ET, indicating that they may tape other matches before the show.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
It’s the last stop before Hard To Kill on an all-new, jam-packed edition of IMPACT! this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders!
* Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mercedes Martinez
* Jonah vs. Jake Something
* The Knockouts Division will make history once again when they compete in the high-flying, high-wire spectacle known as Ultimate X for the very first time at Hard To Kill. But who will gain momentum heading into this Saturday’s monumental matchup? Find out when Tasha Steelz, Lady Frost and Chelsea Green battle IMPACT Digital Media Champion Jordynne Grace, Rachael Ellering and Rosemary in 6-Knockout tag team action
* With Hardcore War on the horizon at Hard To Kill, a match to determine the all-important numbers advantage will take place this Thursday on IMPACT! when IMPACT World Tag Team Champion Karl Anderson battles Heath.
* Masha Slamovich makes her highly-anticipated arrival
* Ace Austin and Madman Fulton vs. Johnny Swinger and Hernandez
* Your night begins Before the IMPACT this Thursday at 7/6c on AXS TV and 7:30pm ET on YouTube, featuring an exclusive singles match between Raj Singh and Juice Robinson of FinJuice!
During his match with Adam Cole for AEW Rampage, Jake Atlas suffered a knee injury. This was only his second match with the company. The former WWE NXT star was able to get through and finish the contest.
On the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, the match between Cole and Jake Atlas was set up during a backstage segment. Cole challenged Atlas and it was later announced that the match would be happening this Friday on Rampage. AEW taped the episode of Rampage following Wednesday’s live episode of Dynamite.
On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez discussed the knee injury that Jake Atlas suffered during the match against Cole. Alvarez noted that the AEW star will require an MRI to check the severity of the issue. However, one positive is that Alvarez was told it is possible Atlas is going to be okay, although that remains to be seen.
It was mentioned that Atlas was hurting badly within the match, and he couldn’t stand up to take the Panama Sunrise finisher. Dave Meltzer also added that the injury came from a kick to the knee.
Atlas had originally debuted for the company at the AEW Dark tapings on Tuesday, December 28. He competed against Serpentico during that night, picking up the victory in what was a tryout for him. Atlas was subsequently signed by the company, and his match against Cole was his main television debut.
Jake Atlas wasn’t the only wrestler to suffer an injury on the AEW roster this week. During the main event of AEW Dynamite, Rey Fenix was also injured after he was chokeslammed through a table by Luchasaurus. The former AEW Tag Team Champion landed awkwardly on his arm. The severity of that injury is not yet known.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Rey Fenix was rushed to the hospital after suffering an injury during tonight’s AEW Dynamite, according to PWInsider.
The report noted that internal belief within AEW is that Fenix “likely dislocated his elbow.” It was further noted that a dislocated elbow “would be a blessing” given how bad Fenix’s injury looked in real time.
Fenix suffered the injury when he went through a table courtesy of a Luchasaurus chokeslam. As seen in the video below, Fenix grabbed his left arm and called for help immediately after the spot.
The Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) would eventually defeat The Lucha Brothers to capture the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The first AEW Dynamite of 2022 will take place tonight from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This will also be the TBS premiere for the show.
* Malakai Black vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
* MJF will be in action
* Jade Cargill vs. Ruby Soho to crown the first-ever AEW TBS Champion
* AEW World Tag Team Champions The Lucha Bros defend against Jurassic Express
* AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page defends against Bryan Danielson
Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks revealed via Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Jackson’s stablemate Brandon Cutler is also dealing with the virus.
According to Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer, both Jackson and Cutler got the virus and since Nick Jackson was in close proximity with them less than 18 hours ago, he was deemed a close contact. Therefore, all three men will be missing tonight’s AEW Dynamite premiere on TBS, and won’t be back on TV until they are cleared.
All three wrestlers are believed to be at home in California and didn’t travel to Newark, NJ, for tonight’s show. The report added that it’s unknown when their positive tests came in, but it was not Tuesday.
AEW President, CEO, General Manager & Head Of Creative Tony Khan says a “dream signing” is coming soon to AEW.
Khan spoke to Josh Martinez of Z100 in New York City this week and was asked if there are any dream signings coming to AEW, and if so, if they are a North American talent.
“There is,” Tony Khan responded. “They are in North America, and they’re coming. And pretty soon, and it’s going to be awesome. I’m very excited.”
There’s no word on who the big talent acquisition might be, but rumored potential signings include Windham Rotunda (fka Bray Wyatt) and Johnny Gargano, but there’s no word on if AEW has been in recent talks with these wrestlers.
Impact star Rohit Raju (Hakim Zane) is now a free agent.
Raju announced via Twitter, “As of today I am a free agent. Where would you like to see me next?”
His last match with Impact was on December 18 at the Throwback Throwdown II special, where he lost to Josh Matthews. Before that match, he lost to Josh Alexander on the December 16 edition of Impact Wrestling.
Rohit Raju made his Impact debut in 2017. During his career, Raju was part of the stable, Desi Hit Squad and held the X Division Championship for over 100 days in 2020.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The New Year’s Smash edition of AEW Rampage will air tonight at 10pm ET on TNT.
Tonight’s Rampage episode was taped earlier this week at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL.
* Technique with Taz segment, showing Hook’s Redrum submission (fka Tazmission)
* Darby Allin vs. Anthony Bowens
* Anna Jay and Tay Conti vs. The Bunny and Penelope Ford in a Street Fight
* AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes defends against Ethan Page
Miro has been absent from AEW programming since Full Gear (aside from vignettes) due to a hamstring injury.
AEW star Miro has reportedly been nursing a hamstring injury for some time, which explains why he has worked a match since losing to Bryan Danielson at Full Gear on November 13.
According to Fightful Select (subscription required and recommended), Miro injured his hamstring prior to taking a hiatus from in-ring duties, which is why his leg was bandaged up during his last few matches. There’s been no official word from either Miro or AEW regarding recovery time, but the former TNT Champion appeared in a hype vignette on the Christmas Day (which also happens to be Miro’s birthday) edition of Rampage.
In the aforementioned vignette, the man who used to be “God’s Favorite Champion” cut a promo on God himself.
“You didn’t cast me from heaven. You kept me from my home. I will return with no flaws,” Miro said in the vignette, perhaps alluding to his injury. “I will become champion to show your lack of power over me. You sit up there not because you feel power but because of your fear,” he continued.
“Everyone is going to find out that redemption doesn’t come with a smile. It comes with a price. So unlike you, I will look them all in the eye. You will either feel the joy of my cruelty or the shame in yours. This is the Word of The Redeemer!” Miro proclaimed.
As you might recall, The artist formerly known as Rusev won the TNT Championship after defeating Darby Allin in the main event of the May 12 edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Miro plowed through veterans like Lance Archer and demolished upstarts like Dante Martin during his 141-day reign, but lost the title to Sammy Guevara on the September 29 edition of AEW Dynamite.
Source: TheSportster
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