3 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Rampage (Dec 22 - Results & Review)

1. AEW Refs, Man. AEW Refs!

The Hardy Boys Rick Knox AEW Referee
AEW

It doesn't take much deep diving on social media to find criticism of AEW officials.

Sometimes, it's unfair, but most of the complaints seem to revolve around a complete and utter lack of basic wrestling psychology. Cue Rick Knox on this week's episode of Rampage. He watched Matt Hardy bounce Mike Bennett's head repeatedly off the ring steps without intervening, and that wasn't all.

Jeff Hardy took his boot off and hammered Matt Taven in the skull outside the ring. Did the ref count or even try to encourage everyone back into the ring? Nah, he just stood idly by and watched. Then, bizarrely, Knox grabbed a steel chair away from Matt Hardy and played tug-o-war heading into the roll up finish.

It isn't much to ask that there's some degree of consistency with the refereeing in AEW. The fact Tony Khan presumably hasn't had this conversation and thinks everything is fine and dandy is worrying, to tell the truth. The general standard of officiating is terrible.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.