3 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Rampage: Holiday Bash (Dec 23)

Ups...

3. Claudio Castagnoli & Rush

Rush Claudio Castagnoli
AEW

There was better booking earlier in the bout for Castagnoli.

His nose-to-nose skirmish with Rush was one of the best things about the overbooked trios opener. Both guys showed great intensity, and it'd be a pleasure to see them work for 15-20 minutes in 2023. AEW should really jump on booking that for a coming ROH card, to be honest.

Rush, like Castagnoli, is a two-time ROH World Champion and someone who does his best work when matches are lengthy. He'd relish the chance to step up to Claudio and try to become a three-time champ over the next few months. It's not like TK has anything else in mind for that belt anyway.

Fan reactions were promising too. Folks in the stands came alive when Claudio eliminated Rush from the match, and they seemed very interested in seeing more from these guys. If Khan is smart, then he'll line that up for the new year.

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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.