AEW Rampage: Jade Cargill shines in potential last match

Last Saturday, Jade Cargill made her surprise return to AEW on Collision. Following Kris Statlander’s win over Robyn Renegade, the champion was attacked by The Renegades. Cargill seemed to be making the save until she hit Jaded on Statlander. She motioned that she was coming back for the TBS Championship.

Prior to her return, Cargill had been on hiatus since losing the TBS Championship at Double or Nothing in May. She was the inaugural champion and had held the title for 508 days. In her time away from the company, she traveled with her family. The Women’s Fastpitch team she co-owns with her partner, Brandon Phillips, won their first championship.

On Dynamite, it was announced that Cargill would finally get her rematch against Statlander on Rampage (*cue faux outrage*). Several hours after the taping, rumors spread that the match was scheduled for Friday night because it was Cargill’s last match and she is likely heading to WWE.

The news came as a surprise. Not because WWE has been interested in the former champion for a while, but because she just came back. There was also the interview a few days prior saying there’s nowhere she’d rather be than AEW.

In the last few days, there have been questions about when her contract is up precisely. She debuted in AEW in November 2020. She could’ve signed a multi-year deal prior to her in-ring debut. There have also been rumors about options on her deal. It is possible that she re-signs with AEW, but all signs point to her jumping ship.

If this was Cargill’s last match in AEW, what a way to go out. She came out first for the main event, flanked by “Smart” Mark Sterling. She looked poised and ready to win back her beloved title. Cargill went toe-to-toe with the champion and didn’t let up. During picture-in-picture, she did her patented push-ups.

Statlander looked great, too, and wasn’t giving her opponent any breaks. Both women exuded confidence and garnered “fight forever” and “this is awesome!” chants. Over 10 minutes, both women made you believe that either one of them could win. In the end, Statlander hit the Friday Night Fever to retain.

Cargill immediately embraced Statlander and looked emotional. She grabbed the TBS Championship as Statlander held it and looked at her as if to say, “Take care of it. It’s truly yours now.” They embraced again before Cargill left the ring and allowed Statlander to stand in the ring by herself.

Should Cargill leave AEW, she finishes with an incredible 60-2 record. Her first loss happened in just 50 seconds. In her second, she got a legitimate match on the way out and got to go out on her terms. She accomplished so much in three years and there’s still so much she didn’t get to do.

Wherever Cargill goes, she’s still “that b****”.