‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Jan 21st 2022)
It’s Monday so you know what that means… It’s time for our review of Friday’s AEW: Rampage, which emanates from Washington, DC. Let’s get right into the action AND the review!
Match #1: Jon Moxley def. “All Ego” Ethan Page
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mox and Page locked up. Page shoved Mox to the mat and then flexed. They traded chops and then Mox hit Page with an intense, running back elbow. Mox bit down on Page’s forehead! Page knocked Mox out of the ring with a shoulder tackle! Page staggered Mox with punches. Mox retaliated by sending Ethan Page into the ringside barricade. Page pulled Mox through the ropes and then planted Mox with a back breaker. Mox charged at Page but Page dodged him—the momentum sent Mox shoulder-first into the ring post! Page hoisted up Mox for the Ego’s Edge but Mox escaped! Mox German Suplexed Page three times in a row! Mox nailed Page with the King Kong lariat! Mox looked for the Paradigm Shift but Page countered with a brain buster on Moxley for a near fall. Moxley rocketed outside the ring with an elbow suicida! Moxley climbed to the top turnbuckle but Page met him up there. Ethan Page hit an avalanche powerslam off the middle rope but Mox rolled him up with a crucifix. Mox then hammered Page with elbows and knees to the top of Page’s head! Mox applied the bulldog choke and ref Aubrey Edwards stopped the match. Mox turned around, kicked Page and spiked Page with the Paradigm Shift for good measure. Moxley walked back to the locker room but “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson stood in his way and stood a hole right through him, smirking as Moxley walked by.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Trent Beretta def. Nick Jackson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
This match was originally scheduled to be Roppongi Vice versus The Young Bucks, but due to medical protocols, Rocky Romero was out of action tonight. Trent shut Nick’s early offense down with a running chop and then an overhead throw. Nick followed up by targeting the neck with a guillotine over the top rope. Trent hit Nick Jackson with a back body drop. Trent charged at Nick but Nick ducked, and Trent went flying wildly into the ropes. Nick Jackson kicked the back of Trent’s head, clearly targeting Trent’s surgically repaired neck! Nick tried to land a senton on Trent but Trent avoided it. Trent fired back with a clothesline and then a deadlift German Suplex! Trent charged in with a running knee strike for a near fall on Nick! Trent battered Nick Jackson with stiff forearms. Trent speared Nick on the arena floor! Trent launched off the ropes with a swinging DDT on Nick for a (very) near fall! Nick Jackson pulled ref Rick Knox in the way and then blasted Trent with a kick to the side of the head. Nick escaped out to the apron and came into the ring with a Canadian Destroyer on Trent for a two-count! Nick connected with a kick and then a running bulldog on Trent. Nick tried for a superkick but Trent blocked it and countered with a half and half suplex! Trent used a piledriver on Nick for a near fall. Nick back body dropped Trent onto the ramp! Nick followed up with a senton atomico on Trent on the ramp! Nick hit the 450 splash on Trent but Trent kicked out! Nick superkicked Trent! Trent avoided another superkick and then pinned Nick Jackson after a crunchie!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Hook def. Serpentico
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook steamrolled Serpentico at the start of the match! Hook decimated Serpentico with an STO! Hook hurled Serpentico with a massive overhead throw! Hook locked on the RedRum and Serpentico had no choice but to tap out! QT Marshall came out with a mic and called Hook a delinquent. Hook suplexed QT on the ramp and then stepped right over him to walk to the back!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: TBS Championship Match – Jade Cargill def. Dark Order’s Anna Jay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jade rammed into Anna Jay with a shoulder tackle. She followed up with a fall away slam! Anna rolled up Jade Cargill from behind as Jade was posturing. Jade kicked out of the pin attempt. Outside the ring, Jade and John Silver had a pose off! John Silver ducked and it allowed Anna Jay to catch Jade off guard with a running clothesline. Back in the ring, Jade planted Anna Jay with a spinebuster! Jade showed off by doing push-ups in the ring. Anna charged at Jade but Jade flipped her with a belly-to-belly suplex. Anna Jay hit a heel kick and then had a reverse choke on Jade. Jade countered by dropping to the mat. Anna kicked Jade’s midsection and then hit a thrust kick to the jaw. Anna Jay planted Jade with a flatliner. “Smart” Mark jumped on the apron to try to distract Anna but Silver dispatched of him. Jade Cargill pump kicked Anna, but Anna kicked out the back of Jade’s leg. Anna climbed to the top turnbuckle and applied the choke again. Jade broke the grip and then smashed Anna Jay with a one-armed powerbomb! Cargill planted Anna with the Jaded and then pinned Anna Jay!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Well, this was a MUCH better episode of AEW… This episode started on a high and kept the momentum up. The Hook match might have scored low but that is because it was literally a squash match – one that made Hook look like a badass but still a squash match. And that end to the show, a women’s TBS Championship main event, was fantastic. Both competitors were on the top of their respective games for this and you could literally see the progress both women have made during their time in AEW up there on the screen. Can we keep this standard up going forward please AEW?
