‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Feb 4th 2022)
It’s Monday so you know what that means… yes, it’s time, for our AEW: Rampage review! This weeks episode emanated from the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Let’s get right to it!
Match #1: Adam Cole def. Dark Order’s Evil Uno
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Cole landed a high boot and then stomped a mud hole in Uno. He followed up with a backstabber to Evil Uno. Evil Uno landed a hanging neck breaker on Cole. Uno hit a back elbow and then a clothesline to Adam Cole. Evil Uno attempted a senton but Adam Cole lifted his knees into Uno’s spine! Cole blasted Evil Uno with a thrust kick, and then another kick. Adam Cole lowered the boom and pinned Evil Uno with the running knee strike!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: TNT Title Match – Sammy Guevara def. Private Party’s Isiah Kassidy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sammy and Isiah locked up. Sammy still had his ribs tapped up from the ladder match with Cody. Kassidy chopped at Sammy’s chest. Sammy and Isiah began slapping at each other but then Isiah went after Sammy’s ribs. Sammy hit a corkscrew dropkick on Kassidy. Isiah Kassidy rolled to the outside of the ring to collect his thoughts but Sammy wasted no time and jumped over the top rope, crashing into Kassidy! Matt Hardy nailed Sammy with a Side Effect on the edge of the ring as the ref was distracted! Kassidy hurled Sammy into the barricade and then continued to work over Sammy’s ribs. Sammy fought through the pain with a clothesline and then a knee strike to Kassidy! Sammy tried to lift up Kassidy on his shoulders for the GTH but Sammy collapsed from the pain. Kassidy charged at Sammy but Sammy booted Kassidy in the face. Andrade El Idolo and Jose the Assistant walked onto the ramp! Sammy was distracted by this and Kassidy came around the corner with a back breaker on Sammy for a near fall! Sammy went for a springboard but Kassidy countered with a tope suicida. Kassidy crashed down with a senton to Sammy’s spine for a near fall! Sammy and Isiah traded corkscrew kicks! Sammy hit a double springboard cutter onto Kassidy for a near fall. Sammy knocked out Kassidy with the GTH and then pinned Kassidy!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Thunder Rosa def. Mercedes Martinez
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Thunder Rosa blasted Mercedes with a shotgun dropkick! Rosa dropped elbows on Mercedes Martinez. Thunder Rosa whipped Martinez into the guardrail. Rosa followed up with a snap suplex on the arena floor. Mercedes came back with a spinebuster on Thunder Rosa! Mercedes hammered Thunder Rosa with forearms. Mercedes pancaked Thunder Rosa with a delayed vertical suplex. Mercedes nailed Thunder Rosa with an avalanche Death Valley Driver for a near fall! Mercedes was looking for a BT Bomb but Thunder Rosa escaped. Thunder Rosa spiked Mercedes on her head! Mercedes crawled outside the ring, pulled out a lead pipe from under the ring and clocked Thunder Rosa with it! Mercedes Martinez was disqualified and the match was awarded to Thunder Rosa!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: FTW Title Match – Ricky Starks def. Jay Lethal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lethal and Starks locked up with a strong elbow and collar tie-up. Lethal shoulder blocked Ricky. Ricky slapped Starks in the mouth. Lethal used a double leg takedown and grounded and pounded Starks. “Absolute” got back to his feet and he and Lethal traded chops with one another. Lethal rammed Starks into the steel barricade with two tope suicidas! Hobbs stood up and tried to intimidate Lethal. Starks used the opening to grab Lethal and whip him into the barricade. Lethal blocked a boot from Starks and then nearly decapitated Starks with a lariat! Starks charged at Lethal for a splash in the corner but Lethal dodged it. Ricky Starks Liger Bombed Lethal out of nowhere for a near fall on Jay! Ricky used a combination assault on Lethal but Lethal stopped it with a kick! Powerhouse Hobbs jumped up on the apron but Lethal knocked him down. He tried for a tope suicida on Hobbs but Hobbs plastered him. Dante Martin ran out to even up the odds for Lethal! Lethal attempted the Lethal Injection but Starks countered with the Roshambo! Starks pinned Lethal after the awesome counter!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Another week, another great episode of AEW: Rampage. The opener was a bit weak but then it was more about Cole’s post-match promo than the match itself. Guevara and Kassidy put on a great show, one that was fast-moving and something of a spot-fest but both men were evenly balanced so it looked more like a test of skills – each pushing the other – rather than wrestlers just getting moves in because they could. Some nice heel work from Kassidy too. The women’s match was a shocker – the first DQ finish in AEW history apparently and a match the saw two veterans, who’ve faced each other time and time again on the indies, show how much familiarity with each other can m,ake a match. As for the main event… Well, well, well. People wrote Starks off after he’s not wrestled that much post-injury. Saying he was being protected etc., but no. Starks showed just why he SHOULD be the FTW Champ and that his mic skills and his match skills are BOTH on point!
