‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Feb 18th 2022)
It’s Monday morning, so you know what that means… It’s time for our review of Friday nights episode of AEW: Rampage, which emanated from Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennesee. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho and Ricky Starks on commentary so let’s get right into it!
Match #1: Adam Cole def. Dark Order’s Pres10 Vance
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They locked up and 10 shoved Cole to the mat. Cole got up and put a headlock on 10 but 10 powered out. 10 rocked Cole with elbow strikes in the corner and followed up with a German Suplex! Cole kicked out 10’s left leg and then rammed it into the steel ring post! Adam Cole nailed 10 with a neck breaker. Cole tried to suplex 10 but 10 reversed it with a delayed vertical suplex! 10 hooked Cole’s leg for a near fall. Cole went back to work on 10’s left leg, ramming it back into the steel ring steps outside the ring. 10 tried to charge at Cole but 10 collapsed. After 10’s knee buckled, Cole seized the moment with a high pump kick to 10’s face. 10 rallied back with a spinebuster to Cole! Adam Cole came back with a backstabber on 10 for a near fall. Cole attempted the Panama Sunrise but 10 countered with a backdrop! 10 nailed Cole with a discus lariat. Cole tried again for the Panama Sunrise but 10 speared Cole! 10 applied the full nelson but Cole rolled backwards for a pinning combination on Cole! 10 escaped and put the full nelson back on Cole. Adam Cole pushed himself into ref Aubrey Edwards and while her back was turned, Cole connected with a low kick to 10. Cole hit the thrust kick on 10 and then lowered his kneepad and lowered the boom with the knee strike for the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Face Of The Revolution Qualifying Match – Powerhouse Hobbs def. Dante Martin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hobbs charged at Martin before the match began. Dante hit a springboard but Hobbs plucked him out of midair. Dante fired back with two dropkicks. Dante hesitated for a moment on the top rope but Hobbs took advantage. Hobbs charged at Martin and knocked him right off the ring apron. Hobbs threw Martin into the ring barricade! Hobbs hurled Dante back into the ring from the arena floor! Hobbs tossed Dante across the ring with ease twice. Hobbs tried for a torture rack but Dante escaped. Hobbs came back and flattened Dante for a near fall! Dante dodged a dropped knee from Hobbs. Dante connected with a springboard uppercut. Dante crashed onto Hobbs with a tornillo off the top rope to the floor! Back in the ring, Dante took Hobbs off his feet with a dropkick from the top rope! Hobbs grabbed Martin and blasted him with a spinebuster for the victory!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: The Professor’s Five Minute Rookie Challenge – Serena Deeb def. Angelica Risk
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Deeb applied a hammerlock on Risk. Deeb pulled out Risk’s ankles and flattened her on the mat. Serena Deeb toyed with Risk and charged in with a lariat to her opponent. Deeb taunted Angelica Risk and then powerbombed her! Deeb captured the arm and then wrenched back with the Serenity Lock, winning via submission!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: “Switchblade” Jay White def. Trent Beretta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
This was Jay White’s debut match in AEW! Jay White beat down Beretta in the corner. Trent shoved Jay into the ropes and connected with a back elbow. Trent swung at Jay with knife edge chops and then tossed Jay overhead. Jay guillotined Trent over the top rope and then drove Trent’s spine into the ring apron and then the steel barricade! Jay shoved Trent back into the barricade but Trent fired back with a lariat. Jay White suplexed Trent over the top rope and out of the ring! Trent curled up on the arena floor, writhing in pain. Jay White mocked Tanahashi by playing the air guitar. Jay nailed Trent on his surgically repaired neck with another snapback suplex! Jay grabbed Trent’s arm but Trent pulled him and whipped him into the turnbuckles. Trent followed up with a springboard moonsault on Jay on the floor! Back in the ring Trent charged in with a big back elbow. Jay hit the flatliner and then a deadlift German Suplex on Trent! Trent caught Jay off guard with a tornado DDT for a near fall! Trent pressed the attack on Jay White. Trent dropkicked Jay’s face and Jay flew out of the ring! Trent went for the spear but Jay lifted his knee right into Trent’s face! Jay suplexed Trent onto a chair. Trent planted Jay White with a backdrop! Trent nailed Jay White with the half and half suplex! He followed up with a knee strike on White for a near fall! Trent was looking for the Strong Zero but White fought it off. Trent walloped Jay White with a lariat! Trent sat out with a piledriver for a near fall on “Switchblade” Jay White! Jay White countered the Strong Zero with his Blade Runner finisher to score the pin on Trent!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This was a decent, if not amazing, episode of Rampage that had a main event that made the show. Well, that and the Dante Martin / Powerhouse Hobbs match, which did the rare thing of surprising me with the finish; I honestly thought Martin was headed for the win, especially given that the endgame is a ladder match and Martin is PERFECT for any ladder match. So we’ve now got three big men in the Face of the Revolution ladder match… which is VERY interesting! I’m kind of enjoying the Serena Deeb stuff too. The idea she’s playing with opponents instead of squashing them whilst KNOWING she could beat them in seconds is huge fun to watch – I just hope it has a great payoff. Maybe someone beating Deeb during their turn? But back to that main event. Two veterans, who know each other well, putting on a proverbial wrestling clinic and the outcome was never predictable. Always a plus in my book!