‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (April 15th 2022)
It’s Monday morning, so you know what that means… it’s time for our review of Friday night’s episode of AEW: Rampage, which this week emanated from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. Let’s get to it!
Match #1: Trios Tag Match – The Blackpool Combat Club def. The Gunn Club
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
William Regal joined the commentary team for this match. Yuta got caught with a big right hand across the jaw from Austin, and then Austin swept out Yuta’s ankle. Yuta countered a flipping neck breaker from Austin. Yuta had Austin’s dropkick scouted too and Yuta began to ground and pound Austin Gunn. Danielson tagged in and applied the Romero Special to Colten. Billy Gunn tagged in but Bryan cracked Billy with a big high boot in the jaw. Billy fired back with an elbow to Bryan’s jaw. Moxley tagged in and wiped-out Billy Gunn and then planted Colten with a half-and-half suplex! Mox back elbowed Austin! Mox nailed Austin and Colten with the Paradigm Shift! Yuta tagged in and connected with a big crossbody press off the top rope onto Billy Gunn! Mox and Danielson had to neutralize Colten and Austin who tried to interfere! Wheeler Yuta and Billy Gunn squared off and Billy slammed Yuta for a near fall! Billy tried for a knee strike but Yuta dodged it and then used the O’Connor Roll to pin Billy Gunn!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: The Butcher def. Barrett Brown
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Butcher nailed his opponent with a forearm! Butcher followed up with a huge clothesline in the corner, sending a message to Wardlow. Butcher ended it with a high stack powerbomb and pinned Brown!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Qualifier Match – Ruby Soho def. Robyn Renegade
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ruby is on a 10-match winning streak. Robyn palm faced Ruby in the corner, taunting her. Robyn yanked Ruby’s hair, pulling her down to the mat. Ruby headbutted Renegade and then swept Renegade’s leg. As Ruby was propped up on the top turnbuckle, Robyn had Ruby scouted and kicked Ruby in the face! Robyn’s twin sister, Charlotte Renegade, rolled from beneath under the ring. Neither ref Bryce Remsburg or Ruby realized it. Ruby jumped off the top rope but a fresh Charlotte lifted her knees up! Charlotte spilled out of the ring and Robyn rolled out and jumped back into the ring! Still, Ruby was able to finish off Robyn, pinning her and advancing in the tournament!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: AEW World Title Texas Deathmatch – “Hangman” Adam Page def. Adam Cole
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The only way to win is by knockout or by submission! Page pulled out plunder from beneath the ring before the bell rang. Cole and Page swung steel chairs at each other but Cole got the better of Page. They brawled outside the ring, with “Hangman” whipping Adam Page into the steel ring steps! Page cleaned off the timekeeper’s table. He was about to pick up Cole but Cole created some distance. “Hangman” followed Cole and connected with a big shot, sending Cole over the guardrail. Page took pursuit of Adam Cole and began punching and kicking him in the crowd. Page took a fan’s beer and began drinking it. Back in the ring, Page did a moonsault with a steel chair and smacked Cole! Adam Cole was busted open from the chair. “Hangman” Adam Page went back outside the ring and began to hammer shots on Cole’s bloody forehead. Page pulled a chair out from under the ring and set it up on the arena floor. Adam Cole rallied back and rammed Page into the ring steps! Cole pulled out a steel chair and then a steel chain. Cole wrapped the steel chain around the top ring rope. Cole clotheslined Page with the steel chain. Adam Cole set up two steel chairs back-to-back. Cole tried for a superkick but Page blocked it. Page hoisted up Cole and dropped in on the steel chairs with a fireman’s carry. “Hangman” hurled more steel chairs into the ring and then piled them up. Adam Cole superkicked Page. Cole attempted the Panama Sunrise but Page countered with the Dead Eye! Page attempted a moonsault off the steel post to the outside but Cole blasted “Hangman” with a superkick. Cole told the ref to start the 10-count! Page made it back into the ring to beat the count. Cole spiked Page with the Panama Sunrise! Page’s chin was bleeding from Cole’s superkick. Cole brought Page up to the top turnbuckle. “Hangman” Adam Page used a fallaway slam on Adam Cole and Cole had a brutal landing on the stack of steel chairs in the ring. Page back elbowed Cole while Cole was propped on a steel chair. Page sat on a chair in front of Cole and invited him to hit him! Page and Cole traded strikes and then superkicks! “Hangman” Adam Page fired back with the Buckshot Lariat! Page pulled off his leather belt and restrained Adam Cole to the ring ropes. Page pulled a steel chair that was wrapped in barb wire and slid it into the ring. Page had second thoughts, not wanting to sink to the depths of Adam Cole. Page untied Cole but Cole hit Page with a cheap shot to the groin. Cole followed up with superkicks but Page rallied back with a lariat! “Hangman” pulled the barb wire off the chair and wrapped it around his forearm! Cole went for the Panama Sunrise on the apron but Page countered! Page wrapped the barb wire around Cole’s head like a crown and then followed up with the Dead Eye off the apron, crashing Cole through the table outside the ring! Cole wasn’t able to answer the 10-count and “Hangman” Adam Page was victorious.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
This was a strong episode of Rampage, one that opened strong, with a finish that didn’t really marry up to the rest of the match. Yuta is a good addition to the BCC and, I think, they can keep the storytelling going with him and have him get stronger and meaner the more he works with Danielson, Mox and Regal. The Butcher match was inconsequential, more of a reminder of how badass The Butcher is before his match against Wardlow on this week’s Dynamite. The Owen’s qualifier felt a little like a damp squib, with the twins “cheating” being the only real memorable part of the match. But the final match, the Texas Deathmatch, was one hell of a main event. We got blood, we got violence, but we also got great storytelling – especially for the Champ, who got vicious but wouldn’t cross the line to heel-ish behaviour. Loved it!
A cracking episode of Rampage that hopefully stands AEW in good stead for Battle of the Belts 2.
