‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (June 3rd 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 Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz and Chris Jericho AND Adam Cole on commentary, so let’s get right to the review!
Match #1: The Young Bucks def. The Lucha Brothers
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Penta Oscura and Matt Jackson began the match for their respective teams. Penta threw his glove in Matt’s face. Matt ducked a sling blade and then escaped a fear factor attempt. Penta Oscura landed an up kick but Matt swept out Penta Oscuro’s leg. Nick Jackson tagged in, as did Rey Fenix, and Rey Fenix tried a powerbomb to the outside but Nick landed on his feet. They returned to the ring and they grazed one another with kicks. Matt Jackson knocked down Rey Fenix with a blindside shot. Nick Jackson flipped over the top rope onto Rey Fenix but then Penta Oscura seized the moment with a tope con hiro on the Bucks. Rey Fenix followed up with a tornillo on the Bucks. Nick Jackson blasted Rey Fenix with a kick off the apron but Rey returned fire with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Rey Fenix jumped off the top rope but Matt Jackson raised his knees in defense, forcing Rey to crash land! Matt Jackson used the locomotion Northern Lights suplexes on Rey Fenix and then finished with a double suplex on both Lucha Bros! Nick Jackson dropped a beautiful senton atomico on Rey Fenix for a near fall. The Lucha Bros used a foot stomp/DDT combo on Nick Jackson outside the ring, and a foot stomp/DDT combo on Penta inside the ring for a near fall! Rey Fenix flattened Matt Jackson with a frog splash for another near fall. Nick Jackson dropkicked the Lucha Bros into a poison rana, with Penta Oscura landing on the crown of his head! Nick Jackson and Rey Fenix traded forearm shivers. Rey Fenix splashed Nick Jackson from on top of Penta Oscura’s shoulders! Penta followed up with a destroyer on Matt Jackson! Nick Jackson countered a black fire driver with a cradle for a near fall. Matt tagged in and he and Nick started a superkick party for the Lucha Brothers! The Bucks drilled Rey with a Meltzer Driver but Rey was able to escape the pin attempt! Matt Jackson ripped off Penta’s mask. He covered his face to protect his identity but the Bucks superkicked him. The Bucks nailed Rey Fenix with the BTE Trigger and then pinned him!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Powerhouse Hobbs & Ricky Starks def. Two “Unamed” Guys
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Team Taz’s FTW Champion “Absolute” Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs made short work of their unnamed opponents!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Athena def. Kiera Hogan
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kiera cracked Athena with a forearm. Athena caught Kiera but Kiera escaped. Athena connected with a crossbody off the ropes to Kiera Hogan. Athena got in the face of Jade Cargill outside the ring. Athena tried to jump into the ring at Kiera but Red Velvet trapped her leg. Kiera rocked Athena with a kick to the spine. She mounted Athena with the ground and pound attack. Athena blasted Kiera with a shotgun dropkick! Athena connected with a front hand spring into an elbow strike on Kiera. Red Velvet kicked Athena from behind and Kiera gained the upper hand from her Baddies partner. But Athena rallied back and used the swan diving cutter and pinned Kiera Hogan!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: TNT Championship Title Match – Scorpio Sky def. Dante Martin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Dante used head scissors and then an arm drag to take down Scorpio Sky. Dante jumped over Sky and dropkicked him to the outside. Dante jumped from the top rope to Scorpio Sky outside the ring. He followed up with a shotgun dropkick to the champ for a near fall. Dante used a diving cross body press on Scorpio Sky but Sky rolled through. Dante smashed Sky with a flying foot stomp. Scorpio Sky had enough and ended Dante’s impressive momentum with the TKO to score the pin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Top to bottom a fantastic episode of Rampage. Yes, that Stark & Hobbs tag match was a bizarre blip but didn’t seem out of place for either man or in the show as a whole. Athena’s debut was solid, proving she’s going to be some much-needed high calibre talent for AEW’s women’s division, she even got a good match out of Keira Hogan who, I think, hasn’t lived up to her promise since coming to the promotion. The Young Bucks versus Lucha Bros. showed just why these two teams are called the best in the world… Spot fest that flowed smoothly, transitioning from move to move like water, matching each other beat for beat. These kinds of matches are the ones that you can really chant “fight forever” to and mean it. As for the main event, that was another example of two guys literally teasing the audience about just what they could do if given the time, the spotlight and the impetus in AEW. Dante Martin is a wrestling god in the making… Just saying.
