‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (June 24th 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 UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, WI. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz and Chris Jericho on commentary once again this week, so let’s get right to the review!
Match #1: Andrade El Idolo def. Rey Fenix
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Andrade wrenched on Rey Fenix’s wrist. Rey Fenix reversed it. Andrade escaped but Rey Fenix took him off his feet with a hurracanrana. Andrade dropped elbows on Rey Fenix’s head, but Fenix fired back with a back heel kick. Andrade El Idolo had the power advantage and hit two suplexes. Rey Fenix rallied back with the three amigos suplexes on Andrade El Idolo. Rey Fenix climbed to the top but Andrade rolled out to the floor. Rey Fenix wasted no time and jumped from the top turnbuckle outside to Andrade. Rey Fenix walloped Andrade with a German suplex for a near fall. Rey vaulted to the top turnbuckle but Andrade El Idolo shoved him from behind, sending Fenix crashing to the floor. Andrade El Idolo stomped down on Rey Fenix for a two-count. Rey Fenix connected with a pump kick and then a stomp of his own to Andrade El Idolo. Rey Fenix blasted Andrade with a stalling dropkick off the top rope. He followed up with a cutter to Andrade El Idolo for a near fall. Rey Fenix attempted a frog splash but Andrade got his knees up in time to defend himself.
Rey Fenix and Andrade El Idolo traded chops and forearms. Rey Fenix went to walk the tightrope but Andrade El Idolo pulled the ropes, forcing Rey Fenix to tumble. Andrade El Idolo tried for a running knee strike but Rey Fenix moved and Andrade’s knee’s smashed into the steel ring post! Rey Fenix brought Andrade into the ring with a Spanish fly off the top rope for a near fall! Jose passed a tablet to Andrade as the ref was checking on Rey Fenix’s knee. Aubrey grabbed the tablet out of Andrade’s hands. As ref Aubrey Edwards removed the tablet from the ring, Andrade poked Rey Fenix in the eyes. Rey Fenix rocketed outside the ring with a tope con hiro onto Andrade. Jose the Assistant and Alex Abrahantes fought inside the ring when out walked Rush! Rush hit Rey Fenix with a low blow and then Andrade El Idolo spiked Rey Fenix with a DDT to pin him!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Match #2: Mercedes Martinez & Serena Deeb def. Laynie Luck & Sierra
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mercedes was rolled up with a crucifix by Laynie but Mercedes escaped. Mercedes spiked Laynie with a spine buster. Deeb came in and tied up Laynie with a leg lock. Mercedes connected with a massive elbow strike. They picked up Laynie and dropped her across the top ropes! Mercedes and Deeb placed their opponents in submission holds and made both of them tap!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: HOOK def. The DKC
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook took down DKC and applied a knee bar. DKC reached the ropes and forced the ref to break the hold. Hook hurled DKC with a judo throw! DKC blasted Hook with ridge hand chops. Hook grabbed DKC and suplexed him. Hook nailed DKC with cross-face strikes. Hook locked on the Redrum and DKC has no choice but to tap out!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Jeff Cobb def. Cash Wheeler
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
ROH commentator Caprice Coleman joined the broadcast booth for this match. Cobb and Cash locked up. Cobb shoved Cash Wheeler into the ropes and Cash came back with a shoulder block to Jeff Cobb—neither man budged. Chris Jericho named Jeff Cobb as Chris Jericho’s Sports Entertainer of the Week. Jeff Cobb grappled Cash Wheeler to the mat. Cobb sent Cash for a ride with a suplex. Cobb grabbed Cash and rammed him into the steel ring post. Back in the ring, Cash had a sleeper on Jeff Cobb but Cobb fought out of it. They traded strikes. Wheeler chop blocked Cobb’s knee. Cash elevated over the top rope and smashed Jeff Cobb on the outside of the ring. Cash powerbombed Cobb back into the ring! Cash attempted a swinging DDT but Cobb shoved him away. Cash went back to working on Cobb’s knee. Jeff Cobb backdropped Cash Wheeler and then pinned him with the Tour of the Islands!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Just when you thought Andrade couldn’t put on a better match in AEW than this week’s Elevation and his face-off with Frankie Kazarian we get THAT opening match! Good to see AEW giving those that are not “allowed” to participate in the Forbidden Door pay-per-view a platform on PPV weekend. That match set a really high bar, so squash matches were not the way to go… Thankfully there was just enough build to Forbidden Door in between to keep the audience interested (and hyped). We got a great main event, with Jeff Cobb showing AEW fans what he can do, and DID back when he was in ROH – will he be in the promotion again? – and Cash Wheeler basically doing his badass wrestler thing that has seen FTR called the best tag team in wrestling. Then everything broke down, as it did on Dynamite… Not only to sell Forbidden Door but also next week’s Blood and Guts show! Ultimately this was an all-time great episode of Rampage!
