‘AEW: Rampage – Fyter Fest Week 1’ Review (July 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 Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia. Let’s get to the review!
Match #1: Brody King & Malakai Black def. John Silver & Alex Reynolds
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Reynolds and Black chain wrestled and then Reynolds took down Black with a deep arm drag. Black got a blind tag to Brody and Brody used his bulk to muscle Reynolds into the corner. Reynolds avoided a chop and tagged out to John Silver. Brody King leveled John Silver and then attempted a senton but Silver dodged it and tagged out to Reynolds. Silver and Reynolds blasted Brody with stereo kicks. They sent Brody spilling to the outside after more tandem offense. Brody intercepted a diving Alex Reynolds and then spiked him on the ring apron. John Silver tagged in and attacked Malakai Black with a side suplex. Silver tagged Reynolds and they tried more of their tandem offense but Black had it scouted. Black booted Reynolds and then Brody nearly decapitated Reynolds with a lariat! Silver avoided a moonsault from Black on the outside and then Silver whipped Black into the steel barricade. Back in the ring Brody King hoisted up Alex Reynolds for the Gonzo Bomb but John Silver rushed in for the save, pulling his partner back down. The Dark Order went to town on Brody King with their patented double team maneuvers for a near fall. Malakai Black connected with a back heel kick to John Reynolds. Black sent Reynolds into Brody King’s clutch for Dante’s Inferno and King scored the victory!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Ring Of Honor World Championship Match – Jonathan Gresham def. Lee Moriarty
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
ROH commentator Caprice Coleman joined the broadcast booth for this match. The Code of Honor was observed before the match. Lee elbowed Gresham in the face and then used a double leg takedown for ground and pound. Lee hit a knee strike and Gresham crumbled. Lee Moriarty stalked Gresham outside the ring and then whipped him into the steel guard rail. Gresham booted Moriarty in the midsection. Gresham knocked Lee with a low blow while the ref was distracted. Gresham slowed the tempo down and used a side headlock takeover on Lee. Gresham tied up Lee for a near fall. Lee broke free and kicked Gresham right in the jaw. Moriarty controlled Gresham’s head and nailed Gresham with knee strikes and then a dropkick! Moriarty used a bridging suplex for a near fall on Gresham. Gresham grabbed Lee with the Octopus and forced Moriarty to tap out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Kris Statlander & Athena def. The Renegade Sisters (Charlette & Robyn)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kris and Athena hit stereo dropkicks to the Renegade twins! Statlander smashed them with a senton! Statlander launched Robyn off her shoulder and Athena jumped off the turnbuckles with a knee strike to Robyn. Athena suplexed Charlette! Athena finished off Charlette with a cutter from the top rope and pinned her!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #4: The Lucha Bros (Rey Fenix & Penta Oscuro) def. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Private Party used tandem offense on Penta but Penta had it scouted. Rey Fenix tagged in and the Lucha Bros chopped down Private Party with thrust kicks! Private Party fired back with dropkicks and tope suicidas. Rey Fenix nailed Marq Quen with a cutter! Private Party made a comeback. As the ref was distracted, Andrade El Idolo started to choke Penta from outside the ring. Private Party had Penta isolated in the corner. Penta Oscuro came back with a sling blade and then made the tag to Rey Fenix! Fenix used an arm drag and then a foot stomp to Kassidy! He leg dropped Kassidy and powerbombed Quen simultaneously! Rey Fenix chopped away at Isiah Kassidy. Marq Quen pulled Fenix off the ropes and Kassidy jumped off the turnbuckles for a diving crossbody press and a near fall on Rey Fenix. Penta tagged in and hit Marq Quen with a thrust kick! He followed up with a Death Valley Driver on Quen into the corner on Kassidy. Penta planted Quen with the Made in Japan for a near fall. Alex Abrahantes neutralized Jose the Assistant, who had jumped up on the apron. Meanwhile Penta waffled Andrade El Idolo with a thrust kick after Andrade tried again to interfere in the match. As the ref was distracted, Rush ran down to the ring and clocked Penta Oscuro with a cheap shot! Somehow Penta Oscuro countered Marq Quen with a Canadian Destroyer and tagged in Rey Fenix! Limping in, Rey Fenix spiked Marq Quen with the Black Fire Driver and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This was a tricky episode of Rampage to review. On the one hand we got some great matches like the main event. On the other, the only other great match (I said great, not good) was the ROH Championship match… A match for a promotion that is not a part of AEW. Then we got THAT women’s match. Just WTF was everyone involved thinking? It felt like a bad segment on an episode of WWE programming, and the time could’ve been better spent on a real match or a well-put together promo. I not 100% sure but I think that’s my first zero rating for an AEW in all the yers the company has been around. Oh, and as a side-note, this felt absolutely unconnected to the “Fyter Fest” branding – which I associate with PPV quality matches on regular television… And most of this was NOT pay-per-view quality.
