‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Aug 26th 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 emanates from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. We’ve got Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Jim Ross AND Chris Jericho on commentary this week, so let’s get to the review!
Match #1: Trios Title Tournament – Dark Order def. The House of Black
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Brody King and Ten began with a collar and elbow tie-up. They collided in the center of the ring, neither man budging. Ten clutched his leg and then tagged out to John Silver. Buddy Matthews and John Silver chain wrestled until Buddy blasted Silver with a spinning roundhouse kick. Alex Reynolds tagged in and dodged a kick from Malakai Black. Alex and Malakai had a shoving match until all the men entered and a melee broke out. Orange Cassidy, Best Friends and Danhausen were scouting this match from the front row. Buddy kicked at Ten’s tweaked knee. Ten tagged in and cleaned house…on the House of Black, hitting a spinebuster on Malakai Black. He put Black in a full nelson but Buddy jumped on Ten with a meteora! Brody King was hit over the top rope and onto the floor by Ten’s clothesline. Malakai Black tore at Ten’s knee brace. He placed Ten in a knee bar and then “the Redeemer” Miro’s music hit! Alex Reynolds rolled up a distracted Malakai Black and pinned him. The House of Black surrounded Miro and began to manhandle him in the center of the ring! Suddenly Darby Allin and Sting stalked out to the ring while the House of Black retreated!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: TNT Title Match – Wardlow def. Ryan Nemeth
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt walked onto the ramp at the start of the match. Nemeth insulted Wardlow on the microphone, calling him a loser. Wardlow heard enough and headbutted the Hollywood Hunk! Wardlow began to conduct the symphony and powerbombed Nemeth! After four powerbombs Wardlow pinned Nemeth!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Ashton Day
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Powerhouse knocked down Ashton who had tried to stay toe-to-toe with Hobbs. “Go get Ricky,” yelled Hobbs as he knocked Ashton down again. Powerhouse planted Ashton Day with a spinebuster and pinned him.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: Mixed Tag Match – Sammy Guevara & Tay Melo def. Ortiz & Ruby Soho
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Angelo Parker accompanied Sammy and Tay to the ring. Tay kicked Ruby in the face and then followed up with knee strikes. Tay stomped on Ruby’s hand and then worked over Ruby’s wrist. Ruby rammed Tay into the corner turnbuckles. Tay avoided a splash from Ruby and Tay turned her attention back to Ruby’s right forearm. Sammy and Ortiz tagged in. Ortiz dropped Sammy with a short arm lariat. Tay grabbed Ortiz from behind. Sammy used the distraction to rock Ortiz with a strike. Ruby used a double leg to take down Tay. She suplexed Tay and followed up with a running boot for a near fall! Ruby propped Tay onto the top turnbuckle. Sammy rushed in and Ruby hit him with a poison rana! Tay connected with a cross body press onto Ruby for a two-count. Ortiz DDT’ed Sammy but Tay clocked Ortiz with a pump kick. Ruby blasted Tay with the No Future kick but Sammy jumped in to break up the pin attempt. Ruby tagged in Ortiz and Ortiz hammer fisted Sammy. Angelo Parker got involved on the ring apron, helping Sammy. Then Anna Jay A.S. came out of nowhere and threw Ruby into the steel ring steps! Ortiz ate a cutter from Sammy and then Sammy pinned Ortiz.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: ROH World Title Match – Claudio Castagnoli def. Dustin Rhodes
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
“The Enforcer” Arn Anderson and Brock Anderson were ringside in Dustin’s corner. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta and William Regal accompanied Claudio. Jericho left the commentary booth because Regal walked over. The Code of Honor was observed before the match. Dustin used an arm drag on Claudio and went for the pin fall immediately. Claudio steamrolled into Dustin and Dustin’s head whiplashed against the bottom rope. Claudio clocked Dustin with a European uppercut! Dustin rallied back with a Manhattan drop. Claudio came back with a cross face but Dustin fought out of it, countering with a side suplex. Claudio and Dustin traded forearm strikes! Dustin hit Claudio with clotheslines, sending Claudio outside the ring! Dustin followed up with a cannonball onto Claudio. Dustin used a hurracanrana and then a Code Red on Claudio for a near fall! Claudio swung at Dustin with a lariat! Claudio put Dustin in the Giant Swing and then covered him for a two-count! Claudio went back to locking in the cross face on Dustin. Dustin escaped and grabbed Claudio with a powerbomb for a near fall. Claudio tried to leap frog over Dustin but Dustin inadvertently hit a low blow on Claudio. The champion nailed Dustin with a European uppercut and then pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Anyone else out there think that Rampage is starting to become a little stale? Even with the big-money matches like the trios semi-final and the ROH Championship match, this episode felt a little flat. And no, before you think I’m complaining because HoB got knocked out the trios championship… No. I knew Dark Order was headed for the win given that it’s part of the overall hangman/Elite storyline that’s been building on BTE for months! The fact we got two back-to-back squash matches wasn’t good either – though I can ALWAYS appreciate a Wardlow squash! The way they play out is always fun and appreciate the super-strong booking. Overall though, this episode fell a little flat for me…
