‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Oct 7th 2022)
It’s Monday morning, so you know what that means, it’s time for this week’s review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show was broadcast from the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. and featured Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Jim Ross on commentary… Now let’s get to the review!
Match #1: Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta def. Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen & Rush
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
William Regal joined the commentary team for this match. The Firm watched from the front row. Kassidy and Yuta chain wrestled. Wheeler rolled up Kassidy for a near fall. Rush tagged in and taunted Moxley. Moxley tagged in and he and Rush slugged it out in the center of the ring. Mox charged in with a high boot to Rush’s jaw. Moxley planted Rush with a stalling German suplex. Marq Quen inadvertently kicked Rush when Moxley moved out of the way. Claudio tagged in and blasted Kassidy with a big European uppercut. Claudio used the giant swing on both members of Private Party. Yuta connecting with a diving cross body press to Quen. Yuta splashed Kassidy but Rush was there to break up the pin attempt. Mox rocketed at Rush with a tope suicida! Claudio blocked the Silly String and countered with a massive European uppercut. Yuta made Quen tap out with an arm bar!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Josh Woods & Tony Nese def. Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman, Jr.)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Tony Schiavone joined the broadcast booth for this match. Pillman chopped at Nese and isolated him in the corner. Garrison tagged in but was soon swarmed by Woods and Nese. Pillman was shoved into the steel ring post. Nese and Woods used their tandem finisher and pinned Garrison. Arn Anderson was watching on a monitor backstage. “Smart” Mark Sterling entered the ring and said he had trademarked the term “Varsity” in professional wrestling. He said he is giving the name “Varsity Athletes” to Nese and Woods. AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed interrupted Sterling and forced Woods, Nese, and Sterling to retreat…for now.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Anna Jay A.S. & Tay Melo def. Madison Rayne & Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Madison rolled up Anna Jay for a near fall. Tay tagged in but Madison applied a wrist lock and then tagged in Skye. Tay swept out Skye’s leg on the apron and then pump kicked her. Rayne cracked Anna with a kick to the back of the head. Skye used a diving cross body press on Anna Jay. Tay tagged in and spiked Skye with a piledriver. Anna Jay made Skye tap after locking on the Queen Slayer!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: AEW World Trios Championship Match – Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) def. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, John Silver & Ten)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Reynolds and Silver used stereo topes to PAC and Penta. Inside the ring, Rey Fenix was pancaked by Ten. Reynolds tagged in and dropped an elbow on Rey Fenix. Rey Fenix made the tag to Penta and Penta quickly cleaned house on Dark Order. “The Bastard” PAC rocked Reynolds with a snapping German suplex. Death Triangle triple teamed Reynolds with dropkicks. Penta El Zero Miedo yanked back on Reynolds’ arm. PAC suplexed Reynolds on the arena floor! Reynolds fired back with a double stomp to PAC’s back. Ten tagged in and wiped-out Death Triangle, running right over them. Death Triangle regained momentum and began to pick apart Ten. John Silver grabbed a tag and he and PAC traded forearms and then pump kicks! Silver waffled PAC with a deadlift brainbuster. Fenix was taken down with the Pendulum Bomb. Reynolds hoisted up Rey Fenix on the top turnbuckle. Fenix countered with a hurracanrana. Penta hit Silver with the backstabber. Dark Order rallied back and used their tandem offense on Penta for a near fall. Jose the Assistant walked onto the ramp with an envelope for Ten. Rush handed a hammer to PAC. PAC knocked out Reynolds with the ring bell hammer and then ended the match with the Brutalizer on Reynolds.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This show started strong with a great trios match and kept the tag team action going throughout the show – which was wise given that the Battle of the Belts show that followed was more about singles titles matches. I could’ve done without the squash match but I’m hoping the fact the Varsity Blonds have “lost” the right to use varsity in their name means – along with the appearance of Arn Anderson – that something is in the works for Pillman and Garrison… As for the women’s match, Skye Blue and Madison Rayne actually made for a great team, so much so that I think it would be interesting to see the duo continue, with Blue learning from Rayne as she goes. As for the main event, what’s not to love about a Death Triangle match? This one didn’t feel one-sided either, with the fact that this was the anniversary of Brodie Lee’s last match making it truly seem like Dark Order could win it. Of course they didn’t. They lost again. Which is disappointing but not surprising given that Death Triangle look set to be long-term title holders. But what of PAC’s penchant for cheating recently? That’s got to come to the fore sometime soon too surely? Maybe that’s the downfall of Death Triangle and NOT a loss?
