‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Nov 25th 2022)
It’s Monday, 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 Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois and featured Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: ROH Tag Team Championship Match – FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Dax and Darius locked up, with Darius taking Dax to the mat. Dax fired back with a shoulder tackle and scoop slam. Dax dropped a leg and tagged in Cash. Cash Wheeler clobbered Darius with chops and a European uppercut. Darius used his speed and tagged out to younger brother Dante. Cash caught Dante with three consecutive shots. Dante got a blind tag to Darius. Top Flight hit their next level tandem offense, with Darius DDT’ing Cash for a near fall. Dax and Darius exchanged chops. Cash tagged in but Top Flight hit stereo hurracanranas to FTR. Cash punted Dante in the spine and then tagged in Dax. Top Flight knocked FTR over the top rope with lariats. Darius flew into FTR with a tope and then Dante spring boarded onto them. Dante nearly scored the upset win with a crossbody block off the top turnbuckle to Dax. Dante charged in, trying to fight off both members of FTR. Dax used a slingshot powerbomb on Dante while Cash splashed off the top, but Darius broke up the pin attempt. Dax walloped Darius with a brutal lariat. FTR were looking for the Big Rig but Dante countered with a high stack pin attempt to Dax for a near fall. Darius DDT’ed Dax while Dante hit the big splash off the top, but Cash broke up the pin attempt this time. Darius caught Cash with a Spanish Fly but Dax was there to stop Darius’ momentum, blasting Darius with a brainbuster. Dax attempted a brainbuster to Dante but Dante countered with a victory roll for a two-count. Dante was looking for the Nose Dive but FTR dodged it and followed up with the Big Rig for the pin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Darby Allin def. Anthony Henry
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby and Anthony locked up, but Anthony got the better of it and kicked Darby right in the spine. Darby tried for a sunset flip but Henry escaped. Darby rocketed outside the ring and cracked JD Drake in the ribs. As Darby was climbing back into the ring, Henry dropped Darby over the top rope with a guillotine. Henry sent Darby down hard on the apron with a back heel trip. Darby went for the Coffin Splash but Anthony Henry countered with a suplex and then a hard Irish Whip. Henry had Darby tied up in the Tree of Woe and then dropkicked Darby. Henry came out of the corner with a neck breaker on Darby for a near fall! Henry jumped off the top rope but Darby moved and rocked Henry with the Code Red for a two-count. While the ref had his attention diverted by Henry, JD Drake plastered Darby on the outside with a forearm! Sting sent Drake flying hard into the steel barricade. Henry pointed at Sting and then superplexed Darby. Henry went for another clothesline but Darby escaped and hit the Scorpion Death Drop. Darby nailed Henry with the Coffin Drop and pinned Henry.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Hikaru Shida def. Queen Aminata
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Before the match began, Penelope Ford and the Bunny skipped out onto the ramp. They distracted Shida and then Queen Aminata ambushed Shida. Queen Aminata ran and used her length to kick Shida. Aminata was looking for an Air Raid Crash but Shida countered for a near fall. Shida connected with an elbow strike and then the Falcon Arrow! Shida used the Katana and pinned Queen Aminata!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Rush, The Butcher & The Blade def. The Dark Order (John Silver, Alex Reynolds & Pres10 Vance)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Dark Order made their entrance without 10, as he was nowhere to be found. Blade and Reynolds began in the ring for their respective teams, while Rush and Butcher double teamed Silver on the outside. Butcher chopped at Reynolds, knocking him off his feet. Blade tagged in and then Silver cleaned house. Silver attempted a tope but Butcher caught him and then Rush was right there with an elbow strike to Silver. Rush grabbed a cable outside the ring on Silver. Rush threw Silver into the ring where Butcher continued the beatdown. Silver tried for the tag but Blade pulled Reynolds off the apron, preventing the tag. Blade clubbed Silver with a lariat. John Silver mounted some offense on Butcher and the Blade. Silver crawled for the tag but Rush prevented Silver from making the tag again, knocking Reynolds off the apron. Evil Uno and Negative One appeared on the stage and motioned for 10 to get to the ring to help his friends in the Dark Order! 10 sprinted to the ring. 10 slid into the ring and got into Rush’s face! 10 blindsided John Silver with a shot! Butcher and the Blade swarmed Evil Uno outside the ring! Rush ran across the ring and nailed Silver with the Bull’s Horns! Rush covered Silver and pinned him.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Dark Order’s 10 turned on his faction and unmasked himself, finally aligning himself with Rush.
Final Verdict: 3/5
A solid episode of Rampage, one that started out so strong yet petered out in the second half of the show. Yes, the main event was a big deal BUT it was more of an angle rather than a wrestling match. A game-changing angle which touches upon some of AEW’s already deep history and one that I hope doesn’t destroy the Dark Order but builds them up – I want to see them take a serious, deadly, turn to get their revenge, I really do! The only really disappointing match was the women’s match, which was in essence a squash match anyway. But even Shida in a squash match is a decent match! Ultimately this was a solid, yet weirdly unremarkable show.
