‘AEW: Rampage – Grand Slam’ Review (Sept 23rd 2022)
It’s Monday morning, so you know what that means, it’s time for this week’s review of AEW: Rampage! This is a Grand Slam 2-hour special taped at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York… Now let’s get to the review!
Match #1: No DQ Match – Darby Allin & Sting def. The House of Black (Brody King & Buddy Matthews)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby and Sting ambushed the House of Black as they were making their dark entrance. Once they brawled to the ring, Brody chopped Darby off the top rope, sending Darby pinwheeling down onto the arena floor. Buddy and Brody circled Sting. Sting fought them off and splashed Buddy in the corner. Brody swung at Sting but Sting ducked. Brody’s hit Buddy with the lariat that was intended for Sting. Darby used an avalanche Code Red on Brody for a near fall. Darby attempted a tope suicida on Buddy but Buddy blocked it with a shoulder to Darby! Brody shoved Sting off the top rope, sending Sting crashing through a table on the arena floor. The House of Black isolated Sting inside the ring. Julia entered the ring with a pair of handcuffs and then Brody put them on Sting. The House of Black punished Darby Allin on the ramp as Sting was handcuffed inside the ring. Darby climbed the entrance tunnel and delivered a Coffin Drop off of it and down onto Buddy, at least ten feet below! Brody had Darby in a sleeper but Darby rolled forward and the two fell off the stage and down through a table! Buddy propped Sting on a char inside the ring. Buddy was about to hit Sting with a baseball bat when the arena lights went out. The lights turned back on and the Great Muta appeared on the ramp! Muta entered the ring and blew the green mist into Buddy’s eyes! Sting broke free of the handcuffs. Sting used the Scorpion Deathdrop on Buddy and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: HOOK & Action Bronson def. Angelo Parker & Matt Menard
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Parker kicked HOOK in the head. HOOK fired back with the El Camino gut wrench suplex. Menard wanted Bronson so HOOK tagged in Bronson. Action Bronson ran over Parker and Menard like a Mack truck. He splashed them in the corner then tagged in HOOK. Parker and Menard double teamed HOOK. Parker suplexed HOOK for a two-count. Menard tagged in and he and Parker used tandem offense on HOOK. Bronson tagged in and hit Matt with a powerslam! He followed up with a pounce to Parker. HOOK tagged in and locked the Redrum on Cool Hand. Bronson put the Redrum on Menard and they won via tap out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Wardlow & Samoa Joe def. Josh Woods & Tony Nese
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Samoa Joe and Wardlow wasted no time in going after Woods and Nese. Woods hit a German Suplex on Wardlow! Wardlow fired back with belly-to-belly suplexes of his own. Wardlow and Woods spilled to the outside of the ring. Nese tried for a moonsault but Samoa Joe simply walked out of the way. Nese chopped Joe in the throat. Nese charged at Joe but Joe countered with the Muscle Buster and pinned Nese! Woods jumped into the ring and he and Nese double teamed Samoa Joe after the bell! Wardlow came to the aid of Samoa Joe. Wardlow powerbombed Smart Mark Sterling! Wardlow planted Sterling again as the Powerbomb Symphony was in full swing!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry def. Rey Fenix
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Rey Fenix hit Jungle Boy with an uppercut. Jack Perry retaliated with a dropkick. Rey Fenix blasted Jungle Boy with a hook kick. Jungle Boy and Rey Fenix traded chest chops. Jack came back with a flying forearm and then a lariat! Jungle Boy smashed Rey Fenix with a brainbuster for a near fall. Rey Fenix nailed Jungle Boy with a cutter out of nowhere. Rey Fenix ate a forearm from Jungle Boy on the ring apron. Rey Fenix punted Jungle Boy in the head. Jungle Boy blasted Rey Fenix with a thrust kick. Rey Fenix ran down the ramp and spring boarded off the ropes and onto Jungle Boy! Jungle Boy came back with a powerbomb and a running elbow to the back of Rey’s head for a near fall. Jungle Boy countered the third suplex in the Three Amigos with a cradle shock for a near fall! Rey Fenix used a massive frog splash onto Jungle Boy but Jungle Boy managed to kick out! Jungle Boy countered a Black Fire Driver and pinned Rey Fenix!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: Eddie Kingston def. Sammy Guevara (then lost!)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sammy insulted Kingston before the match and Kingston went crazy! Kingston hit Sammy with headbutts! Eddie poked Sammy in the eyes and then chopped him. Sammy back body dropped Eddie off the apron and down onto the arena floor. Back in the ring, after Tay grabbed Eddie’s boot, Sammy rocked Kingston with a knee strike. Sammy hit the double jump cutter for a near fall! Kingston rallied back with a lariat to Sammy. Kingston used the backdrop driver on Sammy. Kingston nailed Sammy with the spinning backfist and then a second spinning backfist! Kingston used a third spinning backfist! Kingston locked on the stretch plumb and the ref ended the match as Sammy was unable to defend himself. Eddie wouldn’t release the hold after the match! Jerry Lynn ran down to try to talk sense into Kingston. AEW Senior Official Paul Turner reversed the decision due to Kingston not cooperating!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: TBS Title Match – Jade Cargill def. Diamante
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Diamante kicked at Jade’s leg She chopped at Jade and then tried a sunset flip for a near fall. Jade rocked Diamante with a pump kick! Diamante jumped off the ropes and at Jade outside the ring but Jade caught her! Cargill planted Diamante with Jaded and pinned her! After the match, Trina smacked Diamante and aligned herself with Jade and the Baddies!
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #7: Grand Slam Golden Ticket Battle Royale
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner earns a future World Title shot. Hangman Page was jumped from behind by Rush, the Blade, and the Butcher. Dark Order came to the aid of Page. Danhausen grounded and pounded QT Marshall. Blade eliminated Danhausen. Brian Cage eliminated Dante Martin. Best Friends suplexed Jake Hager out of the ring. Dalton Castle eliminated Brian Cage after he was distracted by the Boys. Lee Moriarty eliminated Daniel Garcia, but Matt Hardy then tossed Lee over the top rope! Lance Archer was showing a renewed fighting spirit in the ring. Matt Hardy eliminated the Blade after the Twist of Fate. The Butcher threw out Matt Hardy. Hangman eliminated the Butcher. Rush and John Silver traded elbows until Rush hurled John over the top rope. Penta El Zero Miedo eliminated Lance Archer. Jay Lethal eliminated Penta! Hangman Page and Rush were the final two. Rush rocked Hangman with a thrust kick! Page fired back with a discus elbow. Rush and Page exchanged chops on the ring apron! Hangman eliminated Rush and will face the AEW World Champion.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #8: Lights Out Match – Ricky Starks def. Powerhouse Hobbs
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They slugged it out with one another as the match started! Hobbs retreated to the floor. Starks took Hobbs off his feet with a clothesline. Hobbs retaliated with a neck breaker. Hobbs carried a table into the ring and then threw it onto Starks! Hobbs hurled steel chairs into the ring! Hobbs waffled Starks with a steel chair. Ricky spiked Hobbs with a DDT. Hobbs hit Starks with a low blow. Hobbs set up two chairs facing one another. Starks kicked Hobbs between the legs. Hobbs backdropped Starks onto the edges of the two steel chairs! Hobbs used a running powerslam on Starks onto a stack of chairs for a near fall. They brawled on the ramp! Starks tried to spear Hobbs but Hobbs sidestepped it and sent Starks crashing into the light fixture! Hobbs pulled the lights off the wall! Starks speared Hobbs through a table before Hobbs could use the lights. Starks cracked Hobbs with the lights. Starks finished off Hobbs with the roshambo and pinned him!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Easily the best episode of Rampage in 2022. This was a stacked show that opened strong and ended stronger. Great to see Starks and Hobbs main event this special show in a match where they didn’t look to be holding back at all. Great selling by both guys made this an instant classic. Jungle Boy’s match felt like the start of a solid solo run for a guy who’s always been a fan favourite but has also always been on the cusp of greatness. Hopefully, this leads to championship gold of some kind for him too! The only downer in the show was the Eddie/Sammy match – a bullsh*t call by Paul Turner meant that Eddies win was turned into a loss! I’m hoping this new ref angle doesn’t lead to more ropey finishes like this! Overall this was a great end to Grand Slam week!
