AEW Rampage

Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 11.18.22

Happy Friday everybody! Lee Sanders back with you all once again as it’s the final AEW RAMPAGE before Saturday’s FULL GEAR pay-per-view event. Tonight’s card sees HOOK defending his FTW Championship against Lee Moriarty. Meanwhile, Athena faces Madison Rayne one on one. Also, Ricky Starks goes up against Lance Archer in a World Title Eliminator Tournament Round match. And finally, Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs Jun Akiyama & Konosuke Takeshita.

I’ll be live doing a special AEW FULL GEAR post show once the event has concluded. If around and wanna hear my thoughts on the event, join the growing 12,600 subscribers / community over on YouTube by clicking here. By the way, HAPPY THANKSGIVING in advance to you all that celebrate it as I won’t be with you all next week for RAMPAGE coverage due to it coming on at 4pm ET so double check your DVRS. For now…let’s talk RAMPAGE!

Commentators: Chris Jericho, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, and Excalibur

Chaos is in the back as Lance Archer and Ricky Starks are fighting in a loading dock area. Ricky rams Archer into a loading dock door as Archer returns the same gesture. Archer is on the offense here as he randomly attacks someone who appeared to be an innocent victim as the action pours out into the arena, Starks takes a trash can to the head of Archer. It barely phases the Murderhawk as he sends Starks into some barricades. Keep in mind this match needs to start in the ring and is official once the bell has sound as the men have spilled into the crowd now! Starks fights out of a chokeslam as Archer comes right back leaping over the barricade and chopping down Starks. Archer tosses him into the ring and gets inside as this match has officially started!

MATCH 1: AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: LANCE ARCHER VS RICKY STARKS

Action spills to the outside again as Archer chokeslams Starks onto the ring apron as we head into our first commercial break! Good Wrestling Gawd what a start! We are back as highlights shown during the commercial break showed Archer continuing his assault on Starks as we now see Starks climb onto the back of Archer, delivering strikes to his back. Starks follows up with a lariat and misses a spinning ddt as Archer counters with a lariat of his own for a near fall. Archer clubs on the back of Starks. Ricky Starks counters with a spinning ddt for a near fall. Starks tries to go for a sunset flip but Archer isn’t budging as Starks delivers a pounce! Starks no-sells the living the Hell out of it as he pops up and goes right off the ropes and spears Archer! Cover attempt made and it’s over!

Winner and advancing:Ricky Starks (6:40)
Rating: ***
Great opener as it was filled with loads of intensity. Only thing I didn’t like which affected my rating going higher for this match was the fact that these men were delivering some serious shots and spots on one another and they barely were selling it. Especially towards the end of the match as Starks particularly was no-selling big moves by Archer. Solid match though as the right guy went over to advance.

Post-match Brian Cage comes out with Prince Nana as Cage and Starks look on at one another. Archer attacks Starks from behind and ends up chokeslamming him onto some steel steps on the outside.

Recap of MJF and Jon Moxley feud is shown.

We were just informed that RAMPAGE is going to be on next Friday at a special start time of 4pm ET so set your DVR people!

Footage is shown of Tony Schiavone interviewing Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. Jericho talks about how he’s the greatest ROH World champion of all time as he guarantees it’s staying in the JAS. As Jericho walks off, Sammy waits patiently and smiles as he tells Schiavone we’ll just see about that. Jericho who is on commentary is speechless but tells the other commentators that he respects Sammy and acknowledges that the young man has aspirations.

MATCH 2: FTW CHAMPIONSHIP-HOOK(C) VS LEE MORIARTY

Nice takedown by HOOK as Lee comes to his feet and misses an attack as HOOK counters with a reach around, transitioning into a wrist lock, followed up with an inside hook and bridge. Lee gets out of it as he drives his knee into the midsection of HOOK. HOOK now sent into the ropes as HOOK delivers a nice spinning back counter and alternate back suplex takedown! Crowd is loving it as Lee delivers a big boot to the face of the FTW Champion as we head into another set of ad breaks. And we are back as Lee has a back headlock on HOOK. Lee tries going to the ropes but gets clotheslined by HOOK. HOOK now delivering body shot after body shot. Referee separates them as Lee managed to get to the ropes. Nice back-heel trip by HOOK as he follows up with a fisherman’s throw. Lee applies a turnbuckle ddt, followed by a Diamond knee drop as HOOK kicks out of his pin attempt. Lee applies a double wrist lock as HOOK manages to get his foot onto the ropes for the break. Border City stretch attempt by Lee now as HOOK turns his hips to transition to the REDRUM to make Lee tap out! HOOK now 16-0.

Winner: HOOK (7:00)
Rating: ***
Probably the biggest test for HOOK to date and one of the best single matches thus far for the young man as HOOK was greatly challenged. I would love to see these two men run it back again. DAMN THAT WAS GOOD!

Schiavone is backstage with Jose the Assistant, RUSH, 10 and John Silver. RUSH promises to wipe the stupid smile off Silver’s face as Silver tells him how he and 10 accept the challenge of a potential tag match. 10 looks at Silver and ask the question what do you mean “WE” as 10 walks off. Not another gawd damn turn…

MATCH 3: ATHENA VS MADISON RAYNE

This was so funny! Madison Rayne’s promo footage was shown as Madison was going over her history with Atehna. The commentators interrupt to go to the ring as Athena pounced on Madison. Athena delivers a delayed vertical suplex. Madison comes back with a couple of double axle chops to put Athena down briefly. Forearm strike follows as she tried looking for the CrossRayne as Athena counters and delivers a flip forward stunner and an elbow to the jaw! Athena follows up with a modified piledriver with knee to the face in the process for the win! Post-match Athena kicks Madison Rayne as Aubrey Edwards tries to stop her. Athena slugs the living Hell out of Aubrey! OMG! That’s going to be a GIF and meme as I know loads people been wanting to see someone slug Aubrey for a long time. I guess you got give the people what they want sometimes. Crossface now applied to Madison now as Mercedes Martinez comes down to the ring. The two look at one another as Athena backs off to end this segment.

Winner:Athena (4:00)
Rating: **
Not a bad match but not a good one either. Love the new mean streak from Athena and am happy to see her back on TV as she’s greatly been missed. This is all about the angle being setup with a returning Martinez. I’ve missed the Hell out of this woman as well. These two should be putting on one classic match when they lock up.

Rene Paquette interviews Best Friends and The Factory. Orange Cassidy reveals that Rockey Romero and Danhausen will join them in a 5-on-5 matchup at Full Gear. Surely this is part of the pre-show cause right now there’s 11 matches on the ppv…11…11…11…

Another video package is shown of the eventual return of Malakai Black and his House of Black Stable. Sorry but I’m still caught up on Aubrey Edwards being knocked the f**k out! Actually rewinded a few times in real-time to watch again.

Mark Henry is getting words now from Ortiz, Eddie Kingston, Takeashita, and Akiyama as IT’S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT!

MATCH 4: EDDIE KINGSTON & ORTIZ VS KONOSUKE TAKESHITA AND JUN AKIYAMA

It’s been announced that during the ZERO HOUR Pre Show this Saturday, Kingston will face Akiyama one on one. Eddie and Takeshita kick things off as the fans are on their feet chanting for this one. Both men go for a lockup but it’s a stalemate as they break up. Now a Roman lock as Takeshita gets in a side headlock. Takeshita bounces off the ropes and is shoulder tackled by Kingston. Kingston encourages him to do it again. Takeshita does as Eddie gets in a belly-to-belly suplex. Kingston takes a quick cheap shot on Jun as Ortiz gets the tag. Takeshita is able to get to Jun as Jun delivers a quick attack to Ortiz and delivers a return cheap shot on Kingston. Forearm strike and a piledriver from Jun to Ortiz now. Akiyama is about to go for the cover when he spots Kingston trying to get in and stares him down as Kingston is frozen in his tracks and backs off. Takeshita with the tag now as he gets a right elbow strike in on Ortiz. We head into our last set of commercial breaks on that note. Our main event is back as Ortiz tags in Kingston as they double team on Takeshita. Kingston with a nice ddt and cover attempt. No hook of the leg as Takeshita kicks out. Kingston wants for Takeshita to chop him as both men trade off on chops. Elbow strikes follow as Takeshita is sent to the ropes, Takeshita hits a flying lariat to ground Kingston as Jun and Ortiz get tagged in at the same time. Jun with a jumping knee to the face of Ortiz. Jun looking for his trademark exploder as Kingston gets inside the ring. Kingston is not the legal man folks, keep this in mind. Both men are teeing off as Jun clotheslines Ortiz. Takeshita gets in there as Ortiz gets in a powerslam . Takeshita comes back on Ortiz with a blue Thunder Bomb. Meanwhile, Kingston gets in a backdrop driver on Takeshita as all four men are down now! Jun and Kingston trade off shots as Kingston gets in an exploder. Jun gives Kingston an exploder of his own as Jun delivers a knee to the back of Ortiz followed by an exploder to end this one.

Winners:Takeshita and Akiyama (11:00)
Rating: ***
Solid tag match between all participants. I’m still very high on Takeshita being a breakout star in AEW if Tony Khan is able to get access to him long term. I sadly don’t know my Japanese wrestling like that so I cannot say anything about Akiyama. I’m willing to learn more about him and certain matches to pull up of him online so I’ll rely on you all to educate me better on him. As far as the tag match itself though it was very hard, ground hitting, and pretty straight forward. Helped that the crowd was really into this as I fed off their emotions and energy.

End of Show

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

GOOD

Not too shabby of an episode this week for AEW RAMPAGE. I know AEW has their arrangements with Warner Media and Discovery but honestly this episode was not needed. If you were under the impression more matches were going to be announced for FULL GEAR, there was between The Factory and Best Friends, also Kingston vs Akiyama. I believe these will be playing out on the pre-show however but remember card is subject to change and they could move to to the actual PPV. This episode was just about straight up wrestling with nice performances from HOOK, Athena, Kingston and Ortiz vs Akiyama and Takeshita. This wasn’t by any stretch a can’t miss episode but if you did miss it you’re okay heading into the ppv as this served as a great standalone. What you 411MANIACS think? For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!

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