AEW Rampage Thread 2022

[organizedkaos]

The repeated emphasis on "title shot any time I choose" (which I don't think they've done with previous chips? i've not been watching from the start so do correct me if wrong) along with the golden ticket battle royale having a very specific "if you win you get a title shot at this place and time" feels like they're absolutely building to MJF cashing in in some cheap way.

Although I think everyone expects that cos it's been done before so maybe it's a feint. But yeah, they're making sure you're thinking about it either way

[Guest]

I’d like mox to get a few months. Have him challenge MJF to a match. Means MJF not using the chip. Have the match and a mox win. Then you have the cash in later and it’s sneakier. A January -December run for MJF as he counts down to “taking the title up North” works better 

[WeeAl]

The chip has never been a "cash in" before. I think it's just word play to be honest. I was of the idea that MJF just get's to keep a title shot in his back pocket, not that it's a WWE style briefcase.

I'll be very surprised if they are as stupid to go down that completely played out route, rather than have MJF just decide which big night seems more stacked in his favour and tell Moxley something like "in two week's, at 'X', in (New York/New Jersey) I'm taking the belt". We already know it's highly likely he'll be winning it with the help of that group of Stokley's. There doesn't need to be a post match cash in to protect Moxley and put heat on MJF. The inevitable cheating will cover that. 

[Merzbow]

I notice that Saraya is already on the intro video for Rampage and commentary mentioning her when she's not even on screen.. we got a Poochie.

[Infinity Land]

Could have done without the Moriarty v. Fuego squash. Thought everything else was the right balance between some good matches and fun backstage promos that help the hour fly by.

Andrade adding a little extra spice this week with his twitter trolling since Wednesday.

[Infinity Land]

 

Starts the #FreeElIdolo hashtag

Signs up for a paid direct messaging app,

Booked in a match where if he loses he leaves AEW.

Plus Rampage is live next week.

[LaGoosh]

Despite the usual "look how shit Rampage looks" we get from everyone every week beforehand as per usual this was another fun and easy to watch hour of wrestling.

Willow Nightingale is really good, she should be the one to end Jade's winning streak. Great wrestler and great look/gimmick. Obviously Jaime Hayter is fantastic. These two had an absolutely cracking TV match. You could do worse than build the division around these two.

Rush/Silver was fun too, out of the newer additions to the roster they should really get behind Rush, Brody King and Bandido. HOOK dealt out a delightfully vicious beatdown although I have no interest in this Trustbusters shit (which is essentially the same as every other lower card AEW storyline - faction trues to recruit a babyface). Strong win for The Acclaimed and I always like to see Butcher and Blade on telly.

Rampage is great.

[DavidB6937]

I guess for me I just wish there was something more that made me want to watch Rampage. But that's from a personal perspective of having very limited time to watch things these days and so most weeks it just feels expendable. Especially when WWE has my interest again too. I'll still watch clips from Rampage but it's low down the priority list at the moment. I know TK has said he wants to make more of an effort with it so it'll be interesting to see what happens with it going forward.

[LaGoosh]

40 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

I guess for me I just wish there was something more that made me want to watch Rampage.

If you want some fun easy wrestling telly to half watch on Saturday morning over your cereal then watch Rampage. That's literally the only reason to watch it. It's perfect.

I have a 3 month old so my personal time these days is essentially zero. Rampage is a nice little treat.

[Supremo]

Second week in a row Rampage smoked Dynamite.

Basic, easy-to-watch, fun show, featuring home-grown talent I love having good to great matches.

Fun opener. It’s ridiculously lazy to always do these three-way tag title matches but I can’t complain when the action is good and guys like Butcher get some much needed spotlight.

They should build the whole division around Willow Nightingale and Jamie Hayter. That was great fun. The absolute antithesis of the awkward, patronising, embarrassing bollocks we got on Wednesday.

HOOK doing the New Jack thing and just wrecking dickheads whilst his music keeps playing wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. He looked boss. Those cross face strikes in particular were absolutely wild. Pure violence. Fair play to Ryan Ziggler. He took a great beating.

Fuck all the way off with all this recruitment stuff though. I don’t mind all the factions, they often give guys loads more identity than if they were just singles competitors and it allows for angles to naturally progress, but I’m so sick and tired of recruitment. Can’t we just announce that the transfer window is over for at least six months? Please.

Hangman’s “oh, shit,” to being reminded that his Title match is in Mox’s hometown was amazing. Really made me laugh. He’s the best. Look, no-one loves Moxley more than me, but maybe, just maybe, we put the belt back where it belongs around Hangman’s sparkly waist. Make this a happy company again. Customise it with butterflies.

I don’t believe Andrade is leaving, it’s just more worked shoot nonsense, but either way it just further highlights how stingy Tony Khan’s booking is. There are so many dream matches Andrade could have had in this company; Omega, Hangman, the Young Bucks, Jericho, Danielson, Mox, etc. yet it feels like he’s had close to zero. With each guy who even hints at leaving AEW all I ever think is how many guys they didn’t have matches with, too busy trapped in storylines that last forever, fighting scrubs, recruiting and/or being recruited.

Fun main event. It’s weird given all the talk about Rush coming in that he’s been one of the least problematic members of the roster, just quietly delivering bangers. He and Hangman should be brilliant. Nice closing spot with Hangman hitting the manager too. Tight, fun shows that leave you in a good mood. This used to be the baseline for AEW. More of this!

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Supremo

[Supremo]

Rampage and Battle of the Belts will certainly go down in history as shows that happened last night.

Pac put a shift in, Swerve cut a good promo, Jericho and Jim Ross were seemingly battling it out to win Worst Commentator of the Year, but otherwise this was mostly two hours of inoffensive, empty calorie pro-wrestling. Considering live episodes of Rampage are usually the best ones, this was a massive disappointment. You could easily skip this show and just watch Smackdown instead. Sami Zayn is on that show. He’s great.

[69MeDon]

Should have put the Trios belts on Dark Order.

[Supremo]

Nice to see Stu Grayson back. God knows whether the root cause was Punk, Bobby Fish, Andrade, or a combination of all three, but it’s great that somewhere along the way Tony Khan decided to re-focus on all the homegrown talent that built this company from day one. At this rate, I’m looking forward to Marko Stunt coming back. Get him bumping his balls off for Luchasaurus! That’d be money!

[Infinity Land]

I wouldn't expect much more than that. Reckon it was just a cameo appearance because they're in Canada. The kind of fan service AEW can be good at when it tries.

[69MeDon]

I know that it's pro-wrestling and so it is what it is, but I really wish AEW would have more consistency and logic around when and why "security" or "staff" try to get in between two wrestlers.