AEW Rampage Thread 2023

[RedTwoster]

I had no idea Toni Storm was having her return match on this show until I read this thread. What a bizarre decision.

[DavidB6937]

I didn't really put much thought on it but seems to be quite the point of discussion everywhere.

 

 

[RedTwoster]

When you’re ice cold and you have a wrestler of that level’s comeback match thrown onto a show that’s being cancelled soon (that very few people watch anyway) - it’s such a strange choice. I’d have been very hyped up for that match had I been aware.

[Infinity Land]

16 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

I had no idea Toni Storm was having her return match on this show until I read this thread. What a bizarre decision.

As it was taped there's been plenty of discussion about it online, which is the way I found out about it. She's also on Collision.

If Dark matches or house shows were more common I would agree its something to avoid. One of the things that Toni has done since signing with AEW is wrestle. Didn't matter if it was Dynamite, Rampage, Collision, BOTB, the youtube shows or the briefly ran house shows. Its something that has made her one of the best signings, unlike others you would be lucky to see turn up once a month. Even when she disappeared after All In she did some Stardom shows and would have worked more with CMLL but was pulled from her last announced appearance.

TV time's at a premium with the C2. She's going to have the appearance on Dynamite, Rampage, Collision and something on next week's Dynamite more than likely. Also more value in the return of 'Timeless' Toni Storm not trying to get her mojo back which seems to be the case.

 

 

[RedTwoster]

14 minutes ago, Infinity Land said:

As it was taped there's been plenty of discussion about it online, which is the way I found out about it. She's also on Collision.

If Dark matches or house shows were more common I would agree its something to avoid. One of the things that Toni has done since signing with AEW is wrestle. Didn't matter if it was Dynamite, Rampage, Collision, BOTB, the youtube shows or the briefly ran house shows. Its something that has made her one of the best signings, unlike others you would be lucky to see turn up once a month. Even when she disappeared after All In she did some Stardom shows and would have worked more with CMLL but was pulled from her last announced appearance.

TV time's at a premium with the C2. She's going to have the appearance on Dynamite, Rampage, Collision and something on next week's Dynamite more than likely. Also more value in the return of 'Timeless' Toni Storm not trying to get her mojo back which seems to be the case.

Firstly, ‘TV time is at a premium because of the C2’ is just nonsense. Even if it were true, she’s arguably your most popular female star and people would actually want to watch her return match, ‘Timeless’ or otherwise. So with that in mind, you make time for her. 

But as it is, you’re speaking as if they couldn’t possible eliminate or shorten the latest Adam Cole or Chris Jericho nonsense or fuck - feature THAT on Rampage. 

Ultimately though, the case you’re making here seems to be that it doesn’t matter as opposed to it being a good idea - and it’s hard to make that case. When your product is ice cold, and you happen to have a wrestler who isn’t, you shouldn’t do things like this - there’s a very real risk of squandering the story of her comeback and making her feel about as cold as almost everyone else does.

[Hannibal Scorch]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

Firstly, ‘TV time is at a premium because of the C2’ is just nonsense. Even if it were true, she’s arguably your most popular female star and people would actually want to watch her return match, ‘Timeless’ or otherwise. So with that in mind, you make time for her. 

But as it is, you’re speaking as if they couldn’t possible eliminate or shorten the latest Adam Cole or Chris Jericho nonsense or fuck - feature THAT on Rampage. 

Ultimately though, the case you’re making here seems to be that it doesn’t matter as opposed to it being a good idea - and it’s hard to make that case. When your product is ice cold, and you happen to have a wrestler who isn’t, you shouldn’t do things like this - there’s a very real risk of squandering the story of her comeback and making her feel about as cold as almost everyone else does.

So rather then her wrestle on Rampage or collision, you’d rather they waited until the next Dynamite?

[Devon Malcolm]

4 hours ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

An excellent Christmas ad starring Harley Cameron

On 12/1/2024 at 10:13 PM, Devon Malcolm said:

You berk, stop making me want to watch Rampage!

 

[Infinity Land]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

Firstly, ‘TV time is at a premium because of the C2’ is just nonsense. Even if it were true, she’s arguably your most popular female star and people would actually want to watch her return match, ‘Timeless’ or otherwise. So with that in mind, you make time for her. 

But as it is, you’re speaking as if they couldn’t possible eliminate or shorten the latest Adam Cole or Chris Jericho nonsense or fuck - feature THAT on Rampage. 

Ultimately though, the case you’re making here seems to be that it doesn’t matter as opposed to it being a good idea - and it’s hard to make that case. When your product is ice cold, and you happen to have a wrestler who isn’t, you shouldn’t do things like this - there’s a very real risk of squandering the story of her comeback and making her feel about as cold as almost everyone else does.

I'm sure they could. Although that would seem rather redundant cutting tv time from this week's Dynamite. Unless you're suggesting a return and a match all on the same episode with no promotion. Which clearly you aren't.

Some people have already guessed at the possible timeline here. Rematch with Mariah at World's End. Then a selling point of Grand Slam Australia is for Toni to get the win back as Timeless. To get to World's End there's next week's Dynamite in DC. Then the Hammerstein tapings with the final Dynamite being a taped show on Christmas Day. It's not going to be some boost to attendance since those shows are all in buildings under 4,000 in capacity. Its not going to be a boost to ratings.

Since most of the character development from 'Outcast' to 'Timeless', and later storyline with Mariah came about from ring work and promos. I'm happy enough to see where it goes.

 

 

 

 

[RedTwoster]

1 hour ago, Infinity Land said:

I'm sure they could. Although that would seem rather redundant cutting tv time from this week's Dynamite. Unless you're suggesting a return and a match all on the same episode with no promotion. Which clearly you aren't.

Some people have already guessed at the possible timeline here. Rematch with Mariah at World's End. Then a selling point of Grand Slam Australia is for Toni to get the win back as Timeless. To get to World's End there's next week's Dynamite in DC. Then the Hammerstein tapings with the final Dynamite being a taped show on Christmas Day. It's not going to be some boost to attendance since those shows are all in buildings under 4,000 in capacity. Its not going to be a boost to ratings.

Since most of the character development from 'Outcast' to 'Timeless', and later storyline with Mariah came about from ring work and promos. I'm happy enough to see where it goes.

There’s an option you’ve not mentioned, and that’s simply not doing the match at all. I was genuinely intrigued by the end of Dynamite, and I was looking forward to seeing what Storm had to say for herself on the next episode of Dynamite. I’m sure I wasn’t alone in that, and I’m not the only Dynamite-only viewer. Turns out, if that’s what you are, she’s already made her comeback, proven she’s still got her mojo by winning a match and she’s making another poorly-hyped appearance on Collision.

They could have waited, had her speak on Dynamite and advertised a match on the pre-Christmas Collision if they really felt the need. They’ve skipped past several story beats, and potentially squandered something interesting, and for what? A show that barely anyone watches. If they had a track record of getting things right, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt; but that isn’t the case. Treat her like a megastar and she’ll be perceived as such - don’t throw her return match away on your C-show.

In isolation maybe you could argue it doesn’t matter (I’d still disagree, but that’s fine) but it’s just the pattern with AEW right now - genuinely interesting ideas and potentially intriguing stories, falling apart one after the other in totally avoidable ways. 

@Hannibal Scorch - answer above, sorry I missed your post, I wasn’t ignoring you!

Edited December 14, 2024 by RedTwoster

[Hannibal Scorch]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

A show that barely anyone watches. If they had a track record of getting things right, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt; but that isn’t the case. Treat her like a megastar and she’ll be perceived as such - don’t throw her return match away on your C-show.

 

So why is that the case it’s a show barely anyone watches? It don’t used to be. But it is now, and that’s because it’s normally filler or low key matches. But they have had C2 matches on there, Matt Cardona was announced for having a match on there, and as @Devon Malcolm said stop giving him reasons to want to watch Rampage!  
 

Surely the job of any promotion is to get you to want to watch the shows they put out? But they have to give you reasons why you should. Isn’t this one?

[RedTwoster]

5 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

So why is that the case it’s a show barely anyone watches? It don’t used to be. But it is now, and that’s because it’s normally filler or low key matches. But they have had C2 matches on there, Matt Cardona was announced for having a match on there, and as @Devon Malcolm said stop giving him reasons to want to watch Rampage!  
 

Surely the job of any promotion is to get you to want to watch the shows they put out? But they have to give you reasons why you should. Isn’t this one?

I’ll answer your question with a question - do you honestly think doing this was a good idea?

And a supplementary question - let’s say Becky Lynch returns to WWE at the end of RAW next week - would having her comeback match take place on WWE Speed two days later with no on-screen advertising be a good idea?

[DavidB6937]

If it's a story of her coming back and regressing and starting again in her head then it's an interesting one to tell. It's a difficult one to carry across multiple shows and expect people to follow them. I'd hope most of the stuff would end up on Dynamite unless they think word of mouth will encourage people to tune into the others. Time will tell.

[Guest]

I dunno guys, when someone who's not been seen since being cut by WWE years ago turns up, it's pretty typical for them to have a debut match on Rampage to get some reps in before moving onto Dynamite. Makes sense to me.

[Supremo]

Strangest thing is everyone talking as if Harley Cameron hasn’t made Rampage the A show for months now.

[Infinity Land]

4 hours ago, RedTwoster said:

There’s an option you’ve not mentioned, and that’s simply not doing the match at all. I was genuinely intrigued by the end of Dynamite, and I was looking forward to seeing what Storm had to say for herself on the next episode of Dynamite. I’m sure I wasn’t alone in that, and I’m not the only Dynamite-only viewer. Turns out, if that’s what you are, she’s already made her comeback, proven she’s still got her mojo by winning a match and she’s making another poorly-hyped appearance on Collision.

She hasn't said anything. You aren't missing out on anything. Since you are a Dynamite only viewer why don't you just wait for the next episode to see what happens.