AEW Rampage 8/19/2022
I didn't watch last week's episode. It had an intergender match and Sonny Kiss, and there wasn't much left after removing that.
Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta come out. CC talks about how nice it is to wrestle in front of Ricky Steamboat here. He said he is issuing an open challenge for an ROH Title shot next week. Dustin Rhodes immediately answers. He said they have a lot of history and says he has dreamt of holding the world title all his career. He promises to give him the best "Natural" Dustin Rhodes he has ever seen. CC says he knows how it feels to want the title. He said he still sees the same fire Dustin had 30 years ago and CC agrees. They shake on it in a nice segment.
Ruby Soho and Ortiz are interviewed. They said they are chomping at the bits to get to Tay COnti and Sammy Guevara. Ortiz makes the challenge and yells "let's fight".
AEW Tag Titles - Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee vs Private Party
I've said it before, but there kind of seems to be some rule that Rampage has to have a match with all black wrestlers in it. It could be a total coincidence, but it has happened a lot lately. Either way, I'm happy to see Private Party. I always felt they got a raw deal.
Quen rolls down the ramp and does some disturbing thrusts.
Lee throws Kassidy and he catches himself. Kassidy hits shots to the gut of Lee then takes a big double chop. Swerve goes for a move off the 2nd rope and takes a back elbow. Quen tries to do something to Swerve off the top but misses and rolls out then Kassidy tornillo's Swerve.
We go to PiP break and return. Swerve is sitting on the top rope. He double stomps Quen who runs at him then Lee comes in and runs over Kassidy. Lee effortlessly overhead throws Kassidy then does a reverse throw on Quen which is a new move. Lee throws Kassidy across the ring then hits a stiff lariat for 2. Lee takes an enzugiri from Kassidy then Quen is pounced super hard into the ropes.
Swerve jumping side kicks Quen to the head for 2. He is shocked by this then Swerve hits a half-nelson driver.
This was short but it was good. Private Party bumped all over the place for Swerve and Lee and Lee looked great here.
They shake hands after.
Lexi the interviewer interviews the Factory playing dominoes. Powerhouse Hobbs comes in and flips the table. Hobbs asks why they didn't take care of Starks. QT promises that he will keep his word.
Zack Clayton talks. He says he is an entertainment superstar and the bigger star in West Virginia. He says it is a shame that he has to win the FTW title in this cesspool. He says he is going to bring the title home to New Jersey. Zack really needs to dye his hair as he has visible gray showing.
FTW Title - Hook vs Zack Clayton
Hook runs into Zack during his entrance in the ring. Zack pushes him and gets put in the tazzmission and loses immediately.
2.0 does a promo on Hook. They ask what if the FTW title was held by a sports entertainer?
Billy Gunn is interviewed about his kids turning on him. He said his kids put the big boy pants on at the wrong time with the wrong person. Billy says he's going to spank their @ss and said he will bring some friends, then The Acclaimed come in. Bowens says everyone loves The Acclaimed.
Buddy Matthews vs Serpentico
They said this was a stand-by match due to Hook's match ending so quick. Buddy shotgun dropkicks him into the buckles to start then Buddy kicks him off the apron. Buddy throws him into the rails and then blocks his hurricanrana and buckle bombs him. Buddy then pops him up into a knee and does a pumphandle death valley driver. Buddy wins in a quick squash.
Miro comes out with Malakai Black's mask and throws it on the ramp. Buddy goes after him and they fight. Miro throws him into the steps then hits a bunch of punches and stomps in the corner. Miro yells, "where's the pagans?" and pump kicks him out of the ring.
This is Ford's return after being out for a while. Ford shoulders her over and they say she is dressing up like one of the GoT stars. Ford misses punches and Athena armdrags her. Athena knees her off the ropes. Ford goes for a handspring backflip elbow but Athena catches it. Ford then dropkicks her against the middle rope. We cut to Kip Sabian wearing the box over his head and Ford does some springboard move to the outside that looked messy.
We go to PiP break then full break. Athena shotgun dropkicks her outside into the rails then Athena top rope cutters her to win it.
This was short and nothing special.
The Baddies attack Athena after. Stokeley Hathway and Jade Cargill come out with a sledgehammer. Jade breaks Athena's metal entrance wings. Jade heads to the ring and Athena tries to fight off the Baddies. Jade hits Athena in the gut with the sledgehammer to end the segment.
We see clips of Punk and Mox from this week.
Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs do dueling promos on each other in a taped video. Starks says he has a lot to say on Dynamite this week.
We get a split screen promo with the Trustbusters and Best Friends. Daivari says it'll be a walk in the park tonight and said they are one step closer to becoming the trios champs. Trent says they aren't even a team and won't win. Chuck says they will win tonight as they won in West Virgina years ago. OC and Mark Henry over the "it's time for the main event" line.
AEW Trios Title Tournament 1st Round - The Trustbusters vs Best Friends
Daivari hits kicks on Chuck and Daivari gets rammed into Slim-J. Chuck his J up for a razor's edge and throws him up into a Chuck sitout powerbomb. Daivari takes a flying knee from Trent then Parker comes in and bodyblocks the BF's. He bodyblocks Chuck on the apron and goes over the ropes. The BF's then are thrown over the rails. Parker hits a stiff lariat on Chuck as we go to PiP break. Trent spinning forearms Daivari as we return and J misses a punch on OC. Trent half-nelson suplexes J and OC top rope crossbodies J. OC spinning ddt's Daivari.
OC squares off with Parker. Parker grabs him by the throat and body blocks him. Chuck and Trent pound on Parker then Parker running lariats them. Parker splashes both in the corners then misses a splash. Parker takes a triple basement dropkick then J hits a spinning cutter on OC. J does an inverted tornillo off the top onto his opponents outside then does a neat corkscrew flip off the 2nd rope. J is thrown outside.
Chuck forearms Parker on the outside then Trent spears Parker into the rails. OC hits a superman punch on Parker outside and Parker is thrown over the rails. OC is crotched on the top rope then J does a diving reverse ddt off the top for 2. Sonny Kiss runs into a Danhausen outside and J is confused. Best Friends double chokeslam J. They lift him up at their waist, then OC climbs their shoulders and splashes him to win it.
This was fun. J did some crazy dives and Parker was put over well as a powerhouse.
Overall thoughts: A pretty good edition of Rampage with 2 good matches.
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