AEW Rampage 8/5/2022

AEW Rampage 8/5/2022

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/aew-rampage-7292022.html

Mance says he isn't worried about the pay window or having a good time. He says he's worried about how many times he will be knocked down and have to fight. He says it will be a fight and says he has seen him bleed. Mance says he will become the man.

Mance gets a title shot if he wins - Mance Warner vs Jon Moxley

This whole set up is flawed. Mance isn't an AEW guy, he isn't the #1 contender, this is first match on TV so losing makes him look bad and beating him does nothing and while they called it an eliminator, it is not. They said he got this match by winning a battle royale on Ric Flair's retirement show, but in that case, why weren't more AEW guys in there?

Mox goes at Mance as he enters and throws him into the rails. Mance gets him from behind and bites him. Max double axe handles him in the back and is thrown into a chair in the corner of the rails. Mance is then suplexed onto a chair. They trade chops outside, somehow avoiding a countout. Mance puts Mox on the rails then lariats him.

They get in the ring and Mance punches and chops him. Mox hits chops back then dropkicks his leg in the ropes. Mox then dragon screws him and figure fours him. Mance hits forearms in the corner and Mox fires back. Mox is whipped into the corner and goes down then Mance sliding kicks him. Mance throws Mox in the steps and the rails. Mance then suplexes him on a chair. Mox hits some knees and drops him. They fight on the steps and Mance ddt's him on them. 

 

We go to PiP break and return to Mance clipping Mox. Mance spinebusters him. Mance brings some chairs in the ring and Mox forearms a chair into his face. Mox holds his arm after then topes him. Mance is bleeding all over the place. Mox superplexes Mance and bites his cut. Mox hits a stiff flying knee and Mance lariats him. Mox reverse curbstomps him, piledrives him then does more curbstomps. Mox then wins via choke out with a sleeper.

Thoughts: It was okay with a lot of brawling. Would have been better with any story or build to it though and with someone who actually was on the roster. Mance had a decent showing though and fit right in there with Mox.

We see a Ricky Starks interview from Wednesday. The Factory is waiting for him as he enters the door. QT offers him protection on the house. Nick Comoroto is wearing a blue hat and a jogging suit. Solo says Ricky is making this all about himself and says they teamed up. Solo tells him to take the help as an old friend. Ricky says he doesn't need the help and tells him to kiss his @ss. 

Konosuke Takeshita vs Ryan Nemeth

KT runs into the ring and flying clotheslines him. KT hits a running facekick in the corner and then corner punches. Peter Avalon trips KT and Nick hits KT with knees to the body. KT blue thunders Nick then pumping knees him to win it in a quick squash.

Peter Avalon jumps Kt after then takes a flying knee and goes out.

We see Orange Cassidy being interviewed from the trainers room. Best Friends are with him. Chuck says they haven't done well as a group and something needs to change. Trent says they need to stick together and are at their best then. They say they are at their best as a trio and says they want the trios belts. Danhausen then walks in and joins the trios cheer in a doctor outfit.

Madison Rayne vs Leila Grey

This is Rayne's debut. She became either a trainer or talent relation person this week in AEW and is now a wrestler for them apparently. She was part of The Beautiful People in TNA.

Grey puts her in the corner and forearms her. Grey hits more forearms then Rayne rolls her up for 2. Rayne takes her down and backslides her. Rayne armdrags her. She goes on the apron, Stokeley Hathaway distracts her then Grey knocks her off the apron. We go to PiP break and return. Rayne is getting out of a side headlock and enzugiri's her. Rayne hits forearms and back elbows to drop her then northern lights suplexes her. Grey hits a side effect and they trade forearms.

Rayne sliding lariats her then hits a cross rhodes and wins it.

Thoughts: Rayne was fine here and this was just a basic match that wasn't too long.

Jade Cargill comes out after. She says this is her show and invites her to take the open challenge on Dynamite next week and get beat. Keira Hogan (who is claiming racism right now over her lack of advancement) attacked her and took a cross rhodes as well.

The Lucha Bros and Andrade/Rush do promos against each other. The Lucha Bros challenge them to a lucha rules match and Andrade/Rush accept. I couldn't understand most of this.

We get a split screen promo with Swerve/Lee vs Josh Woods/Tony Nese with Mark Sterling there. Sterling isn't impressed by Swerve beating a lawyer last week (him). Sterling says Woods is a technical beast and former ROH Pure Champ. swerve tells him to shut up. Lee says there is nothing smart about Sterling asking for a street fight and says Sterling will just be a footnote on their journey. This didn't seem like it would be good and was not.

Street Fight - Tony Nese and Josh Woods vs Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland

This is the feud that never ends and never delivers.

They start fighting on the floor. Nese and Swerve go into the rails then Woods and Lee stare down. They trade forearms and Josh goes down. Nese then takes a drop toe hold onto a chair. Nese throws protein powder in Lee's eyes then Swerve kicks the powder into Nese's face. Nese is thrown into the steps. Swerve throws a tool box at Nese and misses. Nese hits Lee off the apron with a piece of the toolbox. Woods hits a hard forearm on Swerve then suplexes him into steps.

We go to a long PiP break and Lee shoulders over his opponents then splashes them in the corners. Nese is thrown into Woods. Sterling hits Lee with a chair. Lee grabs the chair after and gets it kicked and kneed into him. Lee takes a double Dddt then Swerve 450's all 3 men in a pile. Sterling hits Swerve in the back of the head with a wrench. Lee pulls out Woods and headbutts Nese outside. Sterling goes up top then Lee pushes him off through a table. Lee is superkicked into a Josh Woods german off the apron through tables. Nese is back body dropped onto a pile of chairs then Swerve top rope double stomps him onto the chairs to win it.

Thoughts: It was pretty much just a hardcore match. They did as you would expect and it was fine.

Overall thoughts: Pretty good episode with the matches all being decent for what they were.