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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 19, 2021
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AT THE CHARTWAY ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Taz, and Ricky Starks.
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
– The opening of Rampage aired. Excalibur welcomed us with, “It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!” Excalibur was joined by Taz, Chris Jericho, and Ricky Starks.
(1) DARBY ALLIN (w/Sting) vs. BILLY GUNN (w/The Gunn Club)
Allin had his ribs taped up from his match against MJF at Full Gear. Both men locked up early, and Gunn used his size advantage to gain the upper hand. Gunn locked up with Allin again, and swung him around the ring, then dropped him to the mat. Allin slapped Gunn but Gunn dropped him down hard with a back body drop.
Allin rolled to the outside and Gunn followed. Gunn picked Allin up and threw him down the entrance ramp as the Gunn Club members heckled Allin. Allin was thrown back into the ring. Sting walked over to Gunn and stared him down. Gunn went back inside, but quickly reversed course, went back to the outside, then yanked down to the floor. Allin was able to fight back enough to go for his torpedo to the outside, but Gunn moved out of the way and Allin hit hard against the floor. [c]
Both men were in the ring as we came back from the break, with Gunn still in control. Gunn perched Allin on the top rope then climbed up to meet him. Allin fought back by biting Gunn. Allin knocked Gunn back to the mat then hit a Coffin Drop on the rest of the Gunn Club on the outside. Gunn came right back and threw Allin across the ring once again.
Gunn went for a splash in the corner, but Allin moved, then hit a Stunner on Gunn. Allin followed up with a Code Red. Allin climbed to the top and hit a Coffin Drop but Gunn threw him off before a one count. Allin hit a second Coffin Drop for the win.
– After the match, The Gunn Club attacked Allin. Sting came to his aid and fought off the Gunn Club. Billy Gunn nailed Sting from behind and took him out.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 9:30
(Moynahan’s Take: A fine match, with Gunn taking most of the offense. I was not expecting an actual storyline to stem from this match, but it looks like we’re getting a Gunn Club vs. Sting/Darby match at some point. I can’t say that excites me.)
– Highlights from Dynamite aired from the MJF/C.M. Punk face-off.
– Tony Schiavone was backstage with QT Marshall. Marshall said on Dynamite he would be facing C.M. Punk. He said Punk should do Chicago a favor and fight him like a man, unless he was worried Marshall would embarrass him and put him to sleep in his own hometown.
– A video package aired showing the Inner Circle vs. American Top Team from Full Gear. Jericho said it was “us against the world.”
– Men of the Year were backstage. They said they were far from finished with the Inner Circle. Page said he was proud of Dan Lambert for his showing at Full Gear, and said it wasn’t the last we’ve seen of American Top Team. Jericho responded on commentary that the Inner Circle would be ready if and when American Top Team wants to face them again.
(2) JADE CARGILL (w/Mark Sterling) vs. RED VELVET 0 TBS Women’s Championship Tournament Quarter-final
The two met face-to-face in the middle of the ring, then immediately traded blows as the bell rang. Velvet hit a few shots on Cargill and evaded a pump kick. Cargill caught Velvet and tried to powerbomb her, but Velvet was able to get out of it and kick Cargill in the face. Cargill caught Velvet a second time and hit a fall away slam.
Cargill maintained the offensive advantage while playing to the crowd. Velvet evaded Cargill’s grip and nailed her with a leg lariat, which knocked Cargill to the outside. Velvet went for a tope, but Cargill hit her with a palm strike to the face. Cargill hit a side slam on Velvet right in the apron. [c]
Cargill had Velvet in the corner, dominating her with elbow strikes. Cargill threw Velvet across the ring, then went to the center and did some pushups. Velvet was able to strike Cargill with a few elbow strikes, then took her down with a bulldog. Velvet slapped Cargill across the face and nailed her with double knees against the back. Velvet went for a charge in, but Cargill moved and hit Velvet with a huge pump kick.
Cargill went for her finish, but Velvet used the ropes to push back and get a near-fall. Velvet hit a spear and got another close count. Velvet missed her own finisher which allowed Cargill to hit Jaded for the win.
WINNER: Jade Cargill in 10:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A good match that was hurt by a long commercial break. The two continue to work well together.)
– Thunder Rosa was backstage talking about her TBS tournament match against Jamie Hayter on Dynamite.
– Next week’s Dynamite card was shown, which included the newly announced match between Punk and Marshall. Schiavone was then shown backstage with Punk. Punk said when he’s in Chicago, there are no higher stakes. He said he’s lost big in Chicago but has also won big there. He told Marshall to bring his bad attitude as well as a hefty appetite since he bit off more than he can chew.
– Highlights from Dynamite were shown from the Adam Page and Bryan Danielson show down.
– Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia was announced for next week’s Black Friday edition of Rampage. Winter is Coming was also announced for December 15.
– Mark Henry was on split-screen with the competitors for tonight’s main event. Matt Jackson was angry and said Jungle Boy tried ending his career at Full Gear. Henry asked Jungle Boy and his team if they were worried about interference in tonight’s match. Jungle Boy and Christian responded by saying they were easy to beat when the odds were even. Cage said they could bring their friends, but he had one of his own, as he picked up a metal chair. Henry declared it was “time for the main event.” [c]
(3) ADAM COLE & BOBBY FISH vs. JURASSIC EXPRESS (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus)
Jungle Boy and Cole started things off for their respective teams. Both men traded the offensive advantage in the early going until Cole nailed Jungle with a kick to the face. Fish tagged in and took over. Jungle Boy hit Fish with a boot to the face, then bounced off the ropes for an arm drag. Jungle Boy hit a dropkick on Fish, then tagged in Luchasaurus.
Luchasaurus hit Fish with a stiff chop to the chest. Luchasaurus missed a second attempt, and Fish kicked Luchasaurus to the chest and legs. Luchasaurus knocked Fish down, then tagged Jungle Boy back in, who flew off the top with a senton onto Fish for a one count. Cole hit Jungle Boy from behind, then kicked him in the face while the ref’s back was turned. [c]
Fish and Cole were still in control as they worked over Jungle Boy. Fish had Jungle Boy in a headlock as the crowd cheered for Jungle Boy to fight out of it. He must have heard them, as Jungle responded with a clothesline on Fish. Jungle Boy was inches away from tagging in Luchasaurus, but Cole tagged in and caught his leg before the tab. Jungle Boy finally made the hot tag to Luchasaurus who took out both Fish and Cole by himself.
Luchasaurus went to chokeslam both Fish and Cole, but they fought him off. Luchasaurus tagged Jungle Boy back in. Jurassic Express double-teamed Cole and Jungle Boy got a close two count. Jungle Boy went for a suplex, but Cole blocked it as Fish distracted Jungle Boy. Cole nailed Jungle Boy in the head, then he and Fish hit a combo shot on Jungle Boy which resulted in a close two count. Jungle Boy countered Cole, and the two hit one another at the same time twice. Jungle Boy went to the apron and went for the tornado DDT, but Cole countered with a thrust kick.
Cole went for the Panama Sunrise but Jungle Boy launched him into Luchasaurus who power bombed Cole. Jungle Boy hit Cole in the back with an elbow and went for a cover that was broken up by Fish. Fish dragged Cole to his corner and made the tag. Fish measured Jungle Boy and charged in with a running knee strike. Fish focused on Jungle Boy’s knee, then hit a dragon screw. Fish charged in again but Jungle Boy suplexed him into the corner. Jungle Boy went for a German suplex as the Young Bucks were shown walking toward ringside. Jungle Boy looked on as Luchasaurus headed off the Young Bucks on the ramp. Christian Cage came down the ramp with a metal chair to run them off. Cole and the Young Bucks left together up the ramp. Inside the ring, Jungle Boy locked Fish in the Snare Trap for the tap out win.
WINNERS: Jurassic Express in 15:30
(Moynahan’s Take: A great tag team main event. All four men worked very well together and this match basically saved this episode of Rampage from being an “okay to skip” episode.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: As mentioned in my main event takeaway, this episode was headed toward the rare “skip this and you’ll be fine” rating until the final match. Nothing was offensive or poorly executed, it simply didn’t feel like an important show. Along those lines, are we really about to get another match (or more!?) between Darby/Sting and the Gunn Club? Let’s hope next week’s Black Friday edition dials things up a notch or two.
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