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AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 25, 2022
AT WINTRUST ARENA, CHICAGO, IL
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho
Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
– The opening of Rampage aired, and JR welcomed us to the show. Ross was joined by Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.
(1) FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. TOP FLIGHT (Dante & Darius Martin) – ROH World Tag Team Championship
Ian Riccoboni joined commentary for this match. Dax and Darius kicked things off to start the match. Darius went for a few early pin attempts until Dax took control and tagged in Cash. Darius took Cash down with an arm drag, then tagged in his brother, Dante. Cash caught Dante with a few shots, then knocked him down with a shoulder block. Dante made a blind tag to Darius as the Martin brothers double teamed Cash.
Dax tagged in and nailed Dante with a huge chest chop, then took him down again with an uppercut. Dante and Dax went back-and-forth with chest chops. Dax knocked Darius off the apron, then tagged Cash back in. [c]
Dante flew off the top with a dropkick onto FTR. FTR was knocked to the outside, as Top Flight took them out by diving through and over the top ropes. Dante hit a cross body off the top onto Dax for two. Dax fought back with a series of chops, then a right hand to the jaw. Cash made a blind tag this time but was met with a flying headbutt by Dante. Dax caught an elbow across the nose. Dax hit a sitdown powerbomb, then Cash came off the top with a splash, then covered for a close count.
Dax nailed Darius with a huge clothesline. FTR tried for the Big Rig but Top Flight broke it up. Top Flight double teamed Dax as Darius flew off the top with a huge splash for two, which Cash broke up. Darius hit a Spanish Fly on Cash but was met with a brainbuster by Dax. Dante evaded a brainbuster attempt as the two went back and forth with various pin attempts. Dante missed a moonsault and was caught with the Big Rig for the pin.
WINNERS: FTR in 10:00
– After the match, the Gun Club came out to mock FTR’s win.
(Moynahan’s Take: A good tag team opener, but I wanted more from these two teams. I hope we see another matchup (and more) down the road, hopefully with some storyline built up around it.)
– A video feature on Powerhouse Hobbs was shown. [c]
– Chris Jericho was joined by the Jericho Appreciate Society (JAS) as they made their way to the ring. Jericho hyped himself up as the greatest ROH Champion of all time, then called this past week’s match against Tomohiro Ishii as one of the greatest Dynamite matches in history. Jericho added that even Claudio couldn’t slow him down. Right on que, Claudio appeared on the stage. Claudio said there was no doubt in his mind that Jericho was not the greatest ROG champion of all time. He said he came to AEW to be the best pro wrestler he could be, and said he had to beat Jericho for the ROH title.
Jericho said Claudio should be more worried about the Blackpool Combat Cub (BCC) since they seemed to be falling apart. Claudio challenged Jericho for the ROH championship. Jericho declined Claudio’s challenge and said there was nothing he had that he could offer Jericho. Matt Menard chimed in and suggested Claudio used to be a great sports entertainer. Menard said Claudio would make an excellent addition to the JAS. Jericho agreed and offered Claudio a ROH title match at the next PPV where if Claudio loses, he would have to join the JAS. Claudio accepted and said he’d bring honor back to the ROH title.
(Moynahan’s Take: This was a fine segment that built up the main event for ROH Final Battle. I’m sure it’ll be a great match, but I feel like Claudio has been feuding with Jericho since he arrived in AEW so I’m kind of already over this one.)
– Renee was backstage with Toni Storm and brought up her recent title loss at Full Gear. Storm said she was proud of Jamie Hayter for winning the title, but said Hayter couldn’t beat her 1-1. Renee mentioned that Storm’s title reign was being recognized without the interim tag. Storm said she never thought herself as the interim champ, and added she broke her nose getting the title and would break it again to get it back.
(2) ANTHONY HENRY (w/JD Drake) vs. DARBY ALLIN (w/Sting)
The two locked up in the early going as Excalibur mentioned their rivalry before AEW was founded. Darby got a quick pin attempt but Henry kicked out. Henry ducked out of Darby’s torpedo attempt but his partner, JD Drake, was hit instead. [c]
Darby was tied upside down in the corner as Henry kicked away at him. Henry hit a running neckbreaker out of the corner, then covered for a two count. Henry missed a double knee stomp off the top as Darby hit Code Red for two. Darby followed Henry to the outside, but Drake nailed Darby as the ref’s back was turned. Sting took out Drake as Darby made his way back into the ring. Henry hit a superplex off the top, but Darby countered a second suplex attempt with a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby hit the Coffin Drop off the top for the win.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 7:00
(Moynahan’s Take: I would’ve enjoyed this more if the commercial break didn’t eat into so much of the action. What we saw was solid, and I think Henry should be featured more often.)
– Lexy Nair was backstage with Athena, who was ticked off about being suspended for her attack on Aubrey Edwards. Nair said Athena would be reinstated this coming week. Athena then spoke to the camera and directly challenged Mercedes Martinez for the ROH Women’s Championship.
(3) HIKARU SHIDA vs. QUEEN AMINATA
Penelope Ford and The Bunny came down the ramp as the match got underway. Aminata took control early but Shida reversed a move into a pin attempt for two. Shida hit an elbow strike, then the Falcon Arrow. Shida followed it up with a spinning knee to the face for the win.
WINNER: Shida in 1:30
(Moynahan’s Take: Quick squash for Shida, which I feel has come and gone so often that she hasn’;t been able to gain any traction in awhile.)
– Mark Henry was backstage with participants from tonight’s main event. 10 was nowhere to be found. Reynolds said this feud would end tonight. Rush said he was sick and tired of talking and was ready to fight. Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”
– Lexy Nair was backstage with FTR. Dax asked Nair to leave as he took the mic. He said 2022 has allowed him and Cash to be named among the greatest in the world, then challenged Bryan Danielson for a 1-1 match at Dynamite.
(4) DARK ORDER (John Silver & Alex Reynolds & 10) vs. RUSH & THE BUTCHER & THE BLADE (w/Jose the Assistant & The Bunny)
10 didn’t come out to the ring with the rest of his team. Blade and Reynolds started things off for their teams. Butcher pulled on Reynolds’s leg which allowed Blade to gain the upperhand. Butcher and Blade made quick tags as they kept Reynolds in their corner. Silver made a hot tag and took out Butcher and Blade. He went for a tope to the outside but Butcher caught him. [c]
Rush had the upper hand on Silver as we returned from the break. Evil Uno and Negative One were shown on the stage asking for 10 to come out. 10 got in the ring to face off with Rush. 10 took out Silver as Rush hit Bull’s Horns on him for the win. – After the match, Evil Uno was taken out by Butcher and Blade on the outside. 10 took out Reynolds next with a discus lariat, Brodie Lee’s move. He then hit one on Evil Uno, then ripped his mask apart with the help of Rush. Rush and 10 double chokeslammed Reynolds through a table on the outside. 10 walked up the ramp, took off his mask, and threw it at the feet of Negative One who looked heartbroken.
WINNERS: Rush, Butcher, and Blade in 7:30
(Moynahan’s Take: Fine match and a better post-match storyline. Not sure where this takes 10, or whether he will even keep that name, but I like the fact Preston Vance is getting some development after being slotted in the same position almost since day one.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Another Friday and another Rampage is in the books. The main event angle was noteworthy, even if it was a midcard storyline. I did like the Negative One tie in since he and 10 have been joined at the hip in storylines for some time. I liked the opening tag team match, but again, came away wanting more. If you end up skipping this week’s show, you’ll actually miss a few developments, which is not something I can often say about most episodes. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
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