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RAMPAGE!- 10/21/2022!


DEAN

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  • Acclaimed vs Woods/Nese was good. Woods basically did a GTS at one point. I think I want more throws out of him and less funky knee moves? The announcers completely missed him bumping himself in order to get Gunn ejected. It was a great, clever spot but it feels more Nese-y than Woods-y? You sort of want the smaller guy doing that maybe. Finishing stretch needed one more interesting rotation maybe? Crowd was into them, but not entirely electric or anything. It sounded like an exhausting Dark though.
  • Hook vs Davari's probably Hook's best match yet. It would have been even better if it got another one or two minutes of Davari being in control maybe, but some really clever counters and spots in there towards the end for something ultimately so short. Again, I think they did themselves a disservice by going straight to Davari instead of milking it over a few weeks.
  • Willow vs Grey was not the disaster I was expecting. There were a couple of blown or sloppy things after the commercial break but basically everything leading up to that was pretty good. Grey's shown improvement and I thought she made good use of her time on top. Hogan played her role well. Willow's obviously sympathetic wrestling from underneath. It was funny that Jade said she wasn't leaving the ring and then she immediately left the ring. I do think the whole act got hurt by Velvet going down and the Hathaway thing not working out though. I think this is the match which had the weird absolute silence during the PIP.
  • Cassidy doing Mark Henry's stuff pre-match was classic stuff. Rush interacting with Cassidy is the stuff that makes AEW great. 10 played his part pretty well though he didn't seem to have great control over his offense down the stretch. A couple of near misses on things but it was impressive that he was able to keep control. If you come from 2024 and tell me that Rush was one of the major MVPs of AEW over the last year and a half, I'd believe you. If you tell me that he didn't make it to March 2023, I'd believe that too. This was good, but it also shows that there's no difference between the All-Atlantic belt and the TNT title. It's one of those matches you could have absolutely seen as a TNT title match (like Darby vs Andrade vs Sammy) from earlier in the year. My favorite bit in all of his was 10 having the full nelson locked in but getting so frustrated at Cassidy going for the pockets that he took his eyes off the prize and ate the stundog. Also, I think -1 grew a few inches as 10 seemed smaller than before.  
  • I'm very much looking forward to Kingston vs PAC, whenever that happens.
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Interesting to see such favourable reviews. It may have been my lack of attention or interest, but this one felt weak throughout. Acclaimed-Woods/Nese wasn't without it's moments, but felt disjointed at some key points. Weird miss call from Excalibur on the Billy Gunn ejection. Even with the camera miscue the play was pretty clearly Woods faking to the ref that Gunn had hit him to get him thrown out. Not a bad bout, but I have to think there's a better one minus all the 'sports entertainment'. Really bad looking stomping of Sterling post match there. I hate to wonder how many more lame 'contract' angles are on the way? I may need a second look at Hook-Davari. I think it was better than my sideglance or lack of interest was suggesting. Hook feels like he's in some sort of purgatory right now. This is partially a temperature reading live from the Toronto Rampage last week - perhaps that was more because of the middling angle. Leila Grey may have something down the line, but as is she's clearly not ready for prime time. A couple of particularly bad spots made this one a bit embarrassing at points. No fault on Willow. And really? You Just Now signed her?Jade comes out and says she's not leaving till she gets her belt and then immediately leaves - that says about all you need to know about the quality of this angle. I'm very much on board with the idea of Nyla as a rouge champion and Jade chasing her, but the one thing they absolutely need to make sure they don't do is make Jade look like an idiot. Which they Failed to do here. Hmmm, crazy old man Matt Hardy rapping PE lyrics? Okay, let's see how this one plays out. Details are not a strong suit for AEW, and the details of Orange Cassidy's character feel like they're being overlooked when he's challenging 2 wrestlers to a triple threat match!?! I'm all for adrenaline getting the best of Orange in ring, but stay true to the character outside the ropes. It seems like all current bookers are forgetting there needs to be a logical scenario for a champion to challenge ppl to a risky 'Triple Threat'. OC being proactive and bold is not in line with who he is - unless a logical explanation is offered. I suppose his being unpredictable is somewhat fair. The match was fine, but a far cry from what a match featuring Orange Cassidy and Roosh oughtta be. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood as I find myself slightly annoyed by the clearly set up for Roosh-use (let's make them) flourescent (and obvious) cables. No complaints on the consistently excellent Mark Henry satellite hot stove. Best part of this show may have been the tease of a Kingston-Pac bout. The worst part was as usual commentary. I had things on a low volume, but it didn't excuse me from JR's constant idiotic ramblings or Tony's ridiculous oversells (Roosh having a good attitde in the ring is one of his more desperate tries). 'Do you hear that Tony?' is a great example of JR's modern day fake cosplay commentary. Tony's obviously a lesser evil with his great enthusiasm, but is it really so much to ask for commentary to be somewhat believable? Dear Lance Russell, I love you and will miss you forever more. The mid-match commentary tribute to Video engineer Brian Muster felt really awkward and out of place. The post show tribute was fine for a taped show, but why not just take a minute to have a tribute to the man from the desk - not while you're trying to keep up with the action. It sounds like he was a pretty integral part of the show each week, and deserved that moment. 

Edited by HarryArchieGus
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So Rush and 10 pick up OC and try to slam him through a table, but it doesn't break. Rush sets the table up in a standing, "ok this'll break it" position, but instead of putting OC through it like originally intended Rush calls an audible and throws 10 through it instead. This is a pretty spot-on example of why Rush is awesome. He's got the best "floor routine" in the game because he understands how to inject a logical sense of chaos to it all, and he does it on the fly.

He'll do a bunch of the same stuff, like he always starts with the cable chokeout spot. But the cable's always in a different location, and different wrestlers react in different ways, so he'll just use that to build and improvise on until you've got tables and guardrails and punches and comeback spots being incorporated into a match flow that feels realistic and earned.

I think my current impossible dream match would be Rush vs. any of the Memphis Big Three (Lawler/Dundee/Mantell) in a Loser Leaves Town bloodbath in like, '83. Babyface Dundee maybe.

Edited by John E. Dynamite
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WILLOW!

Has there ever been a match with a stranger set of seconds?

-RUSH had Jose, your traditional manager figure

-Pres10 had a literal child

-OC had freaking Danhausen

I hope this Nyla/Jade stuff goes on long enough that it reaches to full gear with Nyla taking this to the most absurd lengths. I'm talking Nyla committing literal identify theft on Jade. 

Hook's definitely coming along. His match with Ange at All Out was the first time we saw him take some offense and there and tonight we got to see him fight from behind for a bit. I really have high hopes for him. And yes, as someone mentioned above, Hooking having to run a Trustbusters gauntlet would have been fun too.

RE: Jade having a belt at that event: Nyla responding to TK
 


Nyla forever.

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2 hours ago, zendragon said:

I'd prefer they call it the Alpha bomb considering Monty Brown would sometimes use it as a finisher after he hit the pounce

She was setting up the pounce but Grey was totally out of position so Willow had to scrap it. But I hate the debunked, toxic “alpha” term and it really wouldn’t work for Willow.

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In terms of absolute star power, it was kind of a weak card, but it had some good moments and some whiffs.

Opener was fine, glad they didn’t kill the Acclaimed’s heat by throwing in this goofy Russo-esque angle (remember Booker and someone from Master P’s posse fighting for use of “T”).

Hook-Ari was shockingly competitive and good other than an awful miss on a super kick. I think @Matt Dis 100% correct that they should’ve had a long storyline with Hook running through the Trustbusters. Your problem with Hook is that he’s too green to put him against any name wrestler unless you’re ending his streak (speaking of, too many streak angles). But it’s also not helping him to squash enhancement and jobbers.

So happy for Willow, and that was a fine match on her part. A bad whiff by Grey and being totally out of position forcing Willow to abandon the Pounce aren’t good. Nyla clowning Jade is the best thing, getting over on Jade mentally is smart.

The set up for the triple threat was goofy as hell but fun. The match itself was very good for being out of nowhere. OC is on a hot run, Rush is going to be violent and try and take every little advantage he can, and 10 is a Daily’s Place special who needs all the in-ring and character work he can get to make the next step.

Kingston-PAC is going to be a good one. Dynamite looks amazing.

last thing: my wife looked up and asked why they were wrestling in such a small place. I explained the significance to her, and I guess it’s fine for a live one-hour show while taping a few hours of Dark/Elevation matches. But it does look weird to go from arenas to a studio in a large bar.

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6 hours ago, JLowe said:

In terms of absolute star power, it was kind of a weak card, but it had some good moments and some whiffs.

Opener was fine, glad they didn’t kill the Acclaimed’s heat by throwing in this goofy Russo-esque angle (remember Booker and someone from Master P’s posse fighting for use of “T”).

Point of order: the actual feud was with an extremely washed, out of shape Ahmed Johnson, who they put over the guy they were grooming to be world champion before firing him for being, well, washed and out of shape.  The Master P guy was just their bodyguard and was only tangentially involved.

Late WCW was just the worst.

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29 minutes ago, Zimbra said:

Point of order: the actual feud was with an extremely washed, out of shape Ahmed Johnson, who they put over the guy they were grooming to be world champion before firing him for being, well, washed and out of shape.  The Master P guy was just their bodyguard and was only tangentially involved.

Late WCW was just the worst.

Ahmed was called Big T, and I like to call the other guy (Cash) "Even Bigger T."

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54 minutes ago, zendragon said:

Wasn't he just called Swole? I remember thinking "with a physique like that if he can do anything in ring..." problem is he couldn't

Swoll was the other giant black dude in the No Limit Solders who couldn't wrestle. This was 4x4 who later went by Kash.

 I cannot believe I still remember this shit.

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WHOA!  Swoll's first match ever was against Shinya Hashimoto.  His SECOND match was against Aoyagi!

1 31.08.1999 World Championship Wrestling The First Family (Brian Knobbs, Hugh Morrus & Jerry Flynn) defeat The No Limit Soldiers (4x4, BA & Swoll)
WCW Saturday Night - TV-Show @ Binghamton, New York, USA
2 17.08.1999 World Championship Wrestling The No Limit Soldiers (BA & Swoll) defeat Hugh Morrus & Jerry Flynn by DQ
WCW Saturday Night - TV-Show @ Casper, Wyoming, USA
3 05.08.1999 World Championship Wrestling The No Limit Soldiers (BA & Swoll) defeat Lenny & Lodi (5:50)
WCW Thunder #74 - TV-Show @ La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
4 03.08.1999 World Championship Wrestling The West Texas Rednecks (Barry Windham & Kendall Windham) defeat The No Limit Soldiers (BA & Swoll)
WCW Saturday Night - TV-Show @ Midwest Wireless Civic Center in Mankato, Minnesota, USA
5 11.07.1999 World Championship Wrestling Elimination: The No Limit Soldiers (BA, Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Swoll) defeat The West Texas Rednecks (Barry Windham, Bobby Duncum Jr., Curt Hennig & Kendall Windham) (15:35)
WCW Bash At The Beach 1999 - Pay Per View @ National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida, USA
6 08.07.1999 World Championship Wrestling The No Limit Soldiers (BA, Chase Tatum & Swoll) defeat Dave Taylor, Fit Finlay & Steven Regal
WCW Thunder #71 - TV-Show @ Jefferson County Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama, USA
7 24.06.1999 World Championship Wrestling BA & Swoll defeat Disorderly Conduct (Mean Mike & Tough Tom)
WCW Thunder #69 - TV-Show @ Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
8 18.10.1991 New Japan Pro Wrestling Different Style Fight: Masashi Aoyagi defeats Randy Thornton by KO [Runde 3 and 0:48]
NJPW Super Grade Tag League - Tag 12: Super Grade Tag League Special In Hiroshima - TV-Show @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima, Japan
9 31.05.1991 New Japan Pro Wrestling Different Style Fight: Shinya Hashimoto defeats Randy Thornton [Runde 2]
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6 minutes ago, Zimbra said:

For a guy who only wrestled 9 matches he sure was in the ring with some major dudes.

Fit Finlay, William Regal, Dave Taylor, Curt Hennig, Barry Windham, Shinya Hashimoto, and Masoshi Aoyagi in 9 matches!  That is a dream line up.  Strange.

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1 hour ago, Cobra Commander said:

Swoll worked more matches with Regal than Greg Valentine did

Considering who was in WCW and working C-shows around that time Valentine had a pretty disappointing selection of opponents.

Edited by Zimbra
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There was a Greg Valentine vs Bobby Eaton Worldwide/Pro-level match in 1997 that was a real "I have no idea who'll win this because neither of them are being pushed" match (I think Valentine won)

But yeah, Valentine was solidly in the "show up to work a few times a year" phase by 97/98.

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