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RAMPAGE!- 12/2/2022!


DEAN

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Fun show that set up a lot of pretty cool things upcoming. 

I popped for Shane Taylor showing up and acknowledging the history with Keith. A nice little addition to Final Battle and I dig JD Griffey getting a spot as well. Really like how the Swerve/Keith story keeps having twists and turns preventing it from being a regular old tag team break up angle.

Glad FTR are getting their shot. They were talking up Jarrett & Lethal as potential title contenders, but we're long overdue for a Darby/Sting title shot!

Juice/Joe seemed rather random as I figured Wardlow would be first up. 

Orange/QT was enjoyable as expected. Great near fall off the Sabian interference, was not expecting Kip to be Orange's next potential feud. And Kevin Thorne appears, make him All Elite!

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7 hours ago, Gordlow said:

 Shida gonna defend the WAVE title in AEW! Yeah! 

 

She defended the belt against Emi Sakura on Elevation in Cleveland. It was one of the best matches of the whole night, with the student (Shida) beating the teacher for the first time.

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The amount of “pretty” on screen during the Nay/Saraya interview was stunning.  I’m throwing my cards in on a solid Saraya comeback.  I’d really like to see her turn the bullshit in her life into something positive.  But I think on an artistic level it might’ve been more prudent to put Britt over at the PPV.  The character stuff Saraya could do digging her self out of the grave like The Bride in Kill Bill would be compelling stuff.  Maybe they’ll still get around to it.

Sanjay was on fucking fire.  The cutaway to him dancing to Private Party’s theme popped me big, brother.

Confession time.  I’m enjoying hating Jeff Jarrett.  I’m also other people hating JJ.  I want nothing more from him than boatloads of stomp punch stomp punch Memphis tomfoolery.  And an occasional Codysault off the top of the cage.  When you have a chance to be a Terry Funk crazy old man gig.  You do that shit.

If we’ve learned nothing else about this totally unique phenomenon that is Orange Cassidy.  It’s that you can plug that dude into any position on the card and it’ll work.  This should play a lot cornier than it does. Yet they manage to make it cool.  
 

Holy shit.  Nate Webb was out there.  I haven’t seen that dude since that ROH Cage of Death vs. CZW.  

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  • Darby vs Cole was pretty good. Cole had a couple of literal bombs (and I don't love anyone doing the turnbuckle bomb) but a lot of his offense was staying on the back. I'll have to give this another look for Monday. In general, they gave him a lot, probably too much, and it should have been more of Darby killing him and him fighting for his life. The opening moment of Darby throwing himself at him was good along those lines though. I get given the structuring of the show that Comoroto couldn't do more to help him (You need to save that for the main), and I can't say he didn't come out of this somewhat elevated, but given this moment in time and where Darby has to go, he should be taking a little more of these matches. He can survive against the monsters of the world with the big hulk up, but he should be mowing through other guys. Maybe they really see something in Karter though. He's young and maybe in a year or so he's one of those guys we're looking at like we look at Moriarty, Garcia, and Yuta now?
  • Athena's charging forearm to start matches is the best thing in wrestling right now. I'll stop repeating it soon but it kills me that this was lurking underneath for years and no one unleashed it. She's 1980 heel Dynamite Kid level chip on her shoulder intensity. Her pushing back the ref was so good. Her teasing another shot on Edwards was even better. Total killer. I feel bad for Mercedes because she did everything right this year except for getting hurt (which wasn't her fault), but Athena needs to mow her down and take the belt. 
  • There were things I liked about Private Party vs Jarrett/Lethal. There's value in Satnam teaming with Jarrett to learn from him, I think. He should be the attraction for now, not Jarrett, I guess. Sonjay dancing to Private Party's music was tremendous. It's all a pretty good act. It's obvious Jarrett can't feed for the level of offense that Private Party is used to, but they were still able to create a lot of the motion for him and he was able to make up the rest with a good punch and great timing. They did a good job of moving the ref around. I'm sure Kassidy loved playing face-in-peril for both Jarrett and Lethal. That double team Stroke/Lethal Injection is a solid idea but they probably need to drill the timing a few hundred more times.
  • So I wasn't very familiar with Shane Taylor and I went back to watch his Bryan Keith and Low Ki matches and uh, Shane Taylor in 2022 is pretty freaking good, huh? They're on youtube and people should watch them. @DEAN, back me up here.
  • To me, the main was more good than fun. QT wrestled an excellent match. He hit things crisp and cleanly. There was a strong narrative. There were some exciting nearfalls. Worked the crowd well. Cassidy had a lot of fire from underneath. Just a very good pro wrestling match. I kind of wanted more ridiculous bullshit though. There was a little bit with Page and Hardy on the outside and the randomness of Kevin Thorn and super rah rah babyface Nate Webb and Serpentico trying to get between the Factory and Best Friends, but in general, I wanted a lot more goofiness and QT went out there trying to prove something. I get that AEW has a credible mid card heel problem, but I felt it a year ago and I feel it now. QT needs to stop trying to prove things and work scummier and more like Honky Tonk Man. Here there needed more foolishness, but it was a very good match. No one can deny it.
  • This show set up a lot of stuff. Very chaotic feel in a good way. AEW from two weeks ago to now has gone to feeling like a lot of things are happening at once. I know people said Juice Robinson was a better babyface for a heel so he'll be in that de facto spot against Joe. Darby vs Joe sounds awesome! FTR vs Acclaimed is really exciting even if it'll likely end in BS. And good for them to just give the fans it. Acclaimed gets a lot of credibility by acting that way. Again, Shane Taylor seems like a good pick up and that should be a fun PPV match. Shida vs Bunny for the belt makes sense. I really wish she'd understand the proper use of Holy Shida though. She's not Holy Shida. Holy Shida is something said when she does something impressive or if people are shocked and awed at her arrival. Someone should explain this to her. Kip targeting Cassidy with Ford was an interesting moment. I loved Cassidy flying right at him but then getting beaten down since he'd just gone through a match. Interesting that they're going with Hogan on the babyface side immediately. That means the Bow Wow stuff is not leading to her. Just a lot going on as they're going into Texas and then all of those new markets.
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30 minutes ago, Matt D said:
  • So I wasn't very familiar with Shane Taylor and I went back to watch his Bryan Keith and Low Ki matches and uh, Shane Taylor in 2022 is pretty freaking good, huh? They're on youtube and people should watch them. @DEAN, back me up here.

Oh, Shane Taylor is motherfucking AWESOME.  They should have gone straight to Taylor versus Joe.  Watch THIS:

 

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1 hour ago, Matt D said:
  • I really wish she'd understand the proper use of Holy Shida though. She's not Holy Shida. Holy Shida is something said when she does something impressive or if people are shocked and awed at her arrival.

Who are you to question the holiness of Shida?

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Liked the opener a lot, Carter might have a future, but Darby sure did a lot (probably too much) to make him look good. I think Darby’s so used to wrestling as the scrappy underdog who has to throw all caution to the wind to win, that he’s not able to conceive of a match where he’s the dominant wrestler over an inferior opponent.

Athena is awesome. Not sure she can actually be a heel being this level of asskicker except when she threatens Aubrey.

Couldn’t get into the tag match, so choke on that, slappy.

I think Matt or Gord pointed out that the main was a good match but wasn’t as fun a match as it should have been. Just not enough shenanigans.

Feels like they ended up booking a lot of the Austin show for me. Acclaimed-FTR! Darby-Joe! Claudio and Yuta vs Garcia and Hat! Skye Blue! Bunny! A 15-minute bathroom break for MJF talking! Now I just need Takeshita.

Edited by JLowe
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12 hours ago, DEAN said:

AWESOME!  He's going to be 700 pounds by next July.

 

Well, that won't be from this batch, since literally nothing in there seems to be food. He may have something there for preparing food, but things like an air fryer (for instance) would actually get in the way of his plans. Does Costco carry deep fryers by any chance?

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On 12/2/2022 at 11:07 PM, DEAN said:

IT'S RAMPAGE!  Darby Allin takes on Cole Karter!  Karter could be the new Buff Bagwell.  JESUS!  Allin hits craziest fucking TOPES on earth.  Man, Karter is taking an assbeating.  Karter crushes Allin's testicles on the toprope!  We now move to the part of the match where Allin makes his opponent look like a total murderer.  And he does.  Allin is a budding Chris Jericho in that category.  Karter is good at getting the crowd behind Darby Allin's STRUGGLE to escape the low-grade heel beating applied by Cole Karter.  Karter needs to channel his inner douche more to become a TRUE HEAT MACHINE.  Allin makes his comeback and hits a CODE RED!  KARTER HITS A TOPROPE FALCON ARROW!  So Cole Karter has the possibility of ruling soon.  Karter misses on a 450.  I'm digging Karter.  Scorpion Deathdrop and Coffin Drop for the win.  That was good.  COLE KARTER!  HOLY FUCK!  SHANE TAYLOR!  FUCK YEAH!  Holy FUCK, Shane Taylor versus Keith Lee?  Okay, now I gotta get this fucking PPV.  The Acclaimed vs FTR would be good.  The Bunny versus Hikaru Shida for the Pro Wrestling WAVE title?  Sure.  The Bunny is ratings, DADDY!  It would be completely AWESOME if the Bunny becomes the WAVE champion.  That would be a weird twist to this truly weird feud.  Isiah Cassidy screams like a little girl!  Jarrett and Lethal are a good old school heel tagteam, UNBELIEVABLY!  Cassidy is our sympathetic babyface!    Jarrett and Lethal are they new Hardliners.  Marq Quen is the most SPECTACULAR Robert Gibson ever!  Jarrett and Lethal do a very awkward finisher!  That was fine.  ATHENA! ATHENA! ATHENA!  Will she beat the shit out of someone?  One can only hope.  Hey!  It's Dani Mo! She's awesome.   HOLY SHIT!  ATHENA! ATHENA! ATHENA!  Athena is approaching a GUNTHER/IKEDA level of ass stomper.  ATHENA! ATHENA! ATHENA! So FUCKING AWESOME!  HIT HER! HIT AUBREY!  HIT EVERYBODY!  ATHENA! ATHENA!  ATHENA!  Athena as the ROH champion and the Bunny as the WAVE champion is a future I want for AEW.  Samoa Joe takes on Mr. Toni Storm!  At Final Battle!  Oh MAN!  Darby Allin versus Samoa Joe?  Jesus, that should be an assbeating.  QT Marshall is a HEAT MACHINE!  Orange Cassidy has taken the All-Atlantic Championship to a new, lunatic level.  QT is backbreaker CRAZY!  Ethan Page has a little subplot to the match, yelling at Matt Hardy!  I wish it was 1999 so Matt Hardy could physically have a great match with Ethan Page.  While we revel in picture in picture, the midcard and Dark Elevation all stars beat on Orange Cassidy, and Cassidy sells the back like a TOTAL champ.  Hey!  Brandon Cutler makes a cameo!  Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford show up and causes a nearfall on a Diamond Cutter!  Orange Punch to win!  THE HOUSE OF BLACK!  That was the greatest episode of Elevation EVER.  AEW RULES THE MOTHERFUCKING WORLD!

Ethan Page and Matt Hardy provide a nice bit of sports entertainment there. Loved that. '99 Hardy sure, but let's have a look and see what this battleworn heavy footed old cuss might still have left in the gas tank. I do have a small fear that Page's nasty looking version of the Razor's Edge might break his body. 

I sometimes wonder if Athena isn't the most thrilling performer in the company right now!? She's found her path.

Yeah, Taylor v Keith Lee is a fresh and exciting Battle, but Taylor mentioned the named JD Griffey, and it made me wonder if he was indicating a tag match. That whole situation could have (maybe I missed it) used a clarifyier from Excalibur. I don't know Griffey, but I'm game for a Swerve/Big Keith bout with Taylor and a pal. One thing on Taylor... 

20 hours ago, DEAN said:

Oh, Shane Taylor is motherfucking AWESOME.  They should have gone straight to Taylor versus Joe.  Watch THIS:

 

I'm wondering if there isn't a better, more flattering attire for the big man? Big ol wide-legged loose fitting black cargos tucked into the boots perhaps. He might only be a couple of strong aesthetic choices away from being a considerable threat and potential player.

Edited by HarryArchieGus
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This didn't do a lot for me felt like they forgot to tape Rampage so just aired an episode of dark. Loved the opener though.

Quite a bit of stuff set up for the future that looks good FTR - Acclaimed, Shida -Bunny., Joe -Darby (although putting the Juice promo before that match makes it a bit of a forgone conclusion Juice Joe should be good though) . Preston Vance mixing it up in the Men's Hossweight Division  My take on the guy challenging lee was "Oh that's not Rick Ross" 

On the main event I wish Ex would stop giving away the finishes to matches with his calls ala Michael Cole and I have no interest in OC verse When We Where Young Kip Sabian. HOB showing up to wreck things where cool though 

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9 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:



Yeah, Taylor v Keith Lee is a fresh and exciting Battle, but Taylor mentioned the named JD Griffey, and it made me wonder if he was indicated a tag match. That whole situation could have (maybe I missed it) used a clarifyier from Excalibur. I don't know Griffey, but I'm game for a Swerve/Big Keith bout with Taylor and a pal.

The segment was very clearly meant to set up a tag match. The whole point of it was Taylor telling Lee he needs to find a partner followed by Swerve showing up after Taylor walked away.  I wasn't sure whether to be excited about the match until both Matt and DEAN vouched for Taylor and then I got excited for it. And then I watched about 30 seconds from the middle of the video DEAN posted and it was just Taylor LAYIING IN a couple of huge forearms on BK... And now I am fully stoked for Taylor & Griffey vs Swerve & Lee, which will include some serious BMMSM action. Plus strange style. Plus, for those who prefer matches to have a storyline that isn't only concerned with who will win and who will lose and how, we also get some "Can Keith trust Swerve"  dramatic tension, plus the frisson of a possible full turn where Swerve maybe turns on Lee and joins Taylor's group... Or  maybe Swerve regains Limitless's confidence and trust. I think it was more than sufficiently set up by the interview segment, and by all the stuff that's gine down, erswhile, between Lee and Strickland. Mainly, though, BMMSM coming up! Hopefully Taylor sticks around. Also, speaking of BMMSM I would very much like AEW to bring in Calvin Tankman, team him with Powerhouse Hobbs, and not call them Calvin & Hobbs. Maybe Tankerhouse or Powertank. Then feud them with Orange and Juice teaming under a name that also doesn't make a pun. It would be the all time peak Arnie in the sky pro wrestling moment.

Edited by Gordlow
"up" is not spelled "uo" in my opinion
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9 hours ago, zendragon said:

Joe -Darby (although putting the Juice promo before that match makes it a bit of a forgone conclusion Juice Joe should be good though) . 

Different titles. Darby gets the TNT Title opportunity, Juice gets the ROH TV Title chance. 

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12 hours ago, Gordlow said:

The segment was very clearly meant to set up a tag match. The whole point of it was Taylor telling Lee he needs to find a partner followed by Swerve showing up after Taylor walked away.  I wasn't sure whether to be excited about the match until both Matt and DEAN vouched for Taylor and then I got excited for it. And then I watched about 30 seconds from the middle of the video DEAN posted and it was just Taylor LAYIING IN a couple of huge forearms on BK... And now I am fully stoked for Taylor & Griffey vs Swerve & Lee, which will include some serious BMMSM action. Plus strange style. Plus, for those who prefer matches to have a storyline that isn't only concerned with who will win and who will lose and how, we also get some "Can Keith trust Swerve"  dramatic tension, plus the frisson of a possible full turn where Swerve maybe turns on Lee and joins Taylor's group... Or  maybe Swerve regains Limitless's confidence and trust. I think it was more than sufficiently set up by the interview segment, and by all the stuff that's gine down, erswhile, between Lee and Strickland. Mainly, though, BMMSM coming up! Hopefully Taylor sticks around. Also, speaking of BMMSM I would very much like AEW to bring in Calvin Tankman, team him with Powerhouse Hobbs, and not call them Calvin & Hobbs. Maybe Tankerhouse or Powertank. Then feud them with Orange and Juice teaming under a name that also doesn't make a pun. It would be the all time peak Arnie in the sky pro wrestling moment.

Rampage moves at a faster than balanced clip. Pace isn't this production team's strong suit - tho this week's show was mostly fine. Perhaps a second look at that talk segment would've clarified the above. Still, it wouldn't hurt for AEW to evaluate the importance of what they put out there 'Live' and the necessary double downs to sink said things into the viewer. Obviously, the excessive reminders on the Titan Sports brand shows is a little more than necessary. I'd say in the case of an unknown (to most) wrestler like Shane Taylor showing up and that a little background may have helped. The public at large doesn't have a Dean to supply the goods on Taylor, and seeing as the company has a whole ROH library featuring Taylor's entire run, maybe it could've been worth sharing a highlight or two? And who is this JD Griffey (@DEAN)? To your comment on the need for storylines, I agree, I don't need 'em. I'm of the feeling that the 'character study' or informing on the character is far more important than any sort of longer or even shorter narrative. I think we differ on what promotional video packages offer. Tho, I'm on your side when the crowd gets more cantakerous than necessary.

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