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Rampage - 12/10/2021


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Great debut by Hook. He looked solid and had a natural cool charisma. Reminds me of Jade Cargill in being green but with such a can’t miss presence that if everything goes right they can be legit stars. Props to Fuego for putting him over so well, he was excellent. The match itself was short an fun. Hook’s offense gave him the advantage but Fuego could get the short upper hand through a roll up when he was too confident and turned his back. Then Hook could regain the lead by taking advantage of Fuego taking too long for the Tornado DDT. Fun stuff.

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1 hour ago, Craig H said:

I think one of the things I like most about Hook is that he looks a character in Street Fighter. He's a weird combination of Guile and Sagat and it works really well. 

 

He's more Joe HIgashi (KOF/Fatal Fury) character.

 

and John Cena is canon in the KOF universe.

 

Edited by alstein
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1 hour ago, Craig H said:

I think one of the things I like most about Hook is that he looks a character in Street Fighter. He's a weird combination of Guile and Sagat and it works really well. 

That’s 100% it, I couldn’t work it out myself, but that’s it.

He’s like one of those characters that appears in a modern version of Street Fighter after you haven’t played the last 5-6 versions of the game.

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Just watched and not really much to add on Hook, shockingly smooth, loved the judo throws, oozes charisma in a weird way. Fuego definitely bumped like a boss for him helped. He’s going to need to be in there with vets for a while but he’s got It.

I loved the tag match, felt very old school with some modern/lucha flair. The glove toss super kick was awesome (and if it’s some Lucha Bros do all the time I hadn’t seen it yet), as was the punch for punch bit near the end. Also, apologies to @DEANbut Cash Wheeler is the best wrestler in the world. The part where he was fluffing up his chest hair was peak 1980s southern heel.

Women’s trio match was fine. Bunny is very good at eating and selling moves and getting across being a little crazy. Her offense isn’t much but that’s fine because she’s always willing to be the main punching bag. She’s been a lot of fun in the Dark trios matches doing the same thing. Anna Jay had some good stuff. One complaint is, for a match designed to destroy Ruby Soho before the match with Rose next week the heels didn’t really get much offense in on her, and she didn’t eat the pin.

Main event was all about the angle. Yuta doesn’t do much for me. Cole is a great heel but his matches are getting a little dull.

Finally, did I mark out for Tully Blanchard having his guys jump Sting backstage and then kicking Sting in the nuts? You know damn well I did! IV!

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18 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

The pantheons of Real Good Wrestling Debuts has, uh, another one.

That was the best Fight Hermanos vs. FTR match ever and maybe they've learned some chemistry but I don't know where you go from there. I kinda wish FTR won, just to prove that a title could change hands on Rampage. That problem was elevated in the main event - having matches with foregone conclusions are a part of wrestling, but it's tough when they've the main event of your one-hour show that ends at 11pm.

Mark Henry's getting better at his shtick every week and his commentary has been getting better on Elevation, I'm not against him getting back in the booth (assuming Jericho's not there). Excalibur sounded like my Grandma, who sounded like Froggy from The Little Rascals. If Trent's not gonna have hair Chuck or Wheeler needs to grow theirs out. Good show.

I'm not going to suggest that if you subtract their pre-pro wrestling careers that Hook in 21 is the equivalent of Angle in 99, but I sorted already did. 

Tape-Delay-Rampage is such a blessing of a golden hour for the Saturday schedule.  

FTR-Luchas was fantastic.  Rey Fenix was looking a lot healthier this week.  Nonetheless the Bros looked strong this week.  I too don't get why we haven't seen Cash work any singles?  Yeah, more Cash please.  But also more Dax the Axe.  And more great laughs from Tully.  

8 hours ago, Matt D said:

I’d say the two biggest forward looking story bits on the show were Tully hitting the kick to the groin to a held Sting and Cole doing the same to a held Cassidy. Vary that up. 

AEW has many strengths, but they also have this relapsing weakness.  

4 hours ago, Matt D said:

Yuta's biggest problem is that a lot of his signature stuff requires someone else to do 50% of the work for him. That's not going to work so great with part of the roster. It worked quite well with Cole though.

Babyface Yuta's offense and fire is definitely missing something, but he's been excellent on job squad duty.  He's very very solid in there.  I get the feeling he'll slowly find a nice place in the line-up.  One with upward mobility- at least, down the line.  I get the feeling it'll be as a heel.  

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I just rewatched Hook’s match and one thing that stands out is that we’re not beaten over the head about him being Taz’s son and his persona/character is his own thing (it helps looking nothing like Taz).

In comparison guys like Brock Anderson, Pillman JR, Dominick, etc rely way much on their fathers’ legacies and by comparison will always feel like crappier versions of them.

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1 minute ago, For Great Justice said:

They totally need to keep Hook as the enforcer who only wrestles as a special occasion when Taz gets pissed off enough to SEND HOOK. Like the 2021 version of Mr. Hughes is Taz’s 180 pound kid, and in the best way. Getting that “oh shit, [babyface] done fucked up now” reaction.

The Simpsons “that guy in the white suit hasn’t done anything yet, and you know when he does it’s going to be really cool” meme come to life.

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I've been a HOOKer since when he was MJF's Gum Guy. He's easily THE FIFTH PILLAR of AEW. I'm really honestly surprised at the amount of people surprised at how well he did, we've been telling you for months he was going to be something when he finally debuted.

 

One thing I did notice - they're using the same font for Hook that WWE did for The Nexus (Wide Latin).

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3 hours ago, eikerir said:

I just rewatched Hook’s match and one thing that stands out is that we’re not beaten over the head about him being Taz’s son and his persona/character is his own thing (it helps looking nothing like Taz).

In comparison guys like Brock Anderson, Pillman JR, Dominick, etc rely way much on their fathers’ legacies and by comparison will always feel like crappier versions of them.


calling him Hook plays into this excellently, since it references the Taz legacy indirectly without saddling him with a "Jr." which often does get in the way in the way you're describing.  He's got a nom de guerre that acknowledges the connection while being its own thing.

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  • Tony Khan tweeted after Hook’s debut on last night’s Rampage: “SEND HOOK… TO THE MOON BECAUSE HE WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD TONIGHT! #AEWRampage”
  • Khan also officially posted a graphic announcing that Hook is All Elite following his debut.
  • Taz thanked everyone for their kind words about Hook’s debut: “Folks, I really need to say THANK YOU to all of you for the tons of tweets toward me about the kind words about @730hook - it’s just too many to reply to lol!! And yes, it was SO special for me to call his first worldwide TV match. •Tazmission is now - ‘REDRUM’”
  • Hook defeated Fuego Del Sol on last night’s show.
  • Pitchfork spoke to Hook, Taz, and Khan about Hook using Action Bronson’s song “The Chairman’s Intent” for his entrance music.
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9 hours ago, Craig H said:

How on earth did Taz, TAZ, of all people have a son that looks like a model? I have to assume he got everything from his mom's side. 

That would be like a reverse Von Wagner, who got god knows what from his mom's side! A few folks also wondered how come Rick Steiner's kid can end up being so handsome, when he debuted.

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I have no idea if this is his mother, but at risk of sounding like a total asshole, this kid is WAY better looking than his parents. Two totally regular looking folks made a pretty hot young dude.

 

Edited by grilledcheese
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