Arena: Curtis Culwell Center

City: Dallas, Tx

Last Week’s Rating: 457,000 overall; 0.11 in 18-49 demo

It’s Friday Night, and you know what that means…  it’s time for our Rampage Review!

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‘I mean this, this may be the most powerful Rampage we’ve ever done’ were Jim Ross’ words as he greeted us, along with Tony & Excalibur.

 Jon Moxley vs Sammy Guevara

Backstory: The ultimate contest between the BCC & JAS; Daniel Garcia is now assigned to Sammy to learn from him

Last time these two met they had a hell of a match, so this should be no different.

The pair already in the ring as we arrived, an aggressive Guevara launched a knee strike which dropped the former champ, following up with stomps, positioning him in the corner where Moxley ducked a chop, struck three of his own and dispatched Sammy at his wife’s feet ringside.

Daniel Garcia was shown watching intently from backstage.

Moxley bowed sarcastically to Tay but paid for it as Sammy struck with another knee; Mox quickly fought back, dropping Guevara balls-first across the railings then clotheslining him back down to earth.

Back inside, Moxley struck with his cutter-out-of-nowhere as Sammy entered then hauled him upstairs.  JR repeated that this was ‘one of the most star-studded and compelling Rampages that we’ve ever brought you’ as Sammy was superplexed and Mox got two.

The duo exchanged chops against the ropes, then forearm strikes in the middle, Guevara coming off worse but succeeding when he picked up the pace via his patented series of flips into a dropkick.  Heading to the top, Mox cut him off with a back-rake and a bite but slipped down onto the apron, tweaking his knee, allowing Guevara to launch a stomp to take the advantage into the break.

An aggressive Guevara was kicking Moxley around the mat having ripped out his earring during the ads.  After continuing to work the leg Mox tweaked, Sammy positioned him in the corner then ground his boot into Moxley’s heavily bleeding ear.  Then got to biting, his mouth covered in blood as he came back up.

After briefly mounting a comeback, Sammy put Mox back in his place, leaving him in the ropes and taking the ref so his wife could belt him with a slap to the face.  Guevara, mouth still covered in his opponent’s blood, wanted a kiss; Tay had a ‘you bastard’ expression on her face but went with it anyway.  All allowing Moxley to strike with a suicide dive leaving all three down at ringside.

Still favoring the knee, Mox fired himself up, hurled ten punches in the corner and snapped off a German.  Landing on his feet, Sammy staggered to the corner, avoided a charging Mox, hit an enziguri from the apron then a top-rope cutter for just the second pin attempt so far.

Thinking GTH, Moxley slipped out, setup a powerbomb, Guevara swept the legs, right into the Walls.  After nearly getting the ropes, Moxley was dragged back dead center, where he finally twisted onto his back, threw shots to the face and kicked his way free.

Back to forearms in the middle, Guevara launched a flurry but a single shot from Moxley bettered it, right into a curb stomp for a very close two.

About to be dropped through a ringside table, Sammy slipped off the shoulders, hit a thrusting knee and headed back to the top to launch a senton through both Moxley and the aforesaid table.  Landing looked like it sucked; he almost undershot it.

Flinging Mox back inside, Guevara went to the top once more for a cross body, Mox rolled through with wrist control, stomps to the head, piledriver, count of two, right into the Bulldog Choke, seemed it was all over, Sammy tilted his weight and bagged two of his own.

After missing a wild roundhouse, Sammy tasted a KKL and seemed set for a Death Rider but flipped out, hit a kick to the injured knee right into a great-looking Death Rider of his own before scrambling back to the top from where he hit a senton atomico.  But Moxley still kicked out as Guevara looked shocked.

Desperate, Sammy thought avalanche Spanish Fly; Moxley rolled through as he landed, floated over, Bulldog applied, nowhere to go, Guevara passed out.  Garcia was shown shaking his head.

This was great.  Easily the best thing on AEW this week.  These two have great chemistry and find a way to blend their styles while highlighting the contrast.

After inviting him on Wednesday, Mox grabbed a mic and repeated his offer for Adam Page to come get him some.  To a big roar from the crowd, Hangman headed down as the former champs brawled.  Loud ‘Cowboy S***’ chant as officials tried to separate them.  In the melee, one official ate a Buckshot intended for Mox (at least in theory).  Finally, they were just-about separated, Moxley being dragged away through the crowd.

WINNER: Jon Moxley

Saraya commented on the upcoming Hayter/Shida match because she wants that belt.  Then addressed Hayter and Britt, mentioning how much talent there is to choose from when it comes to her mystery partner ‘and we’re coming for you.’ (If this isn’t Sasha, they need to announce it ahead of time so whoever the poor girl is doesn’t get Rey Mysterio’d).

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In-ring, a beaten up and taped up FTR talked about how they did what they did for the fans, that they owed them for their support this year and that the Gunns spoiled last Saturday for all of them.  On Wednesday, they’ll get their vengeance.  (Also, Dax legit broke his ‘ass bone’ so I hope that match gets postponed ‘cause that can’t be fun to land on).

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Jade Cargill and Baddies package.  Leila showed Jade footage of Red looking at Jade annoyed during last week’s tag; Red just stood there as Leila continued sucking up to Cargill.

Britt Baker vs Skye Blue

Backstory: Blue instigated Feud Starter #3, better known as an interrupted backstage promo, on Weds

Baker got her entrance with Blue already in the ring.  JR told Tony he didn’t have to do the DMD motion if he didn’t want to.  Great line.

A very cute little girl was shown smiling in a Britt Baker tee: can’t do much for Baker’s heel stock.

Blue cartwheeled out of a hammerlock, Baker grabbed a leg-scissors then dropped her via underhook suplex for a one-count.  Skye grabbed two with a cradle then hit a kick to the head.

Ads.

A thrust kick got her two as we returned; Britt quickly replied with a slingblade, sit-out facebuster, then grabbed the glove.  Allowing Skye to hit her low enziguri.

(At this point, she ‘hit’ the ropes as if going for the lightest of jogs in the park – it’s this stuff which separates the better women’s wrestlers – Hayter, Deeb etc. from those who are good athletes but don’t seem like they’re really in a contest.  In fairness, it ain’t just the ladies, Marc Quen does the same thing).

Britt avoided a Code Blue; Skye ducked her head perfectly just in time to get it Stomped.

With Baker refusing to relinquish the Lockjaw, Hikaru Shida whacked her and Rebel with a kendo stick, then stared down Hayter, who kept jawing but left the ring.

WINNER: Britt Baker

 JR’s sit-down with a de-masked Preston Vance aired.  Vance talked down his former Dark Order friends and -1: ‘Hey kid it’s time to grow up’.

(This is what the fans tune in for, give us that cheap heat baby.  Obviously, it’s his first promo and we all have bad weeks, but Vance should not be allowed to speak again until he dramatically improves both his delivery and intensity.  He sounded like a nervous groom reading off cue-cards.  Not sure taking away the mask does him any favors either as his face was expressionless.)

Wardlow vs Exodus Prime

Backstory: None

Just me or does Exodus Prime sound like an overly-religious Transformer?

Anyway, this one didn’t last long: four powerbombs, three seconds, one winner.

Wardlow called out Samoa Joe afterwards, who replied from backstage.  Mocking the ‘Waaardlow’ chant, the ‘King of Television’ presented his terms: he won’t wrestle until they’re out of Texas, meaning the 28^th with his TNT title up for grabs.  Joe absolutely eclipsed Wardlow with both his charisma and delivery.

WINNER: Wardlow

Orange Cassidy, Dustin Rhodes & Best Friends vs Butcher, Blade, Trent Seven & Kip Sabian

Backstory: Sabian’s been after Cassidy for eliminating him from last week’s battle royal

Very random heel team, including the newly aligned Kip & Trent Seven already bickering during the pre-match promo.

The two Trents did a bunch of yay/boo stuff to chants of Trent/Trent from the crowd, before everything broke down into a mass brawl.  A combo military press/kick to the face from B&B on Beretta brought the break.

A roar from the crowd brought us back, Cassidy bagging a tag to Rhodes who played the hits: lariats, drop-down uppercut, snap powerslam, another before launching his father’s jabs and elbow strike.

Subsequent pin broken up by B&B, the duo doubled Orange until Beretta came off the top with a shotgun dropkick.  He and Chuck hugged then hit stereo dives but were struck via a Sabian Asai Moonsault.  After hitting that and landing on his feet, Kip didn’t get a millionth of the reaction the hug received.

All culminating with the mid-50s Dustin cannonballing his way through the heels.

Clearly the guys had watched that NXT tag last weekend because Cassidy and Danhausen both used the old Eddie Guerrero spot to get the Bunny & Penelope tossed.  Though the illegal Danhausen being in the ring and getting hit in the balls by Kip right in front of the ref was fine.

A Sabian knee strike and spinning lariat took out Cassidy, Chuck took out B&B outside, Seven then turned a Beretta superplex into a side slam in mid-air and Dustin just about made the save.

Receiving the tag, he walloped Kip with a Manhattan Drop then a destroyer before preparing to Shatter his Dreams.  The ref intervened; Cassidy ‘hit’ the kicks to Kip’s groin instead as the vet and the ref looked equally baffled.  After the ref removed Cassidy, Rhodes finally hit Shattered Dreams, then flung Trent Seven in there for good measure before the newcomer ate an Orange Punch and a Bulldog as the vet bagged the win.

Lots of action, a bit all over the place, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it.

WINNER: Orange Cassidy, Dustin Rhodes & Best Friends

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 Next Dynamite (Holiday Bash):

• Jamie Hayter vs Hikaru Shida, AEW Women’s Title
• FTR vs the Gunns
• Death Triangle vs the Elite, 5 of 7, No DQ (if it goes to match 6, that’ll be falls count anywhere; match 7 will be ladders)
• Next chapter in the Book of Hobbs
• Ricky Starks appearance
• Bryan Danielson promo
• Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland Face-to-Face Meeting (there better be a damn good reason why Lee doesn’t want to just steamroll Swerve)

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Overall impressions

The opener was fantastic but also easily the best thing on the show: nothing could follow it.  To their credit there was more star power tonight, if not quite to the degree claimed by JR.  A main event angle with two former champs is nothing to sniff at and they forwarded several other angles.

Check Out

• Sammy Guevara vs Jon Moxley

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend!