Well, it’s suburbs. Rampage didn’t go full squash, but it half and halfed with other matches. It used to be free-wheeling, fun, leaner than Dynamite and thankfully free of padding angles and promos. The matches were good. There appeared to be just as many in half the time of Dynamite.
I miss those days.
Tasty Squash?
Ryan Nemeth is back on Rampage! Don’t all cheer at once. Yes, he is still pulling a paycheck/paycheque and yes, he does deserve more flagship show time. But if we start to talk about those who deserve aEW camera time, we could be here all day.
Wardrobe (so called by me because he moves like one and has the charisma of one), dispatched him early. And this Rampage squash devalued the TNT title.
Of course, I believe it was devalued when it was used as a pawn to get Sammy Guevara over again after he linked with Tay Conti, but giving it to Wardrobe does the belt no favours.
So;
1. Who is the No1 contender? Did you just forget this, Tony Khan? Why give Nemeth a chance? I like him, but has he earned a title shot?
2. This is just a match with a belt as a set dressing. That’s appalling.
2nd Rampage Squash? Hobbs v Ashton Day.
Right after the Wardrobe squash. This one didn’t go long either. It meant nothing. We Rampage viewers deserve better.
We really do.
They Still Can’t Get Hook’s Character Right
Remember when I said if they didn’t do something with Hook, his uber self-confidence would look like arrogance? TK listened and gave him the FTW belt.
And after a squash – yes, one of those again – last week in defence, his offhand remark this week that he doesn’t care about opponents didn’t care about his next opponent didn’t come off as self-belief.
It came off as nasty arrogance. The crowd want to like Hook. AEW is doing its best to make it harder for them.
AEW Doesn’t Know What To Do With Danhausen
This week he was at Rampage with Best Friends watching the Trios Tournament Rampage’s first match of the night. And commentary told us words to the effect of ‘Danhausen, who’s not in the tournament, but is around…’
Sounded as if he was just hanging around, not doing anything of any consequence. He’s been with Hook, that didn’t work – how we laughed at Hookhausen – with Redbeard as Beardhausen, how we laughed, etc, with loads of others who I can’t quite remember now and then with Best Friends.
You see, I can’t remember what he’s done recently on AEW. And Danhausen is witty, fun, and different. AEW have just made him ordinary. What a shame.
House Of Black Jobbed Out? Or Was That Miro?
House Of Black v Silver, 10 and Reynolds should have been good and it was, Reynolds keeping up with Malakai Black, a Buddy Matthews Meteora off the top, the Silver and Reynolds assisted Uppercut, Black adding so much by half taking off 10’s knee brace and synching in a leg grapevine.
And then Miro. Did we wait for this talent to return just so he could be a distraction in a Dark Order roll-up? On this Rampage, yes. Reynolds was allowed to get the pin on Black, which surprised me, but Miro just doesn’t have a big character of his own at the moment, he’s being used to grease the wheels of other things. I know that happens a lot in wrestling, but AEW needs to let more of his compelling character out.
I should be excited about a possible fight between Miro and Brody King and I am, particularly when they squared up on Rampage. I just wish it had been better arranged.
That Crowd Noise
What crowd noise? Yep, after a rather good Ortiz & Soho versus Guevara & Melo match, admittedly with a somewhat Dusty finish, the crowd appeared silent.
We’ve had this in previous women’s matches and although they weren’t barn burners, they were enjoyable. This was better than that, Ortiz and Soho worked well together, Soho hit a lovely Poison ‘Rana on Sammy, a Melo High Kick answered by a Soho No Future and pin broken up by Sammy.
The end was Anna Jay throwing Soho into the steps, Ortiz distracted and one Cutter off the top later, pinned.
And the Rampage crowd didn’t cheer. Or clap much. I don’t know why. It was a fine match with fine wrestlers in it. AEW need to look at this. Quickly.
‘I’d Like To Smother You In Custard’
The latest Lord Regal comment was quickly moved away from by the commentary team – if they were any more uncomfortable they’d need an antihistamine. Regal remains golden.
And Your Rampage Main Event!..
Hang on, is Dustin Rhodes the No1 conform Claudio Castagnoli’s ROH World Championship belt then? Best to leave it, Steve.
After all, Dustin pulls out great matches even now. And they did have a good one, not a great one though.
It was tight early, Arn Anderson on the outside to coach, Dustin soaked up a Neckbreaker and Gutwrench Suplex before hitting a lovely Destroyer.
And although Claudio swung, it wasn’t for long. Dustin isn’t winning this belt though, is he? Why would you put the strap on Dustin so soon after taking it off Jonathan Gresham for the new acquisition, causing apparent trouble in the process?
So, enjoyable as this was, Dustin’s Powerslam and Piledriver didn’t seem as though they would finish things.
It finished oddly. The pin was from a Claudio Pop Up Uppercut, but what happened earlier was strange.
Claudio went to leapfrog Dustin, who didn’t seem to bend much and nutted the champ in his nethers. Was it a work? If so, it was an unusual one. Was it a botch? If so, it was amusing, particularly as Claudio seemed to be favouring his jewel box when getting the decision announcement…
So Rampage Not Up To Standard?
It was laboured. It had squash fodder. Ot had an unengaged crowd. It asked so many questions there aren’t yet answers for.
Squash City welcomes careful drivers…