The John Report: AEW Rampage 06/10/22 Review

This week’s AEW Rampage featured a six-man tag team main event featuring FTR & Trent Beretta facing Will Ospreay & Aussie Open along with Jake Hager vs. Eddie Kingston in the opener.

This is AEW Rampage from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. It was taped after Dynamite on Wednesday. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. Let’s get to it.

It’s Friday night and you know what that means. Excalibur was on commentary with Taz. They went right to the action as usual.

Eddie Kingston vs. Jake Hager

Hager was in control with multiple clotheslines along with a punch to the head. Kingston left the ring leading to Hager hitting him with a knee to the ribs. Back in the ring, Hager hit a belly to back suplex and dumped Kingston out of the ring. Hager suplexed Kingston on the floor. Back in the ring, Hager with forearm shots to the back. Hager with a suplex followed by an armbar while on the mat. Hager continued to overpower with another knee to the body. After Hager delivered a chop, Eddie came back with several chops of his own and a boot to the side of the face. Hager avoided a kick and then he hit an overhead suplex. They went to a 90-second picture in picture break.

(Commercial)

Hager was still in control as Kingston gave him a middle finger salute and Kingston did some eye poking. Kingston with a DDT. Kingston with the machine gun chops to the chest, then Hager got a boot to the face and Hager hit a Hager Bomb out of the corner for a two count. Kingston countered a Hager move with an Exploder Suplex followed by a Saito Suplex for a two count. Hager ducked a spinning back fist into a lifting slam. Hager applied the Ankle Lock leading to Kingston getting to the ropes after about twenty seconds. Hager stood on the middle turnbuckle as he delivered punches, but Kingston powered out with Powerbomb, which is an Undertaker spot we saw many times over the years. Kingston with a spinning back fist, Hager was staggered, then he did a spinning back fist again and got the pinfall win after 11 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Eddie Kingston

Analysis: **3/4 The match was okay. They had some chemistry issues at times in the match and it was a very slow pace to the match. Lots of selling by Kingston, who is beloved by the crowd. Hager is just another random guy in AEW right now even though the announcers try to put him over as a threat. The Ankle Lock would have meant more if Hager worked on the ankle a bit earlier in the match. Instead, it just felt like a random move. Kingston winning was the right decision.

The trio of Britt Baker DMD, Jamie Hayter and Rebel were interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Britt was holding her Owen Hart Title. Britt mentioned Toni Storm putting her hands on the AEW Women’s Title and she knows Toni doesn’t want to step in the ring with Britt or Jamie. Baker said that as much as she’s missing the AEW Women’s Title, she thinks the title misses her more and if anybody is going to win that thing next, it’s going to come from Team DMD. Yours truly, Dr. Britt Baker…D…M…D.

(Commercial)

Ortiz did a promo talking about how Chris Jericho was a scumbag and a piece of shit. Ortiz said that at Dynamite Road Rager, Jericho’s hair will belong to Ortiz.

Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh (w/Sonjay Dutt) vs. Davy Vega & Mat Fitchett

This is Singh’s debut match. Singh with a knee lift followed by a hard chop to the chest of the much smaller opponent. Vega tried to attack for a double team move, but Singh ran through them and hit a cross body block on both guys. Lethal tagged in and hit the Lethal Injection on both opponents for the pinfall win after less than two minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh

Analysis: 1/2* Just a squash match to put over Singh. I thought what Singh did was impressive enough. It was simple, but it worked.

After the match, Satnam picked up Fitchett in the Razor’s Edge position and spun around before letting him go onto the mat, so it was like a spinning release Powerbomb.

There was an “Earlier Today” interview with Lexy Nair talking to Danhausen and Hook. When she mentioned their success as a team, Danhausen drove in on a golf cart. Hook drove in on something that looked like a Jeep and he drove away without saying anything.

Analysis: I love how AEW promotes an interview with these two as if it’s a big deal, but then they get less than a minute to do anything. Oh well. That’s AEW. They treat such small things as a big deal.

Kris Statlander vs. Red Velvet (w/Jade Cargill, Kiera Hogan & Stokely Hathaway)

The announcers tried to talk about Kris undergoing changes. Yeah, she was acting like an alien, which I said was stupid for two years and now she doesn’t act like an alien, which is a lot better. Maybe she never should have acted like an f’n alien to begin with? Just a thought. Velvet tried to attack before Statlander was in the ring, but Kris hit her with a powerslam. Kris with a press slam to send Velvet back into the ring and that led to the match starting. Kris hit a running knee that sent Velvet out of the ring. Velvet jumped on Statlander’s back, but Kris slammed her back into the ring. Kris with a jump off the top, Velvet moved and Kris wanted a slam, but that didn’t work because Velvet did a chop block to the left leg. Velvet wrenched on the left leg. They went to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

They were back with the two women slugging it out and Kris hit a backbreaker. Kris was aggressive as she punched Velvet repeatedly. Kris hit a spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Velvet countered a move with a victory roll, then Statlander came back with her own pin attempt and Statlander did a roll through with a German Suplex. Statlander hit a cradle Michinoku Driver for a two count. Velvet with a trip into the ropes, then knees to the back and a Cutter off the middle ropes. Velvet with a spin kick called Just Desserts for a two count. Statlander blocked a kick, then Kris hit a punch, Velvet missed a kick when Kris moved and Kris hit a Friday Night Fever like a piledriver for the pinfall win after about nine minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Kris Statlander

Analysis: ***1/4 A pretty good match here with Kris showing off her aggressiveness well. There were a lot of nearfalls for Kris in the match while Velvet had a few towards the end of the match. Kris has a lot of impressive moves that she does well and since she’s a taller woman, she looks tough too. Velvet sells well, but they don’t seem to give her significant wins very often.

After the match, Kiera Hogan attacked Kris with punches to the back. Statlander was sent out of the ring where Jade delivered a pump kick on Kris on the floor. Anna Jay ran out for the save with a Queen Slayer choke on Hogan, but Velvet saved Hogan, who hit a superkick on Jay. Athena was up next for the save for the faces, but referees and officials stopped it. Velvet with a trip into the ropes, then knees to the back and a Cutter off the middle ropes. Velvet with a spin kick called Just Desserts for a two count.

Analysis: Just a typical post match angle to try to build Jade vs. Athena.

There was a video about Ethan Page and Miro facing in the All-Atlantic Title Tournament. It featured Miro talking about how The Redeemer is back.

Ethan Page was interviewed by Lexy Nair. Ethan said he looks up to himself, he believes in himself and he prays to himself. Ethan said that he’ll wave the flag of Canada and finally win some gold in this company. Ethan said next Wednesday, Miro will pray to him.

Analysis: I would like to see my fellow Canadian Ethan Page win that match, but it’s probably not going to happen. That should be a Miro win.

There was the main event interview between FTR & Trent on one side while Will Ospreay & Aussie Open were on the other side. Mark Henry conducted the interview. Ospreay said that they are there to separate the sheep like FTR from the goats (Ospreay’s team). Trent said he didn’t like Will and his boys are “nerd asses.” FTR’s Wheeler said that they are the best tag team on the planet. Harwood said you’re used to playing wrestling, but here in AEW, they come to fight. Henry did his line “it’s time for the main event” with the fan chanting along.

This Wednesday on AEW Dynamite Road Rager:

* Hair vs. Hair Match: Chris Jericho vs. Ortiz. I think that’s a win for Jericho.

* Wardlow will face 20 plaintiffs against him.

* All-Atlantic Championship Qualifying Match: Ethan Page vs. Miro.

* AEW World Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (c) vs. Young Bucks vs. The Hardys. That should be great. I think I’m going Hardys for the win.

Will Ospreay & Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Trent Beretta

I don’t know much about the Aussie Open guys since I have barely followed NJPW in the last couple of years. Ospreay is awesome. Their stable is called The United Empire.

Harwood started with Ospreay as they did some match wrestling with neither guy getting the advantage. Harwood chopped Ospreay. Wheeler with a side headlock on Ospreay, who came back with a headscissors, but it wasn’t a smooth spot. The announcers covered for it. Fletcher punched Wheeler while Davis tagged in with punches and a side headlock takedown. Trent with a rollup on Davis for two, but Davis came back with a chop. Ospreay was back in, but Trent was ready for him with a Tornado DDT. FTR sent Aussie Open out of the ring. Trent kicked Ospreay and Trent hit an Asai moonsault off the middle rope onto standing Ospreay on the floor. They went to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

The match returned with Trent doing a back body drop on Ospreay. The other heels tried to stop Trent from tagging out, which led to Dave hitting a senton splash on Trent. Fletcher tagged in, he charged in the corner, Trent moved and Fletcher hit the turnbuckle. Harwood got the tag with punches on Fletcher and Davis. Harwood with a snap suplex on Fletcher and one for Davis too. Ospreay in illegally, but Harwood was ready for him with a clothesline. Harwood with three German Suplexes on Fletcher. Wheeler tagged in, elbow by Harwood, Wheeler with a Powerbomb, Harwood with a German Suplex and Wheeler (the legal man) did a jackknife pin attempt for two. Fletcher punched Harwood off the apron, Wheeler got a pin attempt on Wheeler, Ospreay into the ring illegally again and Wheeler hit an atomic drop. Fletcher kicked Wheeler, Ospreay tagged in. Aussie Open did a lifting knee into a Cutter combo. Ospreay jumped off the top with a springboard 450 Splash, but Trent was there to break up the pin. There were a few superkicks after that leading to Ospreay going off the ropes for the Ozcutter for two. The fans chanted “this is awesome” for them. Fletcher tagged in, Wheeler avoided a corner attack and did a hurricanrana on Davis. Trent tagged in with a backdrop suplex on Fletcher followed by a clothesline. Trent was favoring a left leg injury. Ospreay knocked Harwood off the apron and Ospreay hit a dive onto both FTR guys on the floor. Fletcher got a rollup on Trent for two. Trent countered a move into a pin attempt for two. Trent picked up Fletcher and hit the Strong Zero move sitting on top of Fletcher for the pinfall win after 14 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Trent Beretta

Analysis: ***3/4 A great tag team match with the AEW guys beating the NJPW guys, which is usually what happens in AEW. Trent was the face in peril for the faces, but then he got back in there and won for his team. Those last few minutes were excellent. I kept waiting for Ospreay do some spectacular moves that I know he can do and he did do one near the end with the springboard 450 Splash. This was excellent towards the end. One of my issues with bringing in some NJPW guys for matches is that a lot of them lose those matches, so what’s the point of bringing them in to lose? As soon as I saw Fletcher on his team, I could tell he was going to lose because Davis is a bigger guy and Ospreay is the bigger star. They should have had Ospreay get the win because then the next time he’s in a match in AEW, people can remember him as a winner instead of a loser. Just my thought.

FTR and Trent celebrated the win while fast-talking Excalibur promoted stuff coming up next week. That was the end of the show.

Three Stars of the Show

1. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Trent Beretta
2. Will Ospreay & Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher)
3. Kris Statlander

The Scoreboard

This Week: 7 out of 10

Last Week: 7.5

Final Thoughts

A solid wrestling show with three pretty good matches. The six-man tag main event was a lot of fun, but I think the NJPW guys should beat the AEW wrestlers sometimes and this would have been a good spot to have Ospreay get the win for his team. It was still a fun match to watch.

The women’s match with Kris “no longer alien” Statlander beating Red Velvet was solid. The opener saw Eddie Kingston beat Jake Hager in what was a decent match, but it was nothing special.

No big angles or anything like that. Just a typical Rampage show full of solid wrestling, but not much else.

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John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter: @johnreport