Reviews

The John Report: AEW Rampage 10/28/22 Review

By John Canton • Published 29th October 2022
aew rampage october 28

This week’s AEW Rampage featured Wardlow defending the TNT Title against Matt Taven while Jon Moxley was in action as well.

As I started doing last week, I’m going to go summary style for the Rampage reviews and play-by-play for the main event.

This is AEW Rampage from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Check out the AEW PPV listing archive only on TJRWrestling as well. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport.

It’s Friday night and you know what that means. Jim Ross was on commentary with Excalibur and Tony Schiavone. This was a live show.

Jon Moxley made his entrance as the AEW World Champion with the fans giving him a big reaction as usual. They showed the end of this week’s Dynamite when Moxley was attacked by The Firm and The Firm attacked their former ally MJF as well. The announcers tried to put over Matt Menard going into this match, which is another way of saying they were fluent in bullshit.

Jon Moxley vs. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard (w/Angelo Parker)

This was a “World Title Eliminator Match” meaning Matt Menard gets a World Title shot if he wins the match. Moxley tossed Menard out of the ring right away and threw him into the barricade. Menard got some offense with a boot to the face along with punches and a whip into the turnbuckle. Menard kicked Moxley out of the ring, there was a referee distraction and Parker knocked Moxley down on the floor. The director missed it, so they showed the replay. Menard sent Moxley groin-first into the ring post.

(Commercial)

Menard hit Moxley with a Powerbomb out of the corner after Moxley had to punch Parker off the apron. Menard applied a Boston Crab submission leading to Moxley getting to the ropes. Moxley got back up with a Cutter. Moxley hit a superplex off the middle rope. Moxley did some face stomping and Parker went into the ring, so Moxley hit another Cutter. Moxley used the distraction to get a rollup and DDT. Menard did some weak stomps, then Moxley countered it and Moxley applied a rear naked choke for the submission win. It went about eight minutes.

Winner by submission: Jon Moxley

Analysis: *3/4 A dominant win by Moxley that should have been a three-minute match, but they went eight minutes so they can get a commercial in during the match. The spots where Menard got offense happened after distractions from Parker, which is a basic way to get heat. Menard and Parker don’t get TV wins, so it was tough to get into the match.

After the match, Stokely Hathaway did a promo with Lee Moriarty with Stokely saying that Moxley won’t do anything to him. Stokely said that Moxley can face Moriarty on Dynamite next week. A video was shown of Moriarty on offense along with some comments from Moriarty. Moxley said that the Blackpool Combat Club likes Lee, but he’s hanging out with the crowd. Moxley said if you want to face him all you have to do is ask. Moxley said he’ll see Lee’s ass in Baltimore and Lee will never be the same after it’s over. Moxley did some push-ups to show he is doing just fine.

Analysis: That’s another win for Moxley over Moriarty next week on Dynamite. Moriarty is talented, but he is not really over right now.

The announcers talked about the World Title Eliminator Tournament culminating in the finals at Full Gear. Dante Martin is in the tournament.

Keith Lee was in action up next.

(Commercial)

A video aired featuring Jade Cargill complaining about Nyla Rose stealing the TBS Title.

Keith Lee vs. Serpentico

Serpentico with a chop that did nothing, Lee lifted him up and hit a Powerbomb for the pinfall win after about 14 seconds.

Winner by pinfall: Keith Lee

Analysis: Match of the year contender.

Keith Lee was about to be interviewed by Tony Schiavone in the ring with a fan holding a sign that said “Two – Chin Tony” on it. That’s not very nice. There was an interruption. The Acclaimed – the AEW Tag Team Champions – interrupted with Anthony Bowens saying they had a problem that Keith Lee might be able to answer. Bowens was wondering if Lee knew where Billy Gunn was and Tony Schiavone said Billy had some family emergency. Max Caster was with Bowens saying there was no family emergency because they are his family. Swerve Strickland appeared in a video where he had Billy Gunn tied to a chair with a spotlight on him. Swerve told Gunn he’s not going to be there when Swerve In Our Glory gets their AEW Tag Team Title match against The Acclaimed. Swerve had some pliers and he did something to Billy’s hands (we couldn’t see it) while Billy yelled about it. Swerve: “Spooky season has arrived.” The Acclaimed ran to the back while Lee was shaking his head.

Analysis: Swerve has been heelish for several weeks now while Lee is still a face, so this was just a way to progress that story by showing that Swerve has lost his mind a bit.

They showed a promo from Jericho Appreciation Society that was on Dynamite with Chris Jericho saying he’s going after former ROH Champions. Tay Melo also talked about her unfished business with Madison Rayne leading to this match.

Tay Melo (w/Sammy Guevara) vs. Madison Rayne

The announcers kept saying it’s the “wrestling coach facing the sports entertainer” as if this is some riveting storyline. Tay tried an armbar, Rayne got out of it and Melo slapped Rayne in the face. Tay gave Rayne a backbreaker onto the top turnbuckle leading to a break.

(Commercial)

Rayne countered a Tay move with a DDT. Tony called it a “great battle” which is ridiculous. They took a while to set up a top rope spot with Rayne hitting a Cutter off the top rope for just two because it was a slow cover. Tay countered a move leading to a sitout slam and Tay had an over-the-top reaction to the nearfall. They did this slow reversal of moves that did not look smooth as Rayne hit a sliding lariat. They exchanged punches, Tay hit a rising knee and Tay hit a Tay-KO for the pinfall win after nine minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Tay Melo

Analysis: *1/4 A boring match in front of a dead crowd that didn’t care much. I can’t say I blame them for that. Tay is more of the full-time wrestler in AEW and the younger wrestler, so it’s fine that she won. This was called a “great match” by Tony Schiavone. It was not.

Ethan Page was interviewed by Lexy Nair. Ethan spoke about how they didn’t decide as a group to change because MJF decided to change those plans. Ethan said that MJF decided he can do everything by himself and do things the right way. Ethan reminded us that The Firm made him the number one contender and they were going to make MJF the AEW World Champion. Ethan said he’s going into the World Title Eliminator tournament and he’s going to win it and do something that MJF won’t do, which is beat Jon Moxley.

Analysis: I’m all for an Ethan Page push. I hope it happens.

(Commercial)

The TNT Champion Wardlow and Matt Taven did a split-screen interview conducted by Mark Henry. Taven said that we will crown a new “Taven Network Television” champion. Wardlow said Taven sounds confident even though he knows what Wardlow does – Powerbomb people over and over again. Wardlow said he’s going to throw in a few extra couple Powerbombs to welcome The Kingdom to AEW. Mark did his “it’s time for the main event” line to end it.

Next Wednesday on AEW Dynamite in Baltimore:

* Jon Moxley vs. Lee Moriarty.

* Darby Allin vs. Jay Lethal.

* Daddy Ass Birthday Bash.

* Renee Paquette interviews Saraya and Britt Baker.

* TBS Championship: Jade Cargill vs. Marina Shafir. That won’t be good. Keep it short.

* Chris Jericho defends the ROH World Title vs. a former ROH Champion

* All-Atlantic Championship: Orange Cassidy vs. Luchasaurus vs. Rey Fenix.

Next Friday on Rampage: Mike Tyson is a special guest commentator. I predict he’ll be high.

Matt Taven made his entrance with Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis-Bennett. They are The Kingdom group that just signed with AEW recently. Wardlow was up next as the TNT Champion.

TNT Championship: Wardlow vs. Matt Taven (w/Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis-Bennett)

Taven with some chops that had no effect, then a kick to the gut and a dropkick. Wardlow came back with a headbutt, then he tossed Taven across the ring and worked over Taven with uppercuts. Wardlow with a whip into the corner leading to Taven bumping over the top to the floor. Wardlow tackled Taven into ring post. Maria distracted the referee, so Bennett hit Wardlow with a forearm to the back. Wardlow put Taven back into the ring, then Maria stepped in front of Mike and that allowed Taven to jump over the top with a dive onto Wardlow on the floor. Bennett sent Wardlow into the steel steps and Taven sent Wardlow back into the ring. Taven jumped off the top with a Frog Splash onto the left knee leading to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

There were about five minutes left. Taven was in control with a running knee to the face for two. Taven jumped off the top with nothing, Wardlow picked him up on the shoulders and hit an F10 toss across the ring. Taven with a kick, then he ran the ropes and Wardlow hit him with a clothesline. Wardlow hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, a boot by Taven and Wardlow hit a spinebuster. Maria caused a bit of a distraction, but it wasn’t very effective so Wardlow hit a Powerbomb on Taven. The crowd popped big for that as Wardlow hit a second Powerbomb. Bennett was on the apron, Wardlow looked at him and Bennett left like a coward. Wardlow hit two more Powerbombs for four total and Wardlow did a one foot cover for the pinfall win after eight minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Wardlow

Analysis: *3/4 A decent match with Wardlow selling for a few minutes before making the predictable comeback and getting the win. Taven is a talented in-ring performer whether in singles or tags, so I like that he’s in AEW. Wardlow’s Powerbomb routine is certainly over with the crowd.

After the match, Bennett stomped on Wardlow a few times, so Samoa Joe made the save. Joe knocked Taven out of the ring easily and Joe tossed Bennett over the top to the floor as well.

Powerhouse Hobbs made his entrance from the aisle and then The Embassy attacked Joe and Wardlow. The referee was on the apron giving them time cues while nobody tried to stop this. Brian Cage hit Joe with a clothesline and Hobbs hit a spinebuster on Wardlow. Cage held up the ROH TV Title that belongs to Joe and Hobbs held up the TNT Title that belongs to Wardlow. The announcers wrapped it up to end the show.

Analysis: An easy-to-set-up title feuds for the “WarJoe” guys with Wardlow having to deal with Hobbs while Cage is going after Joe. Hobbs hasn’t had anything to do since the feud with Ricky Starks ended, so at least it’s a rivalry for Wardlow.

Three Stars of the Show

  1. Wardlow
  2. Jon Moxley
  3. Me for getting through this boring show

The Scoreboard

This Week: 4 out of 10

Last Week: 4.5

Final Thoughts

Last week I wrote: “It was probably one of the worst and most boring episodes of Rampage I’ve ever seen. This is the worst show of the five shows I write about every week.” This week’s episode was even worse. There are 100+ wrestlers under contract in this company and this was the best show they can do for this timeslot this week? I thought it was tough to get through. Meanwhile, the announcers try to tell us they have “great” matches. Nope. I don’t agree with that.

The matches were all basically squashes or extended squashes. There was some storyline advancement like Swerve Strickland kidnapping and torturing old man Billy Gunn along with some other things. The Youtube clip of that asks: “Will Daddy Ass ever be able to scissor again after he was abducted?” Riveting television, folks.

Rampage should be better than this. It’s just not that interesting at all.

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Thanks for reading. You can contact me using any of the methods below.

John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter: @johnreport