This is a weekend where all the attention is on WWE, the NBA, the NHL and everything but AEW so I’ll just get right to the rankings for AEW’s Rampage: Slam Dunk.
Honorable Mention: Evil Uno. In a video package Uno said he’s going to remind Moxley of how violent he can be and why he was Mr. Brodie Lee’s #1. He’s going to bring respect back to the name of Dark Order. I like that we’re getting more of BCC in that tweener/heel alignment though it’s strange that Bryan affiliation has basically stopped. Uno is a solid worker so it’ll be cool to see him get a big singles match. I look forward to Moxley bleeding, again.
5. Wheeler Yuta. Yuta confronted Orange Cassidy in what looked like a nice courtyard somewhere. Yuta said the best thing he ever did was leave Cassidy to join Blackpool Combat Club where they could actually teach him something. Orange let Chuck treat Yuta like a clown then replaced him with a literal clown. He let Trent bully him around but now he’s the bully. He worked so hard to get his Pure Championship but doesn’t think Orange Cassidy even cares about the All Atlantic Championship. Cassidy then responded which was a bit of a shock. He said his job was never to teach him but to be his best friend. But it’s clear they aren’t that anymore and if he wants the title he can come and take it. This was intense and by far the best mic work from Yuta. Cassidy talking or getting fired up always makes things feel bigger. If there was more story behind this it could have easily been my #1 for the week but it felt like it came out of nowhere which is the only thing that holds it back. Tony Khan books great matches but I really, really want him to get help with his storytelling.
4. Jade Cargill. Jade ran her record to 53-0 with a quick win over Vert Vixen. This was a simple record padding match that did its job.
3. Ricky Starks. Starks beat Daniel Garcia fairly quickly tonight. Garcia worked over Starks’ leg and Ricky’s leg gave out during his first spear attempt. Garcia locked in the Dragon Tamer and Sammy Guevara came down to pull the rope away from Starks but got ran off by Action Andretti. As they brawled up the ramp Starks rolled up Garcia for 2. Starks then powered through his bad leg and hit a spear and a Roshambo for the win. As much as I have no desire to see Starks and Jericho clash again it was nice to see Starks look strong. And after the match, Sammy Guevara demanded a match with Action Andretti and I’m sure that’ll be good.
2. Swerve Strickland. We finally returned to our pre-match triple box for tonight’s main event with Mark Henry as we heard from Swerve and Dustin Rhodes. Swerve said The Rhodes family isn’t victims and this is about respect. Men go to war and die over respect. Swerve said he knows Dustin had something to do with why Trench isn’t there. Dustin said hell is coming for Swerve and he’s coming with it! The match was solid but nothing exceptional. Swerve busted Dustin open with a dropkick against the barricade and later hit a House Call which Dustin fired up from before even a 1 count. Dustin hit a Code Red for 2. Swerve hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron for a near fall of his own. Dustin nailed a middle rope superplex and then a piledriver for 2. Dustin paid homage to Cody with a Cross Rhodes then hit a Reckoning but Parker Boudreaux pulled him out before the 3 and threw him into the stairs for what is only the 2nd ever DQ finish in AEW that I can remember. While I didn’t like Swerve having to get a DQ I did like what this set up as after the match Parker took out a cinder block which brought out the returning Keith Lee. Lee looks like hell with his face clean-shaven and head full of gray hair but it kind of works with this story. Lee tried to nail Swerve with a discus lariat but Parker took the bullet for him. The DQ use was a nice change and I’m excited for what I assume will be Lee v. Swerve at Revolution.
1. The Elite. “Slam Dunk” opened with The Elite taking on Top Flight and AR Fox. Everyone wore white jersey like t-shirts for NBA All-Star weekend. Even the commentary team got shirts except Jericho and J.R. who complained that he didn’t get one “Because (he’s) too fat dammit!” and as a guy who wears 2 or 3xl shirts and can never wear the generic xl ones given away at most sporting events without looking like Ralphus I sympathize. Top Flight and Fox had their names on the back without numbers. The Elite had numbers without names. Omega wore 23, an obvious tribute to the man from “North Carolina” Michael Jordan. Nick wore 777 which I assume is because of them inventing the Casino Battle Royal. Matt wore 13 and that felt like a not so subtle shot at CM Punk with his “Luck is for losers” tattoo. My big issue here is both teams had white shirts where one side should have had darker shirts to look more like a game. That complaint aside this match was a blast! It had all the usual high flying, fast paced action you’d expect from these 6 men but with the added element of…basketballs! I won’t list all the moves here but there were basketballs thrown all over the place! There was a good comedy spot where The Elite called a time-out on the outside and when A.R. Fox had the ball the crowd chanted “Defense!” The ending came when The Elite hit a triple superkick to a moonsaulting Fox, Nick nailed both Fox and Darius Martin with an Escalera on the floor and Omega hit a One Winged Angel for 3. After the match the lights cut out and Malakai Black and Brody King were on the stage to presumably signify they want the trios titles. The story hasn’t been built well at all but the match of House of Black v. The Elite should be awesome!
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