Despite the official announcement of Collision this past Wednesday AEW shockingly had some segments that made Rampage feel meaningful this week. We saw 3 more matches made official for Double or Nothing and matches that weren’t terrible. So let’s jump into the rankings!
Honorable Mentions: The Blackpool Combat Club, The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn. Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli of The Blackpool Combat Club were accompanied by Bryan Danielson in our opening contest against The Best Amigos (The Best Friends & Bandido). There was a fun exchange between Claudio and Bandido where both got to show off their power and agility that made me pine for a singles match between the two. Bandido got to show off his strength when he caught Yuta coming off the top rope and turned it into a vertical suplex. Trent and Chuck immediately followed up with a Half and Half/Sole Food combination and a triple hug between The Best Amigos and Chuck spiked Wheeler with a piledriver for 2. He tried to seatbelt pin Yuta but it got broken up and both teams got involved. As Chuk went after Yuta perched in the corner Claudio hit him from behind with a European uppercut then sent him into Moxley for a Death Rider followed by Yuta being launched off the top by Claudio with a splash for the 3. A solid opener and the finishing sequence was nice to establish a trios finishing sequence. Really this was just to remind people that the BCC matter and have solid matches and it did its job. The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass faced off with The Varsity Athletes. Before the bell Caster scissored with a kid and I apologize to any current or future employer of mine who reads that sentence out of context. Excalibur mentioned the battle royal and that putting The Acclaimed in a positon to challenge for the Trios Championship. Tony Nese tried to show off his abs but Billy Gunn removed his shirt to a big pop from the crowd. While this was more competitive than both Jade Cargill defenses combined there wasn’t much to write about beyond that. The Acclaimed won after hitting The Arrival (this week with the spin again) and the Mic Drop.
5. QTV. The crew was back for another episode. We saw a graphic on the TV of Hobbs that said “Collision Bound” Marshall said he signed them up for the battle royal and Harley Cameron got excited for her PPV debut before Marshall broke the news to her like Joel Maximo breaking the news to me that I also wouldn’t be debuting in a battle royal that I was told I’d be in back in 2014. I feel your pain Harley! QT started talking about the new opponents for Hobbs on Collision and said Miro before Solo and Cameron went back and forth pushing each other speculating about Buff Bagwell, The Blue Meanie and Tatanka. Please have all 3 against Hobbs on the debut show like Jericho at WrestleMania 25. I’d love it so much! QT said all that matters is June 17th Hobbs’ story starts. I want to be a QTV correspondent in the worst way!
4. Swerve Strickland. Mark Henry introduced a quick highlight package for the main event of Dustin Rhodes v. Bishop Kaun of The Mogul Embassy. Kaun looks like a million bucks so I was glad he got a chance to have a singles match on a bigger stage. He was accompanied by my close, personal friend Prince Nana. Keith Lee joined Dustin on the ramp but went to the back before the match. Kaun sent Dustin head first into the camera in the corner which made for a cool shot and helped Dustin sport a crimson mask. They had a solid back and forth before a bloodied Dustin eventually won with a Final Reckoning. After the bell Brian Cage came down and jumped on Dustin as Swerve sauntered down to the ring. Keith Lee came down surprisingly slowly if you wanted to stop your friend from being attacked but took out Cage and Kaun on the ramp. He then slowly made his way towards Swerve before Cage and Kaun jumped him again and hit him with a chair before Cage delivered an F5. They positoned Lee sitting in the chair and Swerve double stomped Lee seated in the chair. Sweve and the Mogul Embassy closed the show standing tall and all I want is the Swerve v. Lee announcement for Double or Nothing already. Swerve looks like a great villain but this has just dragged on way, way too long. This match should have been done months ago and both should be on to bigger and better things.
3. Jade Cargill. The first and only TBS Champion made another defense of her title tonight against Danni Bee who was making her Rampage debut. While Jade ran her record to 58-0 with a quick fallaway slam and pump kick Mark Sterling said they had additional talent lined up and a secomd challenger came out. Commentary told us the challenger was named Genesis and she was a student from Dustin Rhodes’school who had a stroke and had to learn to walk again. Whether Jade knew that or not she treated her opponent like Cardale Jones treats sick kids in Madden and beat her in no time flat with a spear and Jaded. Mark Sterling wanted to run her record to 60-0 but Taya Valkyrie knocked out the third challenger on the ramp before we could even learn her name. Taya hit Jade with the Road to Valhalla and said she’d see Jade at Double or Nothing. This time Road to Valhalla won’t be banned so that does make this a little more interesting but it’s still not a match I was clamoring for.
2. Ethan Page and The Gunns. The Hardys and Brother Zay came out for an interview with Tony Schiavone where the 6 man against The Gunn Club and Ethan Page for Page’s contract for Double or Nothing was officially announced. Page said he and Zay were close before the Hardys got involved. He was there when Marq Quen went down. He told him the moan was marketable when everyone else said it was stupid. They were even going to form a tag team “The Moan Event” He tried to hug it out by Kassidy refused so he demanded he shake his hand and as he grabbed Zay’s hand for the handshake The Gunns took out the Hardys with steel chairs. Finally Page stomped on a chair around the neck of Kassidy and yelled “YOU ARE NEVER GONNA MOAN AGAIN!” and I LOVE THAT DUMB STORY! That Kassidy moan is going to send the crowd into a tizzy!
1. Adam Cole. Chris Jericho stood up on commentary and looked in the camera and said he’d fight Adam Cole if he was there right now. Cole cut him off in a split screen and said since Jericho has him barred from the building he’s going to attack him every single time he leaves a venue. Jericho said his previous stipulation barring him from the building is now null and void as he ripped up the paperwork. He challenged Cole to an unsanctioned match. Cole then stormed into The Moody Center as went to commercial. Cole came through the crowd and stormed up the ramp as he and Jericho started to brawl. Cole isn’t thought of as being a hardcore wrestler but the man does it as well as anyone. Whether it’s the Fight Without Honor at Final Battle 2014 against Jay Briscoe, the Extreme Rules match against Alesiter Black at TakeOver Philadelphia, the War Games matches he’s been in or the Lights Out match with Orange Cassidy he always turns it up a notch when the weapons come out. I’m excited to see what he can do here even if Jericho is a step slower than the guys previously mentioned. This actually felt like a big segment worthy of a Dynamite but I’m also a sucker anytime cameras go to the less typical shots including outside the arena.
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