AEW Rampage Results: Winners, Ratings, Reactions and Highlights from October 28
0 out of 4
AEW
Welcome to All Elite Wrestling Rampage’s Bleacher Report coverage and recap on October 28.
The War Daddy was looking to continue his dominant reign as TNT Champion this week when he took on AEW newcomer Matt Taven.
Jon Moxley was in action in a non-title fight against Matt Menard of the Jericho Appreciation Society, and Tay Melo took on Madison Rayne.
With Full Gear less than a month away, AEW was also looking to build out the storylines that will occupy the map.
Let’s take a look at everything that happened on Friday’s show.
Jon Moxley vs. Matt Menard
1 of 4
AEW
Moxley received his own entry for the opening bout, but Menard and Angelo Parker were already in the ring for the Daddy Magic bout.
Cool Hand Ange provided an early distraction that didn’t slow the champ down much, but Menard eventually managed to take control anyway.
Parker continued to make an impact throughout the match, but that just gave Moxley more of a chance to look like a guy who refuses to stay down or give up.
Predictably, Moxley scored the win. It was a fun match that lasted about 10 minutes, but it certainly won’t stand out from the other things we’ve seen this week.
Winner: Jon Moxley
To note: C+
Notable Moments and Observations
- Moxley’s entrance music is about as over with the crowd as he is.
- Menard is one of those guys who makes everything he does more fun with a few simple noises or facial expressions.
- Moxley’s box cutter was dirty, but everything he does looks rough, so it worked for him.
Keith Lee vs Serpentico
2 out of 4
AEW
Keith Lee smashed Serpentico with a big powerbomb to claim what might be the quickest victory we’ve ever seen on Rampage.
The Limitless One was going to be interviewed by Tony Schiavone, but The Acclaimed came to interrupt. This led to a video with Swerve revealing he tied up Billy Gunn.
He started torturing Billy with a pair of pliers until Max Caster and Anthony Bowens ran off to find them. Lee was left speechless, which is rare for him.
The match was pointless and did nothing for Lee, but what followed was gold. This is going to be a great heel run for Swerve.
To note: D (Match), A (Post-game)
Tay Melo vs. Madison Rayne
3 out of 4
AEW
Sammy Guevara accompanied Melo to the ring for his match against AEW Coach Rayne.
They started with a relatively quick exchange of sockets and counters. It took a little while before someone landed a strike, but once they did, the intensity increased.
These two didn’t work together much, so there was a slight lack of chemistry. They didn’t look sloppy, but there were a few moments of hesitation that made a few moves awkward.
The match got better as the two contestants became more comfortable with each other. They had some time to work, so they were able to sell some of the big moves without having to rush to the next spot.
After a back-and-forth that saw both women take a few near falls, Melo was able to take the win with the TayKO.
Winner: Tay Melo
To note: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
- The way Rayne crashed after Melo dropped her on the top rope looked rough. She looked good, so she probably sold it well.
- Guevara is so naturally good at being a heel that you don’t even have to hear it. Her body language tells the whole story.
- Anyone who remembers Rayne early in her TNA career can see how much she has changed and improved over the years. It’s always fun to be able to follow a pro wrestler’s progress as they go from green to good.
- Rayne’s top rope cutter was cool.
Wardlow vs. Matt Taven
4 out of 4
AEW
AEW newcomer Taven got a big opportunity in his first match on Rampage when he faced Wardlow for the TNT Championship.
Unfortunately, much like Moxley vs. Menard, this fight suffered a bit from being too predictable. No one thought Taven would beat Wardlow for the belt, but it was always nice to see him compete in a high-profile main event right off the bat. This shows confidence in one’s abilities.
Maria provided a few distractions which allowed Taven to gain the upper hand for a little while. The War Daddy found himself on defense throughout the commercial break after being pushed into the steel steps.
It ended up being the best game of the night in many ways. If there were any fans who didn’t know Taven before this fight, they got a taste of what he can do.
Eventually, Wardlow started running his Powerbomb Symphony and hit a four before stepping on his opponent for the win. Mike Bennett immediately attacked his bad leg after the game was over, but Samoa Joe made the save.
Powerhouse Hobbs headed to the ring as a diversion so Brian Cage and The Gates of Agony could attack WarJoe from behind. The show ended with Cage and Hobbs holding the ROH TV and AEW TNT titles.
Winner: wardlow
To note: B
Notable Moments and Observations
- The pregame interview might be the most entertaining Wardlow has ever had on the microphone. He was confident and looked at ease.
- Taven calling Wardlow monotonous Melvin was funnier than it should have been.
- Close-ups of headbutts should be avoided as it makes it too obvious that their heads don’t actually connect.
- Wardlow may want to ditch the self-winding lariat. It’s not his best shot.
- Seeing Wardlow fight his way to his feet to escape a pin was unexpected and impressive.
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