Hello AEW fans! It’s Friday night and you know what that means – it’s AEW Rampage time! I’m Jeremy Thomas, replacing Lee Sanders for tonight. We’ve got a pretty decent show tonight on paper as Orange Cassidy defends the AEW All-Atlantic title against RUSH and Preston Vance, while The Acclaimed puts the World Tag Team Titles against college athletes with “Scissor Me, Daddy” on the line too. Additionally, Willow Nightengale faced Penelope Ford and HOOK defends the FTW Championship against Ari Daivari. Sounds like a fun show, so let’s get to it.
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s Daughters is still active and if you can donate that would be awesome. Thank you very much to everyone who has made it so far.
* We’re live in Jacksonville!
* Max Castor references Tuesday’s ratings, Kanye West and more in his rap. Sterling then cuts Bowens and explains how he has the trademark scissors and gives the hooking phase as an acclaimed attack.
The cheers drop the varsity athletes to begin with, but Sterling distracts them and Nese and Woods return the favor, then the scissors. Cheered back in the ring and we have a big fight, Caster throws Nese then tags him. Repeated elbows to the corner, Bowes whips Woods to Caster for a Powerslam. Irish whip, Caster to Woods backdrop and now an artmbar, reversed by Woods and fired, Woods puts Caster in the ropes and pulls him into the top rope so he falls outside.
Billy Gunn helps Castor up and Woods gets in his face, but rushes to the ring. Gunn then trips Woods with the referee’s back turned, but the Athletes get the referee’s attention and he is sent off. Woods knocks Bowens off the apron and Nese double team Caster until Woods hits a neckbreaker and we go PIP.
We’re back as Caster knocks out Woods with a big clothesline, and both men are down. Nese scores and Bowens is hit, bringing it to both Nese and Woods. Combination of elbows to Woods, then some kicks to Nese and a mist jump leg, cover but Woods breaks it up. Woods with a GTS to Bowens, Nese tags Woods and Bowens is sent to the corner. Woods with a charging forrarm, then Nese comes in and pins Nese. Rising knee from Woods, Nese tucks in, finisher and cover but Caster attacks Woods (sort of) into the pin.
The four men down now, Caster is up and having fun. He cuts Woods and hits a DVD, Nese with a kick to Caster, Bowens throws Nese but he hits Caster. Sunset turns around in the ring, Bowens rolls and kicks Nese, he takes out Woods and hits the Arrival and Caster with the mic drop for three.
Winner: The Acclaimed (8:03)
Evaluation: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Not bad, but a bit more shoddy than any of these guys. It wasn’t a horrible game but it was far from their best.
Sterling refuses to relinquish the mark despite the stipulation, and Billy Gunn rolls him into the ring. The Acclaimed repeatedly stomps Sterling down, and now Caster and Gunn hold him for the ropes leg. Gunn rips the mark and they shear. That’s not how trademarks work.
* Jade is backstage with Tony Schiavone and Leila will fight WIllow in place of Penelope since she is injured. Jade says she’s a woman of her word and saving the show…again. She asks for a ringside chance to get in the ring with Nyla and reclaim her title, and Schiavone says it will happen.
* Alex Marvez is behind the scenes with Eddie Kingston, Ortiz and the Lucha Bros. Ortiz says Eddie is losing his mind, and the Lucha Bros say he’s a superstar and they don’t want him to lose his job. PAC comes in and says he should watch out for them, taunting him a bit before leaving.
* Before their match, Ari takes a mic and tells HOOK that he understands HOOK didn’t want a check, but maybe he likes cash, so he’s giving it one more chance – HOOK puts l money in the ring and the match is on.
Suplex by HOOK to start, but Ari knocks him out of the ring. HOOK blocks a throw into the railing, Daivari escapes inside, and HOOK is distracted enough for Ari to attack. He gets HOOK in the ropes and cuts him off before kicking him in the head. The ref backs him off and the butler hits HOOK.
Back in the ring, Daivari yells at HOOK and swings, but HOOK blocks him and goes crazy with punches. He’s backed up and when he walks in, Ari lands a kick. But HOOK does a leg sweep and suplexes it. The butler distracted again, Daivari attacks and Hook stops him, gets off the ropes and takes the butler out! Daivari with a superkick that – of course, we’ll say he hit. But HOOK regains control, he locks Redrum and that’s it.
Winner: HOOK (2:48)
Evaluation: N / A
Thoughts: RIP Ari Daivari.
HOOK puts the butler to sleep afterwards.
* Lexi Nair is with Ethan Page, Stokely and Matt Hardy. Matt asks what he’s doing here and where Private Party is; PP was sent to Stokely School to get rid of the stink of Matt Hardy, while Matt has a match on AEW Dark: Elevation. Matt responds by rapping.
Circle to start and Leila avoids a block. They do it again, Leila dodges but then gets grabbed by a belt and brought to the mat. Back on their feet, Leila puts WIllow in the corner and the boot chokes her, WIllow pushes the boot away. Irish Whip, Willow cartwheels and Leila leaves the ropes to get knocked down with a shoulder tackle.
Leila outside and pins Willow, but back in the ring and Willow regains control. Willow’s bodyslam, Leila leaves the ring and Willow chases after him. Back inside, Kiera grabs her boot, she goes to the floor and Kiera super kicks her as we go to the PIP break.
We’re back with Willow crawling up to a downcast Leila and picking her up. Kicks to the head, whip in the corner and splashes. Willow throws Gray to the mat, brings it to him, and hits a spinebuster for two.
Willow puts Leila on her shoulders, but Gray slips out and hits a Russian leg kick. Leila charges Willow into the corner, but she gets slammed. Keira with the distraction, Leila with a rollup. Roundhouse kick and a Doctor Bomb for three.
Winner: Nightingale Willow (7:50)
Evaluation: ** 1/2
Thoughts: It was good. Again, some awkward moments but overall very watchable.
Tony is in the ring to interview Willow, who is now officially All Elite. Willow is emotional and kisses Schiavone – but here comes Jade! She comes to the ring with a chair and Willow walks out of the ring. Jade sits in the ring to hold the show hostage, getting a mic.
Jade says she’s a classy lady and not a thief, she gives Nyla 10 seconds to get the title out. She counts down and Nyla and company are on the tron in a car. Nyla says she missed Jacksonville too much. Apparently it’s Jade’s car, so they stole it too and drove off. Jade says she won’t leave the ring until she gets her belt back as the bad guys run away. Security arrives and Jade begins to arrange them before finally leaving.
* We get a replay of yesterday’s video where the RUSH match against Vance became a triple threat with Orange Cassidy for the AEW All-Atlantic title. Tony Khan was there in the original video drinking a beer and saying “Book it”. If you don’t think I have a screenshot of Tony Khan holding a beer in his hand for the 411 image header gallery, you don’t know me very well.
* Orange Cassidy tries to take over Mark Henry’s interview job, but Henry cuts him off and asks why he’s going into these guys’ business and putting his title on the line. “Uh, I don’t know.” Vance and RUSH also talk shit. Orange says “Well, looks like there’s been enough talk” and gets pushed by Henry so HE can say his catchphrase.
Vance and RUSH face off while Cassidy relaxes. They realize this and Cassidy does the pocket thing for a few shin shots, but RUSH cuts off the supershinkick and nails Vance. Cassidy takes him down then dives on Vance; he climbs up top and jumps but RUSH with a shot at him then a charge pun.
RUSH pins Vance as he tries to enter the ring and comes out, beating Vance around the ring area. RUSH grabs Cassidy and throws him into the railing. He goes back to Vance and tackles him to the ground, then grabs the electrical cord under the ring and whips Vance with it. Vance is now choking a bit on the ring floor. He introduces himself to the crowd, then walks over to Cassidy – snapmare down and a kick to the chest. Jose brings the cable and RUSH whips the knee, then chokes Orange with it.
RUSH back to Vance, he cuts Vance and rolls him into the ring, going in but Vance clotheslines him multiple times. Back outside and Vance nails RUSH multiple times, Cassidy dives out of the ring but gets caught by Vance and RUSH for a chokeslam into the table. And here we go for the PIP break.
Back from the PIP break as RUSH comes off the ropes but gets speared by Vance. Cassidy goes for the Orange Punch but Vance catches it in a full nelson. Cassidy goes for the pockets, gets picked up, and hits a juggernaut. Cassidy takes out RUSH and gets caught with a big boot – Cassidy with a Beach Break for two, but Jose breaks it up. Cassidy backs up and DANHAUSEN IS IN THE RING! He curses Jose with a low blow – RUSH pushes Danhausen into Cassidy then nails Danhausen in the jaw. Cassidy charges at RUSH and finds herself belly to belly in the turnbuckles.
Go ahead now, he hits a spinning bomb and a spinebuster on RUSH! He grabs Cassidy and hits a Wheelbarrow suplex and a Discus lasso for two, but RUSH breaks it up! Vance is on his feet now, he grabs RUSH and hits him with a forearm, charges into the corner and hits RUSH. RUSH flips it over and tries to rip the mask off, he flips the mask over and leaps up to step on Vance’s head. RUSH rolls over — ORANGE PUNCH! Cassidy goes for a Beach Break, Vance passes but Cassidy sits out for three.
Winner: Orange Cassidy (11:47)
Evaluation: ***
Thoughts: Nobody thought Orange lost the title here, but it was a very decent game. It got a little repetitive, but otherwise they delivered here.
Vance looks with RUSH on the ramp before catching -1 and going out the back. RUSH angrily points at Cassidy and Danhausen, who dismiss him and pose for the crowd.
We end with a tribute to Brian Muster, who passed away yesterday.
And with that, we’re done for the night.
#411MANIA #Jeremys #AEW #Rampage #Review #10.21.22