Tonight marks the first episode of Rampage, and it’s an exciting time for All Elite Wrestling! After persevering through fifteen months of empty arena (occasional fans) shows at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, AEW has begun touring and their momentum is through the roof. This new show looks to be the amazing, fast-paced action that AEW is known for.
The first episode looks to be a great one, with three championship matches on the docket.
Impact World Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Christian Cage
After gaining the #1 contender’s spot, Christian Cage confronted Omega this past week on Dynamite. Cage went to Tony Khan and Scott D’amore and they granted him an opportunity for the Impact championship. This will be the first time the Impact title will be defended on an AEW program. That’s pretty cool!
The first match in Rampage history has some huge energy behind it. It has a big fight feel, as these two legends stare down each other as the bell rings. Impact referee, Brian Hebner, is the official. AEW always nailing the details.
The two men lock up, and try to intimidate each other. After some jockeying for position, they both unsuccessfully go for their finishers, and the pace slows. The whole match has been Christian having all of the answers for Kenny’s mind games. Kenny goes back on top after pushing Christian off of the top rope onto the floor with a hard landing.
Christian hits an AMAZING sunset flip powerbomb off of the top rope, and gets the upper hand. These two just hit move after move after move against each other. Christian goes for a spear and gets V-triggered in the face, and then V-triggered again. Omega goes for the V-trigger again, but misses and hits the turnbuckle. Christian takes advantage with a spear and a CLOSE two count.
Omega hits two snapdragons, Christian uses the ropes to stop him. Christian hits a huge frog splash for another close two. Don Callis tries to distract the referee, the Young Bucks slide Omega a chair after Omega low blows Christian, but Cage reverses into a Killswitch onto the chair. Christian Cage PINS OMEGA! He’s the new champion!
What a shocker! What a match! The whole story was Christian being able to outsmart Omega’s shenanigans and mind games. Having smart babyfaces is just something missing in wrestling for too long.
TNT Championship: Miro (c) vs. Fuego del Sol
If Fuego wins, he gets the contract AND the championship! He just needs to get past Miro, which is no small task.
Fuego hits a tornado DDT before the bell, but Remsburg doesn’t ring the bell until Miro gets up. The bell rings and the Tornado DDT gets hit again, but Miro slides out of the ring. He gets into the ring at nine and a half, and Fuego hits another Tornado DDT with a close two count. Fuego goes for it AGAIN, and Miro catches him, hits a samoan drop, and then a huge thrust kick to the face. Miro uses the Game Over and Fuego taps instantly.
This was great for exactly what it was! They did such a good job of selling me on Fuego being the ultimate babyface. I went in thinking Miro was going to destroy him, but after that third Tornado DDT I thought for a second they might have switched the titles. That would have been a huge story. Two matches into Rampage history, and it’s perfect so far.
Sammy Guevara comes out with a clipboard, telling him that Tony Khan has officially made him “ALL ELITE,” and given him a contract. Oh man, who’s cutting onions in here?!
AEW Women’s World Championship: Britt Baker DMD (c) vs. Red Velvet
The crowd is incredibly hot for the hometown girl, Britt Baker. I’m so happy to see her being the hometown hero.
They start with sizing each other up with some chain wrestling. Britt has a wrist sleeve to protect her broken wrist. Velvet targeting the wrist, as she should be. Red Velvet is very much improved, and these two have good chemistry. Britt reverses an attempt at an arm drag, and bashes Velvet’s face. Britt has complete control until Velvet targets the wrist again with a punch and two knees.
Britt goes for the lockjaw, but Velvet reverses it into a pin. Velvet takes off the protective sleeve, hits Rebel with it, and takes advantage of the Rebel distraction with a thrust kick to the face of Britt. Velvet attempts to hit her own version of the lockjaw on Britt, but it gets reversed into Britt’s Lockjaw. Red smacks the wrist again, and then Britt uses her left hand with the Lockjaw for the win.
After the bell, Britt continues to attack Velvet, but Statlander (who was at ringside) comes for the save. Someone in black comes in to knock out Statlander, and it’s revealed to have been Jamie Hayter. Hayter hasn’t been seen in forever because of the lockdown, and now she’s Britt’s “backup.”
This show was perfect. I have no issues with it, in the slightest. I wanted a show with a different feel than Dynamite, and I got it. The commentators, the colors of the ramp and ringside area, and the pace made it feel like I was watching something a little different. Dynamite itself usually flies by, but sometime it drags a little because of necessary story points they need to tell. Rampage is only one hour long, and if they put three matches on it every single week, and they’re matches of that caliber…Rampage is gonna be a hit.
Match of the Night: Omega vs. Cage
Verdict: 5/5 Just a perfect show