SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 4, 2022
AT BOARDWALK HALL, ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Mike Tyson
Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
– The opening of Rampage aired, and JR welcomed us to the show. Ross was joined by Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Mike Tyson.
– Mike Tyson’s music hit as he made his way to the announce table.
(1) ORANGE CASSIDY (w/Best Friends & Danhausen) vs. KATSUYORI SHIBATA – AEW All-Atlantic Championship
A video aired before the match which went over Shibata’s injury backstory. The crowd chanted “holy shit” as the bell rang. Shibata put on a headlock to get things started, then took Cassidy to the mat. Tyson called out Shibata’s mat work just as Shibata missed a kick to the face. Shibata was sent to the apron, then struck to the mat. Cassidy fired through the ropes to take out Shibata on the floor.
Shibata was thrown into the barricade but came back with a boot to the face. He followed it up by throwing Cassidy into the barricades around ringside. Shibata posed in the center of the ring as Cassidy was still on the outside. Shibata went back outside but Cassidy threw him into the barricade again. The two went back and forth on the floor, then rolled into the ring to break the count in time. [c]
Cassidy got to his feet as we came back from the commercial. He hit a running dropkick on Shibata in the corner, then hit his light kicks until Shibata cut him off. Shibata then hit Cassidy’s light kicks in a mocking manner. Cassidy got to his feet then hit Shibata’s sit down pose. Shibata sat down and the two traded slaps. Shibata took Cassidy down with one shot, then hit him with a barrage in the corner. Shibata hit a running dropkick as a follow up as Cassidy looked to be in trouble.
Shibata hit a float-over supplex for two. The two traded moves until striking one another at the same time, which knocked them to the mat. Cassidy hit the PK but Shibata sat right up. Cassidy hit another but Shibata didn’t flinch. Cassidy tried for a third but Shibata fired back with a leaping elbow strike. Shibata went for an abdominal stretch, which Tyson correctly called. Shibata put in a submission and took Cassidy to the mat. Cassidy was able to reach the ropes for the break. Cassidy hit a Stun Dog Millionaire. Shibata came right back with a DVD, but Cassidy countered a second attempt.
Cassidy hit a Beach Break but Shibata kicked out at two. Cassidy hit Orange Punch but Shibata didn’t go down, then locked in a sleeper. Cassidy hit a second Orange Punch for the win.
WINNER: Orange Cassidy in 11:00 to retain the All-Atlantic Title.
(Moynahan’s Take: Wow this was fun, and Tyson actually held his own on commentary. It was awesome, and quite surreal, to see Shibata, who didn’t seem to be held back from doing anything in this one. Here’s hoping he remains healthy and safe and can go a few more times as long as it’s possible.)
– Lexy Nair was backstage with Toni Storm and asked her about her friendship with Jamie Hayter. Storm wondered why Hayter became such a bully over the past few years, and seemed to blame it on Britt Baker. Storm said Hayter will have to take responsibility for her behavior at Full Gear. [c]
– BCC was interviewed backstage about their scuffle with the JAS on Dynamite. Claudio says he drew the line when Jericho attacked Ian Riccoboni. Claudio said since he’s a former ROH Champion, he wanted his rematch. Danielson also mentioned being a former ROH World title and said he’d take the ROH title from Jericho if given one more chance. Regal said the ball was in Jericho’s court and he should make his choice.
(2) BRITT BAKER & JAMIE HAYTER (w/Rebel) vs. MADISON RAYNE & SKYE BLUE
Rayne and Hayter started things off but Blue tagged in soon after and went for an easy pin attempt on Hayter. Blue ducked a charge by Hayter and came off the top with a cross body for two. Hayter draped Blue across the top rope, then knocked Rayne off the apron. [c]
Blue and Hayter were going at it as Blue hit a thrust kick to take Hayter down. Baker tagged in and tried cutting off the ring from Blue but Blue was able to make the tag to Rayne. Rayne took down Baker for a two count. Rayne followed up with a cutter but Hayter came in and hit Rayne with a backbreaker. Baker kicked Rayne in the stomach, then hit a swinging neckbreaker but Blue broke up the pin attempt.
Baker hit an elbow strike on Blue, then tagged in Hayter. Baker and Hayter hit double thrust kicks. Rayne hit an enziguri on Baker but was met with a huge clothesline by Hayter who picked up the win.
WINNERS: Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter in 8:00
(Moynahan’s Take: A fine tag match that the crowd didn’t seem to get into.)
– Baker took the mic as Hayter beat down Blue and Rayne. Toni Storm’s music hit and she took out Rebel with one strike. Storm took out Baker as well, then hit the ring to go at it with Hayter. The two brawled as Storm got the upper hand as she locked in a Texas Cloverleaf. Baker came back in with the Women’s title and she clocked Storm with it. Baker gave the title to Hayter as she posed over Storm.
– A video from Dynamite was shown of Jericho calling out Baltimore Raven, Lamar Jackson. Jackson was then shown during a press conference talking about the incident and his love of wrestling.
– Tony Schiavone then interviewed Jericho and Sammy Guevara. Schiavone asked Jericho about Regal’s comment about taking his pick of either Danielson or Claudio. Jericho said what if he picked both men because he said he doesn’t think the BCC even liked one another and said they’d tear one another apart. He said he’d bring in Sammy to make things a four-way, since they never had any bad blood. He said Danielson and Claudio would take one another out as Sammy would “do the right thing” from there. Jericho walked away as Sammy didn’t seem to agree.
(Moynahan’s Take: I like the build here, and according to Excalibur, it sounds like this match will go down at Full Gear.)
– Ricky Starks made his way to the ring. Starks said he knows the crowd likes him and they know he’s good. He said he likes the crowd as well and said he knew they all have questions that he has answers to. Starks officially entered himself in the Full Gear World Title Eliminator Tournament. Starks said things were crumbling around AEW but he’d hold things up on his back. He said he’d walk out the number one contender after Full Gear. Starks called out Moxley and MJF by name as the two men who could potentially face as number one contender.
(Moynahan’s Take: A solid promo which makes the Eliminator Tournament feel like a bigger deal. Between Starks and Ethan Page hyping it on Dynamite, this is coming off much better than just random names in a tournament.)
– Tony Schiavone was backstage again with Sammy Guevara. Sammy played off what Jericho said and said the ROH Title would stay with the JAS. Sammy then asked for a 2 out of 3 falls match on this week’s Dynamite against Bryan Danielson.
– Mark Henry was backstage with participants from tonight’s main event. Wardlow said he wasn’t scared of The Gates of Agony, then dared Powerhouse Hobbs to try and attack him again. Henry announced that it was “time for the main event.”
– Excalibur ran down the Full Gear card, which included an official announcement of the 4-way ROH World title match between Jericho, Sammy, Claudio, and Danielson.
(3) WARJOE (Wardlow & Samoa Joe) vs. GATES OF AGONY (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun w/Prince Nana)
Wardlow was very fired up and focused as the match kicked off. Wardlow charged Kaun into the corner, then hit a series of shoulder blocks. Kaurn whipped Wardlow into the corner but Wardlow charged out with a clothesline. Joe tagged in, as did Liona. The crowd was quiet until these two faced off. Joe hit a series of rights which rocked Liona to the corner. Liona came back with a number of knee strikes. Joe hit a bicycle kick to Liona’s face but Liona came back by biting Joe’s ear. [c]
The crowd was chanting for Joe as he tried to break out of a submission hold by Kaun. Joe succeeded and finally tagged in Wardlow who quickly went to work. Wardlow threw Kaun down with a suplex, then hit one on Liona who entered the ring. Wardlow hit a spinebuster on Kaun, then covered for two. Joe pulled Liona out of the ring as Wardlow knocked Prince Nana off the apron. Kaun went for a pin on Wardlow, who kicked out. Wardlow hit the Powerbomb Symphony for the win.
WINNERS: WarJoe in 10:00
– Hobbs came out after the match and stared down with Wardlow in the ring. Wardlow pushed Joe aside, which seemed to annoy him a bit.
(Moynahan’s Take: WarJoe ends up making quick work of Gate of Agony, who have looked good but still haven’t received much of a backstory to give us a reason to care. An intriguing post-match staredown which also seems to be leading to a possible Wardlow and Joe match down the road?)
FINAL THOUGHTS: A much better hour of Rampage than the last number of weeks. The live crowd was a bit too quiet for my taste, but the in-ring work was solid, as were the multiple storylines being built up over the show. And while I’ve said this earlier in my notes, how surreal was it that this show not only included a Shibata match, but a Shibata match that was commentated by Mike Tyson of all people!? That alone is worthy of your time to go check out this show. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
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