{"id":133627,"date":"2022-02-19T23:05:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-20T05:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=133627"},"modified":"2022-02-19T23:05:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-20T05:05:20","slug":"aew-rampage-hits-misses-2-19-jay-white-misses-with-promo-but-hits-in-the-ring-smart-video-recaps-of-dynamite-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2022\/02\/19\/aew-rampage-hits-misses-2-19-jay-white-misses-with-promo-but-hits-in-the-ring-smart-video-recaps-of-dynamite-more\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW RAMPAGE HITS &#038; MISSES 2\/19: Jay White misses with promo, but hits in the ring, smart video recaps of Dynamite, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-1948448867\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p><strong>Adam Cole defeated Dark Order\u2019s \u201cTen\u201d: MINOR HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Solid opening contest. It\u2019s always interesting to see a large babyface against a smaller heel, but Cole was smart to work over Ten\u2019s leg to keep him from building any real momentum.<\/p>\n<p>I also appreciate Ten\u2019s recent record being brought up, which justifies his TV time with Cole. However, as always, most of this happened on shoulder programming, and his aggressive streak against the security guards on Dynamite just felt sudden. It\u2019s difficult to buy into this when he\u2019s been a background player to a comedy faction, and we haven\u2019t seen any long-term process of character growth.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cTen\u201d chants he leaned into might be a good way to temporarily bond with the crowd, but it reminds me of Tye Dillinger in WWE. Even if you weren\u2019t a WWE fan back then, it still defines him as a member of Dark Order without much character beyond his number.<\/p>\n<p>I want to see AEW run with one or two members of Dark Order as serious contenders instead of start-and-stop pushes resembling Dolph Ziggler in the early-mid 2010s.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MJF-CM Punk Video Promo Highlights: HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s promo last week was great. A good homage to wrestling history, and it strayed away from eye-rolling meta stuff. While Piper and Valentine are before my time, the still shots of their iconic dog-collar match in this video segment helped me appreciate the gravity of it (if the Rhodes-Lee match didn\u2019t already). I appreciate being reminded of this promo, and it was a way to foreshadow what will see on the Pay Per View. MJF has built up enough heat to make me want to see him get beaten up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Dante Martin to earn a spot in the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match: HIT<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-541080350\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Surprising finish for sure, but I like seeing Hobbs notch a major singles win on television. The match was a nice clash of styles. There were enough slow, heat-building moments to whet my appetite for Martin\u2019s athletic comebacks. Speaking of Martin, he definitely looked better here than his main event match with MJF several weeks ago on Dynamite.<\/p>\n<p>With Keith Lee, Wardlow, and Hobbs now in the ladder match, it is shaping up to be a contest unlike we\u2019ve ever seen before. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll sneak in a couple of high-flyers in the coming weeks, but it\u2019ll be nice to see a ladder match that isn\u2019t a high-spot fest for once.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jade Cargill Backstage Interview: MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt Hardy came with Bunny to propose a challenge for Cargill\u2019s TBS championship. I thought Cargill\u2019s non-verbals were strong, but she\u2019s leaning a little too heavily into the \u201cmoney\u201d line, to the point of comedy. I think branding and character definition is good, but Cargill needs to find the boundary between presenting herself as a prize fighter and having fun with the gimmick.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, Mark Sterling is a complete charisma vacuum, and Matt Hardy was also just silly here. This isn\u2019t how you promote a title match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Serena Deeb defeated Angelica Risk in \u201cThe Professor\u2019s 5-Minute Challenge\u201d: MINOR HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Quick two-minute victory for Deeb. I\u2019m loving her new character dimension. If this continues, Deeb will be more over than Britt Baker in my eyes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bryan Danielson-Jon Moxley Promo Highlights: HIT<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1693765701\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>This was another legendary promo from Dynamite last week, and it\u2019s good to be reminded of it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Main Event Promo: MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I thought White did as good a job as he could in 30 seconds to convey his purpose in AEW. By no means was this as good as a Roman Reigns promo, or the one promo I\u2019ve seen him cut in New Japan, but it was decent. My issue is with his character\u2019s goal. It doesn\u2019t make any sense in AEW canon. I know Trent has been featured a little stronger since his return, but should a main-event talent be imported just to take out Trent? Is the AEW version of Trent really worth Jay White\u2019s time? Shouldn\u2019t be fighting Orange Cassidy, the man who pinned Adam Cole? Or is Jay White simply not as big a star as I hear he is? Alternatively, maybe the Elite are so incompetent that they have given up on trying to beat Cassidy and turned their focus to Trent instead.<\/p>\n<p>Trent\u2019s part of the promo was short but alright. If AEW wants to continue to build him as a serious competitor, he may have to lose the question mark on his name (it wasn\u2019t in his ring introduction, but it was on his shirt). Trent was part of a great street fight with Santana and Ortiz, and I\u2019ve enjoyed most of his character since his return from injury, but he still needs to sort out some lingering inconsistencies in his character presentation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jay White defeated Trent Beretta: HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very good match. Physical and gritty without any weapons, blood, or ringside spots. I was fortunate that there were no commercials in my feed, so I got to see more of White\u2019s non-verbals than the average American audience.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the crowd didn\u2019t seem to know who White is, as confirmed by the live correspondent on the post-show last week.<\/p>\n<p>After the match, White has a little stare down with Cassidy. It would have made sense for him to go after Cassidy as soon as last week, but I\u2019ll take this.<\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t an NJPW fan, it\u2019s easier to enjoy White if you just think of him as a visiting mid-card heel instead of a Roman Reigns-esque supervillain. He strikes me as the kind of wrestler who needs multiple weeks to establish his character and spread his charisma, and that\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Commentary: MINOR MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In trying to explain White and Trent\u2019s history, Excalibur relied on increasingly confusing jargon. For example, what\u2019s a \u201cGrand Slam\u201d champion? I appreciated Jericho following up with an AEW-relevant example by saying White has a victory over Kenny Omega. That\u2019s a better way to convey his pedigree.<\/p>\n<p>However, Jericho didn\u2019t have a good night otherwise. Not his worst performance, but there were signs of him slipping back into self-indulgence. Enough to slightly drag down my rating.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overall Show: HIT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very good in-ring action across the board, without a single spot fest or \u201cself-mutilation.\u201d Unfortunately, the verbal storytelling wasn\u2019t quite as strong, but that didn\u2019t last longer than a couple of minutes. I hear Smackdown featured some excellent action as well, so this was probably a good night for wrestling fans.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>CATCH-UP:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2022\/02\/18\/2-18-aew-rampage-tv-report-jay-whites-in-ring-aew-debut-vs-beretta-adam-cole-vs-dark-orders-10-hobbs-vs-dante-deeb-vs-risk\/\">2\/18 AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT: Jay White\u2019s in-ring AEW debut vs. Beretta, Adam Cole vs. Dark Order\u2019s \u201c10,\u201d Hobbs vs. Dante, Deeb vs. Risk<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2890575612\"><div id=\"pwtor-671898367\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Adam Cole defeated Dark Order\u2019s \u201cTen\u201d: MINOR HIT Solid opening contest. It\u2019s always interesting to see a large babyface against a smaller heel, but Cole was smart to work over Ten\u2019s leg to keep him <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2022\/02\/19\/aew-rampage-hits-misses-2-19-jay-white-misses-with-promo-but-hits-in-the-ring-smart-video-recaps-of-dynamite-more\/\" title=\"AEW RAMPAGE HITS &#038; MISSES 2\/19: Jay White misses with promo, but hits in the ring, smart video recaps of Dynamite, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":123144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[6121,6558,6562],"class_list":["post-133627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists","tag-aew","tag-aew-rampage","tag-rampage"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2021\/07\/Jay-White.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133627"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133628,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133627\/revisions\/133628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}