AEW Rampage- November 11, 2022
by Doc Allen
Live from Boston, Massachusetts. Our hosts are Jim Ross, Tony Shiavone, Excalibur, and Taz.
Luchasaurus (with Christian Cage) comes to the ring for a chat. Cage knows that Jungle Boy has a challenge for him, so he'd better come out to say it. Jungle Boy arrives right on cue and the live crowd sings along to "Tarzan Boy." Christian thinks JB is from Boston, because he's not smart, thinks he's tough, and has forgotten that he squashed him at All Out. Christian and Luchasaurus are done with JB and want to focus on championships, except he butted in to cost the dinosaur the All-Atlantic Championship. Jungle Boy resents them for wasting years of his life and stacking the odds against him. He wants Luchasaurus in a steel cage match at Full Gear. Christian thinks that Jungle Boy is finally realizing that he's not that good, and Luchasaurus is the real AEW pillar. Christian brings up JB's late father, which prompts a physical response, but Luchasaurus takes JB down with a chair. Luchaurus chokelslams Jungle Boy through a chair to send one final message and it looks like we have a good Full Gear match to look forward to.
Backstage interview with Death Triangle. Pac thinks they have to be smart and take any opportunity that comes their way. This seems to be setting up an open challenge for the The Elite at Full Gear.
AEW World Championship #1 Contenders Eliminator Tournament:
Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) vs. Dante Martin
Martin starts with a shotgun dropkick, but Cage blocks a springboard crossbody. Martin kicks the knee and punches the head. Martin's dropkick sends Cage outside, but his tope is reversed into a sick vertical suplex! Back from commercials, Martin has temporarily saved himself with a reverse DDT. Martin unloads a flurry of punches, floats into an enziguri, and hits a diving crossbody for 2. Cage blocks a nose dive, Martin leaps over him to hit a springboard dive to outside! Martin hits a giant frog splash for only 2. Cage drops Martin onto the apron, but Dante reverses into a 450 splash, but Cage dodges for a sick lariat. Cage powerbombs Martin for 2! Cage drapes Martin for the Weapon X to win at 7:19. Wonderful sprint, these two have fantastic chemistry, ***.Winner: Brian Cage
Backstage interview with Lee Moriarty and Stokely Hathaway. Moriarty didn't beat Moxley but he proved he can hang with the best of AEW. He wants some kind of gold, doesn't matter which one. FTW Champion Hook interrupts, and it looks like we have a title match to look forward to.
House of Black video package. The group is renewing their goal of creating a Kingdom of Pain. They still have Sting and Darby Allin on their sights.
AEW Championship Eliminator Tournament:
Rush (with Jose the Assistant) vs. Bandido
Rush meets Bandido with a tope before the bell. Rush sends Bandido into the barricade multiple times. Rush uses a neon green extension cord to whip and choke poor Bandido. Bell rings, and the fans chant for Bandido as Rush continues his dominance. Back from commercials, Bandido lands a big time frog splash for 2. Rush blocks the Three Amigos, nails a superkick, discus elbow, and his cocky pin gets 1. Rush nails a flying big boot for a good 2 count, even though the live crowd didn't buy it. Bandido counters with an impressive military press slam but Rush kicks out! Rush answers with a snap German suplex, Bandido returns the favor, but so does Rush! Rush hits a crucifix bomb, but Rush no-sells for a leg lariat! Fans give them a sitting ovation while they sell the damage. They trade counters until Rush hits a piledriver for 2. Jose sends Rush a chair, referee Aubrey notices it, and doesn't see Jose tie Bandido into a tree of woe. John Silver arrives to neutralize Jose. Bandido is free to roll up Rush for the win at 9:45! Super fun match, back-and-forth action with an unclear finish, ***¼.Winner: Bandido
Jake Hager, in his awesome purple bucket hat, challenges Claudio Castagnoli to some kind of match. I don't care how lame you think Hager is, that hat is awesome, I want one, and I'll fight you for it.
"TBS Champion" Nyla Rose (with Vickie Guerrero) vs. Kayla Sparks
Nyla has physical possession of Jade Cargill's TBS Championship and is milking it for all it's worth. Nyla kicks Kayla in the knee and then nails a thrust kick. Nyla flexes like Jade, hits a corner splash, and finishes with Jaded at 0:45. Did Nyla's squash just turn Jade face? Maybe. This kind of feels like the 3rd or 4th PPV that Nyla has been reheated for over the past few years, ½*.Winner: Nyla Rose
Real TBS Champion Jade Cargill (with The Baddies) storms the ring to remove Nyla. Their Full Gear match is still heating up.
Mark Henry hosts the split screen confrontation between The Factory's Lee Johnson and Best Friend's Orange Cassidy. They don't like each other much, so it's time for the main event.
AEW All-Atlantic Championship:
Orange Cassidy © (with Best Friends) vs. Lee Johnson (with The Factory)
Orange Cassidy © (with Best Friends) vs. Lee Johnson (with The Factory)
Johnson is back from the injured list and looks game for this title shot. Lee stops OC from putting his hands in pockets, but OC answers with a side headlock. They run the ropes and Cassidy hits a shoulder tackle for 2. Lee responds with a shoulder tackle, but OC answers with consecutive arm drags. OC hits some sarcastic sloth kicks, and dropkicks Aaron Solo from the apron. Johnson mounts a comeback, but Cassidy bounces his skull off the turnbuckles. Best Friends pulls QT Marshall from the apron, meanwhile Nick Comoroto throws OC into the rails. Back from commercials, both guys are down while the crowd gives them dueling chants. That seems like a victory for Lee Johnson. Cassidy backdrops Johnson to ringside and springboards onto The Factory. OC gives Lee a crossbody, but Johnson counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb for 2! Nick Comoroto tries to rescue Lee, but Trent Berreta interferes with a spear! Best Friends beat up The Factory at ringside, OC hits Lee with a Tornado DDT! The Orange Punch misses, Lee gets a rollup for 2. Lee nails a superkick, and OC reverses into Beach Break to win at 8:56. Solid match, I love that OC won with a secondary finisher, ***.Winner and still All-Atlantic Champion: Orange Cassidy
Best Friends prevent any revenge attacks, and QT Marshall backs off looking frustrated. Best Friends give Kole Karter a triple chokeslam to remind us that this company is supposed to be All Elite.
Final Thoughts: Just a really fun late night Friday show. If you saw this, you probably had a lot of fun. If you missed this, you didn't really miss much. Just set your DVR for Dynamite on Wednesday and you'll be alright.
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