AEW Rampage Preview (11/18/22): The Go-Home Rampage
AEW Rampage is the final stop before Full Gear on Saturday. With only a few matches announced for Rampage, it is likely that AEW will add another or we’ll hear from a major star.
Regardless, Rampage has been lacking as of late and this episode is no different. The show features none of the main stars of the company and no one that’s on the Full Gear match card. However, I would be surprised if we didn’t hear from someone on the pay-per-view on Rampage.
So here’s what to expect heading into AEW Rampage:
Lance Archer vs. Ricky Starks
Originally, this match was supposed to take place last week on Rampage. But Lance Archer attacked Ricky Starks backstage, thus forcing AEW to postpone the match.
This is a first-round match in the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament. The winner of this tournament will get an opportunity at the AEW World Championship at Winter is Coming. Also, the finals were originally supposed to be held at Full Gear, but after Starks suffered an injury and they had to postpone his match, the finals will be held on Dynamite next week.
The winner of this match will face Brian Cage in the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket, Ethan Page has already made it to the finals. So who will Page face in the finals?
Athena vs. Madison Rayne
This is the first time in over a month that Athena is going to be on television for AEW. However, she currently has a 12-match winning streak going on. Lately, she has been competing on AEW Dark and AEW Dark Elevation. She makes her return to television facing off against a coach of the women’s division, Madison Rayne.
Rayne is a professional wrestling veteran and has won titles in OVW and TNA over the years. Now, she is in AEW to help coach the women’s division, but that doesn’t mean she won’t get in the ring every once in a while. Friday she faces off against Athena on AEW Rampage to prove she can still hang with the best of them.
*FTW Championship Match*
Lee Moriarty vs. HOOK (c)
FTW Champion, HOOK, has yet to lose a match in AEW. He currently sits at 15-0 and has successfully defended the title three times since winning it. He has given anyone who wanted an opportunity to win the gold, but every person who stepped up tapped out and was unsuccessful in claiming the title.
This week, he faces Lee Moriarty. Moriarty has been having a great run thus far. He just had a great performance against AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley. So, will Moriarty be the first person to beat HOOK on AEW Rampage?
Eddie Kingston and Ortiz vs. Jun Akiyama and Konosuke Takeshita
Kingston and Ortiz are teaming up to take on professional wrestling legend, Akiyama and a young rising star, Takeshita.
Ortiz, along with other friends, has been trying to help Kingston with his temper. Ever since the match between Kingston and Sammy Guevara, Kingston has been working on his temper. He thinks he’s fine, but his friends think otherwise. So now they have an opportunity to beat a professional wrestling legend in Akiyama.
Akiyama has been wrestling for 30 years. He has held championships in AJPW, GHC, and DDT. He’s competed in AJPW, GHC, DDT, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a highly decorated competitor who has hundreds of matches under his belt.
His partner, Takeshita, is a young rising star in professional wrestling. Takeshita has held some gold in his own right in KO-D and DDT. Ultimately, these two make an interesting pair of a professional wrestling legend and a rising star who is on his way to becoming a legend in his own right.
