AEW Rampage Results And Review (8/19/22): ROH World Title Match Announced
AEW Rampage was filled to the brim with action. There were four matches announced for the show and another was added during it. We also received a new challenger for the ROH World Championship, and the match was made official. With so much happening in only one hour, AEW Rampage definitely lives up to its reputation for being “the fastest hour in television.” Here’s my review of everything that happened on the show.
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
We Hear from Claudio Castagnoli
My assumptions were correct in that we were probably going to get a new challenger for the ROH title. Claudio Castagnoli held an open invitation for anyone to challenge him for the title, so out came Dustin Rhodes and the match was made official for next week’s AEW Rampage. It seems like they’re treating the ROH world title like a mid-card title with how many times it is getting defended. It makes the title feel less important with the fact anyone can challenge Castagnoli for it because they want to. There’s no denying the fact that Rhodes has had a legendary career in professional wrestling, but there are numerous wrestlers more deserving. As of late, AEW has been giving title shots to seemingly anyone besides the ones that deserve it the most.
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match
Private Party vs Swerve in our Glory (c)
AEW has some of the best tag team wrestlers in the business, so it was no surprise this match was great. I do like Private Party, but there are other tag teams more deserving of a shot at the titles. For example, FTR has been ranked number one in the tag team division for quite some time and hasn’t received a shot at the titles. Private Party’s reasoning was they just became the number five ranked team. With AEW All Out a few weeks away, AEW needs to build a feud for the tag team titles. Overall, the match was great, but it just felt like a random bout that was put together.
Result: Swerve in our Glory (c) def. Private Party
FTW Championship Match
Zack Clayton vs HOOK (c)
Another title match that is extremely random. HOOK held an open challenge and Zack Clayton answered the call. Clayton is a wrestler and television character on “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.” Again, they’re just giving title shots to anyone. I love HOOK and think he is super talented, but the squash matches are getting old. If he is going to be wrestling weekly on AEW Rampage, I want to see him actually wrestle. Not just squash someone in thirty seconds. If they’re trying to build HOOK up, him squashing no-name wrestlers doesn’t do anything. Him beating established wrestlers in an actual wrestling match has a bigger impact on him and his progression.
Result: HOOK (c) def. Zack Clayton
Buddy Mathews (of House of Black) vs Serpentico
Since HOOK’s match lasted about thirty seconds, Tony Khan added this match right on AEW Rampage. It was nice to see Buddy Mathews back in action on television. He’s one of the most underrated wrestlers in the world right now. Although this was another squash, I’m a little more forgiving of it. Since Miro came out and attacked Mathews, I’m okay with the squash. It was nice to see Miro on television instead of him doing a video package. Him coming out and attacking Mathews definitely helped pick up this feud. It is going to be interesting to see where the feud goes from here.
Result: Buddy Mathews def. Serpentico
Penelope Ford vs Athena
It was nice to see Penelope Ford back in action on AEW Rampage. The match was surprisingly more even than I anticipated. Athena continued her undefeated streak by picking up a victory, but it was nice to see Jade Cargill finally come out and recognize Athena as a threat. The match hasn’t been made official yet, but it’s safe to assume it will happen at All Out. As a whole, the feud between Athena and Cargill has been strange to me. Athena targeted Cargill when she first arrived in AEW a couple of months ago, but she hasn’t really been chasing her as of late. AEW needs to do a good job at building this match for All Out as it is quickly approaching.
Result: Athena def. Penelope Ford
Trustbusters vs Best Friends
This was the second match in the AEW trios tournament and it was another solid match. I don’t understand the appeal of the Trustbusters or even why they were in the tournament, to begin with. The match itself was pretty good, as it seems every tag match is in AEW. Best Friends hit a really cool finisher to win the match as well. Ari Daivari looked decent, but the other member of Trustbusters just didn’t impress me. Best Friends are extremely underutilized and it’s a crime that they haven’t been tag team champions yet. Orange Cassidy is a fan favorite and always has been, so AEW needs to capitalize on that sooner rather than later.
Result: Best Friends def. Trustbusters
