Rampage – June 10, 2022: They Know What They Want

Rampage
Date: June 10, 2022
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz

We are just over two weeks away from Forbidden Door but things have been shaken up pretty hard around here lately. A string of injuries has changed some of the direction in AEW but bringing in some of the New Japan wrestlers should help. That includes this week, as Will Ospreay/Aussie Open are teaming up to face FTR/Trent Beretta. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Eddie Kingston vs. Jake Hager

Kingston strikes away to start but Hager knocks him down with a knee to the ribs. Hager sends him outside before it’s back inside to crank on both arms. They’re already back to the floor with Hager pounding away, followed by some forearms in the corner back inside. The armbar goes on back inside but Kingston fights up. That doesn’t go well for Kingston, who gets chopped so hard that he takes down the straps. Kingston kicks him in the head to take over, only to walk into an overhead belly to belly.

We take a break and come back with Kingston getting in a shot of his own for the double knockdown. Kingston knocks him into the corner for the rapid fire chops but Hager hits him in the face. The Hager Bomb gets two but Kingston grabs a suplex of his own. Kingston’s spinning backfist is countered into a suplex, only to have Hager come back with the ankle lock. Hager’s right hands in the corner rock Kingston, who comes right back with a pair of spinning backfists for the pin at 11:24.

Rating: C+. They had a good, hard hitting back and forth match here and what matters most is that Kingston got another big win. Kingston is starting to put together a streak where you can believe he could take down some bigger names and this should help. Hager might not be a top star, but he has been treated as someone hard to beat so there is some value for Kingston in the win.

Kingston has to be helped out.

Britt Baker is so mad at Toni Storm that she calls Tony Schiavone a dumb***. She doesn’t like Storm touching the Owen Hart Title but more than that, she misses the Women’s Title.

Video on Ortiz vs. Chris Jericho in their upcoming hair vs. hair match.

Satnam Singh/Jay Lethal vs. Besties In The World

Lethal and Vega start things off but it’s already off to Singh. That means the chopping and tossing can begin, with Vega not having many options. Fitchett tries to come in but both Besties get crossbodied at the same time. Singh holds both Besties for a double Lethal Injection to give Lethal the pin at 1:39. Total squash so not much to get out of Singh here, though he looked rather slow.

Danhausen was so proud of he and Hook winning at Double Or Nothing that they have bought matching golf carts. Hook arrives in his to give chase.

Red Velvet vs. Kris Statlander

The other Baddies and Stokely Hathaway are here too. Velvet charges at her outside but gets powerslammed HARD on the floor, allowing Statlander to throw her inside for the opening bell. That leaves Velvet asking the Baddies for advice, which seems to be “CHOKE HER”. Not that it works as Statlander walks up the steps and then the corner before throwing Velvet inside. A high crossbody misses though and Velvet starts in on the leg.

We take a break and come back with Statlander hitting some shoulders to the ribs in the corner. Statlander powers up and hits a very spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Something like a Michinoku Driver gets two but Velvet is back with a running knee to the back of the head. A spinning middle rope corner drops Statlander and Just Dessert gets two. Velvet’s spinning kick to the head is blocked though and Friday Night Fever finishes for Statlander at 8:55.

Rating: C. Statlander is being built up well, even if it seems like she is there to be fed to Cargill. Letting her run through the Baddies is a good idea as that is why you have lackeys, though Athena might be the one getting the big title shot. Cargill has needed some actual challenges though and Statlander could be just that.

Post match Kiera Hogan and Jade Cargill lay Statlander out until Anna Jay comes in for the failed save attempt. Athena comes in for the real save attempt but gets held back.

Miro is ready to hurt Ethan Page and win the All Atlantic Title.

Ethan Page says he looks up to and prays to himself so he is ready to wave the Canadian flag as he beats Miro next week.

The United Empire and FTR/Trent Beretta are ready for the main event and don’t like each other very much.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

United Empire vs. FTR/Trent Beretta

That would be Will Ospreay/Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher/Mark Davis) with Aaron Henare for the Empire. Harwood takes Ospreay down to start but gets run over by a shoulder. Wheeler comes in and gets kind of hurricanranaed down, giving us a standoff. Wheeler gets taken into the corner and it’s off to Davis to toss Wheeler into the wrong corner. Trent comes in and hits a few chops as everything breaks down. The Empire is sent outside and Trent hits an Asai moonsault but comes up favoring his ankle.

We take a break and come back with Trent hitting an enziguri but getting knocked down again by Davis. Fletcher misses a running dropkick in the corner though and the hot tag brings in Harwood to clean house. Some clotheslines set up the rolling German suplexes to Fletcher and it’s off to Wheeler for a powerbomb.

Another German suplex into a jackknife rollup gets two but Aussie Open gets back up to beat Wheeler down. A toss into a cutter sets up Ospreay’s springboard 450 for two. The Oscutter gives Ospreay the same but Wheeler gets away and brings Trent back in. Everything breaks down and Ospreay hits a slingshot dive onto FTR. That leaves Davis to go after Trent, who catches Davis in Strong Zero for the pin at 13:57.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but the last few minutes were quite good. The Empire didn’t get to showcase itself very much here and that was more than surprising, but at least they did get to beat on Wheeler for a bit. Odds are all three of them will be around for Forbidden Door so there is something of a long term plan here. Good main event, with the guest stars working well before coming up short.

Overall Rating: B-. They went with the wrestling show here and as usual, it was good stuff. The main event took its time to get going but eventually found its gear and the opener was a hard hitting brawl. Statlander got a win and Singh….uh, Statlander got a win! This continues to be more of a supplemental show and thankfully that means cutting out some of the more illogical parts, which works out well as they seem to know what they want from Rampage.

Results
Eddie Kingston b. Jake Hager – Spinning backfist
Jay Lethal/Satnam Singh b. Besties In The World – Double Lethal Injection
Kris Statlander b. Red Velvet – Friday Night Fever
FTR/Trent Beretta b. United Empire – Strong Zero to Davis

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