AEW Rampage 12/16/2022 Match Ratings and Commentary
(Credit-AEW)
Here’s where we landed with this week’s much improved Rampage from Austin. Curious how we rank matches? We’ve got a rubric for that.
AEW Rampage - 12/16/2022
Jon Moxley def. Sammy Guevara: ★★★
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. Skye Blue: ★★
Wardlow def. Exodus Prime: ★
Orange Cassidy, Best Friends, and Dustin Rhodes def. Kip Sabian, Trent Seven, and The Butcher and the Blade: ★★
Top Guys (Credit-AEW)
Show Highlight—
Rampage mattered for another episode. For how long has Rampage been a time filler, and now there’s a sense of urgency, there’s storylines being progressed, and there’s stars. You don’t have to do too much to make this a good hour of wrestling, especially with the roster AEW has and the wrestlers’ willingness to put on a helluva show. I was happy to see that out of almost every match, there was some sort of angle or follow-up to the action that moved some semblance of momentum forward.
What Worked—
Hangman interjects. On Dynamite, Hangman cited his concussion kept him from recognizing his own son—need a stronger inciting incident to start a feud? Having another pull-apart brawl still seemed fresh given that bit of story.
Alex Gibson wrote a fun article about what he’d like to see in 2023, I’d love to see them get away from pretending these are security guards and to call them what they are: wrestling school trainees. If you want me to buy into these being real security guards I need to see nothing but Carl Winslows out there.
FTR show their ass. When you have a year like 2022, you can get away with a speech and segment like that. Cool that Tony just let them go out there, apologize for letting the fans down (in storyline), but get the chance to soak in the appreciation from the audience for the best year in tag team wrestling ever. They’ve fucking earned it. And Dax talking about his daughter is always going to be great pro wrestling that makes the sport feel vibrant and powerful and alive.
Skye Blue. She’s getting a little shine now of a Dante Martin-ish wrestler (how apropos) that’ll lose but maintain their dignity by having chemistry with everyone. Hopefully she gets more screen time for opportunity to further improve in 2023. And Britt, please, Rampage needed star power to make this show relevant and she radiates a huge presence.
Penelope Ford and The Bunny. Another Bret Hart reference, but it’s like that scene in his memoir when Vince sees the Hart Foundation in their pink gear for the first time and exclaims that’s what they were missing…because those outfits…holy shit, that’s going to attract some eyes, to say the very least.
Dustin and Danhausen. I can’t believe these two were never paired before, but it’s just as great as a duo as Hook and Jack Perry. Danhausen staring at Dustin was perfect. If 2023 is really the last year Dustin is wrestling a full schedule—I won’t even say retirement because c’mon, Jesus—what a better way to build him up and make him this beloved figure that MJF can retire on a much hyped-up Dynamite special. Watching Dustin get a win in Texas was pure fun.
What Didn’t Work—
Baddies backstage. I like where this could be going with a Red Velvet split, but if Sasha Banks ends up being the mystery partner for Saraya, what the hell is the excuse for Bow Wow?
Show Cringe—
Gross. That may have been a 4 star main event between Moxley and Sammy, I don’t care, I can’t not downgrade it. That was some disgusting, rotten.com/Faces of Death shit with Sammy and Tay French kissing with Moxley’s blood passing through them. Would you call that “Bloodswapping?” Blech. In wrestling there’s a suspension of disbelief, but that made me suspend disbelief they didn’t just invent a new strain of Hepatitis with all those fluids exchanging.
Why (Credit-AEW)
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