By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
AEW Rampage (Episode 11)
Taped October 16 in Miami, Florida at James L Knight Center
Aired October 22, 2021 on TNT
The commentary team of Taz, Excalibur, Ricky Starks and Chris Jericho ran down the card to open the show. It’s wild that Jericho can be on a cruise while conducting wrestling commentary on national television at the same time. I kid.
1. Orange Cassidy vs. Powerhouse Hobbs in an AEW Eliminator tournament first round match. Cassidy’s ribs were taped up. Hobbs hit a spine-buster for a quick two-count. The action spilled outside, where Hobbs dominated Cassidy, eventually stretching Cassidy while using the ring post.
Back in the ring, Hobbs landed a side suplex. Hobbs then landed another one. Hobbs threw Cassidy into the ropes, Cassidy went for a DDT, but Hobbs blocked it and clotheslined Cassidy to the mat. A PIP then commenced. [c]
Back from the break, Hobbs had his knee on the back of Cassidy’s head while working a single-leg crab. Hobbs whipped Cassidy into a corner and Cassidy flipped over the top, a la Ric Flair and drove Hobbs’s head into the turnbuckle. Cassidy went to the top and jumped, but Hobbs caught Cassidy and put Cassidy in the Torture Rack, a la Lex Luger.
Cassidy fought his way out and started punching Hobbs frantically. Cassidy went for a DDT again, but it didn’t work. Cassidy rolled up Hobbs for a slow two-count. Cassidy went for the Orange Punch, but Hobbs caught him and ran Cassidy into the corner. The ref kept yelling at Hobbs for not allowing Cassidy to get out of the corner. Hobbs picked up the ref to move him, but as they argued, Cassidy rolled Robbs up with a Mouse Trap for the win.
Orange Cassidy defeated Powerhouse Hobbs in an AEW Eliminator tournament first round match via pinfall in 8:10.
After the match, Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Penta El Zero Miedo and Alex Abrahantes. A video highlighting FTR’s win over the Lucha Brothers on Dynamite last week aired. Almost as soon as Penta began to talk, FTR attacked him and Abrahantes. Pac then ran out for the save. We then went to commercial. [c]
McGuire’s Musings: The match was fine and told an old but sturdy story of the plucky babyface coming in hurt, the heel focusing on the injury and dominating most all of the match before the babyface ultimately prevails. God bless wrestling. The outcome was never really in doubt because while Hobbs has made a lot of strides, Cassidy is so over still that it’d be counter-intuitive to have him lose in the first round of a tournament like this. Meanwhile, the FTR angle was fine. All notepad skepticism be damned, it looks like we’re at least going to get the Lucha Bros vs. FTR at Full Gear.
2. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker vs. Anna Jay in a non-title match. The two began by locking up with Baker getting in a cheap shot. The two exchanged finisher attempts and that ended up with both on their feet, sizing each other up. Baker worked over Jay’s arm/shoulder. Jay rolled through a move attempt from Baker and hit a tough kick.
Jay followed up with strikes and another kick. Jay hit a Flatliner and sunk in a submission, but Baker rolled out. Baker eventually started pulling Jay’s hair and sent her head into the middle turnbuckle. Baker worked over Jay in the corner as Excalibur threw to break. [c]
Back from break, Baker landed an elbow before hitting a Slingblade. Baker got in a twisting neck-breaker for a two-count. Baker then got her glove from Rebel and hit some forearms on Jay. Baker went for more, but Jay countered into a DDT and a kick for a two-count. Jay went for her finisher, but Baker got to the ropes for a break. After exchanging some roll-throughs, Jay finally sunk in the Queen Slayer.
Jamie Hayter hopped up on the apron for a distraction, but Jay took care of that and got the Queen Slayer back on. Jay wouldn’t let go, but Baker made it to the ropes for a break. “It’s the best Anna Jay’s ever looked,” Jericho said, and he was right. On cue, Baker hit a super-kick, posed for the camera, sunk in the Lock Jaw and won.
AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker defeated Anna Jay in a non-title match via submission in 10:25.
After the match, Baker went back to the Lock Jaw. Tay Conti came in for the save and jawed at Baker. Excalibur ran down the card for Saturday night’s Dynamite. The bracket for the TBS Women’s Championship Tournament was then shown. The visual came and went so quickly, I wasn’t even able to take note of all the participants.
The split-screen interview featuring the main event participants commenced, but Tony Schiavone was the one conducting it (poor Mark Henry). Idolo said he was going to win. Pac fired up and said he was going to get revenge for what Idolo did the last time.
McGuire’s Musings: Anna Jay has come a really long way, as Jericho mentioned during the match, and this was the best wrestling match of her AEW career, I would argue. Baker winning wasn’t surprising, but knowing that Conti remains the No. 1 contender would suggest that this was set up only to get Conti and Baker to wrestle again. Still, Jay took the opportunity and ran with it, and while there were a couple clunky moments, kudos to her for stepping up her game. That TBS Tournament bracket reveal was sort of nonsensical because it was on the screen for about eight seconds. Finally, I hope Mark Henry is OK. He went from commentary team member, to split-screen interviewer, to … nothing?
3. Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo. Pac laid in a kick and a snap German Suplex before flipping onto Idolo outside. Pac went to the top, but Andrade crotched him. Andrade went for knee strikes in the corner, but Pac moved and started hitting Andrade with a series of kicks, eventually taking Andrade down. Andrade fired up and asked Pac to kick him in the face, a la anything you’d see on NJPW programming. Pac obliged and hit something quite stiff. Pac then worked a headlock.
In a weird spot, Andrade went to kick Pac, but Pac moved out of the corner, but the boot still landed on Pac. Andrade then scored an impressive twirling torpedo from the top rope onto Pac, who was on the outside. We then went to our final PIP of the night. [c]
Back from break, Andrade hit the Three Amigos to a crowd chanting “Eddie!” That got him a two-count. Pac ran the ropes, but Andrade landed a boot to Pac’s head. Andrade went for a slingshot dropkick, but Pac moved and Andrade crashed outside. Pac landed a huracanrana on the outside and that was good enough to elicit a “Holy shit!” chant. Pac climbed to the top and hit a beautiful moonsault onto Andrade outside.
Back in the ring, Pac hit a hell of a cutter and sunk in a Brutalizer before Andrade made it to the ropes for a break. Andrade picked up Pac, but Pac fought out and the two exchanged blows on the apron. That ended with Andrade driving an elbow onto Pac on the apron. Pac was draped over the second rope and Andrade hit an ugly DDT on the apron that looked to hurt both guys.
Andrade rolled Pac into the ring, climbed to the top, and Pac hit Andrade’s legs. Andrade was stuck on the top rope. Pac climbed to the top and hit a brain-buster from the top rope. That warranted a two-count. The two traded slaps in the center of the ring. Andrade switched to elbows, but then Pac hit a kick and a Poison-rana. Andrade went for his finish, but Pac rolled him up for the win.
Pac defeated Andrade El Idolo via pinfall in 16:19.
After the match, the lights went out and Malakai Black appeared. Black spit mist into Pac’s face. Black grabbed a chair, but Arn Anderson came out, did his shotgun thing and Cody attacked both Black and Andrade to a huge pop. Cody took the chair and wound up, but Black rolled to the outside. Cody stood in the ring to close the show.
McGuire’s Musings: Hoooooo boy, when they said this was one you couldn’t miss, they meant this was one you couldn’t miss. This was leaps and bounds better than their first encounter, as far as I’m concerned, and that crowd made everything that much better. I like the series between Pac and Andrade being 1-1 currently because that means we’re going to get at least one more and if that one tops this, it could be a Match Of The Year Candidate. Pac is so criminally forgotten for how good he is. Goodness, gracious. The post-match actually got me interested in Saturday night’s match on Dynamite between Cody and Black, and I wasn’t really all that into it beforehand. So, mission accomplished for AEW. Does Black stick with Andrade? I hope not. Black is a great loner character, so I’m not so sure a faction fits. But we’ll see.
In all, the main event here was must-see. If you only have a half hour, give some time to Anna Jay/Britt Baker because it’s fun to watch Jay’s evolution in real time and Baker never, ever disappoints. That initial match? Meh. But two out of three ain’t bad and the two good ones here are well worth your attention.
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