By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
AEW Rampage (Episode 52)
Taped on July 27, 2022 in Worcester, Massachusetts at DCU Center
Aired July 29, 2022 on TNT
Jim Ross was the first voice we heard as he introduced the commentary team of himself, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Chris Jericho. Jay Lethal’s music hit and we went to the ring while Sonjay Dutt was still dressed in a suit, despite being advertised to wrestle.
1. Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt vs. Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta, and Chuck Taylor. Lethal and Trent began the match. They went through a fairly even exchange and got back to their feet to jaw at each other. Cassidy tagged in and called out Singh. Instead, Lethal tagged in Dutt, who took off his coat and tie. Cassidy put his sunglasses on referee Rick Nox and put his hands in his pockets. Singh then tagged in as Cassidy went for his light kicks.
Singh picked up Cassidy and threw him into a corner. Best Friends tried to attack Singh, but Singh landed a cross-body on both guys. Lethal tagged in and stomped a hole in Lethal as we went to the first PIP of the night [c].
Back from break, Lethal was working over Cassidy, but Cassidy tried to get the hot tag and eventually got it. Chuck Taylor came in and hit a series of clotheslines on Lethal. Taylor landed a belly-to-belly on Lethal and tagged in Trent, who hit a Soul Food half-and-half. Best Friends were going for a hug, but Singh broke it up. Lethal then hit a double Lethal Injection on Trent and Taylor. Cassidy came in and hit a DDT on Lethal.
Dutt tagged in and didn’t have a shirt on. Dutt then hit some weak kicks of his own. Cassidy took Dutt’s pencil and broke it in half. Cassidy hit the Orange Punch on Dutt for the win.
Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor defeated Satnam Singh, Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal via pinfalll in 7:28.
After the match, the heels beat the hell out of Cassidy. Wardlow’s music hit and stepped to Lethal and Singh, clearing the ring. Excalibur threw to a video package recapping the FTR vs. Briscoes match at Death Before Dishonor. We then went to break.
McGuire’s Musings: Comedy on top of comedy on top of comedy. I won’t complain, but I will say that match wasn’t for everybody. It was smart to keep it under eight minutes because I kind of got the feeling they were running out of bits by the time Dutt stepped into the ring to go after Cassidy. I’m glad for OC because he’s been losing a little too much lately, considering how much it seems AEW wants the guy to be a star (and to be fair, he kind of is). Meanwhile, I feel bad for Lethal, who had to carry the bulk of the match because it wasn’t like Dutt was going to be in the ring a bunch and Singh is still learning. So God bless Lethal for that. It’s on to Ric Flair’s last match for him now.
2. Ethan Page vs. Leon Ruffin. Page went on the offensive quickly. Page whipped Ruffin around the ring. Page lifted Ruffin and hit the Ego’s Edge for the win.
Ethan Page defeated Leon Ruffin via pinfall in 1:30.
After the match, we went backstage to an interview with Cole Karter. QT Marshall interrupted things and said he saw potential in Karter. Marshall offered Karter a spot in his faction and told him to think about it before he could get a word out. Lee Moriarty’s music hit.
3. Matt Sydal vs. Lee Moriarty. Moriarty came out of the heel tunnel and gave the peace sign repeatedly in the ring. The two tried a handshake, but Moriarty attacked Sydal. The teacher came right back with a high knee and went for a moonsault, but instead hit a spinning heel kick while Excalibur threw it to commercial [c].
Back from break, Sydal was still in control, but Moriarty came right back with a roll up for a two-count. Moriarty went for a kick, but Sydal countered with a kick of his own. Moriarty hit a Stan Hansen tough-sounding clothesline. Sydal came back with a Lightning Spiral and got a two-count out of it. Stokely Hathaway walked down the aisle and stood at ringside. Sydal went to the top, but Hathaway interfered and Moriarty crotched Sydal. Moriarty hit a slam for a good near-fall. Moriarty landed a bunch of shots to the jaw and that turned into the Border-City Stretch, which made Sydal tap out.
Lee Moriarty defeated Matt Sydal via submission in 7:54.
After the match, Moriarty wouldn’t let go until Hathaway called him off. Hathaway gave Moriarty another business card and this time, Moriarty accepted it. We then went to a Britt Baker promo. She called out ThunderStorm and said Thunder Rosa’s title reign might be coming to an end. In the ring, Schiavone introduced Claudio Castagnoli, who came to the ring with William Regal. The crowd broke into a “You Deserve it!” chant. Castagnoli looked genuinely touched and thanked everyone. Castagnoli said there was many times he doubted himself, but he said the fans never let him down. Castagnoli said it feels amazing and it’s an honor to stand in front of everyone as champion. Castagnoli brought Wheeler Yuta to the ring.
The crowd chanted Yuta’s name. Before Yuta could talk, Jericho got up from the commentary table and mocked the crowd for chanting Yuta’s name. Jericho said Claudio deserves a boot up his ass. As Jericho was talking, Yuta cut him off and told him to shut up. Yuta rubbed it in that he beat Daniel Garcia to retain the ROH Pure Title. Jericho asked Yuta if he thought he could beat him. Yuta said yeah, he thinks he can. Jericho cut Yuta off and said he can’t beat him. Jericho suggested Yuta vs. Jericho on Dynamite. Yuta said no. Jericho said he will put up his title match against Moxley and if Jericho loses, Yuta gets the title shot. Yuta said he’s on.
McGuire’s Musings: The Page squash was what it should be, though it’s good to see him get a dominating win. Sydal vs. Moriarty … well, we could have seen more of it. The match went about eight minutes, but we only saw five of those minutes and those two are very good in the ring. The stuff with Moriarty and Hathaway could be a lot of fun because I, like a lot of people, believe Hathaway can instantly take an act to the next level with his mic skills and Moriarty needs some help in that department. So, I’m interested to see where that goes. Meanwhile, the Yuta/Jericho stuff was a lot of fun – the highlight of the show thus far, actually. Jericho can be so funny when he’s deliberately annoying (when he’s just plain annoying, that’s a different story). I think those two can have a fun match and all of this elevates Yuta to entirely new levels. So, good on everyone.
Back from break, we got the Acclaimed music video, which didn’t offer much other than the announcement of a match between them and the Ass Boys in a dumpster match on Dynamite. We then got the Mark Henry segment. Soho said she had high hopes for Anna Jay, but it turns out Jay is just an entitled little shit. Soho told her to leave Tay and Sammy in the back. Anna said this is Anna Jay A.S. and she’s going to choke Ruby out.
4. Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho. Jay attacked Soho’s arm to start the match. Soho eventually hit some chops and a tough knee. Soho was doing a handstand on the top rope and Jay landed a kick to the head before following that up with another kick to the head. Jay posed a little and Excalibur threw it to our last Pip [c].
Back from break, Jay ripped the brace off Soho’s arm. Jay landed a thrust kick and went for a clothesline, but Soho responded with a suplex while favoring her arm. On their knees, the two slapped each other until Jay twisted Soho’s wrist. Soho fought her way out of it with headbutts and then a back-heel trip for a two-count. Soho went for Destination Unknown, but Jay countered into a slam for a two-count. Jay started yelling that she’ll choke everyone out and went for a choke, but soho countered and then hit a kick for a two-count. Jay grabbed the brace and choked Soho out with her as part of the Queen Slayer for the win.
Anna Jay defeated Ruby Soho via submission in 9:46.
McGuire’s Musings: I know Jay just turned heel and is getting a reboot with the JAS, but damn, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little surprised that Soho took the loss here. She just loses too much. I know that’s a very popular thing to say – and also a very predictable eye-rolling argument, as in the type of argument you’ll read about wrestlers on Twitter all day – but it’s awfully hard not to remember how excited everyone was when she came in at All Out and the immediate love she got from the booking crew. To just constantly lose like this now feels … like a waste? Maybe “waste” is too harsh a word, but there isn’t another one that’s more accurate right now. Either way, the match was fine and Jay is getting a lot better in the ring. The edge she has now with the turn serves her well, too, even if she might rely too much on kicks to the head. So it goes.
This was a fine episode of Rampage. I know the conventional thinking was that this would be lackluster because the card, on paper, wasn’t much to write home about. But it turned out OK, even if a slate like this does actually define Rampage as the B-show. The opening match was funny while the main event moved Anna Jay forward, which is good to see. And also … well, it looks like we’re going to get a dumpster match on Wednesday. So, there’s that. I’ll have more to say during my audio review.
Somehow this main event is even worse than Aliyah v Shotzi from the other show.
Can we also mention the video package of FTR having “the greatest match I have ever seen” without mentioning the other team? I consider myself Woke and am not embarrassed to say it, but the way The Briscoes are being treated is ridiculous. I know it’s not AEW’s fault, but whoever it is at the Network that is doing this should be ashamed of themselves. How long can you vindictively keep someone from employment for decade-old tweets that they have repeatedly apologised for? This isn’t standing up for a minority, it’s fanaticism.
Anna Jay beats Ruby Soho? Honestly who is in charge here?