By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@McGMondays)
AEW Rampage (Episode 80)
Taped February 15, 2023 in Laredo, Texas at Sames Auto Arena
Aired February 17, 2023 on TNT
It was Friday (evening, not necessarily night) and you know what that meant: Jim Ross welcomed everyone into Rampage. He introduced Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Chris Jericho as his partners for the evening. Justin Roberts was in the ring, where he introduced the participants in the first match, which was a welcome surprise, considering how opening-match introductions have typically been absent on this show.
1. “The Elite” Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson vs. AR Fox, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin for the AEW Trios Titles.
Don Callis sat in on commentary. Dante and Nick Jackson passed a basketball back and forth to start the match. We then started with an opening tip (yes, honestly) and it resulted in Nick landing somewhat of an inverted atomic drop on Dante. Things were chaotic after that as Fox landed a series of splashes on his opponents everywhere. The commentary team played up basketball references. The Elite called a time out and huddled.
The basketball was still in play because Fox was dribbling it. Omega tagged in and we got Omega and Fox going at it. Omega took Fox down and tagged in Nick, who tagged in Matt. The basketball came back into the ring and The Elite passed it around. As a result, Omega took Fox down and then threw the ball at Fox. From there, we got our first PIP [c].
Back from break, Nick Jackson hit a bulldog on Fox before kicking him. With Nick on the second rope, Fox rolled through a pair of moves before hitting a cutter. Omega and Dante tagged in and Dante sent Omega to the outside, where Dante landed a splash. Dante rolled Omega back into the ring and hit another splash for a two-count. Omega went for his Snap-Dragon Suplex, but Dante countered it and Matt tagged in as Fox tagged in.
Dante landed a splash with the basketball in his hand, which he threw at one of the Bucks. Fox hit a 450 splash for a good near-fall. Darius Martin tagged in, but Matt Jackson, who was the legal man ran Darius into a corner. With Omega and Matt holding Fox and Dante over the ropes, Nick landed a splash for a two-count. Omega set up a V-Trigger, but Dante stopped him. Things broke down again and Fox started to take over, but Matt Jackson cut him off with a cutter.
Matt landed a series of blows on Fox and then Fox was the victim of a triple super-kick. The Elite fired up the crowd and Nick hit a splash onto Fox, who was on the outside. Omega then landed the One-Winged Angel on Darius for the win.
“The Elite” Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson defeated AR Fox, Dante Martin, and Darius Martin to retain the AEW Trios Titles via pinfall in 10:24.
The trio celebrated in the middle of the ring … until the lights went out and a red shade spotlighted 2 of the 3 House of Black members, who were on the entrance ramp. The lights went off again and when they came back on fully, HOB were gone and The Elite stood in the ring concerned. From that, we got an interview with the Gunn Club, who said The Acclaimed might not make it to Revolution. The Gunn Club said welcome to the gun show.
McGuire’s Musings: As expected, the opening bout had tons of action – and much more than I was able to keep up with, so to get a true feel for it, I’d suggest taking a look yourself. The basketball references were fun the first four or five times I saw/heard them, but by the 10th, I kind of had enough (and I even say that as a basketball fan). It felt obvious that the House of Black would be the next contenders to challenge The Elite, but the question now becomes: Will they be the ones to dethrone them? Maybe it’s just me, but I hope so. The Bucks could be used more meaningfully as a tag-team and Omega is one of the biggest singles stars in the world. We’ll see.
We returned with a Mark Henry sit-down with Orange Cassidy. As it goes, Cassidy has won 18 matches in a row. Wheeler Yuta interrupted things and said he was glad he left Best Friends because joining the Blackpool Combat Club was the best decision of his life. Yuta said he was offended and he wanted Cassidy’s belt. Cassidy said he wasn’t around to teach Yuta; he was around to be his best friend. Cassidy said clearly, they aren’t best friends anymore and because of that, if Yuta wants the All-Atlantic title, he can come get it. We then went back to the ring.
2. Ricky Starks vs. Daniel Garcia. The bell rang and the crowd chanted “Ricky.” Garcia face-palmed Starks and Starks responded by hitting the hell out of Garcia. Starks went to the throw Garcia, but Garcia blocked Starks and chopped him. It didn’t really matter because Starks came back with a flurry of right hands. Starks walked the top rope and posed, as is his move these days, and hit a sledgehammer on the shoulder of Garcia. Garcia was on the apron and tried to get into the ring, but Garcia cut him off and knocked Starks to the outside. We got our next PIP [c].
When we returned to the match, Starks ran at Garcia, but Garcia collapsed because Garcia worked Starks’s leg throughout the break. Starks hit Garcia with a clothesline and the two were down. Starks fired up and suplexed Garcia. Starks stomped on Garcia, but Garcia came up and slammed Starks for a two-count. Garcia worked a Dragon-Tamer (sharpshooter). Starks made it to the ropes, but Samuel Guevara tried to interfere. Action Andretti came out for the save and Sammy and Action brawled to the back.
Starks ultimately made it to the ropes for a break, but when Garcia went for the Dragon-Tamer again, Starks rolled him up for a two-count. Starks then landed a spear and his finisher for the win.
Ricky Starks defeated Daniel Garcia via pinfall in 9:42.
Right after the bell rang, Guevara got a microphone and said he doesn’t ask for much, but he wants a match with Action Andretti next week and he wants to beat Action’s ass. We got a video package from Evil Uno, who said he was toe-to-toe with Jon Moxley. Uno said he has a history of violence and he’s going to bring respect back to the Dark Order. We then wet back to the ring, where Jade Cargill made her entrance.
3. Jade Cargill vs. Vertvixen for the TBS Title. The two locked up and Jade backed Vertvixen back into a corner. Cargill threw Vertvixen across the ring and posed. Cargill did five push-ups in the middle of the ring. Cargill then landed a pump-kick and Jaded for the win.
Jade Cargill defeated Vertvixen via pinfall in 1:08.
After the match, Jade talked into the camera as we went to break.
McGuire’s Musings: I enjoyed Garcia vs. Starks, for however little we actually got of it. They worked a traditional, good wrestling match, especially with Garcia focusing on Starks’s leg and therefore taking away his ability to do his biggest moves. Old school, but useful. I can see that as an AEW world title match in five years with 20 more minutes and a lot more nonsense. Sammy vs. Andretti should be good, but I might be in the minority in that I’m not entirely sold on making Andretti a star over night. It’s either just my cynicism or … well … maybe he shouldn’t be plucked out of nowhere for this? Time will tell. Jade, meanwhile, needs a meaningful match. It’s hard to argue that 53-0 isn’t impressive, but it starts to get stale when she keeps running through everyone who takes pins on Dark or Elevation. At some point, they’re going to have to pull the trigger on more high-profile programs for her, and I hope that’s sooner than later.
Back from break, we got the Mark Henry segment. Dustin said sometimes you have to go to a dark place in order to see the light. Dustin also said hell is coming. Swerve made note that Trench isn’t there and it’s Dustin’s fault. Swerve also went on about respect. Without the services of Trench, we went to the ring, where Swerve made his entrance.
4. Dustin Rhodes vs. Swerve Strickland. The two jumpstarted the match after Parker Boudreaux ran at Dustin with a pipe. Dustin took care of him and brawled with Swerve on the outside of the ring. Back in the ring, Dustin had control with a series of punches. Swerve fought back with a shot to the jaw. Swerve went for a stop, but Dustin countered with a release German Suplex. Swerve hit Dustin’s hand and then kicked Dustin in the face. Swerve hit a pump-kick on Dustin and the action spilled outside. Swerve dropkicked Dustin’s head into the guardrail. Dustin was bleeding from the head and we got our final PIP of the night [c].
Returning from break, Swerve was beating up a still-bust-open Dustin Rhodes. Swerve hit a wild knee, but only got a one-count out of it. Dustin fired up and Swerve bit into Dustin’s cut. Still, Dustin came back with his pretty snap powerslam. Dustin landed a couple lariats and the famous uppercut. Swerve went for something, but Dustin caught him with a Code Red and a good near-fall. The two got tot heir feet and traded blows. Both guys went for cross-body-blocks and they both went down.
Eventually, the two fought on the apron and Swerve hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron. It wasn’t enough, though, because Swerve got only a two-count and the two fought until Dustin hit a suplex from the second rope. Dustin then landed a piledriver for another good near-fall. Dustin set up for the Cross-Rhodes, but Swerve countered. It didn’t matter because Dustin ultimately got it in. Dustin then hit the Final Reckoning, but as Dustin went for the pin, Parker pulled Dustin to the outside and threw him into the ring steps. That was enough to end the match.
Dustin Rhodes defeated Swerve Strickland via disqualification in 12:26.
After the match, Swerve punched Dustin’s head with Parker’s chain. Security ran out to help, but Parker took each and every member of security out. Parker went to the outside, under the ring and grabbed a cinderblock. Parker put Dustin’s head on the cinderblock and Swerve went to the ropes until Keith Lee’s music hit and stopped Swerve in his tracks. Lee appeared from behind Swerve and Parker and Lee beat Swerve and Parker up. Lee helped Dustin up and the show ended.
McGuire’s Musings: I make no apologies for rooting for Dustin Rhodes. I’m a big fan of people who turn their lives around and Dustin has made no secret of his ability to do that, so if this is his farewell tour, I’m all about seeing him win, be in top spots and get some notable shine. I think he got those things here because A) he was in the main event, B) he was working with Swerve, who is one of the company’s biggest rising stars and C) even better, he got the win. Sure, it was via DQ, but it was still unexpected if only for how good AEW has been when it comes to DQs throughout its existence. The bigger story to me was that it felt like you could hear a pin drop when Keith Lee made his return. What was that about? I’m kind of excited to see him work with natural gray hair (because I’m obsessed with people’s hair because I’m losing mine), but this wasn’t a promising start, if we are to judge this by the crowd’s response.
In all, this was a step up from the recent dreadful episodes of Rampage. The bar was low, sure, but this hour of wrestling cleared it. Keith Lee returning is newsworthy and House of Black working with The Elite should make headlines as well. Plus, you had a very nice match between Daniel Garcia and Ricky Starks. The only thing left is what the hell is happening with Jade Cargill, because it’s time to take some chances. I’ll have more to say in my audio review.
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