3 Big Takeaways from AEW Rampage (December 17, 2021)
Coming off Winter is Coming and looking to close the year strong, AEW Rampage had a lot to live up to on Friday night.
Unfortunately, this week the 'fastest hour in pro wrestling' did have its share of slow moments. A couple of segments could have been saved by AEW for their YouTube series rather than airing on their No.2 show.
The program did extend some important storylines and moved the company closer to next week's Christmas programming, which promises to be a great way to send 2021 out with a bang.
Here are three things that stuck out about this week's edition of AEW Rampage.
#3 The match between Tay Conti and Penelope Ford could have aired online rather than as part of AEW Rampage
Someone came ready to fight 🇧🇷 #AEWRampage https://t.co/3zBxQ49QWk
This match was solid, and neither of these ladies should be ashamed of their performance. There's also no doubting that Conti is one of the stars of the women's roster.
The segment was supposed to fuel the feud between Ford and the Bunny vs. Conti and Anna Jay. Unfortunately, it's a showdown that really doesn't have a lot of long-term heat to it, and (quite frankly) it's not one that many fans care about anyway.
This was YouTube material, and the time should have been allotted to something more important or pressing in the AEW stratosphere.
#2 Dan Lambert is a great anti-AEW heel and we need more Dan Lambert
A proper welcome for Dan Lambert ☺️ #AEWRampage https://t.co/CjgY04T2E2
As though he had received cliff notes from Jim Cornette, Lambert ripped into All Elite Wrestling with all the fervor of a rabid dog. This has become a great gimmick for the head of the American Top Team. He comes off as having legitimate beef with the entire promotion and how it operates.
And you know what, it works.
Lambert says everything in the perfect way to get under the audience's skin. Pairing him with the ultra arrogant Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky, you have a winning combination of heat and hatred.
#1 Eddie Kingston has truly found a home in AEW
wait what, same @MadKing1981 😳 #AEWRampage https://t.co/lD95UA1SrC
The well-travelled veteran and sometimes pro wrestling vagabond has had his ups and downs during a long and often trying career. And although he came into All Elite Wrestling as a heel, he's been embraced by the audience ever since he allied with Jon Moxley.
Even amidst a huge tag team main event, the man who was once wrestling's loner received the most positive reaction of all. Fans see Kingston for what he truly is - a fighter who won't back down when it comes to fiction or reality. Even with all of his prior accomplishments, Kingston has become a bigger star now than he's ever been.
Rampage was once again solid, but with a few lulls in the span of the broadcast. It's been that way for a few weeks now, and it's clearly a 'maintenence show' out of the promotion's big two.
Dynamite is clearly where most of the action is, with Rampage filling in stories with effective promos and sidebar matches. And that's okay, as long as the audience knows to expect that.
This week's AEW Rampage showcased some different talent, but lacked a ton of star power. It was an over all good - but not great - episode to help advance some angles.
What did you think of this week's episode of AEW Rampage? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.