AEW has its last broadcast prior to Full Gear tonight with a live edition of Rampage from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The same site the pay-per-view event will take place in. It was originally slated to be the debut venue for Blood & Guts, however, their debut in the venue had to be postponed due to the pandemic. Now they make their return for the last of their four annual pay-per-view events. Let’s run down the AEW Rampage Full Gear Friday Card for 11/18.
AEW Rampage Full Gear Friday Card
#AEWRampage #FullGearFriday is LIVE TOMORROW at 10pm ET/9pm CT on @tntdrama!
–@MadKing1981 & @ortiz_powerful v @jun0917start & @Takesoup
–#AEW World Title Eliminator @starkmanjones v @lancehoyt
–#FTW Title @730Hook (c) v @theleemoriarty
–@AthenaPalmer_FG v @MadisonRayne pic.twitter.com/n7H20qqipb— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 17, 2022
AEW Rampage Card for November 18, 2022
A Long And Winding Royal Road Climaxes
If you follow the man, it’s no secret, Eddie Kingston is a massive 90’s AJPW fan. Moreover, he’s a Jun Akiyama fan. To the point that he’s gone on podcasts to review matches of the man. Then, out of the blue, the man, myth, legend himself found out and………. Just opted to hop on a plane for a match with Eddie.
By their side for this tag team affair, we have Ortiz, who has been a regular partner for Eddie Kingston on Dark for the last few months due to the status of Santana and Proud N Powerful being up in the air. Meanwhile, Jun Akiyana fetched himself a hell of a partner as Konosuke Takeshita makes his return to AEW, teaming with his legendary countryman. Though they have teamed up in the past, Takeshita and Akiyama are more recognized as rivals to each other. With the two facing off various times including in the main event of DDT’s Wrestle Peter Pan event. Their biggest event of the year. With Takeshita ending Akiyama’s reign as KO-D Openweight Champion.
Without a doubt, this will be the most intriguing match of the night as Rampage now seems to have settled out of Rampage being an ROH-centric show to now seeming to build itself on cameos and special attraction matches with outside talents.
Rear More: Preview: AEW Full Gear Card (11/19/22): Start Time, How to Watch & Predictions
FTW Title Bout
The FTW Champion Hook has another title defense slated as he goes one on one with The Firm’s Lee Moriarty. The master of “Taiga Style” hasn’t been too lucky in matches lately, but he does seem to be getting a degree of the spotlight these past few weeks as a member of The Firm. Even facing AEW World Champion Jon Moxley.
Ironically, Hook has now found himself in the AEW backburner in the past few weeks after Grand Slam and his feud with Angelo Parker and Matt Menard. So this will be his chance to get back on to TV and show his usual stuff as this week, it seems Orange Cassidy takes the back seat from defending his title.
Women’s Action
When you consider the trajectory of these two women, it feels so weird to see them face off on a major TV program. The TNA legend Madison Rayne finds herself on Rampage again this week and her opponent happens to be the former NXT Women’s and Tag Team Champion, Athena. Two decorated former Champions from other brands meet here for the first time in a match-up that is divorced from the rest of the major storylines involving the women of AEW. Hopefully, they can have a standout performance.
Starks’ Revenge
It would seem last week’s injury story involving Ricky Starks and Lance Archer that postponed their World Title Eliminator Tournament quarterfinal match wasn’t just a story. Tony Khan has confirmed that Starks seemed to have suffered a minor injury that forced AEW to prolong the match by a week. As such, we get the last quarterfinal match tonight between Lance Archer and Ricky Starks. The winner will face Brian Cage at Full Gear’s Zero Hour pre-show in the second of the semi-final matches (Ethan Page already advanced to the finals on Dynamite) and the finals will now take place on the December 23th edition of AEW Dynamite instead.
Read More: Pro Wrestling Records: Longest WWE Title Reigns by Championship
It seems pretty clear with Ricky Starks’ promo, his victory over Powerhouse Hobbs at Grand Slam, and such that he as well as Ethan Page are the likely final match of the tournament. The winner will more than likely be reflected by who walks out of Full Gear as World Champion or, if MJF wins, by his alignment as a babyface or heel. Either all, this tournament from the get-go guaranteed we would get a fresh face challenging for the title as out of all the participants, only Lance Archer has had a world title shot this year. While Brian Cage had one 2 years ago following his debut. None of the other participants have ever gotten an opportunity at the AEW World Championship.
All that and more on tonight’s AEW Rampage Full Gear Friday card.
Header photo – AEW. Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other wrestling stories worldwide as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of important news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube. Additionally, AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday.
