4 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Rampage (24 May - Results & Review)
Mercedes Mone shows up; AEW's women save the show; Rampage goes limp in-ring.
AEW celebrates five years of existence this weekend, and there's no point in avoiding the truth.
The company isn't a patch on what it was in 2019. That may seem like too broad a statement, but the anticipation, drama and general fan excitement for Double Or Nothing 2024 can't compete with what came before. This might even be the most low-key DoN yet, but that's maybe an arguable point depending on individual feeling.
Rampage did a solid enough job of hyping a few of the pay-per-view's undercard bouts, at least. Death Triangle vs. Bullet Club Gold, Mercedes Mone vs. Willow Nightingale and a three-way for Chris Jericho's middling FTW Title were all handed some TV time. That was all fine. Rather shockingly, most of the actual wrestling...wasn't.
AEW's TV output is typically saved by the quality of the roster and the matches they produce, but not on Friday. In fact, only a main event women's tag could be considered watchable, and that's damning when workers like PAC, Samoa Joe and Rush were involved in the other showings.
Perhaps the equal share of 'Ups' and 'Downs' here tells the full story. AEW is middle of the road at the moment. Here's everything you need to know coming out of Rampage!