4 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Rampage (Oct 29)

1. A Roll Up After All That?

Britt Baker Abadon
AEW

Baker and Abadon worked table spots (or tried to, at least), took thumbtack bumps and even performed a deadly superkick with a mouthful of tacks, but the headliner ended with a quick roll-up. Chris Jericho claimed it was on the tacks from behind the comms desk, but it was nowhere near them.

That finish sucked the air out of the room.

Suggestion: AEW, if you plan to let workers use tacks in a match like this, then tell them to make those spiky little devils part of the finish. Delivering some of the spots you did here, but closing the bout with a roll-up make this look more like some inconsequential women's showing over on SmackDown.

Can roll-ups work? Definitely. Should they end hard-hitting brawls that include bumps onto tacks, tables and other violent segments? Hell no. This was a mistake, one that made Abby look more like some scrub who falls for heel tactics than a demonic hell hound who just wants to inflict pain.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.