4 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Rampage (31 May - Results & Review)

Downs...

4. The Downside To That Women’s Bout

Toni Storm Viva Van
AEW

Viva Van had wrestled 7 matches for AEW before working Toni Storm on Friday, and she'd lost every single one of them. So, why was Van even in one of those eliminator thingies for a potential shot at the Women's Title? That doesn't make sense, and spits in the face of any perceived title rankings Tony Khan sporadically cares about.

Also, as good a showing as Viva put in against the champ, you know it won't count for anything in the long run. Tony does this a lot. Wrestlers burst into view, turn in an impressive performance, the announcers hype them up, then...they vanish. It's tedious as all hell, and is defo something that's holding AEW's product back.

There's an upside to Storm vs. Van that'll be examined in the 'Ups' section, but it'd be a lie to say everything is rosy in the garden. How many times can people be expected to care when their emotional investment and general interest is nullified seconds after the match ends?!

It's a downer.

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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.