5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Rampage (Nov 18)

3. That Jumpstart

Rampage often starts without wrestler entrances and goes right into a match. When that happens, the announcer yell something like: 'We ain't wasting any time!'. Some wrestling fans don't like that style, but it does jumpstart the broadcast with energy and get straight down to the rasslin'.

AEW just found another way to go about it.

Excalibur, JR, Schiavone and Jericho were introducing the show when cameras cut to Ricky Starks brawling with Lance Archer backstage. They were first on the format sheets, so everyone stuck with it and the pair eventually fought all the way to the ring so their Eliminator tourney match could begin.

That was a neat way to kick things off. The backstage stuff was something a little different for Rampage, and the fans were right into everything they were seeing from the get go. Also, Archer attacking Starks behind the curtain put over how much of an uphill task Ricky had in front of him.