All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has a peculiar double header tonight as Collision takes place tonight before Rampage and running head to head with WWE’s SmackDown. Rampage, live for the second week in a row, takes place right after as scheduled. Things stay live from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California. On the Collision preview, we already covered the one and only event to take place in the Kia Forum outside of AEW’s debut last year. Which is quite amazing that it’s seen so little wrestling given the venue’s history. It’s touted to at one point being as popular an arena as Madison Square Garden. The most glaring “not-use” of the venue comes from this very year. When WWE held WrestleMania this year from the new SoFi Stadium. In conjunction with the massive two night event, WWE held it’s other typical shows of the weekend on the Crypto.com Arena. SmackDown, NXT Stand & Deliver and Raw. What makes the decision so odd is that the Kia Forum is right next to SoFi Stadium. While the Crypto.com Arena is a 40 minute drive. Was the 3,000 seat difference really that worth it? Just odd. Let’s preview the action set for AEW Rampage tonight, November 17th 2023.
AEW Rampage 11/17 Preview:
A Double Header Of Interviews
‘The Remarkable’ Renee Paquette has a tall task ahead of her. She sits down tonight to talk with both halves of Full Gear’s main event match for two separate interviews. On one end, she sits down with the challenger, ‘Switchblade’ Jay White. Who has kept the stolen AEW World Championship now for 6 weeks. Managing to keep it away from the rightful Champion MJF all this time thanks to the aid of his Bullet Club Gold compatriots, Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn. Jay White has had plenty of time to express himself in regards to the World title match set for Full Gear. What else could he say?
While White may not seem to have much to say, there’s still a lot for MJF to say. As he not only has the main event World title defense set for Full Gear. But, he also is set to compete in the event’s pre-show. The Full Gear Zero-Hour. Where he will be defending the Ring Of Honor Tag Team titles. The thing is, with Adam Cole out with is shattered ankle, MJF has no partner. He has been allowed to pick a tag team partner for the match, but a mysterious “Devil” and associates has made sure that MJF’s already small circle of friends is reduced to zero for the event. He has been given an offer by Samoa Joe to team up and defend those titles. But to do so, MJF must guarantee Samoa Joe a rematch for the AEW World Championship. Will MJF finally acquiesce to Samoa Joe’s offer of “friendship” or will he have another solution in mind? Will we even get an answer tonight? Or instead have to wait until Full Gear?
Toni’s Timeless Tune-Up
Sometimes AEW may be too subtle for it’s own good. On Dynamite this week, after being met by her #1 fan Mariah May, ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm requested Lutha contact Tony Khan to grant her a ‘tune-up’ match. And a loofah. Get it? What makes this so interesting is who Toni’s opponent is set to be. Emi Sakura. Who was Hikaru Shida’s teacher. Much like Shida, she’s also faced off against Toni Storm twice before. Though not as lucky as Emi Sakura has not beaten Toni Storm. Can Sakura secure an upset? Or will Toni take the ‘tune-up’ to it’s literal conclusion here?
All that and more tonight on AEW Rampage.
Header photo – AEW – How do you feel about the AEW Rampage preview? Sound off in the comments. Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major 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 on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube.
