RASD 12/10/21: Hook debuts on AEW Rampage

Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2021/12/10/live-at-1115-p-m-et-rewind-a-smackdown-with-wai-kate-all-patrons/

Wai Ting & Kate from MTL review AEW Rampage featuring the debut of HOOK and WWE SmackDown featuring more from Sami Zayn & Brock Lesnar as well as the debut of Xia Li.

WWE SmackDown featured more from “Canadian alpha males” Sami Zayn and Brock Lesnar, Xia Li debuting with a reality-altering entrance, RKBro crossing over from Raw in the main event, an appearance from a middle-aged MTV Jackass cast, Charlotte vs. Toni Storm, more delays for Naomi vs. Sonya, and Drew McIntyre stabbing a desk.

AEW Rampage featured the heavily-anticipated debut of HOOK. Plus: FTR vs. Lucha Bros. for the AEW Tag Team titles, Adam Cole vs. Wheeler Yuta, and a six-woman tag match building to Nyla Rose vs. Ruby Soho.

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Photos Courtesy: WWE / AEW

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I hate that the rating probably won’t be great but I loved the excitement for HOOK. Floyd Mayweather + BJ Penn + Taz= HOOK, love that it went from meme to holy shit he’s actually good. Credit to Fuego for being the right guy to debut against and Tazz should call every match

You really saw the difference in presentation from WWE and AEW last night as far as debuting stars go.

Xia Li came out with a ridiculously stupid entrance with electricity or something. Hook comes out with a simple, easy to understand entrance and just kicks ass in a match.

One was cool, the other was cringe.

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Posting this here, because it’s actually about Hook’s debut…

The Hook shirt is also great… So many Wrestling Tees, in any promotion, are so very over-designed. The Hook “logo” is well-balanced and the simplicity of the shirt says FAR MORE about his presentation and character so far than so many other shirts that are trying way too hard.

Part of the success of “Hook,” is how bare-bones his debut and character have been presented to this point. If had of come out to some create-a-wrestler jock jam with pyro and some absurd animated video it would have been too predictable and doesn’t tell you anything about Hook beyond the tropes of a pro-wrestler.

The Action Bronson jam is an understated banger, the video was just his name, the lighting was understated, his gear is its own understated postmodern aesthetic. The “boxer” look, signifies a traditional “fighter” backstory." The Action Bronson “Chairman of the Board” is a display of absolute confidence. Hook’s unkempt hair, straight-up walk to the ring, through it walk to the corner for his back to his opponent lean is an eschewal of other traditional theatrical wrestling tropes.

MJF is a throwback heel, in a postmodern presentation that doesn’t deviate far from the wrestling aesthetic. Jungle Boy has this 80’s/90’s babyface trope as a character appropriation, also postmodern. Darby Allin, as a goth/punk skater pulls from so many different mediums and genres that it works counter to pro-wrestling aesthetics while working within the medium.

Hook, as a character has such a clear diffusion of character and motivation and intent. So, far, he’s the most transparent debut so far. He didn’t have a promo, a vignette or a complicated storyline with a shock/swerve to start out. It’s Occam’s Razor as a guide for character development.