‘AEW: Rampage’ (Jan 6th 2023)
It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show was broadcast live from the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon and featured Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Top Flight were looking to keep their momentum from 2022 going strong as they took it to Mox early on. Danielson grabbed a blind tag and kicked and chopped away at Dante in the corner. Danielson stood on the top turnbuckle and dropped fists on Dante. Danielson attempted a hurracanrana but Dante landed on his feet. Danielson and Moxley and Top Flight traded strikes in the center of the ring. It broke down into a brawl at ringside. Moxley booted Dante off a steel chair. The Blackpool Combat Club squashed Darius in the corner. Danielson applied the Romero Special on Dante Martin. Danielson transitioned into a dragon sleeper on Dante. Mox tagged in and clobbered Dante with bigtime boots. Moxley superplexed Dante for a near fall. Finally Darius managed to make a tag to his brother. Danielson nailed Darius with a stiff open palm strike and Darius yelled, “Is that the best you’ve got?!” Darius caught a kick from Danielson and countered with heavy hands of his own. Darius hit a Spanish Fly reversal on Bryan Danielson. Moxley jumped in but Darius flattened him and tagged out to Dante. Dante connected with a high cross body press for a two-count on Moxley. Dante dropped Moxley for another near fall. Dante hit the frog splash but Moxley ate it and then rolled over with hammer and anvil strikes. Moxley wrecked Dante with the King Kong Lariat for a two-count! Danielson tagged in and smashed Darius with a running knee! Danielson kicked at Darius’ head while Moxley jumped off the top turnbuckle to Dante on the outside! Danielson applied the Regal Stretch submission and forced Darius to tap!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #2: Jamie Hayter & Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. The Renegade Sisters (Charlette & Robyn Renegade)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hayter and Baker ambushed the Renegade sisters at the start of the match. Hayter hit a back elbow and then Robyn retaliated with double knees in the corner. Charlette and Robyn tried to double team Hayter. Hayter double suplexed the Renegade sisters. Baker tagged in and used the sling blade on Robyn Renegade for a two-count. Charlette tagged in a planted Baker with a spinebuster. Charlette followed up with a fisherman’s suplex. Hayter jumped in with a Hayte-Breaker. Hayter and Baker nailed Renegade with sandwich elbows and then Baker scored the pin after a curb stomp on Charlette!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #3: Preston Vance def. Sonico
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sonico chopped at Preston but Preston spiked him with a spinebuster. Preston walloped Sonico with a discus lariat and pinned Sonico in short order. After the match Preston Vance tore off Sonico’s mask!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: TNT Championship Open Challenge – Darby Allin def. Mike Bennett
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bennett had a wrist lock on Darby but Darby reversed it. Bennett kicked at Darby’s knee, sending Darby hobbling outside. Bennett came in with a high boot to Darby and then hurled Darby against the steel barricade. Darby dropkicked Bennett and then rocketed outside with a tope suicida. Taven shoved Bennett out of the way took the brunt of the blow from the tope. Darby grabbed Bennett with a Russian leg sweep off the ring apron and down on the arena floor. Back in the ring, momentum shifted as Mike smashed Darby with a Death Valley Driver. Darby rallied back, striking Bennett with forearms and then placing him on a steel chair outside the ring. Darby dropkicked from the top turnbuckle to Bennett on the floor. Darby was about to go for the Coffin Drop on Bennett when Maria jumped into the ring to act as a human shield. As the ref forced Maria out of the ring, Taven shoved Darby off the top rope, sending him crashing onto the mat. Bennett hoisted up Darby for an avalanche piledriver but Darby countered with an avalanche Code Red! Darby climbed back up and pinned Bennett after the Coffin Drop!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Wow. Wow. What an episode of Rampage! It’s almost as if Tony Khan decided to stack his main shows with the best matches he could in almost a statement of what AEW plans for 2023… This show started off with a tag match that gave the Best of 7 series between The Elite and Death Triangle a run for its money. Seriously. But it wasn’t just the AEW regulars that stepped up for this show – just look at the Renegade Sisters, two indie wrestlers who we’ve seen on AEW programming in the past but who here take things to the next level. Of course, we could’ve done without the squash match but… but… it really worked in terms of building Preston Vance’s new heel persona. And just when you thought the show was over we got a main event that completely surprised. Well, me at least. I’ve never thought much of Mike Bennett (though co-editor Kev is a big fan) but here he really was a fantastic foil for Darby Allin and delivered the best match I’ve personally ever seen from him! All round a superb episode of Rampage that sets a very high bar for the rest of 2023.
