‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (May 13th 2023)
It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show, which aired on Saturday instead of the usual Friday night slot, features Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Max Caster) & Billy Gunn def. Kip Sabian and The Butcher & The Blade
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bowens hit a shoulder block on Sabian. Bowens tried again but Sabian used an arm drag and then a foot stomp on Bowens. Caster and Blade tagged in for their respective teams. Caster scoop slammed the Blade. Bowens dropped the Scissor Me Timbers. Butcher grabbed a tag and blasted Bowens with a lariat. After some cheap interference from Kip, Butcher continued to work over Bowens’ back. Blade tagged in and kept Bowens from reaching his team in the corner. Butcher cracked Bowens with a hard back breaker. Blade tagged in but ate some stiff jabs from Bowens. Billy tagged in and cleaned house on the opposition. After having a change to recover, Bowens smashed Kip with the Arrival. Caster hit the Mic Drop and then pinned Kip Sabian.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Toni Storm def. Allysin Kay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni Storm wasted no time, charging Allysin and connecting with a right hand. Kay came back with a big boot. Allysin Kay was about to run at Storm but Saraya grabbed Kay’s boot. While Kay was distracted, Toni Storm regained momentum. Outside the ring, Toni Storm rammed Allysin Kay into the steel ring post. Kay fired back with a neck breaker and then a lariat for a near fall on Toni! Kay countered a Storm Zero and went for the pin, but the Outcasts distracted the ref. Toni Storm battled back with a German Suplex and then the hip attack in the corner. Toni spiked Kay with the Storm Zero and then pinned Allysin.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Kyle Fletcher def. Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Action reversed a wrist lock. Kyle escaped and then kicked Action Andretti in the abdomen. Action ducked two shots from Kyle. Andretti connected with a tornillo off the bottom rope for a near fall on Fletcher. Fletcher built up momentum and wiped-out Action from the ring apron and down onto the arena floor. Fletcher slammed Action. Fletcher tried for a half and half, but Action landed on his feet! Action nailed Fletcher with a tope suicida. Kyle came back with a thrust kick on Action in the ring. He closed the distance with another kick and then a brainbuster for a near fall. Andretti brought Kyle down hard to the match with a superplex. He followed up with a springboard 450 for a near fall! Kyle Fletcher spiked Action with a spinning tombstone piledriver and then pinned him.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage & Swerve Strickland) def. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
After a flurry of offense, Swerve was looking for the double stomp off the top rope, but Reynolds got out of the way. John Silver and Brian Cage both tagged in and had a pose off. Cage kicked Silver in the midsection. John Silver caught Cage and dropped him with a modified body slam. Cage came back and planted Silver hard on the mat. Silver went towards the ropes, but Swerve lowered them, sending John Silver crashing onto the arena floor. Reynolds drilled Swerve with a Tiger Driver and then a stuffed piledriver for a near fall. Swerve attempted the Swerve Stomp, but Reynolds avoided it again. Cage interfered and he and Swerve double-teamed Silver. Reynolds escaped a powerbomb from Brian Cage. But then Cage hit a pop-up powerbomb. Cage and Swerve used tandem offense on Reynolds, but Reynolds showed his heart and escaped a pin. Silver rushed into the ring to assist his partner and even up the odds. Cage connected with the Drill Claw while Swerve nailed the Driver, and they pinned the Dark Order. After the match the Gates of Agony ran to the ring and double-teamed Evil Uno! Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee stormed out to the ring, running the Mogul Embassy out.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
An Ok episode of Rampage this week, which seems to be what AEW are aiming for with this show. OK. Not great, not amazing, just OK. Maybe we’re in a lump until the rumoured Collision launches and Rampage finds a new place amongst AEW’s TV programming. Because surely this show can’t continue in the same manner when AEW have three weekly TV shows! As for this episode, it was great to see the veteran Allysin Kay in action against Toni Storm; whilst The Acclaimed delivered an OK match but one that was certainly a crowd-pleaser – which is pretty much guaranteed from ANY of The Acclaimed’s matches! The Kyle Fletcher/Action Andretti match felt somewhat throwaway, especially considering Fletcher isn’t part of the AEW roster, therefore nothing he does will have any effect on AEW in the long run,, As for the main event, I do wish Dark Order had picked up the win, it wouldn’t have changed anything about the match and the run-in afterwards but it would give the much-maligned team a much-needed win!
