22nd May2023

‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (May 19th 2023)

by Phil Wheat

It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show features Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho and Jim Ross on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…

Match #1: Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta) def. Bandido & Best Amigos (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Mox began battering Bandido with clubbing shots. Yuta and Trent tagged in and traded forearms. Trent took down Wheeler with a lariat. Claudio suplexed Chuck Taylor. The BCC utilized quick tags to confuse their opponents. Trent blasted Mox with German suplexes and a half-and-half. All three members of Best Amigos flew over the top rope, wiping out the BCC on the outside. Back in the ring, Claudio hit a double foot stomp on Trent. Claudio tried for a European uppercut, but Trent countered with a backslide for a near fall. Moxley tagged in and rammed into Trent with lariats. Trent fired back with a DDT off the ropes. Bandido tagged in and came down with a tornillo to the opposition. Bandido connected with a diving hurracanrana for a near fall on Claudio. Bandido tried for a delayed vertical suplex, but Claudio escaped. Yuta tagged in and jumped off the ropes, but Bandido caught him and countered with a suplex. Chuck Taylor spiked Yuta with a stuffed piledriver for a two-count. Trent came flying in with a knee strike to Moxley. Yuta rolled up Taylor for a near fall. Moxley nailed Chuck with the Death Rider. Claudio followed up by throwing Yuta off the top rope with the rocket launcher for a splash on Taylor. Yuta pinned Chuck and then the BCC celebrated inside the ring.

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #2: TBS Open Challenge Match – Jade Cargill def. Danni Bee

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

With some quick but impressive offense, including a fallaway slam and a pump kick, Jade made short work of Danni and pinned her. After the match, “Smart” Mark Sterling called out for another challenger. Genesis accepted and came to the ring. After a spear followed up by Jaded, Cargill pinned Genesis to become 59-0!

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #3: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) and Daddy Ass def. Varsity Athletes (Ari Daivari, Josh Woods & Tony Nese)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Caster took down Woods with an arm drag. Daddy Ass tagged in and walloped Woods with a shoulder tackle. Nese posed in front of Billy Gunn but Gunn answered with a sidewalk slam. Bowens became the legal man and cleaned house on the other team. Woods broke up a pin attempt from Bowens on Nese. Nese used a spinning kick on Bowens to counter the Arrival. Bowens did get the Arrival, though, and then Caster followed up with the Mic Drop for the pin on Nese.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #4: Dustin Rhodes def. Bishop Kaun

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

As Dustin was entering the ring, Bishop Kaun jumped him, laying in the right hands. Dustin rallied back with a clothesline to Kaun, knocking him over the top rope and to the arena floor. Bishop whipped Dustin through the ropes. Dustin collided with the TV camera, and it busted Dustin wide open. Dustin powerslammed a charging Bishop Kaun. Rhodes hammered Kaun with fists and followed up with a Code Red for a near fall. Dustin spiked Kaun with a piledriver. Kaun backed up Dustin with a shotgun dropkick. Dustin hit a bulldog and then the Final Reckoning to pin Bishop Kaun. Brian Cage ran into the ring and powerbombed Dustin Rhodes. Swerve Strickland sauntered into the ring, grinning, as Cage kicked Dustin. “Limitless” Keith Lee came out to even up the odds. Keith Lee, still seeking revenge for being betrayed by Strickland, got into the ring. Before Lee could get to Swerve, Cage and Kaun hit Lee from behind with a steel chair. Brian Cage hoisted up Lee and then planted him onto the steel chair! The Mogul Embassy held Lee onto the steel chair and then Swerve drove Lee down with the stomp!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

This was a much better show than last week’s Rampage, opening with a belter of a trios match which saw Bandido and the Best Friends (or Best Amigos as they were billed for this match) holding their own against the much stronger (and stronger booked) Blackpool Combat Club. Jade Cargill’s squash match running streak continued this week, as did her feud with Taya Valkyrie. The Acclaimed trios match was OK, but just OK – I think The Acclaimed need an extra something now as while the love from the fans continues to be huge, their matches are becoming too repetitive. As for the main event, it’s always good to see the veteran Dustin Rhodes in action and espeically in hard-hitting stuff like this match! Of course this also continues the Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee feud too, which I’m hoping eventally leads to one hell of a match between the two.

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