‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Oct 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 from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California and featured Excalibur and Taz on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) & The Hardys (Matt & Jeff) def. Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, Daniel Garcia & Jake Hager
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Chuck got slugged by Parker, but Chuck fired back with an arm drag. Jeff Hardy and Daniel Garcia tagged in for their respective teams. Hardy and Garcia had a dance off. Matt Menard blindsided Jeff with a cheap shot. Menard tagged in and isolated Jeff Hardy. Garcia tagged back in but Jeff Hardy reversed Garcia, taking him off his feet with a lariat. Trent tagged in and he and Garcia traded strikes. Trent walloped Garcia with two consecutive German Suplexes. Trent launched a thrust kick at Garcia and followed up with a Death Valley Driver. The Hardys sent Hager over the top rope with a double clothesline. Hager trucked Trent on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Trent was looking for a break as Menard chopped at him. Trent charged out of the corner with a knee strike to Menard, creating a huge opening. Matt Hardy tagged in and cleaned house with Side Effects on Hager and then on Garcia. Hager hit Matt Hardy with a Hager Bomb! Trent DDT’ed Parker. Menard was there with a powerbomb for Trent. Matt Hardy shoved Garcia, inadvertently knocking Garcia into Menard, and Menard fell out of the ring onto Anna Jay. Matt Hardy smashed Garcia with a Twist of Fate. Trent Crunched Garcia. Jeff Hardy finished off Garcia with a Swanton Bomb and pinned him for the victory!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta def. Wise Guy Ruiz & Levi Shapiro
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Yuta tied up Shapiro. Shapiro got to his feet, but Wheeler knocked him right back down with stiff shots. Claudio tagged in and clobbered Shapiro with a clothesline. Claudio put Shapiro in the Giant Swing and then Yuta dropkicked the spinning Shapiro! Claudio threw Yuta with the Fastball Special, with Yuta splashing Shapiro and pinning him!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Komander def. Johnny TV, Lince Dorado & Penta El Zero Miedo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner receives an ROH World Title match! ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston joined the broadcast booth for this match. Penta came around with a sling blade on Johnny TV. They exchanged arm drags. Komander and Lince Dorado hit stereo tope suicidas on Penta and Johnny TV. Lince Dorada smashed Komander with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Penta El Zero Miedo connected with a diving cross body on Johnny TV. Penta rocked Johnny TV with a destroyer! Penta flew over the top rope and crash landed on the other three wrestlers. Johnny TV staggered Penta with a neck breaker. Johnny TV splashed Dorado with a standing moonsault. Johnny TV powerslammed Komander in the center of the ring. Komander headbutted Johnny TV off the top turnbuckle. Lince Dorado moonsaulted from the ring to Penta and Johnny TV on the arena floor! Komander ran the ropes and flipped onto the opposition outside the ring. Komander walked the ropes and then hit the 450 splash onto Lince Dorado, scoring the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Kris Statlander & Hikaru Shida def. Nyla Rose & Marina Shafir
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Shida grounded and pounded Shafir. Nyla tagged in and body slammed Shida. Nyla followed up with a leg drop. Marina blasted Shida with kicks, but Shida fired back with a running elbow strike. Nyla ran in and steamrolled Shida. Marina drove Shida down hard onto the mat. Statlander tagged in and cleaned house on Nyla and Marina. Kris slammed Marina. She tried to body slam Nyla, but Kris couldn’t keep Nyla up. Kris tried a second time and was successful with the body slam. Nyla shut down the TBS Champion with a lariat for a near fall. Statlander nailed Marina with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Shida grabbed a tag. Shida jumped to the outside from the apron on Nyla and Marina! Shida blasted Marina with the Falcon Arrow for a near fall! Statlander hoisted up Nyla on her shoulders. Shida jumped from the top and wiped out Nyla with the Doomsday Device! Shida cracked Marina with the katana kick. She finished off Marina with the Knight Cap and pinned Marina!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
A good episode of Rampage, good but not great. This week’s show started strong but then petered out by the end. Still, there was some decent action and the hour went by very fast. I still don’t get the obsession with cramming an extra squash match into the show every week… the show was just as good with three matches as it is with four. But hey, it gives the talent a spotlight and the local jobbers a TV outing doesn’t it?
