‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Oct 27th 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 Liacouras Center in Philadelphia and featured Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: No Count Out, No Disqualification Match – Mike Santana def. Ortiz
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mike Santana made the first move, throwing an elbow into Ortiz’s face. The action spilled to the outside with Ortiz grounding and pounding Santana, and then Ortiz smashed a trash can across Santana. Ortiz whacked Santana with a kendo stick, going after Santana’s surgically repaired knee. Ortiz pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Mike Santana and Ortiz traded open hand shots. Santana suplexed Ortiz back into the ring. Santana wiped out Ortiz on the floor with a moonsault. Ortiz powerbombed Mike Santana through a table outside the ring. Mike Santana suplexed Ortiz off the apron and onto a pile of chairs on the floor! Back in the ring, Santana and Ortiz traded suplexes. Santana spiked Ortiz with a roll-through cutter for a near fall on Ortiz. Ortiz powerslammed Mike Santana and followed up with a brainbuster for a two-count. Mike Santana rocked Ortiz with a nasty lariat. Santana lunged at Ortiz with a cannonball splash in the corner. Mike Santana powerbombed Ortiz and pinned him for the victory.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Abadon def. Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale & Anna Jay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner earns a title shot at AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida tomorrow on Collision. Abadon German Suplexed Skye Blue. Willow rolled up Abadon, but Abadon rolled through. Abadon chop blocked Willow and Skye. Abadon connected with a double lung blower. Willow connected with a double dropkick to Skye and Abadon. Willow splashed Skye and Abadon in the corner with lariats. Willow pounced Anna Jay! Skye connected with a cross body press on Willow for a near fall. Willow rocked Anna with a spinebuster and then Skye Blue stunned Willow with a thrust kick. Willow countered the Code Blue. Anna was looking for the Queen Slayer on Abadon, but Skye broke it up with a thrust kick to Anna. Willow swept out the legs of Skye Blue and pulled her out of the ring. Abadon planted Skye Blue on the head and pinned her!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Konosuke Takeshita def. Kyle Fletcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Don Callis joined the broadcast booth for this match. Hobbs stood behind Callis. Takeshita hit a shoulder tackle on Fletcher. Kyle Fletcher countered a Blue Thunder Bomb. Fletcher scoop slammed Takeshita. Fletcher rammed Takeshita into the steel guardrail on the floor. Back in the ring Takeshita blasted Fletcher with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Takeshita cracked Fletcher in the back with a knee strike. Fletcher kicked Takeshita, knocking Takeshita off the turnbuckles. Fletcher flew out of the ring with the Aussie Arrow on the Alpha. Fletcher followed up with a crossbody press for a near fall on Takeshita. Takeshita connected with a big rolling elbow strike. Takeshita rocked Fletcher with a poison rana. Fletcher rallied back with a brainbuster for a two-count. Takeshita cracked Fletcher with a wicked knee strike after countering a thrust kick, pinning Fletcher!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Yes! This was one hell of an improvement over recent weeks of AEW programming (and wasn’t all about just ONE match). We still got a lot of promos and backstage interviews a la “Sports Entertainment” but the in-ring storytelling was spot-on. And the action worked as well – from the opening match, in which Santana and Ortiz went hell for leather and truly sold the hatred that Sanata has/had for Ortiz; then we got the women’s four-way match which saw the most-welcome return of Abadon (about time TBH), who also picked up the win… Again, most welcome! The main event was a proverbial banger with Takeshita finally getting to show what we’ve been missing since he teamed with Don Callis and been relegated to “bodyguard” status. And, as I’ve said before, Fletcher is really killing it in this [forced] singles run. Ultimately this was an all-around fantastic episode of Rampage!
