‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Nov 3rd 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, Paul Wight and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Penta El Zero Miedo def. El Hijo del Vikingo and Komander
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Penta hit the Made in Japan on Vikingo, but Komander broke up the pin attempt. Vikingo flew out of the ring with a tope suicida crashing into Komander. Penta served up sling blades to Komander and El Hijo del Vikingo. Vikingo connected with a phoenix splash onto Komander for a near fall. Penta ran in with a foot stomp to Vikingo. Penta El Zero Miedo flipped over the top rope and wiped out Vikingo and Komander. The QTV crew were watching the match on a monitor backstage. Penta El Zero Miedo chopped Komander on the chest. Penta cracked Vikingo with a kick in the corner. Vikingo was looking for a dropkick off the ropes, but Komander countered with a powerbomb. Komander attempted a shooting star press, but Penta anticipated it and blocked it with a lung blower. Vikingo smashed Penta with a poison rana on the ring apron! Penta rocked Komander with the Fear Factor on the edge of the ring. Penta planted Vikingo for a near fall. Vikingo fired back with a kick to Penta’s jaw. Vikingo stunned Penta with a 630 senton but Komander broke up Vikingo’s pin attempt. Komander used an implosion phoenix splash on Vikingo. Penta grabbed Komander and nailed him with the Fear Factor on top of El Hijo del Vikingo. Penta covered Komander and grabbed the pinfall victory!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn) def. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Daniels and Sydal used tandem offense on Austin Gunn. Daniels chopped at Austin. Colten clocked Daniels with a sucker punch. Colten tagged in and grounded and pounded Daniels. Colten dropkicked Daniels. CD German Suplexed the Gunns and tagged into Sydal. Matt Sydal smashed Austin with the meteora but Colten was there to break up the pin. The Gunns hit the 3:10 to Yuma on Sydal and Austin pinned him!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Skye Blue def. Marina Shafir
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Skye Blue stomped on Marina’s feet, but Marina didn’t even flinch. Marina kicked Skye away. Skye Blue spiked Shafir with a DDT on the apron! Skye Blue clubbed Marina with aggressive forearm shots on the floor. Marina planted Skye with a Judo throw for a near fall. Skye Blue fired back with a dropkick. Blue blasted Marina with a boot. Marina applied a neck crank on Blue. Skye Blue bit Marina to escape. As Marina was telling the ref, Skye Blue rolled her up for a near fall. Skye Blue crumbled Marina with a thrust kick and then pinned her after the Code Blue!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Daniel Garcia def. Trent Beretta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Garcia chopped Trent. Trent charged at Daniel Garcia. Trent hit Garcia with a moonsault off the middle turnbuckle. Trent spiked Garcia on the arena floor with a brainbuster. Trent superplexed Garcia for a near fall. Trent knocked Garcia down with a short arm lariat. Garcia backdropped Trent. Garcia punched and stomped down Beretta. Garcia charged at Trent with a double knee strike in the corner. Garcia followed up with a brainbuster for a near fall. Trent rocked Garcia with a half and half suplex and then the Death Valley Driver for a two-count. Garcia came back with German Suplexes of his own. Trent and Garcia battered one another with elbow strikes. Trent spiked Garcia with a piledriver for a two-count. Garcia did his dance and the blasted Trent with a piledriver. Garcia applied the cross face and Trent tapped out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
A strong episode of Rampage this week, led by the fantastic lucha match which opened the show with some of the craziest lucha action we’ve seen in some time in AEW – though with the trio involved it should have been expected! I didn’t expect anything great form a match featuring the Gunns and I was right not to. A waste of time for Daniels and Sydal IMHO. Skye Blue versus Marina Shafir was one hell of a surprise, with both Blue and Shafir delivering some fantastic action – with Blue continuing her 2023 streak and Shafir showing that all the training she’s been putting in, all the character work she’s done, is now really coming through on screen. Excellent work from both women. As for the main event… well Daniel Garcia gets to go solo once again but, as plenty of other people have said, he really needs to stop with the dancing.
