‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Dec 1st 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 Target Center in Minneapolis and featured Excalibur and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Orange Cassidy, HOOK, Danhausen & Trent Beretta def. Angelo Parker & Matt Menard and The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danhausen cleaned house on the Dark Order. Hook tagged in and suddenly things broke down into a donnybrook with both teams brawling. Menard nailed Hook with a backbreaker. Menard power bombed Trent. Cassidy came in, pushed the pace and DDT’ed Menard. Evil Uno ate a German Suplex from Danhausen. Hook sent Parker for a ride with a T-bone suplex. Hook followed up with a suplex to Evil Uno. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta walked onto the ramp and had a stare down with Hook. Menard blindsided Hook as Hook was looking at Yuta. Wheeler Yuta joined the broadcast booth. The Dark Order double teamed Hook with running lariats. Hook fought back and made a tag to Trent. Trent walloped Alex Reynolds with German Suplexes. Trent hurled Evil Uno overhead with a half and half. Orange Cassidy tagged in and dropkicked both Dark Order members. Orange staggered Evil Uno with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Reynolds ran in and booted Orange in the face. Trent went to the aid of Orange and tossed Evil Uno with a release German Suplex from the turnbuckles. Danhausen squared off with Matt Menard, cursing Menard. Danhausen pulled out Jake Hager’s purple hat from his trunks and began to wear it and taunt Hager! Jake Hager was livid, jumping into the ring and immediately spilling out on the opposite side as he charged (and missed) Danhausen. Hook applied Red Rum on Parker while Danhausen cradled Menard and scored the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: The Don Callis Family (Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher) def. Three Local Wrestlers
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hobbs, Takeshita and Fletcher put on a total display of domination, planting their opponents hard onto the mat. Hobbs scored the pin with ease!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander & Skye Blue def. Anna Jay and The Outcasts (Ruby Soho & Saraya)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kris powered Anna to the mat and tagged in Shida. Kris and Shida dropped a double elbow on Anna. Skye Blue tagged in and hit a spinning kick on Anna Jay. Shida and Saraya tagged in for their respective teams. Shida hoisted up Saraya in a torture rack. Kris planted Saraya with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Anna Jay ran in to break up the pin. Anna tried to apply the Queen Slayer on Statlander, but Statlander escaped. Shida cracked Saraya with a jumping knee strike. Anna walloped Kris with the Flatliner. Ruby Soho inadvertently kicked Anna Jay in the face. Statlander picked up Ruby Soho and planted her. Skye Blue pinned Soho with the Code Blue!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo def. Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Brian Cage suplexed Komander. Penta tagged in and hit a cross body on Cage from the top rope. Anthony Henry grabbed a tag and ate a missile dropkick from El Hijo del Vikingo. El Hijo del Vikingo wiped out Henry with an implosion dragon rana. JD Drake grabbed a tag and invited Vikingo to chop him. Vikingo chopped Drake and left a handprint on Drake’s chest. Drake fired back and leveled Vikingo. Penta and Komander dropped Henry and Cage with stereo thrust kicks. Komander dropkicked Cage out of the ring with a boost from Penta. Cage was taken down with a series of sling blades from Penta. He followed up with a DDT to the Workhorsemen. Komander used a springboard lung blower on Cage, held him, and allowed Vikingo to drop down with a double foot stomp. Penta followed up with a foot stomp of his own onto Cage for a near fall! Komander jumped in but got shoulder blocked by Cage in mid-air. Cage monkey flipped Komander into the waiting arms of Drake, who power bombed Komander. Drake catapulted Komander into a thrust kick from Henry! Drake held onto Komander so Henry could drop a double foot stomp from the top rope on Komander. Henry covered Komander for the pin, but Vikingo broke it up. Henry spiked Vikingo with a piledriver. Penta was there and grabbed Henry and drilled him with the Made in Japan! Drake ran in and wiped out Penta. Cage held onto Komander, and Henry tried to boot Komander in the head, but Komander ducked. Henry inadvertently hit Cage instead! Cage was furious and rocked Henry with a discus lariat! Prince Nana and Brian Cage walked away from the ring, abandoning the Workhorsemen! Penta smashed Henry with the Fear Factor! Komander flipped onto Henry with a splash. Vikingo finished off Henry with a 630 senton and pinned Anthony Henry!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Score: 3/5
I’ve seen people complain about this episode of Rampage but for me, this was a lot of fun. And sometimes wrestling needs to be fun! Was made this episode good for me was the fact it featured a bevy of wrestlers who are my favourites in the company – Orange Cassidy, Hook, Danhausen, Dark Order, Shida, Statlander, Skye Blue, Anna Jay, Ruby Soho, Vikingo, Kommander, Penta and The Workhorsemen. Honestly, this episode felt like something of a dream line-up for me, which is why it gets the extra half-point bump for the final score. Though the less said about the Don Callis stuff the better!
