‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Jan 2nd 2024)
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 UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured Excalibur and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) def. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Top Flight used tandem offense on Marq Quen. They isolated Quen in their corner. Darius swept out Quen’s leg and Dante hit Quen with a DDT, demonstrating beautiful combo offense. Quen pulled a dropkick out of midair and then tagged in Isiah. Isiah rocked Darius with a stunner. Quen came in and drove Darius face first with a stomp. Quen rolled up Darius, holding the ropes, but Andretti caught him red handed and alerted the referee. Darius rocked Zay with a Pele kick and then tagged out to Dante. Dante connected with a big cross body press on Zay for a near fall. Zay fought his way out of Top Flight’s technical prowess and planted Dante with the Silly String! Quen connected with a shooting star press on Dante, but Darius jumped in to break up the pin attempt. Dante stunned Quen with a thrust kick and then spiked him down on the mat, scoring the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match – Ricky Starks & Big Bill def. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Silver and Reynolds got the jump on Starks and Bill. Evil Uno grabbed Big Bill’s leg from outside the ring. Silver power bombed Starks onto Reynolds’ knees for a near fall. Big Bill tagged in and bulldozed the Dark Order with a double clothesline. Big Bill pummeled Reynolds with stiff shots. Evil Uno distracted Big Bill. Reynolds pushed Bill to the outside and followed up with a tope suicida, but Big Bill intercepted him. Silver rammed into Bill with a cannonball senton. Back in the ring, Big Bill spiked Reynolds with the Bossman slam. Starks grabbed a tag and clubbed Reynolds with forearms and then body slammed him. Ricky splashed Reynolds in the corner with a flying elbow. Starks was looking for a spear, but Evil Uno tripped him up. Starks got out of the ring and speared Evil Uno on the arena floor. Silver peppered Starks with kicks. Starks rallied back with the roshambo and pinned Silver!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Willow Nightingale def. Queen Aminata
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Willow flattened out Queen Aminata with a big shoulder tackle. Aminata cradled Willow but Willow kicked out at one. Willow scoop slammed Aminata. Willow dropkicked Aminata from the turnbuckles. Queen Aminata swept out the legs of Willow as Willow was looking for a senton from the apron. Aminata headbutted Willow and followed up with a German Suplex. Aminata went for a hip attack, but Willow dodged it. Willow cannonballed Aminata and drilled her with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Willow hit the doctor bomb and pinned Queen Aminata!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: CMLL’s Hechicero, Mascara Dorada, Mistico & Volador Jr. def. Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sydal and Dorada began for their respective teams. Sydal took him down with a hurracanrana. Volador tagged in, but Matt Menard whipped him into the ropes. Volador connected with a thrust kick. Mistico and Daniels entered the ring. Mistico nailed Daniels with a big handspring elbow. Mistico kicked Daniels in the corner. Hechicero dropkicked Daniels. Volador planted Daniels with a lung blower. Dorada hit a running shooting star press on Daniels. Daniels planted Dorada with a heel trip and tagged out to Parker. Menard, Parker, and Sydal triple teamed Dorada with a flurry of offense. Sydal punished Dorada with a bow and arrow submission hold. Hechicero grabbed a tag and dropped Daniels with a running lariat. Hechicero locked on a sleeper on Daniels in the ropes. Hechicero blasted Daniels with a springboard forearm. Daniels retaliated with a flatliner. Things broke down as both teams entered and began to brawl! Volador took out Parker with a tope! Mistico jumped from the top and crashed onto Daddy Magic! Dorado wiped out Sydal with a tornillo into an arm drag. Dorado dived over the top and wiped out the pile. Back in the ring, Daniels was looking for the Angel’s Wings on Hechicero, but Hechicero countered with a back drop. Hechicero followed up with a rising knee strike in the corner. Herchicero cradled Daniels and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Rampage felt like something of a breather from Tony Khan and co. We had more of a focus on mid-card talent and a big deal was, rightfully, mad of the CMLL guys appearing in the main event – and even there we got some lesser-seen talent facing them (Daniels and Sydal). It was refreshing to have a show that DIDN’T feature all of AEW’s huge stars and instead focus on the company’s homegrown talent.
