‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Aug 9th 2024)
It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show emanated from the LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, and featured Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and Matt Menard on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Darby Allin def. The Butcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby charged at Butcher and Butcher booted Darby directly in the face. Big Butch showed his aggression right out of the gate, body slamming Darby into the ropes. Darby spat at Butcher, not backing down. Butcher whipped Darby into the turnbuckles. Darby was bleeding from the mouth 20 seconds into the match. Butcher shoved Darby into the steel steps. Butcher stood on Darby’s head with his boot, trying to squash him. Butcher threw his body at the barricade and at Darby, but Darby dodged him! Darby nailed Butcher with a Coffin Drop to the floor. Darby jumped off the top rope, but Darby leaned his shoulder into Darby, knocking Darby down. Butcher blasted Darby with a shotgun dropkick. Butcher locked Darby in the Texas Cloverleaf, an homage to “The Iceman” Dean Malenko. Butcher stomped on Darby. Butcher slapped Darby in the face, knocking Darby out of the ring. Butcher swung Darby into the steel barricade and then power bombed Darby into the post. Darby got to his feet and flew out of the ring with a tope suicida on Butcher! Darby hit Butcher with the Coffin Splash in the corner, and then a second Coffin Splash! Butcher blocked a third Coffin Splash and then drilled Darby with a half nelson back breaker and a power bomb for a near fall! Butcher tried to set up Darby for a superplex. Darby countered with an avalanche Code Red! Darby decimated Butcher with a Coffin Drop from the top rope and pinned Butcher!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Wheeler Yuta def. Rocky Romero
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Rocky and Wheeler traded chops. Wheeler wiped out Rocky with a shoulder tackle. Rocky transitioned into an arm bar but Wheeler escaped. Yuta drilled Rocky with a suplex, dumping Rocky on his head. Rocky Romero lit up Wheeler’s chest with chops. Yuta sent Rocky to the floor and the rocketed out of the ring with an elbow suicida to Rocky. Romero was taken off his feet by a lariat from Yuta! Rocky got to his feet and both men traded strikes. Yuta connected with a Manhattan Drop. Rocky stunned Yuta with a hurracanrana off the ropes, followed up by a Sliced Bread number two for a near fall! Yuta countered a second Slice Bread attempt by Rocky with a cross legged tombstone piledriver on Rocky! Yuta pounded Rocky with hammer and anvil elbows and then forced Rocky to tap out after applying the Cattle Mutilation!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Private Party (Zay & Quen) def. Dave & Zane Dawson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Private Party used tandem offense on Zane Dawson. Quen tried to body slam Dave, but Dave splashed him with all his weight. Quen dropped Zane with a jaw breaker. Quen body slammed Zane. Zay got the tag and clobbered Dave Dawson with elbow strikes to the jaw. Zay followed up with a hurracanrana. Private Party hit Zane with the Silly String! Private Party finished off the Dawsons with the Gin & Juice and picked up the pin!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Saraya def. Nyla Rose
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nyla took a swipe at Harley and took a spill from the ring apron at the start of the match. Saraya distracted the ref while Harley stomped on Nyla outside the ring. Back in the ring, Nyla splashed Saraya in the corner. Nyla body slammed Saraya and drove her into the mat. Nyla tried to slide outside the ring, but Saraya lifted the ring apron, trapping Nyla. Saraya clubbed Nyla, who was caught in the apron. Nyla nailed Saraya with a side suplex and then a senton, building up momentum. Saraya countered a splash by raising her knees. Saraya followed up with a running knee strike. Saraya spiked Nyla with the Knight Cap for a near fall. Nyla blasted Saraya with a powerful thrust kick, showing a sense of urgency. Nyla choke slammed Saraya and went for the pin, but Harley diverted the referee’s attention away from the pinning predicament. Nyla had enough and pursued Harley outside the ring. Saraya went after Nyla, but Nyla heard Saraya’s footsteps, anticipated her, and slugged Saraya and then Harley! Saraya connected with a thrust kick. Nyla went to suplex Saraya back into the ring, but Harley swept out Nyla’s legs and held them. The ref didn’t see this! Saraya landed on top of Nyla thanks to the assist from Harley and stole the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
A slightly above-average week for Rampage. Thankfully we didn’t get any squash matches on this week’s show – the tag match was ALMOST a squash, but it felt a little too long to be a true squash. The Wheeler Yuta/Rocky Romero match was easily the match of the night, far exceeding anything else on the show and really showed how good both performers are – Yuta needs another push to the moon sometime soon and outside of the Blackpool Combat Club too IMHO. Anyone else feel like Darby/Butcher matches are being used a guaranteed crowd-pleasers? We get them every so often and never disappoint. Something this show didn’t do either.
