‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Oct 25th 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 Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and featured Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) def. Gates of Agony (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun) and Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lee took down Taven with an arm drag. Taven connected with a dropkick. Taven cradled Moriarty for a two-count. Bennett grabbed a tag and Undisputed Kingdon used tandem tactics on Lee Moriarty. Bishop Kaun tagged in, accelerated and took Taven off his feet with a huge lariat, followed up by a moonsault press for a near fall. Gates of Agony double teamed Taven but Taven fought his way to Bennett. Bennett cracked Toa with chops and then a thrust kick. Shane Taylor tagged Toa and planted Bennett for a near fall. Bennett ducked one lariat but ate a second lariat from Taylor. Taven got a tag and cleaned house. Bennett blasted Lee with a Death Valley Driver which was followed up by a knee strike by Taven. Taylor was there to break up the pin attempt. Bishop Kaun hoisted up Shane Taylor and smashed him with an Air Raid Crash. Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona smashed Lee with a knee strike and a hip attack, respectively. Taven grabbed a blind tag, hit a frog splash on Lee Moriarty, and stole the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Anna Jay def. Leila Grey
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Anna Jay used a knee strike on Grey. Leila fired back with a flipping neck breaker for a two-count on Anna Jay. Leila blasted Anna with a running bulldog for a near fall. Anna hit a snap suplex on Leila Grey. Anna clobbered Leila with elbow strikes and then a flying forearm. Anna found her mark with a kick to Leila. Anna dropkicked Leila Grey. Anna put Leila on her back and drove her down on the mat face first, scoring the pin.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: The Beast Mortos def. Beef
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Beef and Beast met shoulder to shoulder, center of the ring, neither man giving ground. Beef cartwheeled and hit Beast with a dropkick. The Beast Mortos clocked Beef with a big time right hand strike. Beast chop blocked Beef and followed up with a running knee strike for a near fall. The Beast Mortos body slammed Beef. The Beast Mortos tenderized Beef with a headbutt. Beef landed shots, unabated at Beast. Beef dropped the Beast with a running bulldog. The Beast Mortos popped up Beef and wiped him out with a Samoan Drop for a near fall. The Beast Mortos flipped off the top rope and splashed Beef, but Beef kicked out at the two-count! Beef was looking for the Kentucky Meat Shower, but Rush knocked Beef from the top turnbuckle as the ref was distracted by Dralistico. The Beast Mortos planted Beef and picked up the pinfall!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Ricochet def. Nick Wayne
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nick Wayne stalled at the beginning of the match. Ricochet used his quickness to take down Wayne. Ricochet pump kicked Wayne in the jaw. Ricochet went for a flat footed moonsault off the edge of the ring, but Wayne moved. Ricochet landed on his feet and got blindsided by Nick Wayne. Nick Wayne spiked Ricochet on the ramp with a DDT. Wayne followed up with a snap suplex in the ring, continuing to inflict punishment on Ricochet. Ricochet rocked Wayne with a jaw breaker. Ricochet springboarded with a dropkick to Wayne, landing on his feet. Ricochet flipped over the top rope and wiped out Wayne on the arena floor. Ricochet springboarded once again and followed up with a running shooting star press but Nick Wayne kicked out at the two-count! Nick Wayne clawed at Ricochet’s eyes. They jockeyed for position on the turnbuckles. Ricochet headbutted Nick Wayne, knocking him to the mat. Nick Wayne nailed Ricochet with a dragon suplex for a near fall! Ricochet blocked Wayne’s World and countered with a high kick and a deadlift German Suplex, but Nick Wayne kicked out at the two-count! Ricochet hit a half and half suplex. Ricochet jumped off the ropes, but Wayne countered with Wayne’s World and then a destroyer for a (very) near fall on Ricochet! Ricochet ducked another Wayne’s World attempt and spiked Nick with Vertigo in the center of the ring! Ricochet blasted Nick with an elbow strike and scored the pinfall victory!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Rampage was yet another improvement over the previous weeks, whereas last week the matches suffered but the show flowed well overall, this week’s Rampage flowed a lot better and had a fantastic main event too and – best of all – no time was wasted on squash matches! Thanks to that each match got a chance to breathe and even the lesser matches felt good because of that. Let’s hope the improving continues!
