‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Mar 25th 2023)
It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show features Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: TNT Championship Match – Powerhouse Hobbs def. Penta El Zero Miedo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They exchanged strikes at the beginning of the match. Penta El Zero Miedo blasted Hobbs with a thrust kick and then a dropkick, sending Hobbs tumbling to the arena floor. Penta El Zero Miedo was about to rocket out of the ring but Hobbs countered with a stiff forearm. He followed up by ramming Penta El Zero Miedo into the ring post. Hobbs smashed Penta El Zero Miedo with a backbreaker. QT Marshall tied up Penta El Zero Miedo’s mask to the bottom rope as Hobbs distracted ref Aubrey Edwards. Hobbs stomped Penta El Zero Miedo, then targeted the back with a delayed vertical suplex. Penta El Zero Miedo fired back with a backstabber to Hobbs for a near fall. Hobbs gained the upper hand again after planting Penta El Zero Miedo hard on the mat. Penta El Zero Miedo got Hobbs wobbling with two thrust kicks, and then followed up by diving over the top rope and crashing onto Hobbs. Penta El Zero Miedo landed on Hobbs twice with diving foot stomps for a two-count. Aaron Solo got involved in the match but Penta El Zero Miedo stuffed him with Made in Japan. As the ref was dealing with the QTV crew’s interference. Hobbs blindsided Penta El Zero Miedo, cracking him across the side of the head with the TNT Championship belt, and then pinned him. Rey Fenix ran down to the ring with a hammer, fending off the QTV crew from doing damage to Alex Abrahantes.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Brody King def. Jake Hager
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hager shoved Brody and Brody shoved right back. Brody threw big shots at Hager and then took Hager off his feet with a double handed chop. Hager whipped Brody King into the steel barricade, and then for good measure he sent Brody careening into the barricades again! Back in the ring Hager tried for an ankle lock but Brody rolled out of it. Brody attempted a cannonball in the corner but Hager dodged it. Hager went for the Hager Bomb but Brody got his boots up! Brody nailed Hager with a discus lariat for a near fall. Anna J.A.S ran down to the ring and whipped Julia Hart into the ring post. Despite that, Brody King planted Hager with the All-Seeing-Eye and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Taya Valkyrie def. Leila Grey
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Grey shoved Taya but Taya didn’t back down. Taya cracked Grey with a shot. Sterling jumped on the apron to distract Taya Valkyrie but Taya spiked Leila with the Road to Valhalla and pinned her!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) def. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Angelo Parker and Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match. The Kingdom double teamed Caster in the corner. Bowens grabbed a blind tag and Caster hit a neck breaker-back breaker combo on Bennett. The Acclaimed isolated Mike Bennett and dropped the Scissor Me Timbers on Bennett. Taven connected with a back heel kick to Caster. Bennett and Taven mocked Billy Gunn. Maria grabbed the boot of Max Caster to distract him. Maria slid her boot inside the ring to Taven. Top Flight were on the ramp and escorted Maria to the back. The ref took the boot away from Taven. Bowens took down Bennett with a series of shots and then he connected with a rolling elbow to Taven. Bowens used the Arrival and then Caster hit the Mic Drop and pinned Taven!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
The matches this week were OK but overall the show felt dull. Maybe the high of the Vikingo/Omega match hurt this show but there was nothing that got me as excited as I was during this week’s Dynamite. Perhaps, given the change of night, not as much effort went into this episode?!
