‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Oct 13th 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 Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri and featured Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Paul Wight on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard, & Angelo Parker def. Brother Zay & The Hardys (Matt & Jeff)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Garcia grappled Brother Zay to the mat. Zay fired back with an arm drag and a dropkick. Matt Hardy tagged in and dropped an elbow on Garcia. Jeff tagged in and hit a diving splash on Garcia. After Parker distracted Brother Zay, Garcia nailed Zay with a running forearm. Angelo Parker and Matt Menard whipped Garcia into Brother Zay in the turnbuckles. Brother Zay blasted Garcia with a cutter and then tagged out to Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy cleared the ring and hammered away on Parker. Matt Hardy followed up with a powerbomb on Parker for a near fall. Garcia was about to do his dance, but Matt Menard tagged himself in and scolded Garcia. Jeff Hardy tagged in and clobbered Angelo Parker with clotheslines. Jeff followed up with a basement dropkick. Matt Menard ran in to break up Jeff’s pin attempt on Parker. Angelo Parker ran in, but Matt Hardy caught him with a Side Effect. Brother Zay splashed Parker with the Poetry in Motion. Jeff Hardy went up top for the swanton, but Jake Hager knocked Jeff off his balance. Inside the ring Daniel Garcia spiked Brother Zay with a DDT and pinned him!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Jay Lethal def. Trent Beretta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lethal got the jump on Trent. Lethal looked into the camera and told Eddie Kingston that he was going to be the next ROH World Champion. Trent smashed Lethal with double knees. Lethal scoop slammed Trent. Lethal was looking for the figure four but Trent countered and grounded and pounded Lethal. Trent took down Lethal with a hurracanrana and followed up with a thrust kick. Trent went for a running cross body press but Lethal ducked! Trent’s momentum sent him crashing into the ropes! Trent speared Lethal outside the ring. Jay Lethal ran the knee of Trent into the steel ring post. Trent wiped out Lethal with a pescado, but Trent came up clutching his knee. Trent nailed Lethal with a German Suplex. Trent hit a second German Suplex. Lethal was looking for the Lethal Injection but Trent countered with the half-and-half for a near fall. Lethal locked on the figure four in the center of the ring. Lethal clocked Trent with a thrust kick to Trent’s face. Trent countered a rolling elbow with a jumping knee strike to Lethal. Jay Lethal kicked the back of Trent’s knee, followed up with the Lethal Injection and pinned Trent!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Skye Blue def. Emi Sakura
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Skye Blue tried to cradle Emi, but Emi stomped on Blue. Emi dumped Skye Blue over the top rope. Emi charged at Skye Blue and crushed her against the steel ring steps. Emi Sakura chopped away at Skye Blue. Sakura charged at Skye, but Skye got her boot up. She followed up with a DDT for a near fall. Sakura countered the Skye Fall by chomping on Skye’s hands. Sakura nailed Skye Blue with a back breaker. Skye Blue nailed Emi with a thrust kick and pinned Emi after the Code Blue!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) def. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Wheeler Yuta grappled Bishop to the mat with a deep hammer lock. Bishop Kaun fought out of it and shoved Yuta into the corner turnbuckles. Wheeler Yuta slapped him. Yuta scoop slammed Kaun and then squashed him with a senton. Claudio tagged in and smashed Kaun with a double foot stomp. Yuta tagged back in, but Bishop Kaun shoved Yuta into a stiff elbow from Toa Liona. Bishop Kaun whipped Yuta back and forth into the barricade. Claudio clobbered Toa Liona with European Uppercuts. Claudio tried for the Neutralizer, but Liona back dropped out of it. Claudio was looking for the Giant Swing, but Bishop Kaun had a blind tag and blindsided Claudio. Claudio put Kaun in the Giant Swing and then Yuta dropkicked Kaun in the head! Prince Nana jumped into the ring and Claudio chased him out and to the back. Inside the ring, Yuta was isolated. Kaun smashed Yuta with a double underhook face buster, but Yuta kicked out at two. Wheeler Yuta chopped away at the Gates of Agony. The Gates planted Yuta and Toa covered him, but Yuta kicked out! Claudio ran back to the ring and cleaned house on the Gates! Yuta climbed to the top turnbuckle and Claudio threw him with the Fast Ball Special, and Yuta pinned Bishop Kaun!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This was a hard episode of Rampage to call – the first two matches were pretty much throwaway. The former JAS guys need something more than being “former JAS” and I have to agree with Menard, Garcia needs to drop the dancing. My personal feelings on Jay Lethal and his cronies always, always, gets in my way of enjoying any matches they are a part of. Great to see Skye Blue pick up the win against Emi Sakura and it looks like the House of Black’s “mist” may be giving her a mean streak. As for the main event, LOVED seeing such a hard-hitting tag match, with both sides looking strong as the match closed. To be fair Gates of Agony have always looked strong and this match gave them a much-needed leg-up the AEW roster.
