‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Jan 26th 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 Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia and featured Excalibur, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Jon Moxley def. Lee Moriarty
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Moriarty took Mox down with a snap mare. Lee flexed and posed and let Mox get to his feet. Lee showed off his technical prowess, taking Mox down again with a side headlock. Moxley escaped and trucked Lee with a running back elbow. Moxley had a face off with Shane Taylor on the floor. Moxley chopped Moriarty. Lee ducked a lariat attempt and rolled up Mox in a Border City Stretch. Moxley lunged toward the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Moriarty and Moxley traded stiff forearms in the center of the ring. Moxley knocked Moriarty’s block off. Moxley charged at Lee in the corner with a lariat and then pummeled him with shots. Moriarty blasted Mox with a shotgun dropkick off the second turnbuckle. Moxley was looking for a piledriver on the apron, but Lee countered with a hammerlock, using Mox’s own body weight against him, planting Mox hard on the apron. Moriarty connected with a belly-to-belly suplex and then applied a cross arm breaker. Moriarty rocked Mox with a high stack German Suplex for a near fall. Lee charged at Mox, but Mox wiped him out with a King Kong lariat! Moxley was looking for the bulldog choke, but Moriarty escaped and transitioned into the border city stretch. Moxley reversed and crashed down with hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moriarty fired back with a flurry of offense. Moriarty kicked at Mox’s arm. Lee went for a springboard forearm, but Mox countered with a big right elbow. Mox stomped Moriarty and then spiked him with a piledriver. Moxley locked in a choke and Moxley won via ref stoppage!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Konosuke Takeshita def. Christopher Daniels
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Daniels got the jump on Takeshita at the bell. Takeshita walloped Daniels with a massive shot. Takeshita landed the Takeshita Line on CD. Takeshita followed up with a dive on Daniels. Takeshita attempted a superplex but CD headbutted Takeshita, knocking him to the mat. Daniels swung down, driving Takeshita face first into the mat. Daniels hurled Takeshita with a German Suplex. Takeshita countered the Angels Wings and drove Daniels down on the back of the head. Takeshita finished off Daniels with a running knee strike and pinned Daniels!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Anna Jay def. Ruby Soho
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ruby ambushed Anna Jay, trying to ruin her homecoming. Ruby whipped Anna into the barricade outside the ring. Anna connected with a high boot to Ruby’s face. Anna followed up with the pendulum kick. Saraya swept out Anna Jay’s leg on the apron. Anna got to her feet and planted Ruby with a DDT for a near fall. Anna was looking for the Queen Slayer, but Harley grabbed Anna Jay’s boot. Saraya held back Anna Jay, but the referee saw it and ejected Saraya and Harley from ringside. Anna attempted a backslide, but Ruby escaped and rocked Anna with Destination Unknown. Anna stunned Ruby with a blockbuster and then forced Ruby to tap out with the Queen Slayer!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Komander def. Kip Sabian, El Hijo del Vikingo & The Butcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Butcher turned his back and Sabian rolled him up for a near fall. Vikingo swept out Sabian’s legs, and Komander hit a tope on Kip while Vikingo smashed Butcher with a tope. Butcher blocked a springboard dropkick from Komander and applied a Texas Cloverleaf. Vikingo rocked Butcher with a thrust kick. Kip dropkicked Vikingo. Kip cannonballed Komander in the corner. Butcher went over the top with a splash on Komander. Butcher tossed Komander at Kip and Kip nailed Komander with a lung blower. Kip booted Butcher in the midsection. Butcher stunned Sabian with a back breaker. Vikingo staggered Butcher with a corkscrew kick. Sabian swept out Vikingo’s legs. Komander walloped Sabian with a Spanish Fly for a two-count. Komander climbed to the top rope, but Vikingo tripped him up. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Butcher put Vikingo on his shoulders, while Vikingo had Komander locked in a superplex position. Kip got on his hands and knees behind Butcher, tripped him up, and knocked all three men to the mat. Komander jumped off Alex Abrahantes’ back like a launching pad and crushed Kip with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor! Vikingo took out both men on the floor with a moonsault. Vikingo tried for a moonsault, but Komander booted him. Butcher power bombed Komander and covered him, but Vikingo broke up the pin attempt. Kip snuck in and drilled Komander with a German Suplex. Komander reversed a vertical suplex attempt, grabbed Kip’s legs and pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Rampage is currently on something of a solid run, with nothing ever disappointing but at the same time never really pushing the envelope. Yes, we get some great matches – as we did this week, with a great opener and a fatal four-way main event that both delivered. Which means every episode is totally watchable and totally great… but never outstanding. And I think we need some outstanding action every so often… Though I think that this current stable wave of programming is AEW’s way of maintaining the status quo until Revolution in March which, besides being the PPV on which Sting retires, is probably going to be a new beginning for the company. Hopefully.