‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Mar 1st 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 the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri and featured Nigel McGuinness, Matt Menard and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Claudio Castagnoli def. CMLL’s Rugido
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Claudio’s power was too much for Rugido, chucking Rugido right down to the mat. Rugido fired back with a flying forearm shot. Rugido followed up with a tope suicida! Claudio clocked Rugido with a lariat and then began to stomp on Rugido. Claudio dropped Rugido throat first across the barricade. In the ring, Claudio catapulted Rugido, Rugido’s throat hitting the bottom rope. Claudio arm dragged Rugido off the top rope for a near fall. Rugido nailed Claudio with a moonsault to the outside, shifting the momentum of the match. Back in the ring, Rugido rocked Claudio with an overhead suplex for a two-count. Rugido headbutted Claudio, hammering away. Rugido powerslammed Claudio for a near fall. Rugido locked in an armbar, but Claudio escaped and transitioned to the Giant Swing! Claudio pummeled Rugido with hammer and anvil strikes and then planted him for the pinfall victory!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) def. Anaya, Luke Langley & Vaught
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Vincent ran into Vaught with a boot. Dutch tagged in and power bombed Vaught. Langley tagged in but Dutch drilled him with a Bossman Slam! Archer entered the fray and annihilated all three members of the other team! Archer slammed Anaya off the top rope and down onto Langley, scoring the pin!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Riho vs. Trish Adora
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Adora rocked Riho with a shoulder block, Riho retaliated with a dropkick. Riho nailed Trish with a cross body press off the top to the outside. Trish Adora spun Riho around with a neck breaker in the ring. Trish followed up with a back breaker, continuing to target that area of Riho’s body. Riho stunned Trish with a big cross body for a near fall. Riho took Trish down with head scissors. Riho hit a Northern Lights Suplex on Trish for a near fall. Trish booted Riho in the head. Riho dodged a senton splash. Riho blasted Trish with a running double knee strike and pinned her!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: All-Star 8-Man Scramble Qualifier – CMLL’s Magnus def. Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sydal wiped out Magnus with a hurracanrana. Sydal jumped off the top and to Magnus on the arena floor! Sydal followed up with a spinning kick on Magnus in the ring, and then a leg lariat. Magnus fired back with a back breaker for a near fall. Magnus nailed Sydal with the Angel’s Wings for a two-count. Sydal attempted to springboard, but Magnus kicked the ropes, knocking Sydal down to the mat. Magnus attempted to superplex, but Sydal shoved him and clocked Magnus with the meteora for a near fall. Magnus flattened Sydal with a leg drop across the throat. Magnus charged at Sydal in the corner and crushed him with a double knee strike, and then picked up the win via pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Not going to lie, like last week, this episode of Rampage was meh. None of the matches felt like they had any importance, and none of them were really exciting either. Only the Riho/Adora match felt like a decent match, with the rest of the card feeling decidedly average – which was a surprise given that the CMLL guys normally provide some good competition for AEW’s roster.
