‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Mar 15th 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 TD Garden in Boston, MA and featured Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Best Friends (Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta) def. The Dark Order (John Silver & Evil Uno)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Evil Uno dropped Orange with a shoulder block. John Silver ran in from behind, but Orange hit Silver with a Manhattan drop. Orange and Trent hit Silver with a shoulder tackle. Trent took down Evil Uno with a drop toe hold. Orange climbed to the top rope, but Silver press slammed him. Trent hit Silver with a knee strike, but Evil Uno nailed Trent with a neck breaker. Evil Uno stopped a DDT from Orange, but Orange wasted no time and followed up with the Stun Dog Millionaire! Evil Uno planted Orange with Something Evil for a near fall. Orange kicked it into gear, kicking both members of Dark Order. Trent tagged in and dumped Evil Uno and John Silver with half and half suplexes! Trent tried for the Strong Zero, but Evil Uno booted Trent, and Silver countered the Strong Zero with a Canadian Destroyer. Orange flew through the ropes and spiked Evil Uno with a DDT on the arena floor! Evil Uno used a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Orange in the ring. Dark Order used their combo offense on Trent. Orange pulped John Silver with the Orange Punch and then served one up to Evil Uno! Trent used the momentum from Orange’s punch on Silver to finish off Silver with the Strong Zero for the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Toni Storm & Mariah May def. Kayla Sparks & Little Mean Kathleen
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni and Mariah came out of the gates strong, going right after Little Mean Kathleen, looking to send a message to “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo. Kayla grabbed a tag but got dumped on her head by Toni with a German Suplex. Toni smashed Kayla with a hip attack. Mariah May followed up with a hip attack to Kayla! Toni Storm spiked LMK with the Storm Zero and then Mariah May grabbed the pin!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Konosuke Takeshita def. Komander
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Komander avoided a big kick from Takeshita. Komander rolled up Takeshita, nailed him with a knee drop, and followed up with a lionsault! Komander tried to chop away at Takeshita, but Takeshita blasted Komander with a big boot to the face. Takeshita sent Komander soaring with an overhead release German suplex. Takeshita was looking for a turnbuckle brain buster, but Komander reversed it with a stunner! Komander hit a moonsault off the top rope and onto Takeshita on the arena floor! Komander wiped out Takeshita with a springboard hurracanrana for a near fall on Takeshita. Komander charged in at Takeshita, but Takeshita threw him to the mat. Takeshita countered a tornillo into a blue thunder bomb for a near fall on Komander! Komander reversed a power bomb attempt with a Destroyer for a two-count! Komander attempted the rope walk shooting star press, but Takeshita raised his knees to counter it! Takeshita power bombed Komander and then clocked Komander with a knee strike! Takeshita walloped Komander with a spinning falcon arrow and then scored the pin on Komander!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #4: Undisputed Kingdom – The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) & Roderick Strong def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) & Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Strong charged at Action and booted him in the head. Bennett tagged in and drove his boot into the throat of Andretti. Taven grabbed a tag and nailed Action with a dropkick. Dante entered the match and rolled up Taven for a one-count. Dante was looking for a DDT, but Taven shoved him off. Darius tagged in and Dante used Darius as a springboard, knocking Bennett out of the ring and to the floor. Darius and Bennett traded chops in the center of the ring. Taven tripped Darius from the outside. Roderick came in and dropped Darius with an elbow strike. Action rocked Roddy with a neck breaker back breaker combo, followed by a shooting star press. Action went for the pin on Roderick, but the Kingdom ran in to break it up. Action used a double back elbow on the Kingdom to take them off their feet. Action clocked Roderick with a roundhouse kick. Top Flight and Action Andretti took to the sky and hit the Undisputed Kingdom with tope suicidas. The Undisputed Kingdom regained momentum, isolating Darius and working him over. Darius vaulted off the corner and cracked Roderick with a kick. Dante tagged in and baited in Bennett. Dante connected with a springboard crossbody on Bennett for a near fall. Top Flight hit tandem offense on Bennett. Action splashed Bennett with a springboard 450 but Taven ran in to break up the pin attempt. Action jumped off the ropes, but Taven countered with a kick, knocking the wind out of Action. Taven and Bennett were looking for the spiked piledriver, but Action fought out of it. Taven jumped from the top turnbuckle, but Action retaliated with a trust kick. Darius and Action were looking for a double suplex on Bennett, but Roderick ran in and nailed both with jumping knee strikes. Undisputed Kingdom spiked Action Andretti with their piledriver! Roderick Strong finished off Action with the End of Heartache and pinned Action Andretti!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This was a BANGER of a show! This week’s episode started strong with a great tag match (although I wished Dark Order picked up the win – they deserve it IMHO) and the momentum kept going through the show. Even the squash match worked to sell the dominance of Toni Storm and the fact she and Mariah May make for a badass tag team. The biggest and best match of the night was without a doubt the Takeshita/Kommander match – these guys worked great together and delivered an exciting well-fought match that highlighted that differing styles CAN work together in the ring and do it bloody well!
