‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Apr 12th 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 Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV and featured Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Orange Cassidy def. Alex Reynolds
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Reynolds and Silver taunted Orange by hugging in front of him. Cassidy knocked Silver off the apron and then connected with a DDT on Reynolds. Orange followed up with a tope suicida to Reynolds and Silver. Orange whipped Reynolds into the steel ring steps. Orange threw Silver into the barricade. Back in the ring, Reynolds intercepted the Orange Punch and rocked Orange with an elbow strike. Silver smashed Orange with a brain buster on the floor while the ref was distracted by Reynolds. Reynolds wiped out Cassidy with a running back elbow. Reynolds followed up with a hanging neck breaker for a near fall. Orange got to his feet and stomped a mudhole into Reynolds. Orange followed up with a diving cross body press. Reynolds countered a DDT attempt with a cradle for a near fall. Reynolds spiked Orange with a stuffed piledriver. Cassidy climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Reynolds distracted the ref again. This time, Silver hit Cassidy, causing Cassidy to lose his balance. Reynolds smashed Orange with a big boot in the corner. Reynolds rocked Orange with a stunner off the ropes, but Orange managed to kick out! Silver tried for a brain buster on Orange on the arena floor, but Orange countered with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Reynolds rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Orange moved out of the way. Reynolds inadvertently flew into Silver! Orange pulped Reynolds with the Orange Punch! Cassidy cracked Silver with an Orange Punch! Orange served up another Orange Punch on Reynolds and pinned him!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: TBS Championship Julia Hart def. Leyla Hirsch
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Julia lured in Leyla and smashed her with an elbow strike. Julia followed up with a hanging neck breaker. Julia battered Leyla with strikes in the corner. Leyla countered Julia with a tope suicida. Julia lured Leyla back into the corner and rolled up the challenger, scoring the pin!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Zak Knight def. Angelo Parker
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Parker charged at Zak as Zak was making his entrance. Harley and Saraya distracted Parker, creating a diversion. Zak shoved Parker right into the steel ring post. Zak Knight jumped off the guardrail and walloped Parker with a flying forearm. Zak rammed Parker’s head into the announcers’ desk. Angelo Parker was busted wide open. Parker got into the ring and Knight landed another stinging shot. Knight whipped Parker into the turnbuckles. Knight planted Parker with a vertical suplex. Parker turned things around with a corkscrew brain buster! Parker followed up with a running bulldog and then a flipping neck breaker! Parker spiked Zak with an elevated DDT. Saraya and Harley jumped onto the ring apron! The ref had enough and ejected them from ringside. As the ref was dealing with Saraya and Harley, Zak hit Parker with a low blow and then a powerbomb for a near fall! Zak Knight headbutted Parker. Knight connected with a high boot to Parker’s head. Parker heard this and snapped! Parker got to his feet, but Knight delivered a knockout shot and pinned Parker!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: “Switchblade” Jay White def. Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sydal took down Jay White with a hurracanrana. He followed up with a flying leg lariat on White. Sydal connected with a sliding baseball dropkick and then a meteora off the apron. Jay White chopped Sydal in the chest and then planted Sydal on the apron. Jay White distracted the ref, pretending he was injured. While the ref checked on Jay White, the Gunns attacked Sydal outside the ring. Jay White hit a snap suplex on Sydal. “Switchblade” wrenched on Sydal’s leg with a dragon screw leg whip. Sydal fired back with a knee strike. Sydal connected with a question mark kick for a near fall. Sydal countered a power bomb attempt with a DDT, but White kicked out at the two-count. Jay White spiked Sydal with a uranage for a near fall. Sydal nailed White with a poison rana! Sydal climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the meteora, but Jay White stepped back and hit the Blade Runner, scoring the pin on Sydal!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
If there’s anything positive to take from this week’s Rampage, it’s the singles appearance of Alex Reynolds in the opening match AND the re-appearance of Leyla Hirsch on AEW TV. I know she’s been working ROH but she was, until her injury, a stalwart of the AEW women’s division and I;’m hoping this means we’re going to see more of her in the future. As for the matches themselves, it was all pretty much middle of the road, with the main event just, just levelling up enough to steal the show from the opener. Still a long way to go for Rampage for the show to get back on top!
