‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Jun 21st 2024)
It’s Monday so you know what that means, it’s time for our weekly review of AEW: Rampage! This week’s show emanated from the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia; and featured Excalibur, Matt Menard and Tony Schiavone on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Private Party (Brother Zay & Marq Quen) def. Komander & Metalik
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Brother Zay hit an arm drag on Komander, but Komander took down Zay with a diving hurracanrana. Komander crumbled Zay after Komander connected with a dropkick. Private Party blasted Metalik with Silly String for a near fall. Metalik wiped out Private Party with big back elbows. Metalik flew over the top rope and crashed onto Private Party. Komander followed up with a Sky Twister Press to the floor on Private Party. Brother Zay planted Komander with a spinebuster. Quen grabbed a tag and super plexed Metalik! Quen nailed Metalik with a 450 splash, but Komander jumped in to break up the pin. Metalik and Brother Zay traded shots. Both men had the same idea and took one another down with clotheslines. Komander and Quen attempted shooting star presses but their targets moved out of the way. Quen spiked Komander with a reverse hurracanrana. Private Party finished off Metalik with Gin & Juice, with Brother Zay grabbing the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Shingo Takagi def. AR Fox
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
AR Fox ambushed Takagi before the bell. Fox vaulted off the ring post and took out Shingo on the ring floor. AR Fox followed up with a senton for a near fall. Takagi cracked AR Fox with a vicious lariat! Takagi nailed Fox with a swinging neck breaker. Takagi battered Fox with hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Fox took down Takagi with a cutter and then a 450 splash, but Takagi kicked out at the two-count! Takagi drilled Fox with a Death Valley Driver. Takagi followed up with a running lariat. Takagi planted Fox, finishing Fox off and scoring the pinfall victory!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Rey Fenix def. The Outrunners’ Turbo Floyd
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Turbo took Fenix off his feet with a shoulder tackle. Rey Fenix connected with a cross body press off the top rope. Rey Fenix walked the top rope with a kick to Turbo’s head. Rey Fenix quickly finished off Turbo with the frog splash and pinned Turbo!
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #4: TNT Ladder Match Qualifier – Lio Rush def. Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lio Rush went for a hurracanrana, but Action landed on his feet. Both men, familiar with each other’s style, collided in the center of the ring with cross body presses, each having the same idea. Lio used a snap suplex to stun Action Andretti. Lio kicked Action in the spine. Lio rocked Action with an uppercut to the back of Action’s head. Andretti turned up the heat on Lio Rush and booted Rush out of the ring. Andretti flipped off the ropes and crashed down hard on Rush. Action planted Rush with the Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Lio dropped Action to his knees with a lightning combination. Lio avoided a split legged moonsault. Lio bounced off the bottom rope and scored with a stunner. Lio scored the win with a frog splash on Action Andretti!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Women’s Quarterfinal – Willow Nightingale def. Serena Deeb
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Willow flattened Deeb with a running cross body, then followed up with a beautiful vertical suplex. Deeb charged at Willow and knocked her to the arena floor with a running forearm. Deeb dropped Willow with a snapping neck breaker. Deeb was looking for the Deeb Tox, but Willow back body dropped her way out of it. Willow clipped Deeb in the back of the head with a cartwheel kick. Willow planted Deeb with a spine buster for a near fall. Deeb blocked the Doctor Bomb. Deeb applied a single leg crab. Deeb stunned Willow with a German Suplex. Serena Deeb climbed to the top turnbuckle. Willow met her up there, cutting her off at the pass. Willow superplexed Deeb. Willow connected with a big lariat, but Deeb kicked out at the two-count. Deeb dodged a cannonball in the corner from Willow. Deeb walloped Willow with the Deeb Tox for a near fall. Willow charged off the ropes and pounced Deeb! Willow pinned Deeb after the Doctor Bomb!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
I said it last week and I’ll repeat it now. Another week, another solid episode of Rampage. This time round we only got one quasi-squash match which, after my comments last week, made for a welcome surprise. I said it in this week’s review of Smackdown, but tournaments really do make wrestling television feel better than the weekly story-driven stuff. I think it’s because we get match-ups we wouldn’t normally get and in AEW’s case we get wrestlers who’ve been hanging out on ROH rather than Dynamite et al. Plus this week we got an appearance from Shingo Takagi as a great teaser for the forthcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view. Great stuff!
