‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Jul 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 emanated from the Landers Center in Southaven, MS, and featured Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: Kings of the Black Throne (Malakai Black & Brody King) def. The Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Black blocked a thrust kick from Daivari and tried to counter with a round kick, but Daivari ducked it. Nese tagged in and cracked Black with a forearm. Black blasted Nese with a back elbow and tagged Brody in. Nese chopped Brody but Brody didn’t budge. Brody leveled Nese with a chop of his own. Brody back body dropped Nese high into the air. Brody followed up with a sit-out senton for a near fall. Malakai Black tagged in, but Tony tried to fight off both men. The Kings of the Black Throne double teamed Tony with tremendous tandem offense. Brody tagged back in and ran towards the ropes, but Josh Woods pulled the top rope down and Brody spilled out of the ring. Tony Nese jumped over the top with a tope con hiro onto Brody! The Premier Athletes stomped on Brody on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Brody slammed Nese and tagged Malakai. Ariya grabbed a tag, too. Black hit a springboard moonsault from the middle rope onto Ariya for a two-count. Nese came in, thanks to a blind tag, but Black rocked him with a high round kick. Josh Woods jumped onto the apron, trying for a cheap shot on Malakai, but Brody King sprinted around the ring and swept out Woods’ legs! As the ref was distracted by Brody and Woods, Daivari smashed Sterling’s clipboard over Malakai Black’s head. Tony Nese landed with a 450 splash onto Malakai Black! Nese covered Black but Black kicked out at the two-count. Nese tried to tag out to Ariya, but Brody pulled Ariya off the apron and whipped him into the barricade. Brody wiped out both Sterling and Ariya with a running crossbody. Black cracked Nese with a knee strike. Black blasted Nese with a brain buster! Black climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Nese kicked him down. again, went for the 450 splash again but this time Black countered by raising his knees into Nese! Black nearly decapitated Nese with his finishing kick and pinned Nese!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Roderick Strong def. Ben Bishop
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bishop shoved Roddy to the mat. Roddy chopped Ben down and then hit the sick kick. Roddy cracked Ben in the jaw with a knee strike and pinned Ben Bishop!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: High Flying Four Way Match – Rey Fenix def. Komander, AR Fox & Angelico
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Angelico got kicked at the same time by the three other men! AR Fox swept out Komander’s legs. AR Fox flipped off the second rope to Rey Fenix on the floor. AR Fox nailed Komander with a corkscrew brain buster for a near fall. Angelico staggered AR Fox with a kick to the forehead. Rey Fenix and Komander traded forearms. Rey Fenix walked the top rope and punted Komander in the head. Rey Fenix was rocked by a poison rana from Komander. AR Fox planted Komander with a fishermen buster! AR Fox followed up with a cutter on Angelico for a near fall. Rey Fenix clobbered AR Fox with a thrust kick. Angelico had AR Fox in an ankle lock, but Komander walked the ropes and moonsaulted Angelico. Komander spiked Fox with a DDT but Rey Fenix connected with a springboard dropkick to Komander, breaking up the pin. Komander stunned Rey Fenix with a crucifix bomb! Rey Fenix nailed AR Fox with a frog splash. Rey Fenix rolled through with a submission hold and made AR Fox tap out!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Thunder Rosa def. Rachel Ellering
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Thunder Rosa dropkicked Rachel in the shoulder. Thunder Rosa followed up with a running elbow shot in the corner. Thunder Rosa ran over Rachel with a running lariat. Thunder Rosa swarmed Rachel Ellering in the corner with chops. Rachel rallied back with a big European Uppercut and then a sit-out senton for a near fall on Thunder Rosa. Thunder Rosa rocked Rachel with a dropkick against the ropes. Thunder Rosa stomped Rachel on the midsection. Thunder Rosa applied a cobra clutch type submission and Rachel Ellering tapped out!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Le Moriarty & Anthony Ogogo) def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) & Action Andretti
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darius dropkicked Moriarty. Dante and Ogogo tagged in for their respective teams. Dante ducked a punch from Ogogo. Dante stunned Ogogo with a knee lift. Action tagged in and blasted Ogogo with a jumping knee breaker from the top rope. Shane Taylor tagged in, but Action stunned Taylor with PK! Action was about to jump at Shane Taylor but Ogogo ran in and pounced Action Andretti! Shane Taylor Promotions used quick tags to pummel Dante in their corner of the ring. Dante drilled Shane Taylor with a bulldog! Darius got the tag and cleaned house on Shane Taylor Promotions! Darius smashed Moriarty with a flatliner for a near fall! Action tagged in and took down Lee with a shotgun dropkick and then a standing moonsault for a near fall! Darius got lured in by Shane Taylor who wiped him out with a lariat. Dante jumped in but Moriarty planted him with a flatliner. Action connected with a springboard lariat to Moriarty. Shane Taylor had Action in his sights. Taylor headbutted Action Andretti. Taylor smashed Action with a big knee strike and then wiped him out with a wicked righthand punch. Taylor covered Andretti and pinned him, sealing the victory for Shane Taylor Promotions!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Another disappointing week for Rampage, with only the trios match really delivering anything like a great match, though the “high flying” four-way came a close second. Nice to see Rampage being involved with more over-arching storylines that we’ve seen play out on Dynamite and Collision – which isn’t usually the case. It’s interesting to see the Purazzo/Rosa stuff play out in parallel to the Storm/May angle, and I do wonder if or when we might see those crossover? Anyway, there’s not much hare to make this week’s episode unmissable, Probably one for the X/YouTube highlight clips.
