‘AEW: Rampage’ Review (Nov 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 emanated from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio and featured Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard on commentary. Now let’s get to the review…
Match #1: LFI (RUSH, Dralistico & The Beast Mortos) def. The Butcher, Beef, & JD Drake
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Dralistico knocked Beef to the mat with a highflying shoulder block. Beef cartwheeled and fired back with a dropkick. JD Drake tagged in and splashed Dralistico. Butcher and Rush entered the match for their respective teams and slugged it out. Rush connected with a rolling elbow strike, dropping the Butcher to a knee. The Beast Mortos ate a leg drop from the middle rope from JD Drake. The Beast retaliated with a Samoan Drop. LFI employed quick tags, isolating JD Drake in their corner and working him over. Rush kicked Drake in the side of the head. JD Drake planted Rush with a spinebuster. Beef tagged in and cleaned house on LFI. Beef jabbed away at Rush and then staggered Rush to the corner. Beef blasted Rush with a running bulldog, displaying a great offensive flurry. Dralistico swept out Beef’s legs. The Beast Mortos chop blocked the Butcher and then cannonballed the Butcher in the corner. Rush finished off the Butcher with the Bull’s Horns and pinned Butcher!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Taya Valkyrie def. Zoey Lynn
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Taya came in quick with a lariat, taking Zoey off her feet. Taya power bombed Zoey. Taya smashed Zoey with a modified curb stomp and pinned Zoey for the win. Renee Paquette was backstage to interview The Vendetta after the match. Stokely Hathaway interrupted and said Zoey Lynn had been running her mouth all day about Taya and Deonna. Taya, after being instigated by Stokely, sprinted back to the ring and continued to assault Zoey Lynn after the match.
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Queen Aminata def. Leila Grey
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Aminata used a side headlock takeover on Grey. Leila cradled Queen Aminata for a near fall. Queen Aminata stunned Grey with a nice snap suplex. Queen Aminata rocked Grey with a running Air Raid Crash. Queen Aminata applied a dragon sleeper. Leila escaped but Queen Aminata was there to hit Leila with another snap suplex. Leila connected with a rising knee strike and a running bulldog for a near fall. Leila Grey nailed Queen Aminata with a flipping neck breaker. Queen Aminata tied up Leila in a submission and Leila had no choice but to tap out!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) def. Dark Order (Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & John Silver)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Evil Uno chopped Dante Martin. Dante drilled Evil Uno with a DDT and then Action followed up with a springboard moonsault. Top Flight and Action showed off great triple team offense on Evil Uno until John Silver tagged in. Dark Order dished out triple offense on Darius. Andretti was fired up and kicked Silver in the back of the head. Andretti blasted Silver with a falcon arrow. Evil Uno ran in, but Darius caught him with a guillotine over the top. Top Flight nailed John Silver with a neck breaker. Evil Uno planted Action with Something Evil in the ring! Dark Order unleashed a flurry of their trademark offense on Darius. Dark Order tried for the pendulum bomb on Darius, but Alex had to let go because of his injured ribs. Action took down Uno and Silver with a double cross body block. Andretti was going after Silver’s ribs, but Dante shoved him away and told Andretti that wasn’t how they did it. They shoved but Andretti went back after Reynolds’ ribs, sending him rib first into the ring post. Andretti pinned Reynolds after a split legged moonsault.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Komander def. Lio Rush
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Komander dropkicked Lio Rush into the turnbuckles. Lio Rush fired back with a tope suicida through the second and top ropes. Back in the ring, Komander looked to pick up the pace. Komander connected with a thrust kick to Lio Rush. Komander followed up with a moonsault press for a near fall on Lio. Lio rocked Komander with a stunner that he snapped off out of nowhere. Lio was slow to capitalize. Lio hit another stunner and held on this time. Komander returned fire but Lio power bombed Komander. Lio knocked Komander for a loop with a short arm lariat. Lio staggered Komander with a falcon arrow. Komander caught Lio with a back stabber on the apron. Lio came back with another stunner. Komander dodged a frog splash. Komander rocked Lio Rush with a thrust kick. Komander walked the top rope and pinned Lio Rush after a beautiful, high arcing moonsault!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Rampage was yet another improvement over the previous weeks, whereas in previous weeks the matches suffered but the show flowed well overall, this week’s Rampage flowed as well as last week – plus this episode had a fantastic women’s singles match AND main event too! It really feels like something of a tidal change for AEW’s two “sub” shows, here’s hoping that the improvements continue!
