AEW Rampage

Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 1.12.24

Another Fantastic Friday is here, and so is the weekend! Hello, everyone; I am Lee Sanders, and I am back for another edition of AEW Rampage coverage! I hope everybody’s been well and staying warm as the cold front continues on the east coast. AEW Homecoming week continues as we’ll see Eddie Kingston defending the AEW Continental Crown Championship against Wheeler Yuta. Elsewhere, Hikaru Shida takes on Queen Aminata. Finally, Swerve Strickland goes 1-on-1 with Matt Sydal.

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Location: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone

MATCH 1: CONTINENTAL CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP-EDDIE KINGSTON(C) VS WHEELER YUTA

Both men start this by exchanging a few takedown/grapple holds before resetting. Yuta, with a nice arm takedown before going for a cover, that’s a quick kick out. A rope break soon follows as Kingston reaches for it in time before another lockup. Yuta finds Kingston in another pinning predicament before going for another rope break. Yuta quickly goes for a headlock as Kingston goes for a rope break. Yuta angrily kicks Kingston’s head as the action spills outside the ring. Yuta hits a suicide tope before returning to the ring to connect with a big crossbody. It’s not an Eddie Kingston match without those funny machine gun chops before Yuta focuses on Kingston’s right arm by typing it up between the ropes. Smart move by Wheeler Yuta, who drives Kingston shoulder-first into the barricades. Both men fight over by the stage ramp, where Yuta stomps on Kingston’s right arm. Back inside the ring, Yuta tries for a cover as there’s another kick out. Yuta with a dropkick as we head into our first set of commercials. We are back, as it’s been all Wheeler Yuta in this opening contest. Yuta going back to that right arm/tricep area, trying to take away a large portion of Eddie’s offense. Yuta with a takedown followed by another lateral press for a kick out. It’s followed by kicks to the back of Kingston, which pisses Kingston off! Kingston briefly has a spark of strikes and chops before Yuta takes him down again. Kingston with a capture suplex followed by an exploder! Kingston follows up with a spiked DDT as somehow Yuta kicks out. Kingston sets up Yuta on the top rope and hits him with chops. Yuta somehow comes from nowhere with a diving DDT for a two-count near fall! Yuta goes for his trademark elbow strike on Eddie’s right arm. Yuta follows it up with a cross-arm breaker that transitions into a single armbar submission hold. Somehow, Yuta pulls off a German suplex and gets a near fall. As Kingston kicks out, Yuta tries for a suplex and settles for a frog splash. Yuta goes for a single-arm wristlock as Kingston breaks free! Yuta with a series of kicks to the bad arm as Kingston somehow hits a back fist on his bad arm. It’s followed by a half & half suplex, and the northern lights bomb for the victory.

Winner:Eddie Kingston (18 minutes)
Rating:***
GAWD DAMN THAT WAS GOOD. Great pacing, action, and storytelling. Yuta continues his streak of quality in his matches. There is no better way to showcase why Eddie Kingston is the current Triple Crown Champion than with a matchup like this. I could watch these guys go at it all month long.

The Hardys are with Mark Briscoe and Rene Paquette as they give each other props for their performance last week. The Hardys present Mark with a Hardys chain as they proclaim themselves a trios tag team. The segment ends with them saying that if any team wants a piece of them, they should get some.

MATCH 2: SWERVE STRICKLAND VS MATT SYDAL

Swerve with a rollup but only a two-count. Sydal comes through with a bridge-pinning predicament for a two-count. Swerve to the top rope and connect with a diving elbow into the back of Sydal before showboating. Swerve with a torture rack before going for a lateral press for a kick out. Swerve tries picking up Sydal as Sydal counters with a leg scissors takedown. Swerve returns with a backbreaker as he bounces off the ropes and looks for a kick. Sydal counters with a pretty roundhouse kick, followed by the airway crash for a near fall. Sydal misses a roundhouse kick as Swerve sets him up for the rolling flatliner and vertical suplex! Swerve climbs to the top for the stomp attempt and misses as Sydal escapes. Sydal gets stopped in his tracks as he tries to look for a rollup. Swerve plants him with the JML driver for the win.

Winner:Swerve Strickland (6 minutes)
Rating:***
Who’s House? I don’t think there was ever a doubt who would win this match. Regardless, this match was fun as Swerve continues his arc of becoming the next AEW World Champion. As I mentioned in the 2024 Wrestling Predictions portion of my podcast last week, I’d be shocked if, by the end of 2024, Swerve isn’t the AEW World Champion. I’m calling for him to be champ by ALL OUT or ALL IN.

Private Party interrupts Top Flight’s backstage interview with Rene as they welcome Private Party to a fight. The challenge is accepted, and we need to see when it all goes down.

MATCH 3: HIKARU SHIDA TAKES VS QUEEN AMINATA

Shoulder tackle by both women goes nowhere. Shida comes through with another shoulder tackle that grounds the Queen. Shida unloads with a series of right hands to the head of Aminata. Aminata slips out of the corner and connects with a big elbow strike. A hip attack follows, as well as a boot to the side of the head, as we head into another set of commercials. We are back as Aminata kicks Shida in the back. Shida comes back with a kick of her own as she invites Aminata to return the favor. Both women are slugging it out as Aminata unleashes a flurry of kicks to the back before bouncing off the ropes to deliver a knee to the midsection. Looks like Shida baited her there as she catches the knee and applies a great dragon screw. Shida follows up with a suplex that gets her a near fall. Both women exchange strikes as Aminata comes through with a headbutt and German suplex. Shida with a short-arm lariat. A near fall almost happens after Aminata rocks the head of Shida and tries for cover. Aminata catches a jumping knee to the face, followed by the falcon arrow for a kickout. Shida with the katana that’s on target as she picks up the victory.

Winner:Shida (8 minutes)
Rating:**
Decent match. It felt like it could’ve gone either way, but I’m fine with Shida winning. I encourage Tony Khan and the crew to start doing video packages for Aminata. Get the general audience familiar with her as we need emotional context. It helps tell a more complete story and gets fans even more invested in her and her matches going forward.

Saraya, Ruby SoHo, and Rene are backstage, where Saraya shows Ruby some footage. The footage is of Angelo Parker talking to Harley Cameron. We can’t hear what they are saying as the volume has been muted, but the two are very giddy. There’s no kissing going on—scratch that, there is kissing as Harley is the one who plants a wet one on Angelo as the camera is frozen. Angelo comes in with a cake, singing Happy Birthday as Ruby throws the cake in her face before storming off. Saraya tells Angelo that she always wins. Meanwhile, Rene cusses out Parker. Well DAMN!

MATCH 4: DADDY MAGIC, COOL HAND ANG, JAKE HAGER VS JOHN SILVER, ALEX REYNOLDS, EVIL UNO

Poor Parker had to wrestle after that fiasco. Poor guy! Anyway, a nice stalling suplex by Evil Uno as Silver is like a Wolverine laying everybody out as we soon get our last commercial break for the evening. Our main event continues as Uno is tagged in, delivering clotheslines left and right. Uno lays out Parker as he follows up with a senton. We got ourselves a near fall. Uno tries looking for the lariat as Parker dodges it before Silver is tagged. Silver with nice strong kicks to Parker’s midsection before whipping out Hager outside the ring. Silver delivers a boot to the back of Parker’s head. Dark Order teams up in the ring for a big pendulum bomb of Parker as Menard breaks it up! Hager is tagged as Reynolds gets double DDT to the canvas. Hager follows up with the Hager bomb for a near fall. Hager slaps on the ankle lock as Negative 1 has Hager’s hat to cause a distraction. Hager gets it back while scolding the kid as Silver and Reynolds combine with a stunner, stun gun, suplex combo for the win. Some great double-team offense to close out the show.

Winner:Dark Order (8 minutes)
Rating:**
Fun main event and nice tribute to the late Brodie Lee.

For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend you all!

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

VERY GOOD

I’m not sure about you all, but I enjoyed this edition of RAMAPGE more than Dynamite this week. I hate comparing the two shows, as Dynamite has an additional hour. I believe in honesty and telling it like it is, as this show felt better executed and laid out. There are some continuing developments with Mark Briscoe and the Hardys, as I can’t wait to see how far along they’ll go. I’m still not invested in the Ruby / Parker arc, but I have much love for those enjoying it. Once again, Dark Order hit another one out of the park. I love that Alex Reynolds and John Silver combo, folks. I’d love to see a program involving them against FTR, Ricky Starks, and Big Bill. There are others, but those jump out to me the most. It’s a fun episode with the right groove and action throughout. I encourage those who have yet to watch but can catch it via DVR or On-Demand to check it out. What say you 411Maniacs?! Sound off and be sure to vote in that 2023 WRESTLING AWARDS I mentioned earlier for a chance to enter a raffle drawing to win a copy of WWE 2K24 for your respected platform by clicking here For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend you all!

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