Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 1.27.23
What’s up, you kind people! Lee Sanders is back with you all as what a great week it’s been to be a wrestling fan as everything culminates in the WWE ROYAL RUMBLE this Saturday. If you want to know my predictions feel free to check out my podcast from this week by clicking here. Meanwhile, we have ourselves a new AEW RAMPAGE to talk about as I’m pretty excited to see this one. Most curious how Jay Lethal will be booked going forward after that great match against Mark Briscoe. Let’s dive into this show already!
Commentators: Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone
MATCH 1: WHEELER YUTA VS HANGMAN ADAM PAGE
Starting off nice and hot as Yuta attacks Hangman right at the start of the bell. Yuta is successful applying a few submission holds and chops before Hangman rebounds with a lariat to gain the offense. Hangman laying thick heavy chops into Yuta followed by a sliding lariat for a near fall. Hangman delivering open-handed strikes now as he charges at Yuta and is sent over the ropes. Yuta tries to come off the ropes as he lands into Hangman’s arms for a fallaway slam. Action goes outside the ring as Yuta delivers a handful of strikes and chops to the chest. Returning to the ring as Yuta tries to look for another high-risk maneuver but Hangman catches him and sets him up for a powerbomb. Hangman follows up with a Liger Bomb that connects as we head into a commercial break. We are back as Hangman sends Yuta into the corner as Yuta uses the momentum to leap on the top rope for a successful attack to nullify Hangman. Flying elbow strike follows from Yuta as he charges with a strike and running bulldog combo for a near fall. Yuta to the top rope but Hangman catches him with closed fists and headbutts. Hangman connects with an avalanche Death Valley driver from the top rope for a near fall. Amazing spot folks! Hangman can’t believe it as he delivers a big German suplex to fold young Yuta. Another suplex follows as Hangman tries looking for a third one. Yuta manages to fend Hangman off to reverse and apply his own German suplexes. Hangman fights off a fourth suplex attempt as he’s caught up in the ropes. Yuta applies strikes to the neck and back of the head of Hangman to deliver a back suplex not just on the side apron but onto the floor outside! Oh my God! Yuta follows it up with a high-risk maneuver followed by tossing Hangman into the ring. Yuta looking for a frog splash but Hangman gets his knees up to set up Yuta for a clothesline. Hangman tries looking for the buckshot lariat but Yuta counters and is able to get to the top rope to deliver another frog splash. Elbow strikes and a boot follows by Yuta as the two trade-off strikes. Hangman finally connects with the buckshot lariat! Hangman not satisfied as he delivers a Death Valley driver to end this classic encounter!
Winner:Hangman Adam Page (16:00)
Rating: ****
BANGER! BANGER! This was a downright slobber-knocker classic! Very intense, physical, and downright ugly! I figured this would be a good match but I didn’t know it far exceeded the expectations I had. I love that this match was booked in a way where this was essentially a tune-up match for Hangman. It was a challenging one as everything Yuta has learned so far, he’s learned from his Blackpool Combat Club members. Never a question about who was going to go over here. It’s about time for Yuta to get involved in some story arcs so he can flush out and work on his mic skills more. Maybe somehow we can see him join forces with Action Andretti and Ricky Starks. We shall see…
We’re back as Eddie Kingston is tired of trying to deny his true inner feelings as he needs to reveal the real Eddie Kingston. If Ortiz has a problem with that then he can come see him. He also delivers a message to HOUSE OF BLACK as he tells them he hears them and is ready to come home…
MATCH 2: DANHAUSEN, TRENT BARRETTA, CHUCK TAYLOR VS JEFF JARRETT, SATNAM SINGH, JAY LETHAL
Chuck Taylor and Jay Lethal kick things off. Barretta and Taylor with some double team action on Lethal before Jarrett is tagged in. Danhausen tagged in as he delivers a clothesline to Jarrett. Half combination applied to Jarrett as we head into a commercial break. Danhausen tries to use Jarrett’s guitar on him but the referee grabs it away from him to toss it out the ring. In the process, Jeff Jarrett has that Golden Globe award from a couple of weeks ago and uses its layout Danhausen as Satnam Singh gets the pinfall for the victory. Remember they took that award off of Paul Walter Hauser.
Winner: Team Slapnuts Jarrett (11:00)
Rating: NR
Sadly I was having connection issues as I was literally commuting home from work during this match. I cannot speak fully on the match in general but with the little bit, I saw it seemed decent.
Footage is shown post-victory of Ruby Soho’s tag match from this week’s DYNAMITE as remember Britt Baker interfered to help Ruby get the win. Britt tells Ruby she sees a lot of potential in her. Ruby needs to grow a backbone and pick a side to be on and that if she’s smart, she’ll know which side to be on.
MATCH 3: POWERHOUSE HOBBS VS TONY MUDD
This dude’s name is actually Mudd…DAMN! A clothesline, punch to the face, elbow strike, and another clothesline by Hobbs to open this match. Hobbs follows it up with a torture rack turned attitude adjustment finisher for the win.
Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs (2:00)
Rating: NR
Glorifed squash but it’s nice seeing Hobbs back on tv. Where the Hell is Wardlow???
Top Flight video package is showing as they remind us how they won the $300,000 cash prize from a few weeks ago. They now have their eyes set on the Trios tag titles as they are putting The Elite on notice.
Rene Paquette is with Dustin Rhodes as he takes a moment to thank the fans for their well wishes. Remember, Dustin’s mother was gravely ill for a moment. Swerve Strickland interrupts the segment taking shots at Dustin trying to hog up camera time when it should be about the younger stars. Swerve starts to run down the entire Rhodes family when Dustin tells him to shut up. Swerve tells Dustin to tread lightly as we head into a commercial break.
Backstage segment now as Red Velvet and Kiera Hogan are still pretty salty on how things ended with Jade Cargill as Velvet challenges Jade to a rematch for the TBS Championship next week on RAMPAGE. Please…No…
MATCH 4: AEW WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATOR-JAMIE HAYTER(C) VS EMI SAKURA
These girls are exchanging some serious chops on one another as we find them taking it outside the ring where they exchange swinging one another into the barricades and into the ring aprons. Emi with a chop to Hayter’s chest as the referee demands the girls to bring the action back into the ring. Nice hair whip takedown by Emi, followed by a running crossbody as we’re back in the ring now. Hayter tries firing off a some strikes but Emi comes back with an elbow drop. Nice Romero special applied as we head into our final set of ad breaks. And we are back as Hayter connects with not one, not two, but three exploders! A running elbow back follows by Hayter, followed by the Haytbreaker for a delayed cover as Emi kicks out! Emi with a stalling knee breaker and the cover as Hayter kicks out! Hayter with a boot to the face as she thought about a sliding clothesline. Emi uses the maneuver to her advantage for a quick roll-up but it’s a near fall! Hayter with a neckbreaker followed by a lariat as Sakura kicks out! Sakura setup on the top rope as Hayter connects with a cutter! Hayter heading up the top as she misses a back moonsault. Emi with the rollup for a near fall, followed by an underhooked Tiger Driver for a near fall. Emi with her own moonsault as Hayter barely escapes the pin attempt. Emi now with smacks to the face as she’s laid out by a clothesline! Emi is done here folks as Hayter plows her with a lariat, and the ripcord to end this classic one!
Winner: Jamie Hayter (10:00)
Rating: ****
GAWD DAMN THIS WAS GOOD! Hayter is truly the best women’s champion to date for AEW. I can’t believe I’m saying that but it’s true. She really is something to watch as everyone she works with is elevated instantly. As result, the women’s roster wins even more which really makes you appreciate how far it’s coming along since AEW ‘s inception.
End of Show
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 y’all!
THE FINAL SCORE: REVIEW
VERY GOOD
Great in-ring action this week as it far exceeded my expectations. The women’s main event match was really where the money is at this week. I’ve been enjoying Jaime’s run much more than Jade Cargill as she continues to struggle via storyline. Jade needs serious help because right now it comes off as if Tony Khan and company aren’t sure what to do with her. Continuing to boost the winning record with repeat opponents is stale. We need to see this woman take the title and defend it in various promotions Tony Khan has a working relationship with already. Least it’ll make things interesting until they decide who she’ll drop the title to eventually. Nice diversity of matches this week including the return of Dustin Rhodes who should have a great program with Swerve. This RAMPAGE did a great job in continuing story arcs into next weeks DYNAMITE and RAMAPGE. Really solid formula here including the tease by Chris Jericho of Britt Baker now taking a backseat to Jaime Hayter. Remember, Britt has said in numerous interviews how Jericho is someone she idolizes and respects. Jericho has been very helpful in her career to the point you could easily play this into a tv spot between the two. Jericho could say something along the lines of he understood and respected her not taking him up on joining the JAS. Jericho could talk about how proud he’s been of what he’s seeing so far but reminds her how he thought she was the face of AEW for a reason, and to remind everybody that AEW is essentially her house. Speaking of which, interesting to see how this AEW womens roster versus former WWE girls plays out. What you 411MANIACS think? Sound off! 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 y’all!