Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 1.5.24
Happy New Year, friends! Lee Sanders is back with you all on this fantastic Friday, as it’s been a great week of wrestling from some of your favorite promotions. We got ourselves a jam-packed edition of AEW RAMPAGE this week as we’re fresh off the heels of AEW Dynamite. How about Adam Cole as the Devil and that Undisputed Kingdom? Let me hear from you!
Before we go into the show, please remember to check on older adults and your neighbors this weekend if you live on the East Coast. Many areas are getting snow, and it will be a good amount, depending on where you live. If you don’t have to be out, stay home, relax, and catch up on some movies. Let’s jump right into the action!
Location: Newark, NJ
Venue: Prudential Center
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccohani
MATCH 1: THE HARDYS AND MARK BRISCOE VS KIP SABIAN, BUTCHER AND BLADE
Briscoe and Sabian kick things off as we jump into the action without ring introductions. Sabian runs Briscoe down and begins to showboat. We see a series of reversals afterward, with Briscoe coming off the ropes to nail Sabian with a fist. Hardys and Briscoe triple team on Sabian as eventually he tags Blade. Jeff Hardy is tagged as Jeff connects with a snapmare followed by a dropkick and tag to Matt Hardy. Butcher tagged now as he took a swing and missed as Matt rammed him headfirst into the corner. Matt with a body splash from the middle ropes, followed by an attempt at the twist of fate. Butcher takes him down big time with a big lariat in a great counter as Sabian is tagged. Double stomp attempt as no one is home. Matt with the neckbreaker as Briscoe is tagged. Some redneck kung-fu on display as Briscoe clears the ring of the opposition. Briscoe with a flying dropkick through the ropes onto Blade. Butcher sweeps Mark’s legs from the ropes as all Hell breaks loose! Blade gains the upper hand on Briscoe as he takes it back into the ring. Blade with a knife-edge chop, followed by Sabian converting a cannonball. Butcher follows up with a spinning backbreaker as we head into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as Keff Hardy comes in white hot with a double leg drop and elbow drop on Sabian for a near fall. Jeff takes to the top for a diving splash/pin combo, but Sabian is still in this one. Matt gets the tag as Jeff launches off his brother’s back to deliver a splash onto Butcher and Sabian in the corner. Later on, Matt attempts a twist of fate. As it’s countered, Butcher and Blade jump Matt from behind as Briscoe comes in for the save. Matt, with the twist of fate as Jeff goes to the top for the Stanton bomb! Briscoe with the foggy splash for the victory!
Winner:The Hardys and Mark Briscoe (11 minutes)
Rating:**
Nice opener. I love that this opens up the show, as I’m still a huge fan of Hardys. As long as Jeff can stay out of trouble, Hardys can and should go pretty far in 2024, as I’d love to see them get one final big run as a tag team. Fingers crossed everything plays out cause they’ve greatly been missed.
Oh lord. Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho are backstage with Rene Paquette. Jericho looks distracted and sad as Sammy does all the talking. Jericho finally talks, though, as he tells Big Bill if he interferes in the match between Sammy and Starks on next week’s Dynamite, he’ll kick his ass. Jericho should’ve been kept off TV for a few weeks until the controversy died. The man has yet to get in front of the alleged allegations that are in circulation and defend himself. Not a good sign but hey, a smart move to have this be backstage, as the boos and heckling would’ve been noticeable if they did it in the ring. Elsewhere, Anna Jay, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Jake Hager are backstage with Renee. Anna wants to kick off 2024 in a match against Shida later tonight. Harley Cameron approaches to talk about how she can help all the men, notably Parker. Harley whispers something in his ear as he asks her if Harley can do that. Harley tells him she’s excellent at that as Anna excuses herself to get ready for her match. What is she good at, folks? Wrong answers only! My vote is she can kick his ass in Street Fighter 6.
MATCH 2: KENNEDI HARDCASTLE & NOTORIOUS MIMI
Stokley Hathaway interrupts to mock the challengers in the ring as he introduces Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale. She is thicker than a snicker and faster than a cat with whiskers, Kris Statlander! And her tag partner…Willow Nightingale. In the words of Ron Simmons, DAMN!
Mimi is getting scooped and slammed by both girls as they work together very well. Willow is charging in with a clothesline, as Hardcastle is tagged—nice shot to the back by Hardcastle, followed by a running uppercut. Mimi is tagged as she gets in a running boot. Both girls try to back-suplex Willow, but she reverses it as Statlander is tagged—Statlander with a 2-for-1 clothesline followed by a power slam and a spinning suplex of Mimi onto Hardcastle. Willow tagged as she delivered a spinebuster to Mimi for the win.
Winner:Kris Statlander & Willow Nightijgale (4 minutes)
Rating:NR
Nice time filler, but this was really carried by Stokley Hathaway. I’m all for it as he continues courting Statlander. He dropped some nice rhymes that I need to use on my wife for Valentine’s Day. I am enjoying the team of Statlander and Nightingale as I’d love to see more of them in action.
Hardys are backstage celebrating their win as they run into Private Party. They give them props while also giving them some vintage AEW Hardys t-shirts. Hardys leaves them as Hardys are excited to see them down the road in a tag match. The Private Party isn’t happy with how their gifts were given to them as they felt disrespected. I would, too, if a shirt was tossed over my head or shoulder. Should’ve gone with something from ediblearrangements.com
MATCH 3: ANNA JAY VS SHIDA
This contest spills to the outside, where Shida tries to set up a steel chair. Shida is looking to leap off the chair and connect with an air attack as Anna sidesteps her and tosses her hard into the barricades. Shida tossed back into the ring as Anna stretched Shida like a pretzel between the steel posts. Back inside the ring where, Anna connects with a kick but gets a near fall as we head into our next set of commercials. We are back as Shida is laying haymakers repeatedly on Anna. She follows it up by hitting her jaw and connecting with a delayed brain buster for a kickout. Anna with the widow’s peak for a kick out. Anna misses a spinning kick as Shida grounds her with a lariat followed by the falcon arrow! Somehow, Anna counters it and gets a rollup that’s reversed, as it should’ve been a three-count, but the ref purposely stopped himself. Anna applies the queen slayer as Shida counters it and goes for a kick to the back. Shida follows it up with a kick to the front midsection for a near fall. Fans are booing as Shida goes to the top and connects with the meteora and the katana for the win!
Winner:Shida (9 minutes)
Rating:***
Great effort by both girls. Loving that Anna Jay, as the woman, is getting better and better every time she wrestles. For 2024 predictions, I’m looking for her to have a breakout year. I do declare your next TBS Champion.
Backstage, Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, and Sunjay Dutt are backstage. Jeff is irritated that Lethal hasn’t been carrying his weight as of late. He wants Lethal to take a hike as Karen and Dutt break it up. This is not how this meeting was supposed to go down, as the intent was to get everyone on the same page as a team. A recap of Adam Copeland vs Christian Cage from Worlds End is shown elsewhere.
MATCH 4: ROH PURE RULES CHAMPIONSHIP-WHEELER YUTA(C) VA KOMANDER
Nice flipping headlock takedown by Yuta that’s transitioned into a double wristlock. Komander manages to get to the ropes to cause a rope break. It’s Komander’s first one, as he has two remaining. Komander with a knee to the midsection and a transition into a single-leg crab. Yuta gets to the ropes to use his first rope break. Yuta takes a swing and misses as Komander hits a leapfrog. Hammer throw reverse as a big lariat is blocked by Komander. Komander, with a leg scissors takedown, sends Yuta out of the ring. Komander with a dive from the top rope. Komander tries charging at Yuta, and as clear as day, Yuta punches Komander in the face. This is in front of the ref and the judges. Remember, closed fists are banned in a Pure Rules match, as it’s an automatic disqualification and loss of the title. If you’re keeping track at home, this is twice now. Yuta has gotten away with this stunt. We are back as Komander rolls through and drives Yuta into the corner. An inside cradle follows as Yuta kicks out. Komander used another rope break during the break as he was down to his last one. Yuta still has two lifelines left. Komander goes to the top as he misses the phoenix splash, but no one is home. Yuta tries for a pinning combo, but there’s a kick out. Yuta with another wristlock hold to cause Komander to use his third and final rope break. Komander with a rollup as Yuta kicks out. Komander with a backheel kick as Yuta catches him with a boot. Yuta comes back with a suplex with bridge combo for a kick out. Series of reversal pin attempts as Yuta is on top with elbows to the face and another wrist lock hold. Komander gets to the ropes, but he’s out of lifelines as he has no choice but to tap out.
Winner:Wheeler Yuta (12 minutes)
Rating:***
Solid main event. They can’t keep spamming out the judges, coming off like knuckleheads when they think they’ve seen a closed fist. These judges should be at ringside going forward. The referee’s clear view of the fist punch made me laugh, as that was sloppy. A simple solution? Have the ref try to exit the ring, and when they do, that’s when the shenanigans occur. Have it occur outside the ref’s vantage point. Besides that, this was a great main-event match. I respect Komander for toning it down on the air moves and telling a great story on the ground. Yuta continues to chip away week in and week out of being such a great technical and brawling wizard in the ring. Who do you all have taking his title away in 2024, folks?
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 you all!
THE FINAL SCORE: REVIEW
GOOD
Honestly? Three out of the four matches was solid this week. We had the right amount of star power this week as I have to give it up to Tony Khan and crew. If you remember one of my biggest complaints from last week was the lack of star power from last weeks Rampage. That move from Khan was especially bad since there was no Collision that weekend. Even you all here in the community wished there was more star power on Rampage to help with viewership. Well it seems perhaps Tony Khan has heard the feedback online. Rampage this week came off as a message heard loud and clear. This trend needs to continue as it helps greatly in quality over quantity in the long haul. What say you 411MANIACS? 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 you all!