Happy Friday and Halloween weekend friends! Lee Sanders here! Great to be back with you all covering AEW RAMPAGE as I’m fresh off of the Chris Jericho cruise. If you didn’t see my review it’s available on my YouTube channel as it includes photos and videos. You can check it out by clicking here and you can also see my written review of the experience here on 411mania at this link

Tonight’s RAMPAGE card looks solid as Bryan Danielson faces Eddie Kingston in a World Title Eliminator Tournament semifinals match. Matt Sydal vs Dante Martin. And in the main event, AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, DMD against Abadon in a TRICK OR TREAT match.

Location: Boston, MA
Commentators: Excalibur, Ricky Starks, Chris Jericho, Taz

MATCH 1: WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR SEMIFINALS-BRYAN DANIELSON VS EDDIE KINGSTON

White hot crowd going in this opener as Danielson is going in early on Kingston’s lower legs by kicking them. Danielson follows up with heavy handed chops as Kingston comes right back with chops of his own. Danielson uses his explosive speed to drop Kingston with a running clothesline followed by a rolling boot. Kingston quickly exits the ring to catch his breath but is pissed off as he throws a steel chair. Kingston gets back in the ring as he and Danielson lock up briefly. Kingston goes in with a series of chops but it’s quickly flipped on him by Danielson who hyperextended Kingston’s arm. Danielson is working a clinic on the arm for a bit before Kingston comes back with a kitchen sink followed by a few strikes. Excellent match so far as both men are going back and fourth trading blows. Lateral press applied by Kingston to Bryan as Kingston goes for a cover and it’s a near fall. Throughout the Picture in Picture break, Kingston was on the offense as he landed a series of chops on Danielson’s chest. His chest looks like raw ground beef! Kingston gets Danielson in a back suplex outside the ring and it looks bad for Bryan. Danielson manages to get into the ring before getting counted out. Kingston continues targeting Danielson’s neck as he’s now applying a stretchplum submission hold. Kingston now has Danielson on the top turnbuckle looking for a high risk maneuver. Danielson fights it off briefly but Kingston smacks Danielson in the face! Danielson gets tangled up on the top turnbuckle for a bit but manages to counter with a belly to back suplex from the top rope! Both men now struggle to come to their feet as they trade chops. Danielson counters an arm drag with a spinning roundhouse kick to Kingston. Danielson follows it up with his trademark series of YES kicks! Danielson tried looking for the finish but Kingston dropped out of exhaustion. Danielson delivers forearm strikes to the back of Kingston’s head and was looking to put him in a submission hold. Kingston counters and turns it around in his favor with an out of nowhere DDT! Both men are trading shots one more time as Danielson gets Kingston in a triangle sleeper as Kingston delivers a middle finger to Kingston while in the hold. Danielson doesn’t let up on the hold as eventually Kingston passes out! Excellent match!

Winner: Bryan Danielson (15:00)
Rating: *****
Thoughts: Danielson and Kingston had instant magic in this classic matchup. This was hands down one of the best matches I’ve seen of Kingston since he’s been in AEW so far. Didn’t think he’d be able to keep up with Danielson but he did. Excellent psychology in this match

Tony Schiavone is with CM Punk to get his reactions to being 5-0 so far. Ending Kingston is cursing his ass off as he comes up to CM Punk wondering what the hell is so funny?! Kingston tells him to keep talking sh*t as Punk tells him he’s disappointed in him. Punk also tells him he’ll gladly put him to sleep again. Oh this was intense!

MATCH 2: MATT SYDAL VS DANTE MARTIN

Sydal and Martin are off to a hot start as this is a straight up fluid technical match so far. A lot of counters happening so far as Martin manages to dart Sydall into the corner of the ring with his legs. Martin follows up with springboard dropkick that sends Sydal out the ring. Sydall follows up with a high risk semi moonsault outside the ring to add more insult to injury on Sydal. Back from commercial break Martin gets rocked by a back heel kick from Sydal. Sydall follows it up with a knee to the face and chopping kicks to Martin’s ankles. Pin attempt made by Sydal but it’s only a near fall. Dante comes back on offense for a bit and manages to get a near fall with a sunset flip / pin attempt. Pretty leg scissors takedown by Martin as he picks up another near fall. Martin climbs to the top turnbuckle as Sydal comes up to stop him. Both men are jockeying for position as Sydal takes him down by okaying possum. Another near fall as both men are now trading blows. Martin connects with the double springboard moonsault after connecting with a reverse stunner to pick up the victory. Wow!

Winner: Dante Martin (11:00)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: Another classic matchup. Two in a row on RAMPAGE. I said in a review some weeks back of how impressed I was with the work of Dante Martin. I wanted for him to get more TV time as I felt the kid was that damn good and matches like what he had tonight against the veteran in Matt Sydal validates my point. This was an excellent match with just the right blend of hybrid, tease of Lucha liber, and loads of technical. Dante is proving he can hang with the best and I continue to feel the young man will be the future of AEW in the years to come as far as homegrown mega talents go.

Mark Henry is back getting pre-fight comments from Abadon and Britt. Mark goes to Abadon first as she’s just spitting up blood. We now go to Britt who has Rebel and Jayme with her who’s dressed as zombies. Britt promises to send Abadon straight back to hell and continue to rise in the women’s division as the time for talk is over!

MATCH 3: TRICK OR TREAT-BRITT BAKER VS ABADON

***If Abadon wins in this NO DQ match, she gets a shot at Britt for the AEW Womens championship***

Abadon sends Baker screaming her behind off as she runs out the ring. She soon gets back in after hyping herself up as she gets owned by Abadon with a stunner. Jayme Hayter and Rebel pull out a table and try to set it up as Abadon looks on puzzled. We’re back from a commercial break as Abadon has been on offense thanks to a steel chair in hand. Rebel and Hayter double team on Abadon to help Baker rebound. Baker and Abadon are going back and fourth as Baker does a swinging neckbreaker on Abadon as they both crash on the table, the table doesn’t break. Baker tries to deliver a suplex to Abadon through the table but the table doesn’t break. Action gets back in the ring eventually as Abadon introduces a bag and inside is thumbtacks! Abadon spills them all on the Matt as the two lock up. Abadon is looking for a DDT but doesn’t get it as Abadon connects with a rock bottom, rock bottom! Abadon covers Baker but it’s only a two count! Baker throws a steel chair at the face of Baker followed by a curb stomp. Abadon gets up as Baker superkicks her. Baker quickly grabs a handful of thumbtacks as she puts it in Abadon’s mouth followed by a superkick. Baker is looking for the lockjaw but Abadon is actually bitting down on Baker’s hand as Hayter attacks Abadon. Baker gets a roll up on Abadon as she barely escapes with the win.

Winner: Britt Baker (10:00)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: Solid gimmick match and I must say it really tapped into Abadon’s gimmick of being a zombie / supernatural being. This has probably been the strongest they made Abadon look so far early in her AEW career, especially on television. A lot of close moments here as you felt Abadon could’ve pulled off the upset victory. For all intents and purposes this was pretty much a hardcore match but a good one as both women went into this busting their ass for our entertainment. Right length of time and right amount of spots. Can’t complain on this one.

End of show

THE FINAL SCORE:  REVIEW

VERY GOOD

This was one of the more enjoyable episodes of RAMPAGE I’ve seen recently. All three matches showcased on this episode delivered. Add on top of that CM Punk and Eddie Kingston will be locking it up next based off what we’ve seen tonight. Just on the microphone alone from those guys is going to be entertaining. The hour went by so fast on this weeks show and I think it’s mainly because the action was that good. What more could you want as I always say quality vs quantity wins every day of the week.