Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 3.10.23
And with Spring Break right around the corner, a very good Friday to y’all! Lee Sanders back with you all as we’re dealing with AEW REVOLUTION fallout with this weeks AEW RAMPAGE. On tap tonight, The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) are scheduled to make an appearance. Meanwhile, Riho vs. Nyla Rose. Also, “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry speaks for the first time since defeating Christian Cage at REVOLUTION. In addition, Konosuke Takeshita vs. Preston Vance. Finally, Sammy Guevara faces Action Andretti.
Want to give a shout-out to Marina Tucker aka Penelope Pink who captured the WOW Women of Wrestling Women’s Championship at the recent L.A Comic Con tapings for WOW. If you didn’t catch the episode, it appeared in syndication this past weekend. I hipped you all to Tessa Blanchard, Thunder Rosa, Kiera Hogan, and Kamille before they started blowing up. Penelope Pink is definitely one you want to watch. Onwards to RAMPAGE!
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Taz, and Jim Ross
MATCH 1: SAMMY GUEVARA VS ACTION ANDRETTI
Nice leg tackle takedown by Andretti as Sammy comes back with a slap to the chest! Andretti rips the chest of Sammy as the action spills outside. Sammy is chopped and thrown into the barricades as both men are taking turns sending one another into the barricades and ring posts. Sammy gets tossed back into the ring but wants no part of Sammy as he quickly makes his exit. Andretti connects with a tope over the ropes to crash into Sammy. This is followed up by sending Sammy crashing into the steel steps. Action back inside as Andretti connects with a move off the ropes for a near fall. Sammy keeps retreating from Andretti. Andretti clotheslines Sammy over the ropes as he tries looking for a high risk maneuver but gets a knee to the face as we go into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as there is a midair collision from both men as they are down. Referee is counting both men down as they come to a vertical base to exchange strikes. Andretti applies a hanging backbreaker combo followed by a kick to the jaw as Sammy is tossed back inside the ring. Nice springboard 450 splash by Andretti that only gets him a two count. Another attempt made as we see Andretti perform some modified version of a Spanish fly for another near fall. Running senton attempt by Andretti by Sammy gets his knees up in time! Andretti senses danger and wisely rolls out of the ring. Andretti connects with a diving splash from the top rope and crashes into Sammy who’s setup on a table. Andretti to the top but gets pushed by Daniel Garcia as Sammy capitalizes with the GTH for the victory.
Winners: Sammy Guevara (10:00)
Rating: ***
Solid opener and man it’s so refreshing to not have a show open up with Orange Cassidy. Nothing personal against Cassidy but it was becoming a bit too repetitive. Sammy has slowly and quietly been getting back to basics by keeping out of trouble, not making headlines for the wrong reasons. He’s been letting his in-ring talents speak which never should be overlooked as the young man is amazing to watch. This match felt like it could’ve gone either way. Andretti continues to crush every opportunity given to him. I sadly don’t feel he’ll really be able to shine in AEW though as it’s overloaded right now. Maybe him in ROH would help, more specifically that ladder match Mark Briscoe will mention in a bit…
Darby Allin is seen as he talks about what’s next for him as he’s looking to put up a fight. He speaks about going out in a blaze of glory if necessary which sounds very similar to what Sting had been talking about recently has his contract is wrapping up in the near future.
Jungle Boy reveals what’s next as he’s eyeing every man that has a championship around their waist. All have been put on notice folks! QT Marshall reveals that he will show on this upcoming DYNAMITE who really broke into Wardlow’s car earlier this week. Interesting!
MATCH 2: THE ACCLAIMED VS STARBOY CHARLIE & JACK CARTWHEEL AKA BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD
A scoop slam to Cartwheel, leg drop by Bowens from the top rope and we see Starboy tagged in as he’s quickly grounded to the mat. Annnnd a mic-drop later this one is over. Yep…
Winners: The Acclaimed (1:20)
Rating: NR
Squash…Squash….SQUUUUUUUASH
Daddy Magic and Cool-Hand Luke are at the top of the stage ramp as they continue egging Acclaimed on as we get a recap of the upcoming DYNAMITE match with JSA vs Elite vs House of Black.
MATCH 3: TAKESHITA VS PRESTON VANCE
Takeshita with a discus elbow strike, and a diving crossbody from over the ropes as we head into a set of ad breaks. We are back as both men laid each other out with a discus elbow strike. Both men manage to get back to a vertical base where Takeshita delivers a blue thunder bomb for only a near fall. Takeshita with a knee to the face as he goes for the cover but as Jose the Assistant puts Preston’s foot on the bottom rope for the break. Takeshita realized what happened and goes to the outside to slug him out. Takeshita back in the ring now where Preston lays him out with a spinning discus strike but Takeshita kicks out at the very last second! Vance tries for his full nelson as Takeshita rolls through while seeking a pin attempt. It’s quickly broken up by Vance as both men return to a vertical base. Vance is charging at Takeshita when Takeshita spins him through to setup a backslide pin for the victory!
Winners: Takeshita (7:00)
Rating: **
Takeshita gets a win as Don Callis was at ringside as the continuation of this story with Takeshita develops. Decent outing with both mean and served it’s purpose as it was more about the story angle then the match but it was nice seeing these two hard-hitting boys unload on one another. Too many spinning clotheslines for my personal taste but to each it’s own…
Swerve Strickland tells Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes that he didn’t anticipate their pairing. He didn’t anticipate them taking out his mogul affiliates the way they did. Swerve does still have a few bullets in the chamber left as he has a few tricks up his sleeve. He promises Keith won’t see whats coming next. Everything Swerve sees going forward is food as he’s coming for the kill. Wonder if what’s coming for Keith Lee is the destruction of that Phantom of the Opera cape and cowl…
Mark Briscoe is in the ring now as he reveals a conversation he had with Tony Khan about the ROH Tag titles. The idea is proposed about a ladder match, a “Reach for the Sky” ladder match. Whoever wins this will apparently become new ROH Tag Champions as this match will go down at ROH SUPERCARD. Yes folks, Mark has vacated the tag titles. He introduces the first entrants for this match as it’s the Lucha Brothers. Meanwhile, we get a preview of HOOK vs Stokley Hathaway for DYNAMITE.
MATCH 4: RIHO VS NYLA ROSE
And we begin with a lockup as the referee steps in to break them up. Riho charges at Nyla with strikes and all but is quickly grounded by the 98 pound Riho. Nyla tries looking for a running senton but no one is home. Riho tries to go Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant in an attempt to pickup Nyla for a scoop slam. It’s not happening as Nyla scoops her up and goes for a cover as Riho quickly slithers her way out the pinning predicament. Riho goes into the ropes to deliver a dropkick as Nyla rolls outside to regain composure. Riho tries going for a diving crossbody from the ropes but is caught. Seems Nyla is taking Riho lightly as Riho wiggles her way off the shoulders and sends Nyla crashing into the steel steps. Riho tries climbing to the top turnbuckle and as she does, the referee is checking on Nyla Rose. While this is happening, Riho delivers another diving crossbody to Nyla as there’s a kickout. Nyla counters another scoop attempt and turns it into a delay brain-buster. Marina Shafir is at ringside and delivers a judo throw to Riho while the referee is distracted to setup our last set of ad breaks. We are back now as Nyla climbs to the top pad and misses a senton. Riho connects with a lights northern suplex for a near fall! Amazing spot folks! Riho misses a running knee strike as her face inadvertently hits the turnbuckle pad. This has Nyla try to look for a rolling cannonball as nobody is home. Riho connects with a crucifix bomb as Nyla kicks out! As Riho backs into the corner, Marina grabs on her ankles while the referee checks on Nyla. Perfect distraction as Nyla delivers a kick to the midsection and tries to look for the beast bomb. It’s countered into a rollup for a victory!
Winners: Riho (10:00)
Rating: ***
Honestly? One of the best outings between these girls and I’ve seen and I’ve watched them all. At the same time however it’s really become nauseating seeing Tony Khan continue to spam the heck out of the David vs Goliath concept where these very small and petite people are getting over on these massively large individuals who have a decent amount of persona and charisma. Am I watching All Elite Wrestling or All Petite Wrestling? To my point, Tony Khan and crew gotta ease up on always going to this concept and break up the monopoly already.
Post-match Nyla and Marina double team on Riho as they leave in disgust while Toni Storm, Saraya and Ruby Soho walk pass them nodding in approval. Riho gets spray painted but the girls as the question is asked who’s going to stop the P…W…O???
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
GOOD
Everything that was done so well with AEW REVOLUTION is now an afterthought with this weeks DYNAMITE and now RAMPAGE. One the one hand you can give Khan and crew props continuing to expand on arcs first introduced from last weeks RAMPAGE like Don Callis and Takeshita. In addition, they took time to expand on Saraya, Storm, and Ruby as well as Jungle Boy and Powerhouse Hobbs. The Acclaimed I’m really concerned for as it seems like Tony Khan and crew aren’t sure what to do with them. Why not loan them out to ROH for a bit to try and help boost their upcoming PPV and bring more eyeballs to the ROH paywall now implemented? This week by all accounts was a two match episode to watch but nothing Earth-shattering. A decent fast hour that went by which honestly needs more tweaking. Yet again another Jade Cargill-less appearance as I’d like to challenge Tony Khan to start building up RAMPAGE for a championship always being defended on the show as part of its two-match show structure as an added attraction. What do you think 411MANIACS? Sound off! Meanwhile I’m off to watch my box set of the tv show Millennium. 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!