
Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 4.14.23
Hello kind people! Lee Sanders here and another Friday night we are for a special start time of 9:30pm ET talking AEW RAMPAGE or after NBA Play-In coverage! This weeks card looks pretty badass as the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Aussie Open defend their titles against Best Friends. Meanwhile, Jungle Boy takes on Shawn Spears. Also, Taya Valkyrie vs. Emi Sakura. Elsewhere, Mark Briscoe, Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh are in tag team action. In addition, FTR is scheduled to speak. Finally, Matt Menard & Angelo Parker are scheduled for mic time.
Side note, I had the liberty of chatting it up with WOW-Women of Wrestling’s own BK Rhythm aka Killa Kate. It was a fun & wide ranging convo as we talked comics, music, and of course, WOW action! Be sure to check it out as the video version drops this Saturday 11am ET on my YouTube channel. Audio version will be available wherever you get your podcasts. For now, let’s talk RAMPAGE!
MATCH 1: IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP-AUSSIE OPEN(C) VS BEST FRIENDS
Excalibur is running like a motor at 120mph with a full rundown that’s a mouthful as Kyle Fletcher swipes the leg of Chuck Taylor. Aussie Open with double team action and finished it off with a senton on to Barretta. Cocky cover follows as Mark Davis underestimated Trent kicking out. Nice delayed vertical suplex by Aussie Open that connects as Fletcher goes for a cover and it’s a quick-out as we head into our first set of commercials. And our opening contest is back Aussie Open delivers a combo cutter! Another pinfall attempt is made but is broken up by Chuck Taylor. Meanwhile, Trent is fighting Kyle on the top rope. Chuck comes from underneath Trent’s legs to help him apply a superplex to Fletcher. It’s followed up by a double chokeslam after silencing Mark Davis. Best Friends connect with a Best Friends Doomsday Knee strike! Trent for a cover attempt as it’s another kickout. Spinning tombstone piledriver by Fletcher on Taylor, followed by a boot to Trent as Fletcher applies a tombstone piledriver to a pop from the crowd. Aussie Open setup Chuck for the Coriolus finisher for the win.
Winner:Aussie Open (10:00)
Rating: ***
Mama! Now that was a pretty damn good opener! I love it when we get to see Aussie Open. Of all the talents that’s come in for appearances here and there, Aussie Open has made quite the impression on me. I’d love to see these guys on American television more as I can see the endless combination of matchups in AEW. This match had Forbidden Door implications which I wish would’ve been hyped up more leading into this match but it’s all good. As usual Trent and Chuck delivered another stellar performance.
Sunjay Dutt, Jeff Jarrett, and Jay Lethal are trying their best to make Mark Briscoe feel comfortable in teaming with them as they’re trying to convince him it’s such a great fit. Pretty comical there sells pitch. Meanwhile, Tony Schiavone is in the ring as he’s chatting it up with FTR. Cash Wheeler talks about how it’s been a long time since they held the AEW Tag Team titles as it’s all come full circle for them being champions once again. He also reveals that FTR are staying with AEW for the next four years apparently. Cash thanks the fans for their support as he proclaims once their contract is done, they are done with wrestling. Cash promises they will be the greatest tag team of all-time by the time they are done. Dax now speaks as he calls what’s happening to them right now is a redemption story. They are here today because they fought through perseverance. It’s time to repay the fans as this is their last ride as they will give their passion, blood, sweat, and tears for AEW! Top guys…OUT!
Lexi is backstage with Jeff Hardy, HOOK, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy as Jeff is happy to be back. They are ready to take on the Firm as their encounter will happen at the Hardy Compound. Oh that’s gonna be good! Hype video is shown of Wardlow and Powerhouse Hobbs facing each other on the next episode of DYNAMITE.
MATCH 2: MARK BRISCOE, JAY LETHAL, JEFF JARRETT, AND SATNAM SIGH VS SPANISH ANNOUNCE PROJECT
Annnnnnnd it’s over. Was that even 90 seconds???
Winner:Team Jeff Jarrett (90 seconds)
Rating: NR
SQUASH! SQUASH! SQUASH!
MATCH 3: TAYA VALKYRIE EMI SAKURA
Nice lockup that turns into the girls trading strong chops on one another. Taya with a back elbow, followed by a lariat and a set of double knees to the first. Cover now as the leg is hooked, and Emi kicks out! Emi tries to go four a reach-around as Jade Cargill comes out to talk trash. Emi comes from behind and applies a spinning neckbreaker as we head into another set of commercial breaks. We are back as Taya connects with a sweeping German suplex on Emi to send Emi flying out the ring. Leila Grey and Jade talk trash as Emi capitalizes with a forearm strike to the face. This is followed by crashing into Taya. Emi tosses Taya back into the ring as she tries to go for a far right-legged hook for a pin attempt. Taya kicks out Taya comes right back with the Road to Valhalla to end this one.
Winner:Taya Valkyrie (10:00)
Rating: **
Nice little match. Physically it was hard-hitting, and just the right kind of match to showcase Taya being tough as nails to AEW newcomers. This was all about continuing on the story arc between Taya and Jade which is alright.
Leila tries getting in the ring but catches an elbow to the face and gets a Road to Valhalla as well! Jade finally gets in as the two trade blows. Taya is about to get Jade in the Road to Valhalla, when Leila comes in for the save. Jade follows up with a pump kick and Jaded to Taya to end this segment.
Video package shown of El Hilo Del Vikings vs Dralistico as they’ll be fighting on RAMPAGE next week for the AAA MEGA Championship.
In the ring now, Jake Hager, Angelo Parker, Matt Mernard as apparently Angelo and Matt are cutting a rap diss that is all over the place bad. It’s so bad it’s funny as Hell. Sorry but words can’t capture this one. You all need to check out the video which I’ll link below. Meanwhile, The Acclaimed come out and charge right right JAS. Acclaimed manage to isolate Matt Mernard as Billy Gunn has a pair of scissors and is about to cut his nipples off when Jake Hager grabs him out in time. Acclaimed challenge JAS to a match next week on DYNAMITE. Seems it’s been accepted as we’re heading to another set of ad breaks.
MATCH 4: JUNGLE BOY VS SHAWN SPEARS
Great seeing Spears back. I legit missed this guy. Lockup begins this one as the soon exchange wrist locks and arm takedowns. Jungle Boy skins the cat off the ropes for a nice takedown followed by a dropkick as he mocks Shawn with the 10 hand gesture. Spears rolls out of the ring to bait JB into pursuit, which Jungle Boy does. Spears delivers a low back kick to the knees to ground JB. Spears tries to go back into the ring and go for a suicide dive from between the ropes but manages to stop himself when he sees JB moves out the way. JB soon baits Spears into following him outside the ring as he applies his own low kick to Spears’ knees and sends him crashing into the barricades as we get our last set of commercials. We’re back as Spears sets up JB on the top turnbuckle. JB is fighting him off as JB launches into a crossbody for a near fall. Spears reverses it into a pin attempt of his own as JB kicks out. Spears with a big boot as he tries charging at JB and gets a superkick to the face. Shawn tries sending JB over the ropes but somehow JB launches himself off to deliver a flying clothesline as both men are laid out. JB with a nice enziguri as he tries to launch himself off the ropes and lands right into the hands of Spears who delivers a ddt…Randy Orton style! Spears with the cover as JB kicks out! Spears looking for the C4 but Jungle Boy counters it into a rollup as Spears quickly gets out. Leaping flatliner by JB that gets him a near fall as well as an attempt at a quick pinfall cover. Twist-a-whirl backbreaker by Spears was he tried grabbing JB’s arm and attempted a rollup when JB counters it to score the victory.
Winner:Jungle Boy (11:00)
Rating: ***
Hated seeing Spears lose this one as like Michael Jordan, I took this one personally. Spears made Jungle Boy Jack Perry look like a stud. I really hope that Tony Khan is going to give JB an opportunity to face MJF for the title. If not 1 on 1 then let MJF defend against Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, and Darby Allin at the same time. Think we can all be in agreement, last thing we wanna see is Christian Cage and Luchasaurus ruin Jungle Boy’s chances. We’ve exhausted that road already and there’s no reason to go back down that road. By the way, hey Tony Khan! I got a fever for in-ring action. The only prescription is more Shawn Spears!
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
What a fast hour! Man did it go by pretty fast! Nice change of pace this week as for the most part you had more focus on the quality of the matches this go-round. Great seeing Taya and Jade finally get physical with one another as it seems the time is drawing near for them finally locking it up. Tony Khan for sure needs to continue the story arc with the Four Pillars of AEW making appearances on AEW RAMPAGE. I want to see them all in action, pleading their case for facing MJF. It needs to culminate in MJF making a RAMPAGE appearance just for a talking segment. It’s definitely something they need to keep in mind for the duration they will be following NBA Playoffs as a long month and a half of NBA action is ahead of us. They’ve gotta be smart about tapping into new eyes on the product and keeping them from the basketball fans. What did you 411MANIACS think about this weeks AEW RAMPAGE? 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!