Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 8.11.23
Happy TGIF everyone! Lee Sanders with you all on this lovely Friday as this week has brought cooler temperatures here on the east coast. AEW All Out is just a few weeks away as the card is finally starting to take shape. Tonight’s AEW RAMPAGE action sees an AEW International Championship Match as Orange Cassidy defends against Johnny TV. Meanwhile, Darby Allin vs. Brian Cage. Elsewhere, Skye Blue vs. Saraya for a chance to compete in a Fatal-4-Way for the AEW Women’s title at ALL OUT. Finally, the ROH Tag Team champions Aussie Open are in action. Let’s jump right into the action!
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho
Venue: Nationwide Arena
Location: Columbus, OH
MATCH 1: DARBY ALLIN VS BRIAN CAGE
Our first match opens up hot with Darby delivering a John Woo style dropkick onto Cage to send him retreating to the outside. Darby with an overhead crossbody from the ropes. Darby tries to go for a dive from in-between the ropes as Cage swats him off with a shoulder tackle. Cage follows up by sending Darby flying into the barricades, followed by a nice toss into the ring. Cage with a delayed back suplex now as he busts out a few muscle poses. Darby now taking a series of chops and a strong toss across the ring. Darby tries biting Cage’s hand as he gets slugged in the face to send him rolling out the ring! Cage misses a tackle as he’s sent into the steel steps as this gives Darby the opening he needs to jump on the big man’s back. Cage sends himself and Darby crashing through a table as Cage continues his onslaught of Darby. Allin sent spine first onto the apron as the action is back inside the ring. This is a one-man ass kicking contest so far! We’re back as Cage tries charging at Allin but gets a boot to the face for his efforts. Darby with a tornado scorpion death-drop, and a double foot stomp, followed by a stunner as Cage catches him for a series of powerbombs! Seemed like Darby was maybe looking for a code red but it backfired. Allin manages to take his belt off to swept the legs of Cage. This gives the young daredevil a chance to do the coffin drop to send Cage outside briefly. Darby finally gets code red for a near fall. Darby climbs to the top as Prince Nana helps with a distraction. This helps Cage pick up Darby and setup an F5 toss for a near fall! Cage with a chop as he’s headed up to the top to put Darby on his shoulders. Darby counters it as we see a series of counters that results in Darby getting a rollup victory on Cage!
Winner:Darby Allin (13 minutes)
Rating: **
Darby was getting his behind handed to him for most of this match and we got a rollup victory. Also, where was Big Bill during all this folks? Was he using the bathroom or something? Swerve Strickland and crew should’ve been out here causing strife. I’m talking about the same level of strife they did to Darby’s friend in Nick Wayne. So much logic was tossed out the window here. After the great showing that Cage and Bill had against FTR, Cage had no business at this point being in a match against Darby as it was too random. Let Darby fight against Swerve and crew who had a hand in beating up Nick some weeks back.
Post-match Luchasaurus comes in and chokeslams Darby from out of nowhere. Loved the shot of seeing the kid crying over this spot as another shot of Christian Cage was seen. Christian seemed to love the spot with the kid as you could see a slight break in character. This was their Miz Girl Fan moment and I’m all in for the content folks! I can see the memes from this now…
Eddie Kingston gives us an update on him competing in NJPW’s G1 as he talks about wanting to defend his Strong Openweight Championship anywhere, including in AEW or ROH.
MATCH 2: AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP-ORANGE CASSIDY(C) VS JOHNNY TV
Johnny getting owned earlier on by Cassidy as Cassidy pulls off an armdrag and a dropkick while keeping his hands in his pockets! Johnny heads out the ring to regroup as the QTV crew tried to creep in while Harley Cameron distracted the referee. Cassidy grabs the ref to have him see what’s going on as the ref ejects them all from ringside. Wheeler Yuta makes an appearance but he’s ejected as well as we head into a commercial break. We’re back as Wheeler joins Excalibur and crew on commentary as Johnny connects with a running knee strike on Cassidy. Johnny kicks the steel apron post by accident as Cassidy slides back into the ring and comes back with a diving elbow from in-between the ropes. Cassidy to the top now as he connects with a diving crossbody! Johnny with a kneck breaker as Cassidy kicks out. Johnny with a kick to the chest as he climbs to the top and misses starship pain aka superstation. Cassidy moves out the way in time as he climbs to the top but Johnny catches him as Cassidy gets an opening for a diving ddt! Cassidy with another ddt as he calls for the orange punch and connects with it and beach-break for the victory! 19-0 is Cassidy in 2023…
Winner:Cassidy (7 minutes)
Rating: **
Oh wow…Cassidy retains again..OMG, OMG, what a surprise (insert sarcasm here). I know a lot of you all love Cassidy but to quote one of my favorite Huey Lewis and the News songs, “I want a new drug. One that won’t make me sick.” I’m just ready for a change with Cassidy as champion. I could be better invested in this reign if the storyline and commentary complimented Cassidy better. A simple formula would be this man keeps taking challenges left and right. He is even fighting his friend’s battles. Cassidy can only go like this for so long as eventually his luck may run out. At least acknowledge that the man continues to defy the odds.
Post- match, Cassidy immediately grabs a microphone and tells Yuta to hurry into the ring so he can punch his face in. Yuta takes his time as Moxley, and Claudio join Yuta in surrounding the ring. Yuta talks about how the BCC could easily hurt Cassidy enough to send him to the hospital. Yuta wants to take the only thing Cassidy cares about most which is his International championship. Yuta challenged Cassidy to put it on the line next week in Nashville.
Ian Riccaboni from RING OF HONOR and AEW Collision gives a nice rundown of the ROH Tag titles.
MATCH 3: AUSSIE OPEN’S KYLE FLETCHER AND MARK DAVIS VS THE OUTRUNNERS (I’M ASSUMING THEY GONNA OUT RUN AUSSIE OPEN BY EXITING THE RING AS THEY DON’T WANT THE SMOKE)
Mark Davis starting things off with a high boot as the other Outrunner is sent flying outside the ring briefly. Aussie Open are dominating the Outrunners as they deliver double running-sandwich bumps. And a double lariat and Coriolis later, this one is over.
Winner:Aussie Open (2 minutes)
Rating: NR
SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH!!
After the match, Aussie Open accept the challenge of MJF and Adam Cole to fight for the ROH tag titles at All In’s ZERO HOUR. Up next we see Jeff Jarrett who talks about this great partnership AEW was able to make with the folks of an up king video, Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This leads to Jeff Jarrett taking on Jeff Hardy in a Texas Chainsaw Championship apparently in a death match. Most intriguing…
MATCH 4: WINNER ADVANCES TO FATAL-4-WAY AT ALL IN FOR SHOT AT AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP-
SKYE BLUE VS SARAYA
(ongoing)
Saraya is looking to be in even better shape since last we saw of her in the ring. She’s looking more filled out and I’m loving it. It looks good on her as the girls go for a quick lockup. Blue with a backslide as Saraya kicks out. Series of reversals and pin cradle attempts as it’s a stalemate. Saraya with a kick to the midsection to briefly grab around the waist of Blue. Skye manages to reverse it while getting a crossbody pin attempt for a near fall. Skye with a back elbow to the jaw and a crossbody onto Saraya for a two count. Skye ends up kicking Toni Storm in the face as she tries to attack Saraya. Storm rebounds as she pushes Saraya out the way to send Skye crashing and burning outside the ring as we head into our last set of ad breaks. We are back as Saraya strong whips Skye into the corner, followed by a charging knee strike. Pin attempt made as Skye kicks out! Saraya with a headlock now as she tries sending her into the ropes. Skye counters a leg takedown, followed by a knee to the face and a enziguri for a near fall. Skye looking for Skye Fall but tries for a pin attempt as Saraya kicks out and manages to connect with the thrust kick. Cover now as Skye kicks out! Saraya now with leg submission hold attempt as Skye gets to the bottom rope for the break. Skye with a thrust kick and Code Blue as Toni and Ruby take to the apron. Toni distracts the ref while Ruby sprays Skye in the face with green spray paint as Saraya plants Skye with the Knight Light for the victory.
Winner:Saraya
Rating: **
I’m not sure about this one as I feel Skye Blue should’ve been the way to go honestly. We’ll see how this plays out in front of the crowd at All Out. I get why this was ultimately done folks, really I do. That to the side, too much interference in this match for my personal taste. It’s a smart way to operate if you’re trying to do your best to protect Saraya. This is especially true if you’re trying to buy her even more time to get ready for ALL OUT while continuing to protect her physically as well. Remember she hasn’t wrestled since May of this year as her last pair of matches was against Willow Nightingale. There was one afterwards where she teamed with Chris Jericho to face Britt Baker and Adam Cole. Saraya’s timing was off in a few areas but was solid overall. Skye as always showed a cool and steady hand and did a lot of bumping in this one.
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
AVERAGE
Another fast hour this week which is always good. All the matches were decent at most but nothing one will remember the following week or week after. Nothing really too exciting or earth shattering on this episode. Going forward though Tony Khan and crew really need to showcase Big Bill and Brian Cage on episodes of RAMPAGE. That is pure gold right there as Bill is coming into his own finally as a character again. Also, an AEW episode where Moxley doesn’t bleed? I’m stunned! So if you didn’t get a chance to record it on your DVR, relax. By the way 411MANIACS, another women’s match closes out an AEW show? It wasn’t because of something somebody said was it? Sure does come off like to the minimum that a nerve was struck but I’ll let you all debate that monger yourselves, just keep it classy and be respectful. 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!