Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 2.03.23

Hey folks! Lee Sanders here and another Friday is upon as we get a new AEW RAMPAGE! Tonight’s card sees a AEW World Trios Championship match as The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) (c) vs. Ethan Page, Matt Hardy, & Isiah Kassidy. Meanwhile, RUSH vs. Christopher Daniels. Elsewhere, Swerve Strickland vs. Brian Pillman Jr. Finally, Toni Storm & Saraya in tag team action.

Before I go any further of this weeks coverage I personally want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Mr. Lanny Poffo, brother of the late WWE Hall of Famer Macho Man Randy Savage. Lanny Poffo passed away this week at the age of 68. Mr. Poffo Will greatly be missed.

Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone

MATCH 1: AEW World Trios Championship- The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) (c) vs. Ethan Page, Matt Hardy, & Isiah Kassidy

Kassidy and Nick Jackson kick things off as we see a series of arm-drag takedowns and counters before Matt Jackson is tagged in. Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy are tagged in as they lock up a few times for a stalemate. Hardy tries looking for the Twist of Fate but Omega senses it coming ans pushes Hardy off of him quickly into the corner. Omega with a running knee to Hardy in the corner as no one was home. Hardy sends Omega into the ropes and the barricades. Hardy to the top rope as Ethan Page delivers a cheap shot to Omega and tossing him back in the ring. Page has tagged himself in as the symphony of boos from the crowd amplifies. Omega with a tag to Nick Jackson as Bucks double team on Page and on Hardy. Kassidy tries coming in but is rocked as well. Matt Jackson goes over the top to crash into the guys outside the ring as Hardy and Nick Jackson go at it now but Ethan saves Hardy as he takes a backdrop from Nick. Nick going back on Matt Hardy now. Hardy connects with the side effect for a kickout. Ethan demands the tag as he gets it while yelling at Matt. Nice backbreaker by Ethan Page as we head to our first set of as breaks. We’re back as Matt Hardy and Nick Jackson are the legal men as Matt connects with a sit-down powerbomb for a near fall. Ethan Page again with the tag as he gets a superkick to the face while Nick tags in Kenny. Omega is hot as he delivers a moonsault and yet somehow Ethan kicks out! Kassidy with the tag as he and Matt Hardy come in with a series of body splashes. Kassidy’s face is kicked silly by stereo superkicks. Hardy and Omega both go down after thinking about a lariat as both men apply it one one another. Everyone is applying their signature moves one another as it’s a big ol’ Spot fest here. Nick and Kassidy are eventually the legal men as they are trading off attacks. Nick applies a spiked ddt on Kassidy as Isiah soon comes back with a Canadian Destroyer from out of nowhere! Ethan Page and Kassidy setup Nick for the Twist of Fate but Matt Jackson breaks the pin attempt! Matt Hardy unintentionally hits Ethan Page and goes to check on him. Meanwhile, Kassidy hits Nick with a cutter for only a near fall. Omega gets the tag as he delivers the V-Trigger from behind followed by the One-Winged Angel as the Bucks join him for the BTE Trigger to end this one.

Winners: The Elite (16:00)
Rating: ***
Nice change of pace as we get a rare treat of The Elite…in a match…on a Friday edition of RAMPAGE. Feels like it’s been a long time since this has happened. I’ll have to rely on you all but surely this happened during the Best of Seven series. Refresh my memory and everyone else’s by sounding off below. Far as this match goes it was pretty solid. Love the continuation of Ethan Page in all his glory and massive ego, trying to make everything be about him. Many times it seemed the veteran in Matt Hardy had things under control. Each time it seemed like maybe Matt was going to secure the victory, Ethan had to get the tag. Tensions continue rise as it feels as though Ethan may put Matt in a position where maybe he’ll release Matt from his possession, but with a catch. That catch being he collects all future money and royalties coming to Matt Hardy for the rest of 2023 if Matt loses to him. Make no mistake a match between these two is coming folks. Matt’s freedom will be on the line and if Matt wins then he maybe wins back his freedom. Somewhere in this I feel like Jeff Hardy will play a role. Make it happen Tony Khan…

Lexi is backstage with Ricky Starks as he admits to putting his foot in his own mouth. He’s okay with it as he’s familiar with having the deck stacked against him. Starks is looking to prove why he is absolute as he promises to beat Chris Jericho again!

Team Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal are happy with what they did to Danhausen and Best Friends as Danhausen and Best Friends vow that what happened to them last week won’t happen again in what came off as a funny segment.

MATCH 2: Swerve Strickland vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Opener of this match coming off pretty choreographed than an actual match. A lot of leapfrogs and grounded takedowns followed by dropkicks. Pillman delivers a flying dropkick to send Swerve outside the ring as we head into our second set of commercial breaks. We are back as Pillman connects with a thrust kick before going in for the cover. It’s a two-count as our match continues. Swerve kicks the inside of Pillman’s thigh as it grounds the young man. Swerve senses an opportunity as he delivers a shinning wizard to the head of Pillman! Swerve for the cover and yet somehow at the last second Pillman kicks out! Swerve gets caught up on the ropes now as Swerve’s partner-in-crime Parker Boudreaux, swipes the legs of Pillman while the referee was distracted. Swerve delivers a Death Valley Driver onto the apron followed by his trademark foot stomp from the top rope to end this one.

Winner:Swerve Strickland (8:00)
Rating: **
Opening had too much flipping, flippidy, choreographed nonsense. Once you got past it and it seemed things slowed down more, was it more technically driven, and you could get into this. Really could’ve done without the outside interference as it wasn’t needed. Something about this match, I can’t put my finger on it but something was pretty off here. This was more about the story arc created a few weeks ago between Dustin and Swerve than anything else which I’m still behind.

Mogul Affiliates continue beating up on Pillman when Dustin Rhodes comes out with a steel pipe weapon in hand as the trio makes their exit.

MATCH 3: The Renegades vs Toni Storm and Saraya

Toni and Robin begin things as Toni connects with a Lou Thez Press as she sets up the referee for a distraction while Saraya chokes Robin’s neck up against the ropes. Toni connects with the hip attack to send Robyn crashing into the floor. Saraya sends Robyn crashing into the steel steps and side barricades as Saraya gets the tag. Clothesline, after clothesline Saraya delivers on Robyn followed by a flying knee to the face. A devastating knee to the face rocks Robyn as Saraya goes for the cover attempt. Somehow Robyn kicks out as Storm gets the tag now. Rear naked choke applied to Robyn as Toni isn’t letting it go before spiking here to the ground, head first! Both women are now trading strikes as Robyn gets the upper hand with an enziguri before finally tagging Charlotte. She comes in hot briefly before getting dropkicked to the face and is setup for the Storm Zero to end this one thankfully. Post-match the girls go NWO style and spray paint the letter “L” on both Renegade sisters to end this segment.

Winners:Toni Storm and Saraya (5:00)
Rating: *
This came off more as trying to really establish Toni and Saraya as a tag team and further their story arc with Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter than anything else. This was a one-sided match with very little offense from the Renegade sisters that went honestly too long. Two minutes should’ve been trimmed off honestly.

MATCH 4: RUSH vs Christopher Daniels

Nice series of lockups before Daniels gets the advantage with a headlock takedown. Both men quickly get back to a vertical stance as RUSH goes for a wrist lock of which Daniels gets out of luckily. Daniels with a short clothesline to the back of the head. Daniels with a pin attempt as RUSH quickly kicks out. Daniels connects with a tope in-between the ropes to stifle RUSH as we head into our last set of ad breaks. We are back as RUSH stomps on the abdominal region of Daniels. Mean kick to the stomach of Daniels follows as the referee is distracted by RUSH while Jose the Assistant and the man formerly known as 10 aka Preston Vance, deliver some cheap attacks to Daniels. Joe holds Daniels while Preston Vance tries to deliver a pump kick to Daniels. Daniels moves out the way in time as Preston inadvertently hits Jose! Vance is sent by Daniels face first into the ring post while Daniels quickly goes back into the ring to get a rollup on RUSH but RUSH is able to kick out. Daniels now with a clothesline and a powerbomb for a kickout. Daniels now off the ropes but is chopped and thrust kicked in the face. RUSH with a swing and miss as Daniels connects with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall! Vance sets up a distraction as Daniels comes over to yell at him. RUSH gets a rollup for a two-count. Daniels with a side effect as he goes for the top turnbuckle looking for the Best Ever Moonsault. RUSH gets his knees up in time as Daniels is rocked big time while holding his stomach. RUSH capitalizes with a Belly to Belly suplex followed by a series of stomps to the face as RUSH runs to other side of the corner and delivers the Bull’s Horn to end this match.

Winners: RUSH (9:00)
Rating: ***
Fun little main event this week. I’m very biased here as I’ve been a fan of Daniels for years now, even had an opportunity to have him on my podcast many years ago. He’s a very cool guy that usually delivers a solid match. That was again the case here tonight. Although he’s slowed down due to Father Time, the man can still hang with the best of them and was able to keep up well with RUSH. It didn’t feel like RUSH had to play down to Daniels which made this match tonight that much more cooler to enjoy. Vance really has taken a backseat hasn’t he 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 y’all!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Another hour that came and went as the action was pretty diverse this week. This episode served more as a catalyst for the secondary stories, flushing them out and fine-tuning them more. It also served in setting up some future action on this coming weeks DYNAMITE but put emphasis more on the secondary stories such as building up Swerve Strickland and his entourage against Dustin Rhodes, giving more talents mainly seen on the YouTube shows, opportunities to appear on TV again such as the Renegade sisters and Brian Pillman Jr. I welcome this type of diversity as not every match needs to of a 5-star rating. Not every episode needs to be an 8, 9, or 10 as sometimes an average episode is okay when properly utilized. Tony Khan and crew did alright this week in my book. What you 411MANIACS think? Sound off! Oh and Tony Khan! It’s February which means Black History month! I’m looking for Powerhouse Hobbs, The Acclaimed, Jade Cargill, Swerve, Keith Lee, and Sonny Kiss to be making more appearances in some good story arcs. Make it happen and make it good! Also, step it up with Preston Vance as the man has taken a backseat ever since distancing the mask. Build him up right as a stud and serve him up for a good program against Wardlow upon returning. 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!