Hall’s AEW Rampage Review 4.20.24

AEW Rampage
Date: April 20, 2024
Location: Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re still in Peoria for the second half of our back-to-back shows. This one only has as long as Collision, but it is going to have its work cut out for it to be as good. It’s the last show before Dynasty and the card is set, so odds are this will follow the Rampage tradition of not adding much long-term. Let’s get to it.

Jon Moxley is ready to defend the IWGP World Title against Powerhouse Hobbs and next week, he hopes Hobbs has found the heart he has been needing. Don’t hesitate for one second, because Moxley won’t either.

Rob Van Dam vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. Lee Johnson vs. Komander

Elimination rules and yes Van Dam is only here because of the date. Believe it or not the fans like Van Dam more than a pair of lower-card stars and a tag wrestler. Kassidy gets double dropkicked to start as Van Dam is happy with sitting and watching the other guys fight. He finally comes in but gets dropkicked down by Kassidy, who misses his own Rolling Thunder.

Van Dam hits the real thing before Johnson sends Komander and Kassidy outside for the big flip dive. Back in and Kassidy rakes Johnson’s eyes, setting up a rollup with tights for the elimination at 3:53. We take a break and come back with Komander sending Kassidy outside. A big running forearm hits Van Dam in the corner and a springboard Swanton gets two on Kassidy.

Komander tries to walk the ropes but gets crotched by Kassidy, who kicks Van Dam down. Back up and Van Dam drops Kassidy with some kicks but Marq Quen pulls him outside. That’s fine with Komander, who hits Cielito Lindo to get rid of Kassidy at 9:41 total. We’re down to Komander vs. Van Dam and they trade rollups for two each. A Northern Lights suplex puts Komander down and the Five Star Frog Splash gives Van Dam the win at 12:35.

Rating: C+. For a match that was only there for the sake of a Rob Van Dam joke, this could have been worse. I’ll take the elimination rules over Van Dam scoring a quick rollup win as it looks like he accomplished a bit more. Also, does Komander just have a job for matches like this one? It’s about all he seems to do anymore.

Emi Sakura vs. Yuka Sakazaki

Sakura stomps away in the corner to start and gets two off a rollup. Sakazaki is back with a basement lariat and we hit an early STF. With that broken up, Sakazaki tries to run the ropes but seems to slip and fall out to the floor. Sakura follows and grabs some WOO Energy for some dancing, triggering a chase scene. Sakazaki catches her and grabs a running hurricanrana off the apron. We take a break and come back with Sakura hitting a backbreaker for two. Sakura goes up but takes too long mocking a drinking pose, allowing Sakazaki to grab a German suplex from the ropes for the pin at 9:32.

Rating: C+. Good enough match, but it’s quite the Rampage special: two women who have nothing going on around here having a match to fill in time. There is only so much you can get out of that as it’s a cold match in front of a crowd that might not be overly familiar with the two of them. The ending came a bit out of nowhere, but I wonder if Sakazaki was shaken up by that fall.

We get a Rampage Exclusive, with Angelo Parker saying he tried to fight but lost everything, including the love of his life. He doesn’t have anything left so he’s going to retire….and here is Ruby Soho to say he has something to fight for. That’s because she’s pregnant, with a kiss ensuing. How wholesome and sweet!

Kyle O’Reilly/Matt Menard/Rocky Romero vs. Undisputed Kingdom

O’Reilly wants Strong to start but has to settle for working on Bennett’s arm. We’ll switch that over to Taven, who gets taken down by Menard’s armdrag. Romero comes in but Bennett counters a hurricanrana, meaning Strong is willing to come in this time. A backbreaker puts Romero down and it’s back to Taven as we take a break.

Back with Romero avoiding a charge in the corner and grabbing a double hurricanrana, allowing the tag off to Menard. A Boston crab goes on but Taven makes a fast save. The moonsault gives Taven two but it’s back to O’Reilly to pick up the pace. House is cleaned until it’s off to Strong for the strike-off. O’Reilly fires off kicks until a backbreaker cuts him off. Romero makes the save, leaving O’Reilly to clothesline Bennett and grab the cross armbreaker for the win at 12:10.

Rating: B-. Best match of the night so far and the fact that it was designed to help boost up a match on the pay-per-view helped. It would have been nice if the other four involved had something to do on the show but at least we got a tease of O’Reilly vs. Strong. That match could use some extra juice and this was better than nothing.

Post-match O’Reilly says he’s coming for the title.

Dynasty rundown.

 

Results
Rob Van Dam b. Isiah Kassidy, Lee Johnson, and Komander last eliminating Komander
Yuka Sakazaki b. Emi Sakura – German suplex from the ropes
Kyle O’Reilly/Matt Menard/Rocky Romero b. Undisputed Kingdom – Cross armbreaker to Bennett

 

 

Head over to my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com with thousands of reviews from around the world and throughout wrestling history.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was quite the Rampagey Rampage, as they more or less flipped an off switch after Collision and just coasted in through the next hour. That doesn’t make for the most entertaining hour but the action was good enough. Van Dam helped pick things up by making it feel special and the main event was solid. Somehow this is more than you get out of the normal Rampage, which says a lot about what this show has become.