Hall’s AEW Rampage Review 5.18.24

Rampage
Date: May 18, 2024
Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We continue the double shot on Saturday with what is usually the lesser of the two shows. In this case, we have just over a week to go before Double Or Nothing and that means we should be getting some build-up towards the show. Hopefully, that isn’t swapped out for more build towards Dynamite. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Darby Allin joining Team AEW, with quite the positive tilt toward the Young Bucks, who are fighting people who don’t agree with them.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Lee Moriarty

Anthony Ogogo is here with Moriarty. O’Reilly wrestles him to the mat to start but Moriarty rolls up as Schiavone rapid fires upcoming shows. Moriarty’s bodyscissors is broken up so O’Reilly hits a knee to the ribs into a slap to the face. A charging O’Reilly is sent into the buckle and we take a break.

Back with O’Reilly striking away, setting up a belly-to-back suplex into a kneebar. Moriarty grabs the rope and then snaps O’Reilly’s fingers, setting up a running boot in the corner. O’Reilly suplexes him down again and they trade kicks, with both grabbing the other’s legs. They slap it out until both of them go down before fighting over arm control. O’Reilly grabs a guillotine before kicking him in the chest, followed by the cross armbreaker for the tap at 9:59.

Rating: B. Two technical guys got to have a rather nice technical showcase, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise. O’Reilly has a good mixture of the submission skills and the striking, which is what we were seeing here. It helps that Moriarty can hang in there with anyone and he was getting to show off some rather nice skills here as well.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn have noticed that everyone is getting crazy about authority these days. No one wants to face the Acclaimed though so tonight it’s Anthony Bowens vs. Brian Cage, with an affirmation that EVERYONE loves the Acclaimed.

Rush vs. Cody Chhun

Bull’s Horns in 34 seconds.

Post-match Rush wrecks him in a beating that lasts a good bit longer than the match.

Bryan Danielson says FTR won’t be at Dynamite but he will be. The Elite can take a shot but be ready for the consequences.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Robyn Renegade

Purrazzo slips out of a wristlock to start before arm-dragging her into an armbar. Robyn slips out so Purrazzo pulls her into a cross armbreaker as we take a break. Back with Robyn slugging away with forearms and a big clothesline to put Purrazzo down. A dropkick to the back of the head gives Robyn two but the pump handle slam is countered with an armdrag. Purrazzo DDT’s the arm into the Fujiwara armbar for the win at 7:14.

Rating: C+. Robyn was showing some fire here until she got her arm wrecked so badly. Purrazzo knows how to take someone apart like she did here and that Fujiwara armbar can seem rather deadly. Hopefully, she can do well in her big showdown with Thunder Rosa, though I’m not sure I like her odds of winning.

Post match Purrazzo stays on the arm and even turns it into the Venus de Milo, with Thunder Rosa running in for the save. Rosa checks on Robyn, allowing Purrazzo to get in a cheap shot. Purrazzo runs off but gets caught by Rosa, only to bail into the crowd.

Scorpio Sky is coming back and he’s here for us. If he is on his way back, how can he be here for us?

Sonjay Dutt has a deal with the Elite, which is why it’s Bryan Danielson vs. Satnam Singh on Dynamite.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Brian Cage vs. Anthony Bowens

Max Caster and Billy Gunn are here too. We get a pose off to start before Bowens grabs a float over DDT for two. Cage powers him into the corner for some shots to the ribs until Bowens snaps off a dragon screw leg whip. Bowens sends him outside, where a running kick is countered into a powerbomb to the post.

We take a break and come back with Bowens grabbing a small package for two. Bowens strikes away and hits a running Fameasser for two more. A DDT onto the apron drops Cage again but Cage kicks him in the back, setting up the apron superplex for two more. The Drill Claw is countered and Bowens kicks him in the chest for two, only for the referee to nearly get bumped. Cage kicks him low and hits the Drill Claw for the win at 11:45.

Rating: C+. Pretty nice stuff here, with Bowens doing a solid job as the underdog. They were playing up the idea that Cage is used to singles matches while Bowens didn’t have a partner as usual. It helps boost Cage back up after his loss to Swerve Strickland, though there wasn’t much else to get interested in here.

 

Results
Kyle O’Reilly b. Lee Moriarty – Cross armbreaker
Rush b. Cody Chhun – Bull’s Horns
Deonna Purrazzo b. Robyn Renegade
Brian Cage b. Anthony Bowens – Drill Claw

 

 

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7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

The opener was good, but this was another show that you could completely skip and not miss much at all. On its own that makes for a breezy hour, but as the third hour of a block, it’s not the most engaging sit. There’s not much of a reason to watch this show, though you won’t be disappointed if you do.