Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 2.9.24

Happy Fantastic Friday, everybody! I am Lee Sanders, and we’re talking about AEW Rampage! I hope you all had a fantastic week and are ready for Super Bowl Sunday! Before going any further, I want to thank everyone who participated in the 2023 WRESTLING AWARDS. Winners and the winner of the WWE 2K24 raffle were revealed. You can check it all out, including my thoughts on the Wrestlemania 40 Kickoff, By clicking here. Let’s jump right into the action.

Location: Arizona
Venue: Footprint Center
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

MATCH 1: Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta vs Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett

Cassidy with a double dropkick on Bennett and Taven as all six men enter the ring. The referee is doing his best to maintain order as Adam Cole is wheeled down the ramp with him from Wardlow. The bell finally rings as Bennett jumps Taylor. The two are exchanging chops as Romero is tagged. Nick kicks to the midsection only Romwro as soon as Taven is tagged. Taven with a dropkick on Romero, who then showboats. Romero and Beretta with a double knee to the face of Taven. Taven is sent into the ropes as Taven puts on the brakes. Beretta with a couple of suplexes as Bennett loans an assist from the ropes. The move helps Taven connect with a spinning backbreaker. Taven tries following up with a splash, but no one is home, as Beretta can tag Cassidy. Cassidy with a DDT that plants Taven as Cassidy demands Strong enters the ring. Bennett attacks him from behind with a spine-buster! Romero clocks Bennett with an uppercut and an enziguri. Strong hits Romero with a shining wizard kick as Beretta hits a DDT! Everyone is doing spots here as Cassidy and Taven exchange superkicks as we head into our first set of commercials. We are back as the action continues! Romero, with a dive between the ropes, hit Bennett and Taven. Bennett tossed back in the ring where Romero hit sliced bread. Taven tries running in but gets a leg scissors takedown. Romero connects with a heel kick, followed by clotheslines on Bennett and Taven. Strong interrupts with a blindsided knee strike to help Taven win.

Winner:Undisputed kingdom (9 minutes)
Rating:**
Decent opener. I looked at this match more about the ongoing arc involving Cassidy and Strong. Nothing more and nothing less.

Post-match, the UK beat the holy Hell out of Romero as he’s put through a couple of steel chairs. Best Friends cannot rescue Romero in time as the damage is done. Now it’s getting personal, folks! Meanwhile, a recap of the Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page rivalry is shown. This also includes highlights from their match on Dynamite this week.

YouTube Bucks are out as they have this new opera music. They are still pushing their bloody white Good Humor outfits when beating the crap out of Sting’s sons. Looks like they have a match.

MATCH 2: Young Bucks vs Mondo Rox & Robbie Lit

Matthew stomps the heck out of Robbie before giving him one mean lariat. Robbie is slingshot into Nick, who provides a kick to the head. Nick tosses Robbie into Mondo for the tag. Matt with the blind tag as he clotheslines Mondo before getting kicked in the balls by Nick while Matt distracts the ref. The bucks hit the EVP trigger to end this one.

Winner:Young Bucks (2 minutes)
Rating:NR
SQUASH…SQUASH…SQUASH.

Nick grabs a microphone to demand that the EVPs be given respect! It’s demanded their birth names call them. Matthew thanks Darby Allin and Sting for becoming the new AEW Tag Champions. The crowd is chanting boring as Matthew sarcastically wishes Sting and Darby well. Turns out they got banged up in their match on Wednesday. Matt promises to have competitive matches to get ranked and no.1 contender status. Young Bucks want the tag titles as this awful segment is finally over. Jesus, what crud!

MATCH 3: CMLL’s Mistico vs Matt Sydal

It’s an excellent series of reversals to open up this fast contest. Sydal with a spinning leg scissors takedown. Mistico comes back with one of his own. Tope suicida follows as it connects on Sydal. Sydal with a bow & arrow lock on Mistico. It’s followed by a back moonsault pin attempt as Mistico kicks out. We are back as Mistico connects with a crossbody from the ropes for a near fall. Sydal, with the airway, crashes as Mistico kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Both men are slugging it out before Sydal hits Mistico in the jaw with a kick. Mistico with a scoop slam as he takes to the top. No one is home, as Mistico comes right back with a power slam! Sydal tries climbing to the top as Mistico climbs as well. Misitco hits a Spanish ally for the win.

Winner:Mistico (8 minutes)
Rating:**
Not too shabby.

Rene Paquette is with Brian Cage, who’s irritated with HOOK for taking a steel chair to his back from last week. Cage wants to take on two guys simultaneously on Collision this week. Cage wants to show that he can be as dominating as HOOK. You know, this could backfire if HOOK shows up.

MATCH 4: Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs Saraya & Ruby Soho

Saraya and Statlander exchange lockups as Kris lands a dropkick in the process. Statlander follows it up with a backdrop as SoHo is tagged. Willow is tagged as she hits a Russian leg sweep on Ruby. Willow follows up with kicks to the head as somehow Ruby breaks out. Willow hits the fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. It’s followed up with Statlander and Willow double-teaming on SoHo for another near fall. A nice clothesline follows as Harley Cameron sweeps the leg to help Saraya and Ruby take advantage as we head into our last set of commercials. We are back as Statlander takes SoHo off her feet before hitting a power slam. Statlander with a delayed suplex as SoHo reverses it and hits her in the head. Saraya comes in for an assist as Willow comes in and is sent between the ropes. Willow breaks up a pin attempt as Statlander hits a lariat on Saraya. Saraya tries to clothesline Statlander but misses as she hits Ruby instead. Willow hits both of them with a clothesline. Statlander tries for the cover on Saraya, but somehow, she kicks out. Both girls are now at a vertical base, slugging it out when she hits the blue thunder bomb on Saraya for a two count. Statlander hits a big uppercut as Saraya hits a jawbreaker. Willow tags in as Saraya tries to tag Ruby, but Ruby leaps off the apron. Harley tries to get in her face and is laid out! Saraya screams as Willow hits a powerbomb on her to end this fun match.

Winner:Willow & Statlander(11 minutes)
Rating:***
Fun match involving my favorites in Statlander in Willow. You can’t go wrong here. It would seem we are near the end of this love angle, which is long overdue.

Post-match Skye Blue appears as the lights go out, and we see Julia Hart join Skye. Oh, now I can get behind as this week’s RAMPAGE concludes.

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 you all!

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

A fast hour that came and went but nothing earth shattering on this episode. If you missed it you’ll be okay as it’s not the end of the world. It’s funny because the one time I was watching this show, my wife was watching along with me. We both agreed that the women’s match was good and stood out the most from this episode. Some story arc developments here and there but a slight below average show this week. Appreciate Tony Khan and crew making sure to add some star power on here though. Oh and I’m so glad Julia Hart and Skye Blue are back on my tv again. They’ve been greatly missed. Be sure to check out my Wrestlemania 40 Kick Off post show where I also go over the 2023 Wrestling Award winners and reveal the winner for the WWE 2K24 raffle contest by clicking here 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 you all!