wrestling / TV Reports
Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 3.25.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...What’s going on folks! Lee Sanders here this Saturday as AEW RAMPAGE has been pushed to this day due to NCAA March Madness. Hope your weekend is off to a great start so far. Solid card tonight as Taya Valkyrie faces Leila Grey in a Cease & Desist showdown! Next, Brody King vs Jake Hager. Elsewhere, Ricky Starks is scheduled to make an appearance. Lastly, The Acclaimed take on The Kingdom. AEW ALL-ACCESS is coming on at 11:30pm ET on TNT tonight. If you’re near your DVR, go ahead and set it folks! If you haven’t done so already be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow for more great talk of wrestling and beyond. Onwards to live coverage!
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone
MATCH 1: TNT Championship-Powerhouse Hobbs(c) vs Penta El Zero
Nice dropkick to send Hobbs outside the ring by Penta! Penta tries building up some momentum by running into the ropes and attempts a suicide dive from in-between the ropes but Penta gets an elbow strike to the face by Hobbs! Penta sent face first into the steel post. Hobbs continues to dominate Penta as the referee is frozen somewhat on counting these men down to avoid disqualification by count-out. Action finally gets back inside as Hobbs delivers an elbow to the face. Lateral press now but it’s only a near fall. Hobbs catches Fenix in a Bane (from DC Comics) backbreaker! Hobbs distracts the referee while QT grabs on the laces of Penta and chokes him with them while using the ropes. Nice delayed vertical suplex follows as we head into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as Penta turns things around with a slingblade, followed by a backstabber. Penta looking to cover but only gets a near fall as the champion kicks out. Penta stunned with a headbutt as Hobbs plants him with vertical backdrop for another near fall. Hobbs takes his straps off now as he delivers a heavy right hand to the face of Penta. Scoop up by Hobbs as Penta slides off his shoulders to deliver an enziguri and a couple of superkicks! Penta tops it off with an over-the-top maneuver to crash into Hobbs. Hobbs is sent crashing into the steel steps as Penta follows up with a couple of foot stomps. Penta looking for the cover but the champion kicks out. QT gets inside now while holding a steel chair as the referee gets in his face. Alex grabs it as Aaron Solow gets superkicked and fear-factored for trying to interfere after Penta catches him trying to attack him from behind. Hobbs takes the TNT title and hits Penta over the face with it to deliver Town Business to end this one.
Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs (12:00)
Rating: **
Decent opener but I personally felt the interference and presence of the QTV crew was overkill. Not only was it overkill but it wasn’t needed at all. Not to mention distracting as well. The only justification I can see of this being ongoing is if Hobbs eventually tries to break away from QTV. Marshall and his goons make Hobbs pay for his betrayal and in the process this turns Hobbs into a babyface. If you can look past the shenanigans at ringside, for what it was worth, this was a solid match. Wish I could but that’s just me people. I’ve yet to ask you lol how you of your takes on QTV so far so do sound off!
Post-match, Hobbs, QT Marshall and crew try to jump Penta when Fenix comes out holding a hammer or wrench in his hands as they all scatter like roaches.
We’re back as Ricky Starks joins us now to a great ovation. Starks calls out Juice Robinson as he wants to fight right now despite being dressed in street clothes as he says he’s ready to fight right there on the spot. Juice comes out but he’s holding a microphone. Juice is amused that Ricky would call him out as he tells the sweet boy he’ll get that ass-kicking. Juice stops just short of the ring as he turns away. Starks brings him back into the ring only for Juice to haul ass again! Juice tells Ricky there’ll be no ass-kicking this week or next. It’ll be in a city that has respect which is New York City!
Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett are shown now as they are complaining about a conspiracy against them as they are taking issue with the AEW referees. First the AEW tag titles and the International championship as they promise one day they’ll hold onto championships…one way or another…
MATCH 2: Brody King vs Jake Hager
Strong lockup to begin this one as it comes to a stale mate. They exchange shoulder blocks on one another but no one drops to the canvas. Brody finally takes Hager down with a double handed chop. Hager rolls out the ring to recover as Brody isn’t letting up. Hager sent crashing into the barricades as Hager soon returns the gesture as we head into our next set of as breaks. We’re back as Brody connects with a body splash to Hager in the corner. Brody misses a cannonball as Hager tried looking for a Hager bomb but misses as Brody gets his boots up in time. Hager is stunned as this sets up Brody to connect with a disqus lariat for only a near fall! Nice spot! Meanwhile, Julia Hart is sent to the ring post by Anna JAS from behind as Brody connects with his finisher to end this one.
Winner: Brody King (7:00)
Rating: ***
I love continuing to see Brody in singles action. You know for what it was worth as far as all the matches from this weeks AEW programming goes, this is right up there. Very rare we see Hager rise to the occasion. Usually it seems like he’s phoning it in but in this match against Brody, Hager brought his A game as the two really brought out the best in one another. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I initially heard about this match as it was so random. Worth checking out on your DVR.
Swerve Strickland is shown now as he apparently found an old affiliate who is named Tec-9. Swerve promises to end this feud once and for all. Before you ask who Tec-9 is I’ll be honest, I have no idea. Feel free to enlighten me and the chat below with comments as it creates good discussion.
MATCH 3: Leila Grey vs Taya Valkyrie
Damn is Leila Grey FINE! Leila with a shove to Taya as Taya comes right back with a short clothesline to humble her. Mark Sterling tries to distract Taya with his Cease and Desist papers as Leila manages to attack Taya from behind with shots to the back of the head. Taya with a. Shot to the midsection, followed by a knee strike, and ends it with the Road to Valhalla to end this one.
Winner:Taya Valkyrie (1:30)
Rating: NR
SQUASH! SQUASH! SQUASH! But least we Leila Grey. Leila..Got me on my knees, Leila…Begging darling please Leila…Darling won’t you ease my worried mind…
Post-match Smart Mark Sterling gets in the ring in frustration with his coat off. He reminds Taya of a potential lawsuit as Taya gives him the Road to Valhalla as well.
MATCH 4: The Acclaimed vs The Kingdom
Matt Mernard and Angelo Parker are on commentary as they are continuing their recruitment pitch to Acclaimed. Max Caster and Mike Bennett open things up as Caster is sent to the corner where Taven gets a tag and Kingdom perform some double tag action for a bit. Bowens gets in a blind tag as Acclaimed perform a backbreaker combo on Bennett. Bowens with a pin attempt only for a kickout as Caster is now the legal man. Bowens with a leg drop to the groin of Bennett from the top rope as we head into our last commercial break. Heads up! Apparently Mernard reveals that he just got a text from Chris Jericho who wants for Mernard and Parker to show Acclaimed a night out. Looks like the recruitment is really going into high gear as Jericho has told them to spend like crazy on Acclaimed. Also, apparently AEW ALL-ACCESS is coming on at 11:30pm ET on TNT tonight. If you’re near your DVR, go ahead and set it folks! We’re back to the action now as Taven connects with a back-heel kick on Caster. It’s a 2-on-1 beatdown on Caster as another pin attempt is made. Caster kicks out as Billy Gunn chases Maria Kanellis off while Top Flight come out and chase her off. Bowens gets the hot tag as he comes in with strikes and a superkick, and a kick to the midsection. Bennett is tossed in the ring and he gets a couple of shots as well. Rolling elbow strike to Taven as he gets the Arrival from Bowens whole Caster delivers the Mic Drop to pick up the victory.
Winner:The Acclaimed (8:30)
Rating: **
This would’ve been a 3/5 but the fact they took a commercial break barely two minutes after the match opened. Not a fan of commercials and Picture-in-Picture breaks, especially when it comes to main events. I’d rather they take the commercial break and then come back with the bell to ring so we can watch the match in its entirety. That to the side, I loved this tag match. Acclaimed hung in there pretty well against the veterans in Kingdom. I see Tony Khan and crew are continuing to plug and play ROH talents where needed and when it counts the most into AEW programming. It’s a nice touch honestly and not to mention a good bridge to other programming.
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!
