Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 6.16.23

Friday is here once again! Hello friends! Lee Sanders here and we got ourselves another edition of AEW RAMPAGE as this particular episode will set the tone and anticipation of the AEW Collision debut this Saturday, June 17th at 8pm ET. As you know by now, CM Punk will be making his return to the company. By the way, what did you all think of the ESPN interview? Talk about a big nothing burger within reason, huh folks? Let me know what you thoughts on it as I’ll be following up on your reactions. Meantime, onwards to RAMPAGE which was right here in my turf of D.C.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Arena: Capital One Arena
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, and Jim Ross

MATCH 1: Will Osprey, Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher vs Chuck Taylor, Rockey Romero, Trent Barretta

Osprey with the tag as he aggressively rocks Romero with a handful of chops. Cobb gets the tag now as Romero tries to shoulder tackle him but Cobb isn’t budging. Trent comes in to lend an assist on a double shoulder-tackle as they send Cobb to the outside. Kyle is sent outside the ring as well as CHAOS goes flying to the outside to crash into Cobb, Osprey, and Fletcher! Action back inside the ring as Trent and Chuck double team on Osprey now. Romero gets Osprey briefly in a headlock as Chuck is tagged back inside as we head into our first set of as breaks. We are back as Fletcher and Trent are trading shots to the face, as well as chops. Trent floats over the top to deliver a German suplex. Trent follows up with a stalling suplex, and a side suplex, followed by a nice big-back elbow. Fletcher comes back with a brain buster on Trent as Fletcher gets a double knee to the face by Rockey and Trent. Cobb is inside the ring now as he’s tossing everyone around in sight! Trent and Rockey come back with two knees to the face of Cobb, not once, but twice! Cobb ends up slamming all three men in one sitting after seeing the trio hug one another. Rockey attempts a failed hurricana as Cobb plants him with an overhead suplex. Osprey comes in with the tag and a diving knee strike that connects! Everyone is in the ring now fighting one another as it’s pure chaos! Romero with a nice hook sidekick to Osprey as he tries to look for slicebread no.2 but Osprey wiggles out. Fletcher catches Rockey with a tombstone piledriver as Osprey sets him up for the hidden blade for the victory!

Winner:Cobb, Osprey, Fletcher (14:00)
Rating: ***
Gawd damn that was good! I love when everything just clicks on all cylinders in a tag match. This was very good but if I were to be a stickler for detail, why didn’t Kenny Omega try to extract revenge for what happened on DYNAMITE this week at the hands of Osprey? Hopefully we’ll see them face off one more time before Forbidden Door. That to the side though, loved this tsg match as once again I’m asking myself why Trent and Chuck haven’t been elevated more on the card. These guys have been consistent in quality matches.

We are back from another set of ad breaks as Taya Valkyrie is facing D.C.’s own Trish Adora!

MATCH 2: Trish Adora vs Taya Valkyrie

Both girls are slugging it out as Taya eventually gets Adora tangled up on the ropes to deliver some heavy handed chops. Adora in the corner now as she gets a couple of short clotheslines to be grounded as Taya plants her with a hip attack! Taya with the cover as Adora kicks out! Adora comes in with a little bit of offense as Taya comes back with a kick to the back and a sliding German suplex as Taya makes her way out to the ring to boast with the fans. Nice spot as Adora connects with a pump kick and a few forearm strikes. Adora is grounded with a spear that connects successfully as Taya gets behind her to plant Adora to the ground with a curb stomp to end this one.

Winner:Mrs. Thickness Good Taya Valkyrie (2:00)
Rating: **
Wasn’t bad, it was alright. Served its purpose to help continue Taya trying to get another shot at the TBS Championship. Personally have heard a lot of good things about Adora and I’m telling you, don’t be sleeping on that talent folks. She is pretty damn good and deserves to be checked out on a regular basis. Hopefully this appearance leads to more television appearances.

The Hardy Boys are followed up with backstage as they accept the challenge of facing the Gunns this Wednesday on DYNAMITE!

MATCH 3: Aubrey Edwards, Mark and Papa Briscoe vs Karen & Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal

Mark and Lethal kick things off as Mark plants Jay with a shoulder tackle. Jarrett gets the tag now as he delivers a nice hip toss while strutting. Too much showboating as Mark gets him with a couple of hip tosses as Jarrett tags in Karen. Mark tags in Aubrey as Karen doesn’t want any part of Aubrey as she tags in Lethal. Mark is tagged in briefly as Papa Briscoe is tagged in now and delivers a pretty lazy lateral press for a poor cover. Mark is tagged back in as he plants Lethal with a vertical suplex as we head into our next set of ad breaks. We are back Papa Briscoe is tagged in now Lethal and Jay won’t no part of taking on the old man. They both get clotheslined as Papa follows up with another clothesline on Sunjay Sutt and delivers a spear to Jarrett! Aubrey is tagged now as her and Karen are just rolling, rolling, and rolling around the ring. Aubrey with a couple of snapmares as Karen rakes the eyes! Karen tries to take a guitar shot to Karen but Aubrey grabs it in time. Just before Aubrey can attack, Lethal interrupts as Satnam climbs the ropes to distract the ref. Aubrey delivers a chair shot to Lethal to knock him out cold! Karen now comes from behind, looking for the stroke as Aubrey gets her with the figure-four leg lock to end this torture. Thank Heavens!

Winner:Papa & Son and that referee (7:00)
Rating: NR
Appreciate Lethal, Jarrett, and Mark but this was just bad for my taste. On top of that just pointless and really takes away from those more deserving of television time. Sorry folks but you can’t convince me this was good. I never want to see this again as I’d rather watch 30 minutes of Vicki Guerrero saying “EXCUSE ME”. Some fun spots in here and obviously the fans in attendance loved this. Hey whatever makes one happy as I’m not hating.

Lexi is backstage now with Taya who is fired up as Kris Statlander steps in for a heated conversation. Taya isn’t pleased that Statlander came from out of nowhere and picked up the scraps of Jade Cargill, to become the new TBS Champion. Kris tells Taya that she’s willing to defend the title anyplace, and anytime and to come get some as early as next weeks DYNAMITE or RAMPAGE. Taya storms off pretty much saying whatever.

MATCH 4: Bandido vs Takeshita

In the words of my friend Joe Numbas from WRESTLING SOUP, It’s time to TAKESHITA! Bandido starting off hot and quick with a couple of strikes as Takeshita catches him with a high boot to the face, followed by a fireman ‘s carry. Bandido tried looking for the 21 plex as he’s sent between the ropes, crashing outside the ring. Takeshita sends Bandido crashing into the barricades as he follows up with a boot to the face that sends Bandido over the rails. Action back inside now as Takeshit misses a suplex attempt as Bandido counters with a suplex of his own that connects. Bandido follows up with another suplex, this time stalling doing it but still connects. Bandido to the top rope as he delivers a hurricana that sends Takeshita crashing onto the apron, and outside the ring. Don Callis comes down to monitor the situation closer as Bandido gets Takeshita back in the ring. Bandido looking for a springboard attack but Takeshita drives his knee into Bandido’s face as we head into our last set of commercials. We are back as both men are trading chops and forearm strikes when Takeshita plants him with a lariat and rains down right hands on Bandido! Bandido comes back with a nice spinning ddt as the fans pop hard for this match. Bandido to the top and connects with a moonsault to the floor. Just enough of his body catches Takeshita as Bandido tosses him back inside the ring as Takeshita catches him with a thunder bomb for only a two count. Bandido with a nice frog splash from high above as it’s only a near fall. Bandido trying to deliver some type of avalanche superplex from the top rope but Takeshita counters by biting Bandido! This sets up Bandido for the receiving end of a lariat from the top rope! What an insane spot as Takeshita goes in for a lazy cover that gets him a near fall. Bandido with a knee to the face…GTS style as he tries following up with the 21 plex but Takeshita lands on his feet! In the process Takeshita tries to plant a rolling German suplex on Bandido, but somehow Bandido gets out of it and lands on his feet! Bandido with a boot to the face now as he comes from off the ropes and catches a boot to the face! Takeshita gets reversed one last time into a rollup of which he kicks out of as Takeshita gets spiked on his head! Another pin attempt as somehow Takeshita kicks out! Now both men trading clotheslines as Takeshita lays him out with a jumping knee! Nice knee to the back of the knneck follows as Takeshita finishes it off with the driving knee to the face for the victory!

End of Show

Winner: Takeshita (10:00)
Rating: ****
Man…SUCH GOOD S**T! This man is really growing on me big time and has been since we first saw him arrive in AEW. The addition of Don Callis is giving him additional layers, and more flushing out of his character. Combine all that with his many talents in the ring equals one nice mix. Nothing but good things will continue to happen for this man as he’s positioned quite nicely in AEW. I almost wish he was taking on SANADA for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship instead of Jungle Boy honestly, but that’s just me folks. I’m sure the two will have a fine match at Forbidden Door. Bandido by the way seriously needs more tv time. Whether it’s singles action or more tag action, Bandido adds some nice flare without being all over the place doing unnecessary spots.

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

This RAMPAGE felt good and more laid out thoughtfully within reason. This is good thing considering AEW COLLISION is right around the corner. The key for Tony Khan and crew going forward is going to be making each show feel unique and spectacular in its own way. Each episode has to feel and be executed like a must-see and can’t miss for fans. Fans need to have that extra incentive for continuing to check out RAMPAGE as opposed to skipping it in favor of Collision. I’m very curious where things stand with RAMPAGE ratings in the next few weeks. Long as the crew continue to book RAMPAGE like how they’ve been booking it the past few weeks, along with this week, quality-wise RAMPAGE will do just fine. I’d like to see more RAMPAGE cliffhangers to help build upon the next episode as AEW doesn’t do that enough. What did you 411MANAICS this of AEW this week? Sound off! 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!