Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 6.2.23

I’m baaaack, and better than ever! I’ve a knack, for wearing cool leather! What’s up kind people! Lee Sanders back with you all after a hiatus due to NBA Playoffs as AEW RAMPAGE is back to its regular day and time. How I missed you all and hope you’ve been well. Double or Nothing is now in the books and that was just okay in some areas. This weeks DYNAMITE has really set the tone for AEW COLLISION on June 17th as CM Punk makes his triumph return! I know many of you are excited just as I am but that will have to wait as all eyes is on this weeks RAMPAGE! Let’s jump right into this!

Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, and Excalibur

MATCH 1: Triple AAA Mega Championship-Dralístico vs Kommander vs El Hijo del Vikingo(c)

No entrances for this one as the participants are already in the ring on this Championship Friday edition of RAMPAGE. A bunch of body splashes onto one another in sequence to open this match. Dralístico crashes into both men over the top rope from a rope. Dralístico follows up by sending Kommander hard into the barricades. Dralístico now with a cover on Kommander inside the ring but it’s a near fall folks. Dralístico not liking what he’s hearing from the crowd as he walks away and then comes back into the ring to deliver a hard slap to Kommander. Kommander returns with a chop but gets tripped up on the ropes as Dralístico delivers a double stomp to Kommander’s chest to send him crashing to the outside. El Hijo is back into the mix and delivers a back moonsault of some sort to crash into Dralístico. El Hijo brings them both into the ring where he sets up a mid-air hurricana and a standing phonies splash from the middle rope onto Dralistco. Cover attempt made by the champion as Kommander breaks it up. Kommander now droppped to the outside as Dralístico and El Hijo go at it exchanging chops and forearm strikes. Nice running corkscrew kick by El Hijo as we head into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as Dralístico dominated during the Picture-in-Picture break. Kommander with a hurricana from the top rope onto Dralístico. El Hijo and Dralístico fighting on the outside as Kommander runs the top rope and delivers a pretty sweet senton onto them. Kommander follows up with a 450 splash onto Dralístico as the champion breaks it up. El Hijo delivers a reverse corkscrew hurricana to spike Kommander. The champion runs the rope and delivers a 630 senton from the middle rope to crash into the men outside and though a table. Dralístico thinks he has an opening as he brings the wounded champion back into the ring but the champion reverses a powerbomb attempt with a rollup from out of nowhere for the victory.

Winner:El Hijo (11:00)
Rating: ***
I love a nice car crash. That’s what this was with some insane crazy spots as this was an insane spot fest. Little wrestling, but more about pulling off death-defying, unique moves you don’t see on a typical wrestling show. I don’t mind rarities like this so long as it’s not spammed out multiple times a week. I really need for El Hijo to scale back doing his moves particularly. I know Konnan said Rey Mysterio spoke to the young man about it already. He seems to still be going at it hard. If you’re going to do it then get paid is all I have to say and let it go down on ppvs, not some tv show for a viewership pop.

Team Jeff Jarrett is complaining about getting fines and possible suspensions because of referee Aubrey Edwards getting the chair shot to the head by Karen Jarrett at the PPV. Mark Briscoe interrupts and assures them they will not be suspended as he promises instead there is going to an ass-whooping coming as Mark apparently is going to team with Aubrey as she enters the scene. Karen talks about seeing nothing but air and opportunity as the two choke each other out. I can’t believe I’m seeing this crap in 2023 as I’m legit asking who asked for this???

MATCH 2: NJPW World Television Championship- Action Andretti vs Zack Sabre Jr(c)

Sabre kicks it off a with a headlock as he’s not letting ago. Andretti finally gets out of it as the two men reset and lockup again. Sabre grounds Andretti with a nice armdrag/wristlock takedown. Zack doing a good job manipulating the wrist as Andretti is trying his best to escape. Zack is continuing to focus on that wrist as Andretti finally gets out of it to hit Zack with a chop, followed by an arm drag takedown and dropkick. Zack rolls to the outside as Andretti delivers a tope to send Zack into the barricades. Sabre comes back with a nice body-scissors hold on Andretti from the side apron ropes. Zack with a nice modified hammerlock using his feet. This has been a technical clinic! Andretti is getting outclassed and out wrestled despite Andretti trying to chop his way out. Zack now with the body scissors while applying pressure to that left wrist. Sabre now applying his whole body on that wristlock as Andretti delivers a back suplex, followed by an enziguri. Cover attempt made on the champion as there’s a quick kickout! Sabre with a leg trip takedown, and a stomp to the triceps. Andretti catches a kick and counters with another enziguri. Action moves to the top rope where Sabre manipulates the wrist again and delivers strong forearm strikes to the face. Andretti springs up and delivers a hurricana for a two count! Sabre with a series of kicks to the arm as he runs into a superkick. Reverse hurricana by Andretti, followed by a shotgun dropkick, and a one-legged moonsault. Andretti launches off the top rope and is caught in a arm hold by Sabre as soon he locks in on the left arm he focused on all throughout the match for the tap out victory.

Winner:Zack Sabre Jr. (10:00)
Rating: ****
Gawd Damn that was good! William Regal would be proud as this screamed old school. I love a straight up old fashioned technical match. That’s exactly what this match was as everything laid out in this match made sense. Everything ZSJ was doing and why was self explanatory. Even Andretti doing everything he could possibly do to get out of certain submission and hold predicaments was well executed. Whoever was the producer for this match needs a raise and needs to book all the matches for RAMPAGE and COLLISION going forward.ZSJ has come such a long way, especially from his days in WWE. This is NOT a knock, people so calm down. He was good then but in my eyes he’s drastically improved since I saw him on a regular which was around that time. WOOF those some bad days in WWE and I’m not just saying that folks as im thinking about what happened after the CWC tournament and all. Some good but bad as well. Anyway, onwards!

MATCH 3: NJPW Strong Womens Championship- Emi Sakura vs Willow Nightingale(c)

Willow bounces off the ropes to deliver a shoulder tackle as she manages to drop her. It’s followed by a snap suplex, and a chop to the chest. Nice knife-edged chops to Sakura follows from the corner, followed by a forearm strike. Emi delivers a nice crossbody to Willow from in-between the ropes to send her crashing outside the ring. Emi follows up with a running crossbody that sends Willow crashing into the barricades as we’re on our next set of ad breaks. We are back as Willow delivers a hip attack, and follows up with a shotgun dropkick for a near fall. Emi raked the eyes out of desperation to break the hold as it buys her time to setup a back-swinging ddt. Emi delivers another crossbody in the corner and a twisted Vader bomb from the top rope for a kickout! Emi looking for maybe a pedigree as Willow counters with a low crossbody for a very close pinfall. Willow rolled up now but breaks out as both are charging at each other with clotheslines! Emi with a double underhook that flatlines Willow big time! Nice, and hard chops follows by Sakura as Willow comes back with DA POUNCE! Nice running cannonball soon follows as Emi Sakura kicks out! The stripes come down by Willow as she grabs Emi but Emi gets out to deliver slaps only to anger Willow who delivers a lariat! It’s followed up by a sit-down powerbomb as Willow retains! Gawd damn I love me some Willow!

Winner: Willow Nightingale (10:00)
Rating: ***
I’ve got a fever and the only prescription of a cure is Willow. I need more Willow on my television. Make it happen Tony Khan! Thank you! What a match! What a champion! For those of you with AXS-TV and misses seeing Willow win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship, check your local listings as it’s part of this weeks NJPW on AXS special. Willow brings such awesome personality and has such a unique and diverse move set. She deserves to be featured more on American television than currently.

MATCH 4: ROH Pure Championship-Lee Moriarty vs Katsuyori Shibata(c)

Judges for this match is Christopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn, and BJ Whitmer. Shibata with a takedown early on here as he transitions into a triangle lock as Lee uses the ropes to break free. Remember in this match each opponent has only three rope breaks total. Shibata with another takedown as he’s around the waist of Lee. The challenger breaks free as he soon is on the offense delivering stomps to the face of the champion. Nice dropkick to the knee by Moriarty as we head to our final set of commercial breaks. We are back as Lee uses his second rope break to get out of a leg-hold submission. Lee with chopping strikes to the back of the head of Shibata. Lee off the ropes as Shibata catches him with a knee to the guts. Shibata with a series of strikes to the face and a dropkick to the face. Nice suplex follows as the champion only gets a near fall. Shibata with a rear naked choke as Lee grabs for the ropes to use his final rope break lifeline. Lee manages to apply the border-city stretch as Shibata reverses it into a pin attempt. Lee breaks out as Shibata applies a sleeper hold to make Lee fall asleep as Shibata delivers a pin to the head for the victory. What a fricking roll! Holy cow!

Winner: Shibata (8:00)
Rating: ***
Best outing Lee has had so far in 2023 for a singles match which reminds just how damn good this kid is in case you forgot. And Shibata…Became a huge fan of this guy after tonight. I just might need to look into a ROH membership to see more of him. This was another technical masterpiece that has shades of the same booker from the ZSJ vs Andretti match.

Post-match, Daniel Garcia arrives to interrupt the celebration as he gets in the ring with Shibata. The two men square up as Shibata nods his head to end this awesome episode.

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!

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

A welcomed breath of fresh air! This felt like a shot of adrenaline to reboot RAMPAGE. I like this mix but some may not appreciate it because of titles being defended that aren’t a mainstay in AEW. I totally get it and respect it but I felt there was more to this that meets the eye. There’s no way this was Tony Khan all on his own. To my point, three of the matches from this week felt more like a dramatic departure, potentially with new bookers/hands at play. This could be a sample of things to come for AEW COLLISION, we shall see. One of the best RAMPAGE episodes I’ve seen in quite some time this year so far. Only downside? Aubrey Edwards is going to fight Karen Jarrett…Let that sink in folks. Like, who asked for this??? I didn’t and I know many of my friends and colleagues didn’t. Meanwhile, Leva Bates is shown the door, no Sonny Kiss, Madison Rayne, and a boatload of others you all can think of would be more deserving of tv time than this crap. No thanks! Great RAMPAGE though! 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!