Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 8.30.24

Hello, my friends! Lee Sanders is back with you all on this Fantastic Friday! We are going into Labor Day weekend here in the United States. With that weekend comes great food, friends, and wrestling! Lots of wrestling going down this weekend from many promotions. Speaking of action, we’ve got a new edition of AEW Rampage. Tonight’s card sees the following:

Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) vs. The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Komander vs. Lio Rush vs. The Beast Mortos
Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
Mina Shirakawa in action
Nyla Rose in action

Before we go any further, I want to offer my thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the fans, family, friends, and colleagues of Sid Eudy, better known as Sid Justice, aka Sycho Sid, aka Sid Vicious. Sid lost his battle with cancer after several years and passed away this week at the age of 63. He was indeed one of my favorites growing up. He had a great look and size and was very explosive! There won’t be another one like Sid!

Venue: State Farm Arena
City: Champaign, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Matt Menard

MATCH 1: Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

I can’t believe that next Saturday will be ALL OUT! It’s wild, as I wish there were more build-up time. Quen takes flight and crashes into the Undisputed Kingdom as they spill onto the floor. Bennett comes back with a shot to Quen after rebounding. Kassidy is jumped by Taven as Jarrett and Lethal are finally tagged. Lethal with a hip toss and dropkick on Taven. Lethal goes for the figure-four leg lock as Private Party interferes. Lethal is interrupted multiple times, and eventually, he’s jumped by Bennett. The attack sets up Taven to rebound on the offense as we head into commercials. We are back as for the last few minutes, Lethal has been isolated, but not anymore, as Double J is tagged! Jarrett has Taven fly into the corner as Jarrett slugs him with right hands. Taven gets a rollup as Jarrett kicks out. Superkick on Jarrett as Quen hits a 450 splash on Taven for a near fall. Everyone hits their signature on one another. Jarrett hits a figure-four on Taven, and Lethal hits his on Bennett as both men tap out simultaneously.

Winner: Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal (8 minutes)
Rating:**
Decent opener. Jeff Jarrett looks good for 57 years old, as the man can still go! I’m happy to see him getting his flowers at this stage of his life. And to think there was a period of time (in TNA) when everyone hated his guts!

MATCH 2: Mina Shirakawa vs Missa Kate

Mina, with a lovely Russian leg sweep takedown followed by a pin attempt. Missa kicks out as she backs her into the corner. Mina slips in between the ropes to hit an enziguri. Mina hits a frog splash for a kickout. Mina follows up with a glamor driver as Kate hits a thrust kick for the counter. A pin attempt gets Kate a near fall. Mina reverses a full Nelson attempt and hits a back fist combo. Mina hits the glamor driver to end this bad boy.

Winner: Mina Shirakawa (3 minutes)
Rating:*
Okay match. I can’t believe Missa Kate is still wrestling, as I’ve been watching her career off & and on for years. Mina is growing on me, and she is surely the future of AEW’s women’s division!

Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway have a hard-hitting response to Willow Nightingale’s Chicago Street Fight challenge at ALL OUT next week. Watch below!

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1829706514916847935/video/1

MATCH 3: The Outrunners vs Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

Truth Magnum and Gibson open this match before Drake is tagged. Drake with a nice armlock before Magnum hits a body slam. Turbo Floyd is tagged as he hits a scoop slam before Gibson is tagged back in. Gibson spits in his face as they wrestle before Outrunners hit a double elbow drop. Gibson tags Drake as we head into our next set of commercials. We are back as Floyd gets the tag and comes in with the right hands on G.Y.V. Gibson anchors Floyd and follows with an enziguri. Truth is tagged as he climbs the top rope and is pushed from behind by Gibson. Gibson (with an assist from Drake) hits the doomsday device and the leg sweep/clothesline combo to end this one.

Winner: G.Y.V. (9 minutes)
Rating:**
Solid tag match despite knowing Outrunners would lose. Sad that when I see Outrunners now, I go, who are they losing to this week?!

MATCH 4: Aminah Bellmont vs Nyla Rose

A clothesline, stomps to the midsection, rag-dolled, lariat, chokeslam, and spinning beast bomb later, this one is over!

Winner: Nyla Rose (1 minute 10 seconds)
Rating:NR
SQUASH…SQUASH…SQUASH!!

MATCH 5: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Komander vs. Lio Rush vs. The Beast Mortos

I had an important phone call to take as it was work-related. Let’s pick things up in the final minutes of this match. Takeshita and Mortos slug it out, with Takeshita getting the upper hand. Lio hits a few combination strikes to set Takeshita up for a stunner. Komander reverses a leg scissor takedown from Rush as Mortos takes out Komander with the lung mower! Mortos and Takeshita take each out with clotheslines as everyone is laid out! Komander hits a leg scissors takedown on Mortos. The action goes into the corner with those two men as Takeshita joins them to hit a German suplex and Spanish fly combo. A pin attempt is made as Takeshita has the cover when Lio breaks it up! Komander hits a couple of superkicks. Mortos goes to the top and misses a body splash. Komander tries pinning Takeshita, but the big man kicks out. Komandee hits a spiked leg scissors piledriver from the top rope for a kick out! Komander climbs to the top to walk the ropes and misses his target as Lio hits a dive between the ropes. Lio climbs to the top, and nobody is home for the frog splash. Mortos hits a backbreaker on Komander. Takeshita hits a running knee on Mortos! Komaander attacks Mortos as Takeshita comes in and finishes it off with the blue thunder bomb!

Winner: Takeshita (12 minutes)
Rating:***
Now that was good p, that was damn good!

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!

7.3

The final score: review Good

The 411

Not too shabby of an episode. Overall a continuation showcase of the men’s tag division as we saw the debut of Grizzled Young Veterans. The women’s division continues to heat up and not because of Mercedes Mone as my money is on Mina. Man that woman is going places in AEW with the right investment of time. Fun main event match as I need to see Takeshita vs Ospreay and Ricochet. There is money to be made with those matchups. Not too bad of an episode this week as I’d recommend it for majority of fans to check out. What say you all maniacs? 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!