Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 9.17.21

What’s good everyone and Happy Friday! Lee here back with you all again for AEW RAMPAGE coverage! This episode promises to be pretty solid as AEW spent all of this week building towards their New York shows during GRAND SLAM week. Tonight’s RAMPAGE card looks exciting as we’ll see a AEW World Tag Team Championship Match between the Lucha Brothers (c) vs. The Butcher & The Blade.
Also, Anna Jay vs. The Bunny, and the TNT Championship Miro defends his title against Fuego Del Sol – “TNT Title vs. Fuego’s New Car.”

As always feel free to check me out if you’re interested in knowing my expanded thoughts on all things AEW, WWE and in-between through my podcast. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Also, feel free to give me a follow on Twitter @TheRCWRshow and say hello

Arena: Prudential Center
Location: Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho, Ricky Starks

Match 1: Lucha Brothers (c) vs. The Butcher & The Blade

Fenix and The Blade kick things off as the two exchange a series of counters before Blade tags in Butcher. Butcher tries clotheslining Fenix but Fenix dodges it by jumping on the middle ropes. He tries to bounce off of it and connect with a flying cross body but Butcher catches him. Penta superkicks Butcher in the face as now all four men are in the ring brawling. Lucha Bros do a double superkick on Blade and do a series of double moves on Butcher. Fenix manages to only get a near fall on Butcher. Penta is now the legal man as Fenix is on the rope rope looking for a high risk maneuver but is thrown off by Blade. Fenix manages to come back and get in a blind tag but he’s soon double teamed by Butcher and Blade. Pure carnage erupts as both Lucha Bros end up flying outside the ring crashing into Butcher and Blade. During the the Picture in Picture break Blade and Butcher get back on the offense as Penta and Bladw are the legal men. A tired Penta makes the hot tag to Fenix. Fenix connects with a snap German suplex on Butcher, and delivers another one to Blade before attempting a cover that only gets him a near fall. Butcher gets himself tagged in as he’s going toe to toe with Penta before tagging back in Blade. Blade connects with a power slam for a near fall as Blade is tagged back in as they attempt. A combination backdrop for a near fall. Blade ties up Penta’s mask to the middle rope as they focus on Rey Fenix. It’s a 2 on 1 beat down. Penta comes out of his mask and quickly superkicks Blade while covering his face. Fenix manages to catch Butcher’s momentum and turned it into a roll up pin to get the victory.

Winners: Lucha Bros(c)
Rating: 7/10
Thoughts: Nice, hard hitting tag match. I can watch these two teams go at it all day. They have excellent chemistry together. Hoping this isn’t the last time we’ve seen these teams face off for the tag titles as I’d love to see a rematch.

Post match Private Party jump on Lucha Bros as Matt Hardy gives audibles. Santana and Ortiz come in for the save as Hardy and crew make their exit.

Video package is shown of Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega hyping up their match for this Wednesdays’ DYNAMITE.

Match 2: The Bunny vs Ana Jay

Both girls don’t even wait for the bell as they charge at each other throwing fist. Ana gets the best out of the brief encounter as the action finally makes its way into the ring. Bell has rung as Ana Jay comes in with forearms to Bunny before suplex off her. Strong Irish whip into the corner as Ana follows up with a forearm to the face. Rinse and repeat followed by a shoulder tackle. Bunny finally manages to bail out by rolling out of the ring as Matt Hardy looks on cheering her on along with Penelope Ford. Both women are trading forearm strikes before Bunny superkicks Ana Jay. Bunny sends Ana crashing into the barricades while focusing on Ana’s left arm. Back from a quick commercial break as Ana connects with a flipping neck breaker but only gets a near fall. Ana is favoring her shoulder as Bunny has done significant damage to her. Ford is now on the apron trying to cause a distraction as the ref is giving it to her. Ana connects with her trademark Jay kick as she goes to have words with Penelope Ford who’s yanked down by Tay Conti. Ana Jaycomes from behind with a school girl pin up for the victory over Bunny.

Winner: Ana Jay
Rating: 6/10
Thoughts: The match was what it was honestly. Nothing flashy, nothing really over the moon exciting. Honestly just full of forearm strikes and strikes to the face and body mostly. Supposed that’s okay since these girls really don’t like one another, right?

Post match we got a lot of anger blonde girls in the ring as Tay Conti gets knocked out with a pair of brass knocks from Penelope Ford. She also knocks out Ana Jay as Matt Hardy looks on upset as he’s yelling at Jack Evans.

Video package recap is shown of Powerhouse Hobbs and CM Punk as Hobbs is talking mad trash about how Punk should’ve stayed gone. After they fight Punk will be gone again for another seven years after Hobbs beats him up next week on RAMPAGE.

Tony Schiavone is talking with Matt Hardy who is in a bad mood. He promises Ana Jay will pay next week. Proud and Powerful, Lucha Bros will also pay next week when they have their eight-man tag match. Hardy is also upset at a Orange Cassidy fan. Hardy brings him to the ring as Hardy and Jack Evans attack the fan. Hardy delivers a twist of fate to the fan and cuts off the poor fan’s hair. Evans. Ones in with clippers and shaves the man’s head to add insult. Orange Cassidy comes running in for the save as Hardy and Evans make their exit.

The AEW Women’s Champion is in the house, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D! Ruby Soho is also introduced as they meet Tony Schiavone in the ring for some words leading up to their match. Britt tells Ruby how Ruby is still trying to figure out who the hell she is and that she’s desperately trying to fit in. Baker meanwhile knows exactly who she is as everyone knows who she is…Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. Ruby counters back by telling Britt how everyone knows this as Britt constantly is shoving it down the fans throats every single week. Ruby claims she’s always known who she was and that she didn’t have the chance to prove it. Little pipe bomb there! Ruby wants to flip the script as she calls Britt looking like every other woman she’s faced. To her Britt is self centered, entitled, and banging some dude in the back. Shots fired, shots fired!!! Ruby is trying to figure out if there’s anything more to Britt. Britt comes right back telling Ruby she didn’t run from anything, nope, nope, Ruby got fired! Shots returned!! Ruby tells Britt she ain’t wrong but that it was the best thing that ever happened to her. Ruby tells Britt to look at her and look at her hard and focus, look into her eyes and see the woman she’s looking at. She’s surprised Britt can see anything being her head is so far up Tony Khan’s ass! Shots fired again! Ruby tells Britt after DYNAMITE next week she can call herself anything she wants, she just won’t be called AEW Women’s champion. Britt tries to jump Ruby but it backfired as Britt leaves licking her wounds and without her title.

Mark Henry is getting main event thoughts from Fuego Del Sol and Miro. Mark can’t believe Fuego is putting his car on the line for a shot at Miro’s title. Far as Fuego is concerned he almost shocked the world and that he will slay the giant tonight. Miro tells Fuego his offering means nothing to him as Fuego is nothing. Miro is only taking the victory tonight because he loves celebrating victories with God up high and his wife down low. Miro will redeem Fuego once and for all!

Match 3: TNT CHANPIONSHIP-Miro(c) vs Fuego Del Sol

Fuego comes in with low kicks to Miro early on. Miro tries charging at Fuego and is sent crashing outside the ring. Fuego tries to dive over the ropes and is caught as Miro tries driving him head first into the ring post. Fuego counters and sends Miro into the post instead. Fuego runs on the apron and connects with a leg scissor takedown. Fuego tries charging Miro but misses him as Miro catches him mid-air and connects with a fall away slam. After break the action finds its way back into the ring as Fuego is on the offense with strikes to Miro’s temple. Fuego tries to come off the ropes and is taken down with a double axe handle. Miro tries to do a DDT but Fuego counters with a double stomp followed by a double stomp on Miro’s neck. Fuego connects with a short DDT. Fuego tries to look for Sliced Bread but Miro begins the onslaught with strikes to Fuego’s face and body followed by a boot to the face. Miro connects with a side kick to the back of Fuego’s head, followed by the cover to score the pinfall victory.

Winner: Miro(c)
Rating: 7/10
Thoughts: Let’s be honest…This was all about Miro, am I right? Least we can say Fuego made it a couple of minutes deeper into this encounter but this was a straight up glorified squash but that’s alright as we got to see God’s Favorite Champion.

Post match Miro shoves Fuego’s car keys on his mouth and hits him with the Accolade. Sammy Guverra comes in for the save as Miro makes his exit. Miro forgets to take his championship as Sammy holds it up telling him to come get and get it. Miro eventually gets it as the two men stare each other down to end AEW RAMPAGE for this week.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Overall not too shabby of an episode but the main highlights for me was Ruby and Baker squaring off, and the tag match opener. It’s nice to see that on the horizon we’ll be getting Sammy vs Miro for the TNT championship as that should be a fun matchup but can Sammy truly succeed where his buddy Fuego failed? Only time will tell. This episode honestly was not a mandatory watch as it just felt all eyes is on next week being it’s GRAND SLAM at the Arthur Ash Stadium. I won’t say the weakest episode of RAMPAGE I’ve seen to date but it’s pretty close so far. As always I love Mark Henry getting the pre fight comments before the main event. AEW is very smart as of late utilizing him in just that area as honestly it’s where he’s been strongest so far.