Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 9.9.22

TGIF everybody! Lee Sanders here! Hope you all have had a fantastic week and Labor Day break. I’ve been catching up on reruns of SANFORD, a sequel to SANFORD AND SON. Not too bad of a series and interesting to learn that it ultimately didn’t get picked up because of DIFFERENT STROKES. You heard me right people! Anyway we are fresh off the heels of a monumental week for all the wrong reasons with Punk and The Elite. Tonights’ RAMPAGE is loaded up with singles matches. It’s a pace I know a lot of you enjoy as you’ve let it be known you’re not a fan of tag team action dominating on RAMPAGE episodes. And with that let’s talk RAMPAGE baby!

Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Chris Jericho

MATCH 1: AEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP Tournament-Darby Allin vs Sammy Guvera

Nice Spider stretch by Darby Allin as Darby quickly turns it into a cross armbreaker, followed by a coffin splash in the corner to Sammy. Sammy comes back with an enziguri that rocks Darby to get on the offense. Sammy picks up Darby and places him on the top rope. Sammy connects with a superplex as he holds on to the move to do two back-to-back suplexes. Darby uses knee strikes to stop a third amigo attempt by Darby to send them both crashing to the outside from the top rope. Darby gets back in the ring and tries to look for a dive in-between the ropes but is caught by Sammy as he delivers a cutter! And we’re back from a commercial break as Sammy misses a shooting star press! Darby takes advantage by connecting with a code red! Action spills to the outside as Tay causes a distraction. Darby is taken advantage of as Sammy superkicks him. The newlyweds kiss aa Darby gets back into the ring and does a suicide dive between the first and second ropes to crash into Sammy. Action back inside the ring now as Darby gets a wrist lock on Sammy. He takes off Sammy’s ring and teases Tay with it as Sammy comes back with a cheap attack from behind. Sammy connects with a enziguri, followed by a cutter to receive a near fall. Sammy climbs to the top to attempt a coffin drop as Darby moves out the way. Anna Jay climbs to the top to distract the ref as Tay holds onto the leg of Darby while pushing Darby’s skateboard into the ring. Sammy plants Darby with a powerbomb onto the skateboard, followed by a GTH to end this one.

Winner:Sammy Guvera (13:00)
Rating: ***
I was personally rooting for Darby on this one. To the point that I’m surprised Ruby and Ortiz didn’t come out since Anna Jay interfered and all. For Sammy to advance was an interesting choice but man talk about a tough hill to climb as he know has to face Moxley in the semi-finals. You know the numbers game is going to be a factor again. Solid match between both men but not as good as their previous encounters.

Recap of MJF returning to DYNAMITE this week is shown along with his exchange to Jon Moxley.

Samoa Joe, the current RING OF HONOR TV Champion is out next! He appears to be in street clothes so it’s safe to assume he’s not fighting. Joe talks about how good it feels to be back in AEW. He knows he’s been away for a while but all of that will change. He promises that he’ll be delivering more carnage as he and his championship are back in business. Mark Sterling along with Tony Nese and Josh Woods to crash the scene. Mark feels Josh should get a title shot opportunity against Joe. The TV Champion likes the idea as he is ready to fight right here, right now! Mark interrupts to say they will fight instead in Albany, NY and not the dump known as Buffalo.

Miro video package shown now. Miro is pissed that his God has made weaker men champions. Also, another tournament to crown a champion is underway as he is left out of the mix. He’s pissed at his God as he vows to make all feel his wrath and and succeed in spite of God. This same God who has taken him away from his beautiful, hot wife! So says…The Redeemer!

MATCH 2: Serena Deeb vs Madison Rayne

Nice hand-to hand lock as Deeb takes down Madison while putting some torque on her arm. An armdrag follows as she tried looking for detox and Madison turns it into a pinning predicament. Deeb kicks out as the girls shove one another. Deeb snaps and tackles her to the ground while delivering strikes like Ralphie in A Christmas Story! Swinging neckbreaker follows by Deeb as that gets her a two count. Madison gets a rollup but Deeb quickly kicks out. Madison now with a series of chops, followed by a diving lariat. Serena manages to counter Madison’s front chancery, and smashes Madison’s knee into the canvas. This is followed by the serenity lock for the victory.

Winner:Serena Deeb (3:00)
Rating: **
Not sure what the point of this match was honestly. So random it was folks. I appreciate the effort these girls put into this one but I can be told all day Madison Rayne is a former champion. Give me and majority not familiar with her a series of interviews so we can get to know her better. This was lacking substance and felt more like throwing something together in WWE 2K22.

Lexi is interviewing Jade and her baddies as she wonders if anyone will stop her. Jade is ready for anymore competition as she calls for all to step up.

Back from a commercial break Powerhouse Hobbs is interviewed by Lexi. Hobbs talks about opening up his Book of Hobbs. Now he gets to show the entire world why he’s that killer, that beast, that mammoth! The Powerhouse Hobbs!

Mark Henry is with William Regal and Claudio Castanogli and Dax Harwood. IT’S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT!

Rundown of next weeks DYNAMITE is shown as Toni Storm & Shida vs Serena Deeb & Britt Baker! Also, Jon Moxley vs Sammy Guevara in the Tournament of Champions semifinals. And, Chris Jericho vs Bryan Danielson in the Tournament of Champions semifinals. On next weeks RAMPAGE, Samoa Joe defends his ROH TV title against Josh Woods!

MATCH 3: ROH World Heavyweight Championship-Claudio Castanogli vs Dax Harwood

Nice lockup in the corner as Claudio gets Dax in a collar lockup. Claudio is sent into the ropes as Dax tries to leapfrog over him. No luck as Claudio catches him midair as gets caught up in a rollup by Dax. Claudio kicks out and tries getting Dax in a rollup of his own as Dax quickly kicks out. Dax tries looking for a backslide pin but Claudio isn’t budging as both men trade strikes on each other. Claudio manages to get in a couple of European uppercuts as Dax comes back with a short clothesline! Dax tries to pickup Claudio but Claudio reverses and sends himself and Dax outside the ring. We head into our last set of commercial breaks on that note. I hate commercials during a main event match for a championship I tell you. At least it’s an early one as the last 14 minutes should go uninterrupted.
We’re back as both men are trading strikes! Dax gets sent crashing into the lower ring post as he tumbles outside the ring. Claudio tosses Dax into the guardrail before tossing him back into the ring. Once again both men are trading strikes as Claudio sends Dax into the ropes! Dax catches him with an abdominal stretch. Dax manages to pull off a hip toss as he tries charging at Claudio. Dax gets planted with a clothesline, followed by another strike to the face. Dax now put on the top rope as both men are fighting for position. Dax drops Claudio with a series of chops to the chest as he delivers a flying headbutt for a near fall. Claudio tried looking for the neutralizer as Dax counters and plants him with a piledriver for a two count! Frustrated, Dax climbs to the top but is rocked silly by an explosive series of uppercuts from Claudio. Claudio connects with a huge superplex that gets him a 2.9 cover as once again we head into a commercial break. Really AEW, really? And we’re back as both men are flying off some loud rounds of chops on another. Dax with a backlside pin attempt as Claudio gets out and delivers a kick to the face. Claudio tried looking for another one but Dax catches him in a powerbomb from off the ropes, and into a Liger bomb for a near fall. Claudio is holding the back of his head as both men are struggling to get to their feet. Dax connects with two German suplexes as he puts up on the top rope. Dax gets his footing just right as Claudio counters it into a crossbody for a near fall! That one was very close people! What a match! Both men are dazed but not staying down as the trade strikes again. Claudio delivers a flurry of uppercuts to lay out Dax. Claudio connects with the giant swing, followed up with the sharpshooter. Dax tries desperately to reach for the ropes as somehow he gets out and counters with a sharpshooter of his own. Dax tries kicking out the arm of Claudio to reapply the sharpshooter as Claudio takes his long legs and somehow gets back into the offense. Claudio gets on top of Dax and delivers forearm strikes to the face. Sharpshooter applied as Dax finally taps out.

Winner:Claudio Castanolgi (18:00)
Rating: ****
Honestly? A damn good match and effort between both men and was worth the admission alone for watching RAMPAGE this week. Dax Harwood continues to be on another level with his singles matches. The man has been on fire the past couple of months. At this rate I’m telling you the man could be a AEW or ROH World champion before 2023 is out! Classic encounter from both men that had a great old school feel to it and excellent psychology.

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!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Honestly an almost below average episode. The main event match is really what saved the episode for me this week. Don't get me wrong but the opening with Darby and Sammy was decent. It just didn't quite live up to the other times the boys went at it. Maybe that was because of the unnecessary interference? I can't quite put my finger on it folks. The womens match was what it was and that was average. Nothing flashy, spectacular, and was just a time filler. Dax vs Claudio was where the money was and I'm alright with that. Minus two points in my rating for the match getting interrupted with the picture in picture commercial breaks. I was okay with the first one as when we came back there was 14 minutes left of tv time. I thought for sure we were going to ride it out. Nope as we got another commercial break after about five minutes. Can't stand those ad slots I tell you. I will give Tony Khan and crew props on this though which is they took two important matches and built RAMPAGE around them. Something I called for and greatly spoke in-depth about two weeks ago on my podcasts. I called for better structure with RAMPAGE while focusing on two really good main event matches since Tony Khan has a deep roster now. This steps were evident tonight and I like the potential that I'm seeing. 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!