AEW Rampage Review – 11/03/23
Hey guys, Sam here for the Rampage Review and you know what that means. Fairly good show, I think they could have swapped the main event with the opener but still a good show. Give the Acclaimed more TV time please guys, they are way too much fun to keep off.
1st Segment – Match
We kick off with Sammy Guevara vs Action Andretti. Someone in the crowd yelled out nobody likes you which was kinda funny. The wrestlers keeping a fairly fast pace to begin the match. Andretti with a dive to Sammy and he takes control of the match. Andretti with some nice acrobatics to Sammy. Really enjoying the story of Andretti trying to prove himself to be better then Sammy and Sammy knows this so he is running. Lovely counters from both men, but Andretti clothesline Sammy to the outside. He goes for an outside flip with Sammy Guevara countering it with a vicious flying knee. Andretti just beats the 10 count on the outside and is met with Sammy raining strikes down on him. Sammy interestingly slowing the pace of the match down, possibly to counter Andretti. Both men get into a mid-air collision with each other. Good to see the crowd is somewhat behind Action Andretti. A lovely sequence by the two men which leads to a Canadian destroyer-esque move that ends up in a crossbody. A shooting star press is countered by Guevara and responds with a DDT. Lot of time being spent on the outside in this match, ref hasn’t been counting them out. Cool dive but yeah, wish it would be more in the ring. Well Sammy Guevara distracts the ref which allows Daniel Garcia to push Andretti off the top rope. Sammy then hits his finishing move and beats Andretti. Props to Jericho for saying Daniel Garcia evening the odds.
2nd Segment – Promos
A series of promos from Jungle Boy, Darby Allin and Will Hobbs hyping themselves up.
3rd Segment – Match
THE ACCLAIMED, HAVE ARRIVED, gosh they are so fun to watch, why did they drop the belts. They are up against some local competitors, can’t wait for someone to point out the accomplishments of the Acclaimed’s opponents. A Scissors me Timbers to Jack Cartwheel and out comes Starboy Charlie. A slam from Bowens and a dive from Caster and the Acclaimed pick up the victor. Post match, Angelo Parker and Matt Menard are holding JAS t-shirts and not much else.
4th Segment – Match
Out comes former Dark Order member Preston Vance for his match against Konosuke Takeshita, still can’t pronounce this man’s name but gosh he is a beast. Preston being a culturally ignorant butthole is some nice heel heat. Takeshita responds with some nice strikes and a dive to the outside. Takeshita does a mean brainbuster. After a distraction from Jose, Vance takes Takeshita to the outside and slams into the barricades. Some hard hitting moves from Preston Vance, with vicious strikes and slams to Takeshita. Back from the break and the two exchanging moves, side note, Takeshita does a good suplex, Vance does better elbows. After a stiff looking knee strike, Takeshita goes fro the cover but Jose puts Vance’s leg on the bottom rope. Takeshita goes to deal with Jose but comes back to Vance hitting him with a discuss clothersline. After a series of chain wrestling, Konosuke Takeshita beats Preston Vance with a back slide.
5th Segment – Promo
Swerve Strickland mentions that Keith Lee is more prepared then he envisioned. However, Keith Lee needs to have eyes on the back of his head.
We then head to the ring with Mark Briscoe. Mark mentions that the ROH tag titles need to move on. At the 31st Supercard of Honour, there will be a Reach for the Sky Ladder Match for the now vacant ROH tag titles. HE then introduces the Lucha Bros as the first team, sweet lord this is a good start for the match.
6th Segment – Match
Its time for the main event between RIho vs Nyla Rose, a rematch between the first two AEW women’s champions. Oh and Marina ‘You don’t know me’ Shafir is here. Riho trying to land a body slam, Rose responding with one of their own, Riho casually using her flexibility to get out of a pin. Rose with an amazing catch of Riho. Rose with a showing of power with a delayed suplex. Marina Shafir ambushes Riho with a knee on the outside. A spinebuster by Nyla Rose leads to a pin in which Riho kicks out. A dragon sleeper from Nyla and Riho still kicks out. Riho with a serious of quick moves and ends with a double stomp with Nyla kicks out at two. Riho just casually lifting Nyla Rose for a Northern Lights Suplex, sweet Mary. Rose lifts Riho for a powerbomb, Riho escapes and scoops her up in a pin and wins the match. Rose attacks Riho after the match and here comes the Outcasts to come and spray poor Riho.
Wrestler of the show: Riho
Riho is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers on the AEW roster. She has had consistently great matches with anyone they pair her with. Her matches against Nyla Rose, Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida in the early days of AEW gave hope that the division would shine. She is currently used sporadically across Dynamite and Rampage, but she is still kicking butt on AEW Dark and Dark Elevation.
Interesting fact: Riho started training for Professional Wrestling at 9 years of age.
Trivia: Are you a wrestling smarty, then answer me this question:
How long was Riho AEW women’s champion?
