Rampage
Date: February 24, 2023
Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone
We’re still in the desert and Rampage is still searching for a more viable formula. I’m not sure why AEW seems to punt on this show so often but it does produce some enjoyable results. If you can get by without the star power after the first match, you should be in for a fun one and hopefully that is true this week. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Aussie Open vs. Young Bucks
Kenny Omega is here with the Bucks. The Aussies deck the Bucks to start and isolate Matt for a kick to the chest and backsplash. Matt manages to backflip away from both of them and brings in Nick to walk the ropes into a wristdrag/headscissors combination. The Bucks clear the ring but the bigger Davis comes back in to slam them both at the same time. Nick’s pop up dropkick sends Davis to the floor though and Matt grabs a running flipping neckbreaker to send Fletcher into Nick’s knee. Everyone heads to the floor with the Aussies ramming the Bucks together as we take a break.
Back with Davis chopping the heck out of Nick, who kicks his way out of trouble. It’s back to Matt to clean house, including an assisted Sliced Bread to Fletcher. Matt dives onto Davis on the floor and hits a top rope elbow for two on Fletcher. The assisted 450 gets two on Fletcher with Davis having to make the save. Fletcher grabs a brainbuster to drop Nick on the floor, leaving Davis to clothesline Matt inside.
A running elbow in the corner hits Matt and Fletcher kicks Nick in the face. Fletcher loads up a middle rope DDT but Nick twists around into a cutter to pull him out of the air. Everything breaks down and the Bucks fire off their superkicks until stereo clotheslines give us a double knockdown.
Nick and Fletcher clothesline each other until Davis pulls Nick to the floor. Matt does the same to Fletcher and the Bucks get to hit their flip dives. The Meltzer Driver is loaded up but the lights go out. Back up and Fletcher Tombstones Matt, setting up the Coriolis for two. The Bucks are back up with superkicks and the BTE Trigger finishes Fletcher at 16:20.
Result: Young Bucks b. Aussie Open – BTE Trigger to Fletcher (16:20)
Post match the lights go out and the House of Black appears. Then they go out again and the team disappears.
The Best Friends are ready for the Casino Tag Team battle Royal but Big Bill, Lee Moriarty and the Gunns come in to beat them down with a pipe.
Post break, Orange Cassidy and Danhausen find the fallen Best Friends. Cassidy doesn’t seem happy.
Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale
Saraya is here with Storm. Nightingale runs Storm over to start and hits some clotheslines to put her down again. Storm’s chop has no effect as Nightingale runs her over with a shot to the chest. Back up and Storm goes to the eyes to take over, setting up a hip attack to knock Nightingale off the apron. Nightingale gets sent into the barricade a few times and we take a break.
Back with Nightingale missing a Cannonball in the corner and getting caught with the running hip attack. A DDT out of the corner gives Storm two but Nightingale knocks her back into the corner. The Cannonball into a Death Valley Driver gets two but Nightingale has to deal with Saraya. The distraction lets Storm Zero finish for Storm at 6:56.
Result: Toni Storm b. Willow Nightingale – Storm Zero (6:56)
Post match Storm and Saraya bust out the spray paint but Ruby Soho, followed by Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker, make the save. Soho still wants the title.
The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn are ready for the Tag Team Title match but Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Sonjay Dutt/Satnam Singh jump them for the beatdown.
Jade Cargill wants to know who is left and welcomes all comers.
Lance Archer vs. Bryce Saturn
This is Archer’s (with Jake Roberts) first match in AEW since November and he jumps Saturn in the aisle before the bell. The beating is swift and severe but Saturn blocks a chokeslam attempt. Archer crossbodies him down and hits a hard clothesline for the pin at 1:43.
Result: Lance Archer b. Bryce Saturn – Clothesline (1:43)
Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee (dressed like a deacon or something close to it) are ready for the Mogul Affiliates.
Mogul Affiliates aren’t scared, though Trench still seems to have vanished.
Action Andretti is ready to prove himself to Sammy Guevara with Daniel Garcia promising a beating from Garcia.
Here’s what’s coming on various shows, including the Face of the Revolution ladder match AND a Casino battle royal on Dynamite!
Stokely Hathaway is ready to send Matt Hardy to destroy Hook on Dynamite. Oh and it can be No DQ.
Action Andretti vs. Sammy Guevara
Daniel Garcia is here with Guevara. They go straight to the floor to start with Guevara getting the better of things. Back in and Andretti counters a sunset flip into a falcon arrow for two, with even Jericho having to praise Andretti. Guevara gets dropped on the floor and Andretti hits a 450 from the apron as we take a break.
We come back with Andretti’s moonsault hitting raised kneed and Guevara planting him for two. Guevara’s shooting star takes too long though and Andretti hits a springboard kick to the face for another near fall. Some hard shots to the face rock Andretti again but he counters a crossbody into a flipping slam for two (ala Cameron Grimes). Andretti hits a springboard Swanton for two more and a heck of a shotgun dropkick sends Guevara into the corner. Garcia breaks up a springboard though and the GTH finishes for Guevara at 10:06.
Result: Sammy Guevara b. Action Andretti – GTG (10:06)
Results
Young Bucks b. Aussie Open – BTE Trigger to Fletcher
Toni Storm b. Willow Nightingale – Storm Zero
Lance Archer b. Bryce Saturn – Clothesline
Sammy Guevara b. Action Andretti – GTH
Please share this story on Facebook! Help us spread the word!
You can find more from Thomas Hall at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.
Get the LATEST RUMORS! Click to sign up for the exclusive Wrestling Rumors daily newsletter.