Rampage
Date: August 9, 2024
Location: LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard, Excalibur
I’m starting to not know what to expect from this show, and that’s not exactly the best thing. Chances are we’ll get some good action and some minor plot advancements, but Rampage often feels like a series of one-on-one fights. The good thing is that the talent is more than good enough to pull that off, and we should be in for an entertaining show. Let’s get started.
In memory of Kevin Sullivan.
Opening sequence.
Darby Allin vs. the Butcher
Butcher runs him over at the bell and slams Allin into the corner for a choke. Allin is thrown outside and thrown in different directions just to avoid an attack on the barrier. The Coffin Drop from the top rope drops the standing Butcher, but he knocks the diving Allin back inside from the air. Allin bleeds from the nose and is dropkicked into the corner to make matters worse.
We take a break and come back, Butcher grabs a Texas Cloverleaf, with Allin having to get the ropes. Butcher knocks him down and swings him into the railing, followed by a good posting. Back in and a half-nelson backbreaker gets Butcher two, but Allin is back with a super Code Red. The Coffin Drop takes out Butcher at 10:25.
Reviews: B-. Allin has two title fights left so he needed a win like this to get on the right track. It will take some time for him to get there but at least things are looking in the right direction for him. There will always be a place for a smaller opponent like Allin to fight a monster like Butcher and it worked well here.
At Dynamite, Don Callis yelled at Rush for his loss, but Rush said he was willing to do whatever it took to be the best, including defeating Preston Vance at Collision.
We look at the brawls between Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Hangman Page after Dynamite.
Lethal is ready for Page on Dynamite.
Wheeler Yuta vs. Rocky Romero
Bryan Danielson on commentary. They initially fight for a lockup until Yuta tries a test of strength. Romero gets a body scissors but a cross armbreaker fails. Back up and Yuta hits a belly to back suplex before sending Romero to the outside for a suicide dive. We take a break and come back as Yuta escapes from a chinlock while Swerve Strickland watches from somewhere. They trade punches and then go up top to bite Yuta’s fingers. A running sliced bread takes Yuta down but he counters the top rope version. Cattle Mutilation takes out Romero at 11:00.
Reviews: B-. Technically a perfectly good match, but I can’t imagine there was that much of a viewership for a weak match between two midcarders. That’s the problem with Rampage as a whole: what we get is good enough, but it’s not exactly something to get excited about. It makes the show feel like it’s only there because it has to be there, and that’s not great.
Willow Nightingale is frustrated with what Stokely Hathaway did to Kris Statlander. Tomohiro Ishii comes in for a chat.
Private Party vs. Zane/Dave Dawson
Zay and Dave start trading punches (air, not faces) before Quen gets his turn. A slam attempt on the much larger Zane backfires horribly, but Quen manages to lift Dave up for the slam and ensuing crash. Zay gets his turn again to clean up, including the Silly String for two on Dave. A Stunner into an assisted Sliced Bread takes Zane down and sets up Gin and Juice for the pin on Dave at 4:00.
Reviews: C+. This was pretty much the definition of “it was what it was” as it pitted an established team against a local pair in a power vs. speed match. Private Party hasn’t meant much in AEW for a long time and that’s not going to change. Maybe it will get better later, but for now it was more of a reminder of “oh yeah, this is where they work.”
Deonna Purrazzo promises to conjure up a symphony of violence on Thunder Rosa.
Dustin Rhodes is ready to fight The Kingdom for the ROH Tag Team Titles. The Kingdom comes and delivers a low blow to Dustin.
Saraya vs Nyla Rose
Harley Cameron is here with Saraya. Cameron creates a distraction before the bell so Saraya can shove Rose outside and beat her down. They come in for the official start with Rose fighting back and sending her into the corner for a splash. Rose knocks her down a few times but actually gets cornered and takes a few forearms to the face. Back up and Rose sends her outside where a slide is broken up and she gets tied up in the ring skirt.
We take a break and come back as Rose asks if Saraya has lost her mind. A side slam takes Saraya down, but she avoids a splash and lands the Paige Turner for two. Rose is right back with a basement superkick for two and it’s time to trade forearms. Back on her feet, Rose drops her with a clothesline but Cameron distracts her. Rose tries a suplex but Cameron trips Bobby Heenan to get the pin on Saraya at 9:32.
Reviews: C+. As usual, Rose has more charisma than most, but she doesn’t have the edge in a match against someone who isn’t a jobber. This wasn’t exactly a main event, but it was nice to have Rose out there doing her thing. Saraya will probably have at least something to do at All In, but I’m not sure I imagine that will be overly important.
Results
Darby Allin b. The Butcher – Coffin Drop
Wheeler Yuta b. Rocky Romero – Cattle Mutilation
Private party by Zane Dawson/Dave Dawson – Gin and Juice for Dave
Saraya b. Nyla Rose – Splash with support from Harley Cameron
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