Rampage – May 31, 2024: With Some Stars

Rampage
Date: May 31, 2024
Location: Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We’re still off the normal schedule with another early evening show. Rampage has been picking things up a bit lately and there is a good chance that we might be seeing it again here. If nothing else it would make sense to have this show be a bit bigger for the major location. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

TNT Title Qualifying Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

They run the ropes to start and Penta dives over him for the standoff. Takeshita kicks him in the face but Penta grabs a Backstabber out of the corner. It’s too early for the dive to the floor and Takeshita cuts off a kick from the apron to cut him down. Back in and Takeshita grabs a chinlock, followed by a suplex as we take a break.

We come back with Penta hitting a running Sling Blade to send Takeshita outside. The big running flip dive takes Takeshita down again but he’s right back with a rather impressive wheelbarrow suplex. Penta grabs Made In Japan for two and they’re both staggered. Takeshita is knocked to the apron and a springboard Canadian Destroyer knocks him silly. Back in and the Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two but the running knee misses. Instead it’s a hot shot to Penta, setting up the running knee for the pin at 13:09.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of match I was looking for from AEW. While there might not have been a ton of drama over who was going to win, there is something cool about taking two talented wrestlers and letting them have a match. It was a nice opener and I dug seeing these two go at it, likely for one of the first, if not the first, time ever.

Chris Jericho, with the Learning Tree, says he is done with Rampage commentary after being attacked by Hook last week.

The Undisputed Kingdom says Double Or Nothing sucked, with Roderick Strong saying he was the next man in the Casino Gauntlet this week on Dynamite. This weekend, he wants Lio Rush and then he’ll go after Swerve Strickland AND Will Ospreay.

Satnam Singh vs. Peter Avalon

Singh lays down so Avalon can cover him, with Avalon being launched through the air shortly thereafter. A bearhug finishes for Singh at 1:05.

The Cage Of Agony is ready to restart everything and they’ll do it starting on Collision. Hechicero of all people comes in and seems to have joined the team.

Toni Storm vs. Vita Van

Non-title and Mariah May and Luther are here too. Van takes her down for an early submission attempt, sending Storm straight to the ropes. A chop staggers Van but she ducks a clothesline, only to get hip attacked in the face. Storm sends her outside and tells us she’ll see us soon after the break. Back with Storm hitting the big wind up right hand for two but Van runs her over for two. A Backstabber out of the corner into a fisherman’s suplex gives Storm two but Van’s ax kick gets the same. That’s enough for Storm, who hits a running hip attack in the corner, followed by Storm Zero for the pin at 8:57.

Rating: C. Well that was long. Storm has had some longer matches against not exactly top level competition lately and it’s a bit odd to see. I do like having the bigger name on the show though and having Storm around is one of the better things that has happened lately. She’ll need a new challenger sooner than later, but this works for now.

The Outcasts offer some mocking applause for May and Storm before Saraya faces May on Dynamite.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Jordan Cruz

O’Reilly charges right at him to start and strikes away before cranking on the arm. The cross armbreaker makes Cruz tap at 1:17.

Johnny TV, with Taya Valkyrie, challenges Claudio Castagnoli for Collision.

Rey Fenix vs. Isiah Kassidy

Kassidy is getting some pretty big spots lately. They fight over wrist control until Fenix hits a dropkick to put him down. Kassidy’s springboard hurricanrana doesn’t work as Fenix cartwheels his way out, setting up a German suplex to send Kassidy flying. We take a break and come back with Fenix snapping off a super hurricanrana for two.

Kassidy manages a springboard Stunner to knock Fenix throat first over the top. The big flip dive takes out Kassidy again but Fenix hammers away on the mat back inside. One heck of a Canadian Destroyer gives Kassidy two but he misses a Swanton. Fenix’s frog splash gets two and something like a double underhook brainbuster finishes Kassidy at 11:19.

Rating: C+. Another fun match with Fenix and Kassidy both getting to fly around and show off their athleticism. That’s all you need in a match like this as Fenix gets to shake off some more of his ring rust. As good as he is, there is always the chance that an injury could take him out again, but he’s quite an entertaining star when he’s out there.

Overall Rating: B-. This was more like it with what felt like a big time opener, a good enough main event and Storm being out there for some star power. The best thing about a show this short is that it didn’t feel long, which wasn’t the case here. I had a good enough time with the show and that’s about as high as most Rampages are going to get.

Results
Konosuke Takeshita b. Penta El Zero Miedo – Running knee
Satnam Singh b. Peter Avalon – Bearhug
Toni Storm b. Vita Van – Storm Zero
Kyle O’Reilly b. Jordan Cruz – Cross armbreaker
Rey Fenix b. Isiah Kassidy – Double underhook brainbuster

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