Rampage – August 23, 2024: They Help Anyway
Rampage
Date: August 23, 2024
Location: Esports Stadium Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
It’s All In weekend and therefore this show is likely going to be about getting things finalized for Wembley. While the card is mostly set, there are some stories that could use some last minute work, which is what we should be seeing here. That should be enough to carry the show so let’s get to it.
Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Conglomeration vs. Brian Cage/Beast Mortos/Johnny TV
Roderick Strong is on commentary as O’Reilly headlocks TV to start. Ishii comes in for some double striking with O’Reilly before ramming into Mortos. It’s off to Cage, who Briscoe throws into a knee from O’Reilly. TV comes in and kicks away on O’Reilly before Mortos runs him over and cranks on the neck. We take a break and come back with TV dropping O’Reilly and Briscoe but getting glared off by Ishii. The tag brings Ishii in to slug Mortos down, followed by a suplex to Cage.
Mortos knocks Ishii into the corner but he easily suplexes his way to freedom. The big tag brings in Briscoe to clean house, including an abundance of suplexes. Everything breaks down and they head outside, meaning it’s a bunch of flip dives. Back in and Ishii and O’Reilly go high/low on TV, setting up O’Reilly’s cross armbreaker for the tap at 13:18.
Rating: B-. That’s all a match like this needed to be as the Conglomeration got to add some star power and beat up a fairly random group of heels. It’s a fine way to start off a show and it worked well here, especially with TV taking the loss. He more or less is only around to take losses anymore and he did his job well here.
Post match the Conglomeration goes to leave but runs into the Undisputed Kingdom on the way to the ring. Violence is avoided though.
Roderick Strong vs. Fuego del Sol
Kyle O’Reilly is on commentary. O’Reilly stomps away in the corner to start and there’s the first backbreaker to drop del Sol. Some suplexes set up something like a Gory Stretch but del Sol slips into a rollup for two. Del Sol kicks away but Strong catches him on top for another backbreaker onto the buckle. End of Heartache finishes del Sol at 3:22.
Rating: C. Pretty much just a squash for Strong here, as he gets to be built back up a bit after losing in the triple thread last week. Strong and the Undisputed Kingdom could use the boost, but more than that they need something to do. Feuding with the Conglomeration is certainly a way to go and at least AEW seems to be trying something.
Mina Shirakawa vs. Robyn Renegade
Mina dances to start, then hits her in the face and dances some more. It’s time to work on Robyn’s leg, which again means more dancing. A front facelock keeps Robyn in trouble but she finally knocks Mina into the corner and stomps away. We take a break and come back with Robyn tying her in the ropes for a stomp to the back. Mina goes for the leg again to get out of trouble, including rolling Robyn into a Figure Four for the tap at 7:42.
Rating: C+. Mina is good enough in the ring, but there is no secret to the fact that she is getting over because she is pure charisma. There are not many people who can get a crowd’s attention like that and it worked well here. Not exactly a great match, but that was a sweet transition into the Figure Four.
Hikaru Shida is upset about losing to Mercedes Mone and promises to not be an afterthought.
Gates Of Agony vs. Iron Savages
Bronson powers Kaun into the corner to start, only for Kaun to reverse for some rapid fire chops. A clothesline cuts Bronson off and it’s off to Boulder vs. Liona. They trade standing clotheslines until Boulder manages a knockdown but charges into a Samoan drop. Everything breaks down and Open The Gates finishes Bronson at 3:08.
Rating: C. Pretty much nothing to this one, though seeing the Savages lose is always worth a smile. At the end of the day though, neither of these teams are going anywhere and there is no reason to believe that is going to change. They’re two of the designated jobbing teams of the division and one of them beating the other isn’t going to move them into a new reality.
Video on Top Flight and Lio Rush vs. the Blackpool Combat Club/Pac for the final spot in the four way ladder match for the Trios Titles. That made my head hurt.
Outrunners vs. Von Erichs
Erica Leigh and Dustin Rhodes are here too. Magnum takes Ross down to start and, yes, strikes a pose. Back up and Ross hits a dropkick so it’s off to Floyd for a slam and a pose. That just earns him a few slams from Ross before the Outrunners are both knocked outside. We take a break and come back with Floyd hitting a slam but missing an elbow.
A sunset flip is broken up though and Ross gets chopped into the corner. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Ross fights up and low bridges Magnum to the floor. That and a backdrop allow the tag off to Marshall as everything breaks down. The Cannonball hits Floyd and the Claw finishes for Marshall at 9:48.
Rating: C. The Outrunners are fun enough that they can make up for how sick I’ve become of the Von Erichs during this residency. The team just isn’t that interesting and are mainly there because of their family connections. It’s not much of a main event but it’s more for the live crowd than the TV audience, which isn’t the best idea, but it’s what we’ve been getting in recent weeks.
Post match the Cage of Agony and the Undisputed Kingdom run in for the beatdown. Sammy Guevara and the Conglomeration run in to clear the ring.
Overall Rating: C+. The opener was good, but the rest of the show wasn’t exactly worth seeing. This was a weaker edition of the show, but as usual, there is only so much to take issue with in a show that runs about forty five minutes after the commercials. Nothing much to see here, but there are worse ways to spend a Friday night.
Results
Conglomeration b. Brian Cage/Beast Mortos/Johnny TV – Cross armbreaker to TV
Roderick Strong b. Fuego del Sol – End of Heartache
Mina Shirakawa b. Robyn Renegade – Figure Four
Gates Of Agony b. Iron Savages – Open The Gates to Bronson
Von Erichs b. Outrunners – Claw to Floyd
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