Rampage
Date: September 15, 2023
Location: Heritage Bank Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho

The road to WrestleDream continues but first of all we have Grand Slam next week, which should be a heck of a show. Grand Slam has mostly come together but there is always room to add a little bit more. As for tonight, Jade Cargill is back to challenge for her TBS Title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Butcher and the Blade vs. Hardys/Lucha Bros

There are approximately 72 other people at ringside. Jarrett and Penta have the staredown to start but Jarrett breaks up the Cero Miedo. The running crotch attack to the back of the neck hits Penta but he’s right back up with a superkick. Lethal comes in and gets dropkicked down by Fenix so it’s Butcher coming in and getting superkicked down as well.

The Hardys take turns on Butcher’s arm and a double suplex drops Blade. Butcher finally knocks Matt out of the air and gets two off a suplex. Lethal drives Matt into the corner and we take a break. Back with Matt and Blade hitting a double clothesline for a double knockdown. Matt gets over to Fenix for the tag as everything breaks down again.

The rope walk kick to the head hits Jarrett and Lethal as Butcher is low bridged outside. Penta hits the running flip dive but Fenix’s dive is cut off. Alex Abrahantes dives onto Satnam Singh but gets pulled out of the air. Fenix hits a big corkscrew dive onto all four villains before Fenix hits the Black Fire Driver to finish Butcher at 9:32.

Rating: B-. Take eight people (plus a bunch more on the floor) and let them do their thing for about ten minutes. This was about sending a bunch of people into the ring and letting them go nuts for a bit, which is something that should always work. Fun match here, and it’s nice to see the Hardys on the winning side for once. If they’re going to keep putting people over, they need to win something. The same is true of Butcher and the Blade, but that ship seems to have sailed.

Post match the Hardys are down on the ramp so here is the Righteous to stand over them.

Britt Baker is annoyed at all over her recent losses but wants the TBS Title.

QTV is rather happy with QT Marshall’s success but Johnny TV doesn’t seem happy with a question about Marshall’s whereabouts. They also have their own luchador: El Hijo del Harvey, who Harley Cameron tries to stab.

Matt Sydal/Christopher Daniels vs. The Kingdom

Daniels and Bennett start things off with the former working on the arm until a shoulder puts him down. Bennett stomps away but Daniels kicks his way out of trouble and brings Sydal in. A standing twisting moonsault sends Bennett over to Taven, who shoves Sydal in the face.

Sydal shrugs that off and knocks Taven back, allowing Daniels to come back in. Everything breaks down for a bit and Bennett decks Daniels to take over as we take a break. Back with Daniels coming in for a belly to back suplex spun into Sydal’s Downward Spiral for two on Taven. Daniels and Bennett chop it out until Taven splashes Daniels in the corner. The Proto Pack (backpack Stunner/running boot combination) finishes Daniels at 8:15.

Rating: C+. Nice match here and it’s good to see the Kingdom getting a chance to actually wrestle. They’re a good team and I have no idea why they’ve been stuck just standing behind Roderick Strong for so many weeks. At the very least, they’re kind of perfect to be the next Ring Of Honor Tag Team Champions and in theory that might be where they’re going.

Post match Taven says they need to get back to Roderick Strong in the hospital and it’s all Adam Cole’s fault. They want the Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles and remember that it’s NECK HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. If someone doesn’t believe that, you hit them low and give them a piledriver.

The Mogul Embassy doesn’t like the Young Bucks and want a six man tag with Cage and the Gates of Agony vs. the Bucks/Hangman Page.

Acclaimed/Billy Gunn vs. Outrunners/Peter Avalon

Non-title. Gunn headlocks Floyd to start but an elbow to the face breaks it up rather quickly. Avalon comes in and gets hit in the face, allowing the tag off to Bowens. House is cleaned, including a running Fameasser from behind. Avalon gets his timbers scissored and the Mic Drop finishes at 2:43. Pretty easy squash.

Post match the Dark Order comes out to issue the challenge for the Trios Titles. First though, it’s a singles match on Collision, with a game of Rock Paper Scissors to determine who fights for the champs. After everyone keeps throwing scissors, Bowens says he’ll do it. Spanking is promised.

Aussie Open vs. Lord Crewe/Damian Chambers

The Aussies rush them to start and finish with Coriolis to Crewe at 54 seconds.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows, including next week’s two hour Rampage.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Kris Statlander

Statlander is defending and Mark Sterling is here with Cargill. The fight over a lockup doesn’t go anywhere as we see Britt Baker watching backstage. The slugout goes to Cargill, who catches a crossbody, only to have Statlander do the same, though hers goes into a slam. Statlander misses a knee so Cargill is sent outside, where she catches another crossbody. Statlander gets F5’d onto the apron and we take an early break.

Back with a battle over a suplex going to Jade, who holds her a bit before dropping her down. Statlander puts her down as well and they both nip up at the same time. Statlander unloads in the corner until the running knee connects. Friday Night Fever is countered so Statlander grabs a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Sterling offers a distraction and Cargill gets two off a chokeslam. Jaded is blocked and Statlander hits a discus lariat. An ax kick sets up Friday Night Fever to retain at 10:08.

Rating: B. That was a heck of a back and forth fight and as usual, Cargill has a tendency to overcome expectations. At the same time, there is a good chance that she is going to be gone after this and if that is the case, she went out with a good one. As for Statlander though, she needed to get this win to completely establish herself as the bigger deal and now she has beaten Cargill twice.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was your run of the mill Rampage, with one match that mattered and a bunch of other stuff that was either there fill in time or set up things for other shows. While the show isn’t bad, it rarely feels like a show you need to see and that makes it a little pesky. For now though, at least the main event was good and the rest of the show worked well enough. Just don’t expect much must see content.

Results
Hardys/Lucha Bros b. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett/Butcher and the Blade – Black Fire Driver to Butcher
Kingdom b. Matt Sydal/Christopher Daniels – Proto Pack to Daniels
Acclaimed/Billy Gunn b. Outrunners/Peter Avalon – Mic Drop to Avalon
Aussie Open b. Damian Chambers/Lord Crewe – Coriolis to Crewe
Kris Statlander b. Jade Cargill – Friday Night Fever

 

 

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Collision
Date: July 8, 2023
Location: Brandt Center, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly

The Canadian tour continues, as do the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments. In this case, the main draw is Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk, which was the biggest feud on the independent circuit about twenty years ago and could be very interesting today. Other than that, FTR vs. Bullet Club Gold, which could be pretty great. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Samoa Joe and CM Punk are ready for their tournament matches tonight.

Opening sequence.

Here is CM Punk for a chat. He is ready for Samoa Joe and it is the biggest match of his career. It feels like it should be the final, but he isn’t looking past Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. Joe is the reason Punk is missing teeth and has scars on his head, but the name Punk wants to hear tonight is Owen Hart. Owen is the reason a lot of people are here and while there is talent in that locker room, they aren’t here without Hart. Punk isn’t superstitious so he goes over to touch the trophy that he will earn. Win, lose or draw tonight, he will leave it all in the ring tonight.

We get a video on Punk vs. Joe, complete with old and new footage.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Semifinals: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks

QTV is here with Hobbs, who shoves him around to start without much effort. Back up and Starks clotheslines him out to the floor, only to have Hobbs run him over with another clothesline back inside. The beating in the corner ensues and a delayed suplex drops Starks again as the dominance continues.

We take a break and come back with Starks fighting out of a bearhug. Hobbs shrugs it off and fires off some clotheslines in the corner. Some middle rope right hands are countered into a powerbomb and Starks kicks him in the head. A springboard tornado DDT doesn’t go so well and Hobbs is back with the spinebuster. For some reason QT Marshall distracts the referee, allowing Starks to ram Hobbs into him. The spear gives Starks the pin at 11:00.

Rating: C+. Hobbs’ bad luck continues, but at least in this case it might lead to the end of his association with QTV. At the same time, at least the loss was to someone like Starks, who could use the boost that would come with winning the tournament. That isn’t out of the question, though I could still go for having more than bragging rights on the line.

Post match Marshall goes to talk to Hobbs, who shoves him away. Aaron Solo tries to play peacemaker and gets planted with a spinebuster. Harley Cameron gets between Hobbs and Marshall so Hobbs finally leaves.

Miro is ready to hurt anyone because no one can hurt him. Nothing can tempt him. Not a shiny belt, a jealous god or a double jointed hot wife.

Willow Nightingale is upset about being injured when Athena interrupts her. Athena was looking forward to beating her, but Nightingale is ready for this match, which can happen on Rampage.

Video on Blood & Guts.

Julia Hart vs. Bambi Hall

Hart kicks away at the leg and avoids a charge in the corner. Hall runs her over but Hart starts firing off some kicks. Hall’s attempt at a backbreaker is pulled into something like the Rings of Saturn for the tap at 2:22. Hall felt like she could be something with some more time.

Malakai Black talks about how Andrade El Idolo has put too much value and faith in his mask. It’s like a child who can’t let go of his teddy bear but Black is willing to show him the truth.

Andrade says he is a businessman but the mask represents his family and culture. When he takes the mask off, it is time to fight and win.

Bullet Club Gold vs. FTR

Non-title Eliminator Match, so if the Club wins they get a title shot, but if they lose, they can never challenge FTR again. Dax and White start things off with Dax sending him into the corner and grabbing a headlock. With White not being able to get anywhere, he hands it off to Robinson to work on Wheeler’s arm. Everything breaks down and we wind up back in the ring for the four way brawl, with the fans rather approving. FTR get in a part of German suplexes and we take a break.

Back with Robinson getting elbowed and legdropped, setting up an atomic drop out of the corner. A White distraction lets Robinson hit a hot shot to Wheeler to take over. Some shoulders in the corner set up a backsplash to stay on the ribs and we hit the waistlock. White goes after the illegal Dax and sends him into the barricade before suplexing Wheeler into the corner for two. Robinson cuts Dax off again so we can’t have a hot tag, followed by White backdropping Wheeler to the floor as we take another break.

Back again with the hot tag bringing in Harwood to clean house, including a bunch of suplexes. Some rolling German suplexes have White in trouble before a brainbuster gets two. Wheeler and Robinson slug it out on the apron until a belly to back suplex puts Robinson down. The PowerPlex gets two on White but he’s back up with a sleeper suplex to Wheeler. Harwood breaks up the Blade Runner but the Shatter Machine doesn’t work.

White rolls Wheeler up for two but gets caught with the spike piledriver for two more, with Robinson having to make a diving save. Back up and White gets a very close two off a fisherman’s suplex and Wheeler breaks up a double suplex. White’s swinging Rock Bottom hits Wheeler but Harwood reverses another one into a slingshot sitout powerbomb for two.

Robinson comes back in with a leg lariat to Harwood but Wheeler powerslams him for two more. White grabs the Blade Runner though and everyone is down. Harwood and White chop it out but Robinson comes in off a blind tag. The forward DDT plants Harwood and Wheeler can’t break up the pin at 28:11.

Rating: A-. They had me wondering if the time limit draw was coming, which made the pin that much better. This was a heck of a match and they were going nuts with the near falls near the end. It’s hard to praise a match like this as it was one awesome piece after another and it was one of the best tag matches I’ve seen anywhere in a good while. Now how do they top it in a rematch?

Set for Battle Of The Belts: Shawn Spears challenges Luchasaurus for the TNT Title. And that’s why Battle Of The Belts is seen as a nothing show.

FTR is in the back when Bullet Club Gold comes up. They want their title shot next week and let’s make it 2/3 falls. That’s how they top it in a rematch.

Scorpio Sky vs. Action Andretti

Feeling out process to start with Andretti grabbing an armdrag into an armbar. Sky fights out without much trouble and we take a break. Back with Andretti hitting a backbreaker into a neckbreaker, followed by a Spanish Fly for two. Sky can’t get a backslide but he can block a split legged moonsault. Sky’s TKO finishes at 7:26.

Rating: C. So Sky is back after a year away and his match gets about three and a half minutes of TV time? That’s pretty hard to fathom, but it was only so good of a match in the first place. As usual, Sky is a good hand, but that doesn’t make him the most exciting. On the other hand, Andretti continues to be fine in his role as a jobber to the stars and can keep the pace up rather nicely.

Here’s what’s coming on various show, at a reasonable pace.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinals: Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk

Non-title. Feeling out process to start with Punk looking to avoid the strikes. Joe wins a test of strength so Punk hits a chop of his own. You don’t do that to Joe, who runs Punk over without much effort and hits a big chop to the back. Joe snaps off the right hands in the corner and sends Punk outside as we take a break. Back with Joe working on a neck crank until Punk fights up and strikes away.

The leg lariat staggers Joe and Punk hits the running knee in the corner. The bulldog out of the corner is countered into a standing Koquina Clutch, which is countered into a belly to back suplex. Punk’s top rope elbow gets two but the GTS is countered into a crossface. With that broken up, Joe snaps off a powerslam for two and frustration/exhaustion are starting to set in. Punk kicks him in the head for two more but a tornado DDT is blocked. A swinging neckbreaker sets up a failed GTS attempt so Punk rolls him up for the pin at 15:32.

Rating: B-. This was never going to be some barn burner, as they’re both in their mid-40s and broken down from years of wear and tear. This match was build on the feeling and the atmosphere and in that sense, it worked very well. It felt like a big showdown and I was feeling some dread whenever either loaded up one of their finishers as it felt like it would be the end. What matters here is giving a huge feeling while also setting up Punk vs. Starks in what could be a great final. Well done here, though the action wasn’t the point.

Post match Punk offers a handshake but gets pulled into a Koquina Clutch. Joe grabs a chair but FTR makes the save. Ricky Starks comes out to stare at Punk but leaves to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The tag match and the feeling of the main event make this a show worth seeing, as this is the much more by the book, wrestling focused series from AEW. I’m not sure how many people are going to be interested in watching it going forward, but for now it seems to be working. If nothing else, the Owen tournaments end next week so we don’t have much longer of them dominating shows. The tag match is absolutely worth going out of your way to see, and that is the kind of stuff Collision needs to put it on the map.

Results
Ricky Starks b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Spear
Julia Hart b. Bambi Hall – Rings of Saturn
Bullet Club Gold b. FTR – Forward DDT to Harwood
Scorpio Sky b. Action Andretti – TKO
CM Punk b. Samoa Joe – Rollup

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Rampage
Date: June 23, 2023
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho

It’s the last Rampage before Forbidden Door and the first show after Collision has debuted. That means we could be in for something very different, though I could go for seeing more of what the show has been doing as of late. If nothing else, we should be in for a quick and efficient show, as has been the case around here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

United Empire/Swerve Strickland vs. Chaos

United Empire: Will Ospreay/Jeff Cobb/Kyle Fletcher/Swerve Strickland
Chaos: Best Friends/Yoh/Rocky Romero

It’s a brawl to start with Ospreay hammering on Yoh in the corner and throwing in some hip gyrations. Yoh is back with gyrations of his own so it’s off to Swerve vs. Chuck. A rollup gives Chuck two and he kicks Strickland in the face. Trent comes in and gets to chop away at Fletcher, who backdrops him down to cut that off fast.

Fletcher slams him hard but Romero sneaks in for a double jumping knee to the face. The Roppongi Vice reunion lets them hit their big Shawn Michaels/Diesel jumping high five. The Empire pulls the good guys outside though and Strickland hits the rolling Downward Spiral to drop Romero to take over. One heck of a spinning backbreaker drops Romero for two but Cobb’s bearhug is broken up rather quickly.

We take a break and come back with Romero fighting out of a chinlock. Swerve hits the middle rope elbow to the back but Romero is fine enough to bring in Yoh. The forearms don’t do much to Ospreay, who rips the skin off with a chop. A running forearm works better for Yoh, even as the fans are chanting for Ospreay. Everything breaks down and Romero lariats Ospreay, setting up the four way hug. Swerve is back in to backdrop Romero to the floor, leaving Cobb to hit the swinging belly to back for two. The Hidden Blade finishes Yoh at 10:31.

Rating: B-. It was a fast paced start and that is how an opening match is supposed to go. Ospreay absolutely feels like one of the bigger stars around here and it is nice to see him getting to showcase himself on a big American stage. Other than that, Swerve gets to rub elbows with a fairly high profile match, though this was more about making Ospreay look strong for his big Forbidden Door match.

Video on Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale, with only Storm’s title on the line.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat but MJF, making his Rampage debut, interrupts. MJF is happy that his new partner got him in action at Forbidden Door so he has evened things up a bit: MJF has gotten Cole a Forbidden Door match with Filthy Tom Lawlor! Cue Lawler (with cohort Royce Isaacs) to jump Cole from behind, with MJF taking his very sweet time walking to the ring. The other villains run off, with MJF being annoyed but then walking off as Cole cringes in pain. This was short but made perfectly logical sense.

Acclaimed/Billy Gunn vs. ???/???/???

The Acclaimed and Gunn waste no time and it’s Scissor Me Timbers into the Arrival into the Mic Drop to finish at 51 seconds.

Post match Harley Cameron and two masked me interrupt, with Cameron bragging about her musical skills (she did the music video for the IInspiration in Impact). Cameron offers a partnership with the Acclaimed but Gunn shuts that down, saying they already have the best rapper in the world. She gets to rap anyway and Caster is already covering his ears (and Gunn hugs him).

Then she hits on Bowens (Jericho: “I don’t think so.”), who cuts it off and points out that he’s gay (which gets a very positive reaction). Cue QT Marshall and Aaron Solo, with the former calling Caster a John Cena impersonator. The Acclaimed go after them but one of the masked guys unmasks as…..Johnny TV (Morrison/Elite/you get the joke). The beatdown is on and QTV seems to have a new big name.

Swerve Strickland is ready for Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament: Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay

Matt Menard/Angelo Parker are here too. Skye chases her to the floor but a Menard distraction lets Jay get in a cheap shot. Back in and they trade hip attacks until Anna kicks her out to the floor. A not great looking DDT on the floor plants Skye and we take a break. Back with Anna hitting another DDT but Skye fights up with forearms.

A kick to the head staggers Anna again and a high crossbody gets two. Anna’s Backstabber gets two and a Gory Bomb connects for the same. The Queenslayer goes on but Skye sends her into the corner to break it up. Skye superkicks her into Code Blue for the pin to advance at 9:15.

Rating: C. This got some more time and it helped things out a bit. Blue is on a bit of a roll right now and it wouldn’t shock me to see her winning the whole tournament. If she isn’t going to win one of the titles, giving her this is certainly better than nothing. Skye has gotten better, so giving her something like this wouldn’t be the worst idea. Anna has more or less stopped cold though, as she isn’t even doing the over the top insane stuff about choking people out anymore.

Video on the Collision eight man tag.

Video on Jungle Boy vs. Sanada.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Jungle Boy vs. Douki

Yoshinobu Kanemaru is here with Douki. Jungle Boy runs him over with a shoulder to start and runs the corner for the bouncing armdrag. Douki sends him outside though and there’s the suicide dive to cut him down again. A hard whip into the barricade drops Douki though and we take a break.

Back with Douki hitting a running double stomp and getting quite the positive reaction. Something like a Widow’s Peak gets two on Jungle Boy, who grabs a tiger driver for the same. Commentary points out that Jungle Boy is being more aggressive lately (ahuh) as he loads up a table at ringside.

Douki gets in a cheap shot though and a top rope backsplash drives Jungle Boy through said table. We get a LOUD DOUKI chant as he hits a brainbuster for two. A slingshot DDT gets the same on Jungle Boy, who comes back with a superkick and poisonrana. The running forearm to the back of the head draws all kinds of booing as he grabs Sanada’s Skull End to make Douki tap at 10:15.

Rating: B-. This was more about the crowd reactions than anything else, as the crowd seems to be ready to turn Jungle Boy than AEW is, or maybe they just really like Douki. For now, it felt like a big enough main event and the action worked. The turn almost has to be coming soon though, with commentary bringing it up to really hammer in the point.

Post match Sanada (rocking a blue suit) comes out for the staredown to end the show (with Jericho getting in a shout about Sting in the last thing you hear, which is a rather smart thing that he does every time he’s on commentary for a go home show).

Overall Rating: B. This was a rare instance where the show felt like another hour of Dynamite. Normally that is rather annoying, but when there is so much going on at the moment, AEW needs that much extra time to let things breathe a bit. I had a good time with this show and it absolutely flew by, as Rampage continues its recent roll. Good show and Forbidden Door feels that much bigger so well done.

Results
United Empire/Swerve Strickland b. Chaos – Hidden Blade to Yoh
Acclaimed/Billy Gunn b. ???/???/??? – Mic Drop
Skye Blue b. Anna Jay – Code Blue
Jungle Boy b. Douki – Skull End

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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