By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 153)
Taped July 6, 2024 in Southaven, Mississippi at Landers Center
Aired July 12, 2024 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired with a wide shot of the arena … Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard were on commentary. Bobby Cruise was the ring announcer.
1. Malakai Black and Brody King vs. Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari (w/Mark Sterling, Josh Woods). Black worked over both Daivari and Nese to start. King took over and chopped Nese several times followed by a high back body drop, a slam and senton bomb. The momentum shifted when King was running off the ropes and Woods pulled the top rope down from the outside. The heels worked over King on the floor as we went to our first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the break, Nese continued to work over King. King slammed Nese down to the mat and made the hot tag to Black. Black cleaned house. Down the stretch, Woods climbed onto the apron. Black took a swing at him, and King pulled him to the floor. While Black was distracted, Daivari hit him with Sterling’s clipboard. Daivari dove onto King on the floor while Nese hit a 450 splash on Black with his knees for a near fall.
King pulled Daivari to the floor and placed him on a chair against the barricade. King went for the cannonball, but Sterling stood in the way. King hit a cross body on Sterling which drove him into Daivari against the railing. Back in the ring, Nese and Black battled. Nese went for another 450 splash, but Black got the knees up. Daivari tried to intervene, but King put him in a sleeper. Black finished Nese off with his Black Mass finisher for the win. [C]
Malakai Black and Brody King defeated Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari in about 10:00.
Don’s Take: A standard match with the predictable outcome. I am not alarmed to see Black and King on Rampage, as it is likely a one-off appearance. That said, the act is currently in limbo and I am hoping AEW can find something relevant for them to become involved in.
Kyle O’Reilly, Mark Briscoe, and Orange Cassidy joined the commentary team…
2. Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett) vs. Ben Bishop. Bishop got in two offensive moves to start but it was all Strong after that. Strong hit a high knee strike for the win.
Roderick Strong defeated Ben Bishop in about 1:00.
After the match, O’Reilly, Briscoe, and Cassidy stood on the stage and stared down Strong, Taven, and Bennett. Strong vs. Dalton Castle was advertised for Collision…
Don’s Take: As I’ve said, let’s get to the payoff of this with the hope that Strong and O’Reilly go their separate ways. The storyline has run its course and then some. On a side note, Ben Bishop is a tall drink of water.
A Deonna Purrazzo vignette aired where she was drinking wine and talking about what makes her the Virtuosa. She said actions have consequences and would burn AEW down from the inside out, rebuilding it in her image. She said that this was the age of the Virtuosa…
3. AR Fox vs. Rey Fenix vs. Komander vs. Angelico in a four-way. Heading into the picture-in-picture break, Fenix was in firm control while the other three competitors were on the outside. [C] Down the stretch, Fenix and Komander battled but the fight was broken up by the other two competitors. The finish saw Komander snd Fenix on the top rope. Angelico looked to German suplex Komander to the floor but Fenix knocked him off the apron. Komander did a back flip onto Angelico on the floor. In the ring, Fenix locked a submission hold on Fox for the win.
Ray Fenix defeated AR Fox, Komander and Angelico in about 9:30.
Don’s Take: I didn’t even to try to keep up with all of the moves. Suffice to say, there was a lot of action and fun spots with a predictable outcome. Fenix is at the top of the limbo list.
A video recapped Chris Jericho’s attack on Samoa Joe from Dynamite…
Renee Paquette’s backstage interview with Chris Jericho, Big Bill and Bryan Keith from Dynamite was shown. Paquette asked Jericho to explain his actions. Jericho said that it’s what he’s been saying all along – if you listen to the Learning Tree, good things happen. If you don’t, bad things happen. He cited Hook, Katsuyori Shibata and Joe as examples. He told Joe that ginger and black pepper is good for the inflammatory muscles that he may have. He said more lessons will be learned on a special edition of TV Time on Dynamite.
Bill added that the more TV time the better and that they want as much TV time as possible, as they always maximize their minutes. Keith said if people don’t respect Chris Jericho, they’ll make them…
4. Thunder Rosa vs. Rachael Ellering. This was a fairly competitive match with Ellering getting some nice moves in during the middle part. Rosa wins with a Cobra Clutch variation on the mat for the win.
Thunder Rosa defeated Rachael Ellering in about 3:30.
After the match, as the two embraced, Deonna Purrazzo came out and attacked Rosa. Ellering tried to make the save but was also laid out. [C]
Don’s Take: The Purrazzo and Rosa feud has been fine, but I think it’s time to go to the payoff match. Ellering has been the “plucky up and comer” for as long as I can remember. It’s time to try to advance her or potentially cut bait if they feel she’s not improving.
5. Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti vs. Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and Anthony Ogogo. As the teams battled in the ring, Tony Schiavone ran down the Collision lineup. Darius exchanged moves with Moriarty. Dante squared off with Ogogo scoring several near falls. Taylor tagged in and Dante sent him to the floor. Moriarty prevented Dante from diving onto Taylor on the floor as the show went to its final picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the break, Dante hit a flying bulldog on Taylor and made the hot tag to Darius. Darius cleaned house. All six men ended up in the ring. Taylor hit a knock out punch on Andretti for the win.
Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and Anthony Ogogo defeated Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti in about 11:00.
The heels celebrated as the show went off the air…
Don’s Take: A decent main event, but the word of the night is limbo. Of the six, Taylor is another that could do more. It just hasn’t materialized as of yet.
Overall, a standard edition of Rampage, with the usual 4-5 matches, good action, and no real storyline development (unless you want to count Strong/O’Reilly and Rosa/Purrazzo). I continue to be interested in what a new TV deal might mean for this show.
That’s all for me for tonight! I will be enjoying some R&R next Friday, but I will be by next weekend with my preview and predictions for TNA Slammiversary. Until then!
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