By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 113)
Taped October 4, 2023 in Stockton, California at Stockton Arena
Aired October 6, 2023 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired and pyro shot off from the stage. Excalibur and Tony Schiavone were on commentary…
1. Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Jake Hager, and Daniel Garcia (w/Anna Jay) vs. Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Trent Beretta, and Chuck Taylor. The participants were already in the ring. Parker started off with Taylor. After some chain wrestling and double team moves between the Best Friends and Parker, Garcia and Jeff Hardy tagged in. Both engaged in their campy dance moves before Menard hit Hardy from behind. Hager tagged in and worked over Jeff for a bit before tagging back out to Garcia. The heels kept the advantage for the next several minutes before Hardy clotheslined Garcia and tagged out to Beretta.
Beretta took over on offense including a pair of nice German suplexes and a Death Valley Driver. This led to all eight men in the ring as the babyfaces hit ten punches and kicks on each of the heels. The heels were then thrown together in the center of the ring and the Hardys clotheslined Hager over the top rope. The Hardys and the Best Friends then hugged in the center of the ring. Beretta dove onto Parker and Menard on the outside before being clotheslined by Hager. The show went to its first picture-in-picture break. [C]
The heels had the advantage over Beretta who eventually made the hot tag to Matt Hardy. Hardy worked over Menard and Parker for a bit before Hager hit him with a Hager Bomb for a two count that was broken up by Jeff Hardy. The heels and babyfaces took turns hitting moves on each other. Matt Hardy went for a Twist of Fate on Garcia who blocked it and swept Hardy’s legs. Hardy kicked him off into Menard. Menard was knocked off the apron and collided with Anna Jay on the way down. Matt hit the Twist of Fate on Garcia who walked into a reverse piledriver by Beretta. Jeff then came off the top rope with a Swanton Bomb for the win.
Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Trent Beretta, and Chuck Taylor defeated Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Jake Hager, and Daniel Garcia in roughly 10:00.
Don’s Take: This was a fine opener with no substance. As I’ve said, the Hardys should mean more but they’re consistently booked in these throwaway appearances. With Adam Copeland in AEW, there’s obviously the possibility of one more match between Copeland, Christian and the Hardys. That should feel special but the Hardys are going to eventually be booked to mean more. Plus, when the Jericho Appreciation Society disbanded, I had hoped for something new for each, but that clearly has happened.
Renee Paquette interviewed Eddie Kingston backstage. She asked Eddie what he was hoping to see in the main event tonight. He said he was looking forward to seeing a great match and was committed to defending the ROH title and the New Japan Strong Openweight Title. Sonjay Dutt, Jeff and Karen Jarrett and Satnam Singh came in.
Dutt said that Kingston offended former ROH “Grand Slam Champion,” Jay Lethal, last week and as a result, Jay didn’t come to work. Dutt asked Kingston again if he would defend the ROH title against Lethal. Kingston said that Lethal needed to prove to him that he was the Jay Lethal of old and walked off. Stokely Hathaway entered and whispered a proposition to Dutt, who appeared intrigued… [C]
A brief Danhausen video aired with the words “very nice” being sung to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.” The segment ended with the words “Love that Danhausen”…
Don’s Take: Thanks for getting that stuck in my head.
2. “The Blackpool Combat Club” Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta vs. Wise Guy Ruiz and Levi Shapiro. This was a complete showcase match for Castagnoli and Yuta who dominated Shapiro. Except for a brief attempt at a save, Ruiz mever officially tagged in.
“The Blackpool Combat Club” Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta beat Wise Guy Ruiz and Levi Shapiro in about 2:00 minutes.
Don’s Take: This was what it was, serving to remind us that the Blackpool Combat Club still exists.
Renee Paquette interviewed Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Anna Jay, Daniel Garcia and Jake Hager. Paquette asked them about their loss and Garcia said he bumped into Menard accidentally while wrestling the match all by himself. Menard said that Garcia was too busy dancing to be focused on winning. Parker said their goal tonight was to show the world that they made the right decision in leaving Chris Jericho and they failed as a family. They said they were now going to take Anna Jay to the doctor as a family while Hager stared down Garcia.
Don’s Take: If they’re finally disbanding this undercard group, you’ll hear no complaints from me.
3. Johnny TV (w/Harley Cameron, Aaron Solo) vs. Komander vs. Lince Dorado vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (w/ Alex Abrahantes) for a shot at the ROH Championship. Harley Cameron sang Johnny TV to the ring while Eddie Kingston sat in on commentary. I’m not even going to try to cover this spot fest move for move. Each got some spotlight offense in with a series of superkicks, dives onto the floor and acrobatic spots. Going into the commercial. Johnny TV had the advantage after clotheslining Penta. [C]
Johnny stayed on the offensive. In one spot, Dorado hit a huracanrana on Komander off the top rope who came out of the flip and caught Johnny TV with his own huracanrana. Impressive. After a series of additional high spots from all four competitors, Komander ran across the ropes and dove onto the other three who were on the floor. He then rolled Dorado into the ring, ran across the ropes again and hit the 450 splash for the win.
Komander defeated Johnny TV, Penta El Zero Miedo and Lince Dorado in a four-way to earn a shot at the ROH Championship in about 10:00.
Don’s Take: This was your typical spotfest and as the only real hook for the show, I’m surprised this wasn’t put in the main event spot. I’m interested to see if Komander is going to get his title shot behind the HonorClub pay wall. I’m also interested to see how he’ll match up with Kingston whose ground and pound style may not mesh with Komander’s acrobatic offense.
Ortiz spoke from the back and wondered where Mike Santana was. Ortiz said that Santana’s tough guy image was just a façade and that he would expose him. He said, “Karma took your one knee. I’m going to take the other”… [C]
Excalibur advertised the following for Collision: Adam Copeland responds to Christian Cage, FTR defends the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Big Bill and Ricky Starks, Komander will meet Eddie Kingston for ROH World Championship, Toni Storm meets Kiera Hogan, and Bryan Danielson faces Kyle Fletcher…
Don’s Take: Nice to see Komander and Kingston’s match being paid off on TV rather than behind the HonorClub paywall. Collision airs tomorrow night on TNT at a special start time of 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.
Excalibur also ran down the following matches for AEW Dynamite Title Tuesday: Ray Fenix defends the AEW International Championship in a rematch with Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland meets Bryan Danielson with the winner being named the number one contender for the TNT Championship, Saraya defends the AEW Women’s Championship against Hikaru Shida, Jay White meets Hangman Adam Page, Chis Jericho faces Powerhouse Hobbs and Adam Copeland battles Luchasaurus.
Don’s Take: AEW Dynamite airs on TNT on Tuesday this week at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT due to TBS’ coverage of the MLB playoffs on Wednesday. With this move, AEW will be running head-to-head against NXT and both lineups appear stacked.
4. Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir. All four women battled to start. Eventually Shida squared off Shafir as the referee rang the bell. Shafir gained the advantage and tagged out to Rose. The heels took turns on Shida as Rose prevented Statlander from getting on the apron. Shida eventually retaliated with a series of punches on Shafir. The heels regained the advantage as the show went into its final picture in picture break. [C]
Statlander made the hot tag into the match and took over on both heels. Statlander attempted to bodyslam Rose but fell backwards. Rose went for a “senton bomb” but Statlander got the knees up. Her second bodyslam attempt on Rose was successful for a two count. The heels regained the advantage on Statlander. Shafir went for a cover that was broken up by Shida. Statlander hits a “Blue Thunder Bomb” on Shafir for a two count. Rose attempts to prevent Statlander from tagging in Shida and is met with a roundhouse kick.
Shida tagged in and dove onto both heels. In the ring, Shida hit a Falcon Arrow on Shafir for a two count. Rose attempted to climb the ropes but Statlander caught her and put her on her shoulders. Shida climbed the top rope and hit a rather weak looking Doomsday Device. Shida hit Shafir with her Katana kick finisher, followed by Saraya’s Nightcap finisher for the three count.
Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida defeated Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir in about 11:00.
Don’s Take: A fine main event but I still question to put this in the main event slot ahead of the number one contender’s match for the ROH title, especially since that match is taking place tomorrow night and it would have served as a decent hook. And I appreciate Shida acknowledging Saraya by stealing her move, I can’t take her seriously to win the title. I just hope they drop the spray paint bit.
A decent episode with no real developments aside from the ROH title which isn’t supposed to be on AEW TV but is regularly featured anyway. The company is slowly starting to figure out ways to book better but still can’t help serving the “matches” crowd with 3-4 random matches with no points. Maybe as Tony Khan keeps bringing in veterans, someone will get through to him. And hey, at least there was no QTV. Until next week!
Wouldn’t it be nice if AEW took the time to create a storyline reason for Copeland and Luchasaurus, on Sat’s show, to set up their match on Tues’ show, rather than just drop it as another match on Excalibur’s laundry list?