By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW Rampage (Episode 138)
Taped March 27, 2024 in Quebec City, Quebec at Centre Videotron
Aired March 29, 2024 on TNT
The Rampage opening aired and pyro shot off from the stage. Excalibur and Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer…
1. Dustin Rhodes vs. The Butcher. Rhodes received a televised entrance while the Butcher was already in the ring. Rhodes took Butcher down with two arm drags before going to work on the arm. Butcher charged Rhodes and went sailing over the top rope. Rhodes hit a clothesline on the floor followed by a dragon screw leg whip.
Back in the ring, Butcher went back to work on the arm. Butcher rammed Rhodes’ shoulder first into the post. Butcher shoulder blocked Rhodes to the floor and smashed his hand against the steps. Butcher then rammed Rhodes shoulder first into the ring post. Back in the ring, Butcher hit a back breaker. Rhodes rolled the floor as the show went to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, Rhodes hit Code Red for a near fall. The two exchanged blows. Butcher went back to working on the arm. Rhodes made a comeback clotheslining Butcher twice and hitting an uppercut. Rhodes hit ten punches in the corner. Rhodes hit a snap powerslam for a near fall.
Butcher locked in a crossface but Rhodes got to the ropes. Butcher missed a clothesline and Rhodes hit a Cross Rhodes followed by the Final Reckoning for the win…
Dustin Rhodes defeated The Butcher in about 10:30.
Don’s Take: It’s always fun to see Dustin who can still move really well in the ring at age 55. I particularly liked the old school strategy of the Butcher spending the majority of the match working on the arm. They also appear to be telling a story with Rhodes, noting that he’s now 4-1 in 2024. Rhodes has said that he’s near the end of his career and if you told me AEW is giving him one more high-profile story to go out on, I wouldn’t complain.
Jay White, Austen Gunn and Colten Gunn arrived at Billy Gunn’s house but no one was home. White cut a brief promo saying that the last person that stood up to them had his foot broken. He challenged Gunn and the Acclaimed to a match for the AEW Trios Championship. He was about to wreck the house with his bat when Billy Gunn showed up and chased everyone off. [C]
Don’s Take: No one was home, yet the TV was mysteriously left on and tuned to AEW? Weird.
A video package recapped the AEW Tag Team Championship Tournament matches from Dynamite.
2. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rose. Rose was making her AEW debut. Purrazzo spent the majority of the match working on the arm. Rose got a few hope spots in but Purrazzo eventually dropped her with a big boot followed by her arm bar submission for the win.
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Rose in about 3:50.
Don’s Take: A simple and effective squash match. The theme of the night appears to be focusing on the arm attack.
A video package hyped Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson at AEW Revolution.
3. Mariah May (w/Toni Storm, Luther) vs. Nikita. Mayhe first was dressed like Storm in her previous gimmick. Nikita was also making her AEW debut. Storm took the mic before the match and said she was not cleared to compete as she pulled her hamstring and wouldn’t tell us how. She introduced May as her replacement and asked if she was ready to which May accepted. The first part of the match as all May as the show headed to a picture-in-picture break. [C]
After the break, May maintained the advantage. Rose made a brief comeback but May countered with a head butt, followed by a hip slam in the corner and her May Day finisher for the win…
Mariah May defeated Nikita in about 7:00.
Don’s Take: Nikita looked slightly better than Rose in defeat. Storm is always entertaining, but this entire act is stuck in neutral. On the plus side, it was nice to see the women featured twice tonight.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Zak Knight and Harley Cameron. Nair asked Knight if he was a coward for not fighting Angelo Parker. Knight said it doesn’t make him a coward not to fight Parker in his hometown. He talked about being in Parker’s head before Parker showed up and the two brawled. Parker hit Knight several times with a lead pipe and ran him off. Parker turned around and Ruby Soho was there. She said there was a reason she asked him not to fight Knight. She kissed him and said she couldn’t be there for this… [C]
A video package promo aired on The Righteous…
4. AEW International Champion Roderick Strong (w/Mike Bennett, Matt Taven) vs. Matt Menard in an Eliminator match. The early part of the match was chain wrestling and two battling on the floor as the show went to its final picture-in-picture break of the night. [C]
Coming out of the break, Strong maintained the advantage. Eventually, Menard made the big comeback. The finish saw Menard lock in a Boston Crab but Storm got to the ropes. Menard then hit a cutter on Strong for a near fall but Taven put Strong’s foot on the ropes. Taven climbed on the apron but Menard knocked him down. Strong hit a distracted Menard with a high knee for the win.
AEW International Champion Roderick Strong defeated Matt Menard in about 13:30 in an Eliminator match.
After the match, Strong, Taven and Bennett continued to attack Menard until Trent Beretta and Orange Cassidy made the save. After clearing the heels from the ring, Cassidy and Beretta embraced. The Young Bucks ran in and low blowed Cassidy and Beretta before hitting an EVP Trigger to end the show.
Don’s Take: A decent main event and I am guessing that when Menard turns on Daniel Garcia, he can point to all the times he saved Garcia, yet Garcia was nowhere to be found here. The show ending angle served as a nice hook for the upcoming tournament match between Best Friends and the Young Bucks.
A slightly different episode of Rampage than we’re used to. We got our usual four matches, but two of them were women’s matches, which also happened to be squash matches. I’m actually fine with this approach if it’s going to establish some characters on a journey up the card. That’s all for me for this week. Until next time!
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