SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW RAMPAGE TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 10, 2023
AT THE OAKLAND ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIF.
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
– The opening of Rampage aired as Tony Schiavone welcomed us to the show. He was joined by Nigel McGuinness.
(1) RICKY STARKS (w/Big Bill) vs. PRESTON VANCE (w/Jose)
Big Bill joined commentary for this match. Vance gained the early advantage as he took it to Starks in the corner. Starks returned the favor then drove Vance into the corner head-first. Vance hit a huge pump kick which sent Starks to the outside. Both men battled on the outside as Starks rammed Vance right into the post. Starks got on the commentary headset to hype up Big Bill and himself. The battle continued around the ring as Starks dropped Vance with a suplex on the ramp. [c]
Starks hit a leg drop, then covered for a two count. Vance came right back with a series of clotheslines, then dropped Starks with a spinebuster. Starks fired back with a spinning DDT off the ropes for two. Vance attempted a full nelson that Starks blocked and countered into a pin attempt. Big Bill got up to distract Vance, which allowed Starks to hit the spear for the win.
WINNER: Ricky Starks in 7:00
– After the match, Starks and Bill attacked Vance until Rush and Dralistico made the save to even the odds. Starks and Bill hightailed it out of the ring.
(Moynahan’s Take: What a difference a live Rampage makes. Great opener and a much more lively crowd than us Rampage viewers have been used to. Starks and Bill continue to look like a great pairing.)
– Renee was backstage with Chris Jericho. Jericho addressed Konosuke Takeshita directly in advance of their DDT promotion match this weekend in Japan. Jericho said he would get his revenge on Takeshita.
– Lexy Nair was with Don Callis and she asked who the fourth member of their team would be on this week’s Dynamite. Prince Nana was there as well, and Callis mentioned Samy Guevara still being injured. Callis said he was renting the services of Brian Cage for the upcoming 8-man match on Dynamite.
– Lexy was backstage once again, this time with the Jarretts, Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal, and Sonjay Dutt. Jarrett talked about Lethal stepping in the ring with Eddie Kingston and walking at the ROH champ. Lethal said he’d prove that he outclasses Kingston in every possible way. Ortiz walked up and told them to say what they needed to say to his face before attacking the group. Singh took Ortiz out and left him laying.
(2) RUBY SOHO vs. RED VELVET
The commentators noted that Soho wanted to be out there by herself and win without help from Saraya. Soho took Velvet down to the mat then got right in her face before the two locked up again. Soho took Velvet down with a shoulder tackle, then mocked her once again. Velvet took Soho down with a leg lariat, then worked her over in the corner. Soho threw Velvet head-first right into the middle turnbuckle. Velvet was draped throat-first across the top rope by Soho. [c]
Velvet nailed Soho with a clothesline, then a bulldog before landing a standing moonsault for a close count. Soho regained control and hung Velvet on the top rope before dropping her to the mat and covering for two. Soho hit a back suplex, then another, before ramming Velvet into the turnbuckle yet again. Soho received flowers from an unknown admirer during the match which distracted her into nearly getting pinned. Velvet hit a spinning kick to Soho’s face and got the win.
WINNER: Ruby Soho in 9:00
(Moynahan’s Take: Nice surprise win for Red Velvet, which clearly surprised the announcers as well. The match was fine with an awkward flower delivery toward the end which Schiavone oversold.)
– A recap of the end of this week’s Dynamite aired showing the beatdown on the Acclaimed and MJF reacting in disbelief before Samoa Joe appeared.
(3) THE KINGDOM (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven w/Roderick Strong) vs. LOCAL TALENT
Strong ripped the local crowd as the trio made their may to the ring. He dedicated this match to his best friend, Adam Cole. Taven hit a huge leg lariat before Bennett hit a DVD. Bennett followed up with a piledriver before the Kingdom hit their finish for the win.
WINNERS: The Kingdom in 1:00
– After the match, Strong got up from his wheelchair after ripping his neck brace off and hit a backstabber on one of the opponents before writhing in pain.
(Moynahan’s Take: YOUR RAMPAGE SQUASH OF THE WEEK.)
– Lexy Nair was backstage with Daniel Garcia, Parker, and Menard. Garcia said he was frustrated by the last few days and said he found a name he had a lot of respect for that he wanted to face. That name was Andrade El Idolo, who he challenged to match on tomorrow’s Collision. Soho and Saray appeared as Saraya got angry about Soho receiving flowers during her match. Parker acted as the obvious secret admirer and Saraya and Menard got upset at Soho and Parker and admitted they had ‘big problems’ between the two having an infatuation with one another. [c]
– Lexy was backstage with The Kingdom and Strong. They were celebrating their win as Action Andretti and Darius Martin appeared. They said The Kingdom may have been acting tough, but they’d have no chance against them. Strong told The Kingdom that he had found his first victim in Darius before rolling away.
– A video package aired hyping the in-ring work of Vikingo and Komander.
(4) FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. KOMANDER & EL HIJO DEL VIKINGO
Dax and Komander kicked things off for their respective teams. Komander used his quickness to evade Dax’s strike before hitting a dropkick and getting a two count pin attempt. Cash and Vikingo tagged in as the crowd chanted loudly for Vikingo. Vikingo nailed Cash with a series of kicks before he hit an inverted hurricanrana off the top rope, then a tope to the outside. Vikingo crashed face-first into the announce table. [c]
All four men were fighting outside as Vikingo flew off the ropes onto Cash. Komander and Vikingo double teamed Dax inside the ring as Cash was sent to the outside. Vikingo made the tag but Dax cut him off as he climbed to the top rope. FTR attempted Power and Glory but Vikingo reversed Dax and Komander took out Cash. Komander and Vikingo hit dual 630 splashes for two close counts. The crowd ate it up. Dax caught Vikingo coming off the ropes and hit a piledriver for a close count.
Dax went to the top rope but Vikingo moved in time to roll Dax up for a close count. Vikingo tried for another pin but Dax kicked out at two. Dax hit Vikingo with a slingshot powerbomb but the legal man, Komander, ran in to roll up Dax from behind for another close count. Komander took out both members of FTR before missing the top rope moonsault. FTR rebounded and hit their finish for the win.
WINNERS: FTR in 12:00
– Both teams embraced in the center of the ring as the show was about to go off the air. The lights went out abruptly as The House of Black was shown on the screen.
(Moynahan’s Take: Man oh man was this stellar wrestling. It’s a shame a commercial had to take place during any of this, but that aside, this was nonstop action at its best. Go out of your way to check this one out and savor it all.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: As mentioned earlier in the review, what a difference a live Rampage makes. More of this please. The show felt lively from start to finish, with a great crowd and solid in-ring action. Heck, we even got meaningful storyline progression in a few areas. Maybe AEW should consider running more Rampage and Collision shows to liven things up. Nothing on this show is worth missing, but please go watch the main event if nothing else. Until next week, stay safe everyone!
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