AEW Rampage 5/26/2023

AEW Rampage 5/26/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/05/aew-rampage-5192023.html

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn vs LFI (Preston Vance, Dralistico and Rush)

Dral wants to scissor, Bowens goes for it then is hit. They trade corner chops and Dral walks up the ropes and flips over him. Dral headscissors him then takes an over the back legdrop. Max and Vance go at it. Vance shoulders him over then is armdragged. Vance fallaway slams Max then Billy tags himself in. Billy fallaway slams Vance then hits a regular slam.

Rush sneaks in and hits Billy then everyone goes out. Billy is thrown into the steps while his partners are sent into the rails. Bowens sends a fan's beer flying when he goes in then LFI pose over Max. We go to break and return with Bowens being thrown into the front row. Max is superkicked by Dral then Dral lays on the ropes to taunt him. Billy's hand gets cut open somehow then Max and Dral flying clothesline each other at the same time. Billy hits a fameasser on Vance but Jose puts Vance's foot on the ropes.

Max throws Jose in then puts Dral into the rails. Bowens 2nd rope legdrops Jose in the nuts then Vance spinning lariats Billy for 2. Dral springboard codebreakers Bowens then Bwoens hits the arrival on Dral. Max top rope elbow drops Dral and picks up the win.

I felt like the finishing sequence was messed up here but it was okay overall. They kept it moving and it was chaotic in a fun way.

Bowens gets on the mic after. He said they have been running this trios division all night long. He said they should do some gambling since they are in Vegas. They said the house always wins, but never bet on black, hinting that they will take on the House of Black's Open House challenge at Double or Nothing.

The Gunn's and Ethan Page vs FrescoMatic, Jeaux Braxton & Watson

These names are so bad. Austin runs over one of his opponents then Colten mudhole stomps one in the corner. The Gunn's hit a knee lift into a lariat. Austin takes a big boot then the Gunns are each forearmed. Page blindsides one of his opponents then icono slams him. The Gunns then hit a 3D with a flatliner and win it.

This was just a squash and they didn't even announce the jobbers names here.

Ethan Page gets on the mic after. He said he hopes the Hardy's were watching as he showed them what a real team can do. He said they won't find out about their three man team on Sunday because they took out Isaiah Kassidy for good. They said it'll be the three of them vs the two Hardy's at the PPV. The Hardy's then come out.

Jeff said the ego's will be deleted on Sunday. Matt said Ethan's contract and @ss will be his. He said if they have to fight him 3v2, they will because fear is only a four letter word. Isaiah Kassidy comes out and said he isn't cleared to fight. He said he found a replacement though and Hook comes out. The heels then exit the ring and leave.

Lexi Nair interviews Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes. Dustin talked about the battle royale at the PPV. Dustin said after they get rid of Swerve and Cage, they can make a decision and see who will win this thing. Dustin said they know it's heated and they know what is coming their way. Lee says he can't wait for this.

I skipped the intergender match. The Outcasts are shown overtop of Jamie Hayter in the back. Jamie is holding her arm then Shida and Britt Baker go to see her. 

 Big Bill & Lee Moriarty vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta)

No split screen interview for this, yet Mark Henry still says there's been enough talk and it's time for the main event.

Chuck armlocks Lee, Lee then headflips out and dances. Bill headlock takeovers Trent, is headscissored then they stand off and Lee dances. Lee takes running corner moves then is double suplexed. Bill comes in and lariats Chuck over the top then throws Trent so hard into the buckles that he goes over the top.

We go to break and return. Chuck makes the hot tag into Trent who hits triple suplexes on Lee. Many of the battle royale participants on Sunday are seen outside. Chuck topes Bill but is caught and chokeslammed on the apron. Bill misses a corner splash on Trent then takes a soul foot into a half-nelson suplex. Trent takes a black hole slam from Bill then Trent takes a stiff double team drop.

Bill is seated on the top rope and Lee's head is banged into his crotch. Bill is double superplexed then Trent is facekicked off the apron by Lee. Lee takes a short piledriver by Chuck then Bill facekicks Chuck. Bill then chokeslams Chuck and gets the win.

I didn't think they did a good job of protecting Bill here and making him look that tough, but at least he picked up the win. The match was fine otherwise I guess, but nothing too special.

Bill and Lee go up to Fenix, Bandido and Kommander outside. They fight then Butcher, Blade and Kip Sabian join in. The Varsity Athletes then beat up on Trent and Chuck and Orange Cassidy comes out. The V-A's then run off when OC comes out for some reason. Brian Cage then comes out and Keith/Dustin follow him. Cage is beat up by them with awful strikes then Swerve Strickland comes out with Prince Nana. Swerve doesn't help out Cage though and just stands on the ramp .Keith Lee walks up the ramp at him and Swerve walks away. This whole brawl was terrible with tons of bad strikes.

Overall thoughts: This wasn't anything too interesting. The opener and the main were kind of okay, but it wasn't a real good show.