AEW Rampage 7/14/2023

AEW Rampage 7/14/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/aew-rampage-772023.html 

Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes vs 2.0 (Matt Menard and Angelo Parker)

Parker's comb gets stuck and Lee double chops him. 2.0 is then slammed onto each other and Dustin is slammed onto both of them. Dustin armdrags both opponents and legdrops Matt's arm. Matt hits corner punches and Dustin drops down to punch him. Dustin hits corner punches on both opponents in a different spot.

Dustin has the rope pulled down and goes out. Parker corner spears Dustin then Dustin is whipped hard into the buckles. Parker jumps off of Matt's back with an elbow on Dustin's back. We go to PiP break and return. Dustin back body drops Parker but Lee was dropkciked off the apron and couldn't tag him. Dustin powerslams Matt.

Lee is tagged in and hits corner splashes and lariats on his opponents in the corners. Parker is thrown into Matt then Lee throws Dustin into both opponents. Dustin is knocked off the apron then Lee takes a double ddt. Parker tries to jump off of Matt's back but is caught and spinebustered onto his back. Lee then hits his F-U into a body press and wins it.

This was fine. The heels were faces and Dustin's offense looked good. Lee also was only used selectively and was used as a big man.

We go to QTV. Harley Cameron is helping Aaron Solo stretch. QT says everything is fine with Powerhouse Hobbs and promises to fix everything tomorrow. We are told Harley's rap song is ranked #12 in Turkey. We see Johnny TV getting out of a pool and he says The Acclaimed just got burned by Harley's fire rap. Johnny then says they want them in the ring into a trios match next week on Rampage.

Taya Valkyrie vs Izzy McQueen

Taya hits a big spear then curb stomps her. Taya then picks up the win.

This was a very short and pointless squash.

Toni Storm and Saraya then come out. Toni calls Taya a loser and says she's a loser because she's Canadian. Taya said she should be worried about her title. Toni said she already has beaten everyone. Taya then says they have never wrestled. Taya challenged her to a match tomorrow night at Battle of the Belts for the women's title. She accuses her of being worried then Toni agrees. Toni said she will embrarass and humiliate her in front of her friends, family and countrymen. 

We see Hook at some cafe. He says he is giving Jungle Boy a shot at the title next week.

Lance Archer vs Trent Beretta

Lance runs over Trent with a running forearm then throws his coat on him. Jake Roberts is finally back with him. Trent hits forearms then is dropped with one. Lance clubs his chest and chops him in the corner saying, "no hugging in here, baby". Trent slaps him then pulls him over the top. Trent dropkicks him through the ropes and is caught on his tope attempt. Trent 2nd rope moonaults him on the floor.

Jake hits a cheapshot on Trent and short arm lariats him. We go to PiP break and return. Trent half nelson suplexes Lance but really just pull him down. Trent knees him then piledrivers him for 2. Trent hits forearms and Lance just laughs. Lance does a stiff bodyblock and Trent flying knees him. Lance then hits the blackout soon after and does a sitff lariat for the win.

I didn't like Lance taking a piledriver and like I do every week, I have to ask why Trent always has to be protected so much.

Chuck Taylor gets in the ring after and is beaten up. Lance then calls out Orange Cassidy, telling him to come out now. He says he wants the International Title at Battle of the Belts and says Trent and Chuck die if he doesn't come. Trent grabs OC and Jake tells him not to kill the golden goose. He says the goose comes Saturday. He grabs OC's title in the bag and says it's theirs now. He tells him to come and get it on Saturday if he has the balls.

Jeff Jarrett and friends argue in the back. We then see Matt Hardy, Page and Brother Zay. Page says he will show that actions have consequences and we find out that both teams will be in the Royal Rampage match. Dutt then talks in an Indian accent and says they will be deleted. 

Konosuke Takeshita vs Mentallo

Don Callis gets on the mic after the bell rings and says the opponent is here because he's the childhood friend of Kenny Omega. He said he was Kenny's first trading partner and said Kenny has a need to be surrounded by his idiot friends. Don asks the guy in the mask if he knows the Japanese word for kill then Takeshita jumps him.

KT running facekicks him then Mentallo spin kicks him before taking a big lariat. KT hits mounted punches then Mentallo dragon screws him. Mentallo germans him for 2 and 2nd rope superplexes him. KT then does a package tombstone and a top rope senton for the win.

This was just a shorter squash with KT winning as expected. KT's top rope senton was nice.

The Dark Order are interviewed and are asked why then turned on Page. Silver said he deserved it and said everyone leaves them and they do nothing about it. Silver said they made him a world champ and he abandoned them. Alex says they became soft and weak are bred to be the lions of AEW. Alex says last week was the Dark Order's resurrection. Uno said they won't waste time on fake friends and says it's time to rebuild. He asks, "are you Dark Order or are you not".

I think Dark Order are supposed to be the heels here, but they came across as the faces since Page did indeed abandon them.

Mark Henry says Willow faces Athena tonight and we see clips of their promo together last week. The winner of their match tonight faces Ruby Soho in the finals of the Owen Hart Women's Tournament tomorrow.

Owen Hart Women's Tournament Semifinal - Willow Nightingale vs Athena

They trade waistlocks and Athena is thrown from one. Willow shoulders her over then Athena pounces her. Willow headscissors her then hits a running forearm. Athena did Willow's pose so Willow is now doing her pose. Athena misses an elbow drop then has her leg pulled over the middle rope. Athena hits forearms and kicks her in the back. Athena basement dropkicks her for 2.

We go to PiP break and return. Willow pounces her then hits clotheslines. Willow hits a spinebuster then is rolled up. Athena spin kicks her in the gut and gordbusters her. Athena then hits a forearm for 2. They trade chops and Athena hits machine gun chops. Willow slams her, misses a senton then Athena standing moonsaults her for 2. Ruby Soho is watching in the back as Athena crossfaces her. Willow death valley drivers her for 2. and Athena dives at her knees. Willow rolls her up and wins it.

Having Athena lose was stupid. She's on a 39 match winstreak and lost here without any real build. It makes no sense whatssoever and was just awful booking. And why would you do this on Rampage and not at the ROH PPV? The match wasn't that bad, but that just horrible booking. This is one of the problems that comes up when you want to use people across different brands.

Overall thoughts: The opener was fine and the main was fine too, but it's Rampage and I wouldn't recommend going to see it. Having Athena lose after 39 wins in a match without much build that few people will see is so stupid and counters anything good on this show many times over. I cannot believe they had Athena lose tonight.