AEW Rampage 5/18/2024

AEW Rampage 5/18/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/aew-rampage-5112024.html

Kyle O'Reilly vs Lee Moriarty

Lee gets up in his face before it starts. Lee wristlocks him then rolls out of a wristlock. Kyle puts both of his arms down and Lee bridges. Lee goes for the kimura and Kyle goes for the armbar. Lee grounded chokes him.

Lee hits a back elbow then hits punches to the gut. Kyle flying knees him in the gut then slaps him. They trade forearms. Kyle leg kicks him and yanks his arm. Kyle is flatlinered into the buckles then Lee basement dropkicks Kyle's arm.

We go to PiP break and return. Lee armlocks Kyle then goes for a choke. Kyle hits a stirke combo then legsweeps him. Kyle backdrops Lee and puts him in a leglock. Lee spin kicks him in the gut then Kyle running knees him in the chest. Lee splits Kyle's fingers then jumping facekicks him in the corner for 2.  Lee puts Kyle in a border city stretch. Kyle regalplexes him out of it in a cool spot.

Kyle and Lee trade kicks then grab each other's legs and slap each other. They then high kick each other at the same time and both go down. Lee's arm is banged off of Kyle's shoulders. Kyle does a guillotine choke + hammerlock. Lee headbutts Kyle then Kyle triangles him. Kyle PK's Lee then falcon arrows him into an armbar. Kyle then wins it.

Thoughts: It was a solid wrestling match here with lots of trading kicks and various holds. It went a little longer than it needed to and would have been better with any kind of build behind it though. Kyle's arm got busted open here.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn are interviewed. Billy wants to talk about everyone going crazy and running wild. He says The Bucks are abusing their authority. He says if you want to get crazy and get wild, he's the man. Billy also says he has a problem with authority. Max says everyone is afraid to wrestle them so it's Brian Cage vs Bowens tonight. He says Cage's brain is antiquated and he needs to update his software. Bowens says they are the foundation of AEW. He says The Acclaimed train will run through Cage tonight. 

Rush vs Cody Chhun

This is Rush's return after being off TV for a while. Cody's done jobs on Dark before. The crowd chants C4 at Chhun which is his team. Rush hits a big flying forearm in the corner, dropping Cody. Rush then corner basement dropkicks him. Rush then gets the quick win in a total squash.

Rush beats up Cody after, throwing him hard into the rails and hitting forearms. Rush then whips him with a cable and chokes him with it. Ref's come down to break it up.

Bryan Danielson is interviewed outside the trainer's room. Bryan says FTR can't make it to Dynamite this week due to injuries. Bryan says he's still here though and will be at Dynamite. He tells them to take any shot they want but shoot hard as they won't like the consequences if they miss.

Deonna Purrazzo vs Robyn Renegade

DP takes her down by the arm. RR wristlocks her and DP rolls out of it. DP trips her then RR rolling fireman's carries her. DP rolls her up for 2 then armdrags her. DP headlock takeovers her then armbars her.

We go to PiP break and then full break. RR hits a nice forearm flurry then lariats DP over heard. RR kneelifts her then double stomps her over the middle rope. DP pump kicks her then armdrags her. DP pump kicks her, single arm ddt's her and armbars her to win it.

Thoughts: It went longer than I had expected here. Robyn had a nice little comeback after the break before being put down. This was a squash.

DP puts Robyn in a hold after then Thunder Rosa comes out to make the save. DP pushes Rosa from behind and runs. Rosa grabs DP and rams her into the side of the ring. DP then runs away.

We get a Scorpio Sky video. He says it was easy to win titles but that doesn't mean he doesn't relate to other people. He said when people want to see a star, they look up at the sky. He says that puts him in the perfect place to pull people up with him. He says he's here for the fans and is coming back.

Sonjay Dutt is interviewed and tells Lexy to leave. He says he put a price on Bryan's head with The Elite. He says he will be on Dynamite this week and says Satnam Singh will take Bryan out on Wednesday. Sonjay says they will have one hell of a cookout on Wednesday.

Brian Cage vs Anthony Bowens

Max tells Brian to get off the ozempic and says he will run him out like Dame. Bowens is shoved back and Cage poses. Bowens hits chops and Cage shoves him back. Bowens goes up and over then wraparound ddt's him. Cage spinebusters him then hits corner spears. Cage running euros him in the corner then backdrops him.

Cage hits chops then Bowens dragon screws him. Bowens dropkicks him in the knee while he's on the apron. Bowens is powerbombed into the post. We go to a long PiP break and return.

Bowens facekicks Cage. He jumps at him off the buckles then cradles him for 2. Bowens hits punches. Cage spin kicks him and knees him then Bowens drops him with a superkick. Bowens does an over the back fameasser for 2. Cage does a full-nelson slam for 2. Bowens ddt's Cage on the apron over the middle rope.

Cage deadlift superplexes Bowens from the 2nd rope for 2. Bowens avoids a reverse sitout slam. Cage lariats him then Bowens spinning forearms him. Bowens superkicks him and running PK's him for 2. Bowens is nearly pushed into the ref. Cage nearly hits the ref then low blows Bowens. Cage drill claws Bowens and wins it.

Thoughts: I wasn't a big fan of this. The legwork didn't lead to anything here and I didn't like Cage needing to cheat to beat Bowens, who isn't even a singles wrestler.

Overall thoughts: I suppose it was okay overall but it wasn't must see and was mostly filler. Kyle vs Lee was a decent match and easily the best thing on here. I wouldn't recommend this.