Arena: Target Center
City: Minneapolis, Min

Last Week’s Rating: 468,000 overall; 0.15 in 18-49 demo

Total viewership was up last week, but that .15 is still on the low end over the course of the year; tonight’s line-up doesn’t promise improvement.

And now…

It’s Saturday morning, and you know what that means…  it’s time for our Rampage Review!

Bryan Danielson kicked things off tonight, joining Tony to talk about Wednesday’s re-match with Daniel Garcia.  Nice to mix things up by not always beginning with a match.

‘I will never willfully stop wrestling.’

Garcia & his HHH-Kangol interrupted, calling Danielson his ‘hero’, when he wins Weds. he’ll be not just the Dragon Slayer, but the best technical sports entertainer on the planet.  BD put the youngster over but asked if he wanted to be the best technical sports entertainer or the best technical wrestler?  Intense, crowd behind it, very good segment.

Sammy Guevara & Tay Melo vs Dante Martin & Skye Blue, AAA Mixed titles

Backstory: Stems from the guys’ singles match a couple of weeks ago

So apparently, Conti was Tay’s name from a previous marriage, explaining the change.  Hell of a pop for Dante in his hometown.

JR, Schiavone & Excalibur on comms.

Starting quickly, Dante took Sammy down three times, struck and chopped with Sammy in the ropes but after whipping him across Tay tagged herself in.  Leading to Skye Blue crossbody-ing her way in from the top: stinging slaps from both ladies, crucifix pin for two by Blue, step-up knee, another, enziguri, Sammy with the trip, pump kick from Tay.

And you know what that means! Ads.

Both guys tagged in, another double leg from Dante, duck under, dropkick, Sammy sent to the outside.  Flipping his way over Tay, Martin struck with a tope suicida to Sammy.  Flinging him back in, Tay grabbed Dante’s leg for about 9 years right in front of Knox, eventually leading to a crazy step-up Destroyer off Tay’s back.  A jumping knee from Sammy followed, Tay struck Dante with a ddt, Blue responded with a hurracanrana off the top onto Sammy, but fell to the Tay-KO.

Breakneck, breathless opener before a receptive audience.  AAA could do worse than book this for themselves.

WINNER: Sammy & Tay

Lucha Bros package: Death Triangle back next week; not done w Andrade

Parker Boudreaux vs Sonny Kiss

Backstory: None

Well, here comes NXT’s leftovers.

Brief package showing the Trustbusters getting together on a recent Dark.  Crowd liked Kiss; didn’t care about Boudreaux.  Didn’t last long, Boudreaux won easily.  Trustbusters’ music has X-Factor vibes, not a good thing.

Of the many negatives HHH brings against AEW, one positive is that Tony Khan won’t be left to run around the sweet shop grabbing at whatever he wants regardless of how full he is, because presumably WWE won’t be cutting or underutilizing talent to the same degree any longer.

WINNER: Parker Boudreaux

Andrade was introducing Rush to Private Party, Kassidy got in the former’s face, they threw out a challenge to Swerve in Our Glory.  This wasn’t a good segment, only later could you piece-together what happened.

Erick Redbeard & Danhausen(Beardhausen) vs Gunn Club

Backstory: Danhausen interrupted Billy haranguing his boys on Wed

Danhausen very over, loud ‘Ass Boys’ chants as Redbeard dominated the Boys early, sending both fleeing to ringside.  Danhausen in, looking for the Curse but got punched by Austin.

Break time.

Scrambling for the tag, Danhausen got it, Redbeard running wild, flinging both Boys outside once more, pursuing them with a running crossbody, slingshot senton back inside and finally a spinning heel kick for a close 2.

With the Gunns attempting a double suplex, Redbeard reversed it, tagging in Danhausen as Billy Gunn low-bridged Redbeard, Fame-Asser by Austin to Danhausen.  Squeak-by victory.

Afterwards, Stokely Hathaway again approached the Ass Boys after Billy’d chewed them out.  Next Weds they’ve ‘got another match’.  Didn’t say who against.

WINNER: Gunn Club

Tag champs w Lexi.  Private Party made the challenge earlier.  Lee dismissed them since he beat both by himself on his first night in.  Swerve said they weren’t even ranked but accepted the challenge anyway.  Wow, what challengers.  Seems the tag titles are suffering from the focus on the trio’s belts.

Hook came out to talk to Tony, as did some dude named Zack Clayton, apparently from the Jersey Shore Reunion, which unfortunately isn’t taking place in a bloody, shark-filled pool.  Hook wanted to fight; Clayton begged-off ‘til next week.  FTW title on the line.

Orange Cassidy vs Ari Daivari 

Backstory: Daivari tried to recruit OC, they & partners face-off in trios tourney

Daivari’s a very good promo.  Orange started to say ‘Looks like there’s been enough talk…’ until Henry protested, taking over.

Yep, definite X-Factor vibes from that theme.  It’s not as bad but then what is?

Both brought their entourages.  Crowd were still hot.  Very good all night.

Daivari asked Orange to lay down for him.  As he went for the pin, Cassidy rolled away to the outside.  Then all the way to the other.  When it started, the action was quick: a series of standing switches, Orange leaped as Daivari ducked, dropkick, caught the boot, sent Ari to the buckle but was hung on the top rope via neckbreaker.

Locked in a sleeper as we returned, Cassidy backed Daivari into the ropes to free himself, a car-crash followed as the pair collided mid-ring.  After throwing a chop with Cassidy perched up-top, the heel was pushed away, a diving cross body followed but Ari replied with a stiff kick then a running hanging-neck-breaker until a counter by Cassidy left both on the mat.

Rapid sequence.

Blasted with a thrust kick, Ari countered the Orange Punch, hitting a uranage for 2.  Taking over, Cassidy hit an arm-drag, swinging ddt, to the top – diving ddt, 1,2, kickout.  Shenanigans on the outside saw Cassidy blast Boudreaux with a dive but be crotched on the top as he re-entered, leading to the Iconoclasm for two slaps of the mat.  Finally, after a series of ducks and counters, the Orange Punch brought the win.

Very, very good match.  Non-stop action.

Post-match, Parker Boudreaux entered, as did Sonny Kiss, turning by low-blowing Cassidy, leaving him to be destroyed by Boudreaux.  Who’s barely bigger than Orange, doesn’t have an impressive build; hard to see what the fuss is about.

WINNER: Orange Cassidy

Next Dynamite:

• Andrade, Rush & Dragon Lee vs Bucks & Mystery Partner
• Toni Storm vs KiLynn King
• Bryan Danielson vs Daniel Garcia, 2 out of 3 falls
• Gunn Club vs Varsity Blonds

Next Rampage:

• Hook vs Zack Clayton, FTW title
• Swerve in our Glory vs Private Party, AEW tag titles
• Best Friends vs Trustbusters, Trios Tourney

Dynamite 24/8:

• Death Triangle vs Will Ospreay & Aussie Open

Overall impressions

On paper, this looked a poor line-up.  Two stars (OC & Sammy) and ten guys mostly ranging from ‘who?’ to ‘who cares?’ suggested another bad Rampage.  Instead, tonight completed AEW’s best week of television for some time.  Doubtless, the crowd helped a lot but the show was pacy with action to match and nothing bad to drag it down.

Check Out… 

• Cassidy vs Daivari

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend!