ITS A GOOD FRIDAY RAMPAGE - AEW RAMPAGE REVIEW 29/03

Welcome to this weeks episode of AEW Rampage. We have four matches so let's kick things off with some big men wrestling

MATCH 1: DUSTIN RHODES VS THE BUTCHER

A lockup to begin as we hit a stalemate as Rhodes avoided a hip toss. Snap arm drag follows after a sliding pin attempt from Dustin. Butcher is sent over the bridge to the outside as Dustin follows up with a lariat. A dragon screw follows up on Butcher as the back of his head hits the ring apron. Butcher rebounds by luring Dustin to the top rope as he tries pulling the left arm out of the socket. Butcher follows up by driving his knee into Dustin’s back while putting some torque on that damaged arm.

Butcher with a shoulder tackle that sends Rhodes to the outside. Butcher smashes Dustin’s hand on top of the steps. Butcher has done a good job focusing on the arm for most of the match. Dustin gets a two-count after hitting a code red. Butcher is now butting Rhodes’ shoulder. There is a swing and a miss as Dustin hits a couple of clotheslines. Dustin drops to his knees and hits an uppercut after being sent into the ropes. Dustin sets up Butcher in the corner for a series of right hands to Butcher. Rhodes follows up with a power slam for a kickout. Rhodes put into a cross-face after countering a crossroads attempt. Dustin uses his foot to hit the bottom rope for a rope break. Butcher misses a clothesline as Rhodes hits not one but two crossroads for the victory.

Here is your Winner: Dustin Rhodes

Great opening match. Butcher does not get the credit he deserves in my opinion. The guy can go in the ring with the best of them. Dustin Rhodes is just a legend. Still doing his best work at the age of 54. Love it.

MATCH 2: DEONNA PURRAZZO VS ROSE

A lockup sends Rose into the corner, followed by a headlock. Deonna with a nasty looking arm snap. Deonna returns to work on that arm, pulling off a couple of arm wrenches. Rose pulls off very little offense here as Deonna is chopping away at her. Rose tries coming in with a few spinning kicks as Deonna hits her with a big pump kick. Deonna, with a forearm strike, followed by a backbreaker, hits an arm-wrench submission hold. Dominating performance and Rose has no choice but to tap.

Here is your Winner: Deonna Purrazzo

Squash. The build up of Deonna continues.

MATCH 3: MARIAH MAY VS NIKKITA

Mariah hits a clothesline and a head toss, followed by a dropkick off the ropes. A spinning backslam follows as Mariah hits a dropkick on Nikkita’s back. Nikkita hits a couple of forearm shots and chops. A running bulldog follows. Mariah hits a headbutt to Nikkita for a near fall. Mariah hits the hip attack, followed by a falcon arrow for the victory.

Here is your Winner: Mariah May

Back to back squash matches. This gets a little tedious after a while. However I will never tire of seeing Mariah May. Future women's champion. Fact. And I love her. Fact.

MATCH 4: RODERICK STRONG VS MATT MENARD

Roderick with a hip toss early on to kick this main event off. Menard with a couple of hip tosses followed by a shoulder tackle from the corner. Strong has a submission hold on Menard. Menard returns to a vertical base before Strong grounds him again. Strong hits Menard with a camel clutch, and it looks like Menard is about to pass out. Menard returns to a vertical base as Strong knees him in the abdomen.

A couple of clubs to the back of Menard follow. Menard has a couple of right hands and a clothesline. Menard hits a few punches to the head from the corner. Menard hits rock bottom for a near fall. Menard with a rollup for a near fall as Strong hits a rib breaker. Menard somehow kicks out. Menard hits a Boston crab as Strong barely hits the ropes for the break. Menard hits a cutter and goes for the pin as Strong gets his leg on the ropes in time. Menard gets hit with a knee to the face and this one is all over.

Here is your winner: Roderick Strong

Post-match and the beat down is on until Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta come out for the save. Best Friends clear the ring and hug it out. Young Bucks come from out of nowhere to low-blow them and hit the EVP trigger.

An ok main event. Menard was only in this because of the hometown feel so there was never going to be an upset here. Story between the Bucks and best friends is building nicely too.

Two ok matches this week then two squashes. I still feel rampage needs a bit of a freshening up. Sometimes feels more like an episode of dark than a full show. See you tomorrow guys for Collision.