AEW Rampage Review – September 29, 2023
Trios Titles Match
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & Billy Gunn (c) vs. The Hardys (Matt & Jeff) & Isiah Kassidy
Anthony Bowens delivers a pair of kicks to Isiah Kassidy then follows it up with a Famouser before Bowens plants Kassidy then tags in Max Caster. Matt Hardy tags in and lands a kick before Jeff Hardy tags in and delivers a splash from the middle rope.
Jeff lands a kick before Billy Gunn & Matt tag in and Matt delivers a back elbow and a kick then he follows it up with 3 Faces Of Deletion and tags in Jeff.
Kassidy tags in and they use Matt as a launching pad to go flying before The Acclaimed take out The Hardys & Bowens delivers Scissor Me Timbers to Kassidy as we go to a break.
After the break Gunn tags in and delivers a right hand to Matt on the apron then charges at Kassidy in the corner but Kassidy ducks out of the way and lands an enzuigiri. Jeff tags in and clotheslines Gunn out of the ring. He hits a side Russian leg sweep on Bowens and goes for a pin but Caster kicks out.
Jeff then hits Whisper In The Wind to The Acclaimed then Gunn looks for Famouser but Jeff ducks out of the way. Matt then lands a neckbreaker but The Acclaimed take down Matt.
Kassidy & Bowens tag in and Kassidy delivers a Tornado DDT off the top rope before The Acclaimed then double team on him and hits a assisted Falcon Arrow for the win.
Winners & Still Trios Champions: The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!!)
We then head backstage and see a confrontation between Eddie Kingston & Jay Lethal, The Jarretts, Satnam Singh & Sonjay Dutt.
NJPW Strong Openweight Title Match
Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Rocky Romero
Match starts off with a lock up then Rocky Romero delivers a dropkick and looks for a shoulder tackle but Eddie Kingston blocks it. Romero then delivers a hurricanrana that sends Kingston out of the ring before delivering a pair of tope suicidas then looks for a 3rd one but Kingston catches him and executes a delayed vertical suplex as we go to a break.
After the break Romero delivers a kick to Kingston’s chest then Kingston asks him if that’s all he’s got and Romero delivers another kick to his chest. He follows it up with a dropkick stomp combination off the top rope but Kingston responds with a lariat and rapid fire chops.
They teeter on the ropes before Romero executes a Sliced Bread before Kingston fires back with a pair of Urakens and locks in Stretch Plum for the win.
Winner By Submission & Still NJPW Strong Openweight Champion: Eddie Kingston (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the match Kingston & Romero bow down to one another as a sign of respect. Katsuyori Shibata’s music then hits and he makes his way down to the ring & he offers his hand to Kingston & he takes it.
Tag Team Match
The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch) vs. Caleb Crush & Gunnar
Dutch levels Caleb Crush & Gunnar right out of the gate. Vincent goes after Crush before Dutch levels him and Gunnar with a Sidewalk Slam then Vincent delivers another Sidewalk Slam to Crush for the win.
Winners: The Righteous
Women’s Title #1 Contenders Match
Hikaru Shida vs. Ruby Soho
Hikaru Shida lands a shoulder tackle then she looks to rain down right hands in the corner but Soho rolls out of the ring to take a breather. She gets back in and fires off shoulders on Shida’s midsection.
Shida fires back with a forearm and a few right hands then lands a boot on her head and sends her into the top turnbuckle face first.
She then fires off right hands and lands a springboard crossbody before firing off more right hands in the corner. Shida then lands a dropkick off the middle rope as we go to a break.
After the break Soho & Shida are exchanging forearms but Shida gains the upper hand and delivers a knee then follows it up with a suplex and sets up for the Katana but Soho rolls out of the ring and Shida lands a kick off the ring steps.
She then gets Soho up on her shoulders and drags her up the ramp but Soho slips out of her grasp and lands a pair of right hands then delivers a pair of headbutts and runs back down to the ring to break the referee’s 10 count.
Soho delivers a knee to Shida then follows it up with a Saito Suplex then the referee then goes down and Soho hits Destination Unknown then goes for the pin but the referee isn’t around to count the fall then she grabs Shida’s kendo stick but Shida wrestles it away from her and cracks it across her head.
She follows it up with the Katana and goes for a pin but the referee is still down then Aubrey Edwards runs down and counts the fall but Soho manages to kick out. Soho executes a back heel trip and ascends to the top rope.
She looks for a senton but Shida rolls out of the way and lands a Falcon Arrow then goes for a pin but Soho kicks out and lands No Future but Shida fires back with Katana for the win.
Winner & #1 Contender To The Women’s Title: Hikaru Shida
