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Taz, Anthony Ogogo, and Excalibur welcomed the fans to the latest AEW Dark episode, and we moved to the first match of the evening.
#1. John Skyler vs. Brian Cage (w/ Hook) on AEW Dark
Cage dropped Skyler with a shoulder tackle, and this match never seemed like going on for long.
Skyler responded with a few kicks, and a dropkick but Cage answered with a massive Discuss clothesline. A massive powerbomb followed by the Drill Claw got Cage the win in the AEW Dark contest.
Result: Brian Cage def. John Skyler on AEW Dark
Grade: D
#2. Lee Johnson (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. Serpentio (w/ Luther) on AEW Dark
A collar and elbow tie-up began the match before both men tried to get wrist control. The agile performers engaged in a slick sequence, and it concluded with Johnson getting the upper hand with a clean dropkick.
Johnson even showed off his power with a big slam. Serpentico reacted with a strike to the face. Johnson executed a double-leg takedown, and he got in a few strikes from the top.
Serpentico created some separation and connected with a knee to the face. Serpentico avoided punches and connected with a thrust kick followed by a low DDT. The Chaos Project member got two near falls.
Serpentico got elevated over the top, and he came back in with an enziguri. He dropped his feet on Johnson's chest. Two-count. Serpentico was in control as Johnson was taken out with a viscous hammer throw in the corner.
Johnson got his feet up in the corner, and he began his comeback with two consecutive clotheslines. A kip-up followed a big hanging neckbreaker. Johnson was feeling it, and he rocked Serpentico with a Fishermen's Hushi Goroshi. Serpentico kicked out!
Serpentico stayed in the match with a few elbows, but Johnson managed to hit the Blue Thunder Bomb for the three-count.
Result: Lee Johnson def. Serpentico on AEW Dark
Grade: B
This was Lee Johnson's first singles win in AEW.
#3. JD Drake (AEW Debut) vs. Eddie Kingston on AEW Dark
Drake didn't back out from a fight, and he came in for the power struggle in the middle of the ring.
Kingston was having a tough time outmuscling Drake, and he connected with a chop. Drake responded with a massive chop before going back in the headlock.
Both men lit each other up with stinging chops. Kingston was getting bested in a striking exchange, and you don't see this often. Drake continued to connect with wicked shots.
Kingston got in one shot before landing a kick to the side of the face. Eddie executed a shoulder tackle from the middle turnbuckle, and he was now beginning to settle into the match.
Kingston's grueling striking offense was on full display. JD wasn't giving up as he kept coming back with the chops. This match was stiff and physical and turned in Drake's favor as he stopped Kingston in mid-air with a big right.
A running chop in the corner, the Urinagi, and a massive Vader bomb got Drake a near fall. That was close. Kingston slapped his way back into the match, but he still got caught with a high boot.
Drake was putting on a show on his AEW debut as he executed a cannonball in the corner. JD missed the moonsault press from the top rope, and he got knocked out with a back fist as soon as he got back on his feet. Kingston got the pinfall victory.
Result: Eddie Kingston def. JD Drake on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
#4. Leyla Hirsch vs. Brooke Havok (w/ Cody Rhodes) on AEW Dark
Nightmare Family standout Brooke Havok had the endorsement of Cody Rhodes, and that's the best thing anyone can ask for in AEW. Brooke Havok is incidentally Cody Rhodes' first student.
This was Havok's second pro wrestling match, and she did well in the early goings with a flipping neckbreaker and quick fall. Hirsch shut Havok down with a big shot and a perfectly executed delayed vertical suplex.
Hirsch has some strength! Havok tried a nimble pinfall attempt, but Hirsch kicked out. Both women had clean sequences.
Havok missed a splash, and Hirsch hooked her up for a pinfall. Leyla reversed a head scissors attempt to execute a big German suplex.
Hirsch transitioned to the mat and locked in the Juji Gatame, aka the armbar, for the win.
Result: Leyla Hirsch def. Brooke Havok on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
#5. Jurassic Express vs. Angel Fashion & VSK on AEW Dark
Jungle Boy and VSK started the match, and it was the Jurassic Express member who looked sharper. Fashion got the quick tag, and Jungle Boy continued his impressive form.
Luchasaurus got the tag, and he hammered both his opponents. Jurassic Express executed two hard double team moves on VSK. Fashion came in to make the save, but he got sandwiched with kicks. Jurassic Express hit the powerbomb combo on VSK for the win.
Result: Jurassic Express def. Angel Fashion & VSK on AEW Dark
Grade: D
#6. QT Marshall (w/ Nick Comoroto) vs. JJ Garrett (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Garrett went for an ankle pick, but QT wasn't falling for it. Marshall sprawled JJ down, and he used his advanced mat game to keep the fight on the ground.
Marshall was putting on a clinic as he connected with a shoulder tackle. He also showed us all how to do a perfect arm drag. Garrett got in two chops, but Marshall rattled him with a snap-back elbow.
Garrett tried, but he couldn't successfully fight out of a delayed vertical suplex.
Garrett got back in the match with a German suplex. He connected with a snapping elbow to the back of Marshall's head. A frog splash from the bottom rope came next from Garrett, who looked absolutely phenomenal.
Garrett rocked Marshall with an elbow strike followed by a spear and cannonball senton in the corner. An implosion-type senton got Garrett a near fall. The AEW debutant was putting on quite a performance, but he got caught in QT's pop-up forearm.
Marshall finished the match with the Diamond Cutter.
Result: QT Marshall def. JJ Garrett on AEW Dark
Grade: B-
#7. Marko Stunt vs. Max Caster on AEW Dark
Taz was indeed in high spirits tonight as he hummed all the top entrance songs tonight on AEW Dark. The next Taz segment on Botchamania is going to be epic!
Caster dropped another typical diss verse, and the match got underway. The Acclaimed member taunted Stunt early in the match, and that wasn't the best of ideas as Marko unleashed a flurry of strikes.
The agile Marko got a one-count with a diving shot to the back of the head. He climbed up to the top again, but Caster caught him and dropped him on the top rope. Stunt was pulled closer and laid out with a high-angle back suplex. Caster punished Marko with clubbing shots and kicks to the chest and head.
Marko almost stole one over Caster with a roll-up. He kept up his pressure with a running shooter start press for another two-count. Stunt went up to the top, but Caster leaped up and delivered a big suplex. A stylish kip-up and an elbow drop from the top rope gave Caster the win.
Result: Max Caster def. Marko Stunt on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#8. Alex Reynolds & John Silver vs. Chris Peaks & Louie Valle (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
Reynolds and Peaks locked up in the middle, and it was Peaks who got the early advantage.
Reynolds cracked back with a few uppercuts and a dropkick. Alex scoop slammed Peaks in his corner and made the tag to Silver.
Johnny Hungy got Peaks down with a couple of shoulder tackles and a roundhouse kick. Very Chuck Norris-esque!
Reynolds was now the legal man, and Peaks sent him crashing into the ropes. Valle got the tag, and they executed a drop toe-hold into the sliding knee double team combo.
Valle and Peaks now worked on Reynolds, and that kept him away from Silver. Peaks and Valle completed a 5-move sequence which ended with Valle's cannonball senton in the corner.
Reynolds finally broke free with an enziguri before making the hot tag to Silver.
Johnny Hungy was jacked and on a roll as he dominated against both opponents. Silver carried both Valle and Peaks on his shoulder and dropped them with a double Samoan drop.
Reynolds came in, and they executed the Dark Destroyer for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Alex Reynolds & John Silver def. Chris Peaks & Louie Valle on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#9. Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford) vs. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Sabian stunned Fuego with a facebuster early in the match, but Del Sol popped back with a dropkick. Kip took some time to recuperate on the outside before coming back in and catching Del Sol off guard with a right.
Sabian was in cruise control as he taunted and beat up Feugo. Sabian drove his knees into Fuego Del Sol's back. He followed it with a punt kick right across Fuego's head.
Sabian dove from the top, but Feugo moved away. Del Sol capitalized on an opening by countering the cazadora and delivering a moonsault off the middle rope. A flatline/backbreaker combo got Del Sol a near fall. Feugo signaled for the Tornado DDT, and he tried to set it up with a few kicks.
Sabian reacted with a big shot. Del Sol countered the Deathly Hallows into a quick roll-up. Sabian, however, hit the Deathly Hallows in the following sequence for the win.
Result: Kip Sabian def. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
The newly-wed couple celebrated the win in the ring.
#10. Varsity Blonds vs. Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo on AEW Dark
Brian Pillman Jr. and Carlie Bravo engaged in the usual tie-up, and it was Bravo won the first battle in the AEW Dark match.
Pillman connected with a strike, got wrist control, and made the tag to Griff Garrison. The Blonds showed off smooth tag team synergy, but Bravo still managed to create some confusion to make the tag.
The Captain came flying in over the top with an elbow drop. Bravo came down himself with a leg drop. Pillman made the blind tag, and Bravo, who didn't see it, ran into a big superkick.
Pillman worked on Bravo, and he connected with a big clothesline, a chop, and stomping kicks in the corner. Griff flattened Bravo with a scoop slam, and Pillman followed it with a diving senton for a two-count.
The match even had some painful-looking, twisting nipple attacks. Bravo reversed a powerbomb attempt to make the tag to Dean. The Captain had all the momentum on his side as he collided with Garrison in the corner with two significant kicks. Dean got a near fall with a DDT.
Bravo was the legal man and be executed the standing sliced bread. Dean followed through with a diving body press. Pillman jumped in to break the pinfall, and it turned out to be a crucial save.
Dean was sent out of the ring, and Garrison got control with a rolling strike on Bravo. The Blonds hot the dropkick/powerbomb top-rope combination for the win.
Result: Varsity Blonds def. Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
#11. Ryan Nemeth vs. Aaron Solow on AEW Dark
Ryan Nemeth surprised Solow with a good fireman's carry throw, and the match reset. Dolph Ziggler's brother was quite talkative during the initial stages.
Solow got in a few arm-drags and a big dropkick that sent Nemeth out of the ring. Solow scoop slammed Nemeth back in the ring, followed by a diving knee drop. The Hollywood Hunk took advantage of Solow's small mental lapse and yanked his shoulder onto the mat.
Nemeth executed an impressive hammerlock headstand, followed by two fist drops between Solow's eyes. A vicious Irish whip sent Nemeth hard into the corner. A shoulder to Solow's mid-section gave Nemeth a two-count.
Solow created some separation with a jawbreaker. He avoided a lariat attempt and connected with two of his own. Solow charged in with an uppercut in the corner.
Cezar Bononi and Peter Avalon came out to look at Solow, who got a near fall with a slam. Nemeth went back to Solow's elbow, but he ate a corkscrew kick.
Solow made his way to the top, but Nemeth was just playing possum. The Hollywood Hunk hit the neckbreaker for the win.
Result: Ryan Nemeth def. Aaron Solow on AEW Dark
Grade: B
That was quite an upset!
Ryan Nemeth, Avalon, and Bononi attacked Solow after the AEW Dark match. QT, Nick Comoroto, and Lee Johnson rushed to the ring to save their Nightmare Family compatriot. Bononi initially teased the option of taking on the Nightmare Family all by himself, but he eventually retreated.
#12. Ivelisse & Diamante vs. Miranda Alize & Renee Michelle on AEW Dark
Renee Michelle looked really good during the early exchanges, but a stiff punch from Ivelisse changed the momentum in the AEW Dark match.
Diamante came in, and so did Alize on the other end. Diamante and Ivelisse isolated Alize in their corner. Ivelisse executed a good T-bone suplex for a two-count. It should be noted that Ivelisse, Diamante, and Alize have been partners in the past.
Alize was sent into the waiting boot for Ivelisse, who continued the dominance for her team. Diamante and Ivelisse were also giving Alize a verbal beatdown. Alize got a break with a cutter, and Michelle got the tag.
Renee dished out shots to both women. A big hook kick dropped Ivelisse and Diamante had to break the pin. Diamante unleashed a barrage of kicks on Michelle in the corner.
Renee escaped a double team move, took Diamante out, and focussed on Ivelisse.
Alize got the tag, and she briefly hesitated. Alize trash-talked a little, but she got blindsided by Ivelisse. Stereo knee strikes, followed by two double team moves, got Ivelisse and Diamante the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Ivelisse & Diamante def. Miranda Alize & Renee Michelle on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#13. Top Flight vs. Tony Vega & Steven Stetson (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
Darius Martin and Tony Vega started the match for their respective teams.
Stetson and Dante got a piece of the action. Vega created a distraction, and Stetson used it to drop Dante with a big side suplex. Vega and Stetson kept Dante grounded in their corner.
Dante tried to leap over Stetson, who caught him and delivered an impromptu spinebuster. Dante still made the tag to Darius, and the Top Flight member gave a combo of kicks.
Darius hit a shotgun dropkick, and Vega was sent out of the ring. Dante was back in and, Top Flight delivered the Assisted Launching Dropkick for the victory on AEW Dark.
Result: Top Flight def. Tony Vega & Steven Stetson on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#14. Bear Country, Joey Janela & Sonny Kiss vs. M'Badu, Daniel Joseph, Aaron Frye & Levy Shapiro on AEW Dark
Bear Boulder and Daniel Joseph started the 14th (yes, 14th!) AEW match of the evening. It was Bear Country, and their opponents were just living in it. Boulder and Bronson squashed all opposition in the early goings of the AEW Dark match.
Frye and Sonny Kiss engaged in a fun little sequence before Janela received the tag. Kiss and Janela delivered a lethal combination.
Shapiro smartly got control of the match by blinding Janela with an eye rake. While Joey tried to fight back, his four opponents were successful in isolating him in the corner. M'Badu's entry into the match popped the commentary team.
Janela took out all members of the opposing team on the apron. He planted Shapiro high on the shoulders with a German suplex before making the tag to Bronson.
Bronson took out all members with clotheslines and a big Urinagi. Thus far, Bronson's sandwiching senton on two members of the opposite team was the AEW Dark match's best spot.
Janela used Boulder as a launchpad to take out multiple competitors on the outside with a senton. Shapiro got spiked with a Death Valley Driver by Janela, and Bear Country delivered their finisher to win.
Result: Bear Country, Joey Janela & Sonny Kiss vs. M'Badu, Daniel Joseph, Aaron Frye & Levy Shapiro on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#15. Peter Avalon & Cezar Bononi vs. Ryzin & Baron Black on AEW Dark
Black quickstepped his way to get to Bononi's back. However, the former NXT Superstar was just a freakish athletic specimen, and he bounced Black around the ring.
Peter Avalon got the tag, and he got caught in a stretch. Ryzin wanted to get in, and he did so with a kick from the top. Ryzin executed two shoulder blocks, followed by a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge.
Ryzin sent Avalon into the corner, and he followed him with a high-impact splash. Ryzin cut a promo on Avalon while beating him down. Avalon dropped Ryzin with a clothesline, and he even took Black off the apron.
Bononi got the hot tag, and he dropped Ryzin with an inverted body slam. Avalon and Bononi worked on Ryzin by making quick tags. Ryzin reversed an Irish whip and sent Avalon hard into the corner. Ryzin missed a second-rope moonsault. Avalon mistimed his move as well, and Ryzin finally made the tag to Baron Black.
Black laid out Avalon with a Manhattan drop and an exploder suplex. An infuriated Bononi chased after Black, and Ryzin was around for the assist.
Black got a near fall on Avalon with an Atomic Drop-backbreaker combo. Bononi broke up Black's cross-face on Avalon by using Ryzin as a weapon. Whether he liked it or not, Avalon hit the assisted Martinis on Black for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Peter Avalon & Cezar Bononi def. Ryzin & Baron Black on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#15. Co-Main Event: KiLynn King vs. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
King was in control of the wrists as we began the co-main event of the show. KiLynn, who was the tallest wrestler in the AEW women's division, had the size and power advantage over Price.
Tesha showed how tough she is with a few elbows, but King maintained control. Price had a mean streak about her tonight as she executed a drop toehold and connected with several power punches.
A diving back elbow from Price gave her the momentum to look for the win. Price screamed like a maniac as King kicked out. King caught Price mid-air before executing a fallaway slam.
Back on their feet, King got a near fall with a waistlock German suplex. Price reversed the Kingdom's fall for a quick pin attempt. King threw Price into the ropes before decking her with a big clothesline. King ended the AEW Dark match with her finisher.
Result: KiLynn King def. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#17. Main Event: Matt & Mike Sydal vs. TH2 vs. SCU on AEW Dark
Jack Evans and Mike Sydal got the main event underway. Daniels made the tag, and he got a two-count over Evans, who responded with a Pele kick.
Angelico was the legal man, and he peppered Daniels' legs with kicks. Daniels reacted by dropping Angelico down with a suplex. Kazarian got the tag, and he shut Angelico down with a diving stomp to the back.
Matt Sydal came in and engaged in a fast-paced sequence with Kazarian. Sydal got the better of Frankie with a leg lariat. His brother got into the action, too, with a beautiful standing moonsault press.
Matt Sydal was back in, and he executed a standing mariposa on Frankie. Kazarian created the separation, and he tagged Daniels in.
CD delivered a good crossbody with a leg sweep assist from Kazarian for a two-count on Matt Sydal. Mike and Jack were the legal men and, Sydal's movement and the offense looked clean.
All hell broke loose as Angelico got involved in the match, and Matt had to come in to help his brother. Mike Sydal was now on the receiving end of the punishment as TH2 wore the yoga freak out.
Angelico had Mike Sydal in one of the most innovative and visually pleasing submission moves we've seen in AEW. That was incredible. Daniels rushed in to break the hold.
Matt Sydal finally got the hot tag, and he took on both members of TH2. Sydal executed a driver on Angelico, but Evans made the save. SCU got knocked off the apron as TH2 looked to finish the match with Matt Sydal.
Matt stayed in the contest, and Rankie made the blind tag. Mike Sydal reappeared and connected with a big kick; He ate a Blue Thunder Bomb. Matt came down with the Meteora. All hell had broken loose!
Kazarian got a very near fall on Evans in the ring. Angelico broke up the pin, but he got taken out with an Arabian moonsault from Kazarian on the outside.
The Sydal brothers took out Kazarian and Angelico with a double tope suicida.
Evans also looked for a diving move to the outside, but Daniels caught him with a kick. Kazarian sneaked in for the reverse DDT, and that was enough to get SCU the win on AEW Dark.
Result: SCU def. Matt & Mike Sydal and TH2 on AEW Dark
Grade: A
You can watch all the 17 matches of the latest AEW Dark episode above.
