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AEW Dark is the secondary YouTube show of All Elite Wrestling that airs on Tuesdays on 7PM EST. The show has featured some great matches including Kenny Omega vs. Joey Janela in a Lights Out match. It has also featured some of their stars who do not get TV time on Dynamite like Scorpio Sky and Shawn Spears. Since the start of the pandemic, Dark has been a home for some of the best independent wrestlers in the world.
Whether it be trainees from the Nightmare Factory or stars of GCW, AEW Dark have been giving these competitors a mainstream platform to display their skills. Some competitors featured have only been in the business for a few years. The opportunity on AEW Dark has allowed them to keep progressing when the amount of places to work has been limited.
In this article, we will be taking a look at the five must-see wrestlers on AEW Dark. Some of the wrestlers featured have either been on the show regularly or have made appearances in the past. We will also list some matches for you to watch.
#5 Ben Carter (vs. Lee Johnson - AEW Dark 9/22/20, vs. Ricky Starks AEW Dark 9/8/20)
Ben Carter has been the most talked about independent wrestler this week. After his barnburner of a match against Scorpio Sky on AEW Late Night Dynamite, Carter saw himself trending on Twitter. However if you have watched AEW Dark over the last few weeks, you would know that Ben Carter has been the hottest prospect featured on All Elite Wrestling.
Carter was first featured on AEW Dark against Ricky Starks in the main event of the September 8th episode. This was a fast paced match, which showed his smooth work in the ring. The trainee of Seth Rollins' Black And Brave showed off his diverse skillset and strong chemistry with Starks in this contest. On this past week's episode, Carter was able to do even better.
The September 22nd episode of AEW Dark featured Ben Carter against Lee Johnson. The two men had an absolutely captivating encounter that had both men showing off their excellent agility and athleticism. The native of the Isle of Jersey gained the victory with his "Frozen In Time" frog splash over Johnson in one of the best matches in the history of AEW Dark.
Matches like these are why fans have wanted AEW to sign Ben Carter.
#4 Lee Johnson (vs. Ben Carter - AEW Dark 9/22/20, vs. Rey Fenix - AEW Dark 8/11/20)
One of the wrestlers who has been featured a lot on AEW Dark is Lee Johnson. Although he has been used as an enhancement talent on Dynamite, Johnson has gotten more in-ring time on the Tuesday night show shown on YouTube. Lee has shown some nice athleticism in the ring and very solid selling of his opponent's offense.
His aforementioned encounter on the September 22nd AEW Dark with Ben Carter cannot get enough praise. The two men had a very entertaining contest that gave them a proper platform to showcase their skills. The sequences, reversals and counters created a memorable display for both Carter and Johnson. However, this is not the only time Lee Johnson has had a chance to stand out despite tasting defeat.
On the August 11th episode of AEW Dark, Lee Johnson met one half of the Lucha Brothers, Rey Fenix. This was a showcase match for the luchador, but Johnson was able to show his ability to sell his opponent's offense tremendously well. Keeping up with Fenix is not an easy task for anyone. However, Johnson was able to do this and looked like a star even in defeat.
#3 "The Captain" Shawn Dean (vs. Kip Sabian - AEW Dark 9/1/20; vs. Sammy Guevara - AEW Dark 5/5/20)
"The Captain" Shawn Dean is another wrestler who has been featured prominently on AEW Dark over the past few months. Mostly used as an enhancement talent, it is harder for guys like Dean to standout. However whether it is through his looks or confidence, Shawn Dean has been one that has continued to improve throughout the past few months.
On the September 1st episode of AEW Dark, Dean faced off against Kip Sabian. Sabian is one of the many talented contracted stars of All Elite Wrestling who have gotten more in-ring time over on the Tuesday night show. In this match, Sabian had a chance to show off his technical ability and cocky persona as well. Sabian's overconfidence did allow Dean to find an opening and show off his in-ring prowess, which included a very nice German suplex as well. Dean's selling allowed Sabian to look very strong in this win.
One of Dean's earliest appearances on AEW Dark was on the May 5th episode where he faced the Inner Circle's, Sammy Guevara. Due to the size of Guevara, Shawn Dean was able to show off his impressive strength with a stalling vertical suplex and his agility with a roll through knee drop. Guevara got the victory, but this was the earliest sign that AEW might have something in store for the man known as "The Captain".
#2 Dani Jordyn (vs. Abadon - AEW Dark 9/1/20; vs. Big Swole - AEW Dark 6/16/20)
AEW Dark is not just a platform for young male independent wrestlers, but also the female talent as well. Dani Jordyn is an independent star who got some shine on NWA The Circle Squared where the National Wrestling Alliance gave lesser-known indie talent a chance to shine on their YouTube channel. In November of last year, Jordyn also made her debut for All Elite Wrestling.
Jordyn is a talent that has a lot of charisma. Her mean girl persona is quite entertaining and highlights her self-confidence despite her short time in the business. Jordyn's match on the September 1st episode of AEW Dark against Abadon showed her ability to play the scared heel facing off against an intimidating opponent.
Jordyn's June 16th AEW Dark match facing Big Swole once again highlighted her cockiness. Jordyn also showed a great amount of aggression against the confident Swole. Just four years into her career, there is plenty of room for Dani Jordyn to grow. However, she has already shown a tremendous amount of potential and would be a welcomed full-time addition to the much-maligned women's division of AEW.
#1 Brian Pillman Jr. (vs. Eddie Kingston - AEW Dark 9/22/20, vs. Brian Cage - AEW Dark 7/14/20)
If you watched MLW Fusion or been to a top independent promotion, you should know who Brian Pillman Jr. is. The son of the "Loose Cannon" has been tearing it up in Major League Wrestling and the independent scene for the past few years. He has found himself on AEW Dark since this past summer and has made the most of every opportunity in the ring.
The September 22nd AEW Dark featured Pillman Jr. in the main event against Eddie Kingston. This was a hard-hitting affair that allowed Pillman Jr. to get in more offense than we have been able to see from him on the Tuesday show.
Brian has been teaming with Griff Garrison as part of "The Blondes" on Dark, but he showed a lot in this singles outing to prove that he has all the potential to be in there with anyone.
His second match in All Elite Wrestling was against FTW Champion Brian Cage on the July 14th episode of AEW Dark.
Pillman Jr. gave up a lot of size in this one, so this made for a good David vs. Goliath dynamic. Cage was dominant ahead of his AEW World Title match on Fight For The Fallen, but Pillman Jr. stood out by highlighting his excellent ability to sell his opponent as a beast.
If you can tell one thing from this article, there are plenty of talent on the Tuesday night YouTube show. If you are missing out on AEW Dark, now is the time to start watching.
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