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Penelope Ford vs. Masha Slamovich (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Thunder Rosa put the Russian debutant over as a promising performer as they wrestled a 25-minute match outside AEW. Masha showed tremendous arm control to keep Ford on the back foot in the early goings.
Slamovich tasted success with a few overhand chops, but Ford countered with a hammer throw. Masha responded with an up kick, but the back-and-forth sequence ended with Ford on top.
Penelope grinded Masha's face against the rope before connecting with a round kick to the spine. Ford missed her standing moonsault as it ended up looking like a flipping headbutt.
Ford executed a full-extension dropkick, but she wasn't done as the "Super Bad Girl" caught Masha with a knee drop on the apron. Slamovich responded with a few back fists, followed by a bridged half-and-half suplex for a near fall.
Penelope, however, lured Masha into the firewoman's carry position before delivering a gutbuster. Ford forced Masha to tap out to a modified Indian deathlock (a leg lock accompanied by the back arch).
Result: Penelope Ford def. Masha Slamovich on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Penelope attacked Masha after the match, which got Thunder Rosa on her feet and into the ring instantly for the save. Ford vs. Rosa seems like the next major program in the women's division.
Kiera Hogan vs. Kris Statlander (w/ Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta) on AEW Dark
Former IMPACT Wrestling star Kiera Hogan returned for another match following her loss last night to Hikaru Shida on AEW Dark: Elevation.
Kris Statlander had the height advantage on Hogan, and she looked annoyed when the referee prevented her from doing the 'boop.'
Hogan answered with a big shot across the jaw but got caught in a waistlock. The ex-IMPACT star chopped Kris with a few kicks and a running dropkick in the corner.
Kiera got a two-count from the high-impact move. Hogan then trapped Statlander in a guillotine, but Statlander showed unreal strength to reverse it into a delayed vertical suplex.
"AEW's Alien" received a standing ovation as she kept Hogan up for an insanely long time. Statlander then connected with two knee lifts and a fireball bomb. Kiera kicked out of the subsequent pinfall, much to the surprise of Statlander.
Hogan showed a lot of heart to stay in the match and deliver a hanging neckbreaker. Statlander was a demanding customer, though, as she got right back with an atomic chair facebuster.
Kris signaled for the end as she delivered the Big Bang Theory for the win.
Result: Kris Statlander def. Kiera Hogan on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Hogan and Statlander had a solid outing, and the former IMPACT Wrestling star deserves a lot of praise for her performance.
As expected, Best Friends 'gave the people what they wanted' with a group hug to end the post-match segment.
