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Taz and Excalibur kicked off the latest episode of AEW Dark by welcoming the viewers. We moved on to the first match of the show, which incidentally featured a Team Taz member.
Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) vs. Dean Alexander on AEW Dark
Hobbs jumped Alexander from behind before the match began. Powerhouse didn't even let Alexander take his jacket off as he trucked him down to the mat.
Alexander responded with a few purposeful rights, but Hobbs overpowered him and dropped him down to the mat with a spinebuster for the three-count.
Result: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Dean Alexander on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Dante Martin vs. Falco on AEW Dark
Martin and Falco locked up and wasted no time in engaging in a high-flying exchange. Martin executed a single-leg dropkick, followed by a crossbody on the outside.
The Top Flight member, as expected, used all of his explosiveness to catch Falco off guard. Falco shut Martin down with a double underhook suplex. Falco had a top wrist lock on Dante, and he maintained control with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
Dante Martin began his comeback with a leaping lariat, followed by a dropkick. Dante got a near fall with a springboard moonsault press before heading to the top for the 450 splash.
Falcon stopped him in his tracks and wobbled Dante with several punches. Martin pushed Falcon back to the mat before coming down hard with the 450 splash for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Dante Martin def. Falco on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Matt Hardy cut a promo from his residence and announced Hardy Family Office representatives for the Casino Battle Royal match.
Matt Hardy and Private Party will be in the match. The faction leader also had a threatening message for The Dark Order.
Dark Order's 10 vs. Ryzin on AEW Dark
10 exerted his power advantage over Ryzin with an aggressive tie-up. Ryzin connected with a shot to the head, followed by an s-grip takedown.
10 also landed a side headlock takedown before dropping Ryzin once again with two big shoulder tackles. Vance executed a Cazadora German suplex, and the finish seemed near.
Vance softened Ryzin up with clotheslines in the corner. Ryzin escaped the Full Nelson by slithering out of the ring. Ryzin managed to get a two-count and a leg lariat once he got back into the ring.
Vance, however, landed two big clotheslines, followed by a pump kick in the corner. 10 executed the spinebuster, but he ate the double boots in the corner.
Ryzin missed the Senton Atomico and finally got caught in the Full Nelson.
Result: Dark Order's 10 def. Ryzin on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Chuck Taylor (w/ Trent, Kris Statlander & Orange Cassidy) vs. Aaron Rourke (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Chuck Taylor used a shoulder tackle to unsteady Rourke, but the AEW debutant got back with a dropkick. Rourke showboated and got decked with a right for his taunts.
Taylor kept up the pressure with a back body suplex and clubbing cross-shots to the back. Taylor kept targeting Rourke's back by driving his knees into them. Rourke stomped his way to the feet and leaped up with an enziguri.
Taylor kicked Rourke in the head after a hug with Trent. Rourke came running in for a corner shot, but Taylor moved out of the way.
Rourke crashed face-first into the bottom turnbuckle. Chuck finished the match with the Awful Waffle. It should be noted that Rourke was dropped right on his head. Ouch!
Result: Chuck Taylor def. Aaron Rourke on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Lance Archer was involved in an intense backstage vignette up next in which he promised to win the TNT Championship from Miro.
Lee Johnson (w/ Cody Rhodes) vs. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Gear up for a high-flying contest as both of these men prefer the aerial route. It was also great to see Cody Rhodes on AEW Dark in support of his fellow Nightmare Family member. Johnson and Del Sol exchanged arm drags to begin the match.
Johnson mocked Del Sol, which irritated the luchador. Del Sol responded with the step-up hurricanrana followed by a Tiaras. Big Shotty Lee reacted with a big dropkick.
Johnson sent Del Sol into the corner with a hammer throw, and he followed through for a brutal elbow. Johnson hit a suplex and got a two-count. Taz felt that Johnson was a little arrogant in his demeanor.
Johnson got caught in a Boston crab, but Lee broke free with a few up-kicks. Lee executed a three-move combo that included a fireman's carry slam, a kick to the head, and a standing moonsault. Del Sol kicked out at two from the subsequent pinfall.
Johnson drove his knee between the shoulder blades of Del Sol. Fuego broke the hold with a jawbreaker and evaded a few punches before dropping Johnson with a Stunner.
Both men were down on the mat as the referee began the ten-count. They used the ropes to beat the count at eight, and Del Sol drew first blood with a series of forearm shots.
Del Sol leaped off the top rope to lay out Johnson on the outside with a moonsault. Back in the ring, Del Sol delivered a diving crossbody from the top turnbuckle. Johnson rolled through and picked him up, but Del Sol escaped for a quick pinfall.
Johnson kicked out, but Del Sol rocked his opponent with a savage kick to the face. Del Sol almost pulled off a massive upset win right there!
Johnson, however, countered Del Sol's Tornado DDT with the Blue Thunder Powerbomb for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Lee Johnson def. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Grade: A
The Acclaimed dissed Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston in their new song. It's pretty darn catchy!
Dark Order's Evil Uno & Colt Cabana vs. Tamilian Vineesh & Duncan Mitchell (AEW Tag Team debut) on AEW Dark
Evil Uno and Colt Cabana came in for a very hasty introduction as they rushed towards their opponents for a handshake.
Cabana scoop slammed Vineesh to start the match before tagging Evil Uno. The Dark Order members executed a four-piece combo on Vineesh, which forced a tag on the other end.
Mitchell came in and got laid out with an assisted neckbreaker. Cabana and Uno stomped away on Mitchell and executed a smooth Manhattan drop-dropkick combo.
Duncan landed a Hail Mary to create some separation to tag Vineesh, who executed an excellent Russian leg sweep on Cabana. Duncan got the tag, and the heels attempted a double team move that went wrong. Cabana moved out of the way, and Duncan rocked his partner with a forearm shimmer.
Cabana got the tag and hit a neckbreaker-DDT combo on Vineesh and Mitchell. Cabana hit the flying apple in the corner on Mitchell, followed by a big boot from Uno.
Uno delivered the Senton Atomico before Colt ended the match with the Billy Goat's Curse (Reverse Boston crab).
Result: Dark Order's Evil Uno & Colt Cabana def. Tamilian Vineesh & Duncan Mitchell on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Cezar Bononi (w/ Peter Avalon, Ryan Nemeth & JD Drake) vs. Marko Stunt on AEW Dark
AEW booked a classic David vs. Goliath battle! The size difference in this AEW Dark match was immense! Marko Stunt used his low center of gravity and speed to stay away from Bononi's hands during the initial minutes of the contest.
Cezar still managed to get hold of Stunt as he ragdolled the Jurassic Express member across the ring. Stunt reversed a suplex with knees to the head. He followed up with a dropkick and another kick to the knee. Stunt connected with the diving elbow drop from the top before reversing a press slam into a DDT. Stunt raked Bononi in the face before delivering the move.
Cezar, however, was done with Stunt's sneaky yet explosive move-set as he executed the belly-to-back suplex lifted into a double knee backbreaker (Hu3 Driver). Cezar covered Marko for the three-count.
Result: Cezar Bononi def. Marko Stunt on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Drake, Nemeth and Avalon attacked Stunt after the match, which prompted Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy to come out for the save on AEW Dark.
Jungle Boy announced his entry into the Casino Battle Royal next in a backstage segment.
Nick Comoroto (w/ The Factory) vs. Adrian Alanis on AEW Dark
Alanis hooked Comoroto's back early on, but Nick used his power to create some distance. Alanis knocked Comoroto back a couple of steps with a dropkick. Adrian strung all the right moves together as he kicked his way into the match.
However, Alanis walked into a powerslam, and just like that, the monster took control of the proceedings.
Comoroto had his way with Alanis as he suplexed him at will. Alanis fired back with a big elbow strike.
Comoroto absorbed a discus clothesline and almost beheaded Alanis with a lariat. Comoroto broke Alanis in half with a vicious powerbomb, which was enough to get him the win. It was an absolutely horrific bump, and the dead silence in the arena after the spot said it all!
Alanis suffered a wardrobe malfunction as his trunks almost came off from the powerbomb.
Result: Nick Comoroto def. Adrian Alanis on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Serpentico (w/ Luther) vs. Sonny Kiss (w/ Joey Janela) on AEW Dark
Serpentico kicked Kiss down to the mat following an early distraction from Luther. Sonny came right back with a hurricanrana and a split-legged arm drag. Kiss walked through with the Tiaras before sending Serpentico flying across the squared circle.
Sonny went for a springboard move, but Serpentico hit the ropes to create some breathing space. Serpentico took Kiss to stomp city in the corner. He stretched Kiss's back against the ring post, forcing Aubrey Edwards to physically break the hold.
Serpentico worked over Kiss's spine throughout the match. Kiss nearly sealed the deal with a sunset flip, but Serpentico responded with a powerful clothesline.
Kiss began the comeback with a series of clotheslines and a modified belly-to-belly suplex. Sonny followed it with a standing moonsault for a two-count.
Serpentico kicked Kiss and executed a low-angle DDT for a near fall. Serpentico headed up to the top but missed the foot stomp. Kiss hit a few roundhouse kicks, but Luther jumped up on the apron.
Janela jumped up as well for the save, but Aubrey Edwards began arguing with the Bad Boy. Luther entered the ring and hit Kiss with a big pump kick behind the referee's back. Serpentico pinned Kiss for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Serpentico def. Sonny Kiss on AEW Dark
Grade: B
This was a major upset as Serpentico isn't known for picking up a lot of singles wins while Sonny Kiss is a fairly established talent.
Red Velvet & Big Swole (w/ KiLynn King) vs. Vertvixen & Jazmine Allure on AEW Dark
Serena Deeb was in attendance to watch the match as the reigning NWA World Women's Champion is scheduled to defend her title against Red Velvet on the next AEW Dynamite.
Allure and Velvet got the match underway with a headlock takedown. Both women one-upped each other as they attempted similar moves.
Red Velvet landed a single-leg lariat before tagging Swole. Vetrvixen also entered the match but got caught in a side headlock.
Swole dropped Vertvixen with a powerful shoulder block, followed by a snap mare and an uppercut to the shoulder blades. Swole and Velvet executed double kicks and flatliners on Vertvixen for a two-count.
Vertvixen blocked a right and brought Velvet down with a hair pull. She double stomped Velvet in the corner before getting Allure into the match.
Allure connected with a running elbow strike. Vertvixen and Allure hit double dropkicks on Velvet for another two-count.
Velvet, however, rattled Vertvixen with an uppercut before tagging Swole, who came in and hit two pump kicks and a blue thunder powerbomb on Allure.
Swole almost got the win with a driving knee strike to Allure's face, but Vertvixen broke the pinfall. Velvet took Allure out with a spear, and the focus was now on Vertvixen.
Swole hit her Dirty Dancing finisher on Vertvixen for the victory on AEW Dark.
Result: Red Velvet & Big Swole def. Vertvixen & Jazmine Allure on AEW Dark
Grade: B
A video package hyping up the NWA Women's title match aired next.
Griff Garrison (w/ Brian Pillman Jr. and Julia Hart) vs. Deonn Rusman (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
A collar and elbow tie-up began the match as Garrison used the reach advantage to score a side headlock takeover.
Garrison avoided a clothesline and connected with a shoulder tackle. Rusman gouged Garrison's eyes and hit a cheap shot before locking in the abdominal stretch.
Griff got out of it with a hip toss but missed the follow-up splash in the corner. Rusman stepped over for an impressive powerslam, followed by a running splash.
Rusman executed a knee-elbow drop combo for a two-count. The AEW debutant had great energy, but it meant nothing once Garrison mounted his comeback. Griff hit the big slash in the corner, followed by a Falcon Arrow. Rusman kicked out of the pinfall, but he couldn't survive an explosive rolling elbow strike.
Result: Griff Garrison def. Deonn Rusman on AEW Dark
Grade: B-
Matt Sydal (w/ Mike Sydal) vs. Marty Casaus on AEW Dark
Casaus knocked Sydal down, which forced Matt to rethink his strategy. Sydal went straight for the legs and scored a takedown.
Matt Sydal chopped Casaus' legs, but the big guy laughed the pain off and bludgeoned Matt in the corner. Sydal reversed the hammer throw with a drop toehold. He followed through for the running double knee strike but got rocked with a pump kick.
Sydal blocked a turnbuckle strike before kicking Casaus flush on the chin. Matt then executed the rolling sole butt before getting Marty down with an ankle pick. The standing mariposa followed.
Casaus responded with the curb stomp. Sydal blocked a full nelson slam with elbows and took Marty down with the Tiaras. Sydal peppered Casaus with sledgehammer shots across the back of the head before hitting the Lightning Spiral for the win.
Result: Matt Sydal def. Marty Casaus on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Matt Sydal will face Christian Cage on tomorrow's episode of AEW Dynamite.
Diamante vs. Kris Statlander (w/ Orange Cassidy and The Best Friends) on AEW Dark
Diamante bit Kris Statlander's 'boop' finger to start the AEW Dark match. These women really don't like each other! The opening exchanges were stiff as Statlander plucked Diamante out of the air and drove her down with a powerslam.
Statlander executed a baseball slide dropkick on Diamante on the outside. They exchanged punches near the ringside area. Statlander took her eyes off Diamante for a few seconds, and she paid for her mistake as the Hispanic wrestler connected with a few punches.
Statlander rolled in to break the count, and she seamlessly rolled back out into a splash on Diamante.
Diamante flipped the match in her favor with a Tiaras, followed by a side Russian leg sweep. Diamante kicked Statlander towards the turnbuckle pad before following through for a corner dropkick.
Statlander kicked out at two, but Diamante got another near fall after three crossface shots. Kris got back to her feet and executed a clothesline-backbreaker combo.
Statlander hit the running knee strike in the corner, followed by the BT Bomb for a near fall. Diamante reacted with the Cazadora Stunner. Statalander reversed the Code Red, but Diamante countered the counter with a hurricanrana.
The match turned into a slugfest as both women traded blows. The exchange ended with Statlander reversing a sliced bread into the Big Bang Theory for the win. Solid match!
Result: Kris Statlander def. Diamante on AEW Dark
Grade: A
Nyla Rose (w/ Vickie Guererro) vs. Reka Tehaka on AEW Dark
Rose made it look easy as she took Reka down with a leg lariat. The Native Beast kicked Tehaka around the ring before planting her down to the mat with a gut-wrench powerbomb. She kept Tehaka grounded with a leaping leg drop.
Tehaka had some fight in her as she escaped from the Samoan Drop position and landed a headbutt. Rose stopped Tehaka in her tracks with a thrust kick.
Nyla delivered the cannonball senton in the corner, followed by a clothesline. The former AEW Women's World Champion finished the match with the Beast Bomb.
Result: Nyla Rose def. Reka Tehaka on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Angelico vs. Vary Morales on AEW Dark
Angelico mocked Vary Morales' height to draw some heat from the crowd. Vary used some traditional Lucha libre arm drags to get the better of Angelico.
Morales took Angelico for a ride with the Tiaras and the subsequent rotations. The TH2 member, however, took control of the proceedings with a dropkick through the middle ropes.
Angelico sat down for a modified ankle lock, but Vary reached out to the ropes for the break. The crowd rallied behind Vary, and he gained some momentum with a kick in the corner.
Morales came through for a hurricanrana, followed by a big diving crossbody from the top rope onto Angelico on the floor. Morales did Angelico's gesture.
Morales went for a top-rope move back in the ring, but Angelico countered with the anti-air dropkick. Angelico locked in the Navarro death roll for the win.
Result: Angelico def. Vary Morales on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
AEW Dark Main Event: Luther (w/ Serpentico) vs. Brian Pillman Jr. (w/ Julia Hart)
Luther stayed true to his old-school roots as he punched and chopped to begin the final match of the night. Pillman executed an arm drag and hit a dropkick before pumping up the crowd.
Brian followed Luther to the corner for a series of chops before settling down for a double wrist lock in the middle of the ring.
Luther dropped Pillman with a pump kick and a German release suplex. Pillman went rolling out of the ring from the impact, and Luther followed him.
Julia Hart was visibly creeped out by an approaching Luther. Thankfully for her, Pillman stopped the Chaos Project member. Luther resumed his dominance in the ring with repeated chops and strikes to Pillman's head and chest area.
Pillman landed a few clotheslines before using all of his strength to body slam Luther. Pillman leaped up to the top and executed a crossbody for a near fall.
Pillman got two more near falls with a crucifix and a backslide. Serpentico briefly tried to grab Pillman's legs, but he kicked him away.
The Varsity Blonds member finally hit his springboard forearm strike with the stacked pinfall for the win.
Result: Brian Pillman Jr. def. Luther on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Serpentico and Luther attacked Pillman after the match before Griff Garrison ran out, forcing Chaos Project to exit the ring.
The Blonds will face The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team titles on tomorrow's Dynamite.
Check out the full AEW Dark episode above:
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
