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Excalibur and Taz welcomed the fans to a 'massive' edition of AEW Dark. This week's Dark featured some big names and matches, and it all got underway with a tag team contest.
#1. Bear Country vs. Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus of the Jurassic Express (w/ Marko Stunt) on AEW Dark
Jungle Boy and Bear Bronson kicked things off with a collar and elbow tie-up. Jungle Boy flipped out of a tricky predicament to deliver two dropkicks as Bronson made the tag to Bear Boulder.
Luchasaurus got the tag on the other end, and the giants threw hands in the middle of the ring. Bronson was back in, and he got the patented kick combination from Luchasaurus.
Jungle Boy was tagged in, and they executed the Cazadora-Flatliner combo followed by the Assisted Senton. Bronson kicked out at one.
Bronson shifted the match in his favor by dropping Jungle Boy on his head with a T-bone suplex. Jungle Boy was in a world of trouble now as Boulder connected with various strikes in the corner. Boulder laid out Jungle Boy with a significant back body drop.
Jungle Boy tried to create some separation with a few clubbing blows before making the hot tag to Luchasaurus.
Luchasaurus delivered the German suplex on Bronson, followed by the kip-up. Boulder came in and ate a few chops. Luchasaurus dropped Boulder with a clothesline. He then delivered a chokeslam followed by a standing moonsault on Bronson for a 2-count. Boulder broke the pinfall as Jungle Boy was back in the ring.
Bronson nailed Jungle Boy's head right into Luchasaurus; a move called the Monster Driver. Boulder got the tag, and he delivered a middle-rope moonsault for a near fall. Boulder then lifted Bronson on his shoulders, but Luchasaurus incredibly came flying and delivered the Doomsday Device. Holy s***!
Luchasaurus took Boulder out of the equation with a hook kick and clothesline. Bronson was left alone in the ring, and Jurassic Express connected with a kick combination to end the AEW Dark match.
Result: Jurassic Express def. Bear Country on AEW Dark
Grade: A
Another week, and Bear Country push another top AEW tag team to the limit. Bronson and Boulder are surely getting full-time AEW contracts soon.
#2. Nyla Rose vs. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
Price offered the handshake, and Nyla Rose obliged by almost squeezing her opponent's hand into a pulp.
Tesha got some early success with a few strikes and a high round kick in the corner. Tesha Price showed a lot of resilience, but Nyla Rose rocked her down with a big forearm strike.
Nyla Rose picked Tesha up and dropped her back down with the Samoan Drop. Rose continued to punish Price with two gutbusters followed by the fallaway slam. The splash in the corner followed with the clothesline coming in next. Nyla Rose pulled out the running knee from her arsenal of moves, but she wasn't done dishing out the punishment.
Nyla Rose positioned Tesha on top of the rope before going up to the top turnbuckle. She went flying across the ring and delivered the knee to the back of Price's head.
Result: Nyla Rose def. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#3. Sonny Kiss vs. Miro (w/ Kip Sabian) on AEW Dark
Miro kicked the match off with a high round kick to Sonny Kiss' head. Miro was in the mood to finish it off early with the Game Over.
However, Kiss stunned Miro with a roundhouse kick followed by a step-up hurricanerana. Sonny Kiss slapped Miro across the face, and the former WWE star was livid.
Sonny was still on a roll with a hurricanerana and a 2-count. Miro responded by catching Sonny Kiss at the side of the temple.
Miro locked in the Game Over and forced Sonny Kiss to tap out. Miro had full extension on the submission hold, making it even more painful for Kiss.
Result: Miro def. Sonny Kiss on AEW Dark
Grade: C
The Waiting Room segment on AEW Dark
Reba introduced her Dentist and ours, Dr. Britt Baker. They had a message of gratitude for Tony Khan, who fixed the broken wall.
Baker announced that Sting would be in the Waiting Room soon. She recapped the lineup for the next episode of AEW Dynamite. Baker then welcomed Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian of SCU on the show. Baker took a few shots at SCU, and Frankie Kazarian wasn't too happy.
Kazarian had a few harsh words for Daniels as he expressed his disappointment. Kazarian said that 2020 had been a pretty rotten year. Frankie put Daniels on blast and blamed him for being the weak link. Kazarian said that he got everything in his life because of the wrestling business. He spoke about his 20-year history with Daniels. Kazarian then apologized for his professional frustrations coming in the way of their relationship.
Daniels replied by saying that Kazarian had no reason to apologize. Daniels said sorry and added that 2020 was a wasteland of failure for him. Injury and adversity brought him down, and Daniels said that he hated coming to work. Daniels admitted that he'd been falling apart for the past ten months. Daniels said that it might be the time to walk away, but Kazarian stopped him.
Was Daniels about to retire? Kazarian said that Daniels doesn't get to do that to the people who love the veteran. Kazarian asked Daniels to fight by his side one more time. SCU was at the bottom of the tag team division barrel, but Kazarian said that they would claw their way back to the top.
However, there was a catch. Kazarian said that another loss, and they would be done as a tag team forever. Daniels agreed before Kazarian shifted his attention to TH2.
#4. Jazmin Allure (AEW Debut) vs. Thunder Rosa on AEW Dark
Rosa overpowered Allure in the collar and elbow tie-up to begin the match. Both women exchanged a few wrist locks.
Rosa swept Allure's leg for a 1-count. Allure responded with a leg sweep and a double-leg dropkick for a quick fall. Thunder Rosa got back up and connected with a blistering knee strike. Rosa connected with kicks right between the shoulder blades of Allure.
Rosa rammed Allure into the turnbuckles before dropping her down with a power slam for a 2-count. Rosa delivered two powerful chops in the corner. Rosa mixed it up with back elbows.
Allure moved out of the way and connected with a few strikes followed by the round kick. Allure planted Rosa's face into the mat for a 2-count. Back on their feet, Rosa connected with a chop followed by the single-leg dropkick.
Rosa picked Allure up and delivered the Thunder Driver for the win.
Result: Thunder Rosa def. Jazmin Allure on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#5. Lee Johnson of The Nightmare Family (w/ QT Marshall) vs. Stu Grayson of The Dark Order (w/ Evil Uno) on AEW Dark
Stu Grayson lit up Lee Johnson with a series of strikes.
Johnson responded with a series of chops before Irish Whipping Grayson. Both men canceled each other out with dropkicks. Johnson attempted a senton from outside the ring, but Grayson got his feet up.
Grayson connected with a senton of his own. Grayson delivered a combination of strikes before connecting with the Urinagi for a 2-count. Grayson ate a chop and connected with a vicious one in response.
The Dark Order member was right in Johnson's face with the trash talk. Johnson was having a hard time getting to a vertical base as Grayson was dominating the match.
Johnson created some separation with a kick to the shoulder, followed by a back elbow. He connected with two clotheslines. Johnson got in another dropkick and a chop in the corner.
Johnson got a near fall with the Blue Thunder Bomb. Grayson delivered a Dragon Suplex followed by the Pele kick and a Springboard 450 splash.
Johnson miraculously kicked out at two and a half! Grayson looked impressed as he pulled off his knee cap. Johnson got a quick near fall followed by another backslide.
Johnson dropped Grayson with the buckle bomb before going up top. Lee delivered the Cancun Tornado. Pinfall...1..2..Grayson got his left foot on the rope!
The action spilled over to the outside. Grayson hoisted Johnson upon his shoulder and threw him ribs-first into the ring post. Back in the ring, Grayson connected with the bicycle knee strike. He got Johnson up and dropped him with the Nightfall for the win.
Result: Stu Grayson def. Lee Johnson on AEW Dark
Grade: A+
Grayson bumped fists with Johnson as a show of respect after the match, and QT Marshall looked really confused.
#6. Alex Gracia vs. KiLynn King on AEW Dark (Winner of faces Hikaru Shida on Dynamite)
Garcia and King engaged in a mat wrestling contest to begin the AEW Dark match.
King got a few crucifix pins, but Garcia got to her feet. Alex grazed King's face with a modified Area Code shot and followed it up with a few stiff chops. King connected with a chop and a basement dropkick for the 2-count.
Garcia was on top now as she connected with a powerful running kick in the corner for a near fall.
King got back in the match by dropping Garcia on her head with the German release Suplex. However, Garcia wasn't done as she grabbed King's hair and delivered the neck breaker for the three-count. That was a massive upset!
Garcia will face Hikaru Shida on tomorrow's AEW Dynamite.
Result: Alex Gracia def. KiLynn King on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
#7. "Pretty" Peter Avalon vs. Mike Verna (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
It was time for Pretty Peter's Pageant Provocation! "Man of Steel" Mike Verna answered the call to make his AEW debut.
The hammerlock from Peter Avalon got the match underway. Verna got the full nelson and swung Avalon around. Impressive display of strength right there. Verna had the power advantage, and he used it to drop Avalon with a shoulder tackle. Verna executed a four-slingshot suplex. That was cool!
Avalon got control of the match by sending Verna shoulder-first into the ring post. Peter began to work on Verna's injured left arm. Verna connected with a few body shots, but he was sent to the apron. Verna showed off his power once again, but Avalon wrenched his opponent's arm and drove him down to the mat. Avalon continued to punish Verna's left arm. He positioned Mike on the top rope for the suplex, but Verna punched his way back.
He pushed Peter down and delivered the missile dropkick. Verna had the momentum now as he dropped Peter with a few clotheslines. He connected with a big right hand in the corner, followed by the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
He got a near fall with a Fisherman's suplex with the s-grip on the cradle. Verna went for the senton atomico, but Peter moved out of the way and delivered the Martinis for the win. Avalon even shot out a 'snot rocket' after the match, and Taz was disgusted! Solid match, though.
Result: "Pretty" Peter Avalon def. Mike Verna on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
#8. Vertvixen (AEW Debut) vs. Red Velvet on AEW Dark
Red Velvet debuted her new theme song.
Velvet enjoyed the early success with the arm drags and a dropkick. Vertvixen got a foothold in the match with some strikes in the corner.
Velvet avoided contact on an incoming step-up enziguri. Red Velvet then executed a combination of strikes to drop Vertvixen. She dropped her opponent with the Cazadora Bulldog, followed by the standing moonsault for a 2-count.
Red Velvet delivered the iconoclasm on Vertvixen. She finished the match with the single-foot dropkick.
Result: Red Velvet def. Vertvixen on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#9. Colt Cabana, 5 & 10 of The Dark Order vs. Fuego Del Sol, Aaron Solow, & Ray Jaz (AEW Trios Debut) on AEW Dark
Colt Cabana and Del Sol got things rolling. Colt outmuscled Del Sol and mocked his opponent in the early goings of the AEW Dark contest.
Feugo attempted to use his agility, but Cabana was in a very nonchalant mood. Solow got the tag before Angels (5) made the blind tag.
Solow rocked 5 with a leaping dropkick. Solow, however, got rocked himself with a forearm strike. Angels followed it up with a smooth Russian leg sweep.
10 got the tag, and Solow went to his corner to tag Ray Jaz into the match. 10 and Jaz engaged in some mat work before exchanging elbows on the feet.
Vance then dropped Jaz with a massive spinebuster. Dark Order members made quick tags and isolated Jaz in their corner. Jaz finally made the hot tag to Feugo, who came in and took on all Dark Order members.
Feugo went for the Tornado DDT, but he couldn't execute it as Vance dropped him with a wheelbarrow suplex. Jaz wanted a piece of the action, but 10 took him out with a big spear.
The Dark Order then connected with a brutal combination on Del Sol to end the match.
Negative One, the newest and youngest member of Dark Order, looked on from ringside on AEW Dark.
Result: Colt Cabana, 5 & 10 of The Dark Order def. Fuego Del Sol, Aaron Solow, & Ray Jaz on AEW Dark
Grade: B-
#10. Madi Wrenkowski (AEW Debut) vs. Leyla Hirsch on AEW Dark
Hirsch scored a double leg takedown on Madi. Wrenkowski had the reach advantage, but Leyla used her low center of gravity to better the wrestling exchanges.
Leyla went for the cross arm breaker, but Madi reached out for the ropes with her legs. Madi connected with a smooth running dropkick for a 1-count. She followed it up with a knee lift and a few strikes to the head.
Madi delivered a running crossbody in the corner. Wrenkowski talked trash and planted Leyla's head into the mat. A lackadaisical pin got Madi a 2-count. Back on the feet, Leyla connected with a few punches before dropping Madi with a German suplex for a 2-count.
Madi got a near fall with a backslide before connecting with a facebuster for another 2-count. Madi went for the pump kick, but Leyla got out of the way and delivered the Olympic Slam before transitioning into the armbar to win on AEW Dark.
Result: Leyla Hirsch def. Madi Wrenkowski on AEW Dark
Grade: B-
#11. Terrence and Terrell Hughes (TNT) vs. Colten and Austin Gunn of The Gunn Club on AEW Dark
The battle of the second-generation wrestlers looked like a great match-up on paper. The sons of D-Von Dudley went up against the sons of Billy Gunn.
The mutual respect amongst the competitors was all there to be seen before the match got underway. Colten Gunn and Terrence kicked off the contest with a handshake followed by a strong lock-up.
Colten drew first blood with the shoulder tackle. Terrence responded with a big hip toss. Austin Gunn and Terrell got the tags, and they engaged in a collar and elbow tie-up.
Austin got an explosive shoulder block as well. Terrell trapped Austin in a pinning predicament, but Gunn reversed it into a few arm drags. The Gunn Club began working on Terrell in their corner.
Colten took Terrell down with a Russian leg sweep. Austin came in for a flipping neck breaker before Colten went in for the crucifix pin for a 2-count. Terrence made the blind tag, and they capitalized on the confusion by laying Austin out.
The twins worked in tandem as Austin was sent flying across the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex. The brothers stomped on Austin in their corner. Terrence and Terrell made quick tags and kept Austin grounded. TNT had a little hiccup, and Austin made the tag to Colten, who came in hot and took both the twins down.
Austin was back in, and he took one brother out. Back in the ring, Austin delivered the Colt 45 (corkscrew neck breaker) for the win.
Result: The Gunn Club def. TNT on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#12. Co-Main Event: Rey Fenix vs. Danny Limelight on AEW Dark
The 'people's main event,' as the AEW announcers called it, was expected to be a great match. Unsurprisingly enough, both men canceled each other out with their athleticism.
Limelight tried a sharpshooter, but Fenix was able to get out before any damage was done. Fenix and Limelight engaged in a battle of chops in the middle of the ring. One nasty chop from Fenix dropped Limelight. They were going for the same offense - double clotheslines and double forearms, and the in-ring chemistry looked great thus far.
Fenix went for the package piledriver, but Limelight reversed it into a roundhouse kick. Fenix responded with a hook kick. He followed it up with a dirty kick, as Excalibur called it. Fenix and Danny exchanged a series of punches and kicks before Limelight got the double stomp for the 2-count.
Danny stalked Fenix as he connected with two kicks to the chest, followed by the hanging neck breaker for a 2-count in the lateral press.
The Lucha Bro connected with a thrust kick before pulling out a kick that only he could do. That was incredible! Rey tried to snap Limelight's ankle against the ropes before breaking the hold and delivering a springboard leg drop.
Limelight created some separation with a stomp to the back of the head for a 2-count. Both men had a fistfight in the middle of the ring on AEW Dark.
Limelight knocked the lights out of Fenix with a leaping knee strike on the top. Both men walked on the ropes and met in the middle, and exchanged chops. Limelight then pushed Fenix down from the ropes into the ring. Danny went for a diving move, but Fenix connected with an insanely well-timed kick in mid-air.
Fenix followed it up with a kick in the corner. The muscle buster came out next, and it was game over for Danny Limelight on AEW Dark. What a match!
Result: Rey Fenix def. Danny Limelight on AEW Dark
Grade: A+
#13. Main Event: Matt Sydal vs. Serpentico (w/ Luther) on AEW Dark
Serpentico tried to make a quick start with the takedown attempts, but Sydal moved out of the way. Matt got the headlock takedown before getting control of the wrist.
Sydal was in control as Luther did Luther things at ringside. Sydal and Serpentico exchanged pins before Matt connected with a round kick to the leg. He went for the standing moonsault, but Serpentico moved out. Sydal went for the sliding kick, but he got caught up in the ropes.
Luther lifted Serpentico and threw him into Sydal. Serpentico drove his shin bone into Sydal's face on the outside.
Back in the ring, Serpentico delivered a springboard double stomp, and he continued on top of Sydal's chest. Serpentico distracted the referee, and Luther connected with a cheap shot from the outside.
Sydal created some separation with a massive leg lariat. Matt connected with kicks to the leg and midsection before delivering the brainbuster for a near fall. Sydal got another near fall with the slice. He hit the mariposa with the late twist. Serpentico responded with the low-angle DDT for a near fall. Luther demanded Serpentico to go up.
Sydal avoided the diving foot stomp and delivered the snapping sidestep to the back of the head for a near fall. Matt then got the Russian leg sweep and locked Serpentico in the s-grip. Serpentico, however, almost stole one with the sliced bread and a stacked pin. Sydal got a roll-up pin himself, followed by a knee strike and a roundhouse. Sydal then planted Serpentico for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Matt Sydal def. Serpentico on AEW Dark
Grade: A
This week's AEW Dark had some great matches and moments, and it set things up perfectly for the next AEW Dynamite episode.
