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The latest episode of AEW Dark opened with a brilliant Darby Allin video package ahead of the TNT Champion's title defense against Jungle Boy on tomorrow's Dynamite episode.
The most recent episode of AEW Dark featured multiple backstage segments and vignettes to hype up the upcoming Dynamite episode, and the quality of production was pretty top-notch throughout the night.
Excalibur and Taz welcomed fans to the show before moving the spotlight on Justin Roberts for the evening's first match on AEW Dark.
Joey Janela (w/ Sonny Kiss) vs. Will Allday on AEW Dark
Joey Janela and Allday locked up to begin the in-ring proceedings of the episode, with Janela getting wrist control early on in the match.
Allday used his athleticism to tip the scales in his favor, but Janela fired back with a German suplex. Joey chopped Will in the corner, but his opponent responded with a cutter using the ropes.
Allday laid out Janela with a tope suicida before rolling him back into the ring. Will missed the Senton Atomico, and Janela got a two-count. Joey hit a back elbow on his feet.
Janela connected with a few stiff kicks to Allday's back. Will reversed a German release suplex by landing on his feet and delivering a dropkick.
Janela responded with a big clothesline shot. Allday reversed another suplex into a brainbuster. Both men exchanged thrust kicks before Janela hit a low-trajectory German suplex onto the ring pad.
Joey went to the top, but Will decked him with a kick and a hurricanrana. Allday hit a crossbody and called for Janela to get up. He missed a leaping move but still managed to hit a moonsault press. Janela countered the moonsault with a faceplant in mid-air.
Joey Janela pulled the straps down and dropped Allday with a Death Valley Driver to win on AEW Dark.
Result: Joey Janela def. Will Allday on AEW Dark
Grade: B
SCU vs. Ryzin & John Skyler on AEW Dark
Skyler and Frankie Kazarian engaged in a collar and elbow tie-up, and Frankie tried to use his range during the mat-based sequence.
Kazarian worked his way into a side headlock position, but Skyler responded with a forearm shot. Frankie Kazarian connected with three chops, followed by a German suplex. Christopher Daniels got the tag, and he executed a classic vertical suplex for a one-count.
Skyler, however, dropped Daniels with an uppercut. Ryzin got the tag, and he hit a big clothesline.
CD recovered and responded with a T-Bone suplex. He scoopslammed Ryzin, and Daniels dropped the elbow before Kazarian came in with a leg drop.
Ryzin was taken out with a Kazarian back suplex. He continued to eat a series of clubbing punches and chops.
A cheap shot from Skyler helped Ryzin hit a leg lariat on Kazarian. Skyler executed a clean flipping Samoan drop before tagging in his partner.
Ryzin missed the splash in the corner, and he got flattened with a clothesline. Daniels got the hot tag, and he took on both Skyler and Ryzin. The veteran hit a Bulldog-clothesline combo on Skyler and Ryzin before Kazarian came in to join his partner.
SCU hit a neckbreaker combo on Ryzin, which forced Skyler to break the pin. They took out Skyler with a high-low before hitting the BME (Best Meltzer Ever) on Ryzin for the win.
Result: SCU def. John Skyler & Ryzin on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Big Swole & KiLynn King (w/ Red Velvet) vs. Ashley & Steff MK (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
Big Swole and Steff MK kicked off the AEW Dark match with the usual tie-up. Both women had an even exchange until Swole took her opponent to the corner and tagged King.
Steff tagged her sister Ashley, who came in and absorbed several elbow strikes from King, followed by a diving uppercut in the corner.
KiLynn King connected with a big knee lift before hammering Ashley's shoulder blades. Ashley worked well to roll up King and make the tag to Steff. The twin sisters showed off their tag team synergy with stereo kicks on King.
King finally tagged Swole, and the energetic star came in with a cutter from the apron.
Swole hit a running uppercut in the corner, followed by the Bulldog-dropkick combo on both twins.
Swole hit a headbutt and a big rolling elbow strike for the win over the debuting twins.
Result: Big Swole & KiLynn King def. Ashley & Steff MK on AEW Dark
Grade: C
A really well-made Ricky Starks video package aired next.
The Butcher & The Blade (w/ The Hardy Family Office) vs. Brick Aldridge & Cole Karter on AEW Dark
The Butcher and Cole Karter kicked off the match and, as expected, Butcher trucked his opponent with a big crossbody.
Blade received the tag, and he continued to beat down Karter. Blade and Butcher executed a double shoulder tackle as Aldridge looked on.
The Hardy Office attacked Karter on the outside while the referee was distracted. While Cole showed some signs of life with a few strikes, Blade dropped him with a high swinging neckbreaker.
Karter eventually escaped and tagged Brick Aldridge, who initially got the better of Butcher as soon as he came in.
Blade made the blind tag and landed a big clothesline. Butcher and Blade hit the powerbomb-neckbreaker combo on Aldridge for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: The Butcher & The Blade def. Brick Aldrige & Cole Karter on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Ryan Nemeth tried to give JD Drake some fashion tips in the next backstage segment of the show.
Sonny Kiss vs. Jake Manning on AEW Dark
Manning rocked Sonny Kiss with a big kick to start the match. Kiss, however, leaped over Manning and took him down with a Tiaras.
Sonny brought Manning down with the head check, followed by an enziguri and the split-legged stunner for the win.
Result: Sonny Kiss def. Jake Manning on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Sonny Kiss cut a promo after the match and put the entire locker room on notice.
Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, & Preston "10" Vance (w/ -1) vs. Ken Broadway, Midas Black, & Jay Lyon on AEW Dark
Jay Lyon and Evil Uno started the AEW Dark match, and Uno was concerned about the piece of steak in Lyon's mouth. Evil Uno was one step ahead of his masked counterpart as he forced the tag to Ken Broadway.
Stu Grayson came in, and he hit an uppercut and a few strikes in tandem with Evil Uno. Grayson ate a kick and executed a belly-to-belly suplex on Broadway. He caught Midas Black in mid-air and laid him out with a uranage.
Preston Vance came in, and he elevated Grayson onto Midas Black. Vance delivered a delayed vertical suplex that lasted the entire 10-count.
Broadway got the tag, and he wasted a lot of time showboating by throwing money right in Vance's face. 10 landed two clotheslines and knocked the other opponents off the apron.
Lyon came in and ate a cutter. Vance followed it with a spinebuster on Broadway. Meanwhile, -1 grabbed all the dollar bills that were scattered in and around the ring.
The Dark Order finished the match with the Fatality on Broadway.
Result: Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, & Preston "10" Vance def. Ken Broadway, Midas Black, & Jay Lyon on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Billy Gunn (w/ Austin & Colten Gunn) vs. Andrew Palace on AEW Dark
Billy Gunn wasted no time in overpowering Andrew Palace as soon as the bell rang. He picked Palace up and brought him down with a traditional backbreaker.
Billy Gunn had ditched his playful personality and was focused on punishing his opponent. QT Marshall attacked Gunn on yesterday's AEW Dark: Elevation and the WWE Hall of Famer vented all his frustrations out on Palace.
Gunn even had a bruised eye to take care of, but it didn't matter as the veteran finished the match with the Famouser.
Result: Billy Gunn def. Andrew Palace on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Billy Gunn took the microphone and cut a promo on QT Marshall ahead of their AEW Dynamite match.
Dante Martin vs. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Martin trapped Del Sol in a side headlock to begin the match, and he held on tight despite Feugo's attempts to break away.
Both men showed off some good chain wrestling, but Martin's transitions were just too slick and unique. Del Sol got a two-count after a knockout shot.
Fuego used his hands to good effect with several body shots in the corner. He hit a running spear, but Martin reacted with a stiff lariat.
Dante executed a hurricanrana before transitioning from a kneebar to a single-leg Boston crab. Del Sol and Martin were precariously placed on the top turnbuckle, and the former performed the double foot stomp.
He went to the other turnbuckle and hit a coast-to-coast like dropkick across the ring. Del Sol missed the tornado DDT and ate a big heel kick.
Martin quickly went to the top and delivered a 450 splash for the win.
Result: Dante Martin def. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Diamante vs. Queen Aminata on AEW Dark
Diamante didn't give Aminata any time to settle down in the AEW Dark match as she attacked the Queen with a shotgun dropkick. Diamante landed short-arm elbows but got caught in a flying arm mare.
Aminata hit two elbows but was rocked by an uppercut. Diamante executed the Three Amigos and rolled over for the pinfall. Aminata and Diamante threw hands in the middle, and the Queen connected with a few kicks.
Aminata had a busted lip, possibly from the uppercut, and her day was just about to get worse as Diamante hit a Cazadora Stunner, followed by another brutal dropkick in the corner.
Aminata kicked out at two, and the match continued. She almost got the win with a surprise cradle pin.
Diamante responded with a German release suplex. Two clubbing clotheslines followed before Diamante locked in a body scissors lock for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Diamante def. Queen Aminata on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Varsity Blonds vs. Hayden Backlund & Kit Sackett on AEW Dark
Brian Pillman Jr. and Hayden Backlund locked up, and Griff Garrison was quickly called upon in the match. Garrison used his reach to keep Backlund grounded. He got a one-count with a shoulder block.
Backlund created some separation and tagged Sackett, but Garrison was extra focussed today and wasn't ready to give away control of the match.
Garrison hit a leg drop on Sackett before Pillman came in and executed a swinging neckbreaker on Backlund.
Hayden Backlund grabbed Pillman's hair, and it opened up a window of opportunity for Sackett to get in some offense.
Backlund attempted the crossface chicken wing, but Pillman answered with battering strikes. Garrison got the tag, and he took the fight to Sackett.
Garrison got a two-count with a Cradle shock on Sackett. Backlund broke the pin but got wrecked with a big boot.
Garrison stunned Sackett with a big elbow strike. The Blonds executed a top-rope assisted powerbomb combo on Sackett for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Varsity Blonds def. Hayden Backlund & Kit Sackett on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Alan "5" Angels vs. Max Caster (w/ Anthony Bowens) on AEW Dark
Max Caster dropped quite a controversial verse to diss Alan Angels, and Excalibur noted that he was glad that the segment happened on AEW Dark and not on TNT TV.
Caster engaged in some mind games as he used his power to push Alan Angels around in the early goings of the contest. Caster sold Angel's leg kicks like a true veteran.
Angels executed a smooth Russian leg sweep for a two-count. 5 landed the southpaw shots in the corner, but Caster responded with a cross chop. Alan got a one-count following a close-range dropkick.
Bowens jumped up on the apron and Caster got the time to recuperate. Angels went over the top and crashed onto Max with a rolling senton from the apron.
Caster was rolled back into the ring, but Angels missed the moonsault press as he landed on the knees of his opponent during the AEW Dark match.
Caster executed a powerful back-body suplex. The Acclaimed member continued to wear down Angels with classic heel moves. Alan briefly teased an upset with a roll-up, but Caster kicked out.
Angels hit a step-up enziguri and landed ten elbow strikes and a running kick. Five was on a roll as he executed the standing sliced bread. Caster kicked out at two.
Angels missed the frog splash but still managed to hit the moonsault press. Caster kicked out at two-and-a-half, and his loud moan after the kick out said it all.
Preston Vance tried to prevent Bowens from passing on the boombox. Anthony did fling the boombox into the ring, but it landed in Angels' arms.
The referee stopped 5 from using the boombox, and amidst all the chaos, Caster took a chain from the turnbuckle and wrapped it around his right hand.
Angels hit a backward kick, but he got hit straight in the face with the chain during the subsequent pinfall. The referee didn't see the impact, and Caster hid the chain to complete the three-count. As Taz would call it, Caster and Bowens pulled off a highway robbery!
Result: Max Caster def. Alan "5" Angels on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Co-Main Event: Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) vs. Baron Black on AEW Dark
Black attacked Powerhouse Hobbs during the latter's entrance on AEW Dark, and we're not sure whether that was such a good idea. Hobbs shrugged off the strikes as if they were nothing and rocked Black with a big body tackle.
Hobbs tossed Black across the ring. Baron Black showed off his striking ability, but Powerhouse Hobbs looked absolutely unfazed as he no-sold all the incoming attacks.
Hobbs hit a massive spinebuster before taking his straps off. Hobbs executed a reverse DDT, but he was not done with Black just yet.
Powerhouse Hobbs ended the match with a big powerslam on Black.
Result: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Baron Black on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Hobbs is scheduled to face Christian Cage on tomorrow's Dynamite, and Taz had some choice words for the former WWE Superstar.
Main Event: PAC (w/ Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M) vs. Dean Alexander on AEW Dark
PAC cut his music short and unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches on Dean Alexander. PAC looked like a man possessed as he stomped away on Alexander in the corner.
PAC locked in the Brutalizer and ended the squash match.
Result: PAC def. Dean Alexander on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Watch the full episode of AEW Dark above.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
