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The latest episode of AEW Dark came from St. Louis, Missouri, and Tony Khan & his team lined up a massive match card featuring 15 bouts for the fans.
Taz and Excalibur welcomed an incredibly vocal crowd to the show before we went to the opening contest of the evening.
The Gunn Club vs. Dark Order's Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & Colt Cabana on AEW Dark
Evil Uno got things rolling with Colten Gunn as both stars pandered to the crowd. A battle of shoulder blocks got a series of boos and cheers from the fans, and Colten enjoyed the early advantage with a telegraphed kick.
Uno delivered a neck breaker to get back in the match. Austin Gunn came in and got kicked in the midsection. Reynolds got a piece of the action with a perfect uppercut.
Austin dropped Reynolds with an ankle pick and a facebuster. Alex responded with a dropkick off the middle turnbuckle until Big Papa Gunn entered the fray and called out Colt Cabana.
Billy and Colt engaged in a hilarious sequence, and "Boom Boom" sent Gunn flying in the corner with the elbow shots. The Dark Order mocked the Gunn Club and dominated the family members with some high-impact moves.
Reynolds and Uno executed double scoop slams and posed with Cabana for another pop from the fans.
Austin Gunn couldn't catch a break as he was sent to the ringside area. Billy and Colten followed suit as the Dark Order outworked their opponents.
Cabana delivered the Big Apple in the corner while Reynolds wiped out Billy Gunn with a tope suicida. Austin Gunn somehow kicked out at two following Evil Uno's 'Something Evil' finisher. Uno looked stunned as he ate a dropkick from Colten. Cabana took Colten outside as Uno got caught in a roll-up. Austin Gunn held onto the ropes to steal a big win over the Dark Order.
Result: The Gunn Club def. Dark Order's Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & Colt Cabana on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Riho vs. Heidi Howitzer (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Riho evaded Howitzer's running strike but got knocked down with a shoulder tackle. The former AEW Women's Champion bridged out of a lateral press and hit the ropes for a smooth dropkick.
The AEW debutant couldn't deal with Riho's speed as the Japanese star landed a Tiger Feint kick for a two-count.
Heidi caught Riho in midair and talked trash before delivering a power slam. Riho kicked out at two but continued to get slammed head-first into the mat.
Howitzer attacked Riho's face with a hip attack in the corner. She then went to the second turnbuckle but missed the Vader bomb. Riho saw the opening and quickly executed a diving double-foot stomp for the win.
Result: Riho def. Heidi Howitzer on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
Too Fast Too Fuego vs. Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo on AEW Dark
Too Fast Too Fuego got a massive pop as Fuego Two (Cody Rhodes) led the way during their entrance.
Aaron Solo silenced the crowd as he began the match with Fuego Two. Aaron Solo mocked everyone, but Fuego Two executed a classic luchador arm drag in response.
The Fuegos took Solo off his feet with a double dropkick. Fuego One used his agility to deliver three spears in the corner to Solo, who found a way to tag in Nick Comoroto.
The Factory's powerhouse trucked Del Sol down with a massive shoulder block. Fuego Two flexed his biceps and called for the tag. Comoroto proceeded to flatten Fuego Two with ease with another shoulder block.
Fuego finally got Nick off his feet with a missile dropkick. However, Solo connected with a knee to Fuego's back, and Comoroto turned him inside-out with a monstrous clothesline.
Nick kept up the pressure with a delayed vertical suplex for a two-count. Solo came in and hit the ropes for a leaping knee drop. Aaron tried to rip Fuego Two's mask, but the luchador held on and even reversed a tornado DDT.
Fuego Two briefly teased a Cross Rhodes before executing a reverse DDT. He rolled over and made the tag to Fuego Del Sol, who started with two crossbody attacks.
Nick Comoroto escaped an incoming strike and did a Shawn Michaels-like flip in the corner. Back in the ring, Fuego One got a near fall with a stomp to Solo's head.
Nick and Aaron tried to work in tandem, but Fuego Two came in for the assist. Fuego One executed a Cross Rhodes on Solo while Two stopped Nick Comoroto from breaking the pinfall.
Comoroto pushed Two into the pinfall, and the match resumed. Nick Comoroto almost laid out the Fuegos, but they worked together to send the big man out of the ring with a thrust kick-DDT combo.
Fuego One launched himself off Fuego Two to deliver a modified Tornado DDT for the three-count over Aaron Solo.
Result: Too Fast Too Fuego def. Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Luke Langley & Koko Lane vs. Sammy Guevara & Jake Hager on AEW Dark
The Inner Circle members got a loud pop from the AEW faithful in Missouri as they walked out for their tag team match.
Luke Langely and Sammy Guevara started the match with a collar and elbow tie-up. Langley briefly turned his back on the TNT Champion and paid for it by eating a few chops.
Sammy made it look effortless by executing a somersault and landing a dropkick. Hager came in and stunned Langley with a huge chop block. Koko Lane helped his teammate by holding onto Hager from his corner. The AEW newcomers isolated Hager and enjoyed some momentum. Jake Hager, however, ran down both his opponents before tagging Sammy into the match.
Sammy took Langley out with a back body drop followed by a spinebuster on Koko. He executed a massive cutter from the top on Koko. Hager delivered the Hager Bomb before Guevara finished the match with the Senton Atomico.
Result: Sammy Guevara & Jake Hager def. Luke Langley & Koko Lane on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page attacked the Inner Circle members after the match. Santana and Ortiz ran in to make the save as American Top Team (ATT) members were nowhere to be seen.
Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy & Wheeler Yuta (w/ Kris Statlander) vs. Darian Bengston, Davey Vega & Camaro Jackson on AEW Dark
Orange Cassidy let Wheeler Yuta kick off the match with Davey Vega. Bengston came in and delivered a jumping back elbow before tagging in Camaro Jackson, who also got a few seconds to show off his skillset with a delayed vertical suplex while doing a squat.
Wheeler clawed his way back into the match with a double dropkick on Jackson and Bengston.
Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta executed a Sole Food-German Suplex combo. Yuta flew over the top and crashed into Vega and Jackson on the outside.
Chuck laid out Bengston with the Awful Waffle. Orange Cassidy casually walked in and covered for the three-count.
Result: Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy & Wheeler Yuta def. Darian Bengston, Davey Vega & Camaro Jackson on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
Cassidy dropped Davey Vega with an Orange Punch after the bell.
Frankie Kazarian vs. Dante Martin (w/ Lio Rush) on AEW Dark
On paper, Kazarian vs. Martin looked like an AEW Dark classic in the making. Both men bumped fists and began the match with some technical grappling exchanges.
They reset with a collar and elbow lock-up before hitting the ropes. Kazarian and Martin kept canceling each other out before Dante used his speed to trap his opponent in an armbar.
Kazarian pushed Dante into the corner for a clean break, and he used his experience to keep him grounded on the mat. Kaz maintained wrist control, but Dante reacted with a sunset flip and two dropkicks. Martin rocked Kaz with a snapmare and Tiaras, followed by a senton using the ropes for a two-count.
Frankie outsmarted Dante with a springboard leg drop. Dante escaped an assault in the corner but accidentally jumped into a cutter. He kicked out at two as Kazarian looked for other ways to finish the match.
Kazarian sent Martin crashing inside-out with a brutal clothesline. Dante avoided the Crossface Chicken wing but missed the front-flip stunner. Lio Rush pulled Kazarian's feet from the outside, and the veteran looked least happy.
Dante was oblivious to Rush's interjection in the match and seemed glad that he escaped the crossface submission. Martin hopped onto the top turnbuckle with a double jump for the springboard moonsault. He hooked Kazarian and got the big upset win!
Result: Dante Martin def. Frankie Kazarian on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Kazarian complained to Dante about Lio Rush's interference. Martin looked clueless as a visibly frustrated Kazarian exited the ring.
Thunder Rosa, Ryo Mizunami & Kris Statlander vs. Emi Sakura, Jamie Hayter & Rebel (w/ Lulu Pencil & Mei Suruga) on AEW Dark
Some of the top female talents in AEW took center stage next for a massive tag team contest. Jamie Hayter made a quick tag out to Rebel, who slapped Thunder Rosa.
Rosa reacted with a chop across the chest, and she maintained control with an armbar. Ryo Mizunami received the tag, and she chopped Emi Sakura in the corner. Emi was all too familiar with her opponent as she planted her with an inverted facebuster. Sakura followed up with a running crossbody in the corner before posing with her associates.
Sakura locked in the Romero Special and tagged out to Jamie Hayter, who began her offensive routine with a simple suplex. Rebel delivered a cartwheel neckbreaker for a two-count as Mizunami tried to fight up to her feet.
Rebel attempted a cheap shot and got decked with a right from Statlander. Sakura stopped the tag but couldn't evade Mizunami's spear. Kris Statlander got the hot tag, and she went on a spree of clotheslines.
Statlander cleared the ring before tagging Thunder Rosa. The babyface trio executed a coordinated attack on their opponents. Lulu Pencil and Mei Suruga created a distraction, which helped Sakura deliver the Queen's Gambit on Statlander.
Ryo fired back with a few chops but got laid out with a backbreaker from Hayter. Statlander recuperated and took out Jamie with a Blue Thunder Bomb. It was a chaotic sequence as Rebel joined in and tossed Statlander into the buckle.
Rosa came flying through to catch Rebel with a dropkick. The former NWA Women's star dropped Rebel with a Fire Thunder Driver to get the win for her team.
Result: Thunder Rosa, Ryo Mizunami & Kris Statlander def. Emi Sakura, Jamie Hayter & Rebel on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
All hell broke loose after the match as the competitors brawled in the ring. Ruby Soho rushed to the ring with a pipe in her hand, and she almost knocked Statlander square in the face.
Soho is slated to face Statlander in the TBS title tournament, and they shared a tense moment before the segment came to an end.
2point0 vs. Matt Sydal & Lee Moriarty on AEW Dark
Let's get it out of the way - Lee Moriarty's theme is a certified banger! Matt Sydal got all the love from his hometown fans as he followed Moriarty out to the ring.
Matt Lee had the entire crowd against him as he locked up with Matt Sydal, who executed his popular moves, including the standing mariposa. Moriarty got the tag, and the TaigaStyle practitioner got sucked into a trap from 2point0.
Moriarty, though, exploded off the ropes for a leg lariat onto Parker. Matt Lee used his power to send Lee into the corner with a release Northern Lights suplex. 2point0 began wearing Moriarty down with punches and kicks in their corner.
Matt and Jeff looked incredibly well-oiled as a team. They made quick tags and punished Moriarty with some old-school offense. Lee Moriarty's eventual tag to Sydal got a massive pop.
Sydal showed off his diversity with a rolling sole butt and a reverse leg lariat onto the members of 2point0. Sydal knocked Parker's lights out with a running double-knee strike in the corner.
Sydal almost got the win following a top-rope Meteora, but Matt Lee smartly pushed Moriarty into the pinfall. Moriarty took care of Lee with a tope suicida while Sydal set the stage for the finish in the ring.
Sydal hit three kicks before catching Parker with his 'Lighting Spiral' finisher for the win.
Result: Matt Sydal & Lee Moriarty def. 2point0 on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Lee Moriarty and Matt Sydal's win puts a blot on 2point0's impressive tag team record.
Dante Martin and Lio Rush appeared on the ramp to send a message to Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty ahead of their AEW Dynamite match.
Nyla Rose vs. Tootie Lynn on AEW Dark
A loud "Tootie" chant echoed around the arena before the match. Nyla Rose grabbed Tootie by the hair, but the AEW fresher had some fight in her as she connected with a few strikes.
The Native Beast put her power on display with some unforgiving throws. Rose executed a cannonball in the corner but stopped her pinfall to dish out more punishment.
Rose delivered a Samoan Drop, left Tootie to dry on the ropes, and came flying through off the top turnbuckle with the guillotine leg drop.
Result: Nyla Rose def. Tootie Lynn on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Andrade El Idolo (w/ Jose The Assistant) vs. Warhorse on AEW Dark
Andrade El Idolo looked majestic in his 'Black Mask' cosplay avatar as he slowly made his entrance on AEW Dark. Big-time local fan favorite Warhorse got a solid reception as well on his return.
Andrade used Jose The Assistant to create a distraction, and the former WWE star looked proud of his tactics. Warhorse blocked a top-rope suplex but came crashing down as a result of a powerbomb reversal from Andrade.
El Idolo wrapped things up with the hammerlock DDT.
Result: Andrade El Idolo def. Warhorse on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Alan "5" Angels & 10 vs. Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) on AEW Dark
A "ten" chant started the match as Preston Vance took the fight to Ricky Starks with a combination of punches.
Vance executed a fallaway slam before tagging Angels, who kept Starks on the mat with a Tiaras. Starks took a Russian leg sweep but still found time to tag in Powerhouse Hobbs.
Alan Angels tried to chop Hobbs to his knees with several kicks. Hobbs remained unfazed as he knocked Angels down with a running clothesline. Hobbs followed it with a delayed vertical suplex. Starks for the tag, and he did his trademark pose before dropping his elbow from the top rope.
Angels created some space with a few punches, but Hobbs ran through like a freight train with a body block. 5 made the tag to Preston Vance, who delivered pump kicks to Starks and Hobbs.
Ricky was sent over the top while Vance slammed Hobbs to the mat with spinebuster. Starks returned to the ring and broke up 10's Full Nelson attempt.
Hobbs delivered a spinebuster of his own on Vance, but Angels rushed in to break the pinfall. Starks took Angels out with a spear, and he focussed his attention on Vance.
There seemed to be miscommunication between all men as Vance was not supposed to be the legal man. They executed an awkward tag, and Angels was back in to take Hobbs' powerslam finisher.
Result: Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs def Alan "5" Angels & 10 on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Tay Conti (w/ Anna Jay) vs. Miranda Gordy (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
WWE Hall of Famer and member of the Fabulous Freebirds, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy's daughter Miranda Gordy made her AEW debut tonight.
Conti was initially aggressive as she connected with a series of forearm strikes followed by running pump kicks. The Brazilian star hit the DDTay to get a quick win in the books against the second-generation wrestler.
Result: Tay Conti def. Miranda Gordy (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Ryan Mantell vs. Wardlow (w/ Shawn Spears) on AEW Dark
Wardlow tripped Ryan Mantell off his feet to kick off the AEW Dark match. Mantell swung and missed his shots as the Team Taz member was in the driver's seat for most of the bout.
Wardlow delivered the Tiger Driver and knocked out his opponent with a knee strike in the corner.
Result: Wardlow def. Ryan Mantell on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Shawn Spears delivered a C4 on Ryan Mantell after the match.
AEW Dark Co-Main Event: Darby Allin vs. QT Marshall
QT Marshall ordered the production crew to cut his music, and he even disrespected Justin Roberts. QT cut a good heel promo and took shots at Sting and Darby Allin. The Factory leader got booed as he revealed what he promised MJF.
Darby Allin's entrance theme played, and the former TNT champion got one of the loudest pops of the night. Allin looked fired up as he unsettled QT Marshall with his athleticism.
Marshall shut down Allin with a left-handed lariat, which reminded Taz of the Big Boss Man. Allin escaped QT's suplex grip and slapped him across the face. Marshall caught an overhand shot and responded with a chop.
Darby Allin went for the Coffin Splash in the corner, but QT came back with a forearm shimmer. He followed it with a belly-to-belly suplex and went up to the top for a diving headbutt.
Darby began his comeback with a missile dropkick from the buckle, followed by a tope suicida. He rolled QT back into the ring and got a near fall from a Code Red.
Allin looked for the finish as he headed up top for the Coffin Drop. Pinfall...1...2...3!
Result: Darby Allin def. QT Marshall on AEW Dark
Grade: A
AEW Dark Main Event: Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus & Christian Cage vs. Hardy Family Office
Jungle Boy and Isiah Kassidy got the trios' main event underway. Kassidy jumped up on the top and got a chorus of boos in response from the crowd.
Jungle Boy started on the back foot until he gathered momentum with a few chops, modified arm drag, and a dropkick.
Long-time rivals Matt Hardy and Christian Cage finally stood on opposite ends as the legal men in the match. Hardy blocked the Killswitch early on, but Cage responded with ten punches in the corner. He followed it with a diving uppercut and got a one-count.
Cage had a lot to deal with as Kassidy proved to be a nuisance from the apron. Blade took advantage and dropped Cage down with a facebuster and follow-up punt kick.
Blade powered through with ground and pound before pushing Cage in the heels' corner. Kassidy had Cage in a side headlock as fans chanted for Luchasaurus to enter the match.
Hardy returned and delivered a side effect on Cage but tagged out to Kassidy instead of going for the pinfall. Kassidy took a little too long on the top rope and landed back-first on Cage's knees while attempting a senton.
Christian sold a storyline knee injury but still managed to make the hot tag to the Dinosaur Man!
Luchasaurus flattened all three opponents and positioned them in the corner. He single-handedly dominated the HFO until all heels ganged up on the giant.
Luchasaurus blocked the Twist of Fate and knocked him out with the tailwind kick. He planted Blade and Isiah with double chokeslams. Blade kicked out of the pinfall but was in a rough spot as Jungle Boy re-entered the match.
Jungle Boy took a nasty bump in the corner from a snap suplex. Hardy sneaked in and surprised Luchasaurus with the Twist of Fate.
Cage then one-upped Hardy with the Killswitch but absorbed a cutter from Kassidy.
Jungle Boy wiped out Kassidy with the Lariat. He caught Blade in the middle of the ring and forced him to tap out to the Snare Trap submission.
Result: Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus & Christian Cage def. Hardy Family Office on AEW Dark
Grade: A
An insanely stacked AEW Dark concluded with the babyfaces celebrating their victory with the fans.
You can check out the full episode above, and don't forget to join us for the final Dynamite before Full Gear on Wednesday.
