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JD Drake (w/ Ryan Nemeth) vs. Baron Black on AEW Dark
Black countered JD Drake's power early on with an abdominal stretch in the AEW Dark match. Drake, however, sent Black over the top.
Baron connected with an elbow and a chop, but he ricocheted off the ropes and ate a clubbing right from Drake.
JD told the referee to start the count. Baron picked himself up and rolled back into the ring. Drake stomped away on Black in the corner, but Baron smartly tripped the big man.
Drake, though, laid out Black and hit the Vader Bomb from the top for a two-count. Drake blocked the exploder suplex but missed his slam as Black looked for a German suplex.
Black landed a few strikes, followed by a Manhattan drop, an uppercut, and a low-trajectory German suplex. Black pulled his straps down and hit a clothesline in the corner.
Black got a near fall after an exploder suplex. Drake reversed a Texas Cloverleaf attempt with kicks from his back. Drake and Black engaged in a battle of chops in the center of the ring.
Drake connected with a three-kick combo, hit the ropes, and executed the Claymore kick for the win.
While JD Drake came out victorious, the criminally underrated Baron Black also deserves props for putting on another solid match despite being on the losing end.
Result: JD Drake def. Baron Black on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela vs. KC Navarro & Aaron Frye on AEW Dark
Navarro and Frye went charging ahead at Sonny, but Kiss went low, and Janela was waiting on the other end for a double clothesline.
Kiss and Janela executed a Manhattan drop-assisted powerbomb combo for a two-count on Navarro. Frye got into the match, and Janela greeted him with a brainbuster.
Kiss and Janela bossed the match with some rapid-fire offense on Frye, which included multiple top-rope splashes. Navarro came in and hit a rolling DDT on Kiss. However, he got planted into the mat with a Death Valley Driver from Janela.
Frye punched Janela, followed by a bicycle knee strike. Janela responded with a superkick. Kiss hit the split-legged Stunner, and Janela delivered the top-rope elbow drop on Frye for the win.
Result: Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela def. KC Navarro & Aaron Frye on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
Matt Sydal vs. Mike Magnum on AEW Dark
Magnum attacked Matt Sydal with a paintbrush as the match began. Sydal kicked Magnum a few times before delivering the lightning spiral for the win. The squash match lasted for 48 seconds.
Result: Matt Sydal def. Mike Magnum on AEW Dark
Grade: F
Excalibur was quick to note that this wasn't the shortest match in AEW history, but it was in the top 10.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
