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AEW DARK kicked off last night with quite a packed card. The promotion is heading into week 2 of Fyter Fest and its sister promotion, ROH, has a pay-per-view coming up this Saturday.
With an eventful week ahead, how did AEW DARK capitalize on the increasing fan anticipation? Continue reading as we break down the night's matches as well as grade each bout in this week's AEW DARK Results.
AEW DARK Opener: Jora Johl w/ Private Party vs. Luke Sampson
The two stars began AEW DARK with a strong show of traded chops before Sampson overpowered Jora Johl. However, Johl quickly hit back and proved his own strength as he slammed his taller opponent.
Sampson then attempted to regain the upperhand after building some momentum, but Johl continued to dominate the star. The two spent a significant portion of the clash attempting to overpower each other. However, Luke finally gained the upperhand, taking down Jora for a brief period before attempting his finisher.
Private Party then intervened and due to the confusion, Johl received an opening and capitalized with a Pump Kick, scoring the victory shortly after.
Winner: Jora Johl.
Grade: B, while Private Party's interference was confusing, the two athletes managed to put on a good match that made both look legitimate.
Lee Moriarty vs. Ren Jones
Lee Moriarty began the bout strongly, but Ren Jones quickly delivered a massive elbow that set him back. However, Moriarty then moved over to capitalize on Jones' visibly injured shoulder, locking him into a series of submissions and holds.
Jones later regained the upperhand, using his strength to devastate Moriarty even after the star attempted to escape. The Tyga Style star then dug in deep and hit back hard, putting Ren Jones down with a Yakuza Kick followed by a Suplex.
Lee then targeted Jones' head and firmly locked in the Border City Stretch, gaining a submission victory on AEW DARK.
Winner: Lee Moriarty.
Grade: B, Moriarty gained some much-needed momentum before Dynamite, against a powerful foe.
Serena Deeb vs. Viva Van
The Professor of Professional Wrestling returned to AEW DARK as she took on the rising star, Viva Van. As usual, Serena Deeb began the bout strongly and quickly locked Van into a painful Armbar into an Arm-Drag.
After suffering to Deeb's offense, Viva Van briefly escaped and tried to hit back with some offense of her own, but the veteran easily trapped her into a peculiar submission. Deeb then translated from this hold into a pin and then into another unorthodox submission hold.
Van managed to briefly break free from the hold, and after a tussle managed to get a one-count fall. This only managed to anger Serena, who then hit her signature Debb-Tox on the young star, picking up a pinfall victory.
Winner: Serena Deeb.
Grade: A, Deeb truly showed that she's the Woman of One-Thousand Holds as she pulled some painful never-seen-before moves.
Marina Shafir vs. Amber Nova
Amber Nova began the bout by trying to overpower Marina Shafir, who seemed to only toy with Nova. "The Problem" then transitioned a headlock into a Judo Hip-Toss, followed by an Ankle Lock.
Shafir then continued her assault, visibly having injured Nova. The Maldovan star then locked in her finisher, "Greedy", gaining a submission victory over Amber Nova.
Winner: Marina Shafir.
Grade: C+, essentially a squash match that made Shafir look good.
Anthony Henry vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Konosuke made his return to AEW DARK as he took on Anthony Henry. The two stars began the bout strongly, with both exchanging blows. Takeshita initially seemed to have the upperhand, but was quickly overpowered by Henry.
The Japanese star then pulled out some last-minute resolve as he not only escaped from Anthony's offense but took out the star. He then hit a diving Senton on Henry on the outside of the ring. Later in the match, Anthony Henry surprisingly made a comeback after evading Konosuke's Jumping Knee attack.
The two stars continued to go back and forth, each employing painful submissions before transitioning into some high-intense attacks. However, Konosuke Takeshita hit a Driving Knee Strike followed by a Jumping Knee Strike, gaining another victory on AEW DARK.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita
Grade: A, quite an intense bout by two very promising stars.
Jonathan Gresham vs. Jordan Oasis
Jordan Oasis made his AEW DARK debut by taking on the ROH World Champion.
The debuting star began the bout by surprisingly overpowering Jonathan Gresham, who seemed to be toying with his opponent. After allowing him to get a few moves in, Gresham then began to put on an impressive offense, toying with Oasis.
Jordan Oasis would soon return with some offense, even hitting a Canon Ball Senton on the champion. However, Gresham would quickly overpower Jordan and finish him off by brutalizing his knee.
Winner: Jonathan Gresham.
Grade: B+, despite his victory, Claudio Castagnoli isn't half as green as Oasis and the bout makes Gresham simply seem overconfident with a pending loss.
Wheeler Yuta vs. Bryce Donovan
Wheeler Yuta began the bout strongly as he quickly dominated Bryce Donovan with a flurry of powerful moves and attacks. The Blackpool Combat Club member then moved to focus on Donovan's legs with a series of holds and submissions.
Later in the bout, Donovan pulled off a shocking yet powerful Bossman Slam, getting a near-fall. This turned the momentum in his favor as he proceeded to wear down the ROH Pure Champion.
The champion regained the upperhand after reversing Bryce's offense into a Manhattan Drop as he launched an offense of his own thereafter. The star continued, hitting a brutal German Suplex on his opponent, gaining another victory on AEW DARK.
Winner: Wheeler Yuta.
Grade: B+, quite the wrestling clinic between the two athletes as Wheeler gains momentum going into his title match this Saturday.
Danhausen vs. Jake Something
Danhausen finally made his AEW DARK debut as he took on the returning Jake Something.
Despite fans cheering him on, Danhausen was pummeled by Something early on in the match, gaining a near-fall. The bout continued as the far bigger Jake Something dominated AEW's favorite mascot. Despite his efforts, the former ROH star failed to overpower his opponent at nearly every turn.
After a surprise "curse," Danhausen seemed to gain the upperhand with a flurry of moves, topped off with a Northern Lights Suplex. After some resurfacing offense from Jake Something, Danhausen picked up a surprise win with a roll-up pin.
Winner: Danhausen.
Grade: C+, a brief bout that fans of the star will thoroughly enjoy.
AEW DARK Tag Team Action Avery Breaux and Valentina Rossi vs. The Renegade Twins
Breaux kicked off the match against Charlotte and the Renegades quickly dominated the star with a flurry of tag-team moves. Valentina Rossi then entered the bout briefly regaining the upperhand for her team. Instead, the Renegade Twins then continued to dominate Rossi.
Robyn then entered the bout, to take on the newly entered Avery Breaux. Charlotte then tagged herself in, as the sisters continued to dominate. Breaux briefly regained the upperhand, which resulted in the twins switching places in order to have a refreshed Robyn steal the victory for their team.
Winners: The Renegade Twins.
Grade: C+, a quick bout that could allude to The Renegade Twins receiving a push on AEW DARK.
Mercedes Martinez vs. J-Rod
Mercedes Martinez began the bout strongly against J-Rod, who made her AEW DARK debut, and the champion quickly gained the upperhand. The two athletes continued, trading blows and strength before the champion prevailed after a nasty Running Knee Strike.
J-Rod then turned the bout in her favor, hitting a Running Elbow to Running Bulldog from the corner turnbuckle. The star continued to dominate the champion, before Martinez garnered some momentum, hitting a Death Valley Driver. After some more brutal offense, the champion locked her opponent in the Brass City Sleeper, capturing the victory.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez.
Grade: B, Martinez showed a powerful offense as the bout gave her momentum going into this Saturday.
AEW Tag Team Action: The Varsity Blonds vs. Terence and Terrell Hughes
Griff Garrison opened the bout as he took on one half of the Hughes brothers. The star maintained his offense as Brian Pillman Jr. entered the bout. The clash continued, as the Varsity Blonds maintained their upperhand before the Hughes brothers finally gained momentum.
However, the more seasoned tag-team would regain the upperhand with a blind tag followed by a finisher from Griff Garrison. The team then captured the victory, earning some much-needed momentum for their upcoming match against The House of Black.
Winners: The Varsity Blonds.
Grade: C+, a brief bout between two young teams that made the Blonds look much better than Dynamite did.
Fuego Del Sol vs. QT Marshall w/ The Factory
After a heated promo, Fuego Del Sol entered the bout with a fire that he hasn't shown on AEW DARK before. Despite this, Marshall still began the bout strongly, gaining momentum early on. Fuego then briefly gained the upperhand, knocking QT down, before the larger athlete regained his lost momentum.
As the clash continued, Del Sol continued to try to turn the match in his favor, but Marshall persisted with his offense and maintained the upperhand. However, the smaller star would finally get his break, pulling off a flurry of moves topped by a standing Moonsault.
Fuego would then successfully hit his Sky Twister finisher, but botched the pin attempt. The star then attempted the Shooting Star Press, but QT Marshall reversed into a Diamon Cutter, claiming the victory in the end.
Winner: QT Marshall.
Grade: B+, both stars dug in really deep and pulled off a bout that QT surprisingly won fairly.
Jay Lethal vs. Logan Cruz
Logan Cruz made his AEW DARK debut against his mentor Jay Lethal as the former ROH Champion aimed to warm up before his match on Saturday. Lethal began the bout by brutally attacking his student, and went the extra mile to inflict pain on the young star.
Cruz briefly attempted to fight back, but was met by a brutal backbreaker and an Avalance Dragon Screw. Lethal continued his offense, and locked in the Figure 4 Figure Leglock, gaining the victory despite seeming upset about winning.
Winner: Jay Lethal.
Grade: B, despite being a squash match, Lethal managed to make himself look desperate enough to do anything to win this Saturday.
AEW DARK Main Event: Daniel Garcia vs. Alan "V" Angels
AEW DARK ended off the night with what was Alan Angels' final match for the promotion. The two stars wrestled under ROH PURE rules. Garcia quickly cost Angels his first rope-break, which didn't amuse the star.
As the bout continued, the Dark Order star continued his offense, maintaining the upperhand he gained after Garcia initially cost him a rope break. Garcia would finally gain momentum after reversing a strike, hitting a Northern Lights Bomb to get a near-fall.
After costing Angels his final rope break, Garcia attempted to lock in a Sleeper Hold, pushing the star to his limit. Alan Angels then passed out on the top rope, after trying to escape, resulting in Garcia winning the bout.
Winner: Daniel Garcia.
Grade: B+, both stars pulled off quite a match, ending Angels final AEW DARK match on a high note.
