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AEW recently said bid adieu to two of its most popular shows, Dark and Dark: Elevation. There is considerable interest around the backstage folks' reactions to the decision to scrap the shows.
Dark had been running as a YouTube show since October 2019 as a way for fans to experience All Elite Wrestling online, without cable access.
As the roster grew, Dark: Elevation was introduced in March 2021 as a "middle ground" between Dynamite and Dark. However, as time went on, the shows became less about main stories and more about giving younger talent and promising independent stars a chance to share the spotlight.
While the two shows were fan favorites for their laid back approach, a report by PWInsider has claimed that the decision to get rid of Dark and Dark: Elevation was well received backstage.
The report also stated that talent have found the new format 'easier' to work, as the shows now feature a handful of warm-up matches before Dynamite goes live, rather than a full Dark: Elevation card that could feature anywhere up to 9 or 10 matches.
What will fill the void left by AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation?
While the idea to get rid of Dark and Dark: Elevation seemed logical, given the recent announcement that AEW would be debuting a new two-hour show called Collision on June 17th, some were left wondering if the young talent and indie wrestlers will get chances on AEW TV again.
Those opportunities will still be there, as recent reports have claimed that when Collision debuts on June 17th, Ring of Honor programming will be taped alongside the new Saturday show, while Rampage will be taped alongside Dynamite.
ROH on HonorClub has featured a number of wrestlers from the independent circuit, as well as young AEW stars who have yet to have a breakout performance on shows like Dynamite or Rampage.
So while the days of sampling up and coming talent on All Elite Wrestling's YouTube channel might be gone for now, all is certainly not lost.
Did you enjoy Dark and Dark: Elevation? Let us know in the comments section down below!
