Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 4.4.23

Welcome back to another AEW Dark recap with your boy. After a long drama filled week of wrestling (the fed) it’s nice to settle down for a comfy episode of Dark.

Peter Avalon vs. AR Fox

Avalon in control early but Fox connects with a pump kick sending Avalon to the outside. Fox follows up with a dive onto Avalon outside. Fox sets Avalon up on the apron and nails a legdrop across his chest and pins for two. Some back and forth action as Avalon rolls up Fox for one before immediately hitting a superkick sending Fox outside. Avalon with a tope to the outside, Fox back inside and Avalon with the dive onto Fox and cover for one. Avalon and Fox exchange chops until Avalon takes control with a suplex pin combination for one. Avalon looking for a superplex but Fox escapes and goes for a backbody drop, Avalon blocks it sending Fox to the mat, he goes for a moonsault but Fox moves out of the way. Fox with a series of kicks and a cutter, Avalon heads up top, Fox with a rollthrough cutter and covers for two. He has the worst cutter in the business it can’t finish anyone. Avalon on the apron and he catches Fox with a death valley driver, back inside Avalon with a sitout falcon arrow cover for two. Fox up top and goes for a 450, Avalon moves and attempts a roll up, Fox counters, back and forth until Fox takes the win with a roll up.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a solid opener for Dark but nothing special. AR Fox is fun to watch and he does a lot of things well and Avalon is a decent enough jobber so this was good. I could do without Fox doing the cutter every match and someone kicking out but I have just decided he doesn’t do it right because he never wins with it. Jokes aside a fun opener worth checking out.

Willie Mack vs. Serpentico

Willie Mack backs Serpentico into the corner and Serpentico gets the ropes calling for a clean break immediately. Willie in control early laying into Serpentico with chops in the corner, Mack with a hiptoss, he sends Serpentico in the corner but he counters, Mack with a unique armdrag, he drops Serpentico with a rebound dropkick as he comes off the ropes. Luther on the apron and he attempts to hit Mack but Mack catches him and sends him off the apron. Serpentico drops him from behind attacking the knee hitting a knee-dt and covering for one. Serpentico taunts Mack as he continues to work the knee. Luther yelling at Serpentico on the outside that he’s strong but Mack counters with a backbody drop. Mack blocks shots from Serpentico and lays into him with a series of strikes and a samoan drop. Mack attempts a kip up but he sells the knee, he hits a standing moonsault and covers for two. Serpentico counters dropping Mack neck first on the ropes then hitting a swanton and covering for two. Serpentico dropkicks the knee and attempts a crossbody but Mack catches him and drops him HARD with a huge powerbomb. Mack covers and takes the victory as he continues to sell the knee.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a shorter match but I actually really liked how much Mack sold the knee. Serpentico didn’t do a ton of damage but Mack still sold what was done very well even after the victory, you don’t see that all the time on AEW Dark.

Ameera vs. Leila Gray

Gray wastes no time dropping Ameera with a dropkick in the corner and lays into her with a series of kicks. Gray with a spinning forearm before choking Ameera on the top rope. Gray with a suplex and covers for two. Gray with a sleeper hold on Ameera, Ameera fights free looking for support laying into Gray with some ugly strikes. Gray says I don’t think so looking for a powerbomb but Ameera fights free, Gray quickly sits out hitting Ameera with a spike DDT.
Rating: N/A
Review: A squash for Gray, it wasn’t great but it was a win for Leila. I always say that someone like Leila Gray who is newer would be better off facing more talented superstars but this was fine for what it was.

Jay Lucas & Terry Yaki vs. Tony Nese and Ari Daivari

Apparently Daivari has joined the Varsity athletes as he now has the same colored gear and was announced with them but it seems a little uncertain right away. Nese starts with Yaki working him over before tagging in Daivari and they hits a double suplex on Yaki. Ari sends Yaki into the corner and lays into him with a series of chops. Daivari and Nese with quick tags as they work over Yaki in the corner. Commentary explains that Daivari is part of both groups the Trust Busters and the Varsity Athletes. Ari and Nese work over Lucas before hitting him with the assisted cutter and Nese covers for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: It was a fine match but I am not sure about the booking of this. I don’t know that Ari of all people makes any sense as a member of the Varsity Athletes after being a leader of his own group. Maybe if they flesh it out more but on first sight it’s not for me.

Lee Moriarty vs. Invictus Khash

Lee is great, Khash has appeared on Dark a fair amount of times and every time was pretty solid at the very least. Lee in control early with a low armdrag and plays some air-guitar. Khash with a wristlock on Moriarty but Lee fights free countering into a full nelson. Khash fights free and works the ankle of Lee rolling through into a pin for one. Lee counters backing Khash into the corner, Knox calls for a break and Lee gets a cheap shot in with the back elbow to the face. Lee and Khash exchange pinfall attempts neither get it after multiple tries. Lee kicks out and uses the kick out to low blow Khash smart guy. Lee with a leg lariat and covers for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review; Probably the best of the last three squash matches. Lee is very good and while they really didn’t do much mostly working holds with Lee cheating for a lariat it was still fun. I may be bias towards Lee but this was just a more sound squash match. Lee gave a little bit to Khash but it was mostly hold for hold so Lee still looks like a strong competitor and more smart than scared in how he cheated good heel work here.

– Smart Mark Sterling is backstage to explain Ari Daivari joining his group but still being the leader of The Trustbusters. If you have to explain it this much and it still feels off then I have to wonder what the point is. They tried to make it make sense and i’ll give them credit for that but I still don’t think it’ll flesh out into something that makes sense and is good.

Cezar Bononi vs. Evil Uno

Uno with a couple of chops to Bononi, after this weekend chops just don’t hit the same. Bononi with a gutbuster to Uno and covers for one. Uno fights to his feet and uses his vest to sweep Bononi’s leg and cover for one. Bononi fights out and lays into Uno with a nice chop in the corner. Uno with a slap and Bononi responds with another nice chop. Uno sent into the steps knee first as Bononi goes pinky up for the crowd. Bononi looks for a powerbomb but gets slapped in the face. Uno uses his vest to distract Bononi but he doesn’t care nailing Uno with a powerbomb covering for two. Bononi runs into a boot from Uno in the corner. Uno with a burst of offense and nails a short arm lariat then a pile driver and covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Another solid match that wasn’t too special but was certainly not bad. I liked Bononi here and was pulling for him to win but alas he falls short to Uno. Uno has been getting some singles action recently on Dark.

Toni Storm vs. Kiera Hogan

This is a fun match I like both of these girls a lot. They start off with a burst of energy exchanging shots, Kiera with a hip attack to the back and a step-up leg drop off the back. Toni rolls out of the ring so Kiera with a bottom rope tope taking out Toni. Kiera up top and Storm catches her before hitting a hip attack to Kiera sent out to the floor. Storm grabs Kiera and says she’s pissing her off before pulling her to the other side of the ring area to chop her and slam her face first into the steps. Toni with another chop before sending Toni into the ring. Kiera tries to fight back but she’s dropped by a boot from Toni. Storm with a series of suplex to Kiera. Storm covers multiple times but can’t keep Kiera down for three. Storm into a full nelson on Hogan. Hogan to her feet and tries to fight free but Storm slams her hair first into the mat. Hogan slams Storm to the mat head first. Hogan with a hip attack to Storm in the corner. a fan yells Kiera is on fire and she responds yeah I am. Kiera with a crossbody to Hogan and covers for two. Storm calls for a timeout and sells her ankle. Storm says she’s hurt so the referee backs Kiera up. Kiera is fooled and Storm sends her face first into the turn buckle. Storm with a swinging DDT and covers Storm for two. Kiera in the corner and Storm goes for a hip attack but she runs into a superkick. Hogan with a neckbreaker and covers for two. Hogan lifts Storm up but she counters with a forearm. Storm sends Kiera into the corner with a dropkick and a hip attack. Storm hits Storm zero and covers for the win.
Rating: ***1/4
Review: I wish this was long because that was a ton of fun and an awesome main event. Kiera Hogan can really go with a good opponent and we all know Toni Storm is amazing. They had a really fun match and even though I knew who would likely win I bit for a second down the stretch hoping that Kiera might get an upset. She didn’t go down easily and I enjoy that for her as she appears on Dark a lot and the AEW Dark audience need a few strong talent like Kiera to get behind. Storm has appeared somewhat frequently on Dark and i’m glad because she’s fun to watch, she put on a good match here and really let Kiera shine. Easily the best match of the night.

7.1

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was a fine episode of Dark. The main event is really the only match that I think is worth going out of your way to watch but ultimately it was not a bad episode. None of the matches were 'bad' they were all pretty decent but none of them were really exciting in a way that made me think they won't be pretty easily forgotten by the end of tomorrow's Dynamite for the most part. That's not a bad thing and this was a really easy watch so it's not like it was a bad episode it was just kind of there this week. I will say that Kiera and Toni really delivered in the main event of an otherwise average show.