Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 4.11.23

Howdy ho fam, it’s Tuesday Night so we’re back for another episode of AEW Dark. This week we have a little tiny baby episode with only four matches total set for the show. Usually I’m a fan of the shorter episodes but I’m skeptical tonight. We only have Matt Taven, Brian Pillman Jr, Willow & Josh Woods announced for the show on the title and none of them really stick out to me as reasons for me to watch outside of maybe Willow. Woods, Pillman and Taven are all good, but outside of Taven here and there the rest of them really haven’t ever done much to stand out to me. Maybe tonight that changes let’s get to it!

Matt Taven vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Interesting to see two of the four announced names competing in the opener but I get the idea of it. Taven is a significantly better worker than Pillman but Pillman has been in AEW much longer so I’m not sure who I’ve got to win this one. A bit of grappling early with neither man really taking completely control. Pillman sends Taven into the corner and follows with a chop. Taven off the ropes and connects with a dropkick and a taunt. Pillman and Taven with some leapfrog dodging action early, Pillman with a sign of disrespect as he walks across the back of Taven slowly. Taven on the apron and Pillman sweeps the leg of Taven dropping him outside. Pillman skips back into the ring, then Pillman to the outside to taunt and hang out with the crowd. Excalibur has no idea what he’s doing. Pillman sends Taven head first into the turnbuckle, but Taven counters and goes for a springboard dropkick but Pillman dodges and hits him with a crossbody and cover for two. Pillman with a single leg boston crab but Taven forces a rope break. Pillman dumped to the outside and Taven follows with a dropkick through the ropes to the face of Pillman. Back in the ring Taven with a springboard kick to the face of Pillman and covers for two. Taven has Pillmans arms behind his back with a modified stretch, Pillman counters by flipping into a dropkick to Taven. Pillman with a series of lariats to Taven then another in the corner and a chop followed by a northern lights suplex, Pillman covers for two. Pillman up top and goves for a swanton but Taven moves and hits Pillman with a spike bulldog and covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: I’m not gonna lie Pillman actually impressed me a bit here. Maybe its just that in the past my expectations were too high that now they’ve settled down and I dont expect much but he was solid here. Taven was the right choice to win and kind of what I anticipated but the work Pillman put in kind of had me thinking he might be in line for a victory.

Lee Johnson vs. Blake Li

Lee and Blake start off with some decent back and forth work as the crowd chants for one or both of them. Li with a dropkick early on elicits a nice response from the crowd. Lee Johnson with a throat chop to Li and then a suplex to take over the match. Lee lifts Li up and shoves at him. Blake to his feet and he exchanges strikes with Lee. Lee with a superkick to Blake then a fisherman’s neckbreaker and covers for the win.
Rating: N/A
Review: Well that was a squash between two guys named Lee. It wasn’t bad but it was pretty forgettable as neither really did anything that impressive and it was just too short to be interesting.

– Toni Storm cuts a promo backstage about the homegrown AEW women’s talent. She says they’ve been embarrassing them and hasn’t yet taken it far enough. She says they’re losers and they deserve everything they’re going to get. Feel like this could’ve fit better on an episode of Dynamite but I’ll take any promos on Dark we can get.

Josh Woods vs. Daisy K

Josh goes behind but Daisy counters and takes him down with some smooth wrestling. Woods with a clothesline but Daisy ducks it. Daisy attempts a leap frog but his leg gets caught and he goes face first into the mat. Woods immediately follows up with a kick tot he face and a gut wrench suplex. Daisy tries to fight back but Josh just stomps away at him, Woods goes for a boot to the jaw but Daisy ducks it and rolls up Woods for two. Woods back in control and hits a knee strike and a suplex into the bottom turnbuckle before covering for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another squash this was a little more impressive as the finish literally took Excalibur’s breath away as he didn’t think Woods was gonna keep Daisy safe. This was actually pretty sound and fun to watch, Woods pretty much dominated and used his experience to control for a majority of the match. The finish was pretty interesting and if it’s safe then it’s cool by me, as that was pretty sick.

– Jake Roberts is backstage with Lance Archer, Archer says he wants them to stop wasting his time with these jobbers and give him something he can chew on. Nice promo here and I’d love to see Archer get a significant run anywhere as he’s too damn good to be wasted doing 1 minute squash matches on Dark.

Willow Nightingale vs. Diamante

How come Diamante can time up her entrance music to her movements so much better than half the other wrestlers who try that. Willow is undefeated on AEW Dark but Diamante is a strong Dark competitor as well so this should be good stuff. Willow goes behind and tosses Diamante to the mat before letting her up. Diamante with a wristlock but Willow counters by tossing her with a scoop slam. Diamante goes for a rana but Willow catches it and hits a sidewalk slam then a legdrop to Diamante. Willow covers for two. Willow with a delayed suplex but Diamante counters and sends her into the corner before laying into her with a series of forearms. Willow to the apron and Diamante hits a neckbreaker on the apron then follows with a dropkick to the lowerback sending Willow to the floor. Willows selling is solid here. Diamante sends Willow into the ring and stretches her across the ring post back first working over the back. Willow back in the ring and Diamante with a series of elbowdrops to the back then a knee to the midsection/spine area. Diamante with a chinlock on Willow but she tries to fight free. Diamante responds with a chop then sets Willow on the top rope. Diamante heads up top and Willow fights free sending Diamante to the mat. Willow with a dropkick then a hip attack in the corner. Willow with a big boot then a spinebuster and she covers for a two count. Willow attempts a senton in the corner but Diamante moves. Diamante with a modified cross rhodes like move and covers for a two count. Diamante looks for a cutter but Willow counters sending her into the ropes. Diamante with a german suplex instead. Willow in the corner and Diamante hits an uppercut in the corner. Diamante off the ropes but Willow hits a pounce out of nowhere and drops her straps. Willow with a doctor bomb and covers for the victory.
Rating: ***1/2
Review: This main event was a lot of fun, Willow and Diamante delivered a really strong match up and Willow winning makes sense. It was a good back and forth with a few moments that felt like Diamante might actually win.

6.7

The final score: review Average

The 411

It's not that this weeks episode of Dynamite was necessarily bad but boy was it a forgettable show. The matches were fine but we had an alright opener, two very quick squash matches and a solid main event. Nothing about that is bad but it's also just there. The main event was good but it wasn't out of this world to a point people must watch it, it was simply a good match. Not that Dark really needs anything more this is just the risk you run with the shorter episodes I am always asking for if it lacks any level of excitement then it just feels like a filler show. I would've killed for a 15 minute Takeshita match this week but it was fine for what it was.