wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 1.10.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...We are back for another episode of AEW Dark and tonight we are BLESSED with a show in front of a full crowd. These are always the better episodes of Dark and the card looks pretty solid as well. The main event features a championship match which I both love and hate. Typically you don’t expect a championship to change hands on a taped show and if it does you usually hear about it early. That said I gotta appreciate some level of effort here as it was probably taped before or after battle of the belts.
Before we get into the show I wanna do quick house keeping and say that whoever commented last week was right I forgot to add the 411 rating and as such accidentally rated last weeks show BETTER than I intended. Just kidding it wasn’t that bad last week but it was a fairly underwhelming show. Also I went back to take a gif of the drop kick botches in the Sonny Kiss and show my friends only to see that the dropkick in the Shawn Dean vs. Ariel Dominguez was actually really smooth. Sometimes trying to write and review I can mix stuff up so fair to say I accidentally underrated that match just a tad, on my second watch Dominguez is good for his size but still a little rough around the edges. (the kipup save was nice but a botched kipup can haunt you for a while ask Janela.) Enough house keeping on to this weeks show!
Juice Robinson vs. Travis Williams
Lock up and Juice in control early sending Williams to the mat and going behind with a waist lock into a half nelson. Williams counters Juice and lays into him with a flurry of offense in the corner. Williams tries to catch Juice with a splash in the corner but Juice moves allowing Williams to take himself out. Juice lifts Williams up and sends him into the corner following with a nice cannonball, immediately following with a senton and pinfall attempt for two. Williams locks Juice in a few separate pinfall attempts but all are only good for two. Williams with a german suplex and bridge attempt but again only a two. Juice counters a DDT attempt and lariats Williams. Juice with an inverted DDT to Williams and covers him for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: I have never seen Williams before but this was a solid match. Juice is a nice pickup and I like how he’s getting a chance to build up slowly rather than being forced as a top guy right away.
Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale vs. Emi Sakura and Diamante
Emi and Diamante attack pre match but Ruby blocks a dive from Diamante and the babyfaces take control. Ruby matches up with Diamante inside of the ring as Willow continues working over Emi on the outside. Both teams continue to brawl on the outside as the referee fails to gain any type of control. Willow lays out Emi outside, Diamante follows up by laying out Willow. Diamante sets Ruby up for a shot into the barricade but Willow hits her with a pounce into the barricade. Diamante is sent into the ring with Ruby and she hits destination unknown and covers for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: This was technically a squash but it was well done so i’ll give it a rating. I really liked this even though it was short, the crowd really added to the excitement and made for a good match.
Steve Migs vs. Jake Hager
Hager in control early, Migs sent into the corner and he knocks Hager’s hat off the turnbuckle. Hager yells at him to pick it up and fix it so he does. Hager works over Migs but he counters Hager with a shot to the midsection and grabs the hat but Hager catches him putting it on and takes his head off with a lariat. Hager covers for the easy easy victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another squash but again this was pretty entertaining for what it was.
The Voros Twins vs. Big Bill & Lee Moriarty
Moriarty is seriously underutilized, thrilled to see him here. Big Bill takes out one of the Voros twins early with a splash in the corner. Bill with a fall away slam and Lee tags in and works over Voros 1. Voros 1 counters with an enziguri and makes the tag. They bounce off the ropes and attempt a tag move but Lee takes both out with a double dropkick. He makes the tag and Big Bill with a splash in the corner then a BIG BOOT. Voros 2 walks into a stalling chokeslam, long enough for Voros 1 to try and break it up, Lee drops him and Big Bill drops his brother onto him before pinning both. Post match Big Bill squishes their heads while Stokley gives them both a noogie.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Another squash that went a little longer than the last two. I like Big Bill and Lee as a team and I think that the Voros teams are decent squash job guys for now.
– Juice is backstage and he says in 2023 he’s going to show everyone why he’s rockhard Juice Robinson. The Dark Order come up and say they thought Juice is cool and they want to juice up the group. Uno asks Juice if he wants to join the Dark Order. Juice asks if they’re as stupid as he thinks they are because he has a group, The Bullet Club. Juice says he’s Bullet Club for life and walks off.
Teal Piper & Kel vs. Anna Jay A.S. & Tay Melo
Tay calls out Teal and tries to get Kel to make the tag then breaks it up before she can. Nice heel stuff. Anna tags in and they hit the double suplex. Anna teases the tag awkwardly before dumping Teal off the apron. Tay tags in and hits a running knee in the corner, quick tags, Kel again tries to make a tag and finally she does. Teal with a series of lariats then pokes at the eyes of Anna before Tay hits a big pump kick to Teal in the corner. Kel tags in and takes the DDTay and Anna locks in the Queen slayer forcing Kel to submit.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This wasn’t perfect but it was pretty good. I found the use of Teal here interesting, I don’t expect her to pop up much but maybe she’ll be around more. She didn’t do much but was obviously good for a nice pop here.
Ethan Page, Matt Hardy, & Isiah Kassidy vs. Judas Icarus, Sebastian Wolfe, & Caleb Teninty
Ethan mocks Matt Hardy’s entrance as they all walk down together and Matt’s not impressed. Ethan hands Matt the mic and teases starting the match before tagging in Kassidy and taking the mic from Matt to talk up Kassidy. Tenity tries to catch Kassidy on the apron but he’s dumped outside and Kassidy takes out Wolfe and Tenity at the same time with a moonsault. Hardy tags in and nails Wolfe with a tag team move with Kassidy. Icarus tries to break it up but he’s taken out as well. They take out Wolfe and Ethan begins a this is awesome chant. Icarus with the blind tag tries to catch Hardy sleeping but Hardy takes him out and makes the tag to Ethan. Hardy and Ethan hit a double elbow to the face of Icarus. Hardy tags in but he’s backed into the corner allowing the jobbers to get some offense in. Tenity drops Ethan Page with a right hand but Hardy lays into him in the corner. Hardy with a side effect to Tenity. Kassidy tags in and hits a swanton bomb, he goes to cover but Ethan demands a tag and says he’s his boss. Ethan tags in and mockingly does the twist of fate and covers for the victory. Post match Hardy consoles Kassidy as Hardy celebrates with Page.
Rating: ***
Review: The match was fine but it’s the story work here that’s most compelling. Hardy is finally buying into the idea that Ethan is the leader or at least trying to convince Ethan of that and I like that.
ROH Women’s World Championship Match: Athena (c) vs. Marina Shafir
Surprised they didn’t include this on Battle of the Belts, always nice to see ROH involved with AEW Dark. Weak handshake from Shafir who tries to grapple with Athena early, Athena attempts a leg submission but Shafir blocks it. Athena gets to the ropes forcing a break and then heads outside calling for a timeout. Athena tricks some mark into thinking she’s gonna high five him then heads back into the ring. Athena runs right into a series of strikes from Marina before being taken down with a hip throw. Athena again to the outside to escape but Marina grabs her, Athena sends Marina face first into the apron then sets her up sending her head first into the ring post. Athena continues to work over Shafir tossing her onto the mat outside of the ring and backing Vickie Guerrero away. Athena meets Shafir back in the ring ripping at her face and locking in a chin lock. Shafir counters into a roll up but Athena counters as well, finally Shafir in control with an armbar attempt but Athena again with a pinfall attempt. Shafir goes back after the armbar and nearly gets it but Athena finally breaks it with a powerbomb. Both women back to their feet and they exchange strikes and Shafir drops her but Athena ducks a kick and kips up with a thrust kick of her own. Shafir and Athena to their feet again, Shafir sends Athena outside and it’s a stiff fall. Athena grabs the championship and starts to walk away but Marina follows her up the ramp and tosses her down the ramp with a number of hip tosses. Athena attempts a kick but Shafir ducks it and powerbombs her. Shafir attempts a sleeper and puts her weight onto her back. Athena counters by rolling her weight onto the chest of Shafir. Shafir right back into the submission but Athena climbs up the top rope, Athena with strikes to break it and Athena is fading but she falls right onto the body of Shafir. Both women are down, Athena is up first and lays into Shafir with a number of slaps but Shafir responds with some nice elbows, Athena steps down on the foot of Shafir and lays into her with strikes. Shafir counters with strikes of her own. Athena sends Shafir outside and follows with a bottom rope tope. Shafir sent into the steps and Athena with a running knee strike into the steps. Athena sends Shafir back into the ring and locks in a crossface but Shafir counters with a pinfall attempt for two, Athena with a roll up of her own and grabs the tights to steal the victory and retain her championship. Post match Shafir grabs at the hair of Athena but Athena hits her with the championship and runs away.
Rating: ****1/4
Review: For AEW Dark matches that might be the best one we have seen in a LONG LONG time. Holy shit that was great. It started off a little eh but it got going and they really had me biting on the idea that somehow Shafir won the ROH Womens title last Friday and I managed to avoid the spoilers all weekend. Genuinely had me biting and hoping for Marina to win and left open a chance for them to run it back. With it being an ROH story I could see them letting it run on Dark if they don’t get ROH’s streaming going soon. Either way that’s a feud you can build up to get people into ROH, seriously that hard hitting style sells people and it felt like a legit fight. Seriously top notch match for Dark.
