Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 10.4.22

We’re back for another episode of AEW Dark, let’s see what Tony Khan has up his sleeve this Tuesday night. Things with Dark have become relatively predictable and similar but the formula seems to work and honestly over the last month the roster has freshened up a good bit so i’ll take it. Tonight we have a bunch of the Trustbusters competing in singles matches, Marina Shafir, Abadon, Blake Christian, Skye Blue and then the somewhat built up main event tag match between the Work Horsemen and the team of Dante and Sydal. Not a bad card on tap.

Marina Shafir vs. Sio Nieves

This actually got a decent bit of time but unfortunately for Nieves that didn’t mean much as she went the way of many of Marina’s opponents in the past. Marina dominated throughout a majority of this match, Nieves got a brief bit of offense in but it wasn’t really much to write home about. Marina locked in her submission finisher for the victory here.
Rating: **1/4
Review: I was really high on Marina early but this run has not worked out that well and i’m a bit tired of these job matches she’s been doing. Anytime she’s gotten a bigger chance beyond them she’s hardly delivered.

AR Fox vs. Ari Daivari

Glad Fox is appearing for AEW every so often, he really is great and would be awesome as part of the ROH roster if that every really turned into something. This should be a relatively good wrestling match if they get time. Ari is a tad more aggressive than he’s been in recent weeks which is good for him as he has to do all the work. Fox with an acrobatic counter and follows up with a moonsault onto Ari on the outside after running up the ring post. Fox sends Ari back into the ring but Parker and Slim J with the distraction as the ref checks on Ari. Parker drops Fox allowing Ari to take control. Ari with a neckbreaker on the middle ropes and a flying crossbody, he covers for two. Fox counters a suplex into a twisting suplex of his own, he lays out Ari with a clothesline then ducks one from Ari, Fox with a springboard cutter, another cutter and he covers for the two count. Ari counters a suplex attempt with a superkick and a uranage. Fox attempts another cutter, Ari counters finally Ari hits not one but two cutters on Ari somehow he kicks out. Slim J with a distraction that allows Ari to lowblow Fox, Ari with an inside out lariat and covers Fox for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: Like I said at the top this would be technically sound. I HATE Fox hitting so many cutters and not winning the match but it’s a double edged sword. Ari winning with the heel tactics is expected but they’re a solid AEW Dark group a great change of pace from where we were a month ago.

Rohit Raju & Invictus Khash vs. Tony Nese & Josh Woods

Khash used to team with Ari and now he’s paired up with the somewhat frequent Dark competitor Rohit Raju. Nese and Khash kick this off, Khash size allows him to battle for control early, countering a shot from Nese and nailing him with an uppercut. Nese with some jumping jacks to taunt Khash before dropping him and tagging in Woods. Woods with a series of kicks and he covers Khash but Raju breaks it up. Nese sends Raju outside and dives on him. They hit the Olympic slam neck breaker combo for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was too short to act like it was a barn burner but it was good for what it was. Khash showed a bit of strength but it wasn’t enough to slow down Nese and Woods. Raju got too far ahead of himself and cost him and Khash here.

Abadon vs. Freya States

Abadon is one of the more interesting AEW signings just in general. She kicks this match off in the drivers seat but States counters and drops Abadon onto the ring steps. States sends her into the ring but Abadon is only down briefly before nailing her with a strike and the Black Dahlia.
Rating: N/A
Review: Abadon’s squash matches are interesting as she generally takes a bit of a beating but then quickly bounces back to dominate her opponent.

The Renegade Twins explain that they are one in the same so it’s not cheating when they help each other out. Hey it all adds up to me, she is she and she is she so she is she or whatever they said.

Slim J vs. Blake Christian

Imagine this match at a GCW show getting some decent time. Blake has accumulated a win or two since joining AEW so who knows who will win this one. Slim J takes Blake down but he responds with a bunch of kip ups and it confuses Slim J for a moment allowing Blake to take control. Blake with a shoulder tackle then drops Slim J with a dropkick and an armdrag. Slim J with an armdrag but he runs right into another dropkick and Blake covers for two. Ari pulls Slim J to the outside to recoup. Blake attempts to dive out onto them but it’s broken up as Sonny Kiss pulls at Blake’s leg. Slim J stomps at the stomach of Blake and then nails him with an enziguri to the head. Slim J chokes Blake on the ropes before the ref breaks it up but Sonny Kiss adds on as the referee pulls Slim J away. Blake fights back with a backbreaker then a springboard dropkick to slim J. Blake heads up top Ari distracts Blake, Slim J tossed outside so Blake dives out taking both men out. Sonny with the distraction. Slim J hits a casadora and then locks in a submission for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: This was a solid match between Blake and Slim J as expected. The way the booking of the Trustbusters with the Indy guys is going i’m hoping for a big multi man tag team match between The Trustbusters and the rest.

Eli Isom & Chris Farrow vs. The Wingmen (Ryan Nemeth & Cezar Bononi)

Eli and Cezar kick this off, Cezar tosses Eli across the ring setting up for Nemeth to tag in. Nemeth only maintains control shortly as Isom takes him out with a series of strikes. Farrow tags in and hits a springboard onto Nemeth he attempts a crucifix bomb on Cezar but it’s no good. Cezar sends Farrow into Nemeth who hits him with the gyrating hips and the neck breaker. Nemeth covers for the victory as Cezar poses.
Rating: *1/2
Review: I’m over the Wingmen and the random pairings coming out to dominate random job squads it’s just been happening for a while.

– The Iron Savages are going to rain hell on all of AEW’s tag teams and you can take that to the bank.

Terry Kid vs. Parker Boudreaux

This was absolute domination for Parker as it should be. Poor Terry.
Rating: N/A
Review: You can only do this for so long but for now it’s good stuff.

Robyn Renegade vs. Skye Blue

Robyn attacks Skye before the bell but Skye regains control with a crossbody and pinfall attempt. Charlotte grabs the leg of Skye as she hops back into the ring allowing Robyn to drop her with a big boot. Robyn with chops to Skye in the corner but she responds with one of her own. Robyn with a backstabber and covers for two. Skye with a rana, Robyn blocks a kick but Skye counters with another. Skye trips up but nails Robyn with a kick, RObyn responds with one of her own. Skye catches Robyn and hits her with the modified flatliner and covers Robyn for the win.
Rating: **
Review: This was fine, a bit surprised they didn’t do the same old song and dance here with the Renegades but it’s for the best they were overdoing it a bit.

Iron Savages vs. Vary Morales & Levy Valenzuela

Vary always pulls up to Dark for a good tag match. Morales with a burst of energy early but Bronson drops him and sets him down with a senton. Valenzuela and Boulder in the ring exchanging strikes. Bronson tags in and the savages drop Valenzuela. Morales tags himself in, Boulder tosses Morales to the outside. JT tosses Morales back into the ring, they hit the backpack cannonball int he corner and cover Morales for the victory.
Rating: **1/4
Review: They’re doing squash matches again rather than working decent angles with the deep AEW Dark roster. I would rather see them do a bit more than this at this point but they’re trying to make something out of it.

Dante Martin & Matt Sydal vs. The Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)

The Workhorsemen attack early but Dante counters JD’s springboard forearm with a sweet bit of leapfrog work before diving onto Drake and Henry outside. Dante sends Henry into the ring as Sydal exchanges strikes with him. Sydal drops him with a kick to the face then hits a mariposa splash onto him covering for onw. Henry shoves Sydal into the corner allowing Drake to get a few shots in and eventually swept the leg of Sydal. Henry tags Drake in who lays into Sydal with a series of strikes then a splash to drop Sydal. Sydal with a roll up, Drake kicks out and immediately breaks up the tag after good stuff. Drake sends Sydal into his corner and lays in a few chops before tagging in Henry. Henry and Drake with the quick tags to keep Sydal isolated. Sydal with a rana to both men Dante nearly tags in but Henry pulls him to the outside and nails him with a piledriver outside. Henry with a running kick to Sydal inside the ring and Drake covers for two. Drake locks in a headlock on Sydal he tries to fight free but Drake drops him and nails him with a senton. Henry teases a tag mocking him and Dante. Sydal with a jawbreaker to Henry but Henry responds quickly with an awkward piledriver. Henry tags in Drake, he tosses Henry into the corner but Sydal moves just in time. He takes out Drake and tags in Dante. Dante with the hot tag he takes out both men with a springboard. Henry sent outside. and Dante attempts a dive but Drake blocks it, Dante is free he takes out Henry then slides in taking Drake out with a lariat and covers for two. Henry inside the ring to break things up, Henry sent back to the apron and Dante attempts a sunset flip but it’s no good. Henry and Drake with the quick tags then nail Dante with a series of strikes. Sydal breaks it up taking out Henry allowing Dante to set up for his moonsault finish on Drake and covers for the victory.
Rating; ***
Review: This was a good match for Dark and a solid main event but i’m curious at how this little feud has been booked. If Dante and Sydal aren’t immediately onto bigger things on Dynamite why not let this run longer rather than just have them beat these two in some fashion over the last two weeks.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Honestly not bad but still relatively underwhelming. There were a few solid matches on here but i think the more I watch Dark the more I recognize that even the somewhat lengthy good matches would always be better on Dynamite or in another promotion. Blake vs. Slim J was good but it would be a lot of fun in ROH or at a GCW show, here it's just a solid match. That's always better than the squash matches that we've seen repeated dozens of times over the last year. Tonight was a mixture of good matches and a lot of the same old stuff we've seen for a while with Dark. Not bad but, nothing amazing.