Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 11.1.22

It’s Tuesday night and YOU know what that means! We’re back to recap another episode of AEW Dark. This week we have nine matches on tap with stars like Toni Storm, Rey Fenix, Brian Cage, Kip, Nyla, Orange and more looking to compete. Surprised they gave O.C. the ol’ jobber name for the title of the video.

Danhausen vs. Jon Cruz

Wow Jon Cruz is back it has been SO LONG. He’s a man under the mask for the uninformed. Cruz is cursed, wont be shocked if he turns into a snake now. Cruz mocks Danhausen post curse and laughs at him assuming it’s not working. Danhausen takes control dropping Cruz in the corner, Danhausen lifts Cruz up but eats a superkick. Cruz lays into Danhausen with a series of strikes before taunting on the turnbuckle. Cruz continues to maintain control dropping a double axe handle across the back of Danhausen. Cruz drops a knee into the lower back of Danhausen stretching him while talking trash. Cruz continues to taunt Danhausen giving him an opportunity to take control and nail Cruz with an overhead suplex. Danhausen with an uppercut in the corner and a knee to the back of the head. Danhausen with a shoulderblock and into a vaulting german suplex to Cruz. Danhausen with a pumpkick to Cruz. Danhausen lifts Cruz up and gives him a lifting DDT and covers for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was a cute little singles match for Danhausen. I am curious what the long term plan is for a superstar like Danhausen who is so popular but relatively small. He actually plays his role really well and almost feels like a jobber who manages to overcome the odds and win more often than not.

The Embassy vs. Fuego Del Sol and Waves & Curls

Khan and Feugo kick the match off and Khan uses his strength to take control early slapping the taste out of Fuego’s mouth. Liona tags in and immediately runs through Trayvon Jordan with EASE. Liona chokes Jordan up in the ropes and Nana gets a shot in from the outside. Jordan with a short bit of offense but gets some dancing in and it costs him as Toa just beats him down before tagging in Brian Cage. Jordan trips on a backbody drop and tags in his partner. Brandon tries to attack Cage but he’s quickly dropped with a HUGE back body drop that nearly drops him on his shoulder. Cage taunts and goes for a suplex but Brandon manages to tag in Fuego. Fuego with a burst of offense dropping Cage with a superkick then a moonsault onto his opponents outside the ring. Fuego dives into Cage and he catches him, Cage attempts a fall away slam but Fuego lands on his feet and hits a thrust kick. Jalen Brandon with the blind tag he dives right into an f5 from cage. Trayvon Jordan runs into a pounce from Liona. Khan with a backelbow and they they Jordan up for an assisted ligerbomb from Cage. Cage covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was actually really impressive from a group that I know I should care about but I haven’t cared much for yet. They looked really good and cohesive especially down the stretch.

Leva Bates vs. Nyla Rose

They plugged this as Nyla defending the stolen TBS championship. Nyla comes out with a Jade wig on. Vicky comes out getting heat, kind of weird feud we have going on here. Leva ducks a shot from Nyla early and gets a short burst of offense until Aubrey pulls her away from the corner attack. Leva keeps telling Vickie to shh, I don’t think that got the pop that was expected. The distraction is enough to give Nyla time to recover, hit a spear then a beast bomb and cover for the win.
Rating: N/A
Review: Well that was fine, I get what they were going for there with her telling her to Shh but it simply didn’t work. I wonder if that was always the end game for the librarian stuff to get a pop from telling heels to shh.

Dante Martin vs. Encore
Fast paced action early with neither getting a clear advantage even after Dante hit a flipping dropkick Encore still managed to quickly get some offense in himself catching Dante and hitting a backdrop. Encore continued his attack targeting the lower back of Dante. Dante fights back with elbow strikes but is sent to the corner, he dodges a splash from Encore and nails him with a kick, following with a HUGE diving crossbody. Dante covers for a quick two count, Encore sends Dante into the ropes and catches him for the full nelson flatliner combo before covering for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Not a bad match but very light for what you’d expect from Dante. I like Dante a lot but I want to see him evolve as a character and not just be a great young wrestler. That’s cool but I need more from him.

Toni Storm vs. Diamante

Nice grappling early with neither woman taking the clear advantage. Diamante sends Toni to the apron and nails her with a dropkick to the outside. Diamante continues to maintain control showing an aggressive side here laying into Toni with a series of strikes and kicks. Diamante continues to work over the lowerback of Toni Storm wrenching away at her neck as Toni is slow to her feet. Diamante lays into Toni with a few more strikes to keep Toni grounded. Toni fights back nailing Diamante with a body press and a series of strikes then a dropkick. Toni with a fisherman suplex and covers for two. Diamante bounces back with some offense of her own nailing Toni with a modified stunner and covers for two. Diamante attempts a suplex but Toni switches around and nails three suplexes of her own. Diamante on the apron and Toni hits her with a hipattack and then a tornado DDT to the outside. Toni sends Diamante back inside and hits the hip attack and then locks in a texas cloverleaf for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Solid singles match between two very good wrestlers. I like Toni and Diamante has consistently done the best with whatever she is given. The victor was never in question but this was a good match regardless.

Orange Cassidy & Best Friends vs. Sonny Kiss, Ari Daivari, & Tony Deppen

Holy smokes it’s Tony Deppen, he’s an honorary trustbuster! Ari tells Tony if they win it could be very lucrative for him. O.C. and Daivari kick this one off. Cassidy is up to his usual tricks as Daivari can’t seem to get ahold of him. Cassidy teases the pockets but Daivari stops it and tags in Deppen. Deppen drops Cassidy and attempts a PK but Cassidy dodges it and tags in Trent. Trent with a gutbuster to Deppen then a boot to the side of the head. The Best Friends with a delayed verticle to Deppen, OC with a delayed elbowdrop to Deppen but it’s broken up. Trent and Chuck send Daivari and Sonny to the outside. Deppen sends Trent and Chuck to the outside. Cassidy dumps Deppen to the outside and teases a dive but Daivari sweeps the leg and sends Cassidy into the ring post before tossing him in for Deppen to make a cover for two. Daivari tags in and lays into Cassidy with a couple of kicks before tagging in Sonny. Sonny with a stiff kick to the stomach of Cassidy. Sonny with a sweet kick in the corner then follows with a big boot falling right into a split. Sonny looks great. Cassidy counters a suplex and hits Sonny with stundog millionaire. Chuck Taylor and Deppen tag in. Taylor with a burst of offense on Deppen. Trent tags in and they hit him with a combination move from the best friends. We get a big hug to give the people what they want, NO Sonny breaks it up. Daivari with a surprise lowblow to Trent. Sonny with a 450 splash. Deppen covers but Cassidy manages to break it up. Cassidy with a double rana to Daivari and Sonny. Orange with a DDT to Sonny. Deppen with a running knee strike but Orange sends Deppen into a knee from Chuck, Trent with a running boot. They set Deppen up and hit him with the double chokeslam powerbomb combo. Trent covers and picks up the win. Post match Daivari yells at Deppen for taking the loss, he shoves Daivari into a clothesline from Orange Cassidy and we get a hug to give the people what they want.
Rating: ***3/4
Review: This was a lot of fun and at one point they really had me biting on a potential upset for the Trustbusters. I am a bit bummed it didn’t happen but alas. I went into this expecting nothing really, which is on me because all of these talent are really good but with those expectations I was pretty much blown away cuz I had a good bit of fun watching. The post match stuff was solid as well.

Dean Alexander vs. Kip Sabian

Kip taunts Dean early and takes a slap, Kip with a headlock and some counters until Kip takes control with a dropkick. Kip sent into the corner, Dean tries to counter but takes a kick from Kip. Kip with a cannonball in the corner and taunts Alexander. Dean with a bit of offense but Kip nails him with a kick. Dean again with a burst of offense and attempts a powerbomb to Kip but he counters. Kip with a modified brainbuster and covers Dean for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was pretty short and nothing special. Kips offense looked much better here and he didn’t look nearly as much of a geek here as he has in other segments so i’ll take it.

Marina Shafir vs. Kennedi Copeland

Marina with a kick to Kennedi and she drops her quickly. Kennedi with a slap to Marina and that just angers her. Marina with a submission and sits right into it forcing a quick submission.
Rating: N/A
Review: Meh. Quick squash nothing too great but not bad.

Rey Fenix vs. AR Fox

Impressive back and forth between the two and we get a handshake as a sign of respect but they quickly go back to shoving eachother. Fox with some sweet offense hitting a dropback kip up into a pele kick, Fenix recovers and drops Fox on the apron with a cutter. They slow this down as Fenix hits Fox with a chop in various corners. Fox fights back and sends Fenix to the outside, Fox with a SICK dive to Fenix on the outside, he was diving forever. Fox rolls through into a suplex attempt hitting Fenix with a twisting brainbuster in the process. Fox covers for two but Fenix quickly back on the offense nailing Fox with a double stomp and armdrag into a legdrop. Fenix covers for two. Fenix on the top rope, Fox counters with a spanish fly and then hits Fenix with a 450 covering for two. A near upset for Fox. Fenix sent into the ropes he swings through hitting Fox with a kick then a back heel kick in the corner. Fenix with a blackfire driver and covers Fox for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Man this match needed so much more time. I HATE how often they do this style of match on Dark. It wasn’t bad at all but I feel they resort to this style of match a lot to give guys like Fox a few minutes to shine but then try to keep Fenix strong by having him win so quickly in the end. It just feels like they screw me out of a good match so much with stuff like that. All of that said this was a lot of fun and should’ve went another 20.

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

Another solid episode of AEW Dark, I really enjoy the way things have felt over the last few weeks and I wish there would be any kind of attempt to formalize what the studio shows are. I don't care if they are all 12 matches per show but i'd love consistency because that's part of what's great with these episodes. They tape it with TV so they stick to a tight one hour schedule and it keeps things consistent. As a consumer I really do enjoy consistency. There were some rather forgetful matches this week as there always are but there were also a few really strong matches. The six man tag, The Toni Storm/Diamante match and the main event all stick out as solid match ups. The rest of the show was all ok but not a whole lot stuck out as overly exciting or must see outside of the three listed matches.