wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 12.27.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Happy holidays, Merry Chrysler, Merry Crimus, to all. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season. Tonight we have 9 matches on tap and not a whole lot for star power if i’m being honest. Plenty of AEW Dark mainstays being featured however so it should still be an ok show.
Dante Casanova vs. Angelico
Nice grappling exchange early but per usual Angelico takes the upperhand in this realm. Serpentico out to support his new pal Angelico and the crowd is into it. Casanova with a spinebuster and pinfall attempt but Angelico is quick to kick out. Angelico slides in and locks in his submission finisher for the victory. Post match Luther hits the ring with Serpentico to celebrate.
Rating: N/A
Review: Not a lot to review here as the match was short and mostly grappling outside of the finishing stretch. Theyre building up the SAP as a new viable mid level trios team, not sure if I like it yet or not.
– Brock Anderson is interviewed and he says his journey will start tonight against Daddy Magic after being left in the corner for so long. Arn hypes up his son and says its time to let him go out there on his own. Arn tells Brock to show us who he is and to kick some ass.
The Work Horsemen vs. The Hughes Brothers
Anthony Henry in control early, tags in Drake just to tag back in immediately, Henry on the defensive so he tags in Drake. Drake locked up in a wristlock, Hughes tags in and drops off the top onto him. They continue to work over Drake until a strike exchange gives Drake a chance to escape. He’s sent into the ropes and rebounds with a blind tag to Henry. Henry in control briefly before tagging in Drake who lays into Hughes with a series of chops in the corner. Drake with a headbutt then tags in Henry, he nails a couple of strikes then runs into a spine buster. Drake tags in as does the other Hughes brother, he has the momentum briefly but Drake with a senton in the corner then tags in Henry lifting Hughes up into a backbreaker and Henry covers for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Not a bad tag match, both teams did what they needed to and the Workhorsemen get a bit of a momentum boost with this win.
– Daddy Magic is backstage, he tells Arn that letting Brock wrestle on his own is a big mistake.
Lucky Ali vs. Fuego del Sol
Fuego cuts a promo on his way to the ring getting the crowd to chant along for him ahead of this one. Excalibur says he hopes Lucky beats the breaks off of him. I agree. Fast paced action early. Fuego with a series of strikes and a kick to the back of the head of ALi. Ali sends Fuego into the corner. Fuego attempts the tornado DDT but Ali counters sending Fuego gut first into the ropes then rips at his mask. Fuego sends Ali outside then hits a shooting star press off the top onto Lucky outside. Back inside and Fuego hits a tornado DDT and covers Ali for the win.
Rating: N/A
Review: Decent little squash match for Fuego, he had some fire and some hype to him but i’m not sure I can get behind him. It seems the crowd is though so that’s all that matters and if it can transition to bigger shows he’ll be good to go.
Matt Menard vs. Brock Anderson
Brock not falling for Menards shenanigans early as he takes control with a backdrop and stomps away. Menard t the outside to regroup but Brock pulls at the hair to bring him back in. On the apron and the referee gets in between them allowing Menard to rake the eye of Brock. This allows Menard to take control sending Brock into the corner and stomping away at Brock. Menard sends him into the turnbuckle and goes for it again but Brock counters and sends Menard into the corner himself. Brock attempts a suplex but the turnbuckle pad comes off the turnbuckle and breaks it up. Brock sends Menard into the corner and hits his shoulder in the corner, Menard off the ropes and counters sending Brock into the corner then head first into the exposed turnbuckle right in front of the referee for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Again not a bad match but nothing to make me particularly excited. I think Brock is ok but has never and likely will never live up to what people might expect due to his family name. He just seems so very green and exactly as he was when he first debuted.
Evil Uno vs. Blake Li
Uno offers a handshake but Blake is disinterested so Uno quickly takes control chopping his opponent around the ring. Li counters and hits an uppercut in the corner, Li with a headlock but Uno counters and drops him with a shoulder block. Uno drops Li with a forearm and then a lariat in the corner followed by a shortarm lariat. Uno with something evil and covers for the victory.
Rating; N/A
Review: Pretty easy victory for Evil Uno he actually looked really good here.
Billie Starkz vs. Red Velvet
Billie Starkz making her AEW debut, she’s a young up and coming superstar on the independent scene. Velvet with a quick attack from behind on Starkz and lays into her with a series of strikes and single legged dropkick. Starkz with a series of forearms and sends Velvet outside. Starkz with a low tope to the outside on Velvet. Back inside and Velvet drops Starkz and lays her out with the corkscrew kick and covers fort he victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Eh, should’ve given Billie more, the countless jobbers who come in and randomly get five minutes of offense against bigger names than Velvet but we can’t give Billie more than 30 seconds of offense. Seems odd to me.
Iron Savages vs. Brandon Bullock & Jameson Ryan
The Iron Savages, Bronson and Boulder, Taz can’t stop calling them Bear Boulder and Bear Bronson. They toss aroud bullock before Ryan tags in and is dropped easily. Boulder catches Bullock and then drops Jameson. Boulder sets them both up in the corner and hits the double cannonball before Bronson covers for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another squash victory for this team, I can’t get behind it because I just feel like once again theyre racking up wins to put over someone much better the second they hit regular TV.
Mafiosa vs. Diamante
Nice Diamante chant early, she attacks Mafiosa’s legs first but her opponent takes control choking her in the corner. Mafiosa attempts a hiptoss but Diamante counters and hits a suplex, she attempts another but Mafiosa counters. Diamante with the code red and covers for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Not huge on four back to back squash matches.
AR Fox vs. Slim J
Tie up early, followed by trash talking and an AR Fox wristlock. Slim J counters and has a wrist lock of his own, counter into an armdrag. Not a lot happening early in this one. Fox with a twisting brainbuster out of nowhere. Kiss distracts the referee allowing Jeeves K to grab the foot of Fox. Slim J attacks and regains control choking Fox on the ropes. J distracts the referee this allows Kiss to choke him on the middle rope. Slim J with a strike and then again back to choking out Fox. Fox tossed outside and Slim J’s help again with the attack on the outside. Slim J follows Fox outsdie and tosses him into the stage. Slim J with a suplex and inside cradle for two. Slim J with a lariat then sends Fox into the corner face multiple times but Fox counters, he hits a lariat in the corner to Slim J then skins the cat into a dropkick. Fox with a back elbow and a cutter to Slim J covering for two. Slim J backs Fox up into the corner, Slim J with a suplex then a diving crossbody and covers for two. Slim J in the corner but Fox cathces him and hits another lifting cutter and again Slim J kicks out, gross. Fox with a springboard spanish fly then hits a 450 splash for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: Nice main event, glad they paced the show like this if nothing else. Don’t love the use of the cutter as a transitional move like that but otherwise this was a solid match but not really anything too crazy.
