wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 2.14.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...We’re back for another AEW Dark recap, it looks like we’re getting back to Tony’s favorite territory long ass episodes of Dark with 11-15 matches. Tonight we have 11 but i’m a sucker for Takeshita main events so i’m ready for the long haul. Let’s get to it!
Jericho Appreciation Society’s Matt Menard & Angelo Parker vs. Fuego Del Sol & Leon Ruffin
Angelo Parker and Ruffin kick this off early, neither get a clear advantage but Leon with a tag to Fuego and they briefly handle Parker before Menard tags in. Menard with some decent offense and heel work while working over Fuego before tagging him in. The JAS continue working over Feugo despite the crowd cheering for him. Fuego with a bit of offense but it’s short lived as Ang and Menard make a tag putting that to a stop quickly. Angelo keeps Fuego isolated from a tag eventually tagging in Menard but Ruffin finally gets a tag from Fuego. Ruffin with a burst of offense nailing a weak springboard cutter. Fuego with a tornado DDT and covers for two but Ang pulls him off. Ruffin attacks Ang and tells Fuego to dive, Ang sets Ruffin up to take the dive then they spike Fuego with an assisted DDT for the victory.
Rating: **1/4
Review: This wasn’t bad but not really sold on the faces in this one and the JAS are best against babyfaces you really like. Some people really like Fuego and Leon though so there’s that.
– Christopher Daniels cuts a nice promo saying he’s going to earn his keep in AEW by continuing to win. Danielson says he signed an open contract and offers a match for tonight. Daniels had a weird eye i’m assuming plays into the whole Fallen Angel thing. Daniels is great but it’s hard to deny he’s aging regardless of the fact he’s still very good. Curious to see how this plays out.
Hyena Hera vs. Mei Suruga
Hyena is much taller than Mei and she plays into that early but then Mei just bites her. Shades of my two year old. Mei works over Hera despite the size difference. Mei yells at Bryce, great stuff. Mei taunts Hera and teases biting her face but Bryce prevents it. Mei continues her offensive attack over Hera as Taz and Excalibur discuss types of Apples. Apparently Mei is always going for the bites because she’s a big fan of apples. I’m sure I missed something there. Hera in control but Mei starts freaking out to distract her. Hera sends Mei into the corner and chops her but Mei gains control and hits a top rope arm drag and then slams Hera with a springboard footstomp and covers for two. Suruga with a cool submission and she picks up the victory. Mei teases biting Bryce at the end of the match. Pop.
Rating: **3/4
Review: It wasn’t a lot but it was fun for what it was. I hope that Mei actually comes into the fold as some sort of semi regular talent.
Allen Russell & Kameron Russell vs. Varsity Athletes
Shout out to the Russell brothers for matching gear. They’re actually brothers so it makes sense but they look like a legit team. Nese and Woods work over one of the Russell’s but Excalibur can’t tell them apart so how can i. Nese with a big elbow strike and dropping Russell’s brother off the apron. They continue to isolate him but he nails Nese with an enziguri and tags his brother Kameron. Kameron’s burst of offense is short lived as Woods drops him with a suplex and covers for two. Allen tries to break it up but he’s sent to the outside. They nail Allen with a combination Olympic slam for the victory.
Rating: **1/4
Review: It wasn’t a bad match but really didn’t do a lot to sell me on either team.
Kip Sabian vs. Gravity
Fun back and forth action between these two early with Kip coming out on top early. Kip continues to work over Gravity attacking his shoulder but Gravity with a burst of fast paced offense drops Kip and he takes control for a moment. Kip sends Gravity outside and Gravity gets a taste of his own medicine as Kip hits him with a dive to the outside then tosses him inside and nails him with a diving dropkick. Kip stomps away at Gravity before continuing to work over his shoulder. Gravity with a boot and an elbow strike to take control then a sick roll through over the top to Kip on the outside. Someone’s gonna steal that. Gravity with a diving splash and covers for two. Kip with a headbutt but he runs right into a shot from Gravity. Gravity with a standing moonsault press and covers for two. Gravity with a dive but he takes the knees to the midsection then a running knee but Gravity counters with a roll up. Kip breaks free and hits the knee and covers for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: This was quite fun, I wouldn’t mind seeing Gravity a lot more than some of the other frequent masked jobbers on Dark.
– Mark Sterling is backstage with the Varsity Athletes and hypes up their work. Nese talks about how great of a partner Woods is. Trent is randomly on the side and he’s offended so this sets up a match between them next week. If that’s for Dark then that’s actually pretty cool they set a match up like that in advance even if it was kind of goofy.
Zack Clayton vs. Dan Adams
Dan the FREAKIN Dad is here. Clayton in control early but Dan with a bit of his fun offense early. It’s short lived as Clayton just drops him and nails him with a suplex. Clayton with a running lariat in the corner and a big boot. Clatyon with a HUGE suplex into the corner then a Fisherman suplex and covers for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Quick squash victory for Clayton. I wonder if we will ever see a pay off from this guy.
Jeeves Kay & Sonny Kiss vs. Brock Anderson & Brian Pillman Jr.
Pillman and Jeeves kick this off with Pillman taking control quick prompting Jeeves to tag in Sonny. Brock tags in himself and continues working over Sonny. Pillman with a quick tag in and works the arm of Sonny. Brock tags in and they hit the combined facebuster on Sonny. Jeeves distracts Pillman. Brock dumped outside and Slim J with the attack to Pillman as the ref is distracted. Jeeves with a boot to Pillman in the corner and covers. Kiss tags in with the splitting legdrop for two. Sonny sends Pillman into the corner and tags in Jeeves. Jeeves tells Sonny to stay in the ring they have till five but Pillman works them against eachother and sends Sonny outside before tagging in Brock. Brock with his shoulder blocks in the corner then spinebuster. Brock looks for a tag but Pillman is pulled off the apron. They work over Brock but he fights back and tags in Pillman. Spinebuster from Brock to Jeeves and Swanton from Pillman for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was actually a pretty solid match up between these two teams. Brock and Pillman are actually starting to gel as a good team.
-Ryan Nemeth cuts a promo, I really will never understand how this guy gets so much damn time dedicated to him.
Serpentico vs. Christopher Daniels
Solid back and forth early with Serpentico getting control early only to run right into a suplex from Daniels. Luther distracts Daniels allowing Serpentico to drop him and cover but it’s not close. Serpentico with a standing headbutt and covers for two. Serpentico works the neck of Daniels but he fights free and drops Serpentico with a right hand. Danielson with an STO and then we get a pinfall battle, neither in control then they both drop eachother with clotheslines. Daniels drops Serpentico on his head with a DVD and tries Angels wings but Serpentico counters. They try to distract the referee but Serpentico drops Luther off the apron instead. Daniels with the BME to Serpentico and covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review; It was a solid match but I just don’t understand why I should care. I wish Daniels would go the mentor route as a manager rather than working solid matches with Serpentico on Dark but to each their own. Again it was good, and I should feel spoiled to get a Daniels match on Dark but he should be doing bigger things or managing in a bigger role.
J Spade vs. Ari Daivari
Ari says if J wins everyone will get $1000. The Stimulus on a pole match. Spade actually gets a short burst of offense but Ari quickly drops him with a neckbreaker and dumps him to the outside to get jumped as Ari distracts Paul Turner. Ari with a sleeper but J fights free and again with a burst of offense but it’s clear he’s not winning us any money by attempting three pins in a row for no reason. Another backslide but Ari counters. Jeez this guy just keeps trying pinfalls. Ari with a lariat and covers for the victory.
Rating: **
Review: This honestly sucked considering what they could do with Ari making this promise. He will obviously never pay the crowd especially not that much but at least make it a close match where the fans bite over and over. Hell he could lose and just not pay cuz he’s a heel.
Diamante vs. Ultra Violette
Decent opening stretch. Diamante wins a double dropkick battle and works over Violette in the corner. She sends her to the opposite corner and hits a running dropkick. Diamante with a cover for two. Violette fights back and drops Diamante with a series of lariats and a middle rope dropkick. Diamante with a series of German suplexes and picks up the victory with a bridging german suplex.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This match wasn’t much but it is actually pretty cool to see Diamante win with a variety of finishers. She’s one of the primary featured AEW Dark women. I don’t understand why there isn’t more of a women’s division established on Dark. Too many unknown jobbers in squash matches.
Larry Lazard, Terry Yaki, & Jay Lucas vs. Dalton Castle & The Boys
Castle backs Yaki up and toys with him for a bit before sending him to the mat and working him over before tagging in one of the boys. The Boys and Castle with a triple team to Yaki, one of the Boys covers for two. Boy 1 is dropped by Yaki and Lucas manages to tag in. Lucas manages to fight free and tag in Lucas, they hit a triple team on Boy 1 and Lucas covers for two. Castle is heated at this. Castle tags in and works over all three opponents. He pulls Lucas in the ring just to toss him out. Castle calls for a boy and starts throwing the boys into his opponents onto he outside. Great stuff. Lazard in the ring and he’s hit with the Bang a Rang and Castle covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: I actually love Castle and the Boys. I don’t expect them to but they could actually be the team to beat The Elite down the line.
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Bronson
The best part of AEW Dark is that it’s become the Takeshita show which is so freaking awesome. Tony needs to do this with Dark for months at a time just feature different talent as the main event player of Dark for a series of tapings. Bronson is an awesome AEW Dark mainstay so this should be fun. They start off with some hard hitting offense early. Takeshita with a rana sending Bronson outside, and he follows with a dive to the outside. Bronson avoids Takeshita and drops him with a bossman slam. Bronson on the attack before barking at the crowd. Bronson with a submission but Takeshita fights free, Takeshita with a leaping clothesline to Bronson then a series of strikes. Modified Blue thunder from Takeshita and he covers for two. Bronson blocks the running knee and they both look for rolling lariats, they collide multiple times finally Bronson drops him with a HUGE lariat and a big suplex covering for two. Bronson wastes too much time but he lifts Takeshita up, he counters a piledriver and nails Bronson with a delayed German suplex. Takeshita with a running boot in the corner and a powerbomb. Takeshita with a running knee and covers for the victory.
Rating: ***1/4
Review: I wish that match went double the time because I know it could’ve been even better but it was solid for what it was and what you’d expect from a regular episode of AEW Dark.
