wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 2.28.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...We’re back for yet another episode of AEW Dark. Tonight we have 14 matches on the card with names like Orange & Danhausen, AR Fox, Skye Blue and more listed on the title of the show. Pretty lazy on whoever makes the AEW YouTube titles to not include Orange Cassidy’s full name but alas. Let’s get to the show.
Action Andretti vs. Tony Deppen
This was a solid opener, kicking off with some slow back and forth action. Things picked up pace wise but still neither man gaining clear control. Andretti’s speed finally allows him to take control briefly but Deppen offers a handshake and Andretti has none of it kicking his arm away. Andretti with more fast paced offense but Deppen slows him with a few holds and starts working the arm. Andretti with a reversal and burst of offense dropping Deppen with a neckbreaker combination forcing Deppen to the outside. Andretti with a dive and his back foot catches the rope causing him to crash hard on the outside barely hitting Deppen. Andretti is definitely feeling that fall but manages to fight back. Deppen regains control and looked for a move off the top but Andretti catches him with a quick superplex and roll through into a deadlift suplex and pinfall attempt but somehow Deppen kicks out just at the last minute. Andretti with another ugly move missing his torneo but following up with a running shooting star press and covering Deppen for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: I liked a lot of this but there was a lot I questioned as well. Why is Andretti a guy who just beat Chris Jericho a few weeks back going 50/50 with Deppen on Dark. This should’ve been Andretti controlling most of the match but I guess. Now I just want to see Deppen vs. Jericho. Andretti is cool but he needs to slow down and get his stuff right or he’s gonna hurt himself or someone else that dive looked painful.
Evil Uno vs. J. Spade
Showcase match for Uno. Uno dominated for the most part with Spade getting some action. Uno looks like he’s put on some weight and wrestled the whole match with his vest on. He did a spot where he dodged a dive from Spade by falling back and laying down as Spade dove over him, the crowd was completely quiet as he taunted after. Sad. Uno finished Spade off shortly after with Something Evil.
Rating: **
Review: I will forget about this match by tomorrow but the next time I see Uno i’ll remember his last match was nothing great and how the crowd didn’t care at all as he pointed to his head for being smart.
Parker Boudreaux vs. Joe Ocasio
Pretty much a squash for Parker as he dominated a majority of this and it wasn’t long at all. Ocasios burst of offense was actually more entertaining than anything Parker did as he hit a cool running headbutt. Parker won with a slam on Ocasio and covering for the easy victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: This wasn’t great and Parker looks like a complete dork without Swerve. He needs to rack up wins but it’s still weird he randomly left the Trustbusters he and his weird buddy should just beat them down to establish he’s not with them.
Capt. Shawn Dean vs. Invictus Khash
Khash looks quite a bit different I didn’t even recognize him. Dean also sporting a bit of a new look. Nice little back and forth here Dean controlled early, Khash got a burst of offense, Dean followed up with his own burst of offense dropping Khash with a DDT and a kip up after. Dean went for a slam but he’s busy selling a bit of an injury though he quickly recovers and hits his slam on Dean for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: No-one gives a damn about Dean winning except one kid and the clearly show it. This crowd is pretty dead for this show. Dean sold but this wasn’t long or drastic enough for all that.
Leila Grey vs. Sahara Seven
This was something, the finish was either completely botched or they just had a rough angle of it but Grey had Seven in a triangle submission attempt and Taz seemed baffled as did I but the second angle did seem to show it was closer to a legit triangle than Taz thought. The match itself was short and just there.
Rating: N/A
Review: Meh, I don’t mind these no name vs. no name matches but i’d rather see random showcases of people who have some longevity rather than two fairly green talent wrestle.
Willie Mack vs. Joe Keys
What the hell is going on why is Willie Mack here? For a moment I thought that they were going to be using Joe Keys more and this was just a match to elevate him and give him a win. I was incorrect. This was solid and Willie will be a good AEW Dark/ROH guy to have around and work to put over some of these younger talent. After a decent back and forth Willie takes control and hits a big splash to take home the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Nice little debut for Willie. He’s a good wrestler and will be good for AEW Dark.
Adrian Alanis vs. Shane Taylor
Squash match for Shane Taylor likely to build him up a little bit ahead of the ROH return. Shane picks up the win with a package piledriver pretty quickly into this one.
Rating: N/A
Review: Eh not bad, Shane’s good but he never really does much for me.
Lee Moriarty vs. Vary Morales
Lee’s great and a lot of fun, Vary has been around AEW Dark off and on for a long time. This was a fun fast paced match from the get go with both doing a couple of energetic things. Lee worked over the arm of Vary and utilized more of a heel character taunting Vary throughout. Vary tried to fire up but Lee quickly gained control and locked in a submission and started to bite at the hands of Vary. Lee continued to work the arm and attacked the arm as Vary attempted to make a comeback. Vary with a burst of energy and hits a tornado DDT but sells the arm as he tries a dive off the top. Lee dodges the frog splash and hits a sweet running kick for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: I’m bias because I like both of these guys but this was a lot of fun and Lee is really good. The moves in this match felt like they had a purpose and Vary’s selling helped with that as well, for an AEW Dark match this was really good.
Arjun Singh vs. Blake Li
Another showcase of two relative unknown talents. Arjun got a majority of the offense here consistently grunting and yelling at his oppoent. Li’s speed is what kept him from being dominated completely but it eventually was used against him as Singh hit an uppercut on Li as he dove towards his opponent. Singh followed with a running knee for the win.
Rating; N/A
Review: Another squash that I really won’t care about after tonight but at the very least the next time I see Singh i’ll say hey he had a decent squash match last time i saw him so that’s a plus.
Skye Blue vs. Dream Girl Ellie
Bit of a squash for Skye but not sure you can say that entirely as she was on the defensive for a good bit of this short match. Ellie was pretty good in the short burst of offense she had and she played a decent heel. It wasn’t enough to overtake the highly popular Skye Blue as she won with the her modified flatliner.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Good match between two solid in ring competitors. I wouldn’t mind seeing Ellie back more often.
Top Flight, AR Fox, & Matt Sydal vs. The Trustbusters
Top Flight team with quad drop kick, Trust Busters separate Darius and isolate him with quick tags. Jeeves tags in but Darius with a dropkick takes control and tags Fox. Fox works over Jeeves before tagging in Dante. Sydal with a blind tag and they drop Jeeves and he tags Slim J, Sydal taunts him forcing Ari to make a tag in. Darius gets isolated again and the Trustbusters jump him as the face team is stopped by the ref. They work over Darius in the corner preventing a tag. Fox tags in and has a hot start before Sonny and Slim J try to prevent it but he takes both out with a burst of offense nailing Slim J with a twisting brain buster. Finally the numbers get to Fox as Ari grabs his leg and Jeeves drops him covering for two. They attempt a tag team move but the Martins with the save. Sydal with a meterora and covers but it’s broken up. Poor editing in this one as we get a random cut back. Everything breaks down but Slim J hits a DDT on Sydal and covers for two. Sonny with the lowblow and Slim J with the cheap pin but still Sydal kicks out. The faces make the save as they dump everyone outside. Dante with the nosedive to Slim J after AR Fox nearly killed him and that finishes the match.
Rating: ***
Review: This was a bunch of fun but this is the second time we got an editing blip like that here. I get it but not great. The match itself was good I kind of wish the heels won especially if they extend this at all and I want them to so there’s that.
Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, & Jay Lethal vs. Jackson Drake, Jay Malachi, & Oliver Sawyer
Damn big former Impact fans here as the crowd is pumped Jarrett is here. Lethal does most of the work as Satnam sits on the outside denying a tag early. Lethal actually feeds for Jay Malachi for a moment and he gets a BIG pop from the AEW Dark crowd this is good shit. Satnam in and just SMASHES Malachi until Drake tries to make a save but Satnam tosses him and Lethal finishes Sawyer off slamming him in the ring post. Jarrett tags in and locks in a figure four forcing a submission. Satnam stands tall over Malachi post match. Schiavone comes to interview the winners and asks them about their upcoming PPV match and they run down their opponents promising an EVOLUTION at REVOLUTION. Lethal tells us to suck on that slappy. Such good shit.
Rating: *****
Review: Ok maybe not five stars for real but this was the BEST stuff on this show and it wasn’t even long at all. Everything everyone did in this worked from the crowd to the jobbers. Jay’s big spot was cool, and Satnam actually feels like a pretty decent big dude now. This did everything it needed to and more.
Dean Alexander vs. Pretty Peter Avalon
Back and forth but Avalon takes control and works over Dean only to have Dean counter and nail Avalon with a burst of offense and the crowd is here for it. Avalon with a modified running bulldog I guess picking up the win. Post match Avalon is interviewed by Schiavone to hype up an upcoming match. Peter says that Jericho took an opportunity from him and he’ll never forget that.
Rating; N/A
Review: They had to get Avalon a win ahead of his big match with Jericho but BOY that felt weird to see him jobbing out ANYONE. His finish was neat and unique but I didn’t love it.
Orange Cassidy & Danhausen vs. The Workhorsemen
Fun main event match featuring two crowd favorites vs a very good heel team. The white screen really clashed with the camera angle during OC’s entrance. Henry OC kick this off with Henry showing some typical real wrestler heel schtick and Cassidy just ignores all of it. Drake and Danhausen in and Drake is quickly in control of the smaller opponent until eating a curse and Cassidy tags in. Fun spot as Orange Cassidy does a slow lariat in the corner and Danhausen hits three of his own in the mean time. Cassidy attempts his slow kicks but Drake is unfazed. They isolate Cassidy and double team him as Aubrey is distracted. Drake uses his size against OC before tagging in Henry. OC getting some offense in on Henry so Drake with the blind tag but Cassidy quickly avoids a move from Drake in the corner forcing a tag. Cassidy fights free from Drake and tags in Danhausen. Danhausen with a modified DDT to Henry and nearly takes the win. Danhausen and Orange Cassidy try to chokeslam JD Drake but they cant. They try a double chokeslam but again he counters. Drake catches OC with a rebound forearm to Cassidy then tags in and hits Danhausen with a kick and covers for a close two. Drake with a neckbreaker and diving stomp from Henry and he covers for two but OC breaks it up. OC is tossed out and Henry works over Danhausen until OC back in to break it up. This breaks down a bit but OC with a stundog millionaire to Drake then double chokeslam to Henry and Danhausen covers for the victory to a big pop.
Rating: ***3/4
Review: This was great and had everything you could ask for in an AEW Dark main event. A bit of suspense a really good match great talent and a solid crowd reacting to all of it. All in all this was a great cap to a decent show.
