wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 4.12.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...It’s Tuesday Night and you know what that means! It’s time for some AEW Dark with Remix Jones and Maskon Jones leading the way on commentary. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself but perhaps AEW Dark is finally going to get some level of consistency as this is the second week with only six matches on tap. If this is what Dark is switching to I am all for it because it feels a bit more clear what we are getting. Lower name talent getting a chance to shine and accumulate wins. The bigger names appear on Dark Elevation and Dynamite while also having crossover between Dark and ROH. I think less is more, I just hope we get at least one more longer match this week as last week they were almost all squash matches. Hoping Hobbs headlines as he feels like one of the biggest names announced on this show and should be positioned as such on the card.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Axton Ray
Well if you’re not going on last then first will do just as well. I suppose it does make more sense this way as i’ll be surprised if Ray can last longer than a few minutes. Taz talks about Hobbs getting put through a wall by Keith Lee and he says it’s just another day at the office. Hobbs tosses Ray into the corner he leaps onto the top rope gets some oohs and ahs from the crowd only to get dropped right after by Hobbs with a lariat. Hobbs with the torture rack submission for the victory in 1:17.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was actually really well done, they got the excitement pop from the crowd off Ray’s leap onto the top rope into a moonsault to dodge Hobbs but Hobbs wasted no time putting an end to that. It was a nice spot in a short match.
– We actually get a few short promos in between matches this week. One for the Jericho Appreciation Society and Kingston/Proud n Powerful. This is great use of the time they have on Dark. The video package is nothing ground breaking but it is really well done, it may re-air or already have aired on Dynamite briefly but you should search this out as it’s really good in it’s entirety. They cover everything in this feud and show some real intensity between Jericho and Eddie, this is such an awesome promo package, i’m likely biased because I always wanted this for Dark but I love it.
Max Caster vs. Mike Reed
I actually thought Mike Reed was Tyler Breeze for a brief moment when I saw the match graphic. I think Caster hinted to this in his rap saying something about a slight breeze but I could be wrong. Bowens is backstage but not ringside with Caster according to commentary. Taz hypes up the Max Caster concerts before saying he’s not missing anything by not going because he’s friends with Action Bronson. Reed no longer has any resemblance to Tyler Breeze now that I see him in ring, he’s not nearly as pretty. Reed with an awkward dropkick to the back of Casters knee/ass. Reed actually getting some decent offense in for a moment Caster giving a bit to Reed allowing him to look strong. Reed teases using Casters chain against him but the referee takes it. This allows Caster to hit Reed with a low blow and follows with a brain buster and mic drop for the victory in 4:10.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was not a bad match at all, there was an awkward spot with the leg drop to the knee but it wasn’t bad. It was a bit odd that Reed was playing more of a heel down the end but The Acclaimed are very much anti-heros that the crowd enjoy cheering so it’s not really an issue. Overall this was good for what it was.
– We get a video package hyping up the match between Suzuki and Joe. Joe cuts a fantastic promo during this saying his goal is to be the first ever unified ROH/AEW World Champion. He mentions that the path to glory is paved with gold but Suzuki needs to repave the sidewalks. I am now 100% more excited for a match that I was already 100% excited for. Well done!
Diamante vs. Mylo
I am excited to see Diamante in action on Dark more consistently. Mylo seems to be a pretty serviceable opponent as well getting a moment of offense in. Diamante regains control with a german suplex and Mylo awkwardly tries to get up before just falling flat again. Mylo slowly gets to her feet and is immediately dropped with a left arm lariat. Diamate transitions right into a submission for the victory in 1:30. Mylo SCREAMS in agony
Rating: N/A
Review: It was cool to see Diamante but I was wrong about Mylo. She was fine but her oversell of the german by falling back on her stomach was audibly questioned by members of the audience. Her screaming due to the submission were also a tad awkward. It wasn’t the worst we’ve seen but it wasn’t great.
– Jungle Boy cuts a promo with Luchasaurus behind him talking about his match with ReDragon, Bobby and Kyle respond and say they’ll remind the world who the hell they are at the expense of Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. Jungle Boy says they didn’t spend every week in Jacksonville wrestling every schmuck in the book to become champions just to lose them to ReDragon. He says if they want him to chase the dragon thats fine he will and slay it, cutting its head off and hanging it next to his championship. Again really great stuff.
– Rohit Raju cuts a promo and says when he came into AEW he was impressed when he saw all of the stars backstage but he’s THE Star, he says that captain Shawn Dean is standing in the way of a number of things Rohit Deserves but number one on that list is, RESPECT. Pretty solid promo from Rohit.
Teddy Goods vs. Jora Johl
Johl is fortunate to stay alongside the Andrade Family Office as he really hasn’t done much recently. Decent chant for Ted early as both men look to take control, Johl gains momentum with a running knee and follows with a double underhook into a backbreaker. Johl has an interesting look but has never really connected with me as a character and his ring work is only ok. Goods with a superkick but his selling is throwing me off. He’s not bad but a bit too overly animated. Johl with a bigboot to the side of the head for the victory in 2:30.
Rating: **1/2
Review: The match was never really bad but I wasn’t too impressed, I’ve been waiting for Johl to do something that really stood out to me and thus far it hasn’t happened. Goods was a fine opponent and both delivered a decent match on Dark but it was not really anything that made me dying to see either one get this opportunity again. I prefer both jobbing to other superstars if i’m perfectly honest.
– They recap the Hangman Page and Adam Cole feud ahead of their upcoming Texas Death Match for the AEW World Championship. Both men cut awesome promos Cole says he can’t wait to win the Championship and say the AEW World Champion is here, BAY BAY. This is something AEW has been weak at but i’ll be damned if they didn’t knock it out of the park this week. I hope they continue doing this even if it’s just ahead of big shows but I wouldn’t mind seeing different hype videos every week on Dark.
Emi Sakura vs. Charlette Renegade
I have really enjoyed the Renegade sisters on Dark, they’re a little green but they’re interesting characters. The crowd gives them the perfect reaction you’d want as they get boo’d pretty loudly. Emi often does well on these Dark tapings so the crowd is familiar with her but they seem more behind her tonight against Charlette. Emi using the ponytail of Charlette to toss her around, a little heelish but it’s right into we will chop you so the crowd loves it. Robyn on the apron to get the crowd riled up but Charlette gets tossed into her sending her back to the outside. Emi with the eyepoke into the backbreaker and rolls Charlette up for the victory in 2:15.
Rating; N/A
Review: This was short but it’s likely for the best here as Charlette is not the greatest in ring but their character/heel work was perfect for this match it helped get the crowd behind Emi who has built a relationship with the Orlando audience. The Renegades could be true players in the AEW women’s division down the line if their ring work can grow a bit.
Shawn Dean vs. Rohit Raju
This is a decent main event, they wasted no time, no video package ahead of the main, I might’ve reversed that and had there be no package after the opener but that’s just me. Raju with a jobber entrance despite his ability to cut a promo. That’s a fair trade no entrance but you get a promo. This is a decent back and forth early with neither gaining a clear advantage and Raju getting some nice offense in. The captain with a funky armdrag but follows it with a clean one. Dean is the one being pushed like the bigger star but Raju feels like the more legitimate threat to me. Dean with a couple strikes to the midsection of Raju and reverses with a backbody drop, he reverses a clothesline into a DDT and does a decent kip up. Dean with a HUGE dive to the outside, that was really clean. Dean sends Raju back instead and hits a big splash from the top, covers for a two count. I’m loving Taz and Excalibur during this match bantering over Excalibur changing the names of traditional moves. Raju with a flatliner and covers Dean, the crowd is arguing that it was three, not a great look for Dean. Dean with a hammerlock driver for the victory in 5:44. What an incredibly flat ending. The crowd doesn’t care at all.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was another example of a bad main event for Dark, a taped show, where they could change the main event if they wanted. I get it Dean’s on his way to a HUGE match with MJF but this just wasn’t it. The crowd got into it a bit when he hit his dive but they really felt Raju had won after the flatliner, that may be on the ref but it was still not the best moment. Only to follow it up with an ugly hammerlock driver it just wasn’t a great ending. I’m not sure what the plan is for Shawn Dean, I like him in his tag team role with Carlie Bravo, but I do feel there could be better people to push in a singles role against MJF and that may be the point of the story, but for now I do wish that he was just a tad bit more impressive given the storyline he’s in.
Top 3 Names to watch following AEW Dark
Shawn Dean – As much as I was unimpressed, there were moments of greatness and I do feel im likely in the minority and that most really like Shawn. It’s clear they’re pushing him more than they have before even if most of his big wins are flukes. This win here was legit and could be the next step to something bigger.
Powerhouse Hobbs – His victory was short and sweet but it was all we needed from the big guy. I’d like to see him get a TNT title run or some one off world championship match down the line. He’s really grown a ton since joining AEW and is one of my favorite members of the roster.
Rohit Raju – Raju will likely just be a jobber to the stars who occasionally beats other less prominent stars but this week he showed me he’ll be great in that role. His promo was probably one of the better jobber promos on Dark and had me thinking if I didn’t know they’re building Dean/MJF i’d be expecting a Raju win. He did exactly what he needed to and if they continue to use him you never know when a spot could open up for him to do more.
