Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 4.26.23

Welcome back folks for another AEW Dark Recap. Apologies on the delay as I was called into work yesterday but better late than never right? It’ll likely be a little more condensed than usual but we’ll see how it shakes out.

On this episode of Dark, we have Blake Christian, Emi Sakura, Brian Pillman, Brock Anderson, and more lined up to compete. A decent grouping but missing a bit of that star power.

Harley Cameron vs. Mafiosa

QTV’s own Harley Cameron got a whole entrance so that has me leaning in her favor today. Some slow grappling early but it’s pretty clean work. Harley off the ropes with a shoulder block but Mafiosa’s quick to counter. Cameron back in control with knees to the midsection and a Russian leg sweep. Cameron pulls out a phone to take a picture with Mafiosa mid-match. Need content for QTV it seems. Interesting looking strike exchange as Mafiosa hypes herself up to take control. Harley off the ropes with a neckbreaker to take over. Harley lifts Mafiosa up and taunts before hitting a backstabber for the win.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was pretty solid for what it was. A shorter showcase match for Harley Cameron. She’s new to Dark but did well in her first bit of action.

– Brock Anderson and Brian Pillman Jr. cut a promo backstage and say they don’t have a choice but to wrestle. They wrestle because it’s in their blood they don’t even like it it’s just what they do best. Decent promo, Pillman’s delivery is finally their but the substance was eh.

Lee Johnson vs. Blake Christian

FaFast-pacedack and forth action as Lee is dumped outside but quickly makes his way back in. Blake tries to catch him in the corner but he’s dumped outside himself. Lee follows outside and tosses Blake back into the ring laying into him with right-hand strikes as he goes back and forth with Rick Knox. Lee continues to dominate as he tosses Lee into the corner hard and makes a cover for two. Blake with a right hand and an enziguri to Lee. Blake with a sweet springboard into a kick to the face of Lee gets the crowd hyped up. Blake with an awkward slingshot to Lee into the corner and a kick before another cover for two. Lee with a ripcord into a blue thunder bomb for two. Blake with a rolroll-uptempt, Lee counters for a two count of his own. Lee runs into a standing spanish fly for two. Lee on the apron and Blake hits a pretty sweet spear to Lee and follows with a dive onto Lee outside. Blake attempts 450 but Lee gets the knees up and blocks it rolling Blake up for two. Blake with a pele but Lee counters with a superkick. Blake with a stomp to the back of the head and covers Lee for the win.
Rating: ***1/2
Review: This was a lot of fun and both guys looked pretty good. Blake looked awesome, his finisher is like a modified curb stomp that looks pretty cool. These guys did really well.

Ryan Nemeth & Cezar Bononi vs. Brian Pillman Jr & Brock Anderson w/ Arn Anderson

Pillman and Nemeth grapple for a moment until Bononi distracts Pillman allowing the tag. Bononi attacks Pillman and distracts the referee allowing Avalon to get involved. Bononi with a knee to the midsection of Pillman then tags in Avalon. Cezar with a scoop slam and Nemeth drops onto Pillman covering for two. Nemeth with some hip movement as we move the camera angle around for no reason. It was fun the first time. Avalon continues to get involved until Arn takes him out. Brock tags in and hits Nemeth with a gut wrench before covering for two but Bononi breaks it up. Brock with a chop block to Bononi. Pillman dumped outside. Nemeth goes for a neckbreaker but Brock rolls him up for the win.
Rating: **
Review: It wasn’t bad but that match didn’t do a lot to show me that Pillman and Brock should be a longstanding tag team. They beat a team that rarely wins by rolroll-upd never looked too dominant.

Emi Sakura & Mei Suruga w/ Baliyan Akki vs. Ashley D’Amboise & Reka Tehaka

Mei and Emi attack before the bell sending Ashley outside and working over Ashley. Emi sets Reka up and Mei with an awkward springboard onto Reka. Mei with a sweet back arch submission as she slaps the head of Reka. Reka with a backbreaker and tags in Ashley. Emi tags in but for some reason Reka and Ashley are in the ring looking to double-team her but Emi fights them both off hitting a big splash onto them both in the corner. Rick Knox has lost control as Emi and Mei hit a double senton onto Ashley and Reka. Mei holds Reka in the corner as Emi looks for a backbreaker and covers for two until Reka breaks free and breaks the count. Reka’s legs swept by Baliyan and Mei hits a stomp onto her on the apron. Emi with a running splash to her into the steps. Back in the ring Emi hits a moonsault onto Ashley and covers for the win.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was more of a squash match but it was a ton of fun. It’s mind blowing that this duo of Mei and Emi are not on tv every single week as this was incredibly entertaining and they likely can work just as good if not better than a number of AEW’s televised womens roster.

– Hollywood Hunk Nick Nemeth cuts a promo for some reason. He talks about his time in college and having to get a real job. He says there’s no way anyone has had a worse struggle than him when he had a part time job. He asks if the tears looked good and says pump it out on social. Why can’t we get promo time from a featured talent they’re looking to call up why is it wasted on a jobber who is always going to be a jobber.

Zack Clayton vs. Jake Logan

Clayton drops Logan as the bell rings but he fights back and sends Clayton into the corner with a splash. Clayton sends Jake outside and tosses him into the steps. Clayton pulls Logan into the ring and hits him with a suplex from the apron following with a knee drop. Clayton says they don’t care about Logan but he fights back to a weak reaction. He screams “im jake logan” before attempting a springboard moonsault. Clayton moves and then hits Logan with the fishermans buster and covers Logan for the victory.
Rating; N/A
Review: Another squash but honestly I might be turning a leaf on Zack Clayton. He had a lot of confidence here and seems to be finding himself. He was working a bit to get some heat on Logan but the crowd couldn’t be bothered.

Tony Neese & Josh Woods vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds

Damn the AEW Dark OG’s are back and finally have a different team to face in the main event of Dark than the Wingmen. Woods and Neese have such a cool entrance but it’s wasted on them being dorks. Neese taunts before sending Reynolds into the ropes but he connects with a crossbody. Reynolds backed into the corner and Woods makes the tag into the ring. Woods runs into a boot from Reynolds who kips up and covers for one. Reynolds sent into the ropes but hits Neese and Woods with a couple strikes dropping Neese off the apron. Woods slingshots Reynolds from the middle rope into the top rope neck first sick stuff. Neese tags in dropping Reynolds with a crossbody and covers for one before tagging in Woods. Reynolds tries to fight free to make a tag but Neese and Woods break it up. Woods with a cover but Silver breaks it up only to get distracted by Mark Sterling. Woods tosses Silver to the outside, Neese follows with a dive. Woods with a suplex and cover to Reynolds for two. Neese and Woods with some fast paced tag team action on Reynolds. Neese blocks the tag initially but Silver finally tags in and runs through Neese with a running uppercut. Silver with a series of kicks to Neese and covers for two but Woods breaks it up. Woods goes for an olympic slam but Silver breaks it up. Reynolds with a dive onto Woods outside. Reynolds sets Woods up for a move in the corner but Daivari hits the ring and dumps Silver off the top. Neese covers for two and Daivari is pissed yelling at the ref this prompts Evil Uno to come out and take out Daivari. The Dark Order regains control dumping Woods outside and hitting their combination finish and Silver covers Neese for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a solid tag match but I was pulling for The Varsity Athletes to steal it and get some extended action between these two teams. I am a bit over the Dark Order as they never really got a big push to elevate them to that next level like other teams have. All in all a solid match with way too much going on at the end with the un-needed interference for me.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This weeks episode of Dark was pretty decent. It had some solid fresh match ups and was overall pretty entertaining despite lacking a bit in the star power which is going to happen on Dark. Blake Christian vs. Lee Johnson was a lot of fun and worth watching as was Emi & Mei's match. The rest of the card was good and honestly it's a short enough show that realistically it's worth checking all of this weeks episode out to see what they're trying with Pillman and Anderson, Clayton and others. Some things are working and some things are not, basically the purpose of a show like Dark.