wrestling / TV Reports

Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 7.5.22

July 5, 2022 | Posted by Andrew Cazer
AEW Dark - Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh Image Credit: AEW
6
The 411 Rating
Community Grade
12345678910
Your Grade
Loading...
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 7.5.22  

It’s time for another episode of the Excalibur & Taz variety show, I mean AEW Dark. We’ve got Lee Moriarty, Jay Lethal, Sonny Kiss, Bear Country & more on tap for tonight’s show. Been a bit since we saw our lovable losers in Bear Country so i’m glad theyre back for a quick stop on Dark. Big fan of Lee Moriarty and he seems to do his best work on Dark thus far.

Lee Moriarty vs. Leon Ruffin

What a fun match we’ve got set for us here if they get any time at all it’ll be great fun. Commentary hinting at the idea that Lee might get a shot at Jonathan Gresham’s ROH championship I’d LOVE that. Slow start early as they have to show their headlock ability. Fun spot with Ruffin leaping rope to rope to avoid Lee and back to a headlock. Lee shows a bit of a cocky side here as his attitude has been shifting as of late which actually makes a ton of sense. Leon Ruffin has a fun unique move set consistently reversing with unique stuff I haven’t seen much of before. Back and forth for a majority of this one as Leon will get some decent offense in then Lee will kick it into high gear to regain control. Lee with a suplex into a flatliner for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a really solid match for Dark but didn’t do a whole lot to set itself apart as much of a banger. Both Lee and Leon are great in the ring so I honestly expected it to be a bit better but they delivered well. Lee got to show his ability to shift styles as needed akin to his “TAIGASTYLE” ways. He was less high flyer here and more aggressive which made for a better match. Good stuff.

Bear Country vs. Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray

Wow Bear Country got masks that don’t look so bad. Expecting this to be a bit of the usual squash for the enhancement talent ahead of them jobbing to a bigger star the usual AEW formula. Bronson looks like he has a fire lit under him, feels like the confidence is really there with him now. Gray and Alanis with the blindside attack to take control for a bit. Alanis and Gray actually looking pretty good in this one as they continue to control Bronson. Boulder with the double shoulder block then a big splash to Gray in the corner. Sick spot where Boulder catches Gray for a powerbomb and gray for a bodyslam at the same time. He follows with the combination senton and Boulder covers Gray for the victory.
Rating: **1/4
Review: This was a fine little tag match but just a short squash that gives Bear Country a win before they likely put over a bigger team on TV.

AQA vs. Avery Breaux

Not very familiar with either of these women, AQA a bit more sore than Avery but she really hasn’t impressed much thus far. Breaux with a fair bit of offense in this one, AQA with the sling blade jones but it really didn’t look like much of one. AQA with a swinging neck breaker for the victory.
Rating: **
Review: This did absolutely nothing for me. Swinging neck breaker feels like the curse of death finisher because noone near the top of the card uses it outside of Johnny Mundo and idk if i’d even say he’s a main eventer but if I don’t people will. AQA isn’t bad but she clearly has a ton of room to grow, this was much better than previous outings but not really a match i’d say you have to search out.

Barrett Brown vs. Josh Woods

Brown looks like if W. Morrisey was a smaller guy at least in his promo picture. Big size differential here Woods better win and quickly. Neese and Smart Mark are here to scout Woods. Woods with a lot of traditional wrestling early looking to beat Brown quickly. Woods with a low big boot sending Barrett through the ropes to the outside. Brown gets a moment to fire up and get some offense in but it ends very quickly as Woods counters into an armbar for the victory.
Rating: **
Review: Really short squash for Woods to look good as the heels scout him. Woods is a fun wrestler to watch and one who could be very intriguing for AEW especially on AEW Dark.

Sonny Kiss vs. Lamar Diggs

Another match with size differential as Diggs has fair bit of size on Sonny but Sonny clearly has the speed advantage. Diggs with control early, Diggs with the sunset flip and Diggs drops down looking for the pin but Sonny moves. Sonny with a series of kicks then a rana into a crossface. Diggs finally taps.
Rating: **
Review: This was super short, odd that Diggs hesitated to tap. I think someone like Sonny would benefit infinitely more from longer matches and actual storylines. The Sonny/Joey stuff was nice to have when we did and it feels like forever ago now. Sonny squashing a giant doesn’t do much for me.

Aaron Solo vs. Fuego Del Sol

Hopefully Fuego pulls out a bit of a better match here with a better opponent in Solo. I feel like I may have been hard on Fuego last week but I do think he gets a lot of attention so should deliver when given a chance. This is a much better match if for no other reason than these two have history and a bit of a storyline going. Fuego with the submission and Solo taps but QT has the referee distracted, imagine if that worked in real sports a guy goes up for a free throw but the coach has the ref distracted so it doesn’t count. Solo nearly steals it but Fuego with the kick out at two. Fuego with a weak roll up for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: I enjoyed a majority of this match but like always I’ll complain about the finish. Fuego is a decent wrestler but it always seems to stick out to me that he’s lacking in certain departments as a performer. The roll up finish is fine but you gotta have it tight and look somewhat believable. The story they told here was good stuff especially for AEW Dark.

Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh vs. Darian Bengston & Gus De La Vega

Glad to see Bengston back, his look is interesting. He’s someone i’d love to see more on the traditional independent scene. De la Vega tags in to wrestle Lethal as he tries to lure the smaller wrestler in to face Singh. Lethal and De La Vega mix it up for a bit before Singh tags in and run through bot Gus and Darian. Singh lifts Bengston up for a HUGE powerbomb and stands tall over him for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was short and needed to be to keep Lethal and Satnam looking strong. De La Vega actually looked pretty good as the job guy here, nothing too outstanding but did his job well.

The Wingmen vs. The Dark Order

I can’t tell if this is a blow off match to this feud for supremacy of AEW Dark but in my head cannon it is. I just want to watch all eight of these guys job to Josh Woods for the next two months. They’re all sound singles superstars and decent jobber groups but nothing about either feels like they should be the main event acts of AEW Dark. Quick tags from the Dark Order early as they try to keep Nemeth isolated but they manage to get a tag and Bononi does damage to Reynolds before tagging Avalon back in. Bryce gets distracted at a variety of things allowing the heels to heel it up. Fun reversal from Reynolds to a back body drop as he does a double stomp to the back of Nemeth’s head. Silver tags in and nails Avalon with a brain buster and cover for two. Uno up top with a swanton but the heels all attack allowing Avalon to hit a big splash and cover for two. Tough to keep track of this as everyone looks to get their stuff in. Avalon runs into a flurry of moves from the Dark Order as he eats an enziguri a stunner and a discus lariat for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: The match itself was good and didn’t have much by way of issues but its hard for me to get into a match that features two job squads going at it. I hope this is the end of this mini storyline and we can get something different for these groups. I enjoyed it a lot more for the wingmen when they were starting to branch off now they all seem back at square one. Overall a fine main event but i’d rather see Lee vs. Leon in a 20 minute banger but that’s just me.

6.0
The final score: review Average
The 411
If i'm being honest, this was a very forgettable episode of AEW Dark. Even the opener which was good didn't really do enough to warrant me saying you have to go check it out. Outside of that the rest of the card was fine but nothing too spectacular. You'll get shows like this with Dark as we've seen in the past and last week really was a banger so i'm not mad at it but yeah far from an overly entertaining episode outside of a few matches.
legend

article topics :

AEW Dark, Andrew Cazer