wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 8.23.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Apologies on the delay this week, it seems the inspection for my job had to come this afternoon and run well into the evening. Good news, we scored well. Bad news, the bahs come late as I just got home. I’ll do my best to get this done timely without cutting too many corners, but lets jump right into it, we have a DEEP 14 match card (of course given the circumstances) so lets waste no time.
The Renegade Twins vs. Rocky Radley & Allie Recks
Interesting to see the Renegades getting the entrance this week. Well deserved after the work theyve put in. Off to a bit of a rough start as the jobber team took control early but it was short lived as the Renegades quick tags allowed them to maintain control over Recks at least until she countered a double suplex into a DDT allowing for Radley to get involved but a neckbreaker spinebuster combo from the Renegades paved the way to victory for the sisters.
Rating: N/A
Review: Hard to rate a squash like this, it was solid for what it was but nothing special. I do enjoy the Renegade twins and i’m glad to see the tide beginning to turn for them.
Anthony Ogogo vs. Meto
Meto, cousin of Miro, probably not for real but in my world he is. Ogogo works over Meto for a majority of this one giving very little to his opponent. I like Ogogo’s squash matches as he’s one guy who pretty much dominates throughout. Ogogo works over Meto before hitting him with a lifting strike for the victory. Why is Ogogo the only guy who the referees count a count out for.
Rating: **
Review: A bit longer than the previous squash, Ogogo is solid for what he does but I wonder what could be next for him given the depth of the AEW roster, he has grown a bit but it hasn’t been anything to push his trajectory much higher to me.
Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth vs. Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray
The Wingmen with the prematch attack to get the advantage against the jobbers. I guess when it’s a jobber on jobber match you have to pull out all the stops. Avalon works over Gray for a bit before he counters a shot from Nemeth sending him to the outside and tags in Alanis. Alanis with a sweet dropkick into a senton onto Nemeth. The numbers get to Alanis allowing The Wingmen to hit a combination neckbreaker splash for the victory. Post match the Wingmen cut a promo saying they’re going to make AEW pretty.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another quick squash to give the Wingmen a much needed victory.
Blake Christian vs. Lucky Ali
Blake has had the GCW audience turn on him a bit but he’s growing on the AEW audience for sure. Ali is no slouch himself having appeared for DPW a bit in the past among other promotions. Nice back and forth action between these guys early but the experience of Blake allows him to take control with a stomp to the head of an elevated Lucky Ali. Blake meets Ali up top for a superplex and then follows with a stomp to the head for the victory. Blake cuts a promo after the match saying his luck has turned.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was another relative squash match but Blake looked really solid. He and his opponent delivered a good match and the finishing sequence was cool.
Jora Johl vs. Vary Morales
Interesting matchup as Excalibur notes. Morales and Johl have been around for a while. Johl is the more pushed of the two but neither have really done much in AEW proper. Johl catches Morales with a strike off a dive and throws him back into the ring, Vary attempts to fight back but Jora hits him with a superplex and calls for the finish. Vary dodges the kick from Johl but a mistime jump off the top rope allows Johl to drop Vary with a big kick for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was another squash match between two relative jobbers. Johl wins a decent amount but has never been someone I consider that important. The finish here was neat.
Max Caster vs. Justin Cotto
Cotto with a dropkick to caster, Caster with one of his own and covers for a two then hits the scissors on Aubrey, nice. Cotto gets on offense for a moment but misses a shooting star press allowing Caster to hit the elbow drop for the victory.
Rating: n/a
Review: The match was short and nothing special but the antics of Caster make me pop.
Dante Martin & Matt Sydal vs. Aaron Solo & Nick Comoroto
The factory attempt to attack pre match but it’s short lived as Dante and Sydal quickly take control. Sydals speed and experience allows him to take control of Solo but Comoroto distracts the referee preventing a count for the pin. Sweet spot where Dante attempts a dive onto Comoroto and he caught him allowing Solo to get a shot in outside the ring. Solo and Comoroto doing a good job keeping Dante isolated. Dante fights back and flips over Solo to make the tag to Sydal who quickly lays out Solo. Sydal with control for a moment but Comoroto grabs the foot, Dante assists Sydal and they nearly get the pin but Comoroto’s in for the save again. Sydal tags in Dante who takes out Comoroto on the outside then hits Solo with his springboard moonsault for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: Match of the night so far, these two teams are both much more featured, Solo and Comoroto have predominantly jobbed but they have a bit more appeal than other jobbers.
Daniel Garcia vs. Westin Blake
Blake the latest former WWENXT superstar to make his debut in AEW. Decent back and forth early with Blake getting a lot more offense in then he rightfully should against a guy like Garcia to be honest. Garcia fights back with chops then a shot to the face and a suplex. Garcia with a running kick and cover trying to put this away quickly as Blake has been a much more challenging opponent. Blake with a unique piledriver and nearly steals one from Garcia. Blake attempts a moonsault but Garcia catches him and locks in the submission for the victory.
Rating: ***
Review: Even if I don’t love Blake getting offense in this match was pretty solid for what it was. I think Blake could be interesting going forward and I appreciate Garcia going to the finish quick to get out of this predicament against a viable opponent.
The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Slim J, Parker Boudreaux) vs. Ryan Howe, Omar Amir, & Cash Flo
Feels like the Trust Busters are against an 80’s rock band and Omar Amir. They rock band handles Ari for a moment but once Parker gets involved it’s short lived from there. Parker tags in Slim J and they take care of business taking out Howe with a powerbomb into a sliced bread for the victory. Post match Ari introduces us to his Butler VSK.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was actually a good job match allowing Parker and Slim to show something while we continue seeing Ari not quite cut it but his teammates more than help out.
John Silver, Alex Reynolds, & 10 vs. Joey Sweets, DK Vandu, & Tyshaun Perez
Reynolds with a sweet new beard but it doesn’t help him much initially as he gets caught in the jobber corner and worked over for a bit. Ten tags in and quickly takes care of the job squash hitting Joey Sweets with a spinebuster. Reynolds, then silver tags in for the pendulum bomb. Post match the Dark Order cut a promo saying they’re being doubted but they’ll be the first Trios champions.
Rating; N/A
Review: This was another squash that really didn’t do a lot to stand out but the sweet beard is a plus. I appreciate them at least trying to give this team momentum going into their tournament match.
Tony Nese & Josh Woods vs. GKM & Oliver Sawyer
Woods and Nese have been paired together by smart mark sterling. Woods takes control early, and the jobbers briefly get offense in only to get take out by Nese. They hit a sweet combination neckbreaker Olympic slam for the victory. Post match Sterling cuts a promo and says Moxley stole money from their pockets by attacking them last week. Sterling says he is suing the black pool combat club and exposes them as not even truly being from Blackpool. Sterling tells the BCC they need to watch their inbox because they’re going to get served.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another squash but this was the introduction to these two and I enjoyed it.
Iron Savages vs. Sean Maluta & Manny Lo
JT Davidson is out here yelling for the Iron Savages FKA Bear Country. I hate this. You gotta give it a chance but there’s not enough at all to explain how this makes sense and it’s not much better. They beat their opponents down with a swiftness showcasing their savage ability. Bear country set up for the powerbomb cannonball for the victory over Manny Lo. Post match Davidson cuts a promo for himself then has Bronson cut a banger of a promo.
Rating: N/A
Review: So they still do most of the same moves, wear the same new masks, have near attire but look the exact same. It’s a heel turn so I guess i’m not supposed to like it and i’m sure some do but I enjoyed Bear Country this is just eh. The promo from Bronson did turn me around at least a bit.
The Workhorsemen vs. Rosario Grillo & Dean Alexander
Back to the workhorsemen after they were able to kind of explain what it all is. I prefer these two as a duo and wish they weren’t stuck in all the wingmen stuff but I suppose. Henry with some good offense early, he’s someone i’m still not super familiar with but he generally impresses me. Dean begging for a tag but his opponent just can’t get away, finally he does and Dean actually takes control but only for a moment as Dean is taken out with a running knee then a series of moves in the corner finished off with a diving footstomp and moonsault from JD Drake allowing Henry to cover for the victory.
Rating; N/A
Review: This was actually a decent tag match even if it fell right in line as super short and relatively uneventful. I prefer this team so much more and they work so well together it seems a shame to keep forcing JD into the wingmen.
KiLynn King vs. Mafiosa
KiLynn hasn’t been around as much but in the last week or so she has reemerged and done pretty well with the opportunities she’s been given. Decent back and forth early, Mafiosa with a sweet choke in the corner as she did a split. Commentary reminding us how tall these women are over and over makes me feel like King is on her way to a program with Jade. Jade catches Mafiosa with a kick to the head and a sweet inside out slam and covers Mafiosa for the victory. Post match King cuts a promo saying she worked her butt off to get here, then she left and came back after working her ass off. She says tomorrow she will show Shittsburgh’s own who she is. Britt with the shocking AEW Dark appearance to cut a promo on King saying she could never stand a chance against her on Dynamite. King tries to get the match started here on Dark and they continue exchanging words before brawling up the ramp to close out the show. King with the advantage to close out as she tosses Britt into the barricade and makes her exit.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was fine for what it was, King is pretty solid but they haven’t done enough with her for me to really care much about this match. I will say I appreciate the back and forth promo action between these two it built the match up a decent bit. The post match stuff was easily better than the match itself.
