wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 9.20.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...It’s Tuesday Night so you know what that means. It’s time to recap the latest episode of AEW Dark. We have eleven matches on the slate tonight featuring The Dark Order, Trustbusters, Madison Rayne, Matt Sydal, Tony Nese, Josh Woods and more! We’re getting back to a more traditional episode of Dark ahead of the big Arthur Ashe show this week. I’m not exactly sure this weeks taping schedule but i’m hopeful we get some AEW Dark matches taped at the big show but my guess is they stick to Elevation, Dynamite and Rampage there.
John Silver & Alex Reynolds vs. Zuka & Alexander Moss
Back and forth early with Silver and Zuka doing a majority of the work. Silver maintains control until Zuka and Moss use some heelish tactics to take over this match with Moss sweeping the leg of Silver from the outside. Zuka manages to take over and make the tag to Moss. Moss and Zuka utilize quick tags to keep Silver isolated for a moment but he quickly regroups and is able to escape and make the tag to Reynolds who runs through both Zuka and Moss with a burst of offense. Reynolds with a rolling elbow drops Zuka, Moss attempts a back body drop but Reynolds stomps on his back instead. Reynolds attempts a fisherman buster but Zuka breaks it up, Silver sends Zuka to the outside, they hit their burst of offense on Moss dropping him with a series of moves before Reynolds rolls through for the pin.
Rating: **1/2
Post match: Silver and Reynolds are a solid duo who have been through almost all the ups and downs AEW can give a team. They’re a great case that teams can join AEW and get over if they take the ball and run with it. This match itself was fine.
Emi Sakura vs. Avery Breaux
Emi is joined by Baliyan Akki, not entirely sure about this person or his newfound position as a manager for the stars on Dark. Emi with control throughout the early half of this match biting at the arm of Avery before it’s broken up. Avery regroups and drops Emi hitting her with a senton and covers for a brief moment but Emi kicks out. Emi with a reverse flatliner to regain control and we get the we will chop you claps and chants. Emi with a running crossbody right into a butterfly suplex. Emi puts Avery in position and heads up to the top rope, Emi with a moonsault and covers for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: Not a bad match, What is the purpose of the manager? Bring back Lulu Pencil. Emi’s primary role should be feuding and putting over the next crop of women they want to move up AEW’s roster, the lack of doing that to this point is a massive misuse of her talent.
The Trustbusters vs. Marcus Kross, Mike Magnum, & GMK
Marcus Kross formerly the tag partner of Griff Garrison now a resident AEW job guy. Glad to see the Trustbusters being featured again it’s felt like their attention did dwindle a bit so i’m glad to see them back. Slim J kicks this off with Marcus Kross, I really like watching Slim J work. After Slim J works over Kross Ari calls for the tag and covers Kross but he kicks out. Kross takes control and makes the tag to GMK. GMK has control but Slim J interferes from the apron to help Ari regain control. Magnum tags in and says he wants Parker, he says give him the big guy. Slim J’s facial expressions as this happens are wonderful. Parker tags in and Magnum shows some strength early before Parker drops him quickly. Kross and GMK try to use the numbers against Parker but he runs through both of them and tags in Slim J. Slim J hops in and helps drop GMK. Kross in the ring and Slim J hits a flatliner to Kross. Parker tags in and drops Magnum, Ari makes the tag and heads up top, frog splash to Magnum and covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This wasn’t a barnburner but it was a solid match and I enjoy the story they tell for these Trustbuster matches. Ari can’t do much but his guys do a majority of the work while he tags in and picks up the scraps, it’s done well without being completely obvious that he’s a coward.
Anthony Ogogo vs. Luke Kurtis
Ogogo with a nasty release German early and drops Kurtis right on his head/neck kinda rough. The bell rings and Ogogo continues to attack, Kurtis tries to counter but runs right into a big boot. Ogogo lifts Kurtis up and drops him with a knockout punch, Aubrey checks and that’s it.
Rating: N/A
Post match: Ogogo grabs a mic and tells whoever is cutting him off to leave him be if they want to go home to their wife tonight. Why is every wrestler always referencing the producers we get it they’re giving you the cut off sign. Ogogo discusses what he’s been through in the Olympics and life to try and find success. He says he could’ve went anywhere and done anything because he’s a star but he came to AEW. Now for 14 months he has fought indy guy after indy guy because none of the top guys have the bollocks to stand toe to toe with Ogogo. He asks someone to come fight the Governor or he’ll go fight somewhere else.
Review: The match was the same ol’ schtick for Ogogo but I think he’s over that too. It’s time to shit or get off the pot as they say and do something with Ogogo or let him Ogogo. I really liked his promo here, and he has a legitimate gripe but I’m not sure he’s really improved enough to take the next step.
Zack Clayton vs. Vary Morales
Please stop making Zack Clayton a thing. You tapped out chant early targeted at Clayton. Paul Pierce fan yells that Zack Clayton is garbage. Love that they gave him camera time to say that. Clayton in control early laying into Morales. Clayton with a suplex and cover to Morales but he lifts him up before the three count. Clayton gets in the face of the jersey and it turns out it was a green Bulls jersey. The fan begs Clayton to pull him over the barricade Vary with an attack from behind, Clayton with a modified firemans carry into a cutter. Clayton covers for the victory. Clayton up top and the fan flips him off as Taz and Excalibur pop at the wild shit that just went down.
Rating: *****
Post match: Clayton cut an uninspired promo, at least the Bulls fan didn’t spend the entire promo chanting to get himself over as we have seen in the past.
Review: I haven’t laughed so hard during a match on Dark in a long time. I’m not sure this was good at all but it was freaking hilarious. Why the hell was that guy such a focal point, why was he wearing a green Bulls jersey, why was Taz touching on the toes of Vary Morales? So many questions we may never have answered.
La Rosa Negra vs. Marina Shafir
La Rosa Negra with the advantage early taking control, Marina tries to counter and send La Rosa into the corner but Rosa maintains control and lays into Shafir. Shafir to the other corner, La Rosa charges but Marina catches her and slams her to the mat. Marina tries to pick Marina up but she’s rolled up for two. Rosa sent into the corner and hits a flying elbow to the face of Marina, she covers for two. Rosa tries to fight back but Marina lays into her with a series of hip strikes then a hip throw. Marina with a kick to the spine of La Rosa, she tries again but La Rosa catches her leg, she tries for a knee bar but Marina stomps on her face and locks in her submission she calls it greedy or at least I think that’s what Excalibur said. La Rosa Negra is forced to submit.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This wasn’t bad but it wasn’t that impressive. The one thing I noted is Marina looked way better against an experienced opponent who could actually challenge her rather than Marina just dominating an also green jobber.
Madison Rayne vs. Viva Van
Neither woman can gain control early, Van drops to the mat and Rayne drops right into a headlock. Van counters by charging Rayne into the corner. Rayne sent to the outside as Taz and Excalibur discuss Hook and Excalibur’s dads birthdays. Van tosses Rayne into the ring and covers for a two count. Rayne sent into the corner and Van lays into her with strikes. Rayne counters and sends Van into the corner but Van locks in a tarantula before the referee forces a break. Fan with a clothesline and she covers Rayne for two. Rayne with an enziguri that pretty clearly missed. Some weak chops from Rayne and then an elbow to Van. Rayne with a northern lights suplex and covers for two. Van with a forearm but Rayne with a very bad cross Rhodes. Excalibur laughs as Rayne covers for the victory. Taz is completely silent. That sucked. Excalibur calls it the Cross Rayne.
Rating: **1/4
Post match: Rayne cuts a promo discussing that she’s not just a wrestler but also a coach. Rayne is here to take this women’s division and flip it upside down.
Review: The finish killed it. That was no good and Taz’ silence sold that for me. The rest of the match was pretty solid and honestly Viva Van was way more impressive here than Rayne. It’s so weird to have a promo saying Rayne is a coach in AEW after completely whiffing on the finish even if it wasn’t totally her fault.
KiLynn King vs. Sahara Seven
Seven with an awkward taunt and then immediately charges King in the corner. These are two tall women. King with a series of chops and a clothesline. Seven with a roll up, but King kicks out. King rolls Seven through and hits her with a knee strike. King with a pump handle slam and covers Seven for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: That match was great because that finish was sick. I wasn’t sure she’d hit it cleanly but it was very well done. It was just a squash so there wasn’t much that could go wrong but as we’ve seen on Dark before that often doesn’t matter.
Tony Nese & Josh Woods vs. Baliyan Akki & Ryan Matthews
Akki is here to wrestle and manage it appears. Akki and Woods kick this one off, Akki with control but he doesn’t do much with it just holding in a headlock that Woods eventually counters into one of his own. Akki tries to counter but Woods regains control locking in a wristlock. Akki with a strike to Woods, Woods with a shot of his own but Akki with a series of strikes. Akki charges Woods and he lifts Akki over to the apron, looks like he went for it once but Akki wasn’t there so went again. Akki off the ropes right into a knee from Woods. Nese tags in and hits Akki with a dropkick before posing. Akki in the corner as Nese stomps away at Akki in the corner. Nese with a slam to Akki before locking in a headlock. Akki attempts to make a tag but Nese stops it. Akki with a kick to Nese that allows him to tag in Matthews. Matthews with an elbow strike then a dropkick to Nese in the corner. Matthews says he’s beautiful and attempts a suplex but Nese counters, Matthews with a rollup attempt but Nese nails him with a HUGE kick. Woods tags in, splash in the corner he hits an Olympic slam and Nese catches him for the neck breaker combination. Woods covers for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Just a typical squash tag match on Dark. These two have to be built up as they have a big match with WarJoe coming up. It doesn’t sell them as legitimate opponents but it gives them some small momentum.
Sonny Kiss vs. Joe Ocasio
The Trustbusters are here to accompany Sonny. Ocasio with a headbutt to Sonny, Ocasio with a running splash and covers for one. Kiss catches Ocasio and slams him to the mat. Sonny with a splitting legdrop and covers for two. Sonny continues to pat themselves on the back. Sonny with a backhand spring into a slap to Ocasio. Ocasio has Sonny on the shoulders but Slim J distracts the referee allowing Sonny to rake the eyes and hits a corkscrew enziguri. Sonny covers and picks up the victory. Sonny makes a money sign gesture before patting themselves on the back yet again.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Not bad, Sonny has improved leaps and bounds if you ask me so I am hopeful this could be the beginning of something great for Sonny.
JD Drake vs. Matt Sydal
Back and forth early but Sydal gains control rather quickly laying into Drake with a series of strikes and kicks. Sydal with a step up rana but Drake quickly responds with a lariat then a right hand to Sydal. Drake continues to lay into Sydal with elbow strikes and chops. Drake has Sydal in the corner but he counters a toss sending Drake to the outside. Sydal with a dropkick to the outside sending Drake to the barricade. Sydal slams Drake into the opposite barricade and then nails him a chop. Sydal charges Drake but Drake catches him and tosses him into the ropes hitting the rebound forearm from JD Drake. I saw that coming from a mile away bad move by Sydal. Drake in the ring hoping for a count out victory showing the ref how to count properly. Sydal in the ring at the count of 9 and Drake stomps away at him right away. Sydal tries to fight back but Drake drops him with a slam and a headbutt. Drake drops Sydal with a right, Sydal to his feet and his ready to fight as he’s fired up. Drake and Sydal exchange chops with Drake finally dropping him with a stiff one. Drake with a sitout senton onto Sydal, Sydal with a fishhook to Sydal. Sydal attempts a roll up, Drake with a splash onto Sydal but he moves and covers Drake for two. Drake drops Sydal and brings him to the corner. Drake heads up to the middle rope but Sydal dodges the vader bomb. Sydal lays into Drake with a series of kicks. Drake off the ropes he bounces back into a kick to the face from Sydal. Drake tosses Sydal into the ropes but he reveres with a spinning heel kick and covers for two. Sydal charges Drake in the corner and eats an elbow. Drake tries to dive onto Sydal but Sydal dodges sending Drake to the mat. Sydal dives onto Drake and he catches him dropping him with a slam and covers for two. Drake with a cannonball in the counter but Sydal moves. Sydal hits the lightning spiral onto Drake and covers for the victory.
Post match: Anthony Henry attacks Sydal post match, then Drake joins him and they lay into Sydal with an attack as they stand over him to close out the show.
Rating: ***1/4
Review: This was technically solid and they got a decent amount of time, Sydal winning is fine especially as it looks like it’ll lead to the Work Horsemen vs. Sydal and Dante. Something did feel lacking here just a bit, as it was a good match but never too intense and you know Sydal and Drake are capable of much more if given the opportunity.
