wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s AEW Dark Review 9.6.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Welcome back All Elite Wrestling fans for another review/recap of AEW Dark. On tonight’s episode it looks like we have a backstage brawl set to take place between The Young Bucks and CM Punk/Ace Steele. Oh no it appears that dark match will not be airing tonight. Alas we have plenty on tap as Claudio will defend his ROH Title tonight against Ari Daivari. We’ll also see Private Party, Julia Hart, Serena Deeb and others in action. We have plenty on tap tonight despite not having 20 matches on the slate. A nice comfy 7 matches that your boy is definitely here for. Let’s get to it.
Josh Woods & Tony Nese (w/ Mark Sterling) vs. Brandon Gore & Storm Grayson
Nese and Woods starting to become a bit more of a coordinated tag team under the management of Smart Mark Sterling. Gore actually has a great look for a young superstar and his presence+ability inspired Sterling to offer him a business card but it doesn’t appear that Gore will be joining this group anytime soon as Woods tosses him around before Gore can make a tag to Grayson. Grayson is quickly taken out by Woods, Gore tries for the save but he’s sent outside. Nese and Woods hit the combination Olympic slam/neckbreaker on Grayson for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: Simple squash match, this one wasn’t bad and it’s good to establish this duo as an official AEW tag team. I appreciate how well AEW creates new teams to add to the division seems like it’s never ending in the best possible way.
Marina Shafir (w/ Nyla Rose & Vickie Guerrero) vs. Laynie Luck
Marina is accompanied by Vickie and Nyla, another duo that has slowly come together to be a nice addition to the women’s tag division. Marina controls a majority of this one with Laynie getting a brief roll up for a not so near fall just to go back to getting tossed around by Marina. Laynie locks in a wristlock and Marina runs around a little awkwardly before sending Laynie to the outside. Nyla catches Laynie with a splash on the outside dropping Laynie while Marina has the referee distracted. Laynie is sent back into the ring and Marina locks her up looking to the bow and arrow stretch, it’s a little clunky, Laynie counters free looking for a pinfall, Shafir looks for an armbar but again Laynie with a roll up. Laynie with a jawbreaker followed by an elbow strike to Marina, Shafir eats it and drops Laynie before locking in an awkward submission toying with her opponent so Taz points out that she technically has her pinned before even locking in the submission.
Rating: N/A
Review: Another squash and this was not good. I dont know what the hell Marina was doing with those submissions down the stretch it was like she forgot how to lock them in, she made up for the bow and arrow stretch but Taz pointing out the clear pinfall and Marina’s hesitation really took the match back a notch for me and it already wasn’t really great. Why does Marina need outside interference to beat Laynie?
Zack Clayton vs. Serpentico (w/ Luther)
Serpentico with a full entrance and new attire, good stuff. He’s one of the AEW Dark mainstays I really enjoy and has even grown on me a bit. Clayton get’s a whole entrance so maybe this guy is on his way to some level of success in AEW. Decent back and forth early, the live audience isn’t too interested in this one. Can’t say i’d be too pumped for this either before or after an episode of Rampage. Serpentico doing a decent job getting the crowd behind him as he heads up top. Clayton rolls out of the way from a dive and drops Serpentico with a running elbow and the crowd is unimpressed. Clayton maintains control from here on out as Luther screams on from the outside trying to will on his partner. Luther attempts the distraction to give Serpentico a chance, he fights back with rights and lefts to the body and a headbutt to Clayton. Serpentico with a rana and bulldog to Clayton, cover for a two count. Clayton lifts Serpentico up for the fisherman buster and covers for the victory.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was just really average, nothing too exciting and I’m confused why we’re wasting time with a guy like Clayton. I imagine it’s simply to put some one else over in the future but I was hoping for a Serpentico win here.
Julia Hart vs. Missa Kate
Julia with her sweet entrance she’s doing well growing into this role over time, it’ll be tough to see if it’s all for nothing if Malakai is stepping away. Kate with a bit of offense early on but Hart quickly takes control, Aubree tries to break up an attack from Hart and she stares her down before focusing back on her opponent. Hart sends Kate into the corner face first then right into the middle rope after. Hart locks in her heartless submission on Kate forcing the submission for the victory.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was solid for Hart and her growth has been solid over time, I wasn’t solid she could pul it off but it seems to be working out. I do worry about the absence of Malakai Black but in reality it could have some unexpected benefits.
Serena Deeb vs. Sierra
Deeb is very good, I believe we have seen Sierra before because something about that simple name is sticking out, it’s so simple that I remember it for that fact. Deeb with control early sending her opponent to the mat and literally stepping over her. Deeb with the waistlock and tosses Sierra to the mat. Sierra with a bit of offense but Deeb right back on offense taking control of Sierra with a series of strikes and holds. Sierra counters a headlock with a drop and modified armdrag, then follows with a series of strikes but Deeb with a chopblock to take control and attacks the knee. Deeb with a counter and traps the wrist before sitting on the neck of Sierra forcing her to submit.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a decent match that Serena pretty much dominated throughout as she should with her experience. A unique submission finish to close this one out but overall it was a pretty straightforward squash for Deeb.
Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. GPA & Robert Anthony
Another relatively underwhelming matchup for the live crowd. If I am Tony Khan I at least stack up these episodes of Dark to give the live audience a full show worth seeing this just feels like you’re phoning it in. Quen with the high flying maneuvers here and playing to the crowd I could feel a face turn in the future. Maybe the face turn speculation is a tad early as these two are pretty good at playing into the heel tag team stuff as they work over GPA. Quick tags and isolation are allowing Private Party to control the early half of this one. GPA with a stunner to counter Quen allowing him to make the tag, Robert Anthony runs through Quen turning him inside out and getting a mild pop. Robert Anthony is one of those guys that I know from the internet but I’ve hardly seen wrestle. He is a solid hand but nothing too impressive here. Kassidy blocks a powerbomb attempt and sends Anthony into the corner. Quen tags and Kasidy takes out GPA. Kassidy calls for Quen and they hit Anthony with the Gin & Juice for the victory.
Rating: **3/4
Review: This was a fine match but again it didn’t do a whole lot for me. It is nice to see names we aren’t used to seeing on Dark but Private Party are a team with a ton of momentum early in AEW’s time that now just feels super stagnant.
ROH World Championship Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ari Daivari
They’ve done an OK job at building Ari up for this match but he’s coming out alone so that already has me doubting his chances. Ari has a series of wins leading into this but he needed a good bit of help from his guys to get those wins so going it alone seems like a dead mans task. I do appreciate the fact AEW builds guys like Ari or even Zack Clayton up before making them do the job to a stud like Claudio. It is nice to get back to the semi-imporant championships main eventing AEW Dark gimmick. Claudio with control early and he toys with Ari pissing off the upcoming AEW Superstar. Ari heads to the outside to avoid Claudio before flying back into the ring as Claudio heads outside. Finally Claudio gets his hands on Ari outside sending him into the barricade. Claudio charges Ari but he moves giving Ari a chance to take control. Ari sends Claudio back into the ring but Claudio is quickly back in control lifting Ari up for a slam but Ari attacks the knee allowing him to gain control. Ari with a running kick to the face of Claudio and he covers for two. Ari toys with Claudio but Claudio catches him and nails him with an uppercut. Claudio tests the knee and calls for the big swing. Claudio tosses Ari and again favors the injured knee. Ari works over the knee before hitting Claudio with a diving crossbody covering for two. Ari lays into Claudio with a series of strikes then rubs his forearm across the face of Claudio. Claudio to his feet and he fights back sending Ari to the apron but Ari hangs Claudio up on the ropes before working his knee over sending it into the ringpost. Claudio kicks Ari off into the barricade allowing him to regroup and hit Ari with the uppercut into the barricade. Claudio press slams Ari back into the ring but he’s hit with a kick to the knee as he tries to follow. Ari with a dive on Claudio to the outside but Claudio catches him, Ari sends Claudio face first into the ring post before hitting a frogsplash and covering for the two count. Ari continues to work the knee but Claudio with a roll up and nearly steals it. Claudio with a clothesline to Ari then a series of shots int he corner he sends him off the ropes and nails him with a lifting uppercut. Claudio hits the Ricola bomb on Ari and covers for the victory.
Rating: ***1/2
Review: This was easily the match of the night and even if the winner was never in question they did a really good job at making you speculate. Ari worked a decent match and was able to use enough outside shenanigans to gain control for a moment even with no friends at ringside. Claudio’s ability to quickly come back makes a ton of sense as he is clearly the stronger and more favored opponent. A really enjoyable match to close out an otherwise middling show.
