Csonka’s AEW Dark Review 2.28.20

Csonka’s AEW Dark Review 2.28.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Japanese Death Match Legend Luther defeated Sonny Kiss @ 5:16 via submission [**]
– The Dark Order defeated Peter Avalon & Michael Nakazawa @ 2:55 via pin [NR]
– Dr. Britt Baker defeated Miranda Alize @ 5:15 via submission [**½]
– Private Party defeated Shawn Spears & Brandon Cutler @ 9:30 via pin [**½]

---

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

Japanese Death Match Legend Luther vs. Sonny Kiss: No Mel with Japanese Death Match Legend Luther. Luther attacks with chops and strikes right away, Kiss counters back but gets cut off with the big boot. Luther follows with kicks, chokes out Kiss with his shirt and dumps him. To the floor and Luther follows with more kicks. Kiss fires back, but Luther hits him with the ring bell. Back in and Luther follows with a knee drop for 2. The snap suplex also gets 2. The butterfly suplex also follows for 2. Kiss then cradles him for 2. He gets another for 2 and Luther follows with a clothesline. Kiss counters into a dropsault, enziguri and back handspring elbow. He follows with strikes as the axes and Os then gets 2. Kiss heads up top and the moonsault misses, but follows with a high kick and Luther counters the RANA into a powerbomb and camel clutch raking the eyes for the win. Japanese Death Match Legend Luther defeated Sonny Kiss @ 5:16 via submission [**] This was ok, as Luther looked better than expected. I wish Sony had some direction.

– Post match, Jimmy Havoc arrives as Luther bails, which was playing off of Japanese Death Match Legend Luther’s recent obsession with Havoc here on Dark.

– Tony & Dasha join us and hype Revolution.

– Avalon arrives and does his shushing bullshit before running down the town. Bates cuts him off and has a book for him, “Don’t Be a Dick.”

The Dark Order vs. Peter Avalon & Michael Nakazawa: Silver & Reynolds are at ringside along with Bates. Avalon stops Nakazawa from oiling up and tags himself in. He slips on the oil and Grayson attacks Nakazawa. Uno tags in and double teams follow for 2. He grounds Nakazawa, poses and Grayson tags in as they lay the boots to Nakazawa. Grayson follows with strikes, Nakazawa oils up to escape the suplex but Avalon refuses to tag in. Grayson attacks, hits a back breaker and Uno tags in. The fatality finishes it. The Dark Order defeated Peter Avalon & Michael Nakazawa @ 2:55 via pin [NR] Squash.

– They run a video package to hype Cody vs. MJF tomorrow night.

– Tony & Dasha hype Revolution and future AEW events.

Dr. Britt Baker vs. Miranda Alize: Alize worked AEW one time before in a losing effort. They lockup and work to he ropes and break. Baker backs off to the apron. Back in and Baker grounds things, working the arm and teases lockjaw until Alize makes the ropes. Alize counters back until Baker takes control of the arm again. Baker counters back, slams her down by the hair and follows with ground and pound. She follows with strikes, a clothesline and grounds the action. Alize fights to her feet, fires back and Baker follows with the rolling forearm. The knee strike connects and she then kicks Alize in the face. The clothesline follows, ground and pound by Baker and then chokes out Alize in the ropes. The running boot connects and baker follows with the fisherman’s neck breaker for 2. Alize cradles baker as she argues with the ref, but Baker escapes, fires back and hits a superkick and reverse sling blade; lockjaw finishes it. Dr. Britt Baker defeated Miranda Alize @ 5:15 via submission [**½] Alize also recently worked with Impact, has a good look and shows potential the more I get to see her. This was a fine extended squash with Baker really starting to find her footing in-ring as a heel.

Private Party vs. Shawn Spears & Brandon Cutler: Tully Blanchard is at ringside. Kassidy and Cutler begin, locking up and Cutler looks to work the arm. Kassidy escapes, they work into passes and we work into a standoff. Spears tags in and attacks Quen. He follows with chops and Quen then cuts him off as Kassidy tags in for double teams and Spears tags out to Cutler. Kassidy follows with chops, Quen back in but Cutler cuts them off and follows with the springboard clothesline. Spears tags in and follows with strikes on Kassidy. Kassidy cuts him off, and he follows with strikes until Spears hits a spinebuster and dumps him. Spears slams him to the apron and back in, mocks Quen. He tag sin Cutler and follows with the slam, leg drop and covers for 2. Spears back in and Kassidy counters back, looks for the tag and follows with an enziguri. Tag to Quen and he runs wild on Spears. Backdrops Cutler and follows with an enziguri and takes down Cutler & Spears. Quen follows with a tope to Cutler as Spears then attacks. He yells at Cutler and rolls Quen back in. Spears bails on Cutler but cuts of Quen with the TPK for 2. Cutler keeps fighting them off and begs Spears to come back. But gin and juice finishes Cutler. Private Party defeated Shawn Spears & Brandon Cutler @ 9:30 via pin [**½] This was solid enough, and the Spears story continues, but the work felt really disjointed throughout.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 94. On the show, Larry Csonka & Steve Cook hit a quick news roundup on Samoa Joe, NXT Japan and more, review NXT vs. Dynamite (2.26.20) and then preview AEW Revolution. The show is approximately 79-minutes long.

* Intro
* Quick News Roundup (Samoa Joe, Matt Hardy, NXT Japan, NJPW Cancellations, More): 2:05
* AEW Dynamite (2.26.20) Review: 27:05
* NXT (2.26.20) Review: 40:40
* The Head to Head Comparison: 54:10
* AEW Revolution Preview: 58:55

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

This week’s extra PPV week edition of AEW Dark was a below average effort, but did advance Luther vs. Havoc and gave Dark Order & Baker some momentum.