wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 104) Review 2.27.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hey there people, time for another episode of Elevation. Tonight we’ve got Emi Sakura, Nyla Rose, Powerhouse Hobbs, Athena, and an main event of Konosuke Takeshita taking on Lee Johnson. There’s some potential in that main event, Johnson is still pretty solid while Takeshita is still awesome. Paul Wight and Matt Menard welcome us to the show.
Match #1: Emi Sakura vs. Rachelle Riveter
New entrance music for Emi. They tie up, then Emi backs Rachelle into the ropes and chops her. Emi avoids a tie up, but Rachelle starts landing some elbows only for Emi to send her into the corner then lay in more chops until Rachelle drops. Rachell avoids a slow motion Vader Bomb and unloads with some corner strikes of her own then a rope assisted Flatliner for a 2 count. Emi fights back with a Whirling Dervish then unloads with another chop in the corner to set up the corner crossbody. Scoop slam from Emi, she wants the moonsault and hits it to end things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Emi Sakura won in 2:50
Rating: Trombone squash
I’m rating this a squash but Rachelle Riveter looked solid here, and Emi is a great hand to put in there with the younger talent to get a feel for how they work. I wouldn’t hate Rachelle getting a few more looks.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: The Kingdom (Mike Bennett and Matt Taven) w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett vs. EJ Sparks and Aguila Aguirre
Taven and Sparks start us off, Taven goes right to kicks then they hit the ropes and Taven lands a drop kick. Atomic Drop from Sparks but Bennett tags in and lands a rolling elbow. Chops from Bennett then he tags in Taven who lands a boot then a drop kick. Taven declines to make a pin and Sparks lands a question mark kick then tags in Aguirre, who runs into a bad body drop. Bennett tags back in, but Aguirre runs wild for a bit but Taven makes a blind tag and kicks Aguirre down. Cheap shot to Sparks and that sets up the combination sequence of strikes from the Kingdom to take the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Kingdom won in 2:55
Rating: Valenciano squash
The Kingdom has never done anything for me, and that continues to be the case here. That said, generally effective squash.
Match #3 – Trios Match: Diamante, Nyla Rose, and Marina Shafir w/ Vickie Guerrero vs. Mazzerati, Miss May, and Brittnie Brooks
Shafir and Brooks start things off. They tie up, quick ankle pick from Shafir then some kicks on the mat. Some cheap shots to Mazzerati and May, Brooks tries a roll up but Shafir counters into an armbar attempt and scoots to the corner to tag in Diamante. Diamante lands a German suplex then again cheap shots the jobbers. Nyla tags in and Brooks runs over to tag in Mazzerati. Mazzerati charges at Nyla, and gets body blocked right down. Tilt a whirl powerslam from Nyla then an avalanche in the corner. Nyla tosses Mazzeratti into Brooks and then May declines a tag and just runs away. Chokeslam to Mazzerati, then Shafir tags in to deliver the Snapshot with Nyla and get the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Nyla Rose, Diamante, and Marina Shafir won in 2:56
Rating: Yellow Hubbard squash
Delicious squash. Shafir does seem to be making some strides now, frankly they were overdue. I’m still a little curious about the team in general and what direction this has other than being a vehicle for Shafir to get in reps, though if that’s all it is it’s hardly the worst thing.
Match #4: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Daniel Evans
Hobbs lifts Evans up and sets him on the top rope, then tells him to leave. Evans lands a drop kick and tries to land strikes but Hobbs just slings him into the corner and crushes him with a clothesline. Clubbing blows from Hobbs as he goes Donkey Kong on the chest of Evans. High angle spinebuster from Hobbs, then that reverse Attitude Adjustment he calls the Next Chapter and that’s it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Powerhouse Hobbs won in 1:28
Rating: Butternut squash
Delicious, delicious squash. Nice to see Hobbs name that move, and he continues to be a beast. Pity he’s a little directionless at the moment but when the get something for him it should be notable, he’s got presence and physicality in spades.
Ethan Page and Stokely have mics on their way to the ring and Page cuts the music. Page says this is just for him to address something in front of the people, he loves teaming with Matt Hardy and how Hardy has embraced him. Hardy says Page is just misunderstood and he’s having the time of his life, and he’s handling business come Dynamite but now we party. Stokely is happy that Hook isn’t here. Kassidy is sick of hearing about Hook, so are the people, the people want to party. The music kicks back in as they all dance to the ring. Page is still such a truly glorious douchebag, you have to respect it.
Match #5 – Trios Match: Ethan Page, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy w/ Stokely Hathaway vs. Ice Williams, Braxton, and Watson
Kassidy and Williams start things off, Kassidy grabs a side headlock then they hit the ropes and Kassidy lands a few arm drags then a neckbreaker. Hardy tags in and he and Kassidy land a double back elbow. Williams lands a punch and tags in Braxton to start unloading in the corner. More punches from Braxton but Hardy fights back with a back elbow then he bounces Braxton around the turnbuckles and follows up with a guillotine slingshot. Page tags in for the Hardy style elbow off the second rope. Braxton rakes the eyes and tags in Watson who lands some strikes before getting booted down by Page. Powerslam from Page and things break down now. Double Side Effect sends Williams and Braxton running. Poetry in Motion to Watson, then Kassidy and Page hit a tandem Iconoclasm to set up Hardy to hit the Twist of Fate and get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Matt Hardy, Ethan Page, and Isiah Kassidy won in 3:24
Rating: Calabaza squash
Fun little squash there, seeing Kassidy, Hardy, and Page all work together is kind of fun even though we know it’s going to end badly. They’ve all worked hard to make this angle interesting and entertaining, and they’re succeeding. I’m still hoping Page gets bumped up the card sooner rather than later, he’s got tons of ability.
QTVAEW is coming soon. Whatever that is.
Match #6: Athena vs. Danielle Kamela
Athena clocks Kamela at the bell and floors her. Mounted punches from Athena, then she posts Kamela. Kick from Athena then she hits a low dropkick that sends Kamela to the floor. On the floor now Athena misses a Meteora into the ring stairs and then eats a clothesline. Back in the ring Kamela fires up with clotheslines then a flipping neckbreaker. Snapmare driver from Kamela gets a 2 count. Kamela slowly climbs the ropes, and Athena hits the ropes to knock her off balance and to the mat. Meteora in the corner from Athena, then she heads up top for an O-Face to end things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Athena won in 3:20
Rating: Futsu black-rinded squash
They tried to give Kamela a few hope spots here, but this was still just a squash. Athena needs some kind of program badly, it’s plenty fun to watch this but it’s getting a bit too repetitive and there doesn’t seem to be any real direction. Both of the programs teased for Athena have fallen out as Yuka Sakazaki is back in Japan while they never followed up on the one brief stare down between Athena and Marina Shafir.
Post match Athena face plants Kamela on the belt.
Match #7: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Lee Johnson w/ Cole Karter
New music for Johnson. Pretty good ovation for Takeshita. A little circling and Johnson avoids a tie up. They do tie up and hit the corner, where Takeshita gives a clean break. Arm drag from Takeshita then a sweep and they trade covers before Takeshita tries a German suplex only to eat an elbow from Johnson. Johnson with some strikes but Takeshita hits the ropes for a leaping clothesline. Takeshita wants the Blue Thunder Bomb but Johnson avoids it and hits a drop kick. Some corner work from Johnson then a chinlock. Takeshita fights free with strikes then skins the cat as Johnson tries to eject him, then Takeshita hits a serious lariat. Johnson gets sent out of the ring, then Takeshita dives onto Johnson and Karter. Back in the ring Takeshita hits a Helluva Kick, then another one, he wants a third but Johnson avoids it and rolls up Takeshita for 2. Johnson backflips off the second rope and hits a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Johnson wants to end things, but he runs into a Blue Thunder Bomb. Takeshita sets for the Zahi but Johnson avoids it and lands a super kick then they fight over a suplex, Takeshita lands a kick and they hit the ropes then Takeshita lands a high knee. Zahi follows and that’ll do it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Konosuke Takeshita won in 6:43
Rating: 2.5 stars
Solid main event for Elevation, Johnson being back is nice as he’s a solid hand but boy could his selling use work. I’m not trying to pick on him too much, but there’s an art to selling throughout an entire match and Johnson doesn’t seem to have it as the moment it’s his time to do stuff he just abandons selling everything that came before. This isn’t a problem unique to him, a lot of guys struggle with this, but it was noticeable here.
