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Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 14) Review 6.14.21

June 14, 2021 | Posted by Robert Winfree
AEW Dark Elevation 6-14-21
6.8
The 411 Rating
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Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 14) Review 6.14.21  

Hello everyone, it’s time for another episode of AEW Dark: Elevation. Tonight among other things we have Penta El Zero Miedo and Eddie Kingston in action, Scorpio Sky will take on Alex Reynolds, and Orange Cassidy will wrestle. There’s much more of course, so let’s get to it. We’re back to no fans for this episode, just other talent at ringside.

In the back Wardlow talks with Tony Schiavone. It’s Wardlow’s week, and Wardlow’s world. Tonight he knocks someone out, tomorrow he chokes someone out, and on Friday he’ll knockout Jake Hager in the first round.

Match #1: Wardlow vs. Jason Hotch

Quick double leg from Wardlow, then he poses over Hotch. Wardlow catches a kick, gets another slam then again stands over Hotch. High back body drop from Wardlow, then he drapes Hotch’s feet on the top ropes, holds Hotch up with one hand and drops him into a Go To Sleep style knee. Hotch is out and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Wardlow won

Rating: Reticulata. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash.

Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Dustin Rhodes and Lee Johnson vs. VSK and Travis Titan

Dustin and Titan get us started, and they shake hands. Shoulder blocks from Dustin, then an arm drag. Johnson tags in, hits a drop kick and VSK comes in. Arm drags from Johnson, then Dustin back in and they hit a couple of kicks. VSK pushes Dustin into their corner, and drops Dustin with an elbow. Titan in and they start working Dustin over with quick tags and body shots. They run the ropes, Dustin with the drop down throat thrust and tags in Johnson. Johnson runs wild, Titan runs into a snap powerslam from Dustin then Johnson brains VSK with the Brain Dog to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Dustin Rhodes and Lee Johnson won

Rating: Romanesco. . . SQUASH

Johnson continues to bring the goods, might need an alternate finisher when he works bigger guys but he’s coming along nicely.

Match #3: Mike Sydal vs. Angelico

Per usual, Wight continues to want a “yoga off” between Mike and DDP. They tie up, trade arm wringers and escapes, Mike eventually gets the better of it and works an arm on the mat. Angelico gets a head scissors on the mat, Mike gets free but winds up in a front headlock and they get to the ropes to break. Back to the exchange of holds, then they run the ropes and do the usual sweep to cover exchange into a stand off. Matt Hardy comes out to scout Angelico. Angelico starts laying in kicks then moves into a wing spreader. Some knees from Angelico to the seated Mike. Mike starts fighting back with strikes, and avoids a stinger splash then with his usual evasive moves before hitting an enziguri. More strikes from Mike then Angelico counters an Irish whip into a stun gun, locks up the Navarro Death Roll and Mike has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Angelico won

Rating: 2 stars

Decent showcase for Aneglico, Mike has turned into a pretty good enhancement talent and I don’t mean that unkindly. Post match Angelico tosses Mike into the barricade, locks up the Navarro Death Roll on the floor and Matt comes out to save his brother as Angelico and Hardy head out.

Match #4: Shawn Spears vs. Falco

Spears comes out with a chair, I assume LA PARK will be jumping him for gimmick infringement. They circle, and we actually get a clean handshake. Spears with some early throws and starts working a headlock then a shoulder block. Into the ropes, Falco counters a hip toss with a flying headlock and Spears is mad. Spears lays in strikes now, stomping Falco down on the mat then tossing him out of the ring. Out of the ring and Spears lays in knees then back drops Falco on the apron. Back into the ring Spears with the C4 (a running Death Valley Driver), which Tony again mistakenly calls a Canadian Destroyer, and Spears wins.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Shawn Spears won

Rating: Spaghetti. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash. Spears brandishes his chair post match but doesn’t use it.

The Wingmen have congregated in the back. Nemeth says JD Drake used to be a poorly dressed monster who did his dishes in the bathroom, but now he’s benefited from the Wingman program and even has a boat. He’s offering Orange Cassidy a chance to benefit from the program as well, and while Cassidy has a choice if he turns them down that would be the wrong choice. Drake asks why you’d want best friends when you could have wingmen.

Match #5 – Tag Team Match: Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) w/ HFO vs. Dean Alexander and Carlie Bravo

Quen and Alexander start us off. They tie up, Quen getting a front headlock then avoiding a counter. Quen gets a side headlock, flips out of a back suplex, then Kassidy trips up Alexander trying to run the ropes and Quen drop kicks Alexander. Kassidy tags in and runs wild with strikes in the corner. Alexander gets worked over for a bit, Quen tags in and resumes working the front headlock. Alexander avoids a Pele kick and tags in Bravo. Bravo runs wild on Kassidy and Quen for a bit including a Michinoku Driver but Kassidy off Bravo on the top rope. Kassidy tags in, they hit the Gin ‘N Juice to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Private Party won

Rating: Tatuma. . . SQUASH

More generic squash than delicious, though that was a surprisingly effective little run on offense from Bravo before the finish.

Match #6: Nyla Rose w/ Vickie Guerrero vs. Megan Bayne

Rose overpowers Bayne early, lays in a clothesline then kills Bayne with a Beast Bomb to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Nyla Rose won

Rating: Tschermak. . . SQUASH

Typical squash for Nyla Rose.

Match #7: Orange Cassidy w/ Best Friends and Kris Statlander vs. Cameron Cole

Cassidy avoids a few tie up attempts, then Cole stomps on the foot and shoves Cassidy over then hits a low angle DDT for a 1 count. Stomps to the feet and hands and Cole celebrates as Cassidy falls over. Cole up top, but Cassidy just walks away from a drop kick attempt. More avoidance from Cassidy, then the Orange Punch connects and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Orange Cassidy won

Rating: Verrucosa. . . SQUASH

Cassidy gets to be kind of giving in these matches because of his gimmick while still coming across like a big deal.

Match #8 – Tag Team Match: Eddie Kingston and Penta El Zero Miedo w/ Alex Abrahantes vs. Arik Cannon and Kevin Blackwood

As someone who remembers Arik Cannon’s time on the indy scene in the early 2000’s, including a couple of matches he had in Chikara with Eddie Kingston, I’m glad to see him show up on a big stage. Kingston and Cannon get us started. They tie up, hit the ropes but Cannon finds another side headlock. They head into the corner and Cannon lands a few punches while avoiding a Backfist to the Future then hits a spinning suplex. Blackwood tags in and they double team Kingston but eventually Kingston avoids a back suplex but eats a long striking combination from Blackwood. Kingston breaks a rear waist lock, hits an enziguri then tags in Penta. Penta lands a super kick then chops Blackwood. Cannon with a cheap shot, Penta kicks him in reply then lands a thrust kick on Blackwood. Military press from Penta into a gut buster, Kingston tags in, Penta drops Blackwood with the Fear Factor and Kingston follows up with a Saito suplex for good measure to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kingston and Penta won

Rating: Verrucosissima. . . SQUASH

Kingston’s pairing with Penta and Rey Fenix a while back was a nice one, this more or less reminded us of that. And again, nice to see Arik Cannon get some shine on a bigger stage.

Match #9: Julia Hart w/ Varsity Blonds vs. Dani Jordyn

They trade arm wringers and escapes, then Jordyn lands a shoulder tackle. Hart with a low angle hip toss then a drop kick. Some strikes from Jordyn then a running drop kick for a near fall. Hart gets sent out of the ring then a diving drop kick from Jordyn. Jordyn tries to send Hart into the ring, Hart kind of botches that but eventually gets there. Hart fights back with strikes, then some really soft looking kicks. Some corner offense, then a bulldog into a splits and standing moonsault from Hart but that just gets 2. A standing shiranui from Hart finishes things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Julia Hart won

Rating: 1 star

Hart looked every bit as green as she is when it comes to wrestling, she’s obviously athletically gifted but has a long ways to go still. That said, this kind of show exists in part for that purpose.

Match #10 – Tag Team Match: QT Marshall and Aaron Solow vs. Deonn Rusman and Joe Keys

Rusman and Marshall start us off. Marshall with a shoulder block, then strikes and he tags in Solow. Solow with strikes, they slip trying an Irish whip but cover it up. Rusman hits a power slam then here comes Keys and he lands a back elbow. They run the ropes then Keys hits a tilt a whirl back breaker. Marshall distracts Keys on the second rope, and Solow sweeps his legs out and slams him down. Solow lays in strikes then tags in Marshall. Some offense from Marshall then Solow back in. Keys starts trying to fight back, he tags out and Rusman runs wild on Solow with clotheslines. Solow lands a tornado kick, Marshall hits a Diamond Cutter on Keys then Solow hits a Pedigree to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: QT Marshall and Aaron Solow won

Rating: 1.5 stars

I think they gave Rusman and Keys enough offense on Solow to avoid the full squash rating.

Match #11: Scorpio Sky w/ Ethan Page vs. Alex Reynolds

Sky and Page have a new song that’s kind of a blend of their individual themes. Page heads over to join commentary. They tie up, Reynolds with a front headlock into an arm wringer, into a go behind but Sky fights free with a single leg and dumps Reynolds to the mat. Sky puts the hands behind the back, Reynolds kicks him in the gut and hits a shoulder block. Reynolds lands a clothesline then a suplex. More offense from Reynolds, Sky counters a sunset flip and they trade roll ups then Sky lands a knee to the gut. Reynolds drop toe holds Sky into the second rope then a drive by on the apron. A top rope cross body from Reynolds gets a near fall, this has been all Reynolds so far. Sky sends Reynolds to the apron then knocks him off of it into the barricade. Sky slams Reynolds into the apron then they head back into the ring. Strikes from Sky in the corner, Reynolds tries to fight back but Sky cuts him off. Reynolds starts fighting back out of a neck crank, then Sky runs into a clothesline. Corner offense from Reynolds then a running elbow and a drop kick. Ripcord elbow from Reynolds then a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Reynolds lands a series of rights in the corner and a running knee strike. Sky hits a chop block, but Reynolds kicks him away from a heel hook attempt. Reynolds kicks Sky down, climbs the ropes but misses a moonsault and tweaks the knee again. Sky with the roll through into the Heel Hook and Reynolds has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Scorpio Sky won

Rating: 2.5 stars

Rock solid match from those two, Reynolds got a ton of offense before ultimately succumbing to a set up heel hook. Good stuff.

The last few minutes is an animated Among Us cartoon set to the AEW Dark: Elevation theme.

6.8
The final score: review Average
The 411
A slightly higher percentage of squash this week, and nothing really stood out. But all in all an Average trending towards Good episode.
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