wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 16) Review
Loading...Hey there everyone, time for another episode of AEW’s Dark: Elevation. Tonight our main event features the team of Eddie Kingston and Penta El Zero Miedo taking on Matt Hardy’s new pair of charges The Hybrid 2 of Jack Evans and Angelico. Also in action will be Riho, Thunder Rosa, and The Acclaimed. Well that’s enough talk from me, let’s get to the action.
We open with an airing of Eddie Kingston’s promo from after Dynamite. My only takeaway is that AEW should put a belt on Kingston already. We’ve got fans in attendance for this episode.
Match #1 – Tag Team Match: JD Drake and Ryan Nemeth w/ The Wingmen vs. Billy Gunn and Colten Gunn
Colten and Nemeth start us off, Nemeth with a fireman’s carry. They tie up, hit the ropes and Colten lands a shoulder block then an arm drag and Nemeth tags Drake. Drake runs into an arm drag and drop kick but catches Colten with a running kick to the face. Drake starts chopping Colten then tags in Nemeth and they hit a double team move. The heels are keeping Colten isolated with quick tags, Colten slips off of Drake’s shoulders and tags Billy. Billy runs wild on Nemeth, then drops Drake with a right hand. Colten on the outside with a running crossbody onto Bonini and Avalon, while Billy avoids a Rude Awakening then plants Nemeth with the Fame-Asser to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Gunn Club (Billy and Colten) won
Rating: Crown Prince. . . SQUASH
Billy Gunn is in phenomenal shape for his age, Colten is still a little raw but he’s still gaining experience and definitely got a chunk of Billy’s athleticism.
Match #2: Penelope Ford vs. Valentina Rossi
They tie up, and Ford starts laying in strikes and bouncing Rossi around the corners. Rossi lands a back elbow and starts stomping Ford down. For fights back and catapults Rossi into the top rope. Rossi gets a small package for 2 then lays in clotheslines before Ford avoids one and lands a big boot. Ford with a poorly spaced hand spring attempt, but gets Rossi on her shoulders for a fireman’s carry double knee gutbuster to win. I know Jamie Noble used that as his finish for a while but I can’t for the life of me recall what he called it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Penelope Ford won
Rating: Golias. . . SQUASH
Rossi didn’t look half bad here, and Ford is still a solid worker.
Match #3: Brian Cage w/ Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook vs. Serpentico w/ Luther
Cage runs over Serpentico, back drops him, and hits his curl set up fallaway slam. Bit of a cheap shot from Luther lets Serpentico get a double stomp but Cage slams him face first onto the apron. Luther gets involved again and Serpentico is able to hit a suicide dive. Serpentico lands a seated super kick and kneeling DDT but Cage launches him on the kick out. A few punches from Serpentico that hurt him more than Cage, Cage with an inside out exploder suplex and he’s done playing. A striking combination then a German suplex form Cage and Serpentico crawls to the entrance way. Cage follows him out, lays out Luther then powerbombs Serpentico back into the ring. Cage picks up the corpse of Serpentico then double taps him with a Drill Claw to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Brian Cage won
Rating: Green Hubbard. . . SQUASH
A moment of silence for Serpentico, I’m sure he lived a good life.
Match #4: Wheeler Yuta vs. Karl Anderson w/ Doc Gallows and The Young Bucks
Anderson takes over with strikes off the bat, then lands a back elbow. Yuta flips out of a back suplex, avoids Anderson then lands a drop kick. Running elbow from Yuta, but Gallows distracts him and Anderson is able to land a spinebuster. Anderson hits a spinning back suplex for a near fall. Yuta eats a clothesline, but he wont stay down. Yuta starts fighting back, Anderson cuts him off with chops, but eats an inverted atomic drop and enziguri. Anderson eats a top rope drop kick and Yuta is firing up, he tries to dive onto Gallows but Gallows swats him down then the Bucks with a super kick sandwich. Back into the ring Anderson climbs the ropes and hits the Stun Gun to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Karl Anderson won
Rating: Hubbard. . . SQUASH
Anderson gave Yuta a fair bit of shine in his hope spot without ever really feeling out of control of the match.
Match #5 – Trios Match: Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson, and Dustin Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson vs. Adrian Alanis, Liam Gray, and Justin Corino
Brock and Corino get us going. Some arm work from Brock early, Johnson tags in and resumes working the arm. Corino tags Gray, Johnson takes him down with arm drags the tags in Brock who works the arm of Gray. Gray flips out of a back suplex and tags Alanis who gets a sling blade backbreaker to drop Brock. Gray tags back in and they work on isolating Brock with double team moves. Corino in with a sliding clothesline for a 2 count. Brock with some ugly looking punches to fight back and they both drop after a corner collision. Alanis tags in, as does Dustin who runs wild on everyone. Spinebuster from Dustin, then a back suplex to neckbreaker on Gray then a snap suplex on Alanis for a near fall but Corino saves the match. Brock takes out Alanis, they’re all out of the ring and Johnson hits a corkscrew senton onto the pile. Back in the ring Lee hits a super kick then Dustin takes out Alanis with a bulldog and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson, and Dustin Rhodes won
Rating: Kiszombori. . . SQUASH
Just time for Brock and Johnson to get reps in, which is hardly a bad thing.
The Acclaimed are up next, Caster promises to shorten the lifespan of their opponents and questions if Justice’s gimmick is simply that of straight white man, and also threatens to treat someone like a hooker in a car. Odd thing to confess your experience too, or threaten someone with. And while he’s shorter than Smooth his piles of money will make an adequate footstool to even the height, then he closes with an odd Biden line about ear whispering.
Match #6 – Tag Team Match: The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) vs. PB Smooth and Matt Justice
Smooth is quite tall, but he gets chop blocked by Caster in a cheap shot. Bowens starts working the leg of Smooth with a combination of moves in the corner then a dragon screw leg whip. Smooth with a choke assisted STO and he tags out. Justice lays in strikes to Bowens, Caster with a blind tag and he takes out Justice with a clothesline. Caster cheap shots Smooth but that allows Justice to lay in chops for a second before Caster drives him into their corner and Bowens tags in. Very poorly done double team move onto Justice, then the take out Smooth with a leg attack. The S4 double team then a Mic Drop from Caster finishes things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Acclaimed won
Rating: Kabocha. . . SQUASH
Smooth has a look given his height, but didn’t get to do anything, though they might have been protecting him by having Justice take all the abuse and pinfall.
Match #7: Riho vs. KiLynn King
They tie up, King easily overpowers the smaller Riho early. King wants a test of strength but makes fun of Riho’s height, Riho lands a kick to the leg and quickens the pace with a flurry of fast paced offense. Riho up top but is caught on a top rope cross body and King lands a back breaker. King stomps on Riho for a bit, then lands a shoulder block and moves into a modified Rings of Saturn but Riho gets to the ropes and forces a break. Riho fights out of a suplex but can’t find a sunset flip but she slips away from King and hits a drop kick. Drop toe hold into the ropes from Riho, then a 619 and she’s up top and this time hits the cross body for a near fall. King lands a few kicks, then a suplex for a near fall. Riho flips out of a back suplex, gets a victory roll into a double stomp then heads up top but misses a double stomp. King catches Riho on her shoulders, hits the Rolling Hills then climbs up top but misses a Frog Splash and Riho hits her with with the Somato double knee strike to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Riho won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Solid match, King held her own in there with a former champion in Riho while Riho continues to be a very good professional wrestler.
Match #8 – Tag Team Match: Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr.) w/ Julia Hart vs. Aaron Rourke and Jake Logan
Logan and Rourke jump the Blonds, this goes poorly as they’re both clotheslined out of the ring then we get stereo dives from Pillman and Garrison. Back in the ring Pillman and Logan go to work. Garrison tags in and they hit the drop kick Hart Attack variation. Pillman back in, Garrison with the discus elbow then Pillman flies in with a clothesline and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Varsity Blonds won
Rating: Mammut. . . SQUASH
Delicious squash.
Match #9: Thunder Rosa vs. Katalina Perez
They tie up, Rosa starts with the throws before running into some very awkward forearms from Perez. Rosa with an arm drag, ties up the legs of Perez then gets a modified surfboard. Chops from Rosa, Perez fights back with chops but Rosa kicks her in the head. Rosa with a Russian leg sweep, locks up the Peruvian Calavera Choke and Perez taps.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Thunder Rosa won
Rating: Queensland Blue. . . SQUASH
Thunder Rosa kind of had the formula for these down, but it was nice to see a more traditional squash to avoid her appearances becoming formulaic.
Match #10: The Blade w/ The Bunny vs. Chuck Taylor
We get right into a fight, both men land rights then they hit the ropes and Taylor drops Blade with a back elbow. Blade pulls Taylor out of the ring but eats more punches and is tossed into the barricade. Bunny distracts Taylor long enough for Blade to recover and he tosses Taylor into the barricade before we head back into the ring. Taylor with chops back in the ring, but Blade catches him with a snap powerslam. Blade lays in rights and works over Taylor in the corner. Clothesline from Blade, then Taylor starts fighting back but Blade chops him down to the mat. Taylor lands some kicks but Blade slings him into the corner again and resumes stomping on Taylor. They start trading rights, then Taylor avoids a corner rush and takes over with punches. Sole Food from Taylor, then a running boot and scoop slam. Taylor up top, lands on his feet after missing a moonsault then hits a Michinoku Driver that Schiavone incorrectly calls the Awful Waffle (Taylor’s finish). Taylor up top again, hits a double stomp but again can’t pin Blade. Blade avoids an Awful Waffle, but finds himself set on the top rope. Taylor wants a Razor’s Edge but Blade slips free, and walks into a knee strike. Blade rolls up Taylor after countering a powerbomb, his feet go on the ropes and then Bunny holds him as well and Blade wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Blade won
Rating: 2 stars
Decent little match there. Post match The Hybrid2 jump Taylor but Orange Cassidy saunters down to make the save and everyone heads out.
Match #11 – Trios Match: Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) and Matt Hardy vs. Alex Reynolds, Alan “5” Angels and Colt Cabana
We get a brawl right off the bat, Quen and Kassidy are taken out by an Angels dive then Hardy eats a double suplex. Hardy is annoyed at the start to things, and starts us off against Angels. Hardy wants a Twist of Fate but Angels rolls him up for 2, then counters a Side Effect with a victory roll for 2. Angels digs in body shots but eats a clothesline out of the corner. Hardy sends Angels into the heel corner, where Quen and Kassidy trip him up and crotch him on the ring post. Kassidy tags in and starts choking Angels with various articles of clothing. Quen tags in and they double team Angels. Kassidy back in and they’re stomping Angels and keeping him isolated. Hardy tags in and hits a second rope elbow and Angels then eats a double back suplex. More strikes from Hardy, they’re abusing Angels and mocking his inability to tag out. Angels slips away from a back suplex and hits an enziguri. Kassidy tags in and cuts off Angels trying to tag out. Angels lands a kick, fights off Quen, and then drops Kassidy with a clothesline. Reynolds tags in and runs wild for a bit on Kassidy. Colt tags in as Reynolds dives onto Hardy on the outside. Colt with a springboard moonsault onto both Quen and Kassidy, then the jabs and a double Bionic Elbow. Angels tags back in and hits Kassidy with a crossbody for a near fall. Hardy trips up Reynolds on the apron, Colt tries to get him back but Quen tosses him over the top rope and Kassidy tags out to Quen. Angels tries to fight back with strikes but the numbers catch up to him eventually when Hardy ties him up on the top rope allowing Quen and Kassidy to hit the Gin and Juice to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Private Party and Matt Hardy won
Rating: 2 stars
Pretty good trios match, but a bit repetitive in the middle and sadly too predictable. The Dark Order really need to get some wins at some point.
Match #12: Hikaru Shida vs. Reka Tehaka
They tie up, run the ropes but neither moves on shoulder block attempts. Shida lays in strikes, Tehaka fires up and drapes Shida on the top rope but Shida catches a pump kick attempt and attacks the leg. Tehaka moves to the apron and Shida lays into her with a running knee lift. Shida to the second rope, she wants a super plex but Tehaka fights back from the apron and lands a pump kick. Chops from Tehaka, then she posts herself and Shida lands an enziguri then a suplex. Tehaka avoids a tornado kick, headbutts Shida a couple of times then hits a Samoan drop for a near fall. Shida lands an elbow then the Katana for the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Hikaru Shida won
Rating: 1.5 stars
A few awkward spots, but Tehaka has shown some real ability during her matches so far and Shida gave her plenty of time to shine here.
Match #13 – Tag Team Match: Eddie Kingston and Penta El Zerio Miedo w/ Alex Abrahantes vs. The Hybrid2 (Jack Evans and Angelico)
Evans and Eddie start us off, if this crowd is any indicator Eddie is quite over. Evans cartwheels out of a snapmare and mocks the lack of dancing from Eddie. Eddie mocks Angelico’s dancing, then does a running man to annoy Evans, which gets Evans to charge into a big boot. Angelico tags in as does Penta. Penta with an enziguri then top rope crossbody. Penta runs wild with offense for a bit then tags Eddie back in. A double team kick into a pinning hold for a near fall follows. Eddie starts laying in chops then tries a Saito suplex but Angelico is able to fight free and send Eddie into their corner. Evans tags in and lays in elbows. Flying kick from Evans drops Eddie. Evans lands a jumping kick and is keeping Eddie down with strikes. Angelico back in and lays in strikes of his own. Angelico ties up Eddie, but Penta has seen enough and super kicks Angelico in the back of the head. Evans tags in and stomps Eddie, but Eddie drops him with a sambo suplex. Penta tags in and hits a sling blade on both men, then a drop kick for Evans and then monkey flips Angelico into Evans. Evans misses a tornado kick but saves Angelico from a Fear Factor, though Penta drops him with a Penta Driver for a near fall. Eddie and Angelico fight, Angelico sends Eddie out of the ring then kicks Penta to stop a Fear Factor but it felt like he was a little late on that move. Angelico with an assisted backbreaker to Penta, then a flatliner and Evans hits a standing corkscrew moonsault for a near fall. Evans heads up top, he wants the 450 but Eddie is here to cause issues. Eddie sends Angelico out of the ring, catches a charging Evans with an exploder suplex, then Penta kills Evans with the Fear Factor to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Eddie Kingston and Penta El Zerio Miedo won
Rating: 2.5 stars
These two teams could definitely hit another gear if necessary but they had a good match as it stands. Kingston and Penta celebrate as the show ends.
