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Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 30) Review 9.27.21

September 27, 2021 | Posted by Robert Winfree
AEW Dark: Elevation Paul Wight Image Credit: AEW
6.5
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Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 30) Review 9.27.21  

Hello everyone, time for another episode of AEW Dark Elevation. Tonight we’ve got a shorter episode but it features Paul Wight in action against 3 other guys, Thunder Rosa, and some combination of Dark Order members. Because Paul Wight is in action he’s been replaced on commentary for this episode by Mark Henry. Henry joins Schiavone and Eddie Kingston. Also put a title on Eddie Kingston already, you cowards (This bit will not die until that man gets a belt).

Match #1: Thunder Rosa vs. Kayla Sparks

They tie up and trade shoves, Rosa is getting some loud chants. Sparks with a slap and Rosa responds with chops and a hip toss then a drop kick. Rosa with an arm drag off the ropes, Sparks heads out of the ring then back in without anything coming of that. Some strikes from Sparks in the corner, but Rosa comes off the ropes with a flying back elbow. Rosa with more chops, then hits a sliding clothesline and a senton. Sparks hung up on the middle rope, running drop kicks to the back and chest from Rosa then the Fire Thunder Driver and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Thunder Rosa won in 3:10

Rating: Delicata. . . SQUASH

A little stiff in places, with a few timing issues, but Thunder Rosa is very over and still has maybe the best feel for these kinds of local squash/showcase matches of anyone regularly on Elevation.

Match #2 – 8 Man Tag Team Match: Dark Order (John Silver, Alex Reynolds, Alan “5” Angels, and 10 vs. TJ Crawford, Eric James, Kevin Tibbs, and Dean Alexander

Silver starts off tossing Crawford across the ring then Tibbs tags in. Silver tags in 10 who hits a wheelbarrow suplex. James tags in, eats a pump kick then Angels tags in and starts chopping James. Calf kick from Angels and Alexander has to break up the pin. That results in Angels getting jumped by everyone, that leads to everyone brawling and the Dark Order with a 4 man stereo shoulder block to everyone else. Alexander is the legal man, he tosses Angels and then tags out. Tibbs with a double stomp, Crawford tags in but Angels is able to fight both of them off and tag Reynolds. James is in as well but Reynolds speeds up and hits a flurry of offense on James. Rolling elbow from Reynolds then a cravat suplex. Pop up knee from Reynolds then a double underhook into a gutbuster and Alexander saves the match again. That brings in 10, who runs wild clearing the ring then assists Reynolds with a moonsault onto the outside. Angels moonsaults out as well, Silver is the legal man now and kicks James off the top rope then runs wild on the outside. Silver up top with a cross body then tags in 10. Everyone comes in for a parade of finishers culminating with the full nelson and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Dark Order won in 5:40

Rating: Gem. . . SQUASH

Dark Order mostly back on the same page, though notably Evil Uno is still absent. This was competent stuff from everyone even if just a feel good showcase for these members of Dark Order.

Match #3 – 3 on 1 Handicap Match: CPA, VSK, and RSP vs. Paul Wight

Wight is about to put away the Alphabet Soup. VSK and Wight start us off, VSK wants a test of strength, oh here come the Gunn Clubb onto the entrance ramp. Wight overpowers VSK with two hands on one, it takes all 3 of them to try and overpower Wight but Wight shoves them off. Wight goes to work with chops to the chest for all 3 men, including a bit where RSP comically tries to chokeslam Wight and gets tossed over the top rope. More chest chops from Wight, then he stacks up VSK and CPA in the corner and keeps chopping the crap out of these poor guys. RSP back in tries a low bloc but his kick is caught and Wight with the WMD punch to put him out. A double chokeslam to VSK and CPA follows and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Paul Wight won in 3:42

Rating: Kabocha. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash.

The remaining 18 minutes or so is composed of interviews and behind the scenes clips from the last AEW taping.

Dr. Britt Baker is up first, she says beating Ruby Soho was academic and Soho’s time has come and gone. Her name is plastered all over the AEW history books and it doesn’t matter what comes next. Short but solid promo.

MJF up next, first he calls Queens a rat infest dump and he’s from Long Island so he’s not in front of his home town. Tonight he beat Brian Pillman Jr. without breaking a sweat, and asks for anyone in AEW to beat him clean. No one can do so, and without him this company “ain’t shit”. You can keep bringing in these guys from VKM, but the only three letters that matter in professional wrestling are MJF. MJF’s mic ability is well documented at this point.

Bryan Danielson now post Omega match. He says he feels alive, he wanted to face the best guy here and did that. He wishes he would have won, but even without that professional wrestling is magic. He’s grateful for the experiences wrestling has given him and calls this an incredible feeling. There was so much joy out there, even in the pain. He’s missed this, has been away from wrestling since April but he’s been away from full bore wrestling for a lot longer and this felt really good. Asked about the future, he wants another match with Omega but Omega doesn’t want it. Not everyone loves the brutality like Bryan does, and he’ll kick everyone’s head in to get back to the World title. Bryan’s character work has always been good, even dating back to his ROH days, and he continues that here. He comes across as genuine, an extreme rarity in the world of professional wrestling.

Men of the Year next. Page says for the rest of his life he wants to gloat about what happened to Jericho and Hager. He grew up looking up to Jericho, or in the stands looking down on him. Tonight American Top Team embarrassed him and dethroned a legend. He’s proud of that. Scorpio says you don’t have to ask him anything, you just saw an example. A year ago he was on Dark telling you to pay attention. He didn’t want to go to this place, but by being this underappreciated the hand of the Men of the Year was forced. But it doesn’t matter if you come from New York, or are the latest indy darling, anyone who wants to step up will have to do so over his dead body. Jericho started this, coming from New York and making this company. And they thank him for that. But now he’s hanging around, he wont step aside, and that’s a problem. This is the time for men like Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky. Sky has spent 19 years in this business watching everyone step in front of him, well no more. Page then tells the cameraman to get lost. Page’s promo work has almost always been good, but Sky tapping into this narrative vein seems to be bringing something out of him. Good stuff from both men.

Some exclusive video from Rampage Grand Slam. We see Eddie Kingston hanging out with Homicide, and puts him over as the man who made the New York indy scene and calls him family. Homicide talks, noting his history as a New Yorker who wants to work MSG but calls Arthur Ashe stadium a historical building as well. He expects Kingston and everyone to make history tonight. That was a fun little bit.

Pillman talks, he’s only been in AEW for a little over a year and calls being on this card with all these huge stars an absolute privilege. Everyone in AEW is here to put on the best wrestling they can, and he expects this to be just the first of many AEW shows with this kind of attendance.

Ortiz notes that despite being a New Yorker he’s never been in this building. When he and Santana started they wrestled in school playgrounds to start, and now Ortiz is supporting his family, bought a home, and is going to wrestle in front of 20,000 people in New York.

Anthony Bowens calls just being in this position insanity, he got chills just walking into the venue. Max Caster is working on his raps, then we see that fade into his actual entrance at Grand Slam and the promo that followed on the entrance ramp calling out Tony Khan. Khan of course did show up, and didn’t rap against Caster but did bring out Lil Uzi Burt. Burt helped him write his rap, he threatens to suspend the Acclaimed again in rap form then calls out the Varsity Blonds. The two teams brawl with the Blonds winning out and sending the Acclaimed packing.

Paul Wight talks next, he says the chance to create something was part of what drew him to AEW. He’s been in the business for a long time, and reading the tea leaves he could see the building momentum of AEW. He puts over the Grand Slam show and considers working on that show to be a serious feather in his cap. That dovetails into him mentioning it’s not how much you do, it’s what you do and puts over the AEW roster. Any fan that wants authentic professional wrestling will be drawn to AEW.

6.5
The final score: review Average
The 411
A very different episode this week, not only limited to 3 mostly forgettable matches but filled with promos and a bit of self congratulations about Grand Slam. I don't begrudge them that, but it is going to color your viewing experience. The promos were solid, probably with Men of the Year standing out the most for me. But for a less than 40 minute run time, you could do worse entertainment wise.
legend