wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 40) Review 12.06.21
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Time for episode 40 of Elevation, that’s a non-trivial milestone for the Youtube show. Tonight we’ve got The Acclaimed, Riho, Jurassic Express, and The Factory in action among a few others. Our commentary team is Tony Schiavone, Mark Henry, and Eddie Kingston. Per usual I must reiterate put a title on Eddie Kingston already, you cowards. Dascha Gonzalez is doing ring announcing in place of Justin Roberts.
Match #1: Riho vs. Angelica Risk
They trade arm wringers and escapes, then Risk drops Riho with a shoulder block but Riho does the matrix up and hits a drop kick. risk avoids a knee strike in the corner then takes her down by the hair. Running hip attack in the corner from Risk, that looked snug. Swinging neckbreaker from Risk but that only gets 2. Riho fires up, hits a drop toe hold into the ropes then the 619. Riho up top for a cross body that gets a near fall. Risk fights off the Northern Lights suplex and hits a DDT for another 2 count. Riho fights off a suplex, hits the Northern Lights suplex but only a near fall. Running double knee strike from Riho connects and that will get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Riho won in 3:33
Rating: 2 stars
I’m pleasantly surprised at how competitive this was, Riho was very giving and while Risk still looks a touch green when it comes to working TV she didn’t botch anything and definitely has a memorable presentation.
Match #2 – Trios Match: The Wingmen (Peter Avalon, JD Drak, and Cesar Bononi) w/ Ryan Nemeth vs. Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson, and Dustin Rhodes
Johnson and Avalon start things off, they tie up then Johnson starts laying in shoulder blocks before they run the ropes then eventually Johnson lands a drop kick then an armdrag. Anderson tags in and he starts dropping knees on Avalon. Avalon avoids a scoop slam and tags Drake. Drake and Anderson start going at it but Anderson isolates the arm and starts working it but Drake cuts him off with a right. Drakes sends Anderson to the apron, then guillotines him over the top rope and that allows Cesar and Nemeth to get some cheap shots in. Back in the ring Cesar tags in and lays in a chop. More strikes from Cesar then he tags in Drake, how tags Avalon. Pumphandle fallaway slam from Cesar, Drake with a cannonball senton then Avalon with a top rope splash for a 2 count. Drake back in and they’re still keeping Anderson isolated. Anderson avoids a chop and drops Drake with a DDR. Both men are down, then both tag out and it’s time for Rhodes to run wild on Avalon. Rhodes takes out everyone then drills Avalon with a snap powerslam. Johnson comes in to hit a suicide dive onto Cesar and Avalon, then Anderson takes out a charging Nemeth with a dive from the apron. Back in the ring, Drake tries to save Avalon but Anderson cuts him off with a spinebuster that had pretty bad timing on it. Rhodes takes out Avalon with the Final Reckoning and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Dustin Rhodes, Brock Anderson, and Lee Johnson won in 5:02
Rating: 2 stars
Solid match, Anderson and Drake botching the spinebuster stood out because everything else was well executed. It’s amazing that Dustin Rhodes is his age, with his mileage, and still moves that smoothly in the ring. Ultimately a nice outing here with the greener guys getting the necessary reps in.
Match #3: Serpentico w/ Luther vs. Brian Pillman Jr. w/ Julia Hart
A Luther distract allows Serpentico to take over early with strikes. Pillman fights back with kicks but Serpentico hits a super kick then a Flatliner for a 1 count. Snapmare and punt from Serpentico then he grabs a chinlock. Pillman fights out of that and lays in chops before dropping Serpentico with a forearm then a clothesline. A series of strikes in the corner from Pillman then a Jackhammer but Serpentico is too close to the ropes and uses those to break the pin. Pillman sets Serpentico on the top rope but Serpentico tosses him off and hits a Swanton Bomb for a near fall. Cheap shot from Luther, then he picks up Serpentico and tries to slam him on Pillman but Pillman rolls away then super kicks Luther off the apron. Air Pillman follows to Serpentico and Pillman pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Brian Pillman Jr. won in 3:05
Rating: 2 stars
Another solid match tonight, Serpentico does a great job of fighting from underneath in spots like this.
Match #4 – 8-Man Tag Team Match: The Factory (QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto, Aaron Solow, and Anthony Ogogo) vs. Baron Black, Shawn Hoodrich, Tony Vincita, and JD Munoz
Tony and Comoroto get things started, Comoroto easily overpowers him and lays in shoulder thrusts in the corner. Tony gets tossed out of the corner, then Solow tags in. Tony takes a series of double team moves, then they take out the other guys on the apron. Ogogo tags in, as does Black. Black lays in a few chops but Ogogo drills him with an Angle slam. Munoz comes in illegally, Marshall does as well and hits him with a terrible Diamond Cutter (Munoz put his shoulders forward and his chest in, needs to reverse that). Shawn tags in then hits a kick to Ogogo, but he runs into a pop up right hand and he’s knocked out to end the match.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Factory won in 2:30
Rating: Calabaza. . . SQUASH
I don’t quite see what others do in Ogogo, but this was his first match back in a bit so I’ll cut him some slack.
Match #5 – Tag Team Match: Emi Sakura and The Bunny w/ Mei Suruga vs. Ryo Mizunami and Abadon
Bunny and Abadon get things going, Bunny with a knee lift but Abadon just screams at her. Abadon lays in headbutts then an X-Factor for a 2 count. Bunny lands a kick but can’t hurt the zombie so Bunny tags in Emi. Abadon avoids a double underhook backbreaker and tags in Ryo. Ryo with a shoulder block then the Kobashi chops in the corner, Bunny tires to help and gets Kobashi chops for her trouble. Mei with a grab of the leg and that allows Emi to take over and toss Ryo into the corner. Emi wants the corner cross body and hits it but Abadon photobombs their pose then scares the daylights out of Mei and Emi. Butterfly suplex from Emi gets a 2 count. Ryo fights out of a Dragon sleeper, then catches Emi in a uranage and both women are down. Both women tag out and Abadon runs wild on Bunny including an Edge-O-Matic, Emi breaks up the pin but Ryo spears Emi out of her boots. Bunny hits a super kick but Abadon fights back with The Black Dahlia (a DDT/Divorce Court with her leg over the opponents head/neck) and that’ll do it for this match.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Abadon and Ryo Mizunami won in 4:00
Rating: 2.5 stars
Extremely competent match, and I rather enjoyed the way Emi and Mei sold for Abadon’s presence. Even Ryo selling fear of her partner was pretty great, and for an odd couple style team Abadon and Ryo work pretty well together.
Match #6 – Tag Team Match: Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) vs. Brandon and Brent Tate
Jungle Boy and Brent start us off, Jungle Boy easily out wrestles him and drops Brent with a shoulder block. Brent can’t find any offense and after taking a flurry of strikes tags out. Brandon eats a backbreaker from Jungle Boy but fights back with a jawbreaker and tags out. Jungle Boy fights both of them off for a bit but gets caught in a series from both men. Brandon tags in but Jungle Boy avoids them and tags in Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus runs wild on both of the Tates with ease culminating with a double clothesline. Double chokeslam attemopt from Luchasaurus, he hits it then tags Jungle Boy and they hit an alley-oop into a sitout powerbomb and that’ll do it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jurassic Express won in 2:46
Rating: Gete Okosomin. . . SQUASH
That finisher from Jurassic Express is a nice one.
The Acclaimed are up next, Caster wants his opponents to break up like Outkast, claims to be engaging in intercourse with their significant others, reminds them they’ll be driving Ubers after the show, and makes a sports reference to close. Not his strongest work
Match #7 – Tag Team Match: The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) vs. Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo
Dean and Caster get us going, Caster starts off with strikes right away then tags in Bowens. Double suplex from The Acclaimed, but Bravo is in and he and Dean hit stereo strikes then finger stomps and they drop kick Caster out of the ring. Bravo tags in and hits a sit out spinebuster then Dean with a splash but that only gets a 2 count. Bravo goes for a 10 punch but Caster breaks that up. Bowens hits a combination of strikes then tags in Caster. Uranage into a sidewalk slam from Bowens, Caster with the Mic Drop and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Acclaimed won in 1:57
Rating: 1.5 stars
A bit too competitive to be a squash, but not long enough or equal enough to get above that rating. I continue to like what I’ve seen out of Dean and Bravo.
