Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 56) Review 3.28.22

Hey there everyone, time for the latest episode of Dark: Elevation. Tonight we’ve got matches featuring Penta Oscuro, Hikaru Shida, Roppongi Vice, and the blossoming tag team of Ruby Soho and Anna Jay.

Excalibur is on commentary along with Paul Wight and Mark Henry.

Match #1: Serpentico w/ Luther vs. Lee Moriarty w/ Matt Sydal

Paul Wight’s totally fictitious facts about Luther are growing on me. Serpentico mocks the injured Sydal before he ties up with Lee. They hit the ropes and Lee sweeps Serpentico down then kicks the arm. Lee goes for a Border City Stretch but Serpentico scoots to the ropes. Luther distracts Lee and that allows Serpentico to hit a super kick then an elbow drop. Hurricanrana from Serpentico then a drop kick for barely a 2 count. They start trading blows then Serpentico hits a Kitchen Sink for a 2 count. Serpentico grabs a chin lock, Lee fights out of it and attacks the arm again. Saito suplex from Lee connects, then he boots Serpentico down and quickens the pace. Clothesline from Lee, Serpentico counters with an enziguri then Lee hits a rolling chop to the neck. Muy Thai style knees from Lee then he grabs the Border City Stretch and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Lee Moriarty won in 4:00

Rating: 2.5 stars

Fairly sedate pace for these guys, but it was smooth enough technically.

Match #2: Abadon vs. Danni Bee

Abadon tosses Bee around then hits a back elbow and Bee powders. Diving kick from Abadon then she hits a cannonball senton off of the apron to the floor. Back in the ring Abadon crawls to Bee, Bee fights back with a jawbreaker but Abadon just screams at her then lands a clothesline. Senton from Abadon then the Black Dahlia and we’re done here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Abadon won in 1:23

Rating: Futterkurbis Oblonga. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash.

Match #3: Penta Oscuro w/ Alex Abrahantes vs. JPH

Penta shoves JPH, then catches a kick and lands one of his own. Sling Blade from Penta gets a 2 count. Chop from Penta, then another one just because. JPH tries to come back but he springboards into a super kick. Made in Japan hits, then Penta goes for The Sacrifice arm breaker, he hits it then pins to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Penta Oscuro won in 1:55

Rating: Gem. . . SQUASH

More delicious squash.

Match #4: Frankie Kazarian vs. Brandon Cutler

Some gesticulation from Cutler, and Kazarian just boots him down then lays into him with strikes. Chops from Kazarian then he tosses Cutler out of the ring. Cutler heads back into the ring, only to be tossed again by Kazarian. Cutler with a minor tantrum, then trips getting back into the ring leading to Kazarian clotheslining him back out of it. Kazarian heads out after him this time, punches him and then catches a popped up bottle of cold spray. The ref takes the bottle away from him, then Cutler tosses Kazarian into the ring steps. Back in the ring Cutler heads up top, decides the second rope is better, still doesn’t like that and uses the first rope for a splash but Kazarian avoids him and hits a springboard leg drop. Cutler trips Kazarian into the corner, then when he goes for a 10 punch Kazarian moves and allows Cutler to punch the turnbuckle 10 times. Kazarian lays in a clothesline then grabs the Crossface Chicken Wing and Cutler taps out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Frankie Kazarian won in 3:47

Rating: Gemini F1. . . SQUASH

Less delicious squash, but the comedic chemistry between these two worked quite well.

Match #5: Jamie Hayter w/Rebel vs. Rache Chanel

Chanel begs off then offers Hayter a comb. Hayter is unimpressed by all of this and floors Chanel with a forearm. More elbows from Hayter then she avoids a cover and hits a uranage backbreaker. Brainbuster from Hayter and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Jamie Hayter won in 1:43

Rating: Giromontina. . . SQUASH

More squash, there’s a lot of that going on this episode.

Max Caster is up next, so I’ll do my best to relay his rap per usual. Caster says Kiss couldn’t get on TV to save his life, would still be a loser in the Metaverse then claims Kiss is as flat as Plank from Ed, Edd, and Eddie.

Match #6: Max Caster w/ Anthony Bowens vs. Sonny Kiss

Kiss with an arm drag then a drop kick. Kick from the apron from Kiss, then Bowens distracts Kiss and Caster takes over. Back elbow from Caster then a back suplex. Caster launches Kiss into the corner then a neck breaker. Rest hold time from Caster, Kiss fires up with hip attacks then they hit the ropes and Kiss gets a Sunset Flip for 2 but Caster then connects with a drop kick. Some knee strikes from Caster then he grabs a neck crank. Kiss flips out of a back suplex then hits a flipping elbow and a drop kick. A kick from Kiss then a hurricanrana. Tornado kick from Kiss but that only gets a near fall. Kiss heads up top but Caster yanks him down. Caster up top, Mic Drop connects and Caster pins to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Max Caster won in 4:16

Rating: 2.5 stars

Solid match, nothing remarkable but nothing was horribly botched. Caster’s control segments could use some work, but that’s what these kinds of matches are for.

Match #7: Hikaru Shida vs. Madi Wrenkowski

They tie up and Shida gives a clean break when they hit the ropes. Madi starts laying in some strikes, then Shida dumps her on the top rope and hits a running knee strike to the head. Madi is on the apron and Shida hits a suplex from the second rope back into the ring for a 2 count. X-Factor from Madi connects after she avoided a suplex, but Shida avoids a stomp and hits an ax kick. Falcon Arrow from Shida connects, and gets the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Hikaru Shida won in 1:38

Rating: Jack be Little. . . SQUASH

Nice to see Shida back.

Match #8 – Tag Team Match: Ruby Soho and Anna Jay vs. The Renegade Twins (Charlette and Robyn)

Ruby and Charlette get us going, they tie up then Robyn hits a snap down and talks trash. They run the ropes then Ruby hits a side headlock takedown. Jay with a blind tag and hits a flipping neckbreaker then a wheel kick to the back of the head in the corner. Robyn breaks up the pin. A bit of distracting from Robyn allows Charlette to take over and tag out. Jay fights back avoiding a double suplex then tags in Ruby for stereo Flatliners. Knee from Ruby, then a super kick and an enziguri. Jay back in, Ruby then hits the No Future allowing Jay to lock up the Queen Slayer and force Robyn to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Anna Jay and Ruby Soho won in 2:15

Rating: Maliformis. . . SQUASH

Ruby and Jay are gelling as a team, they don’t have the chemistry that Tay Conti and Anna Jay did but it’s not a bad pairing.

Match #9 – Tag Team Match: Roppongi Vice (Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero) w/ Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy vs. QT Marshall and Aaron Solo w/ Nick Comoroto

Comoroto floors Beretta and Romero before the bell leading to Marshall and Solo taking over with some brawling on the floor. Romero and Solo finally settling things down in the ring. Marshall tags in as Mark Henry ribs Excalibur about Excalibur actually wrestling. Romero fights back with strikes then Marshall tags in Solo who lays in strikes of his own. They start trading chops then Romero avoids a suplex and hits a hurricanrana. Marshall tags in and stops the hot tag from Romero. Romero lands an uppercut then a running Shiranui and he tags in Beretta. Solo tags as well and Beretta runs wild, a half and half suplex for Marshall then a German suplex for Solo. Running elbow from Beretta then a Tornado DDT. Romero tags back in and hits a diving drop kick then Beretta follows up with a Shining Wizard for a near fall. Beretta tags in, they set for the Strong Zero but Marshall breaks that up. Beretta sends Marshall out of the ring and looks for a dive but Comoroto gets in his way. Solo lands a tornado kick to Beretta. Beretta lands a back elbow but runs into a pop up elbow. A combination back suplex and neckbreaker from Solo and Marshall connects but Romero breaks up the pin. Romero starts laying into Marshall and Solo with strikes then Marshall runs into double knees from Beretta and Romero. Suicide dive from Romero wipes out Marshall, then Beretta grabs Solo and they hit the Strong Zero to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Roppongi Vice won in 5:22

Rating: 3 stars

Executed well enough to get above the average mark, with bonus points for some nice alliteration from Mark Henry when describing Nick Comoroto.

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

A bit too squash heavy to get into full fledged Good territory, but a solid Average leaning towards Good. No major botches or obvious flubs, and a couple of solid matches sprinkled throughout. Elevation has really found it's groove these days.