wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 57) Review 4.04.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hey there people, time for AEW Dark: Elevation. Tonight we’ve got Paul Wight in action, as well as Ruby Soho, Frankie Kazarian, Red Velvet, and more. It looks to be a bit more squash heavy tonight, but let’s see what they’ve got in store for us.
Tony Schiavone, Mark Henry, and Paul Wight are on commentary.
Match #1: Leyla Hirsch vs. Ella Envy
Quick inside trip from behind from Leyla then she rides Ella for a bit before standing free and mocking Ella’s wrestling skill. Ella tries a single leg, Leyla counters into a side headlock then shoulder blocks the larger woman down. Hip toss from Ella then an arm drag. Leyla avoids a corner splash and lands an elbow then trips her down and lands knees. German suplex from Leyla then the running knee and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Leyla Hirsch won in 1:35
Rating: Patidou. . . SQUASH
Leyla still needs some work on her in ring presentation, she’s got all the credentials and plenty of physical ability but there does seem to be a spark she hasn’t quite found yet.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson w/ Arn Anderson vs. The Factory (QT Marshall and Aaron Solo) w/ Nick Comoroto
Johnson and Marshall get us going. Marshall thinks better of this and tags in Solo. More tagging from Marshall and Solo before we finally get Solo and Johnson to lock up. Johnson lays in chops then right hands. Solo fights back with a kick then a shoulder block. They run the ropes then Johnson lands an ax handle. Brock tags in and lands an elbow drop. Johnson back in and they start going after the arm of Solo. Solo fights back with strikes then sends Johnson out of the ring and Comoroto is able to clothesline him down. Arn takes exception to this and grabs a chair to chase off Comoroto. Marshall tags in and starts working over Johnson. Johnson gets tossed out again, but this time he avoids a charging Comoroto with the help of Arn and Comoroto posts himself. Back in the ring Marshall gets caught with a neckbreaker and Brock gets the hot tag. Brock runs wild on Solo after Solo tags in, then dumps Marshall out of the ring and hits a Doctor Bomb for a 2 count. Brock with the fake punch into a DDT and Marshall has to save the match. Johnson comes in and unloads on Marshall then yanks him out of the ring. Marshall sends Johnson into the barricade as Solo and Brock start trading strikes. Solo avoids a suplex then Marshall snaps Brock over the top rope and Solo hits a tornado kick for a near fall. Things break down but here’s Johnson to super kick Marshall out of the ring, then one for Solo and Brock follows up with a spinebuster then pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson won in 6:59
Rating: 2 stars
More reps for all parties concerned is a good thing, this was competently executed.
Match #3: Serena Deeb vs. Dani Mo
They tie up and Deeb starts out wrestling Mo. Uppercuts from Deeb then a side headlock takeover and she wrenches on the leg of Mo. Mo fights back with a kick but Deeb blocks the second one and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Deeb keeps after the leg of Mo, hits another dragon screw leg whip then grabs the Serenity Lock and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Serena Deeb won in 2:15
Rating: Patisson. . . SQUASH
Delicious squash.
Match #4: Frankie Kazarian vs. Lucky Ali
They tie up, Kazarian hits a mat return then starts riding from a front headlock. Ali fights up and gets into the corner to force a break. Kazarian lays in chops then a running Russian leg sweep. Kicks from Kazarian then a clothesline. Ali gets a break in the ropes then offers a handshake to Kazarian. The fake out doesn’t work on Kazaria but Ali hits a reverse jawbreaker then a clothesline. Kazaria lays in more chops but Ali hits a back suplex then a senton for a 2 count. Facelock from Ali, Kazarian fights back up with strikes and unloads with rights. Monkey flip from Kazarian then he fires up with elbow strikes. Ali arm drags out of the Crossface Chicken Wing but Kazarian catches Ali with a slingshot Cutter then grabs the Crossface Chicken Wing and forces the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Frankie Kazarian won in 3:40
Rating: 2 stars
Not a bad showing from Ali, he might be worth a second look.
Match #5: Red Velvet vs. Brittany Jade
Jade grabs a side headlock then hits a shoulder block and mocks Velvet. Velvet hits a back heel kick then unloads with body blows in the corner. Running kick from Velvet as Mark Henry uses this moment to do his weekly animal impression, this week is a sheep. He’s previously done elephants and cows, it’s a rather amusing running gag in a deliberately awkward kind of way. Jade hits a swinging neckbreaker for a 2 count. They hit the ropes and Velvet fires up with quick clotheslines then a trip into the ropes so Velvet can hit a double knee strike to the back of the head. Just Desserts follows and Velvet wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Red Velvet won in 2:20
Rating: Pattypan. . . SQUASH
They gave Jade a fair bit here, not enough to warrant a full rating especially when the overall length is taken into consideration, and she didn’t look bad.
Match #6 – Tag Team Match: Best Friends (Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor) w/ Orange Cassidy vs. The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry)
The Workhorsemen have music this time, no video yet but they do get an entrance. Taylor and Henry start us off. Henry hits a shoulder block then they run the ropes and Taylor hits a few arm drags before tagging in Trent. They hit a double suplex for a 2 count. Trent reminds us all that his mom is in the crowd. Back kick from Henry then he tags Drake, who walks into an arm drag. Taylor back in, Henry makes a blind tag as there’s some misdirection but a do-see-do spot follows and then we nearly get the hug but Drake and Henry interrupt it. Taylor and Trent both get tossed into the barricade before Drake hits a loud chop. Back in the ring Henry covers Taylor for a 1 count. Drake tags in and Taylor takes some tandem offense, Orange then with a very belated attempt to trip Henry that made me smile. More chops from Drake, then a scoop slam and a falling headbutt. Taylor rolls out of the ring, then he sends Henry into the barricade before Drake sends him back into the ring. Orange is here to put his hand in his pocket, the distraction allows Taylor to recover and hit a Flatliner back in the ring. Both men tag out and Trent gets to run wild for a bit including a Saito suplex. Drake tags in, Trent lays in chops then hits a tornado DDT for a near fall. More strikes from Trent as Drake slumps to the mat then Drake rolls out of the ring and avoids a plancha before rebounding Trent off of the ropes and hits a right hand. Back in the ring Henry hits a TKO, Drake comes in with a Sick Kick but Taylor breaks up the pin. Taylor gets taken down then Henry tags in and super kicks Trent, hanging him up over the knees of Drake then Henry hits a top rope double stomp but that all only gets a near fall. More kicks from Henry as he demands Trent stay down, then pulls him up which sends some really mixed messages. Taylor comes back into frame and he and Trent take out Drake with a Sole Food into a half and half suplex. Henry is all alone to take a Strong Zero and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Best Friends won in 8:00
Rating: 3 stars
This one sneaks into good territory, Trent and Taylor went out of their way to make Drake and Henry look good while Drake and Henry more than held up their end of things. Solid match, I’m guessing the best one we’ll get on the episode.
Match #7 – Tag Team Match: Ruby Soho and Anna Jay vs. Diamante and Ashley D’Amboise
Jay and Diamante start us off. They tie up then Diamante goes for an arm wringer, Jay counters into one of her own then Diamante slams her down to escape. Back heel trip from Diamante then she gets on top in full mount and lands punches. Ashley wants in, she tags in and grabs a side headlock takeover but Jay counters, they trade head scissor escapes then stand off. Blind tag from Ruby who comes in and punts Ashley. Ashley avoids a back suplex with a jawbreaker then tags in Diamante who lands a drop kick on the way in. Diamante lays in strikes but Ruby catches her in a school boy for a 2 count. Hot Shot from Diamante, but Ruby avoids a clothesline then knees Diamante in the face and tags out. Jay runs wild with kicks then a Northern Lights suplex with a release. Ruby tags back in and comes in off of a running leg lariat from Jay. Diamante lands a kick to Ruby and fights out of the corner then lands a knee to the jaw and looks for the finish but Ashley with a blind tag. Ashley and Diamante argue, Jay comes in and takes out Diamante leading to Ruby avoiding Ashley’s finish and hitting Destination Unknown (Sister Abigail) for the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ruby Soho and Anna Jay won in 4:50
Rating: 2.5 stars
Ashley costing her team the match isn’t the worst way to go, it keeps Diamante looking relatively strong even in the loss. Ashley has looked solid during her Elevation appearances thus far. Post match Diamante lays out Ashley with a full nelson slam.
Match #8: Paul Wight vs. Austin Green
Green is not a small man, he’s not as big as Wight but he’s not that outsized. They tie up but neither man gets an edge there and they shove apart. Another tie up, this time Wight shoves Green off and into the corner. Green avoids a chop and lands a right hand. More rights from Green then Wight shoulder blocks him down. Corner chops from Wight, he wants the chokeslam and hits it to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Paul Wight won in 2:04
Rating: Pyriformis. . . SQUASH
I’d be curious to see Green get another look. Mostly a feel good moment for Wight to win in his home state.
