Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 67) Review 6.13.22

Hey there people, time for another episode of AEW Dark: Elevation. On this episode we’ll get action featuring Nyla Rose, Ortiz, Private Party, 2point0, Ruby Soho, and a main event between The Factory and Dark Order.

Excalibur is on commentary alongside Mark Henry, no Paul Wight this week it seems.

Match #1: Nyla Rose vs. Max the Impaler

They tie up, but neither can get a strength edge. Drop toe hold from Rose then a low drop kick. Max hits an avalanche, then another one in the ropes. The audio finally kicks in correctly as Rose hits a neckbreaker. Rose wants the Beast Bomb but Max hits a back body drop out of it then Spears Rose. Max posts herself in the corner going after Rose, Rose lands a kick then hoists Max up and hits a Beast Bomb to end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Nyla Rose won in 1:55

Rating: Turban. . . SQUASH

Max has a memorable look, I’d be curious to see her work more of a match than just this but she matched up well with Rose physically.

Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) vs. Camaro Jackson and SK Bishop

Quen and Bishop start us off, Quen cheap shots Jackson then he avoids a back suplex. Bishop with a shot to Kassidy but Quen hits a drop kick. Kassidy tags in and Bishop takes some tandem offense. Jackson attacks but gets taken out by another tandem move. Quen then dives onto Jackson on the outside. Bishop rolls up Kassidy for 2 then gets leveled with a clothesline. Bishop hits a kick, Quen tags in as does Jackson. Jackson lays in chops to both men but he’s cut off with a kick then sent into the corner but he bounces out and hits a double clothesline. Super kick from Kassidy, an enziguri from Quen then Kassidy tags back in and they hit a new finisher, Kassidy hits a neckbreaker as Quen comes down with a Shooting Star Press and that ends things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Private Party won in 3:00

Rating: Valenciano. . . SQUASH

I’m still not a fan of Private Party, and the crowd wasn’t terribly invested in this match, but they’ve grown during their time in AEW and let’s hope the continue to do so.

Match #3: Ortiz vs. Anaya

They tie up, Ortiz grabs a side headlock and starts working it on the mat. Anaya hits the ropes and takes a powerslam then a senton. Ortiz misses a corner attack and they play in the corner for a second before Ortiz hits a cross body and a shotgun drop kick. Fisherman’s Buster from Ortiz connects and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Ortiz won in 1:14

Rating: Yellow Hubbard. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash.

Match #4 – Tag Team Match: Serena Deeb and Mercedes Martinez vs. Tootie Lynn and Miranda Gordy

Some early tension between Deeb and Martinez, Deeb and Gordy get us going. Deeb grabs a side headlock and starts out wrestling Gordy then hits an awkward shoulder block. Deeb with a headlock takeover then snaps the leg of Gordy to the mat. Martinez wants in, Deeb weakly tags her in as Lynn comes in on the other side. Quick leg trip from Martinez then a front headlock, she hits a couple of gator rolls then a delayed vertical suplex. Deeb tags back in and hits an incredibly awkward spinning suplex. Deeb goes for an Indian Death Lock, Gordy tries to save her but gets suplexed as Deeb hits the Death Lock onto Lynn’s leg. Martinez forces a tag back in and drills Gordy with a spinebuster, then uranage’s Lynn onto Gordy. Martinez drops Lynn over the top rope then hits a running forearm to the back of the head. Now Martinez goes for the Brass City Sleeper, Gordy tries to save Lynn but Deeb cuts her off and grabs the Serenity Lock as Martinez gets the Brass City Sleeper and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Serena Deeb and Mercedes Martinez won in 4:15

Rating: Butternut. . . SQUASH

They actually had an interesting dynamic between Deeb and Martinez, the two clearly trying to one up each other. I don’t know if they’ll tag again but you could easily spin this kind of dynamic into either a feud for Martinez’s ROH title or a tag team run.

Match #5 – Tag Team Match: 2point0 (Angelo Parker and Matt Menard) vs. Warhorse and Danny Adams

Menard and Parker jump Adams and Warhorse before the bell, then Parker and Adams settle into things. Running knee from Parker then a snap suplex. Parker stomps on Adams and breaks his glasses, the jerk. Menard tags in and stomps on the glasses some more then lays in chops. Parker tags back in and we get a double Snake Eyes to Adams. Adams starts evading then gets Parker to look down and dings his nose, Parker responds by punching him down. Warhorse tags in and starts running wild with kicks and clotheslines. Some corner clotheslines from Warhorse but he runs into a drop toe hold then takes a jumping elbow. Menard tags back in, double Impaler DDT connects to Warhorse and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: 2point0 won in 2:45

Rating: Calabaza. . . SQUASH

Nice to see Warhorse (Parts Unknown’s 2021 Wrestler of the Year) in action.

Match #6: Ruby Soho vs. Heidi Howitzer

They tie up, Heidi is much stronger and wont be moved by Soho. Heidi wants a test of strength but Soho can’t reach, and Heidi lands a headbutt then blocks the No Future. Soho avoids a leg drop and lands a kick. More kicks from Soho then Heidi blocks an STO and hits a clothesline. Heidi grabs a full nelson and whacks Soho’s head into the corner a few times before hitting a Mongolian Chop. Soho fires up after that and hits a back elbow then shoulder blocks to the body in the corner. More corner offense from Soho, she’s getting aggressive with the ref when he tries to break them out of the corner. A few more strikes from Soho including a headbutt then she tries a Saito suplex but Heidi is too big and blocks it then lays in strikes of her own. Soho blocks a Stunner and hits an inverted jawbreaker, follows up with Destination Unknown and pins to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Ruby Soho won in 3:17

Rating: Futsu black-rinded. . . SQUASH

Slightly more competitive squash, but ultimately a squash. Heidi didn’t look too bad here, she might be worth another look.

Match #7 – Tag Team Match: The Factory (QT Marshall and Aaron Solo) vs. Dark Order (Evil Uno and 10)

Uno and Solo start us off, they circle then Uno plays to the crowd a bit as they chant for him. Eventually Solo lands a kick then grabs a side headlock but Uno drops him with a shoulder block. They hit the ropes and Uno hits a Manhattan Drop then stomps on the fingers and tags in 10. Solo gets free and tags in Marshall. 10 floors Marshall with an elbow, then avoids a chop and lays in one of his own. Chops for Solo as well but the distraction allows Marshall to land a punch and tag out. Solo eats a clothesline from 10 then tries a suplex but Marshall saves him only to eat a pump kick. 10 catches Solo then hits the 10 count delayed vertical suplex. Uno tags back in and hits a 1 count delayed vertical suplex. Strikes from Uno but Marshall trips him up and Solo drives Uno out of the ring and tags out. Marshall with an ax handle and trash talks with the crowd before they head back into the ring. More strikes from Marshall then he tags in Solo who resumes landing strikes. Uno starts fighting out of the corner and hits a clothesline to drop Solo. Marshall tags in, and takes out 10 to prevent the hot tag. Uno catches a kick from Marshall then hits a neckbreaker. 10 gets the hot tag this time and he starts running wild on Marshall and Solo. Marshall runs into a spinebuster, 10 looks for the Full Nelson but Solo breaks it up. Uno comes in a boots Solo down, then he avoids a Diamond Cutter and 10 eats a super kick but hits a discus clothesline. Uno tags back in, heads up top and hits a Swanton Bomb for a 2 count. 10 and Uno set for their finish but Solo breaks things up. 10 gets sent out of the ring by Marshall, Uno then eats an enziguri from Solo and a Diamond Cutter from Marshall but 10 is here to break up the pin. Marshall tosses 10 out of the ring again and tags in Solo, but Uno avoids a corner attack and drops Marshall then hits Solo with a jawbreaker and tags out. 10 hits Marshall with a slingshot Spear, then Solo takes a wheelbarrow hot shot into a suplex from 10 and Uno. Uno with a cannonball senton off the apron onto Marshall as 10 gets the Full Nelson and Solo has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Dark Order won in 8:13

Rating: 2.5 stars

Solid match here, no major flubs, good crowd investment, nothing that really elevates it but nothing holds it down either.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Squash heavy episode this week, but a few of the enhancement talent were able to leave a bit of an impression and it's capped off by a serviceable main event. In particular Max the Impaler could probably use another match, she's got a memorable look and I'd be curious to see what she does with someone other than Nyla Rose.