wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 77) Review 8.22.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hey there everyone, it’s back to the land of Elevation time. OK, not a great intro but still beats Morbin’ time. Anyway we’ve got 9 matches tonight with Dark Order, Serena Deeb, Ruby Soho, Death Triangle, and a main event of Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue taking on Emi Sakura and the returning Maki Itoh. A friend of mine was at this taping so I’ll pepper in some of his thoughts from the event. Excalibur and Matt Menard are on commentary.
Match #1: Anna Jay w/ Angelo Parker vs. Nikki Victory
They tie up, Jay grabs a side headlock then shoulder blocks Nikki down and stomps on her for a bit. Corner offense from Jay, but Nikki fights back with strikes only for Jay to counter with strikes of her own then hits a running wheel kick. Queen Slayer follows and Nikki has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Anna Jay won in 1:02
Rating: Trombone. . . SQUASH
Jay working heel is probably a little better at the moment, she’s still got a lot of seasoning to do and being able to control slower paced stuff in heelish fashion might suit her development better than fiery babyface.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Ruby Soho and Ortiz vs. Queen Aminata and Mikey Midas
Ruby and Aminata start us off, Aminata grabs an arm wringer and twerks on Ruby’s face. Kick from Ruby then an STO and Aminata tags out which means Ortiz becomes legal. Ortiz eats an enziguri then levels Midas with a clothesline. Powerbomb from Ortiz, he splashes Ruby onto Midas then Ruby knees Aminata in the face and sends her out. Ruby with the No Future kick to Midas then Ortiz hits him with a Fisherman’s Buster and picks up the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Soho and Ortiz won in 1:50
Rating: Turban. . . SQUASH
Decent squash, not sure what the point of pairing Ortiz and Ruby Soho is though.
Match #3: Dante Martin vs. Jackson Drake
Martin offers a handshake, Drake obliges then tries a cheap shot but Martin avoids a few strikes then hits an arm drag. Jawbreaker from Drake, then a kick to follow up and a Fisherman’s Suplex for a 2 count. Martin fights back with a body blow then hits a suplex of his own. Running elbows from Martin, Drake misses a corner attack then Martin lands a kick from the apron and a top rope cross body for a 2 count. Drake fights back with some elbows, his nose is bleeding though I’m not sure what caused it, and Martin then hits a half nelson slam for the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Dante Martin won in 2:47
Rating: Veltruska. . . SQUASH
Apparently it took them a while to clean up the blood from this injury, we don’t see it on the broadcast of course but my friend indicated it was definitely an issue.
Match #4: Serena Deeb vs. Megan Meyers
Menard bets under 3 minutes again. Deeb grabs a full nelson right away, then snap mares Megan down and slaps her head a few times. Another tie up, Deeb hits an arm breaker then goes to an arm wringer with Megan escapes but Deeb is able to counter and continue to be the better wrestler. Deeb ties up Megan on the mat and gets a modified Indian death lock then rakes at the face of Megan which forces the break. Megan tries to fire up with strikes but she runs into a clothesline. Deeb is pissed and starts laying in chops then kicks at the legs of Megan and hits a dragon screw leg whip then a spinning neckbreaker. Serenity Lock applied and Megan has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Serena Deeb won in 2:57
Rating: Yellow Hubbard. . . SQUASH
Delicious squash, though Megan Meyers is starting to grow on me with her repeated appearances.
Match #5 – Trios Match: Dark Order (John Silver, Alex Reynolds, and 10) w/ Evil Uno vs. D’mone Solavino, Alexander Apollo, and RC Dupree
Silver and Dupree start us off, Silver shoulder blocks Dupree down and poses then hits the ropes and catches Dupree with a hot shot and running uppercut. Reynolds tags in, then 10, so Dupree can eat a double facebuster then 10 hits the 10 count vertical suplex. Reynolds tags back in, Dupree tags in Apollo and Reynolds drop kicks his back. Rake of the eyes and Solavino tags in to land strikes in the corner. Dupree tags in and runs into a boot. Reynolds fights out of the corner and tags in 10 who proceeds to run wild on everyone. Silver tags in, Dupree takes the flurry finish from Silver and Reynolds then 10 wipes him out with a Brodie-line and Silver picks up the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Dark Order won in 3:22
Rating: Butternut. . . SQUASH
Pretty squash heavy episode thus far, but Dark Order is the first act that got a real pop from the crowd.
Match #6: Julia Hart vs. Hayley Shadows
Hart stares down Shadows for a bit, then boots her to the mat. Another kick from Hart then she starts unloading in the corner with strikes. Shadows tries to fight back with strikes of her own but Hart catches her with a clothesline after Shadows tried the up and over out of the corner. Front flip clothesline from Hart then a corner splash but she’s a little flippant afterwards and Shadows with a school boy for 1 then Hart lands a heel kick. Her Rings of Saturn variant follows, and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Julia Hart won in 2:08
Rating: Tetsukabuto. . . SQUASH
Hart really needs to name that submission already.
Match #7 – Tag Team Match: Josh Woods and Tony Nese w/ “Smart” Mark Sterling vs. Andrea Guerico and Logan James
James and Nese start us off, Nese poses because his physique is ridiculous. Strikes from Nese then he launches James into the corner. Scoop slam from Nese then he tags in Woods. Woods with a knee to the body then James slips from a suplex and tags in Guerico. Guerico lands a couple of kicks, then misses one and Woods cleans his clock with a knee. Doctor Bomb from Woods, James breaks up the pin and Nese then gets rid of him to the outside as Woods clobbers Guerico and they hit the Angle Slam and neckbreaker combo to pick up the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Nese and Woods won in 2:16
Rating: Shishigatani. . . SQUASH
Woods and Nese do make a decent tag team, but we’re really a bit too heavy on the squashes tonight guys.
Match #8 – Trios Match: Death Triangle (Pac, Penta el Zero Miedo, and Rey Fenix) w/ Alex Abrahantes vs. Rosario Grillo, Manscout, and Dean Alexander
Nice pop for Death Triangle. Pac and Manscout start us off, Pac grabs an arm wringer and they trade escapes then Pac hits an arm drag and scoop slam. Penta tags in and we get a wazzup stomp then Alexander tags in. Sling Blade from Penta then Fenix tags in and it’s super kick city as Fenix and Penta hit a bit of their standard offense. Grillo tags in and Fenix chops him then Fenix hits a rebound hook kick. Pac tags in and unloads with kicks then tags in Penta. Penta hits the Fear Factor and we’re done as Pac and Fenix play goalie for the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Death Triangle won in 2:36
Rating: Acorn. . . SQUASH
Death Triangle was very over and they’re always a good watch even when they’re just squashing guys.
Emi Sakura’s reaction to Maki Itoh’s entrance is amusing.
Match #9 – Tag Team Match: Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue vs. Emi Sakura and Maki Itoh
Emi and Itoh jump Shida and Blue at the bell, Emi winds up tossing Blue around on the outside as Shida and Itoh square off. Itoh no sells a punch, because of her head, then lands a headbutt. Emi tags in, as does Blue after Itoh misses a Kokeshi. Blue lands a few strikes but Emi fights back with a Mongolian chop then tosses Blue around by the hair. Corner chops then a corner cross body from Emi land, and Itoh’s version of the stomp stomp clap is kind of adorable. Itoh tags back in and lands stomps then grabs a Camel Clutch and mocks Blue. Blue fights to her feet with strikes then avoids a scoop slam and lands an enziguri. Shida gets the hot tag and starts running wild then lands the 10 punch in the corner and a drop kick. Suplex from Shida then some stomps but Emi with a cheap shot that allows Itoh to recover and land a headbutt. Itoh with the Kokeshi then she tags in Emi. Emi and Shida start trading strikes and Emi lands a boot to drop Shida. Shida blocks a strike and lands an ax kick then a question mark kick, but Emi fights back with a chop only to eat a hurricanrana and both women tag out. Blue with some strikes but Itoh isn’t phased by being slammed into the corner and tries a headbutt but Blue blocks then lands a kick but Itoh no sells and lands a headbutt then tags out. Emi hits a gutbuster onto the knee of Itoh then hits an Angel’s Wings but Shida breaks up the pin. Itoh takes out Shida, then eats a swinging neckbreaker from Blue, who’s clotheslined down by Emi. Shida wipes out Emi with an elbow strike then Emi drops her with a back drop driver. Blue rolls up Emi for 2, then Emi avoids a super kick which catches Shida and allows Itoh to hit a diving DDT onto Shida and they’re out of the equation. Emi hits Blue with a tilt a whirl backbreaker then Itoh holds Shida down as Emi hits the Queen’s Gambit onto Blue and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sakura and Itoh won in 7:15
Rating: 2.5 stars
Well that was a fun little match with a solid finishing stretch. Poor Skye Blue continues to be on the wrong end of these matches more often than not.
Post match Shida and Emi square off and Emi indicates she wants Shida’s freshly won title. Shida poses with her belt but I’d be down for those two squaring off.
